MY WALKS AROUND TOWN and BEYOND

THE CROOKED BRICK WALL

2012-01-27T20:43:00.000-08:00

I saw this wall on a walk.

If the brick work had been laid perfectly, it wouldn't have caught my eye.

But this wall is perfect in its' imperfection.

I love it.

It has a whimsical enchanted feel to it.

How clever they were to have their brick wall built with such character.

But there is this part of me that wonders

if the person who built this wall had no prior

experience

in brick laying - .. but that is

kind of cool also, that they would attempt a

task this difficult

with such inexperience - I kind of think the builder

of this wall is left handed. I am - and I can spot

a lefty from a mile away - if not the person, then

their creations.

AND THEN..........

2012-01-25T13:21:00.000-08:00

There are times you don't want to look up -

times that it's better to keep your attention

close to the ground.

It appears that Barbie's friend had enough of this life and decided to end it.

What a shocking scene to see - actually my brother in law saw it first and pointed her out.

I wanted to help her but she appeared to have shed this mortal body.

But...I do have a strong faith that life continues in another realm - ...I hope she found what she was looking for and really hope she found some underwear.

THE LOOKOUT ROAD HOUSE

2012-01-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

We never knew this place existed

until a few years ago.

It's not that far from the house,

probably about 30 minutes or so.

As you drive up Ortega Hwy one of the first structures you come to is the Lookout Point.

It looks down on Lake Elsinore (for those somewhat familiar with So Cal).

It's been here a long time and has been written up in the local papers as a good place to stop for breakfast.

It's obviously not fancy inside but you can't beat the views unless you are overlooking the ocean.

We each had a beer while sitting outside enjoying the day - and then took off to go a little farther and stop at Hell's Kitchen, another unique restaurant.

My choice of beer is Corona , my husband likes Fat Tire.

A SIMPLE TRUTH

2012-01-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

The treasures are here, there, everywhere.

I walk with my eyes open to the newness around me

Life isn't static and if I think it is - if I think that

I am walking down a familiar street and really

won't see anything new that I didn't see yesterday....

I am mistaken.

There is a knowing in me that life is filled with what some would call miracles

and others would call just leaves.

Love is in the air - it is everywhere - Sometimes it is where I least

expect to find it.

That is why some days I do choose to look up - to head out

with a different attitude than one of I must get exercise

so I must walk fast to burn the calories.

There are times I remember before I even leave the house

To ask to see God everwhere.

Many times I have asked that the Divine show itself for my camera.

It really works and I do see the Divine hidden in the ordinary.

This particular day I saw Love in the Air in the form of a leaf on a tree

I happened to be with my brother in law and sister as

we walked through downtown Historic district of San Luis Obispo.

There were beautiful old homes to look at and what

my brother in law and I happened to see at the same time

was this beautiful leaf.

My sister and my husband were ahead of us talking and walking fast....

Because of a sprained ankle my brother in law and I were behind them and

we both saw this divine image at the same time.

I think he must believe in miracles as every day events also as he

had the eyes to see what I saw.

The overall message received from the Heart

was

To be Grateful for every moment - to remember it is the simplest

thing to ask

to see something

that will lift your heart to the Heavens

and Receive

God's Love and then

Be a vessel through which another can share in that experience.

A simple walk.

A simple smile.

A simple life.

BACK FROM CENTRAL COAST - SAN LUIS OBISPO AREA

2012-01-14T09:35:00.000-08:00

We went up for a visit to my sister's place and had a great time running around for four days, or rather walking, all the good trails and some coastline up there. These photos were taken at Seal Beach and show the amount of collapse of some of the cliffs. This was all due to the rains we had back in 2010 and 2011 when so much flooding occurred.

This year so far has been dry and we might be looking at a little rain coming in, in about a week.

I love this area and as far as I can predict ahead, I think we could find ourselves living there in a couple of years. The rents aren't really that high for a modest 3 bedroom place for ourselves.

This last summer, their temperatures never reached over 75 degrees - while we living inland saw temps at times up to 105 with high humidity.

We have almost constant wind where we live. A few days are calm and then the wind starts up again. It makes it hard to get walks in without having to drive a few towns over to check to see if it's windy there.
We live in short of a wind tunnel area - the winds coming down from the 15 freeway that heads to Vegas.
If you have heard of Cajon (pronounced Cahone) Pass in the news (where a lot of fires break out) then we aren't too far from there..

There is a property along the coastal road that has a mansion on it with their own little lighthouse. The lighthouse is pictured in this bottom photo. The house in the background is a separate house, not belonging to the mansion property.

We have a few places we like to revisit when we go there - a restaurant called Rosa's landing where they have a really good clam chowder, then there is Woodstock pizza in SLO (San Luis Obispo), and can't leave out Laura's Place (my sis) - where she serves a wonderful homemade Pesto Chicken Pizza and
a variety of other dishes.

I'm sure we will be back in another month or so. It only takes us about 4 hours to drive there and now that we have no yard work or maintenance to speak of where we live now, it's a given not too much time will pass before the next trip.

JIMMY FALLON SINGING DAVID BOWIE and TIM TEBOW

2012-01-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

Oh.this is great - Jimmy Fallon as Tebowie...VERY entertaining.

CONVERSATION WITH A 1-YEAR-OLD

2012-01-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

Maybe others have seen this before as it's probably popular but I saw this over at Daisy's blog and thought it was so cute.

A WONDERFUL WALK IN RIVERSIDE

2012-01-06T09:47:00.000-08:00

All the rich bass (I don't like to say crude words on line but you get my meaning) wealthy people who have their mansions in the Hamptons, Beverly Hills, Upstate New York...on and on and on....

Give me a storybook pretty semi - Gothic looking house (okay probably more storybook house ) like this and I would kiss your bass.

Coming from the street above this I saw this house, click, click, click

I know Christmas is over, but I took these photos right before New Years when we were in the area (Riverside).

I tried to get every angle and some going down the side of the house. I will probably make this a two part post so I can post the rest in the following post.

I was skipping like a kid when we came up to this house - which didn't help my sprained ankle...but I was so "happy" when I saw all the decorations.

The Mr. and Mrs. Santa scene is on the right side of the house. There is a huge wrap around porch. It's quite ...hmmmm.... superb... I'll post the rest in a later post.

And just around the corner from this house - ...a wonderfully old looking cemetary which I will also post pics of. It was a beautiful day, warm, sunny and if one did the "lazy" eye thing you could almost see all these spirits sitting on top of their gravestones enjoying the warmth and beauty of the day.

IF YOU DON'T POSITION YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE NOW

2012-01-04T09:54:00.000-08:00

If I am walking along dwelling on the past or thinking "future

thoughts

I miss moments such as this.

It's important that I keep my consciousness anchored in the NOW

So I know where my next food source is...

So I see and experience my abundance....

So I know that Love is always PRESENT to take care of me
.......

The present moment is where Peace is.

Scenes like this speak to me.

They tell me that if I listen to my intuition

Follow my gut feeling

I will always be taken care of

There is that still small voice

that when I am in the present moment

Anticipating the next move I should take

It is there to guide me.

Should I turn left or should I turn right..

Should I look up or down

Up is fun it tells me - I'll gain a higher view

Down is cool also - I might find a dollar or two

And sometimes if I look straight ahead I'll find a treasure

I'll see something that awakens my inner child

And makes me want to skip and fall in a pile of leaves

and my heart sings.

and SOMETIMES, I long to live in an old two story house - with a bedroom on the top floor and a window looking out on the roof below just so I can see a squirrel eat seeds and nuts within my range of vision.

