Gems of Virtue: Maryam and Nicolai

Note to my faithful readers: This is a A Story..I wish to heaven I had a real Granty Maryam who left me all those gems... But just in case you thought the Story was Real..it's only real between my heart and head. (If you believed it true, then I offer my apologies but even so, believing in my tale is the best compliment any StoryTeller could ever hope to have.)

The Story Thus Far:
The following was found in the back of the old framed photochrome that belonged to Great-Aunt "Granty" Miriam (Maryam) and in a secret compartment of her battered Steamer Trunk.

A faded letter from Nicolai (who was he? as far as we know Granty never married and last we heard was a professed Nun who died in a Beirut convent),
photographs,
an orange blossom botanical card,
a bar of orange oil soap still in its wrapper,
dried orange peel
an Eastern Orthodox 'lestovka or Ladder to Heaven',
and most surprising of all, cut and polished rubies, citrines, emeralds and amethysts.
(These were secreted in the bar of soap and it was only when I unwrapped it and bits of the soap fell away, that the gems were exposed)

The orange blossom is traditionally associated with Betrothal - is this why the botanical card was enclosed?

The Butterfly Project: My Contribution

At the Oasis Cafe, there was a note pinned up on the cork board with a small paper butterfly attached.

It read: "The Houston Holocaust Museum is asking for 1.5 Million Butterflies to be made and sent to them by June 30, 2012, in honour of the 1.5 Million children who perished during that terrible time.

Read here for instructions and address.

If you wish to join a group project (which is more fun) Two Dresses Studio is playing Postmistress and inviting you to send your butterfly (or two) to her and she will send it on after photographing it. Read all about that here."

Sophie and I thought it was such a good idea, that I created one right then and there.
I used the DSA2 stencil feature (which HAD a Butterfly already installed woohoo!), overlaid it on top of my 'raindrop peony' photo. printed it on 4x6 photo paper and then carefully cut it out.

On the back I penned a small poem:

Butterfly, you fly so high

In your wings, I can see the sky.

It is now in the mail (Sophie licked the stamp) to Two Dresses Studio in Alberta.

Blessings of Butterflies to all who send one (or more!) along to either place.

LN

Butteflies are Free...The Butterfly Project

You may have noticed a new 'blinkie' on my sidebar of a Butterfly landing on an outstretched palm.
My new Caravan Friend Bill had a link on his site to this wonderful Project sponsored by
Two Dresses Studio in Lethbridge Alberta.
It's a wonderful idea and a Good Cause and besides I Love Butterflies -
You can read all about it here and join in.
Blessings of Butterflies to one and all.
Shanti