Saturday, June 30, 2012

If You Can't Beat 'Em... Join 'Em..

Since my addiction to Instagram is still rolling along - and in fact, picking up speed  {just can't get enough} then I figure I may as well join in some fun. Over on a blog called FatMumSlim {click that blog name} there is an Instagram challenge that I've decided to do. Wonder if I'll remember this 10 days from now?


Here's how it's done: Each day of the month of July you take a photo relating to the subject listed below. I can post it here on my blog, on Instagram, or Facebook... Pinterest even.




Wish me luck tomorrow.... quite a busy day - must tie twine about my finger so as not to forget to take a self portrait. YIKES!!

Can I use an old one? Or is that cheating? Clearly the challenge is to take the picture in July!!


This oughta do   ^  that's me behind the squirrely mask!!  HHAAAAA

Friday, June 29, 2012

Photo Play

Testing a new-to-me site for playing with my photos. Decided I'd try to quickly make a very large collage. Ended up NOT being quick.. and it IS so very large.



I'll get back to it tomorrow... lots of fun!   ENJOY THE BEACH!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Tapas Together

Summer party picnicking at it's easiest - which might also mean at it's best!...
I called two other couples at the last minute.
Spread a tablecloth or two.
Chilled a bottle of wine, or two.
Plated the simplest and most delicious savory samples.

and VOILA!!!  A tapas party..















Short, simple, sweet, sublime - SUMMER

Edited : I've decided to link to another blog : Romantic Home.... click and go see all of the inspiration!
              My first time checking the blog: Cedar Hill Ranch. A Texas gal with French style. I loved the post on her  fave place for a summer picnic! Go and see..

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Backyard Musings...

Believe!  Wish! guess that must be all it takes in order for a surprise to be granted...
I'd always hoped to be a chicken-keeper one day. Well maybe a tendress. Wasn't sure that Hubby and I had the time it takes to stay at home, clean coops and poops, and truly KEEP a flock of our own. It's best to be a good pet steward. Still I ended up with one, a solo feathered friend - a dear sweet girl - yes, she's still here ~

BILOXI


You haven't seen her lately, huh? I know... I was wont to make you  tire of her story! Still loving every minute of her and her co-conspirators {the next-door-neighbor-chickens}. Messy, messy girls that they are! Tons of dirt beneath their nails, I'll tell ya.


Clarabelle

In other backyard news ~



An old-time cement sink ^ that I salvaged from a trash heap sits right outside the kitchen door and has purpose as my herb garden. Makes it awfully easy to snip when it's just steps away. I have another cement sink being gifted to me sometime soon. That'll make 4 in the yard.


This vessel of gray-green enamel came from Hungary. A shop out in the far-spread reaches of our coast - Patine - had a container sale, and I came home with this FIND!




Jasmine and Nasturtium are twining and vining to the heavens...







The Magnolia tree furiously sheds her brown velvet coating in time for summer.... those leaves cover every space of lawn. Huge, fragrant blooms of white are the perfect perfume for the living room...



Enjoying our space, every chance I get!

Shared our space with a couple of friends for a short TGIF tapas evening and that's where I'll leave off. Will share our space and that lovely visit on my next visit here....



Thursday, June 21, 2012

Seattle II

Funny, that, get on a plane with SOUTHWEST air to fly to the Pacific NORTHWEST.  Odd....

Take one friend of many years, add in that he's Hubby's old roomie with loads of history between them, and you've got a brother-from-another-mother that we'd do anything for.  His one and only child was graduating from Seattle Pacific University. We bought us some airline tics to be present!
I've always thought that we should participate in as many rites of passage - happy and sad - that we can, for our loved ones. It is called SUPPORT!

Support in this case was pure pleasure....

Oh, Seattle, what you do to me....


XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX













A picnic with a view of the Sound ~



AND.... we really did go to graduation...


The GRAD ->




and with her Dad ~


Hubby and his bud ~


Gathering family & friends into a waterfront hotel lounge for cocktail hour, and then onto dinner -  post graduation - was a dream. I'll show off the visuals from that next time.....  WOW

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

RSVP ... YES!!

Good morning!
Summer sent me an invite....



photo via Pinterest

I responded yes! I wish my auto looked as above ^...  The  SUV just doesn't have the same quaintness, however.

I am, though, dressed and ready for the first day afternoon of summer. I am meeting a girlfriend at the beach. Gotta run...  clam chowder, or oysters are on the menu for lunch!  Some of these ice cream sandwiches {I made for a pool party yesterday}.. sound great for dessert!



Enjoy this luscious day! Longest day of the year tomorrow!!    wooo hooo

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Plentiful, bountiful, ABUNDANT..

Oh, my yes, Summer has courted and it's a full-on engagement!  Heat that makes the soil bake, causing hydrangeas to plead for mercy, yet inducing a blush on the plums. The tomatoes have raised their greenery up and out of their cages and are yelling for more Vitamin D !

