You’ve Got Mail (from the U.K.)

A surprise package arrived this past week, coming all the way from the U.K. What does the group of women who made this stocking (Much Ado Books), firstbook.org, the island of Rota, and Captain James Arruda Henry have in common?

To all our friends at MaryJanesFarm,

Discovering your magazine was one of the highlights of our past year.  We just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate all your efforts.

We hope you might enjoy one of our stockings—inspired by a quote from your magazine. Every year we make stockings like this from old blankets and sell them in our bookshop to raise money for literacy projects. In the spirit of the Farmgirl Sisterhood, we hosted a PTA stocking-making workshop in our barn. This year’s proceeds go to help the village school’s library.

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and the best of 2012.

Yours,

Cate Olson

p.s. Brian has been the best help getting packages to us here in the UK—it’s such a treat for us!

Such bookish fun we’re all having! (Spoken with a British accent.) Have you hugged a book lately?

For a rare bookish treat, make sure you read the history behind Much Ado Books in Alfriston, East Sussex (Medieval English village) and watch the slideshow by Scottish photographer Suzanne Black found here. To our sisters in East Sussex, thank you MUCH-ly!