Silver Linings 4 ME

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY 2.1.12

2012-02-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

participating in Wordless Wednesday ~ click HERE & HERE for more participants!

LAUGH OFTEN!

2012-01-31T06:15:00.000-08:00

LOVE THIS QUOTE!

What made you laugh today?

SLEEP-LESS, BUT FOCUSED!

2012-01-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

SYCAMORE MINERAL SPRINGS LABYRINTH ~ Avila Beach

"The way to get things done is not to mind

who gets the credit of doing them."

~ Benjamin Jowett, theologian, tutor, great MASTER of an Oxford College

I have the great fortune of working with colleagues who make me look way better than I really am!

My right-hand partner {KA, I'm talking about YOU} understands when to "step-in" and take over a project ~ she has a keen sense in knowing when I'm at "the end of my rope" with "too many irons in the fire."

We are at the beginning of a period that is "labor & detail intensive" ~ so we've been meeting more frequently so we can "fine tune" our eight-week work plan! I'd say we're gaining our momentum, and we complement each other's work styles.

And, while I'm talking about work, there's another gal that's a WHIZ with numbers. Without asking, she created a spread sheet of budget figures that will play a key role in a mid-February meeting ~ about a subject that's TABOO in relationships {love can't conquer all}, friends {even the true blue}, and colleagues! M-O-N-E-Y... Thanks, KB, for thinking ahead!

As for "sleep-less" ~ I've been having the most bizarre dreams {some are even in black & white} ~ the kind of dreams that make you wake up & have trouble falling back to sleep. They are full of details ~ which I attribute to my FOCUS on completing tasks at work!

So, I just finished a warm mug of Ovaltine & a handful of animal crackers & now I'll pull my warm jammies out of the dryer & climb into our cozy bed & drift into a peace-ful & rest-ful night {with NO DREAMS}.

Nighty-night!

FOCUS = my ONE LITTLE WORD.

Read about it HERE!

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.29.12

2012-01-29T01:13:00.000-08:00

:: RUSTY + SOMETHING OLD ::
Nevada City, CA

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY... this is getting to be a "habit" but I'll bet you look forward to it as much as I do. Some weeks I schedule picture taking into my work schedule... other weeks, it's a mad dash to snap those shots... and a few times I've pulled shots from my photo library. Of course, I have the best of intentions at getting my camera out, but life can get in the way of that!

So, with the best I can gather for this week, here's SMILE, STAND ALONE, RUSTY or SOMETHING OLD, ARTIFICIAL, & REPEATING PATTERN.

:: SMILE ::

This Mona Lisa style SMILE is found in the stone carving (located in the apex of the roof line) at the History Center of San Luis Obispo County. She watches over the various street activities along the San Luis Obispo Mission area... for more information & another view of our historical landmark, click HERE!

:: STAND ALONE ::

Walking out to my car, I noticed this bright red leaf STANDING ALONE... I don't know if the gardener had blown all the other leaves away, but this one stayed behind... making it sure I noticed it! I DID!!!

:: RUSTY BUTTERFLY ::

Mom's RUSTY butterfly watching over the newly planted seeds. Wonder what is emerging from the soil now?

:: ARTIFICIAL ::

This was difficult... so, how about an ARTIFICIAL pear-shaped gourd ~ ornament dipped in brillant scarlet, deep burgundy & lipstick red colors; and decorated with hand-carved snowflakes & stars.

:: REPEATING PATTERN ::

Molded plastic chairs line an ice cream store front in Big Bear... A REPEATING PATTERN of upraised fingers asking for someone to sit & rest their feet while enjoying tasty handmade ice cream. Heavenly way to spend a warm afternoon! (obviously from my photo archive ~ it's not exactly warm in Big Bear right now).

So - that's it for this week's SCAVENGER HUNT... ASHLEY is keeping the list of participants, so don't forget to visit HER!

