Friday, March 30, 2012

Don't Get Me Started

Oh no! There's a new device in our home, and it's begging me to play. Hubby got an ipod-thing-a-ma-jig for his Birthday. He'll use it to play scrabble and the like. And, me, on the other hand will pine away waiting for those moments it's not in his paws.... just so I can take photos with it and Instagram them!!

Oh YEAH! I've watched from afar as others in blogland and elsewhere share their photos that have that little somethin' different about them. They look vintage-y, they ooze artistry... they are FUN!

Here are the couple of shots I took while Hubby was showering!!  hhhaaa













Wandered the house, and shot whatever struck my fancy. Gotta get more play time somehow!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Nothing Could Be Finer - Than To Be In...

Very near to the first day of Spring, just a day past that ol' fuddy-dud of Winter hitting the road... I was born. Lucky me! I do love this time of year. Not just because of my Birthday. Yet, when you get a day like this for celebrating.... then you're very grateful! Come see how I spent my day ~


Went out to a farm to take some photographs for the Goat Hill blog. Good country vibe, cloudy skied day, and twisty hill roads to travel with my Hubby.


many dusty, oldy finds strewn about the barn ~






Then the wind changed direction.. as did we ~


Off over the hills to the west.  Choice of the Birthday person as to what was next. I chose BEACH!! For a bite of lunch and a walk. As we patio-picnicked {aka - outdoor dining at a restaurant} at Santa Cruz Harbor, something off in the kelp held every ones attention ~


and were we ever entertained...  I think the little otter knew it..


We strolled, only ever so slowly, as Hubby isn't doing fast these days...

Sea spray, gulls! An end of the levee lighthouse shone its beacon of light. For ME! On my day!
{sure felt like that anyway}.. if it wasn't shining on me, I needed it to be. Always nice to know there's light at the end of a tunnel ~




I was happy to go home and work. Yep, even that was joyful! Work in the garden with a chicken, and you're bound to be happy!



There was even room left in the day for dinner out after removing soil from my fingertips and sprucing up a tad. 'Twas a grand Spring day! Nothin' could be finer...

{not sure I can tie-in Dean-o singing Carolina! Luv him tho, so here it is!}

Sunday, March 25, 2012

More Pearls To Add..

A continuation of our Tomales trip....


Completely by surprise, our friends had reservations made at the Inn also....



Without much print, or not much to say... I give you the scenes from our last day...













Saturday, March 24, 2012

Abundant Nature

Have you seen it? I never got a chance to watch Planet Earth. I'd heard many great things about it. I love the beauty in this type of television show. Only problem is.... I do hate the food-chain in nature. Cannot sit and watch the poor little-defenseless-guy get eaten! Believe me, I know it's gotta happen, I just don't need to see it up close and personal!

Back to my question....  so, now there is the latest version called Frozen Planet. I saw an episode. BEAUTY!! Loved it and will have to tune in again soon.



This one particular animal and the photography around it stunned me ~ the Great Gray Owl. I just have to get searching and find out more about this amazing bird!


When's the next episode ?

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Spring Gardener

March did roar in like a lion....

It opened wide and let loose all of the pent-up Winter weather...

But, now? Now we've gotten a sighting of Spring.. and there's no turning back..

ODE TO SPRING

I met a gardener clipping away
Upon my walk on this fine day
A lilac shirt was what he wore
Flower clippings about the floor

Splendid, indeed, the garden he tends
Hours & hours of time he spends
I hurried home to do the same
'cause Spring & garden called my name!









Monday, March 19, 2012

Our Pearl Of Travel..

Away we were.  Hopped on one freeway and arrived in a mere 2 hours. Howling winds,wiper blades tapping time. Get me off this country road lined with row upon row of grape vine. And, get us into the winery instead. A tiny tasting with our owner-friend of Balletto Winery.



Snuck in a short surprise visit to another friend, before heading further west - still in the rain!


Do oysters strike you as Irish fare? hhhaa None of that corned beef and cabbage faux-Irish meal for Hubby & I.



