pic-nic/n: A pleasant or amusingly carefree experience, an excursion, an outing usually involving food eaten in the open. Welcome to a slice of my life!
There is hope yet that I will come back to this little secret place of mine to tap out some memories, and get journaling back to some regular frequency. Goat Hill Fair completed the 5th show - our fall event.
cows sleep standing or sitting...
Tell me, do goats sleep standing up? Being a "goat-ess"... it sure seems right now that I could!!
This work that I do - the assisting, selling, marketing, designing, decorating, photographing, greeting for Goat Hill Fair - is such fun, yes time consuming, and after awhile, us goats need a rest. I'm at this moment sitting in a cafe at the beach for a couple of days - resting my weary self!! hhhaaa
It is Thanksgiving week. From the beach, travel up the Interstate to rest, eat and visit with family is on our itinerary.
Here's a glimpse into the life of a harried-gardener-essentially-summer-goodtime-gal, non-blog-posting writer at Abundant Picnic....
Where have I been? Where HAVEN'T I been?....
Trawling fish shops in beach towns...
Hanging in hen houses...
Wine tasting... thus the blurriness (nah, not really)...
Photo shooting in hot & humid towns with girlfriends.... (isn't she cute?)
Picking fruit anywhere and everywhere - at home and the nearest Mexican market too...
Slurping 7-11 Slurpees on July 11th (7-11) because they were free for the corporation's Anniversary -
AND!! also because that was a special date in our family too - our Great Niece Madison was born!
Traipsing through the fields along oceanside bluffs....
Brushing coats of primer to our new outdoor shed - attempts at making it MORE THAN just a shed..
still in the works...
In a nutshell - this summer has been fast paced, filled with goodness, over punctuated with PARTY-TIME and is still on a roll. Family camping coming up. An unexpected and welcome visitor from Japan filling some days. An all-girls annual event just over. My Goat Hill work with fun & challenges too.
My, my stories to tell..... wide open writing spaces, and beauty as far as the eye can see... camera in tow and beaches aplenty; sunshine sparkling and an abundant picnic spread before me - I will be back to share it all....
Goat Hill Fair is about all my mind thinks of these days. The calendar is telling me to get busy! We've got less than three weeks til the show! Of course, in the midst of this - the computer's been down. I mean completely DOWN & OUT!! Not even residing in this household. It is finally back with me today.
Here are some ads, thoughts, posts that I've been sending 'round the social media sites to keep interest in our awesome event ~
The technology is back, but all previous applications ... (is that what they're called?).. are no longer on the hard drive. Unable to perform such tasks as those above ^... have to have someone, or moi (if I can figure it out) install them back to my ancient computer so I can make collages as these, or manipulate have fun with the photos I painstakingly take!
Taking the weekend off of all this tech-y $h**!!
Happy that it's Friday! Have celebrations to cherish these next few days!!
Ya know the part in the vintage Christmas animation of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, the boisterous character of Yukon Cornelius puts his mining pick into the ice, sticks his tongue out, and with a slight "tttthhh" sound - he exclaims: "tttthhhttthhh NOTHIN'"??! do you remember?...
That's precisely what I've got for a blog post today.... ttthhhtthh NOTHIN'... much. Some little stuff here and there ~
Clear Lake, CA
Girlfriends enjoyed a getaway at this lovely place ^ . Laughter is good medicine.
A local team {and favorite of mine} the San Francisco 49ers played and ultimately lost the Super Bowl..... there's always next year.
Your City shines brightly with or without a trophy stating you're #1. You ARE number ONE!
Winter keeps hold. Yet, Punxsutawny Phil says spring is coming round the bend. My garden and I relish this thought. Bleak times in the backyard.... still found time to play with the camera and found beauty on a rainy day ~
My work pleasure is continued and currently underway for the newest event on Goat Hill {vintage} Fair's Spring show. Lots to be done. Fun ideas in my head, many new contacts being made - as well as keeping current with our old friends at www.goathillfair.com.
See? isn't this such a mish-mash of topics? this is what goes on in my head on a daily basis! :-)
I've hit the TV hard for all awards shows. The red-carpet is such fun. And I give it my all to see the movies nominated for those type awards. Cannot seem to talk myself into paying and sitting with eyes clenched shut for Django Unchained. Though I have found Quentin Tarantino talented in his unabashedly unmerciful use of violence... a little goes a long way!
Argo had me on the edge of my seat. Flight was sad and brutally honest about one man's struggle with alcohol. Silver Linings Playbook - filled with great actors - was tormented in an easy to watch way. Looking at Bradley Cooper makes it very easy to watch! So pleased to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in the mix. I was delighted and transported when I saw this nearly a year ago. Quite an experience. Makes me long for sun, color, warmth & travel just playing it back in my mind...