Are you curious about next week's words? Grab your camera & begin snapping your interpretation of:

STRIKE A POSE, FOOTWEAR, HOBBY,

SHINY & COLOR ME GREEN.

WINDOWS ON MY MIND!

2012-01-28T11:30:00.000-08:00

TRANSPORT MUSEUM ~ London England
"source of natural, indoor light"

Are you INTRIGUED by WINDOWS?

This past month, Kat Sloma @ KAT EYE STUDIO posted an interesting challenge in her monthly EXPLORING WITH A CAMERA.

An avid traveler, a seeker of details, she shared her thoughts about why her photo library has included so many photos of WINDOWS. Here's the list of her discoveries:

WINDOWS are a fantastic source of natural light, when indoors.
WINDOWS are the perfect design element to explore shape, line and repetition.
WINDOWS can serve as backdrop, frame and shelf, interacting with your subject in interesting ways.
The glass in WINDOWS creates complex layers through reflections.
WINDOWS are a storytelling element, creating psychological barriers that can evoke strong emotion.

So, I looked through my London, England file

{July 2010}

HOPE YOU ENJOY...

:: WINDOW Discoveries of a UK Variety ::

HOLBORN & INNS of COURT ~ London, England

"design element to explore shape, line and repetition"

These pictures demonstrate WINDOWS as a design element... The brick building, located in the HOLBORN area of London, provided lots of details that were difficult to capture - there were so many! The neck-wrenching heights, chilly brickwork, and architectural design elements are found on most of the buildings, which is the working community for journalists & legal professions. I wonder if they are so busy with their work, that they fail to notice the "elegance" of their work places?

My DAD, a SKILLED BRICKMASON, would have appreciated the design element of the brick work as it contrasts with the WINDOWS. Also, note the WINDOW shape changed when the WINDOWS tapered at the rooftop!

PORTOBELLO RD ~ NOTTING HILL ~ London, England
"design element to explore shape, line and repetition"

Adorable, brightly painted homes in the Notting Hill area are adorned with crisply painted WINDOW frames. The upright WINDOW shape mirrors the shape of the buildings! Wanna see inside? so do I!!

NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET ~ CHELSEA ~ London England
"serve as a backdrop.... interacting with your subject"

We shopped at this market... I had to add this to my WINDOWS post... JPE & I could see the activity on the sidewalk outside the market from our studio apartment WINDOW. If the market seems crowded, we would putter around for 15 minutes before heading over for our "daily" shopping trip.

KING'S ROAD ~ CHELSEA ~ London England
"frame for your subject"

A "high-end" women's store on the famously expensive King's Road, used fans to create interest in this WINDOW display. What a marketing strategy to lure customers into the store.

BATH, England
"glass creates... complex layers through reflections"

Although blurry (most of my photos from our BATH bus tour were blurry... an "off" day for the photographer??), this WINDOW near the ROMAN BATH HOUSE shows the effect of layers of old glass (the wavy effect)...

WESTMINSTER ABBEY ~ London, England
"storytelling element... evoking strong emotion"

Our first LONDON WALKS Tour was called "The Secrets of Westminster Abbey"... I won't divulge any secrets we learned, but we DID enter the abbey through the Dean's Yard (which is a private entrance, located off the courtyard for the monk's quarters & is now home for the 30+ boys who sing in the Abbey Choir). This ivy-covered WINDOW exudes a feeling of emotion ~ think of the monks "cloistered" here in the cold, damp winter.... you can read more about their life HERE.

This journey into my London archives was such a treat today! Didn't realize I had taken so many pictures of... umm, I have another twenty-seven WINDOW pictures from London. But, I'll save that for another post (perhaps?)...

See you tomorrow for SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY 1.25.12

2012-01-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

paperweight on my desk ~ lunch time photo ~ 1.25.12

"Glance into the world just as though time were gone;

and everything crooked will become straight to you."

~ Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher

feeling a bit "crooked" today

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.22.12

2012-01-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

another of my collections

How did this weekend pass so quickly? Oh my... I'm late to the party. At last glance there are almost 130 participants in this week's SCAVENGER HUNT.

Ashley, the hostess for this weekly hunt, shared some exciting buried in her post for this week's words.

The words this week are: SUNSET, BLACK & WHITE, FOUR, A DAY IN MY LIFE, & COLORFUL.

Don't forget to check Ashley's blog, RAMBLINGS & PHOTOS to see what she shared!

SUNSET

Due to the intermittent rain & overhead clouds, our SUNSET was short of being spectacular! Sort of ordinary...

BLACK & WHITE

Last week, I mentioned that I collect CHAIRS... several of my December posts showed "treasured members" of my Ho-Ho-Ho collection - you can spot several of my SANTAS HERE & HERE.

I also collect HEARTS. This BLACK & WHITE HEART is actually turquoise-green (see the original color in the first post) & the top lifts off to hold my high school CHARM bracelet.

FOUR

FOUR of my favorite HEARTS... I love each of them for their unique-ness! Which one do you like?

TIME

My TIME seems to slip by "quicker than a wink" ~ how about yours? this little pin is smaller than a quarter ~ isn't that a cute HEART at the top of the clock?

COLORFUL

Dumped out my BUTTON jar... yes, I collect BUTTONS too, don't you? Here are some of my most COLORFUL buttons! I used to have a tin with my BUTTONS, but it was misplaced when I moved from my last house ~ I found these BUTTONS tossed in the bottom of a sewing basket.

So ~ I almost passed on this week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY! but, it's pretty addicting... & it forces me to get my camera out, even if only for an afternoon.

Next week's words are: SMILE, STAND ALONE, RUSTY OR SOMETHING OLD, ARTIFICIAL, & REPEATING PATTERN.

Stop by Ashley's blog,

RAMBLINGS & PHOTOS,

& share your

C-O-N-G-R-A-T-S!!

SEASON TO LEARN...

2012-01-20T20:00:00.000-08:00

tree outside condo front door

OH ME! OH MY!!

Do you use

PICNIK

for photo editing?

Just logged on &

READ THIS MESSAGE!!!

So, what program

should I learn to use

in the next few months?

Suggestions appreciated!

WEATHER?? OR NOT!

2012-01-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

I COLLECT CHAIRS...
red chair in the laundry room

The WEATHER is on everyone's mind these days... those in Seattle {like cousin, Sue} are buried in SNOW that is not-their-normal January WEATHER...

WEATHER on the Central Coast of California ~ our morning are brrr! chilly! which is high 30's (F)... RAIN is predicted for later this week {which would be a welcome change ~ need some moisture to "green-up" the hillsides}...

SLE's WEATHER in Washington DC is sunny, chilly with a slight smattering of clouds... I wonder, does SEA-BASS wear a raincoat?

ACE {who lives 40 minutes south of San Francisco} is due for some RAIN. Hopefully, it will start after school is out at 2:30! RAINY day schedule with 23 five year olds can be exhausting!

Our Cincinnati family should have SNOW flurries with daytime temps in the mid-30's & a low of 18 at night!

Mom {& So California family} are experiencing sunny days, with a slight chill {chilly to them is anything below 68 degrees F} ~ they'll have to exchange their shorts for jeans & pull on a sweatshirt... maybe change out their flip-flops??

Some of my blogger friends who've posted about WEATHER today:

Jaci @ BLUE CHINA STUDIO

Marzia @ MAKE EACH DAY COUNT

Kat @ KAT EYE STUDIO

Deborah @ LEARNING AS I GO

Perhaps I should have pursued a career as a... WEATHER-GIRL {ohhh-not the kind on TV! no! no!}?? NOPE - I wish I had pursued a career in ARCHITECTURE ~ love house plans {the paper kind}; but, I'm NOT good at manipulating numbers!

