12 Comments

This took me by surprise! My name is Tess and I have only ever met one other “Tess” in my life and she was named after me because her mother liked my name so much. So you can imagine when I saw this in my email I just quickly glanced over the title, thinking it was a clever marketing ploy by some company I’d forgotten I’d signed up to get emails from a while back. Come to find out, it wasn’t! And what a joy it was to learn it was in fact, a post from you! I can’t wait to tuck into this later whilst my kids nap. Wishing you many Christmas blessings!

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Merry Christmas. :)

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Merry Christmas, Eboni :)

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I loved the way it ended. ‘Faith, dear friends. We do because it is right without needing to know how it all unfolds. Kindness feeds through faith, not always the sweet juice of reward.’ I am quite romantic and really would want it to end with the birds enjoying it and the seeds then growing under the apple tree. But isn’t it more real to do what’s right and let God worry about the results? I also believe that God doesn’t let what is real not make a difference. How can it not?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Tara. Your words mean more than I can express. I look forward to hearing all about your holiday adventures.🎄❤️

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What a beautiful winter story. Hope springing from memories of a fruitful summer and reminding us of the bounty of life. And what a different spin on the dear fruit that we can often overlook since we feel so disconnected from it. I will read this to my daughter, who I call Tess 🧡

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Lovely!

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What a sweet story, Tara! In my ever-fertile imagination, the little raspberry has sprouted and is happily growing outside, fulfilling its destiny. It’s the romantic in me, I guess. I have several raspberry bushes growing at the sunny side of my house, and as a result I now have bags of the plump, glowing jewels in my freezer, waiting to be turned into a raspberry coulis for my Christmas trifle. I don’t think I’ll ever look at them the same way again. Merry Christmas, Tara!

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Sweet little story, and I yearn for the part when monocropped, plastic wrapped plants and foods are truly "once upon a time in a faraway land".

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I loved it. I loved the art. Thank you for this Christmas story! I hope you will make it into a children's book that people of all ages can love.

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What a beautiful story about my favorite berry, which grows 50 feet from our door! Thanks for sharing. I hope your Christmas is filled with both adventure and--like the berry resting on the branch--full of gentle moments. Thanks for your many wise words--wrapped up like gifts for us all through the year.

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I love this and will read it to our youngest, a round faced, yellow haired 4 year old named Tessa (after Tess of the d’Ubervilles, my favorite book).

Merry Christmas Tara, you and your words remain a cherished blessing to so many. ♥️

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Beautiful!

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