Morning In It's Glory

Buenos Dias, Morning Glory ~

A Los Gatos start to the day...


newspapers thrown to the steps ~

dogs out for their strolls ~

shadows following along ~

the sun peeking through ~

kids start school ~

sunflowers crane their necks to find their leader ~

and find their leader they shall.....   the sun was out bright and early! And these sunny faces found their way home with me. All a part of the Goat Hill master plan!  muuuwwahh ha ha  (spooky sound effect)...



http://www.goathillfair.com/

Beautiful Wishes

Art installations come in all shapes and sizes. Art means different things to different people. I came across an interesting piece of artwork while on the trail ~

fluttering tags of inspiration...

Here's the meaning ~

the wish I left behind ~

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Alright Autumn! Mary and I Are Ready...

Morning Ritual goes something like this - Hubby rises, earlier than I. Always during the summer months he'll click off my personal mini fan sitting on the dressing table.Then he unhitches the shutter arms and opens the windows of the bedroom. I love the feeling of morning dampness. Hate when the heat has already finagled it's way into the first of light....

OH, how cozy it feels to have cool, crisp, apple-smelling air float through the curtains ~

Dew has made an appearance of late ~

I've been taken with amber waves of grain weeds  ~

A sighting of orange orbs ~

And, this very sure sign that the sun is sending extra rays to another part of the world for awhile...

I was caught off guard while riding Mary-the-bike! I'll be darn if the time didn't go and change on me! It's suddenly dark much earlier. I could barely see what was ahead on the bike path. I ran over a fairly large tree limb  stick that got caught up in the spokes and was wedged. Good thing it didn't abruptly stop Mary-the-bike and send me over her handlebars! Numerous knights in shining armor asked if they could assist. I did it all on my own... as any respectable bike rider would.

Laughing to myself! You are just going to have to see this clip that I've added about bicycles. It even has something to do with Picnics!! What a crazy, silly video. (no monkees were harmed during the filming of this video) hhhahaaa

Mary-the-bike, you and Autumn are two of my very favorite things!

I'm Walkin', Yes Indeed....

With a schedule that is out of sorts, walking has gone the way of the slippery slope. I've slid downhill all the way to nearly stopped. Woke up to a cool, breezy morn and said to myself - "SELF you've gotta climb that mountain!"... and, so I did ~

What it really came down to is me thinking about my Dad. He's not walking right now. He's unable. The effort that he is putting forth every day must be incredibly tiring. Such an awful thought - to lose the ability to use one's legs! Well, I've got mine and I am able. So, with that, Dad I will walk for you. What a splendid walk it was too. Views, vistas, color, fog, breezes and sun all wrapped into one two hour, couple mile journey....

an eddy of crepe myrtle blossoms

The gutters were filled with bright colored spent blossoms, circling in the wind....
I played hide-n-seek with a turtle...

 Views of the heavens. I've missed this..

Meadows of wildflowers...

Bees humming....

and a strangely spiritual  end to the uphill climb....>

Look very closely. Do you see the two fairies on the main lower branch? There were others on the ground too. What a peculiar thing to find hiding along the trail amidst the manzanita.

An omen??  A blessing?

Music To Soothe The Soul

Never woulda thought that I'd be attending music concerts during such a traumatic time in my life. Who knew, huh? Our attendance at no less than three venues (in 4 days) must be evidence that melodies can charm their way right into your psyche and bring you to another world - away from that REAL one - where I just may want to stay.

A new friend called with free tickets to see this chick >

I had no idea who Aimee Mann was. Here you see she's done music for movies. There are other movie pieces that I found on You Tube too. This tall, slender singer really BROUGHT IT! never imagined that I'd be entranced. I was. Aimee could talk up the audience, spin a yarn; oh, what funny tales she told. Her language could be  foul, yet she wasn't rough - it made everyone chuckle. The show was simple and clean. I'd go again. Of course, I'd love for it to be free again, too!

Even sipped a glass  paper Dixie cup of wine!! Does that make wine taste better or worse?

While I was completely absorbed during the concert, there were still moments of reflection - where all of a sudden I was switching to Dad and his circumstances. Any sad note, or whiny inflection made me suddenly aware that I was not THERE. There near my parent's home. Visiting daily and sadly roaming hallways again.
It's time to go back and stay with my Mom.....   the tug of my heart; there's no soothing that!

Summer At The Sea - I Shan't Overlook Thee

Ever mindful of my big deadline for the Goat Hill Fair.... which falls very near to the first day of Autumn.... it seems like I'm fast forwarding through these last few weeks of Summer. How sad that would be. Who would want to miss out on scenes like these?  ~

One day at a time! No disregard for these lazy, hazy days of summer. Yet, the thought of warm days with cool evenings and possibly a sweater..... that sounds utterly magnificent!  Well, the sweater might be a pipe dream. At my age fuzzy woolens aren't too common place - what with internal heating and all....

What Message Am I Sending ??

Here we are - all smug. Happy, smiling and glad to share some hours of fun...



Hubby & me

Here's some of what we did...


Enjoyed a multiple stage jazz festival.  Ate dinner outdoors in the warmth of a summer's eve... while live music serenaded us.

All of this on our way to see...

The uber-retro-hunky Michael Buble'. Great show!.....

But also, we had stopped in this place...

a local pet store on our way ...