What's your favorite type of WEATHER? & why?

MISSING....

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

pic taken 1.5.12

... MY GIRLS!!!

I LOVE TEXTING... BUT I

NEED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.15.12

2012-01-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

"STACKED UP ACROSS"

{placemats}

It's that time... SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY...

This week I took 4 of the 5 pictures, while JPE was making breakfast (just 35 minutes ago).

While "walking the loop"... I considered my options & decided to snap as many pictures as possible in 15 minutes. This week's hunt included: Stacked Up, Winter Wonderland, Sweet, Hole, & Frozen.

"STACKED UP"

JPE makes the "best pancakes" ~ ask any member of the family! I won't divulge his recipe {gotta keep some things a secret}... they were topped with a pat of butter & apricot or strawberry jam. I feel very pampered. Ummm... I split this STACK of pancakes with him.

"WINTER WONDERLAND"

WINTER WONDERLAND on the Central Coast of California resembles this scene... we need to do some serious pruning, as well as replace some of our bare root rose bushes. The ground critters (gophers) had a field-day & decimated some of our roses ~ even though they were protected with wire baskets. Today, the skies are covered with high clouds & the sun peeks through occasionally... our temperature is currently 61 degrees {F}.

"SWEET"

My sister is a cross-stitcher! Check out the adorable magnet! SWEET face, eh?!! this Santa didn't get PACKED AWAY with the rest of the Santas. I need to keep his cheery, red cheeked face on the fridge for a while...

"HOLE"

My fifteen minutes was coming to an end {remember, I wanted to keep my photography time to 15 minutes}... I still needed a picture of something with a HOLE. So, I grabbed the red, felt placemat from the dining table & held it in the air. Got it! a snowflake HOLE.

"FROZEN"

This was the ONLY photo taken outside my "self imposed" 15 minute, morning, photography session. My rear windshield was pretty frosty (eh, covered with FROZEN water) on Friday. Snapped this picture before unlocking my car door.

Limiting my picture taking to 15 minutes of shooting time was pretty ingenious - otherwise, I could have spent hours trying to get the perfect shot!

There are some great shots over at Ashley's blog, RAMBLINGS & PHOTOS. Be sure to check them out!!

You are OFFICIALLY invited to participate. The rules are few! check them out on ASHLEY'S BLOG.

The words to photograph this week include: Sunset, Black & White, A Day in My Life, Four {a set of four related photos}, & Colorful.

DOOMED TO DULLNESS?

2012-01-13T15:00:00.000-08:00

purchased at The FOLK TREE ~ 12.30.11

"With color, for the price of a pot of paint, people can express

their own style and individuality. But, as with style,

a gift for color has to be developed by experiment.

If you don't dare, you are doomed to dullness."

~ Shirley Conran, British novelist & journalist

I tend to wear solid colors - usually darks! I actually think I look good in black, but really, who doesn't? But, when it comes to decorating, I'm really attracted to bold & bright colors!

When WE visited The FOLK TREE, in Pasadena, I bought a couple of adorable little "remembrances" from this spot.

check out his sombrero

The wooden cross was actually very primitive - barely sanded on the edges! Just imagine the time it took to cut the tiny straw to create the images.

detail of the church

The design on this cross is made up of tiny little pieces of colored straw. The pieces vary in size from 1/16 to 1/2 of an inch. YEP! incredible detail work.

"TE AMO" = I LOVE YOU {Spanish}

I collect HEARTS... so I couldn't pass up purchasing a couple of these HEARTS (one for ME! & one for MOM!)

side view of the artwork

Cute huh? bet you would have bought one too! ...wish I had gotten more...

a tiny HEART...

Wanted you to appreciate the adorable handwork & intricate detail of this folk art {from Peru}... compare the size of the HEART to a spool of thread...

JUST ONE MORE REASON TO TRAVEL TO PERU THIS SUMMER!

