Friday, November 30, 2012

The Nothing-to-share Rainy Garden Post

Feeling as though someone has siphoned all adjectives from my brain and dumped them
in a tank to be used at a later date. hhhmmm what do I have to say? The last week has not been filled with adventures and folly, but rather laden with heaviness.... thus, no posting of late. Not much to share.

Found my way to the garden, with camera in hand and took a few deep breaths. Stood, staring at the motion of the walnut tree as the wind took down barrels of yellowed leaves.  I'm enjoying these recent days of grey ~ liking the cozy-home feeling ~ but along with writing, exercise has also lost some luster. Butterball turkeys and I have alot in common!

In need of a walk... so through the garden we go....














 
 
 










Many days of rain forecasted. Barren walnut trees sure to follow. Ten extra pounds likely!  :-)

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Simplicity

Downtime

Seeking quite amidst brewing storms

Comfort

Pleasure

Simplicity


Today began with difficult emotional topics - ALL WILL BE WELL, though! In order to counteract the sadness and hardships, we'll balance with simple pleasures and joy...





Christmas is on the horizon.  What started months ago as bulbs stashed away in the back of the refrigerator, are now sprouts of green sitting face-to-face with the sun - in myriad of vessels - delighting me with their intention of becoming the gorgeous, fragrant blooms of Narcissus. I smile!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Fall Scenes and Silly Poetry




Tomorrow we have Thanksgiving day
A wee bit shy of 24 hours away
It shan't be traditional - no hope there
Yet thankful -YES! I'm most aware

Family will the focus be
love, comfort and laughter the key
Savoring each - and the feasting too
Pray same is what I wish for you!





Tuesday, November 20, 2012

A Friend's Milestone

One of my San Francisco gals is on her way to middle-age....




Always good to have a sense of humor!!

Monday, November 19, 2012

A Trifle Early for Christmas

Yumm!! Yes, trifle.. such a sweet delicacy! yeah... back to the thought at hand...no time like the present to be mindful of all things Christmas. Though, I usually have a distaste for the rumblings of Christmas - when in fact Thanksgiving has yet to be celebrated. But, in this case I will forget that rule of thumb and share something I found today.






I read a blog called French Essence. This writer has a bountiful life, I'll tell ya - she "tubes" about from her home in the South of France, to London and she hails from Australia. This feast for the eyes video was from her blog this morning. Click and watch. Over the top advertising and scrumptious in every way! I loved this! Makes for marvelous dreams of travel, and London and shopping and... and... and....


http://youtu.be/0k5OJhUkIrA

Not Christmas yet...

Preparations are underway - the Thanksgiving holiday is upon us.  Upon us, but not heartily embraced at our house. In Hubby's family we are still experiencing parental dilemmas. We will be with them, in their home where Pops is the most comfortable. Non-traditional fare - and everything else too for Thursday. A slightly unique Thanksgiving, but cornucopia loads of love and thankfulness. We'll make the best of what we have.

No shock here - there will be a mix of traditional and wild with my family. This is one place that the holiday weekend might be business as usual. Many people, lots of noise and plentiful food. It's sure to feel good to smile, laugh and for a brief time let the other thoughts sit quietly in the back of your mind.



Thanksgiving last year



No matter which home we're in, or with whom we are laughing... we are forever grateful for this life we lead. Abundant in every way.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Goat Hill Puttering

An afternoon photo shoot for a proposed holiday article that will be in our local newspaper...


The theme, and the message we tried to portray with these images is ~ *simple yet creatively sublime.. *inexpensive to manage, yet with a look that says scrumptiously ornamental.... * utterly easy shopping, without leaving your home - use favorite objects found in your cubbies & shelves...  *bring the outside inside - scavenge the garden..  *repurpose - find myriad uses for the simplest of objects...  *tell a story, follow a theme, let humor have a place...

































































At the end of the day each of us wished to curl up under a blanket atop a holiday-colored pillow ~
just like this...














Monday, November 12, 2012

The Never-ending Subject

Given three choices.. what do you think the likelihood of ocean/beaches as my topic would be?
Hoping that my entire blog isn't just one big tangle of spindrift swirl! I do realize how very often I speak of the beach. Living near to the ocean is a happy place to be!