Sometimes treasures and surprises can only come to you in the NOW moment - when life is beckoning you to follow its' prompting - look up (and make sure you have your camera with you).....Look at that squirrel up in the tree - become the squirrel - figure out where it's going and what it is going to do next. And if you learn the lesson of the Squirrel - you will find that your Guidance always fulfills a present need such as food or entertainment.

NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW - What time is it Sandy? It is NOW NOW NOW NOW.

and today I was led to find this beautiful video. Now I am happy and peaceful.

TEDDY THE TALKING PORCUPINE - HAS HAD TOO MUCH CORN ON NEW YEARS EVE

2012-01-01T10:05:00.001-08:00

I WILL SWEAR ON A BIBLE

2011-12-29T22:32:00.000-08:00

I'm quitting this nasty habit on the first.... I'm tired of people
looking at me as if they have never seen a cat smoke.

Hmmmm... I hope I'm not being too hasty with this decision. I've heard it's harder to quit
cigarettes than it is to give up catnip.

We saw this cute cat on a walk today. Her Marlboros were easy to spot.

Happy New Year. I doubt I'll put up another post before the new year.

CHANGE FOR A DOLLAR PART 2 - See video below this post

2011-12-28T17:46:00.000-08:00

I saw this message somewhere else....This woman has a facebook account and this sounds so "do-able" to send a dollar or two if you are so inclined.here is her message...My instinct tells me this lady is the real deal and will make sure the money sent will be used for others.

**********************************************************

Maryann Pichney-JonesThe Sharon Wright film "CHANGE FOR A DOLLAR" (and the great generosity shown me by my cousins Dan and Francine) has inspired me to me to start a thing I'm calling "Steve's Dollars" after my autistic brother.

The money will be used, depending on the amounts received, to do things like helping poor mothers feed their kids up to and including sheltering homeless people. Everyone who reads this, tell your friends and tell them to tell their friends.As of 12/15/11, $22 dollars has come in from all over the country!

Thanks to all those who contributed!Please send your dollar bills (please, no more than two dollars or so...I can't accept checks until/unless enough money is collected to open an account) to:M. Jones202 James St.Somerset, KY 42501Please write "Steve" somewhere on the envelope.Thank you and God bless you!

A LINK to her Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001396029731&sk=wall

A BEAUTIFUL SHORT FILM - "CHANGE FOR A DOLLAR"

2011-12-28T10:01:00.001-08:00

SISTER COUSINS

2011-12-23T08:47:00.000-08:00

We had a visitor this week - my great niece Hannah who was here for a couple days.

The girls like to call themselves sister cousins. We had bought Hannah a Christmas outfit as a gift, so
her and Mac would have matching outfits.

I love these photos - they had just gotten up in the morning and hadn't even had their hair combed when they came downstairs in their matching outfits

Their sequins and glitter caused reflections from the sun on the wall and ceiling so in person
they were surrounded by fairy lights, ha.

I still have more shopping to do and will join the crowds out there today. We have a strong wind blowing AGAIN. The weather guys are even saying this is really unusual for this time of year so close to Christmas and so unusual that we have had more days of wind this month than calm days. About three days of wind, one calm day and then three or four days of wind again.

IDYLWILD, AN ARTSY MOUNTAIN TOWN

2011-12-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

In October we visited Idylwild, a mountain town in Southern California about an hour away from where we live. There was a wine and art festival the weekend we were there. Idylwild has an art academy so of course many artists live in the nearby cabins.

The table and chairs in the photo sat outside an art gallery/boutique shop and was one of the few photos I got without a lot of people milling around and in the way of getting a clear picture.

It was so crowded that weekend, our idea of maybe buying a ticket for the wine tasting event was out of the question as the line was too long. If we had bought a ticket, we could have tasted wine along the way of visiting many of the shops and galleries as it seemed every shop was a stop off point for wine.

When we finally got on the road I was glad that it seemed we left before the intoxicated crowds traveled en mass down the curvy mountain road.

If I had a small covered patio, with vines interwoven in trellis, I would definitely want this table and chairs. It looks like it would be perfect in a secret garden.

This is the last post on this blog. I'm going to close out both my nature blog and this one, and create a new one to replace the two. I'll put a link up at my nature blog and this one for the new when I get it ready.

I have some time today as we aren't watching grandkids but the weather is so gorgeous that I think I must go out on a photo safari today, (and a good lunch).

HOLDEN LIVES IN THE BAY AREA

2011-12-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

(IF YOU COMMENT HERE, Can you please tell me if the font size looks small, normal, or really big. I had to change browsers and everything looks weird now. Firefox is giving me problems, or my computer is, so it was deleted and i'm back to internet explorer.. NOw things all appear really off size to me....thanks)

He is my third grandson, smack dab in the middle of the oldest two Hunter and Cayden and the youngest two Jacob and then Cole. I haven't posted much on him at this blog because I don't see him much.

He had just gotten a sucker out of his Halloween stash before we got in the car I happened to look back and saw a very happy face.

Just looking at these photos puts me in a happy mood.

He is such a little doll!

He is my oldest son's child, along with his older sister Holly.

He will be 2 years 5 months.

And quite tall like his dad who is 6'6.

You should here this little guy sing Amazing Grace - hits all the notes perfectly.

Just wanted to share a smile that can light up a room.

We have rain so a little heart light is good.

Speaking of Heart Light - a blast to the past right here.

A TREE BY JOYCE KILMER - PHOTO TAKEN UP IN MILL VALLEY, CA

2011-12-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

I remember learning this poem in school. I always have remembered it and always liked it. This might have been the first poem I ever paid attention to.

More about this tree is at my nature blog.

I just wanted to say hi to everyone. I've been dealing with other issues in my life and hadn't come to blog in about a month.

Hope your holidays are wonderful and filled with lots of candy and sweets

...I mean love.

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

I THINK that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

SWEET SHORT VIDEO

2011-10-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

PUMPKIN PUMPKIN ON THE WALL

2011-10-26T21:17:00.000-07:00

Pumpkins.......hmmm.. That's all I got tonight.

We are really having seasonal weather now. October in So Cal is all about
Santa Ana winds - which are suppose to start tonight I think. It will be quite a different experience when the wind blows and I don't live surrounded by trees anymore. I won't have to spend days cleaning up after the winds.

I use to dread the winds.

Not anymore.

I will be in the Bay area soon - for several days and will enjoy the chance to see some of my other grandkids, and some different scenery for awhile.

WAITING FOR MR. RIGHT

2011-10-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

I came upon an odd scene the other day while out walking

There is a skeleton on the porch in a chair holding a sign that
says "Waiting for Mr. Right". Look at the woman in a chair with a bouquet of flowers.

So just who is waiting for Mr. Right? I'm a touch confused. Isn't that a male skeleton who appears to be waiting for Mr. Right?

I looked at this scene quickly before photographing it as the front door of the house was wide open and I felt I was being watched so I had to snap the pic quick.

Does this scene feel a little spooky to you? I feel like just inside the door was a spinster (is that word really used anymore..?)... possibly more dead than alive, still waiting for her Prince Charming to walk up the steps. I could have sent my husband in but he was scared..hehe.

I would have gone in myself but I was hungry and couldn't wait to be done with our walk to go eat at Northwoods (a favorite of mine since forever).