~ adorable, intricately designed folk art ~

FAR AWAY....

2012-01-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

SUSAN ~ I LOVE

my adorable paperweight!

What does FAR AWAY mean to YOU?

:: a distance ::

200 miles from home?

a hop, skip & a jump?

the next state?

a bicycle ride to the store?

another country?

a 3 mile walk?

:: a period of time ::

when I'm -- years old?

when I graduate from college?

on my next vacation?

when I retire?

when the kids are grown?

after {insert your sport} basketball... season?

:: a situational condition ::

when I get in physical shape?

after I save enough money?

when I have a traveling partner?

when I get over my fear of flying?

I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about...

:: LIFE is SHORT ::

A dear, dear friend passed away last weekend!

I can see her desk from my desk!

I can still hear her voice - helping anyone who asked!

but, better yet, asking, "what can I help you with?"

I can see her beautiful smile & sparkling eyes!

and remember her excitement in recounting tales

of her four-legged encounters!

{dogs were her favorite, followed by cats}

A quiet person, a talented pianist,

& a fabulous hugger!!!

This week has been incredibly difficult for everyone at work!

Waves of emotion hit each of us at different times...

Sometimes FAR AWAY

gets in the way of living LIFE!

She was full of LIFE!

but, her FAR AWAY came too early!

{52 is way too early}

I miss you! dear Ruthie!

NO WOLF...

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Wolf Moon ~ 1.12.12 ~ 6:50am

Didn't capture the Wolf Moon last night!

A long & difficult day at work. No - this doesn't have to do with the next round of budget cuts to education... but the loss of a dear, dear friend.

Life is precious - don't forget to share your hugs, words of friendship & love, and model kindness for all...

WOLF MOON...

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight's the FULL MOON...

I have a meeting until 7pm, but will be checking out the moon, as soon as I leave the meeting.

Did you know the FULL MOON in the month of January

is called a WOLF MOON?

It was believed that medieval Europeans & Native

Americans named the January moon for the howling

from hungry wolves. As you can imagine, there

are fewer food sources mid-winter and animals have

difficulty finding something to eat.

Other names for this month's FULL MOON include

OLD MOON & ICE MOON.

info: National Geographic

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/full-moon-article/

TONIGHT I'm going to

"FOCUS"

{OLW for 2012}

on the beauty of the FULL MOON...

& Look

for the

EXTRAORDINARY...

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.8.12

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

tin of homemade Christmas cookies

It's back! SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY! Wanna participate?

Check in with ASHLEY @ RAMBLING & PHOTOS!

This week's words: One Color, Laundry, Empty, One Dozen, & Soft.

"ONE COLOR"
red accents ~ living room

"LAUNDRY"

It's embarrassing... LAUNDRY sits in the dryer, while I play Words with Friends. Poor quality picture... but I'm too distracted with my camera & new i-Phone! best get the sheets on the bed so JPE's not laying on just the mattress pad.

"EMPTY"

We got a tin of homemade cookies from Patty! Her stash was lovingly baked by her mother, Olina... I didn't get around to baking my cut-out Christmas cookies this year {deleted from my to-do-list when I was recuperating from my sinus infection}... so, these were a welcome addition to our afternoon tea time! YUMMY! all that's left --- an EMPTY tin.

"ONE DOZEN"

Actually, ONE DOZEN x four... 48 ZIG ColorTwin Markers. A Christmas present from SLE & ACE!

The Zig colored markers came in this cute suitcase with a black handle on top! I'm pretty obsessed with these pens & have blogged about them HERE & also, HERE.

"SOFT"

ummm... a SOFT pillow! {pillowcase blog post HERE}... my bed is calling me! But, before I head to bed...

It's not too late to participate in SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

Get out your camera & snap some pictures, post them on your blog, then check in with ASHLEY to add the link to the list. What could be easier than that? Didn't you say you wanted to "kick your creativity" up a notch in 2012?

