When Last I Left You...

As I was saying, breathlessly, and while I hop, skip and jump with excitement - Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day....

                                                                       Part Deux

Gobs o'goodies more to show ~



{stained glass window embedded in decaying barn siding}



Geesh, Wilder Ranch - you sure do deliver!

Flashbacks of Aran Island (Ireland) cliffs while I stood on these bluffs and watched the pounding surf.

Fancy footwork would be necessary to get to any of the beaches here. The entire area is left to wildlife - no humans allowed to build castles in the sand.

Left the bluffs behind me, plowed through the crop fields, and over some mighty ol' train tracks to find my way back to "START".  I let the wind take me where it may...

Une petite Shoppe Francais!  ADORE!!

Then what to my wondering eyes should appear? A miniature taco shop, and many bottles of beer! Set in a courtyard.... just in time for lunch and a foot rest. Divinity!

Top that Huell Howser!!

Goodwill Hunting...

Bright plastic eggs filled with candy; some with coins were placed in obvious spots all around the room. It was quite intentional to make the hunt swift and easy. No need to keep the hunter-gatherer longer than he would feel comfortable....

Vikki and I had made a promise we intended to keep. Also, we were told in so many words that there was going to be an Easter egg hunt on April 14th. We countered that request with a change of date and an assurance if Mike were to come to the shop on the day that I worked, there indeed WOULD be a hunt.
He made good on his arrival, and we delivered.



Mike hunting



Vikki went all out!  Her goodwill nestled sweetly in each and every egg. Mike was pleased once he found out the eggs that made nary a sound were not empty, but rather contained bills of money! Each time he found a "quiet" egg he would slip open his wallet and add to his stash. We wonder what he will spend his Easter bucks on....

Me & the hunter

The sweetest filling of all was a tiny handwritten note that Vikki made sure to have Mike read. She had written - "we love to see your smile" from the Shabby Girls.... He probably doesn't realize that we enjoy his  visits to the shop just as much as he enjoys the candy off the counter!

passing notes...

We don't know much about Mike.
 I have learned that ~
He likes M & M's best - "because that's the letter my name starts with.."
5 is his favorite number - oh, he'll give an explanation - but it's darn lengthy!
In 2014 he will get married
He takes the bus after work to get back to the group home

Also, I've learned that goodwill,  for Easter, or any other time, is a very sweet thing! Just as sweet as a candy egg!

Add wine and strawberries and life is extraordinarily GRAND!!

Valentine Thoughts

As I swept, redecorated, wrapped and mingled with customers the thought of Valentine's Day was ever present. I am working retail in a lovely den of femininity and nothing seems more sweet and girlish to me than Valentine's Day.  We had a project going on in the shop that required me to browse magazines and tear pages of beautiful scenes. Such a horrible job...  NOT!! In many of these now defunct prizes-in-print I found items that captured the spirit of the Day of Love. I sprinkled these beauties all about the store.

Life Love is like a box of chocolates! So I brought a box of cherry liqueur bon-bons for the counter. More enticement for our shoppers.

Aren't they so special... all wrapped in pretty golden foil?

Trying to dream up more Valentine goodness for tomorrow. I made a postcard with some of the pictures I took while pacing about and dusting up.

Enjoying this new chapter in my life. Hoping that the opportunities here grow & grow.