Whatever is going on in that house, I have a feeling someone in that neighborhood will be interviewed for some kind of crime scene that happens in this very spot in the future. Or has the crime scene already happened and those are real bodies dressed up.

If I get a chance, I may go back again to feel if the "vibe" I got from there is still hanging around.....shiver me timbers....!!

NEITHER SPOOKY OR SCARY

2011-10-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

Just a pretty purple house

with a pretty purple mouse

and an ugly purple louse

she calls her husband....

now that wasn't nice, but I needed a rhyme.
Don't judge me - I committed no crime.

SUNDAY'S BIG SPIDERS

2011-10-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

What the heck
Did I slide into a parallel dimension?
Where gargantuan spiders rule the day....
And webs as big as the sheet on my bed hang off houses

What the heck
Is this nonsense I see.......these spiders threatening my very sanity
How odd is it that a white picket fence
Seems to promise security and 50's safety but is really just a facade that is anything but............safe.

And what the heck
Why am I trying to write poetry
When my heart is holding a pencil and paint brush
Because poetry is just not my thing....

HANDS ACROSS THE DOORWAY

2011-10-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

There are hands across the doorway
and eyeballs in the soup
So step right up and trick or treat
and join us on the stoop

We'll gladly give you candy
As long as you understand
It's required when you leave our house
You leave without your hand....

BWA HAHAHA, BWA HAHA

I DON'T THINK...........ANYTHING CAN TOP THIS

2011-10-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Because I like skinny guys in capes hanging from trees.

We walked for an hour and a half yesterday finding more yards to photograph that had Halloween decorations.

We had gone about 40 minutes, seeing nothing near as cool as this when finally I found my favorite of the day.

Hope you enjoy seeing these because I sure did.

I did take quite a few photos of yards so there were more and they eventualy will get posted here before Halloween.

Boo....!

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SPOOKY

2011-10-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

I think this is rather creative - hanging plastic pails off a tree branch in their effort to decorate for Halloween.

I always like to walk by this house because of the garden and when I saw the spooky goofy pails hanging from the tree I knew this might become a top contender for my favorite decorated yard.

I might even make a trip to the dollar store today and pick up some.

We have decorated a little bit so eventually I'll post those.

Having two separate families living here - we both have our own way of decorating. My son's wife put up orange lights and cemetary headstones - which keep getting put aside when the guys mow - and we found fun stuff at a thrift store so it's kind of a mish mash of stuff. My favorite is a 4 foot stuffed Dracula that was probably home-made by someone. Not a bad value for 10 bucks. Which reminds me, we're due for another walk through our favorite thrift store - favorite because it's close by and cheap.

I have never cared about Halloween decorations before but this year I'm kind of getting a kick out of seeing them throughout the neighborhoods where we walk.

HELLO AND BOO TO YOU TOO SKINNY BONES

2011-10-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

As seen on my walks about town. I'll be posting more Halloween scenes until the end of the month.

AS SEEN ON MY WALK AROUND TOWN - CAT WITH BUTTERFLY

2011-10-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

I will be changing the reason for the blog. I put my walking photos up at my nature blog so I'm either going to close this out or use it for another purpose. Two blogs for the same purpose seems overdone.

I'm so glad summer is over although the heat has stayed - I plan to do a lot more walking and getting out when the humidity we have been having, along with the heat lets up.

I'm settling in here and getting out for walks more and trips to the mountains or beaches.

Hope your summer went well.

I NEVER DECORATE FOR HALLOWEEN

2011-09-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

And I know we still have over a month to go until the goblins come out. I don't know what has gotten into me - --- other than --- we have a new Dollar Store nearby and I live in a house with kids.

As you can see I bought a few critters but I'm also loving having houseplants in the bathtub that I never use. The light is perfect and I'm doing an experiment to see if I can keep my coleus growing all year long. I was going to buy more but the person in the nursery I was at said that they will die. So far it's looking good - and so are my other ones.

Then I bought a big mural poster for my bedroom so I'm all ready for the goblins this year.

I hadn't been getting motivated whatsoever to draw since I've moved so I drew a couple rats and it felt good getting motivated again. All it took was some rats to get me drawing.

At this rate I might actually enjoy decorating for Christmas.

I'm showing my room even though I have a shabby torn quilt on the bed. I throw that over the nicer quilt when I sit on my bed to draw with a pen. I've ruined way too many quilts and comforters by setting the pen down and having the ink bleed out.

I love having me some ghosts in my room.

By the way the sketches were done f-a-s-t so I am not going to apologize for the weirdly drawn electrical outlet.. I'm just trying to limber up the hand I sprained a few months back - my drawing hand.

A BEAUTY - CHEVROLET FLEETLINE

2011-09-23T16:27:00.000-07:00

I googled Chevrolet Fleetline and they were introduced in 1941 - the four door and then in 1942 as a fastback 2 door.

We were coming out of Costco and this was parked in front of our car. I usually don't pay much attention to old cars except when they are in this kind of condition so I took a few photos.

The windows were down so I was able to get a photo of the dashboard.

TODAY I WOULD LOVE TO BE HERE (SAN DIEGO SEAPORT VILLAGE)

2011-09-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

But the LA County Fair will have to suffice.

I always look forward to the fair and will bring everyone back some 10 pound buns.

Any county fairs going on in your area?

I'm not really sure why the fair in LA is held so late in the summer. The other counties around here have already had their fairs.

And as I'm writing this I realize - the same people (vendors) travel to the different fairs so LA is probably last on their list for the summer season.

I love sitting out in this area of Seaport Village. I once sat for an hour or so listening to flamenco guitar being played live by a duo who plays around the San Diego area...... and ended up buying four CD's from them. After I listened to the CD's for about a month - I realized that if you hear one Flamenco CD , you have probably heard about all the variety you are going to hear. It became rather boring to play the music after that. By the way I have four Flamenco CD's for sale if anyone is interested..ha..

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDREL

2011-09-12T10:16:00.000-07:00

(From a female point of view)

So we are shopping - MacKenzie is busy picking out a skirt she likes. Cayden says it looks "stupid." He then asks if he is going to get to buy something.

Mac then looks at me and says - "Cayden doesn't get anything, right Gramma."

I say, that's not right and we will see if this store carries any boy shorts (it appears to be girly stuff but we find out they have a few shorts for boys but nothing he likes)...

The whole day we are out - fights break out as quick as brush fires in California do.

We finish up our shopping inside and then exit the store only to stop at a nearby bench.

Cayden quickly points out to Mac how "ugly" her skirt is. She screams something un(or "in)comprehendable to my ears, at him. He screams back and it really gets going for about 30 seconds -back and forth - at the top of their lungs. We get them calmed down and talk about apologizing to each other.

He will NOT apologize to her because as he says, he was just telling the truth - ugly skirt and all...

She turns away about as P.O.d as you can get...

He then turns back and says "I'm sorry Mackenzie, .....Papa, can I get something too now...."

She barely lets him off the hook for insulting her, saying that I hope you learned something from this Cayden - you are a dirty rotten scoundrel....

(Earlier in the day they had started coming up with names to call each other....and I happened to throw that out from the movie with the same name...and we all had a good laugh)....

and this was just one little incident in a day that is 24 hours long and 16 of which they are in each others' company - and multiply that by five days.

Papa and I are heading out for a walk, lunch and a drink - can you blame me? HA.