ROSEMARY...

2012-01-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

all pics taken 1.7.12 @ home

I ~~need~~ like to have fresh flowers, a succulent or greenery in my living room...

In the off-season, I buy something at Trader Joe's... From March-October, we display small vases of our fragrant roses cut from the garden. JPE & I returned to work this week, so with the busy-ness of a work schedule, I haven't taken the time to buy something GREEN.

My fall-back GREENERY is R-O-S-E-M-A-R-Y... OUR NEIGHBOR, JEAN, planted the entire length of her condo fence with Rosemary. This morning, while JPE was watering outside, I had him cut some sprigs to freshen the air & add some color.

three sprigs ~ guest bathroom

Origin: Rosemary comes from the Latin word, rosmarinus, meaning "mist of the sea" or "dew of the sea" {well, we live a few miles from the ocean, so perhaps that's the reason it's easy to grow in our area}!!

Medicinal fact: In the 16th century, Rosemary was often burned in sickrooms as a disinfectant to kill germs. {I love the fresh, fragrant, almost antiseptic smell}

dried rosemary ~ living room bookcase

Long lasting: Dried Rosemary is able to retain most of its fragrance & flavor. {these dried sprigs were dropped in this container at the beginning of December - if you rub them between your fingers, you'll release the fragrance, even though they are a month old}.

Scientific: Ancient Greeks believed that Rosemary was a magical plant that could strengthen memory. I've also read that smelling Rosemary before you take a test can increase your concentration... Japanese scientists confirmed Rosemary is a brain stimulant. {gosh, I may need to keep some sprigs on my desk at work}.

Trivial Pursuit fact: During the English Tudor era, Rosemary symbolized fidelity, and brides would give sprigs of Rosemary to bridegroom as a tradition {ummm... food for thought}.

Final comment: Rosemary is also considered to increase creativity {when I started this post, I planned to plop some pictures onto my blog & head for the shower - yep! still in my jammies! My post has morphed into research, with the afternoon disappearing}.

JPE's roses ~ April 2011

Gotta get moving - check back tomorrow! it's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY over at Ashley's!

A PLACE TO LAY YOUR HEAD...

2012-01-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

birthday & special interest
{2011}
Mattie's 5th Birthday - he had a PIRATE Party!

~~ MY MOM ~~

{called Nana by her 7 grandchildren &
GiGi by her 5 great-grandchildren}

sews

PILLOWCASES!!!

They're generally a SURPRISE!

you can never tell when you will get one

{or two if you are a married couple}...

You might get one in the mail or as a present:

to commemorate a holiday...

{Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween, 4th of July}

as a remembrance of a hobby or special interest...

{surfing, snowboarding, knitting, dancing, computers, baseball,

for your birthday or Christmas...

or to celebrate a special time in your life...

{wedding, graduation, Daisy-to-Brownie fly-up}

special interest: Katie LOVED Dora!
{2007}

holiday: Lydia's first Christmas pillow case
{2005}
snowmen w/green stocking caps & Santa hats

holiday: Christmas pillow case
first Christmas {2004} w/new husband, JPE
red horns w/red, glittery gold pine cone band

holiday: our new set of Christmas pillowcases
{2011}
Yippee!!
Doesn't our bed look cozy?

special interest: knitting
{2010}
ACE & Lola napping
balls of yarn against a yellow background

special interest: cartoon characters
{2007}
Mattie reminded us of Charlie Brown!
here's a Snoopy-like puppy dog pillowcase

Several guests at our Christmas celebration received a PILLOWCASE this year... I hope they realize how SPECIAL these PILLOWCASES are?

FYI: the grandkids have been known to "let it slip" when they received a pillowcase in the mail (& none of them live in close proximity to each other)!

Rumor is: ACE might have the largest inventory of PILLOWCASES!

