A Heart for Susan

It is with great sadness that I post this heart for my friend Susan.
I met her 5 years ago when I first joined Gleaners, and she helped me feel comfortable and fit in. Her generosity overwhelmed me, her genuineness humbled me.

When I first met Susan, I didn't know she had fought cancer.
I didn't know her husband had survived a heart attack.
Susan was an aspiring writer at that time, and went on to publish two very successful books.
(You can read about them HERE). She loved my first name, and vowed that she was going to use it in a future book ...

When she moved away, we kept in touch via e-mail, and occasionally she would send a prayer request - always for someone else, never for herself.

She was planning on moving back to our area ...
She wanted to get together ... do lunch ... get caught up.

She sent me an e-mail January 12th at 11 a.m.
I'm not sure when she had the heart attack, but she passed away at 1:30 that same afternoon.

I know she is in a better place - she knew where she was going.
But she will be missed here.
So much.

Goodbye, Sou-Tuz, I will miss you.

Guest Heart Thursday #94

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR heart!

Winter has indeed arrived over at Abe's "My Birds Blog".
If you have never visited Abe, I sincerely urge you to do so! Even in the dead of winter, his incredible photography is so detailed you can clearly see the hearts on these adorable starlings!

Thank you, Abe, for sharing your heart!

I introduced you to "Pieni Lintu" last week ...
Since then, I have been back to visit her again and again. What an amazing artist she is!!!
I hope you too will find the magic of her blog.

Thank you, Pieni Lintu, for sharing your heart!

I was delighted when Inger posted this heart some time ago ... I adore glowing hearts!
And I adore Inger - who finds the most AMAZING hearts - which she posts each week on her blog, "A Picture in Time".

But as much as I enjoy Inger's amazing photos ... I am awestruck by her jewelry!
Be sure to visit her, and take a look at the beauty she creates!!!

Thank you, Inger, for sharing your heart!

My brother was cooking breakfast for Dad, when he started laughing, and asked me to bring my camera into the kitchen.

To take a picture of the sausage heart he found in the cast iron frying pan!!!

Thank you, Darren, for sharing your heart!

One world. One people. One heart.

As always - a huge thank you to all who linked up with Guest Heart Thursday last week. I loved seeing all of the delightful and amazing hearts you found in your world!

Would you like to share your heart on Guest Heart Thursday?
The rules are easy ...
There are none!!!
As long as your post includes a heart!

If you have found a heart (or drawn a heart, or designed a heart, or written a heart-felt poem, or ...), please join us for Guest Heart Thursday. Just link the URL of your heart post to Linky! It would be nice if you linked back to Random Hearts ... but it's okay not to ... we just want to see your hearts!
The link will be open from Thursday morning until Sunday night.

Have you found more than one heart?

Put in more than one link!,

Is your heart from a long time ago?
It doesn't matter, as long as you put the direct URL to that post!

Behind the Coffee Pot Heart

Someone spilled some coffee ...
I won't say who ...
But when I moved the pot aside ...
To clean up the mess ...
There it was!
A spilled coffee heart ...

Lichen Heart

All of the rain we've had lately has brought out the fungi ...
This tiny lichen caught my eye ...
Since it was a heart!

Acorn, Squashed

I was walking quickly, not really watching where I was stepping ... when I felt a "crunch" under my foot.

I stopped and looked down.

And saw this acorn heart!

It's not the time of year for acorns, nor was there an oak tree nearby (those leaves are maple leaves - I think). I can only assume that a hungry critter (I've seen bluejays hiding nuts ... and squirrels too) grabbed this out of a stash nearby, and dropped it by accident.

I left the squashed acorn heart where it was - hopefully the critter will be back for a "hearty" meal!

Frost on Hearts ...

The early morning sunlight reflected on these tiny hearts last week ...
This week we just have rain.

To see reflections from around the world, visit James' "Weekend Reflections".

If you have found a heart, be sure to link up with "Guest Heart Thursday" - the link is open until Sunday!

And be sure to share your macro shots on NatureFootstep's "NF Macro"!

Also ... be sure to link up your favorite photo each week to "Life as this Mommy Knows It's" wonderful Linky party - "Look Whooooo's Snapping"!!!

Guest Heart Thursday #93

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR heart!

"Pieni Lintu's" entry to to this week's "Macro Monday" (more about that later) really caught my eye.
Was it the excellent photography?
Was it the brilliant color?
Was it the heart?
Actually it was YES - to all three!

Thank you, Pieni Lintu, for sharing your heart!

