When the postman knocked on my door and handed me a big, heavy box with the haiku exchange Snoo on it, I was very intrigued! Obviously there was more in there than just a postcard or sheet of paper!

What I found inside astounded me! It was a bottle, half full of white Florida sand, with a rolled note suspended in the bottle from twine attached to the cork. Very clever.

I unrolled the note and found the most beautiful haiku:

Emerald waves crash

against many stones to create

beaches, white as pearls

So amazing! I was hoping to receive a haiku that had some personal or local connection to my Santa. And I love the beach! (The fine Florida sand sure is a contrast to our somewhat coarser, gray Washington sand.)

This bottle and haiku is so perfect -- and way beyond my expectations. Santa really hit this one out of the park.

Santa even included pipe cleaners to brush sand off the inside of the bottle if it gets stuck. And there was a friendly note, too!

I'm truly blown away by this lovely haiku and bottle of Florida sand! Thank you, Santa, from the bottom of my heart. You made my day, my week, my month.