Our plum trees are laden. Unfortunately too much so. As in the past when I have spoken of these beauties, we are rotten stewards of our crops and with all that kept us busy in this past year, the pruning tasks were left undone. We may see split, twisted wreckage again this year.  Right now though, our mini orchard of 2 vintage Santa Rosa plums look magnificent.... come see {click}

My Dad, and Hubby's Pops {as I call him} were abundantly plied with love today. Father's Day. A time to be sure and send, give, express our love for those men that worked so very hard to give us a roof over our heads, food to eat and support in many forms. I was unable to see my Dad, but I hope he knows how very much I think of him!

My Dad is and would be so proud to see my little garden haven. He does love it when he visits.... and mentions it often. Dad look at this view from tonight!!  ->

















This little bird seems to be crowing his tale to anyone that'll listen.... I'm probably sounding that way myself! Yelling it to the world ~ I am ABUNDANTLY wealthy in the love I am surrounded with {here's to you Dad & Pops} and in the beauty I reap in this little city-wanna-be-farm garden that I host!



Loving every piece of curved brick path, mellow hazy sunset through walnut boughs, chickens milling {and tilling} about, picnics and reading in summer breezes.... ahhhhhhh


Don't think I wouldn't dare... have to add this song, when speaking of summer winds...
press the arrow and enjoy! Then head outside and find yourself a piece-of-summer-pie-picnic!




This post linked to Romantic Home...
** and I did a repost/re-link to Romantic Home as this is Father's Day weekend (of the next year)


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Somewhat Seattle in Mood

Feeling Seattle tonight.  Scrolling through pages of photographs. Happiness interspersed with reminiscence, actually bringing me to my knees a little bit.  This picnic-of-a-life that I journal and yammer on about - I am very blessed to have it! There is gratefulness for what I have had the joy to experience and hope that there be years to continue doing so. We aren't assured time though. Are we?

Setting the tone for this grey-Seattle-style frame of mind is a song by a Seattle group - Pearl Jam...


This !
This song!
This melancholy-lyric(ed) tune.... JUST  BREATHE
Has me thinkin'...




Thinkin all about the loves in my life - family & friends. Thinkin of the need to take in all the beauty around us each and every day, trying hard to breathe - not to take it for granted.



To have sparkle, wonder, passion, love, awe for everything I do...

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

When We Left California Weather for Seattle....

I had just posted about the silliness of painted red toes standing on wet brick in my garden - IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, mind you! Then we off and jetted to parts north for a graduation celebration. Packed me a rain coat and everything, dontcha know...


Albeit, a smiley California-sun-type-coat...... {Big Bird'ish, even}... And wouldn't ya know, we didn't get rain! Now that just doesn't seem to happen much, so say the locals. The sunny weather was the talk of the town the entire four days we were there. Grey skies, and wispy white formations dotted the skies. Even sputtering occurred on our first day. But, blessed we were in that we could walk all about that beautiful city without ducking into doorways or sitting inside unable to take it all in!

Take in Seattle - WE DID ~





















Our first day was spent with friends. Trying our darnedest to see as many iconic sites as possible. As we did have a college graduation filling much of our time. I've got many more photos, and I'm going to look at them, smile, remember and journal about them periodically in the next few days.

If I could ever stand a majority of inclement weather.. well,  Seattle and the Puget Sound environs would be a place I'd consider hanging my hat umbrella!!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Picnic with the Queen

This blog - Decor to Adore - spent days documenting each scrumptious detail of England's Diamond Jubilee. My favorite piece is just a click away for your reading pleasure....
Oh The Splendor! {click here}

I'm all about picnics. Sure wish I had known about this. Maybe I'd have moved across the pond just for this occasion!!



BLIMEY!! I am green with envy! However, once nearly 20 years ago, I did picnic in quite an extreme spot in England. Hubby and I sat on the Tower Bridge high above the Thames and lunched on exquisiteness from Harrods Food Halls. It looked something like this. Yet without the ginormous barge floating past with the entire Royal Family on board  ->



Can you imagine our joy? Would surely love to do that again!

As I sat with misty eyes, smiling face and awed by the ceremonious pomp - the Queen's Concert was
BRILLIANT !!


I love a parade!

And now, enough of this British hoopla... well, at least until THE PRINCE & PRINCESS are expecting the next future King or Queen!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Yo, Weather Man! - Take A Vacay!!

What the heck has happend to California summer weather?




It rained the other day. I found it refreshing. Yet, perplexing. So not what I expect of weather in June. It nearly gave me the excuse I wanted to sit inside all day, watch my current Netflix, eat popcorn and never move! DIDN'T HAPPEN!  See what I mean about this {click ->} "walking situation"? Where I mention that I haven't put in many miles lately. NO MORE rainy days, California! It only serves to give me one more excuse!




When the sun stepped up it's summertime game again.... here's what I pleasurably Instagrammed whilst walking ~





Must apologize - have you noticed how frequently my photos are Instagrams now? My poor, beloved big girl camera sits at home lamenting the invention of that marvelous I-app! On walks 'tis much easier to stick the ipod in my pocket.




Ah... yes, the quintessential California view ~






Not feeling the sun and summer fun from the photos? Then how 'bout clicking on this song below? Now that should get ya in the mood!



Adios, for now... off to don my polka dot bikini and head to the beach in my vintage Woodie, to take up the sport of surfing.... as, I'm finally off my buttocks and these are classic daily activities for we-California-girls!    hhhaaa