HUNTER'S 9TH BIRTHDAY

2011-09-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hunter had his birthday party at a bowling alley with some friends.

I haven't posted any photos of Chloe other than when she was first born. She is about 2- 1/2 months now. It was so nice to see her again.

And here are the boys that aren't twins because they have different dates of birth (by five weeks and different parents).. and it was one of those funny coincidences that when they both showed up they were dressed in the same clothes. The moms didn't even know that the other one had the same outfits.

Jake on the left, and Cole on the right.

Jake is now 17 months and Cole will be in a few weeks. It's fun having grandkids this close in age.

Their personalities are truly like day and night. Jake is VERY loud and boisterous and Cole is quiet and calm. I live with the loud one...he takes after his sister, Mac...who also is kind of ....well......loud... I love it though, it's quite fun.

WALKING THROUGH SAN LUIS OBISPO - CALIFORNIA

2011-09-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

Not only are the beaches gorgeous in this area of the central coast but San Luis Obispo is one of my favorite towns. There is a creek running through town, much like what we found in Prescott, Arizona - although the creek in Prescott is not cement but natural water flow through rocks and mud. It does flow through town with stairs going down to it. Now that I think of it, Arroyo Grande (where my sister lived before moving to SLO, has the same type of creek through town as Prescott does.

This is a nice shopping area with lots of speciality type shops and below is probably a restroom that I photographed across from San Luis Obispo Mission. I must have liked the color of the tree against the building.

The rest of the photos from this trip will be on my nature blog because I have some photos from my Laguna trip I want to post here.

It is great to have time again for these short get aways. Tomorrow I'll be posting from San Diego. We will be back on Wednesday.

The building below is a museum.

People roam through the creek area and there are outside restaurants, cafe's along the creek where you can see the views from above

SLO is one of my favorite towns I have visited in California. I would have to place Mill Valley (where my son lives up in the Bay area as another favorite. We will be up there the beginning of November for a few days helping out with the grandkids.

IMAGINE SUNG BY ....WELL YOU JUST HAVE TO EXPERIENCE IT

2011-09-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

MAC AND HANNAH DANCING ON THE DECK

2011-09-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Like little fairies, the girls were drawn to the plants and the deck, to dance in the sunlight. This was up at my sis' place when we visited a couple weeks ago in San Luis Obispo. She has a very small little backyard but it's so prett with all the foliage.

SOME NEW PLANTS TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE HOME

2011-08-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

(sorry about grainy photo quality)....

Having left behind a yard full of greenery, to move to somewhere with no greenery and that I can look out the window upstairs and ....hey look....out the window here - i can see in my neighbors bedroom windows....

.......anyway, here are a few shots of my bedroom - this is about the extent of any decorating I can do - (rental property management frowns on putting nails into the wall to hang paintings). I hung one painting above my bed as it's a very light canvas and in the event of an earthquake - it wouldn't do much damage to my head if it fell down on me. The painting is a favorite of mine inherited from my father in law when he passed - a paris street scene -...

I also wanted to show you who spends quite a bit of time up here in my room with me. They love nothing better than to drop in unexpectedly to entertain me with their newest clown acts. The one pictured here is there newest and certainly worthy of interrupting gramma for....ha...

One day Mac had Makayla over and they dressed up and seemed to enjoy being in my more than the other rooms in the house because I have a special stash of little girl princess dress up jewelry and I'm fun....sometimes....

The other day I was sitting on my bed when I see Jake walk in with a step stool. He walks over into the bathroom, puts it on th floor near the counter and climbs up to see what he can see. I had a good laugh and then told him no, we don't do that in my room.

The funniest thing was, the next day he couldn't find my step stool so he brought in this little tiny plastic type house that is about 2 x 3" and set it down on the floor near the counter and tried to step up on it to reach high enough to get into stuff. Now THAT was hilarious.

This kitchen has something I've never seen before. There are windows, rectangular, right at counter level, under cabinets so you always have nice light coming in to illuminate the counters. I moved several plants over to there because the light is perfect.

Mac is giving a tour of the laundry room and the entrance to her bedroom and I looked closer at the photo and saw the face she is making...I wonder what she is saying.

I have a huge bathroom, a closet that is bigger than my youngest son's bedroom when he lived at home and actually I could turn it into a really nice study if I wanted to -I don't need much storage for clothing at all - I also threw out most of my clothes when we moved.

I moved here with a few office chairs, our bedroom stuff, my couches and a few odd little tables. The beautiful dining room table and chairs belongs to my son and his wife. Both of us couples got rid of a lot of stuff and then combined the items of furniture that we brought. We then bought a beautiful new table for the kitchen. The place had a washer and dryer so they gave theirs away, we stored ours for one of our sons and now if we move somewhere separate we will have no appliances anymore. Not even a refrigerator. I have a table in my bedroom i sit my desktop on and a place for my stereo and that's about it.

MY DAY OUT WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER MAC

2011-08-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

She was not digging the dirty old creek I took her to, and showed her where my sister and I would ride our bikes and look for polywogs. She wanted to leave. I told her, "you are a girly girl I think." She said yes she was. I said that I imagine if I took your "brother cousins" with me to show them this area she would probably want to go, because she wants to do everything the boys do. She said yes, she would want to go but not to the dirty creek.

We had a good laugh and then headed out to visit my home I lived in from 10 to when I got married. We had her little bike in the trunk so then we went to my old neighborhood and I got photos of her standing in front of the house and riding her bike down the streets I played on. It was fun.

Later we ended up having milkshakes at the Village Grill. I got butterskotch and she had chocolate.

All in all, it was a fun day...

I think....

for me it was anyway.

SOME PHOTOS OF THE NEW HOUSE

2011-08-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

I just realized I never posted any photos here. I've put them up at some of the grandkids' blogs but haven't shared any here. I'll begin to share more as I take other photos.

I like the house although it's strange living on two floors. The living area on the first floor seems small (except for the kitchen which is huge).... I love the kitchen.

The family room is small and so is the living room/dining room. I wonder why builders don't just make one "great" room. It's much more light and airy than the house where we just moved from. Everything in this house is so white. I got kind of tired of the darker house so I really appreciate the light - especially with my aging vision where I need glasses now to read a recipe or a label.

I've been slowly buying plants and spent yesterday potting most of them. I have been putting some upstairs in my bedroom by a window that gets the morning sun and nice filtered light during the day.
The kids are looking at "their" plants. I suggested to them that if they talked and paid attention to their plants they would grow better so now we have a competition to see who can love their plant the most. The three plants belong to Mac, Cayden and Jake.

So these are the first of the photos I'll share - as I take more I'll put them up.

I have some of my bedroom/bathroom area I'll post later.

and wow, see how close we live to others. I had an acre before so this seems really squeezed in to me.

ONE OF THE MANY PATHS WE WALKED WHILE UP IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA ON VACATION

2011-08-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to go back - in fact, maybe in a few weeks we will. These pink flowers seem to grow wild up in this area and I'm not sure what they are. If anybody can Identify them I'd love to know. I see them everywhere from Santa Barbara on up throughout the central coast.

This was an area where we were walking to get to a path that runs up the hill from Shell Beach where I got some amazing pics because of the view.

Some of my favorite photos several years back were taken in this area we are heading to.

It's only going to be a 104 to 105 today so we are cooling down a bit. Still too hot to be outside much. I'm having a gramma/granddaughter day with MacKenzie and letting grampa stay home and babysit Jacob while he's taking a nap.