I have seen many mussel shells on the beach ...
But never one like this heart-shaped one that "Maboe" found!
(I found myself wishing I could curl my toes in that beautiful sand!)

Thank you, Maboe, for sharing your heart!

When Lisa posted this tiny little heart, I was amazed - but not surprised. Lisa takes the most wonderful macro shots ... but that doesn't surprise me either.
You see, "Lisa's Chaos" hosts the hugely popular "Macro Monday" - a great place to share the macro shots you take of your world!

Thank you, Lisa, for sharing your heart!

When I opened the e-mail from my sister-in-law, I had to giggle out loud at this picture I found attached. Who would have known Ernie has a heart shaped tongue!!!

Thank you, Bert, for sharing your heart!

"Tina's PicStory" is another place I love to hang out.
Tina hosts several memes ... and still manages to get out and take some amazing photos!

Thank you, Tina, for sharing your heart!

One world. One people. One heart.

As always - a huge thank you to all who linked up with Guest Heart Thursday last week. I loved seeing all of the delightful and amazing hearts you found in your world!

Would you like to share your heart on Guest Heart Thursday?
The rules are easy ...
There are none!!!
As long as your post includes a heart!

If you have found a heart (or drawn a heart, or designed a heart, or written a heart-felt poem, or ...), please join us for Guest Heart Thursday. Just link the URL of your heart post to Linky! It would be nice if you linked back to Random Hearts ... but it's okay not to ... we just want to see your hearts!
The link will be open from Thursday morning until Sunday night.

Have you found more than one heart?

Put in more than one link!,

Is your heart from a long time ago?
It doesn't matter, as long as you put the direct URL to that post!

Fragile ...

I know you see the sign that was posted on this packing box ...

But!

Do you see any hearts?

I see several!

My favorite one is the flaming heart in the upper right corner.

Fragile AND elusive!

To see signs from around the world, visit Lesley's "Signs, Signs"!

CCA Hearts of Joy

Our local KPTV Channel 12's "Out and About" guy, Joe V., caught my attention this morning as he featured "CCA's Hearts of Joy" - the 7th annual "Valentine's Day for CCA" campaign.

All proceeds from this campaign go to CCA - "Children's Cancer Association" as they bring "JoyRx to seriously ill children and their families, in the hospital and at home."

What a wonderful way to share their HEART!

As Joe finished his segment, the camera caught him racing outside ...
Why?
Well if you look at the bottom of the screen, you will see on the crawl the word ...
"SNOW"!!!

Sure enough, it is snowing outside!

And of course making hearts is my favorite part of a snow "event"!
(Our little skiff of the white stuff cannot in all good conscience be called a "snow storm"!!!)

Breakfast Heart

Scrambled Egg Hearts for breakfast anyone???

Tansy Flower Shadow Heart

Winter flowers are hard to find around here, so these leftover tansy flowers caught my eye.

As I focused on the plant, I noticed two hearts - a giant shadow heart, and a tiny shadow heart just below.

To see delightful shadows from around the world, visit Hey Harriet's "Shadow Shot Sunday"!

Guest Heart Thursday #92

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR heart!

You wouldn't think that wintertime would be a time for sharing the beauty of nature ... but don't tell that to Judy!

I have been following Judy over at "Lilac Gate" for a long time, and am constantly amazed by the beauty she finds in the outdoor world around her. Even in winter!

Thank you, Judy, for sharing your heart!

When Laura sends me a link, I know she has found something extra special ...
This beautiful flower heart is no exception ...
It was posted by Hilda on her blog "Hilda's Naturblogg".
When I visited Hilda, I was entranced by the beauty of her photographs.

Thank you, Hilda, for sharing your heart!
Thank you, Laura, for sharing the link!

It is said that friends come and go, but sisters are forever.
I know this is true when I visit Teri and Gina's blog "Our Wild Hearts".
The beauty of their friendship ...
The hearts they find together across the miles ...

Well, it just warms MY heart!

Thank you, Teri and Gina, for sharing your hearts!

I love it when one of my friends posts a heart by accident.
This desert cactus heart was posted by Diane ...
But I don't think she realized it was a plump little heart!

Diane's blog "Desert Colors" has proved to me that the desert, even in wintertime, is full of life, beauty, and (of course) hearts!

Thank you, Diane, for sharing your heart!

You all know Dani, right?
She's my heart-sister who lives in Macedonia, and goes to school in China.
Dani finds THE most amazing hearts!
She posts them on her blog, "A Lovely Home For Hearts" ... and posts her other wonderful photos on her blog "Snow Flowers".