MOM may have to do a "recall" to inventory her gift-giving list!!! ha! ha!

BTW: I'm confessing... I have 7 {seven pillowcases}

holiday: single king-size Christmas case {1998 - year I was divorced}

special occasion: set of wedding pillowcases {November 2004}

holiday: set of Christmas pillowcases w/French horns {December 2003}

special: set of yellow/green floral print {why? I'm special - ha! forgot year}

holiday: set of Christmas pillowcases (Christmas 2011}

JPE has a couple of pillowcases...

special interest: loves coffee {cups of java 2003?}

hobby: loves camping {moons & stars 2006?}

Okay - 'fess up ---- the rest of you!!!

Kidding aside {really --- I don't want to start a family war}...

these pillowcases are adorable!

treasures that are well-used!

a true LABOR-OF-LOVE!

THANKS!!! MOM / NANA / GIGI

psst! HAppY BiRthDaY Daisy!!! ummm... did you get a pillowcase for your birthday? just checking!

WINDOWS...

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

12.21.11

"Originality houses many rooms,

and the views from the windows are all different."

~ Guy Davenport, author, professor, illustrator {from Kentucky}

claimed to "live almost exclusively off fried baloney,

Campbell's soup, & Snickers bars"

WINDOWS... intriguing aren't they? makes you wonder what's inside? what's being protected from the outside world?

Do you cover your windows? with blinds, curtains, drapes, paper bags, dirt?

Why? to create a "mood" inside the house? for privacy? looks better for your decor? to control the temperature inside your house?

JPE & I enjoy evening walks... when MOST windows are open to the world... families are busy inside cooking... school-age kids are doing their homework... families are chatting about their day... the TV is on {it's amazing how many people have a TV on & no one is watching}...

It's even more FUN to ride our bikes through a campground in the evening... in addition to seeing families prepare for the evening, you experience the delicious smells of their dinner... see kids {& adults} toasting marshmallows over a campfire {so'mores, yummy!}... people carrying pans of water to wash their dishes {or children's sticky faces} by hand...

Ummmm... think I'll take a walk this evening!

{FYI - we're planning to clean our windows this weekend}

FOCUS {OLW}...

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Ventana Grill 12.13.11

Several of my blogger friends {I use that term loosely, because I have yet to meet them in person}, select a word for the year... for a better understanding of this project, click HERE!

On the same blog {ALI EDWARDS @ AE BLOG}, Ali Edwards, digital scrapbooker extraordinaire, has compiled a list of words from bloggers participating in ONE LITTLE WORD {OLW} 2012.

Kat Sloma, shares her love of photography @ KAT EYE STUDIO... and explains HER THOUGHTS on selecting words to provide a direction for inspiration & creativity. If you aren't familiar with her online photography courses, check out FIND YOUR EYE... she also coordinates EXPLORING WITH A CAMERA, a bi-weekly project for expanding your photography skills.

I spent some time editing & deleting photos over the New Year's Weekend... and almost trashed this photo. But, something about it captured my attention. So, it survived the year-end DUMP.

Today, I ran across the quote by Mark Twain, "You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of FOCUS" & I knew the word, FOCUS could be my OLW for 2012.

I don't really know what this pursuit will mean... but several thoughts come to mind:

:: FOCUS ::

on being in the moment

{I'm constantly planning --- mentally & physically writing down lists of things to do --- gotta cut this down --- that's how I BROKE A BONE last January}

on creative interests

{participate in a photography class, create handmade books}

on building a physically healthy body

{eat less, walk more, relax daily --- stop hunching my shoulders at the computer}

on doing what makes me thrive

{blogging; traveling w/JPE; spending time w/family & friends}

Perhaps more thoughts will reveal themselves as 2012 unrolls...

Do you have a word you'll

:: FOCUS ::

{sorry, couldn't resist sharing my word with you, once more}

on?

PACKING 'EM UP...