At Halloween, I was at my brother's home caring for his dogs. This home is even closer yet to the coast. How nice to walk at the beach. Even nicer yet to have an evening where I supped and was still able to drive home after a margarita!









Foggy morns and eves while I was in town. The greyness did not deter, though!







Ah, yes - the margarita and the evening I sat lagoon-side for an hour or so. Quiet, calm, reflective!





Some reflecting on my father-in-law who had now been placed in a skilled nursing facility to gain strength and continue IV treatment. Hoping for progression - ASAP!




Wouldn't this night scene call for contemplation and calm? It called me to...






At first glance, this shot made me think of cold, lonely - away from society...




Then I thought... how about solitary, yet upright and sturdy! Gaining ground.. getting a foothold and surrounding oneself {see the trees}...


Hmmmm - maybe this is NOT the same "never ending subject" of the beach that I usually do...{not all sunshine and beachballs kind of beach}



This image...  walking a path, above turbulent waters. Bridging. A means to get from one place to another...  with just the hint of sunshine on the horizon!







I guess I'm bridging this post and the beach images of that week to the ongoing issues with Pops {my FIL}...   He will get there. He has many people rooting for him and his return to his own home!


He is on the right path..






 Sitting it out, and waiting - observing!  Ever watchful for any movement or change in the surroundings.. {just like a hawk}





Soon he will soar!




Pops has a favorite bench at the beach. When he is able, maybe we'll take him to sit in that special spot... and all will be well again!  {cue that sun!}

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

About a Donkey

Burros, donkeys, asses of all sorts...


National Election Day today...




Democratic donkey is one image for the day...
By the way, what's it got to do with the Democratic Party? Looked it up... don't remember what I read!... 


In not remembering - guess that can make me somewhat of a donkey. Surely, not an elephant like the Repubs! Remembering is something that elephants do.






Yesterday, and well continuing.... I might consider Hubby to be a bit of a donkey! STUBBORN AS A DARN MULE!!  Damn...




what? who you calling a mule?  :-)

 




Then, I was followed by a gang of donkeys while on a walk. Yes, you heard that right.. a GANG! In the foothills.. yes, I was on their turf! But I was there legally, just cruising through. There was no need for accosting me. Well, other than the fact the gang thought I was carrying. Yep, carrying! Some good stuff - as in food!! I was walking while holding a large branch from a fir tree. I presume the gang thought it was oaty-type stuff. Six of 'em were on my tail, trotting quickly along with me. I thought they just may start shooting nipping at me. We became buds though. At least once I was behind the fence!! hhhaa


see all of them... totally scary, huh?



Thus ends the days tails tales of donkeys...



Hope I didn't make too much of an A ** out of myself ~


                                  



I've linked up this donkey-drama to another blog: Flower Patch Farmgirl. Shannan asked about our day. What was special? What was the salsa on your burrito?, she said. So, I'm sharing the cheddar cheese (cuz this was one cheesy post) on my BURRO!! see it all by clicking on Flower Patch Farmgirl.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Gatherin my Gals and Everyone Else too...

Days and days I've meant to get to my blog... only to be sidetracked, or decide I had absolutely nothing to journal about. In reality there is probably so much I can say. My days are full. Not necessarily full of all good. There is plenty to be happy and grateful for, so I'll just go with the glass half-full thought!!

By the end of the year.. somewhere near Halloween and the start of November - it's time to start marking calendars for all of the Holiday events we'll participate in.Time for gathering your people to you. A busy time. Trying to fit in different sets of friends, family {which takes precedence}, work and maybe time away gets to be exaspperating! All of it matters so very much to me. I don't want to miss anything. I've always been this way. Now though?... feeling sorta old for an overly packed calendar... hhhaa - my dance card is too full! I kinda like being at home, making a pot of soup and catching up on reading. But, it is that time of year... so off we go...


I was head Fall "Birthday Buddy" for my San Francisco girlfriends. First on the agenda was to get eight gal's calendars to coincide and schedule time for a fun event!


For our Fall Birthay Event:

 
 
 
fun to design...
 