Thank you, Dani, for sharing your heart!

One world. One people. One heart.

As always - a huge thank you to all who linked up with Guest Heart Thursday last week. I loved seeing all of the delightful and amazing hearts you found in your world!

Would you like to share your heart on Guest Heart Thursday?
The rules are easy ...
There are none!!!
As long as your post includes a heart!

If you have found a heart (or drawn a heart, or designed a heart, or written a heart-felt poem, or ...), please join us for Guest Heart Thursday. Just link the URL of your heart post to Linky! It would be nice if you linked back to Random Hearts ... but it's okay not to ... we just want to see your hearts!
The link will be open from Thursday morning until Sunday night.

Have you found more than one heart?

Put in more than one link!,

Is your heart from a long time ago?

It doesn't matter, as long as you put the direct URL link to that post!

Cheese Roll Heart

I was trying out a cheese/meat roll that came to us from Gleaners ...
It was delicious!

But best of all, it had a heart in the middle!

Icy Leaf Heart Reflections

The thin ice was melting fast ...
I had just a moment to catch this shot ...
Before a huge water drop fell from the tree ...
And broke my heart!

To see reflections from around the world, join us for James' "Weekend Reflections"!

If you have found a heart, be sure to share it on "Guest Heart Thursday" - the link is open through Sunday!

Guest Heart Thursday #91

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR heart!

Robert found this gorgeous bench in Athens ...
When he posted it on his blog, "Daily Athens Photo", I fell in love with the simple beauty of the heart that had been painted here.

Robert has a way of doing that ... finding the most amazing photos ...
and then pairing them with history (past and current!) to tell the stories of what he sees in the world around him.

Thank you, Robert, for sharing your heart!

"Barnyards and Barnacles" is where Sunny shares amazing photos of her world - and some of them take my breath away - like this wonderful heart she found!!!

Thank you, Sunny, for sharing your heart!

(This is not something I often do ... but Sunny - have you ever met Debbie?
Debbie, do you know Sunny?
I just have a wonderful feeling that you are kindred spirits - and would be great friends!!!)

Dani, one of my adopted heart-sisters, is traveling again ...
She's been going back and forth between China and Macedonia ...

And is going to be home for a while!
(Home would be Macedonia!)

I can't wait to see all of the hearts Dani shares on her "Lovely Home for Hearts"!!!
I know it's been a tough year for that ...

Thank you, Dani, for sharing when you can ... your heart!

JM posted this cute dog statue on his AMAZING blog "Oeiras and Environs Daily Photo" - I was fascinated by the blotches of lichen ...

Especially the one that's shaped like a heart!!!

Thank you, JM, for sharing your beautiful world ... and your heart!

One world. One people. One heart.

As always - a huge thank you to all who linked up with Guest Heart Thursday last week. I loved seeing all of the delightful and amazing hearts you found in your world!

Would you like to share your heart on Guest Heart Thursday?
The rules are easy ...
There are none!!!
As long as your post includes a heart!

If you have found a heart (or drawn a heart, or designed a heart, or written a heart-felt poem, or ...), please join us for Guest Heart Thursday. Just link the URL of your heart post to Linky! It would be nice if you linked back to Random Hearts ... but it's okay not to ... we just want to see your hearts!
The link will be open from Thursday morning until Sunday night.

Have you found more than one heart?

Put in more than one link!,

Is your heart from a long time ago?

It doesn't matter, as long as you put the direct URL link to that post!

Love Teriyaki

It's funny how sometimes it's the most obvious hearts that I overlook ... this little restaurant is directly across the street from my bank - I've driven by it a hundred times over the years!

It was only recently that I noticed the delightful neon heart sign ... and knew it was perfect for Lesley's "Signs, Signs"!

And James' "Weekend Reflections" too!

Demolition Heart ...

I found this heart in a pile of gravel rubble left by a demolition company ...
whose specialty is to grind up old buildings to make way for new construction.

There are bits of concrete, red bricks, white paint and more amidst the gravel in this pile.

Chewed up memories of buildings long gone.

Leaving a curious heart-shaped question ...

First Heart 2012 - Stained Glass Leaf Heart

Okay I cheated ... I actually took this picture in December, when a small windstorm took down the few remaining autumn leaves ... a little late.

The sun had come out for a few minutes, and this sweetgum leaf glowed with color ...
I didn't see the hearts until later.

Happy New Year!