In a few months we will be heading up to the Bay area to help out with my other grandkids for a few days and then will have Holden here in So Cal for a week where his other gramma and I will share him. At the end of this week we will see Hunter for his 9th birthday, so I'll be seeing my other grandkids, Cole and the new baby Chloe.

Life is interesting, extremely busy but fun and I am grateful for the times I have those few hours to sit and blog.

IT WILL BE UP TO 107 DEGREES TODAY

2011-08-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

And I would much rather be living in this house that I see as I take my walks, rather than a house with no tall trees and just a few plants.

I'm not saying I don't like where I live - it's just that I'm craving green. Cool greens, and colorful flowers.

I'm thankful for air conditioning.

In fact, I'm thankful for a lot of things but excessive heat isn't one of the things I'm so grateful for.

Isn't this house a beauty?

CONTINUING WITH FLOWERS FROM AVILA BARN

2011-08-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

I had a great day yesterday and went to all the places I linked, plus a few more. Of course I took lots of photos which will eventually get posted. I wish everybody could visit Laguna Nursery - WOW..is all I can say. I couldn't stop "clicking."

We stopped at Hell's Kitchen - it's actually a place to bring your family and sit outside on a beautiful deck overlooking trees.

The Calimari was great as usual, at the Wind and Sea Restaurant and I got an awesome photo of a seagull coming in for a landing - but I posted it on my nature blog instead of here. I was probably more excited about the photo than the food and drink - It's one of the better bird photos I've captured. Today we babysit and go to look for a couple new chairs that are needed in the livingroom - it's pretty bare right now.

I recommend the Big Move - (moving residences) to everybody - it's like getting a facelift for the soul. Getting rid of the old and bringing in the new, and not just in things, but with attitudes.

FLOWERS SEEN INSIDE AVILA BARN

2011-08-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Some photos of happy flowers seen at the "barn".

Life seems even busier than it did before at the old place - but in a different way (good) way.

I have a few minutes this morning to post some flowers at the barn that we saw while on vacation.

We will be stopping at Hell's Kitchen HERE, (The biker bar) and HERE and HERE AND for sure eating some CALIMARI STRIPS HERE .

Today Mike and I are escaping to San Juan Capistrano/Dana Point (beach destinations) for some great calimari and because we have passed it a few times on the way - as we go through some mountains to get to the beach, we are going to stop at what looks like a Hells Angels bar to see what it is all about. They have a lookout point over much of Lake Elsinore area that I have been wanting to stop at. Every time we have passed this area in the past we have grandkids with us and we don't think it would be appropriate to stop there for a beer. Today we will check it out. I'll let you know if we decide to join the motorcycle gang............hehe...

I'll post more photos from the barn tomorrow. I love this place and could spend hours just browsing around.

SUNFLOWER AND PANTS

2011-08-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was walking along with the group and my BIL said to look up. This is what I saw - a pair of pants hanging on a second floor out the window clothesline.

I thought it would make a cool photo - of course the sunflowers helped.

.....“Bring me then the plant that points to those bright Lucidites swirling up from the earth, And life itself exhaling that central breath! Bring me the sunflower crazed with the love of light....”

I started a gratitude journal and you can bet the sunflower had an entry and my brother-in-law Ken also, for pointing out the pants, that if not for him, I would have passed by without seeing what was over my head.

HANNAH LOOKING OUT OVER FIELDS

2011-08-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'm so thankful our grandkids still have places like Avila Barn to go to where nature still beckons children to explore it.

*********************************************************************************************************************

I recently saw this article by Oprah.

Thankful…

by Oprah Winfrey

I live in the space of thankfulness - and I have been rewarded a
million times over for it. I started out giving thanks for small things and
the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased.

That's because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the
goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships,
even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what
happened in my life.

"Say thank you!" Those words from my friend and mentor Maya Angelou
turned my life around. One day about ten years ago, I was sitting in my
bathroom with the door closed and the toilet lid down, booing and a
hooing on the phone so uncontrollably that I was incoherent.

"Stop it! Stop it right now and say thank you!" Maya chided. "But, you
don't understand," I sobbed.

To this day, I can't remember what it was that had me so far gone,
which only proves the point Maya was trying to make. "I do understand," she told me. "I want to hear you say it now. Out loud"

"Thank you." Tentatively, I repeated it: "Thank you - but what am I saying 'thank you' for?"

"You're saying thank you," Maya said "because your faith is so strong
that you don't doubt that whatever the problem, you'll get through it".

You're saying thank you because you know that even in the eye of the
storm, God has put a rainbow in the clouds.

You're saying thank you because you know there's no problem created
that can compare to the Creator of all things.

"Say thank you!"

So I did - and still do. Only now I do it every day. I kept a gratitude
journal, as Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests in Simple Abundance, list
at least five things that I'm grateful for.

My list includes small pleasures: the feel of Kentucky bluegrass under
my feet (like damp silk); a walk in the woods with all nine of my dogs and
my cocker spaniel, Sophie, trying to keep up; cooking fried green
tomatoes with Stedman and eating them while they're hot; reading a good
book and knowing another awaits..

My thank-you list also includes things too important to take for
granted: an "okay" mammogram, friends who love me, 25 years at the same job (and loving it more than the first day I started), a chance to share my
vision for a better life, staying centered, having financial security.

I won't kid you, having money for all the things I want is a blessing.
But as I look back over my journals, which I've kept since I was 15
years old, 99 per cent of what brought me real joy had nothing to do with
money. (It had a lot to do with food, however.)

It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel least
thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you:

PERSPECTIVE. Just knowing you have that daily list to complete allows
you to look at your day differently, with an awareness of every sweet
gesture and kind thought passed your way. When you learn to say thank
you, you see the world anew.

And as Meister Eckhart so eloquently stated: "If the only prayer you
ever say in your whole life is 'Thank you, God', that would suffice."
Have a safe and blessed day!

There's so much good in the worst of us
and so much bad in the best of us,
that it doesn't behoove any of us,
to talk about the rest of us.

~Lilly Mae Outlaw

A PHOTO A DAY FOR AWHILE

2011-08-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of photos from our trip up the coast. I'll just post a photo a day until I get them all up. It will take a long time I'm sure. I was trigger happy.

This is from the Avila Barn - a place where we experienced a hayride around the farm. I was so thankful to be up there with family and experiencing beautiful weather, long walks, good food and great company.

HAVING A GREAT TIME UP HERE

2011-08-13T22:08:00.000-07:00

Sun was out all day until about 5:00 or so when the fog started rolling in.

WE ARE LEAVING IN A FEW HOURS ON VACATION

2011-08-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

We are heading up to the central coast (Pismo, San Luis Obispo, areas) to visit my sister and brother in law, and also my niece and her daughter Hannah).

This is the first vacation we have had in over two years since, especially in the last year, we were tied to the house and the goal of selling it.

When the grandkids that I live with heard we were leaving, they quickly got in their car to follow us up....ha!

Lucky or unlucky for me, the darn car wouldn't start. You can't depend on a pink mustang to get you anywhere. I'll miss them but we will only be gone five days. It's great to be unencumbered. Yard work is fast becoming just a mere memory, but then again, so are nice big shady trees and room to roam in the yard.

SHARE THE LOVE

2011-08-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

You say you have no faith? Love - and faith will come.

You say you are sad? Love - and joy will come.

