WEDNESDAY WANDERINGS 7.23.14

thought for the week!

SURPRISE! SUPRISE!!!

{Stacy, me, Mom, Jodi & Janene}

no long car or plane trips for me {yet}!

so, {last Saturday} my niece, Jodi, arranged
a Girl's Weekend to

"keep me company"

while JPE was in Cincinnati for his dad's 90th birthday.

we laughed! we ate! they shopped! we ate!
they visited Avila Barn! they shopped in SLO!
they dined at the Apple Farm!

we talked about food! we giggled!

we drank tea! & we ate more!

{four chatty, giggling females + one motel room = LITTLE SLEEP}

we decided to make this an annual event!

{& we'll invite the other girls who weren't here!}

Mom made all of us Girl's Weekend pillowcases!

{they left this morning! bummer!}

THURSDAYS "R" FOR SEWING!

THURSDAYS, mom goes to her quilt group!

SO... my sewing machine is up & our bedroom is littered with bits of thread!
feels good!

completed projects!

An "engagement gift" for ACE & Brian!

{these turned out cuter than I thought}
if these weren't a "gift" I'd be tempted to
to keep these pillowcases! 
Don't they look CUTE in my guest room?

WEDNESDAY WANDERINGS {7.16.14}

 JPE & I decided... this summer has been the most relaxing one in YEARS!

I'm still not able to drive

{recovering from surgery}

SO... JPE has taken me for a drive the past two Sundays!

we LIVE in a "beautiful place"

{in fact, many people come to our AREA to vacation}

a short drive along the coast...

looking south {Pismo Beach} &

looking north {Avila Beach}

cold drinks & pizza for dinner!

I've already written my post for Thursday!

see you tomorrow...

GOOD RANDOM FUN {WEEK 28}

we had a "smattering" of raindrops, too!

looking through my "stash" of spray paints! 

ta! da!

some patio changes! ZERO money spent!

posting with Tamar @ RANDOMOSITY

10 ON 10 - JULY 2014

giving something new a try!

hope you'll come back again!

posting ten photos taken on the tenth day of the month

hosted by: Rebekah @ A Bit of Sunshine

8:12am ~ July 10th

Central Coast - California

oh soooo Y.U.M.M.Y.

need to move a.little!

sun has been playing peek-a-boo

with the coastal fog

like the Energizer bunny, these berries "are still going strong"

a mid-afternoon treat

after my massage, I walked by to check in with her "baby"

a pre-dinner cuppa tea!

bringing some color into the house!

the end of an amazingly, restful day!

IT'S HER BIRTHDAY....

Our daughters

(Allison w the birthday girl, Stephanie, on the right)

have been tent camping since they were infants. 

and because...

TODAY is STEPHANIE'S BIRTHDAY!

I'm feeling a little melancholy, so I'm posting some of my "favorite photos" from her YPN* birthdays!

Most summers, SLE (Stephanie) celebrated her BIRTHDAYS during family vacations at YPN* (Yosemite National Park).

our camping trips were times to connect with family (Acosta's & Enyart's), as well as best friends (Skids & KVC). Click HERE for photos KVC took of Stephanie's birthday.

such wonderful memories!

Nana & Papa bought the three girls "Annie" tshirts for this trip. The girl cousins spent a lot of time performing Annie songs on "The STUMP"

each summer, our goal was to get the campsite with

"The STUMP"... lots of activity happened on

"The STUMP"!

(l-r: Keena & cousins Allie, Steph, Andrew, Reid & Jodi)

rafting, sunning, & dipping in the chilly Merced River was always on the agenda.

so, although Stephanie is all grown-up, and

lives on the other coast (Arlington, VA),

I still remember these days as if they happened last year!

"1-4-3" SLE

we LOVE you &

send BIRTHDAY WISHES on your special day!

JPE & OMO

WEDNESDAY WANDERINGS...

a bit of "COLOR" on a foggy day {JPE's roses ~ 7.9.14}

yesterday's DR visit confirmed my speculation(s)

my healing is "on track"

she'll see me in another 4 weeks

traveling would be uncomfortable, SO

WHAT I SEE

more rest is a hidden gift of time

to read, take photos, craft, sew

Did you SEE the yellow rose?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 7.6.14

posting with Ashley @ Rambling & Photos

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

all photos are archived from my summer files

RED buddha (Big Sur-River's End); RED cactus

(Ojai-Meditation Mount); RED vegie flower (Pismo Beach-Epicurean Delight)

WHITE fireworks (Whittier); WHITE flowering bush

(Bob Jones Trail)

BLUE vase (Tasha's); BLUE vase (JPE's)

SPARKLY ornament (Cambria); SPARKLY spider web (JPE's garden); SPARKLY fireworks (Jodi's)

PLAYING... 

LYDIA (Plaskett Creek-Big Sur 2013);

LYDIA (No Beach Campground, Pismo Beach 2014);

LYDIA (No Beach, PB 2012)

I'm editing & deleting photos from my archives!

Trying to find a "better way" to label photos?

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

please HELP!!

A BLUE SIGHTING...

this morning! I was enjoying the view from my chaise lounge... 

sipping coffee... & thinking about my blog post...

WHEN... I had a visitor!

JPE had seen several when he was hiking in Big Sur...

this one scampered from underneath the edge of the patio slider!

so, I GOOGLED "Blue Tail Lizards California"

I didn't like reading this...

as we often have Lola {or other dogs} visiting! 

As JPE reminded me,

this is the FIRST one we've seen on our patio.

HOPEFULLY, it will be our LAST!

I'll definitely be on the lookout for more!

Today is...

TASHA'S Bday

{they're at the cabin in Big Bear Lake!}

Later this evening,
we're headed to the top of the hill to watch

the Pismo Beach Pier Fireworks

BE SAFE! 

HaPpY 4Th oF JuLY!!!

JAMMIN'....

last week, JPE ventured out to Farmer's Market!

& came back with a flat of apricots!

luscious, golden globes of velvety, soft flesh!

SO... of course, JPE spent the afternoon making Apricot Jam...

:: DID YOU KNOW ::

TURKEY is one of the leading producers of apricots!

Latest news... their "crops were damaged by frost & farmers have appealed to the government for assistance in dealing with their losses!"

(click on the word TURKEY to read about this news)

What is your favorite way to eat apricots?

I LOVE apricot-nut bread w/cream cheese

(swirled w a spoon of JPE's jam)...

ummm, maybe I've have to get a recipe out & think about making some bread!

STAYING HOME...

resting, reading, relaxing, reclining... recuperating

from a 'little surgery"

my male nurse (JPE) is amazing!

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN {WEEK 23}

 DON'T FORGET to check in with Tamar...

"garden art"

looking forward to bike riding after I heal from surgery!