Happy mail, painted for me and mystery plant

So many good things happened over the weekend, I don't even know where to start.  We'll stick to three though.  I helped out at a children's carnival on Saturday for the kids at my church's preschool, which was fun, and had a wedding to look forward to Saturday evening.  When I was getting ready for the wedding, there was a knock on the door.  Neighbor Mike had gotten a package in his mailbox meant for me, and he handed it over:

- It was my copy of String and Bones, written by my friend Kim.  Kim Talon's first book is available here, from Amazon.com, where I ordered it, and here, directly from the publisher.  And read a Goodreads review here, from someone who couldn't put it down.  I am savoring the thought of reading it this weekend, but may sneak in some reading before.  Happy mail!

- The wedding was the marriage of two friends, who have already been together for 25 years.  It was wonderful to be a part of this event with 140 carefully chosen guests.  Ronnie has always packed lunch for Stephen, which includes a boiled egg.  At some point, Ronnie began writing a message on the egg each day with a Sharpie.  Stephen always photographs them and has made coffee table books from the photos.  So for this event, a year in the planning, Stephen (a talented artist), painted 140 eggs for the 140 guests invited to the wedding.  He says each egg was painted with each wedding guest in mind.  An egg was included in a gift bag that could be picked up as we were leaving.  Stephen announced that you would likely not get the egg meant for you, but to remember that one was painted with you in mind.  Just before I left, he wanted to see the egg I got from the bag I had picked up.  When I lifted the lid of its box, he looked startled and said slowly, "This is the egg I painted for you."  And it has a butterfly and beautiful words.  Click to enlarge.

- When neighbor Rhonda's parents passed away (within a week of each other), she brought some plantings from their home in North Carolina, and transplanted them here at the condos.  My building is the happy recipient of all this beauty.  This planting started out small and I thought it was a weed.  She said, "No!  It's going to be beautiful, you'll see."   It grew and grew over the summer, but astoundingly, it bloomed on Saturday.  When I got home from the wedding around 11pm, I spotted this gorgeous blossom.  I still don't know what this gangly plant with big leaves and pink blossoms is, but it sure is beautiful and made for a peaceful Sunday morning photo shoot.  AND promises more blooms!