You say you are alone? Love - and you will break out of your solitude.

You say you are in hell? Love - and you will find yourself in heaven."

Carlo Carretto, 1910-1988

Italian Philosopher and Christian Youth Leader

HAPPY FOR CAKE

2011-08-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

I love this photo I took yesterday while we were out with the grandkids.

ORANGE COUNTY FAIR CAKE SUBMISSIONS

2011-08-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the talent people have for cake decorating. Here are just a few of several beautiful cakes at the Orange County Fair.

We went last Saturday and usually at the fair, my favorite exhibits are Visual Arts, Tablescaping, Cake Decorating, Garden shows and of course the Livestock.

It was a really hot day even though it was close to the ocean in Costa Mesa.

Next month will be my favorite fair - LA County. I'm looking forward to that one a lot.

Things are going along here at the new house - still kind of settling in and becoming comfortable in a totally different lifestyle. I can't seem to find much enthusiasm right now for blogging. I get sidetracked easily but I think once the summer passes and I can get out and walk more, a routine will develop that will include blogging more regularly again.

Hope everyone is having a great summer.

I CAN'T WAIT

2011-08-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

Until I see snow again on our mountains. I'm tired of heat.

ARE WE BEING SPIED ON WITH OUR CONSENT?

2011-07-29T06:38:00.001-07:00

ALL MOVED IN - NOT QUITE SET UP

2011-07-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

I live about 10 miles east of where I lived before. We (my husband and I found a place with one of my sons, his wife and two kids). It so happened that the timing was very synchronistic. They found themselves needing to move during the same two week period that we began looking for a place. we made the decision to find a bigger place for all of us. This way it would be a good transition away from our old place to a new way of life. We had already committed to staying locally for a year to help out with grandkids starting school.

We will give this place a year and then make a decision as to what will happen next. I can't complain about the rent. We are paying half of what it cost in the bigger house - and we moved to a big house (five bedrooms). The hardest thing is getting use to living RIGHT NEXT DOOR AND ON TOP of others - or so it feels like it. Coming from an acre of property, now I live on a corner in a tract and I am on the second floor of the house. I can open my windows and look right into the neighbor's house behind me. How weird is that?

It really isn't that weird. For the first 15 years of our marriage we lived close to people. I just got spoiled for the last 27 years.

I will now have time to have a life again and blog and walk and hike and ....sit and do nothing. What a busy year it was.
We took the chance of leasing before our escrow actually closes which should be Friday.

We had to, because we couldn't wait to secure a place or we would have had to move everything to storage and then to a new house after..

TRUE GRATEFULNESS - REAL JOY

2011-07-16T08:27:00.001-07:00

What a fanastic story and the ending was so cool. These people saved a humpback whale entangled in fisherman's netting.

THANKS SANDI - this was so much fun to watch

2011-07-15T13:16:00.001-07:00

THE GATHERING PLACE - last days

2011-07-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

I realized this place was much more than just a home - it was a gathering place for family, friends, for weddings, showers, parties, funeral/memorial, kids who were kicked out of their homes and had no where else to live, it was a place that saw SO much LIFE. It would have been more complete on this day if my sister, her family, my niece Erin, husband Ron and her daughter Hannah had been here - ...and my other family - the Gordons - Rebecca and family.

A few more photos - and then soon i will have new memories to make. I will be off the computer pretty much most of the time as we countdown to take off. We will know for sure in a few days where we are going.

More shots from the other day -
1. Caught Kenzie and Holden in a sweet moment.
2. Noticed in the background - two oldest cousins giving each other a hug (they hadn't seen each other for awhile). He even picked her up to hug her.

3. Kids on a rock (five oldest grandkids).
4. Jake in "borrowed" clothes to go use slip and slide..kind of saggy, ha.
5. Two oldest cousins on rock - Hunt, Holly - or I as like to call them "Holly Hunter", as in Terms of Endearment.

Also, I know this video is long and probably no one has the time to watch it, but I'm putting it here on my blog to watch again later. It has a beautiful message and images.

LAST GATHERING OF THE FAMILY

2011-07-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Before we move. Three of four sons made it over - the one in the foreground lives in San francisco so I'm glad he got "home" before we move. He was 10 years old when we moved, so he and his other brothers walked around taking photos of their favorite places. Sam, 32, on the left is the 2nd son and father to Hunter, Cole and now beautiful Chloe who was born on June 20. John the youngest is in the middle - 27. He was less than a year old when we moved here. He is the father of Cayden. Joel, 37, is the father of Holly and HOlden.

There is Cole down below in the chair next to his Uncle Joel who is holding his new baby sister. He is such a doll and gentle little soul.
Below are some random photos.

The day we moved in Joel ran and jumped on "his" rock and now he is there with his daughter.

Joel showing his son Holden, Uncle John's tatoos. You would be afraid is you saw my young son John in an alley, haha. Tattoos, saved head - he is the nicest guy and a great cook at that. He works at a local steak house.

I'll have lots of memories from the photos of the weddings that happened here. This wasn't just a home it was a "gathering" place for friends and family through the years.
I just realized looking at the photos I now need to remove the good luck horseshoes I have hanging on the front patio.

I'll be posting more photos as I can get to it.

We move in about two weeks. I have no idea where yet...

URBAN DECAY

2011-07-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

When i have time I love to look at photos of urban decay. I find many of them so beautiful. Since I have nothing much to report - other than ongoing escrow on the house and continuing to pack, move things to storage, workers in to repair things, etc. .....I thought I would post some of my favorites.

It looks like we will be out of here towards the end of July and I have yet to even look for a place to live.

There is so much to do when selling a house, especially one with an acre and lots of square feet. It feels as if the cleaning, packing, repairing, painting is ongoing and we already did so much in the past. we had inspections - termite inspection did show damage which we figured since it's hard to find a house in so cal without damage and that is being repaired. Other inspections showed minor stuff but still it takes time and money to get things done.

I can't wait for a short trip to Sedona or central coast - both of which are in my near future - i just don't know the order....if we don't get to sedona soon it will be too hot to hike and that is what I want to do. central coast - it's always beautiful...and I get to see my sister and her family.

Hope all is going well with everybody. I don't have much time to visit blogs anymore but once I move i'll show pics of my new place (we are renting -I never want to own a home again, ever ever ever)...I must have well over 40 pots I'm taking and whereever I go, I will still garden as I will plant various cactus in them..

I can't give credit to who took these pics as I saved them off a long time ago. I see them often when I do a search, many sites have posted these so I guess it's okay for me to.

A NEW BABY GIRL

2011-06-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

My 8th grandchild, 3rd granddaughter was born a couple days ago and weighed 9 lbs 8 oz. She already looks so nicely filled out - what a big baby! It's going to be great having another little girl in the family. She is less than an hour old in these photos and already like her gramma - bright lights bother her.

I had her two brothers here for awhile. I only got to see her for about 5 minutes after she was born but today will go over and get a good look at her.

Here are a few photos from her first hour. I love the clock in the background - not quite sure why but it's "evidence" somehow of her emergence. She was born at 5:05 p.m. She was still being attended to in these pics. Her name was chosen because she will possibly be a redhead like her mommy - Chloe Autumn sounds like it would be fitting for a redhead.

CHOIR OF CRICKETS

2011-06-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

This is amazing and I had never seen it before today. I think it was recorded in 1992. Here is some info about it:

The angelic chorus you hear accompanying the sound of the crickets is NOT a synthesizer or a chorus singing. It's the crickets themselves (slowed down) creating the effect. Really an amazing thing they've accomplished here.

