Do rainy days make you happy?  Sometimes I like the rain, but not when it continues day-after-day, week-after-week, without a single peek at the sun.  One Saturday morning just a few weeks ago, our day began with a shroud of clouds and drizzling rain that seemed to mirror the gray feelings inside me.   Enough with the rain already!

On this drizzly day Mr. OTN and I decided to “escape” from home.  We escaped our lists, our piles, our things-to-do . . . and spent the day just JUNKING.

As we walked down Main Street of a quaint old town Mr. OTN caught sight of this wonderful vintage strawberry crate all alone on the sidewalk.  It caught his eye, not because it was something he’d like for himself, but because he knows me . . . and he knew it was something that would delight me.

I have childhood memories of a strawberry crate much like this one.  One week in summer.  One long, hot week picking strawberries.  In between the strawberry fights and sweet berry juice running down my chin, it was the hardest work I’d ever experienced.  In fact, it was probably the only REAL work this city child experienced.  But I was motivated to do the work in order to earn spending money for our family trip to California.

And what did I do with my hard earned $14.00?  I bought a souvenir gift for each of my friends.  I was quite proud of myself . . .  but not proud enough to go back to the strawberry fields again the next year.  Like I said, it was HARD work!

While Mr. OTN was making the purchase I was already making plans in my head for what I would do with this weathered and rusty old crate.

Once back home I began by laying down tablecloth and table runners, then lined my crate with vintage lace.

I filled it with everything needed for a dinner with the one who knew that this strawberry crate would bring sunshine to my day and warm me from the inside out.

I tucked in a few floral branches to remind me that Spring is right around the corner . . .

. . . and as I prepared to take some pictures, the sun broke through the clouds . . .

. . . turning one gloomy, drizzly day into a day filled with bright happiness! 

Blessings,