and the winner is...

I hope everyone (who cared) had a good Valentine's day yesterday and an enjoyable weekend.  My dad came up for a visit Sunday afternoon and just left a little while ago.  The three of us had such a fun time and we had the most wonderful Valentine's dinner last night at our favorite restaurant in town.  They aren't usually open on Mondays, but had a Valentine's event with a special menu featuring a four course meal and musical entertainment by an excellent guitarist.  (If you ever happen to come to town, the Tuesday Irish music sessions are so much fun, too!). 

Although Valentine's Day was never a big holiday for us, I found myself really missing Matthias yesterday.  This is the fourteenth Valentine's day since we've been together and the first time we haven't physically been together.  We don't always celebrate, but often will go out to dinner.  My very favorite Valentine's day was in 2007 when there was a huge snowstorm and we had a snow day together.  Unexpected days off from work are the best and I couldn't have asked for a better Valentine's Day present.  Lots of places were closed, but we called our favorite Chinese restaurant, where we had reservations, and they were still going to be open.  We braved the snow and had a wonderful meal in the near-empty restaurant.

I love that photo of Holden on the path from the house to the garage.  He was still young and healthy then.  And his fur was still black, not gray.

 

And that one on the driveway with his, aren't we going to go this way for a walk look.  You can see how deep the snow was then.  Even now that his health is failing, the snow brings out the puppy in him.  I really miss him, too.  He's been in Cleveland these last couple months.

Now, on to the drawing!  Thank you so much for all of the stories and thoughts that you shared in your comments.

For the drawing I decided that I would write each of the names of the commenters on little slips of paper.

And place them in a jar.

 

Dovey was as helpful as always with this.

I also enlisted my dad's help as an assistant.  First he shook up the jar of names.

And then he placed the little glass heart I'd coated on one side with glue dots into the jar.

 

And shook it up again.

Finally I spilled the jar's contents onto my table.

And folded open the slip of paper that had adhered to the heart.  I have to admit that I was nearly breathless with anticipation and so excited to find out who the winner would be.



And the winner is... 

Jenny Blair!!

I met Jenny during Art Every Day Month and I'm so glad that I did.  I love visiting her blog, Love and Peas and seeing what she's been up to.  Her art is really gorgeous and her Etsy shop is filled with so many beautiful items.  I was so happy to see that she's also a classmate of mine in Get Your Paint On.  Congratulations, Jenny!  Please send me an email at anne (at) mygiantstrawberry (dot) com with your mailing address and I'll mail out your pincushion along with a few other surprises right away.

I really had so much fun with this giveaway and I wish that each of you could have been the winner.  I really value all of the kindness, encouragement and thoughtfulness that each of you have shown me again and again.  Although I was hoping that a few more people, including new readers and some of my real-life friends, would participate, I was also glad that so many of you who commented are regular readers who have been so supportive.  I send each of you my thanks and my love.