This recording is an extended digitally remixed and mastered version taken from the original1992 recording entitled "Ballad of the Twisted Hair" from the album "Medicine Songs" by David Carson and Little Wolf Band produced by Jim Wilson and released on Raven Records.

I went and found this afterwards and you can almos see their chirping orchestrated...

JIMMY FALLON - GREAT IMPRESSIONS (FIRST APPRO X 10 seconds of commercial overlapping sound)

2011-06-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Fallon did an impression of Neil Young singing Willow Smiths (Will Smith's daughter) version of "Whip My Hair." Although only a teenie bopper could love Willow's version - Jimmy made it more adult likeable. Springsteen sang along with him in this clip.

AND HERE IS WILLOW'S VERSION - i definitely like Jimmy's better.

HAPPY HAPPY AND A LITTLE CAREFREE TOO

2011-06-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Carefree is a word I like.

The image above came from a website call Pixdaus.com. The photos collected there are awesome.

We accepted an offer on our house and if everything goes smoothly I'll be dancing all night long come the middle of July as I'll be traveling somewhat lighter in this world.

WHEN EVENING TV IS BORING

2011-06-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

I go in search of photos that stop me in my tracks. I have a huge collection of them and thought I might as well post them here and there, so others can also appreciate them.

This one is entitled Moscow Pears in Window -

I regularly think of a place I would love to travel to some day but know I never will, and google images so I can do my own virtual tour. That is how I came across this.

Here is where I found it LINK

2011-06-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks Daisy - you find the best videos.

DREAMY BEDROOM - I COULD DREAM IN HERE

2011-05-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

This just speaks COZY to me. Not sure where I found the photo on line.

I love the way the bed area is darker (good for sleeping) and yet the sun is streaming through the window..

If I could place this bedroom anywhere - for today it would be in a cottage on Balboa Island where I could walk out and view the ocean.

YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN IT BUT

2011-05-27T19:30:00.001-07:00

it's so adorable.

EVOLUTION OF A GREAT IDEA FOR SUMMER FUN (Brought to you by my oldest grandson and his little friend - photographed five years ago)

2011-05-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

I love this series of photos I took a long time ago. As I was looking at themI realized how they told a story - one of summer fun - something we can all relate to doing in our lives - something we weren't suppose to do but did it anyway ...and then got BUSTED..

I hope your Memorial weekend ahead is fun - whether you are staying home or going away - would love to hear what plans you have. We are staying put and avoiding traffic - although we might go out for a day trip somewhere.

EVE TEMPTING ADAM

LET ME THINK ABOUT IT ...

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA - LET'S GO

DO YOU THINK WE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT - AFTER ALL WE WERE JUST TOLD "NO - NOT TODAY"

LET ME SEE IF "SHE" IS WATCHING OUT THE WINDOW...

WELL WE MADE IT DOWN TO YOUR ROCK,ADAM , NO ONE SAW US...

I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS BUT LET'S GO TO THE SECOND PART OF OUR PLAN

COAST IS CLEAR

THE SPRINKLER IS ALREADY OUT HERE....

I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SAY THIS BUT I HAVE A QUESTION I REALLY NEED TO ASK YOU, EVE....

SHOULD WE TAKE OUR BOTTOMS OFF.... BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE WILL GET THEM WET...

YEAH, BUT ADAM - I'M LEAVING MY TOP ON OKAY...

WELL THIS IS REALLY WORTH IT - COME ON LET'S BREAK THOSE RULES...

WHOA!! THIS IS A LOT MORE FUN THAN STAYING IN THE GARDEN

WHAT A GOOD IDEA YOU HAD EVE....!!

I WONDER IF WE ARE BEING WATCHED??

OH WELL, TOO LATE NOW..

I WANT IT - NO ADAM - I WANT IT....

DID YA HEAR THAT EVE - I THINK WE'RE BUSTED!!

2011-05-25T18:27:00.001-07:00

WHO AM I ANYMORE?

2011-05-16T12:11:00.000-07:00

Does turning 60 immediately classify one as batshit crazy.

I spend my evenings watching "Winning" (two and a half men) reruns cause i love the show, and looking through old photos of my silly dead bird when she was alive and ripping legs off of little knick knacks with crazy looking bee-snails laughing at her

and then...

for God Sakes.

I watch SCARY LOUD GNONES on youtube. (a version of our America's got Talent)....

you have to watch this ....so you can be thankful for your sane life.....

if you know anything about me, you know that i find this video strangely appealing and that really concerns me.

SWEETGRASS

2011-05-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

This looks like a movie I would love to see. It combines everything I like, nature, beautiful scenery, western themes - big sky, Montana...yup - gotta see it.

MY ARLENE POST WAS DELETED BY BLOGGER

2011-05-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

DARN...

ARLENE AND YELLOW CAKE

2011-05-12T12:04:00.000-07:00

My closest friend of 25 plus years died a year ago this week. Her birthday would have been today. Her friends and family are baking yellow cakes. Because I can't bake today, i went and found yellow cake images. This was her favorite all time cake. She died a year ago after a very lengthy illness and although i miss her i am so glad she is out of pain and free.

Arlene, i love you and always will...Until we meet again i say - hail to the yellow cake!

Remember Crusty Crone (of course you do) ...Arlene always liked to read Crusty's blog, although i don't believe she ever commented there. She kind of felt a kindred connection. How ironic that Crusty - who was the same age, died five months later in the same year that Arlene did.

I hope their spirits have met.

Arlene - i miss your presence in this world.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS........HAAHAHAHAHA

2011-05-09T07:25:00.001-07:00

ALWAYS DOOM AND GLOOM IN THE NEWS - I SAY FORGET THAT AND ENJOY A WALTZ

2011-05-04T08:56:00.001-07:00

I JUST HAVE TO SAY - HE IS, IN MY OPINION THE BEST CONTESTANT OF ALL TIME ON AMERICAN IDOL

2011-04-30T18:06:00.001-07:00

RIP PHOEBE SNOW

2011-04-26T09:00:00.001-07:00

FRANTIŠEK Brunner DVOŘÁK = FRANZ DVORAK, 1862-1927, Czech

2011-04-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

Beautiful images to share today. Happy Easter to you all.

Angel of Birds..................

TIME LAPSE - MILKY WAY GALAXY AS SEEN THROUGH SAHARA DESERT SANDSTORM

2011-04-22T08:42:00.001-07:00

ROYAL LOOK ALIKES...FUNNY

2011-04-18T20:08:00.001-07:00

2011-04-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Holden, Cayden and Hannah trying on fancy headband.

BLUE SKIES AND SUNSHINE

2011-04-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

From a recent performance, here's the Saitama Sakae High School Band with "Blue Sky and Sunshine" by Toshihiro Fujishiro.

FAIRY AND A PRINCESS

2011-04-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

THIS WEEK IN PICS

2011-04-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

LOTS OF GRANDIDS

around my yard

2011-04-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

two princesses, one fairy and a leprechaun in my yard... quite a busy week.....four more not in pic...later for them. sprained wrist makes me type w/one finger

WOW

2011-04-11T21:15:00.001-07:00

- MISSION INN - RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA

2011-04-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I posted just a few photos from Mission Inn. This place is spectacular with lots of local history to go with the beauty.I want to start posting a photo a day, even if I don't put any text with it, because I have so many that gives a look at So Cal life. This is a reflecting pool/fountain, I think...if I remember...on the third floor...This is a great place to visit if you are ever in the area.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM NBC ABOUT RADIATION ......ha

2011-04-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

TODAY'S PHOTO

2011-04-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

Perfect foto op came yesterday when Kenzie climbed the "kids" rock in our field.

