Hi everyone.  Sorry I disappeared on you for a few days.  I’m back.

My P.O. Box has been keeping happy in the interim.  I’d like to share a response today from a lady who has this handwritten letter thing down to a tee.  Her envelopes, stationery, the whole nine yards, are lovely.  She also sends postcards around the world for people to send send back with a message and a postmark.  Talk about connecting the world.  I encourage you all to check out her project called the Orphaned Postcard Project.

Post Muse responded to the question: Have you ever received a letter from another country?  Where, and from whom?  Do you remember what it looked like?  Had you yourself ever traveled there before, or did the letter make you want to?  If you haven’t received one, have you ever sent one to someone while visiting another country?

The response came written in a beautiful card she had picked up while traveling in Wales.  The front of the card has a thin wooden spoon on it, and inside there is an informational card about the spoon’s meaning, which reads:

The Legend of the Lovespoon

Giving gifts of carved wooden spoons is a Welsh tradition which symbolises affection and has its roots in centuries long past.  In fact, the Edwardian English expression — to go “spooning” — is believed to have its origins in this Welsh tradition.

It is sometimes thought that this ancient Welsh custom represented an early type of engagement ring or perhaps that presentation and subsequent acceptance of a carved spoon confirmed the beginning of a serious courtship. 

Though the exact history of the lovespoon legend is shrouded in uncertainties, we know that the carver would incorporate particular motifs to convey particular sentiments.

Nowadays, whenever you have something special to say, you can say it with a lovespoon.

It was such a uniquely wonderful card, and I loved that it also taught me a little about a tradition in another part of the world.  Post Muse’s response to the Question of the Week was as follows:

4 May 2012

Dear LHN,

This week’s question asks whether we have visited another country and written a letter from there, or received letters from abroad.  Both are affirmative!  Though I’ve received letters from many countries, the ones that most intrigue me are from Wales.  I visited Wales a few years ago and it left its mark.

You can well imagine dragons and knights to fight them in Wales.  The narrow side streets are lined with TALL hedges and the Welsh drivers must have x-ray vision because they drive with wild abandon around the corners and curves. The language is pure magic.  Words that look as if they should take at least 5 minutes to say just tumble out as a single lovely note.

When I receive mail from Wales, all of the above memories come floating back.  I did not write a letter from Wales, but I did buy this notecard.  I didn’t buy any lovespoons, but should ever I go back, I will find a carver who can work a postal motif into the desgin.

Postally yours,

Post Muse

I loved hearing about how the mail could take her back to those memories.

Thank you for the response!