Adore Dame Judy ^. Cannot get enough of Maggie Smith either!! Is she everywhere? or is it just me... I recently saw her in the new film "Quartet".. and to be honest - I've been watching more television than just award shows. HURRAY that I've decided to join the world and become a bonafide Downton Abbey junkie!! Maggie and crew are superb. This is one area of my grossly disorganized topic conglomeration that Yukon Cornelius would NOT say...
ttthhhhttthh - Nothing! Yukon would say gold was struck with Downton!!
Will anyone find this tantalizing reading?? doubtful... yet, I decided that there's enough garden content to be considered within boundaries to share over at Romantic Home. I'm a rebel like that! Yukon would like me! hhaaa
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...
What seems many moons ago - near the beginning of this Abundant Picnic - I wrote about decisions and opportunities {here}. Much contemplation over the offer to take part in the first Goat Hill Fair. Here I am over a year and a half later, and very much ingrained in all that is Goat Hill!
I love what I do! The help I provide and hours that I work doing Goat Hill projects is pleasurable and much more than a job. The place, the people, the connections have become my community. Who would have thought that I'd be making such good friends at this age and in an entirely different world than the one I had sat comfortably in previous?
me at the first Goat Hill Fair - my selling space
The third show has just passed. We had our year Anniversary. We have improved, we have changed, we have worked hard. Some additions are popular, others not as much. Goat Hill Fair is being talked about. There has been print work written on us. Blogs have made mention and photos taken. I'm helping to get the word out. Laughingly we say that I am part of the "social media" crew {there's only me}. hhhaaa I am completely NOT a tech geek. With diligence and good luck and hope & want too - I continue to do my best to have Goat Hill seen and heard.
Want to see a couple of pictures of the fair???... here goes ~
my boss Cyndi & I
one of the changes/improvements... I was able to get Cathe Holden to say yes to speaking for us
Oh... SO TRUE!!
Working for Goat Hill still goes on....
CHEERS to that!!
When those unsure thoughts and jobs I feel unqualified to accomplish arise...
Well, how-de-doo.... FINALLY, the last day of July came and went. Enough of that Instagram photo-a-day blogging. Not that I don't love taking photos with that app - but, no longer relishing the monotony of snapping and posting on those subjects so frequently. The 31st of July's final vision:
TOOTHBRUSH
The silliest of all subjects yet... in my opinion.
Off to brush my teeth and move forward into the day. Actually sorta late morning and I've yet to put on my tennies and go walking. Lots of time spent blogging here and at Goat Hill and Facebooking too. My "work" time connecting!
Sunshine in a photograph.What would that look like to you? How does that subject translate to a single moment? ...
golden and heartwarming ^... and also this ->
Bright, straight-up glowing!
Who doesn't love a bit o'sunshine on a road trip???
Blurry, blurry Mr. Instagram! Photo-a-day asked for a road-trip though. Not my best photographic contribution to the blog.
Speaking of road trips - I probably haven't mentioned lately that I'm still writing on another blog. That blog is Goat Hill Fair.The road trip I mentioned there is about heading to the beach. Offering up all sorts of divergences... yes, even into the woods. Cruise a road less traveled on your way to the Moss Landing Antique event. I've been - and may plan a Sunday drive for this weekend again.
Dad's 82nd Birthday is Monday. A small, thankful celebration will mark his day on this Saturday. If we take along some sleeping equipment, I could wake up bright and early with the SUNSHINE and be at the first Moss Landing booth in a matter of minutes! Busy weekend - road trips, celebrations and antiques - OH MY!! {and don't forget Olympics too!}
Set-up at Goat Hill went something like this ~ A photo slide show I've made of our antics... {click to view}
Turn your volume on... as music plays whilst you browse!
It is rather a long view.....
I had so many photos to share.. I just got overly excited! Still, it is fun to see. This is what the work looks like that takes place before you arrive at a beautiful vintage fair! Enjoy it...
Goat Hill. Beautiful site; even more splendid while hosting the Goat Hill Fair Antique event. Much of my posting last year was about that event, and the part I took in it by setting up a tent and selling. At the time I also wrote on my other blogABUNDANT FINDS. What an experience and pleasure all of that was.
Fast forward eight months {glide right over that Hubby illness time}... and you have me at Goat Hill Fair - Act Deux. Yep, Cyndi - my Boss-in-Boots - decided to make this a bi-annual show. This go-round, however, I'm not setting up shop. Oh, but I'm happy though... got me a different job!
Truly can't remember if I've written about this very much? hmmmm..
I was honored to be asked to write a blog and take photos for Goat Hill. It is a job I've taken seriously and enjoyed immensely. Sure hoping that the job can be mine in the following years.
Goat Hill is on the verge of it's second opening... just over 24 hours to go. I've been to the farm the past couple of days and the whirl of activity has me excited. Sure is looking good out there...
this tree is where my tent was in May
Baby goats have been born... just in time for opening day ~
Fixtures are rising from the sun parched grass, and other fixtures hang from tents of white
Tomorrow I'll gladly hitch on my cowgirl boots and make the trek over the hill again. A mid-day meal for all the worker bees needs to be set out and decorated. One of my jobs for the day.
