Heart-shaped rocks have been collected at our house since the girls were toddlers and we took afternoon walks. Wherever we went, we would fill pockets with interesting things that begged not to be left behind. Shiny bits, things fallen from trees, treasures from a day of meandering. Somewhere along the way we discovered heart-shaped rocks. In streambeds, alleys, beaches, gravel pits, playgrounds. Lined up on the front hall table, each one seemed more remarkable than the next. Little rocks with a nick in the top and a pointed tip. Jewels and gems. These are from Prince Edward Island 06.

For Mother's Day, my darling, adorable, sweet, dear and so very cute family gave me a trip to Prince Edward Island with Erin and Maggie for a girls' week. Worried about a mommy breakdown, the empty nest syndrome and all, they set it up so it would be right after Mo went  off to college. She would not have been able to go with us at any point that summer so September it was, just the three of us. In a cottage. For a week.

The girls and I were big Anne of Green Gables fans and we always said it would be fun to go there. Those girls, that man, I tell you, I am one lucky mom. It was just about the best week ever - for all the reasons you can imagine. We missed Andy and Mo- it seemed incomplete without them, but it was delicious to be just the three of us, tooling around the empty island, seeing every little thing, eating seafood, walking beaches, reading, knitting, kayaking, clamming, cooking, exploring, seeing the places we read about, and foxes, flea markets, a Celtic Ceilidh, and a village fair.

And collecting heart-shaped rocks. Starfish, seaglass, broken rocks. Dear, precious things.