Doubt that we've ever visited these Nor Cal parts and gone without a dozen or so of these shelled delicacies ~







Silly picture-story-telling {remember, Hubby is quite fond of this!}


and another ~



The rain was made to take a hike - the forceful wind bellowed 'til it was clear. Wild times at the coast.




But shine, the sun did! Walks were cold. The shadows, and movement of the trees made for stunning scenery ~
















Yet another friend was a part of this trip. Almost too much action for this one-hotel-town! hhha
 More to share next time.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Don't Call Him Patty!




This morning I posted my St. Patrick's Day entry a tad early... seems I've now found the official word on all things Irish! Very humorous to read. Have a go at it ~

The provisional government of :

Paddy, Not Patty

to the people of the New World.

Never ye mind.
Each and every year millions of Irish, Irish-ish and amateur alcoholics are needlessly distracted from their Holy Tradition of drinking themselves into a stupor in the name of Saint Patrick, a Roman Briton slave holding the dubious honour of bringing Christianity to an island that would use it as another convenient excuse to blatter the hell out of each other for centuries.
The source of this terrible distraction?
An onslaught of half-hearted, dyed-green references to St. Patrick's Day as St. Patty's Day.
It gnaws at them. It riles them up. It makes them want to fight… you know, more than usual.
It's Paddy, not Patty. Ever.
Saint Patrick's Day? Grand.
Paddy's Day? Sure, dead-on.
St. Pat's? Aye, if ye must.
St. Patty? No, ye goat!
Paddy is derived from the Irish, Pádraig, hence those mysterious, emerald double-Ds.
Patty is the diminutive of Patricia, or a burger, and just not something you call a fella.
There's not a sinner in Ireland that would call a Patrick, “Patty”. It's insulting. It's really as simple as that.

Grand wee versions

  • Paddy
  • Pat
  • Packie
  • Podge
  • Pád
  • Pod

Daft eejit versions

  • Patty

While I'm bending your ear…

Shamrock isn't just any auld piece of clover: it's three-leafed. It ended up a symbol of Ireland because tradition holds that St. Patrick used shamrock to teach the Trinity. If someone slaps a four-leaf clover on their plastic leprechaun hat, they're some gombeens. Also, I had my first Shamrock Shake last year and it was truly boggin.
Irish Car Bomb isn't a cute name for a drink or cupcake and, if you're pushing shite like this, cut it out. People that lived their lives punctuated by car bombs aren't amused. 25-year-old Ronan Kerr was murdered last year by an Irish car bomb; he can't join you for a drink.
Paddy, like Mick or Taig (Teague), has been used for centuries as an ethnic slur—a common form of disrespect referring to an entire body of people by a stereotypical name—but it's not an insult if it's actually your name. It depends on intent: shout my name at me with a brick attached and I'll take it as an insult.

Banter on the Twitternets

Do your Irish great-great-grand-uncle proud and let these buck eejits know that it's Paddy, not Patty…

Irish In Spirit

There may be a wee dram of Irish blood coursing my veins... really not sure though. Yet, I've always felt I could summon the correct - uhmmm demons, if you will - to easily play the part! I've got a spot in me heart that's got a spirit for the dance & drink!

St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow. Seeing as I will be at the coast in a B&B, possibly without power as we are experiencing the winter we never got - well, instead I'm composing an Irish ode today...

A favorite of mine ~



A blessing indeed! With all good intention and love, I send this blessing off to an Irish lass that on this rainy day is in need of kind words to envelope her and her family.

I may find a warm coffee house tomorrow, and hope for a chunk of soda bread, or maybe brown ~      

a gift from my Irish SF sisters
Sipping an Irish Coffee on a stormy morning will surely bring me some Irish spirit  ... or sweet dreams!

In my Irish Beleek vase are gifts from the garden. See the tiny green shamrocks embellishing the base?

a gift from an Irish SF girl

Hubby reminds me each year at this time to bring out our Waterford shamrock. It was a gift from him
{see?.. even Hubby knows I've some "green blood" }



Hope it will bring me some luck!! And I'll also hope to dance a jig all the weekend through....           


A HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY TO YOU!!!