JAKE 'S FIRST PARTY TODAY -

2011-04-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

He will turn 1 on the 5th. Wow, did this year go fast. We went to the Imagination Station - Professor PennyPickle's place the other day and took both he and his sister. We had a long day babysitting them so decided to take them out for the day. This place was so much fun. I'll have to post more photos later. But here is the birthday boy in a few different poses.

the car ride.

WAking up

funny poses - stretching a little

more fun

Having fun in the discovery center - and ....(he liked this so much this is one of his birthday gifts today)...

and a wall of clocks at the Imagination Station indicating that in one hour it's almost TIME for his first birthday party. Go Jakey!!

OH MY GOSH - I LOVE THIS (Thanks to the O from another place and time)

2011-03-26T12:33:00.001-07:00

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS - THERE HAS BEEN SOME INCREDIBLE SNOW GOING ON IN MAMMOTH AND LOOKS LIKE OUR DROUGHT COULD BE OVER

2011-03-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to more pics, photo credits and the article. LINK

This is a crazy spring so far It feels like winter here in So Cal - lots of rain lately and cold temps.

To me - cold temps are DOOM. I need my sunshine and heat.

A RAINY DAY HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIF AND I'M LISTENING TO YOUTUBE VIDEOS

2011-03-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

I liked the way this one was filmed and I love the song. So nice to have nothing to do - no where to go, just sitting around existing today.

I'm 15 for a momentCaught in between 10 and 20And I'm just dreamingCounting the ways to where you areI'm 22 for a momentShe feels better than everAnd we're on fireMaking our way back from Mars15 there's still time for youTime to buy and time to lose15, there's never a wish better than thisWhen you only got 100 years to liveI'm 33 for a momentStill the man, but you see I'm a theyA kid on the wayA family on my mindI'm 45 for a momentThe sea is highAnd I'm heading into a crisisChasing the years of my life15 there's still time for youTime to buy, Time to lose yourselfWithin a morning star15 I'm all right with you15, there's never a wish better than thisWhen you only got 100 years to liveHalf time goes bySuddenly you’re wiseAnother blink of an eye67 is goneThe sun is getting highWe're moving on...I'm 99 for a momentDying for just another momentAnd I'm just dreamingCounting the ways to where you are15 there's still time for you22 I feel her too33 you’re on your wayEvery day's a new day...15 there's still time for youTime to buy and time to chooseHey 15, there's never a wish better than thisWhen you only got 100 years to live

EVERYONE HAS PROBABLY SEEN THIS DOG IN THE NEWS

2011-03-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is the dog whose"friend" lying next to him was injured in the earthquake/tsunami and there is a video of this sweet loyal dog hanging close and not leaving his injured buddy. If you haven't seen the video it would be easy to find as it's all over the internet.

I found something equally interesting and very "loyal" feeling to the people of Sendai. I think this person is very brave and just wanted to post it here for others to see.

***********************************

"This letter is different from others I have been sending recently. It is more about me than about the remarkable Japanese people. Please forgive this side tracking and indulgence.

Yesterday I was given the chance to leave Sendai via buses arranged by the USA government for American citizens. I was told about this option well past midnight and the bus was to leave across town from where I was at around 9:00 a.m. If I went, I would be allowed one bag. I would be taken by bus to Narita Airport, where literally thousands of frantic foreigners were struggling to leave the country. From there I would be sent to a nearby Asian country and then left to fend for myself. I would be charged for the bus fare from Sendai to Narita later.

Several family members and almost all of my foreign friends strongly urged me to accept this option. "The chance may not come again." "The situation is very, very critical." "You should leave." "You will be helping the country if you leave." "You can always stay with me." "You can always go back when this is over."

I used to be really good at making clear decisions, but with age I find that I seem to take in others’ opinions more. Maybe, too, that comes from Japan’s consensus building culture. So, with so many people urging me to go, go, go, I was up half the night suffering excruciating existential agony.

After eating breakfast, I raced over to my wobbly shack to call a very close American friend in the USA to talk and process this. I also wanted to check emails once more. En route a deep calm came over me and I sensed I was not going to leave. My American friend agreed entirely. He had been through war and knew what mass hysteria involved. "Wait until this madness is over. Then make a calm decision," he advised. "The situation seems black or white now, but maybe it is not."

Talking to him, I realized I was not going to jump into the tidal wave of fear and panic that was literally sweeping the entire world. I did not want to add to that kind of energy. Whether I was right or wrong, lived or died, I knew that I wanted to be part of something that was more constructive towards life itself and the world as a whole.

I also sensed that for me personally to leave would be like a person suffering from emotional, psychology agony and trying to run away from it. I have found from personal experience that that does not work. For me I have to wrestle with and within excruciating emotional experiences, not necessarily to "get through them" because maybe we never really do, but rather to be able to consciously incorporate them into who we are.

We are physical beings, of course, but there are other dimensions of our humanity as well. And for me at this time I feel ready to work out of another level of my being.

By chance, to encourage me, among my emails there was one lone voice that was entirely different from all the others. It was from my Dutch "brother," who is a doctor. This is what he said:

"Apparently the situation is such that many foreigners are moving away from Tokyo to Osaka, or even home abroad. This, to me, is not good. I would think that one would stay and see where one could be of help."

Those openhearted, humanitarian words rung a bell with me. I realized other people had left and would leave with their own legitimate reasons. And that is beautiful in its own way. But for me, considering how long I have been here, the number of Japanese friends I have, and my age, this situation is not about saving my own skin. There is something much more profound going on. For me it is on a very deep spiritual dimension. Now, it seems, is a time to step out of a desperate rush to save myself. It is a very humbling opportunity to practice what the Japanese have been teaching me through their day-to-day behavior ever since I arrived on these shores. We are all important. We must think of ourselves as a group first and then as individuals in it. It is crucial to put others before oneself."

If I am able to truly live that perspective in this horrendous situation, and if one small layer of my enormous ego can peel away through this experience, then that, I feel, will be my way of serving others who are suffering in this unspeakably tragic time of our lives.

link to where I FOUND this

THANKS TO DAISY for this - had a good laugh over this

2011-03-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

At Smiling with Daisy

JAKE ON THE CAROUSEL

2011-03-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

Some photos from the weekend -

A LITTLE COMIC RELIEF - SILLY RELIEF

2011-03-14T12:17:00.001-07:00

IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL LIQUIFACTION. DOUBT IT - MORE LIKE LAND FLOATING ON WATER MAYBE

2011-03-12T09:30:00.001-08:00

This is wild.

A KITCHEN I SAW RECENTLY

2011-03-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

I really like the layout of this kitchen. It was in a condo where we walked through the models one day. This was one of my favorites I saw.

I AM

2011-03-09T10:15:00.001-08:00

HOW FUN - ABE LINCOLN - WHOSE BLOG I VISIT WAS INTERVIEWED

2011-03-09T09:24:00.001-08:00

AND if you go to the link you'll see his interview on Dayton's News.LINK IS HERE

and here is his bird blog - but he has several other blogs. LINK

Way to go Abe -!