Where upon I may, or may not have stuck my finger a bit too close to a rat cage. And hence was given a look see at Mr. Rodent's mighty fine chompers....   OOOWWIIIEE!!

Onwards til today..

Minding my own business, driving in my car... my hand by my side and all of a sudden I'm yelling and shaking my hand...    OOOWWIIIEEE!! AGAIN!! I got stung by a bee, or bitten by a meat-wasp. I won't get technical. It hurts! On the tip of the finger next to the rat finger.

Here's the culprit >

He was still clinging to my shorts when I exited my vehicle!

I got home and immediately iced my finger. Have a look at the ice pack!! >



are you kidding me??

A smiling bumble bee to soothe my pain???

So, really, what message is my body sending anyway?  BITE ME ??

Banks & T V - No, Not Tyra!

If only PBS had aired their farcical British romp: Keeping Up Appearances - well, then I could've laughed out loud tonight (which I desperately need). Instead I thought up an episode in my head. Here's the reason why.....

This creek side picture was taken on my walk this evening..

Somehow the scenery I captured brought me to this silliness..>

It's a rather long You Tube video, but suits me very well. You can skip it along, just be sure not to miss the PICNIC parts, or the riverside goings-on! Oh how I've chuckled at this kooky cast of characters. I rarely see it anymore.

A riverside picnic is the theme of this piece, but rather than call it what it is the main character comes up with a more hoity-toity version and calls the picnic a waterside supper with riparian entertainments!As I had no clue what riparian meant when I first saw this.... I went to look it up. Riparian means: "of the river bank".

My hill top walk tonight was a riparian delight!

Maybe some day I'll write up invites that snootily ask my friends to join me along the riverbanks for riparian entertainments. Sounds very fun to me!

Here's another lovely view tonight ~

Walking, sunsets, water ways and laughter are sure good for the soul!

Much Needed "Rhubarb Pie"

Those lemon filled days still surround us. At times we've made gallons of lemonade (figuratively) hoping to add enough sugar to that sour and bitter taste. Periodic smiles, nightly cool downs in the pool, and home cooked meals are the best we can manage for normalcy.

Ever thankful that my Dad has continued progression to good health, yet I am caught off guard at the frequency in which my eyes are tear filled. I'm leery of phone conversations with anyone other than family. I suppose I am running, escaping and denying.

Doing all that I can to pretend that life is picnic-like....

I picked sun-warmed wild berries on my walk in the mountains today....

If only to climb up in this tree house and take a little nap....... ahhhhhhhh (isn't that the cutest gnome-like place?)


Found beautiful blooms ~

Spied a possible start to Autumn ~

I've gotten my fill of piece-of-mind pie. I will soon head back to the ring where Dad is in the (hopefully) final round.  His robe is on already. Next will be that winner's belt..... I'm sure as anything that the decision for his corner will be Heavyweight Champion.  When all is said and done we will toast with sweet, bubbly champagne and not a glass of lemonade.

Where Mary Took Me

While away the hours -visiting; sitting bedside with my Dad...

When it's time for a break, the usual routine is to have some lunch...

Mary-the-bike had come along to Sacramento this time...

So, she and I went for a neighborhood look-see...

I couldn't help myself...

An open dumpster calls to me whether on a bike or on a time schedule...

This big guy didn't fit in Mary's handlebar basket...




rebar artwork

 Tons of metal and unused pieces of rebar filled the dumpster...

I collected a couple of items...

The artist met me head first in the junk...

He was very kind and he and his wife took me on a tour of their yard...



giraffe

  




a piano and bench



musical instruments

 




a peacock

An interesting way to while away some time and let my mind rest...

Escape-ism or Bright Side??

When life gives you lemons, do you make lemonade??.... or like me - possibly make strawberry Popsicles?? Not sure if that sounds quite right - but what I'm hoping this conveys is that I'm good at changing up the situation completely. Why not take lemons out of the equation all together?



a bowl full of cherries instead?


Carmel was my escape for the day. I'm in need of beauty, nature and a glimpse at my ole picnic-life!

I found peace and loveliness. I tasted divine pleasure. I walked anywhere - other than hospital halls. Might this be misconstrued as denial or selfishness? My loved ones know where my heart lies. My body and soul crave visual, creative, - color, beauty and an open road plan in which to wander. Yet, I will and do contain myself and submerge myself wholeheartedly into situations where I'm needed. As in this situation with my father.

Am I in denial of the graveness facing my family? They know me better.

I did search for the "bright side" in this beautiful seaside town. It was like turning on a light, re-igniting the sun...  Making my body smile for just an afternoon.
How could it not?... have you looked at these photos? Pure delight!

I acknowledge that rather than zooming down the road, I might tend to my own garden - begin projects aplenty for the Goat Hill Fair..... (or get back to my Mom)

Something to be said for ESCAPE-ISM though...

I'll take a picnic anywhere I can get one...




wine in a paper cup

 Even whilst sitting in a car, eating left-over breakfast toast with pricey French cheese and sipping chardonnay from a fast food container...

Why can't life be both LEMONS and STRAWBERRIES - or for that matter RHUBARB PIE if I so choose?

Tomorrow the road leads to other callings - I'll be at the side of my Mother and Father - because I want and need to fulfill these obligations. My route of escapism is on a detour for awhile!