 
 
Next event I helped plan is for Christmas with the SF gals. We have an annual ornament exchange.
 
 
  we'll be celebrating again!.....
 
 
 
the invite I sent...
 
 
 
 
 
Christmas last year with the gals...
 
 
 
 
 

In between planning the above events, life continues to happen and throws curve balls in my way. Sadly, my Father-in-law is ill and hospitalised for a 2nd & 3rd time in quick succession. Everything points to complete recovery, but with lots of time to get there. He will soon be transferred to a nursing facility so that the staff there can help him progress in walking and abilities to get him back home where he belongs. This takes a toll on my Hubby and on his Mom too. My dear Mother-in-law is a caregiver and emotional gifter of her time, energy and love... she is having a difficult time watching her husband in his frailty and incomprehensive state..  who wouldn't find that difficult?
 
 
Gathering loved ones to you! More and more important and the thought is very much on my mind at this time of year. THANKFULNESS!  How might we gather and celebrate Thanksgiving?
 
 
Luckily, happily, I had no part in deciding our family Thanksgiving. My brothers will be hosting. Not to say that I will not pitch in. I may be asked to decorate. Surely I will bring a dish, or two. Thanksgiving blessedly is not about gifts and commercialism - that's what I find so endearing. It's all about the gathering and the food.  A few curveballs here too. Not all of the family can attend, but that's doable. Luckily everyone is healthy and we'll hope to see one another for Christmas...

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
Ah, Christmas! Yeah, well.. coming into some problems with the communication and planning of the family portion of this holiday. I'll be happy to celebrate any of these holidays with my in-laws..... God willing we'll be able to gather together at home, not at a hospital bedside. Too many of us and too many miles in some of my family's planning.  Very difficult to gather each and everyone to your side. We're not used to the separation. It is not feeling comfortable. Wishing that everyone would find their glass half full, be thankful, and do their best. If we cannot gather together then at the very least we should, as a family, extend loving sentiments to one another. Explore new ways of celebrating. We may have to have more than one Christmas. I wonder what other families do? What about the ones that live across the entire country... and possibly only see one another once a year? I've never had to think about that. I've always seen my family for Christmas. As I said, this is more and more important to me... and more and more difficult to obtain. Hubby and I will do what we can.        
 
 
In the meantime there's more planning to do - Sunnyvale friends' Christmas, Hubby's workplace, will there be a cocktail party at our cottage?,New Year plans maybe???                    
 
 
No more curveballs or detours, and God willing...
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hey! what happened to the quiet evening at home with a book and pot of soup?

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Remembering Souls...

Halloween came,  not once did I answer a knock on the door! That, I'll tell ya, is a first. I do love the tradition of tick-or-treating! I wasn't at my own place of comfort - on my street, with my neighbors in their homes all about me. Instead, I was dog-sitting for my niece-pups 'oer near the coast. Only once did the thump of candy seekers at the door come to be. I had no treats at my "sitting-home", so I didn't answer. Is that bad karma, or something??  ggeeeshhh - mean ol' broad (that'd be me)! hhaa


All of my spirit was not lost - I posted this outrageous photo of myself and Hubby on facebook ~

 
 



Today, November 1st is All Saints Day, tomorrow - All Souls Day. Fittingly, I came home from the dog-sit house to attend a funeral.  The gentleman that passed was the Father to some of my family's peers-high school friends. This family and mine had many similar values and spent nearly every weekend in the same spot - the baseball field! It was a lovely service. Makes one reflect on all that is good and what truly matters in our lives.


This sweet gal lost her Pops ~






For some reason I was hoping to come across an altar from Dia de los Muertos this year. A slow pass through at a very old cemetery in the fields where I was staying did not harbor any such altar. Much to my dismay! I am intrigued by this celebration. I've even considered traveling to Mexico to witness some of the holiday. The art and the heart & soul of it are profound. The idea of celebrating the lives and deaths of your loved ones that have passed is such a joyous thought! Would have been a good idea to offer our love in this way to my Aunt Bea, last week! 



Taking the dogs I'm sitting back to their home at the coast tomorrow. I'll have a mindful, happy, sunny weekend there. I'll be remembering souls that have mattered in my years.



the beach I walked yesterday - one that my family frequented when I was young...