Family Time...

I just love this photo of an unknown (to me) little girl. I have posted this before and unfortunately know not where I came across it so no credit is given...however, thank you. Somehow I relate so much to this little girl sitting patiently. I always wonder what she is thinking...

For me today is about the last minute cleaning and grocery shopping for you see company is coming. The fresh flowers are set out in the guest quarters. All appears ready for a nice relaxed visit. I will be welcoming my sisters as we have a reunion of sorts this weekend.

We may take a walk along the NID canal and do some laughing and chatting...

We may stroll through the back yard and do some remembering. Maybe we will sit by the pond and blow some bubbles and tell more stories.

We will definitly do some eating and reminiscing.

So if I am quiet on the blogging scene I shall be the noisy one in sister family time. I have always been the noisy one who gets shushed a lot.

I look forward to seeing my sisters and getting to visit. Let us hope "family dynamics" have taken a far away cruise and won't be here this week. As I age I find time with family is so very precious. Let nothing spoil this time together. Lets laugh and cry and share our love together.

May you each have a wonderful weekend...

Please be safe in the extreme heat some of you are experiencing. Keep hydrating...

Now I am off to finish up the last details...

Following My Own Words...

As I read my very own recent post I realize it is so easy to say, "relax and enjoy the season". Fortunately I am following my own words and I truly am relaxing and enjoying this wonderful magical holiday season. I took some overview photos yesterday at my very favorite place to go.

This is the conservatory at High Hand Nursery in Loomis California. It is a wonderful place to visit and have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Shop for plants, accessories or fine gallery art pieces.

I was enjoying a very nice long relaxing lunch with my dear girlfriends. We were also exchanging our holiday gifts with one another. No rush, no pressure, no stress...just geniune friendship and laughter and sharing.

This is a large pointsettia blossom that sat on our table in this tiny little pot. I was entranced by the beauty of this simple blossom. The decorated trees in the previous photos are redwoods and are so beautiful with the simple red ornaments and small white twinkle lights adorning them. The hanging pointsettias are huge and so amazing.

So, do I naturally not have stress in this hectic time of the year? No.

I am truly working at being able to enjoy.

Am I behind on everything including personal and holiday? Yes.

However, I am finding it isn't the end of the earth if something is not getting done and must wait until another day, week or month.

I am enjoying my family, friends, and everything involving Christmas.

I do hope you are enjoying your favorites things too.

B R E A T H E and enjoy...

One Simple Decoration...

One simple decoration.

Brings joy and peace to this holiday season.

The angel is a metal yard stake that I simply did not want to set outside to rust.

Her metal post is way too boring so I merely took some graduated sizes of ornaments and stacked them on the metal post.

Now it is sitting in a lovely large vase in the dining room.

I not only love the simplicity of this decoration I love the jewel toned colors and the shimmery silvery color of the angel as she watches over us.

I like to think this angel is reminding us to stay calm and enjoy this holiday season for all the reasons it truly represents and not the commercial overdone frenzy and stress we sometimes get caught up in.

May each of you take time to relax and enjoy the simple things.

Happy Holidays...

August-My Favorite Month...

August is my very favorite month of the year. I think it is for several reasons:

I was born in August
My beautiful daughter was born in August
The sun shines in August and keeps us warm and happy
Life is both relaxed and very busy with fun activities

This photo is overlooking the valley below Cortona Italy. Last year when Mr. C and I drove through Tuscany on our trip we stopped here. Yes, this is where the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" was filmed and we thought it might be too touristy. Not at all. It was charming and beautiful and magical all at once. We only spent the day but wished we had more time to explore and enjoy Cortona.

May you have the best August you have ever experienced. That is what I am planning.
What are you hoping to do this month of August?

Time to regroup...

After a wonderful Christmas with family and friends it is time to relax, refresh and regroup.

Not ready to put away decorations as I want to enjoy them without the hectic rush. I am finding myself today not out shopping but staying home in my comfy sweats, having a cup of tea and planning what needs to be done before the new year. DH and I are moving some furniture and getting rid of some old unneeded items. We are organizing a storage area which is never my favorite thing to do but must be done. I am the packrat and my husband is the throw-it-away guy even if he needs it.

We will enjoy the results and feel better after today.

However you are enjoying your day I hope you are taking time to re-energize your own batteries. Gathering lots of creative ideas for the days and weeks ahead. I am looking forward to seeing what each of you are doing in your creative pursuits. What are you making? What new mediums are you going to try? What challenges are you going to tempt yourselves with?

That is part of what I am taking time to regroup...what shall I be creating next???

Take a break...

Is it merely me or is this world spinning ever faster and it is already June 10th tomorrow?!! I know I am getting older however my younger friends are also commenting on how quickly the days are flying by.

So to reflect on a small vignette I have in my kitchen corner of a counter...take a break and enjoy a spot of tea and maybe a nice herbal bath. I actually love lavender and how soothing it can be. I think a soak with epsom salts and some lavender is just the break I need to relax.

It seems I never accomplish all the tasks I would like to in a day. And why is it that domestic chores like cooking and cleaning always come first before crafting and creating? And of course at this time of year the outdoors is a constant pull for weeding and picking up and pruning broken branches or spent blooms except mostly for my yard it is repairing damage done by the voracious deer who think this is their private buffet. Luckily Mr. Hubby does the lawn mowing and washing of the vehicles (I do try to help with this but not the lawn which involves power tools).

Let's see if tomorrow I get crafty at all. SCL is supposed to come over and maybe we can both be productive. We are taking a break from the fabric sorting and organizing as it is quite the huge job and could easily take a week or more. I spend most of the time going down memory lane on each fabric...why I bought it and for what project or outfit (I used to sew all my clothes and my daughter and granddaughter's clothes).

I hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday and do take time for a break and a spot of tea.

Happy Memorial Weekend...

Meet Bella and Ginger who are the cutest Beagles ever. Very sweet and loving. I am posting this pic to show all of us how to relax and enjoy our holiday weekend. Bella and Ginger certainly know how to snuggle up in cozy style.
I have been working in the yard and it seems like I never make any progress. I have plants that don't belong at all (some would call them weeds) and need to be plucked and disposed of. I have plants that have struggled through the harsh winter and need lots of pampering and pruning. We now have lots of warm days and the watering system is not happy as of yet so lots of hand watering to do which I thoroughly enjoy. Mr. Hubby built all of the drip system irrigation and every year it is very labor intensive for him to turn it on and bleed it and get all the dirt and bugs and debris out of the lines. And of course Murphy is always making a recurring visit with his law so that things do not go well or smoothly. I just get the hose and hand sprinkler nozzles and spend time enjoying the beauty of it all. Of course I do not like bugs and for some reason this year have accumulated the most mosquito bites ever. I seem to be covered and of course they drive me crazy and keep me awake at night.
I wish a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend for everyone. Maybe some time to do your favorite activity, get together with friends, have a BBQ or just relax.

Wonderful Weekend...

No pictures today as Mr. Hubby is using the notebook computer which has photos on it.
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and some relaxation time. I spent time with friends and my sister and we celebrated her recent birthday. Did some shopping and had a yummy lunch at Buca de Beppos. If you have never eaten at Buca de Beppos it is quite the experience. Italian food, lots of pictures on the walls, candles and cake for the birthday girl. More shopping and a drive up the hill to arrive home.
Today I must be productive. Hmmm...
The sun is shining and the birds are singing. It is a very good day.