2012-01-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

All my SANTA'S are packed in tissue & put away! I took pictures of the NEW ones in my collection & thought I'd share them with you!

...got the "STEAL 'EM" Santa at a work party! Of course, because he's so adorable, I was the THIRD & final person to steal him ~ LUCKY ME!

He's got a great beard with a jingle bells on the points of his whiskers!

The other four ornaments were gifts: two from JPE (purchased in Big Bear this past summer) & two from ACE & her boyfriend.

Sleigh Santa & Bubble Santa from ACE & boyfriend!
Love Santa & Santa with a List from JPE...

I'll leave you with this quote from
:: John Greenleaf Whittier ::
an American Quaker poet &
advocate for the abolition of slavery!
(pssst! my hometown, Whittier, CA, was named after this poet;
& the town was started by a group of Quakers in 1887)

"A little smile, a word of cheer, a bit of LOVE from someone near, a little gift from one held dear, best wishes for the coming year... these make a MERRY CHRISTMAS."

Have you packed up your holiday decorations yet?

MEMORIES, DREAMS & REFLECTIONS 2011

2011-12-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

artwork by Natasha 12.26.11

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY returns next week!!

Ashley @ RAMBLINGS & PHOTOS invited bloggers to participate in
MEMORIES, DREAMS & REFLECTIONS 2011.

For a full list of the twenty-five words in this project, click HERE!

"ME"
four-plus months in an air cast; 5 months on crutches &
3 months of physical therapy = WHEW!!!
greatest lesson = BE PRESENT!
WATCH OUT FOR METAL GRATES IN THE SIDEWALK!

"I LOVE YOU"
two of my favorite people!
JPE (husband. father. grandpa)
& LYDIA (8th Birthday) @ Big Bear Lake

"STILL LAUGHING"
Lydia discovered a harmonica in the toy closet &
spent three days perfecting her skills!
she entertained JPE during their kayak trip across
Big Bear Lake...

"WINTER WONDERLAND"
(12.26-30.11)
escaped the busy-ness of the holidays...
LOLA ventured into the melting snow!
NO NEW SNOW!

CELEBRATING MOM'S 80th "BIRTHDAY"
(May 3, 2011)

she's beautiful inside & outside!
(rare picture of ME! ha! ha!)

"SPRING FEVER"
first strawberries from JPE's garden!

"TRAVEL"
(7.30.11)
attended a wedding in Nevada City, CA ~ adorable small town

"SUMMER DAYS"
(6.27.11 - 7.2.11)
Big Bear Lake w/Mom, JPE, Lydia, TB & Peanut

jigsaw puzzles, walks, coffee on the deck, reading,
napping & crossword puzzles

"AUTUMN HARVEST"
LOVE weekly visits to Avila Barn

"LET'S DO IT AGAIN"
a birthday party included a portable waterslide!
the "BIG GUYS" enjoyed it as much as the kids...

"CELEBRATE!"
the kids made decorations for 4th of July

"ALL SMILES"
the birthday boy makes me SMILE!

"I MISS YOU!"
why do you have to live clear across the country from us?

"BEAUTIFUL"
spring flowers outside the Smithsonian Museums (Washington DC)

"DON'T EVER CHANGE"
(May 2011)
the "girls" (SLE & ACE)
flew to So California to celebrate Mom's 80th!

"DRESS UP"
Lydia's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" t-shirt is a teaser!

"HOLIDAYS"
guess which holiday is my favorite?

"A DAY IN (MY) LOLA'S LIFE"
(12.27.11)
Big Bear Lake was partially frozen
(see the EGRET standing on the ice?)
BUT, the chilly water didn't keep LOLA from exploring
NOR tip-toeing in the water to get a stick!

"MY FAVORITE MEMORY"
yesterday, JPE, Mom & I visited
the 25th Annual International Nativities Exhibition
at The Folk Tree in Pasadena
Don't you love the different nativities?

among my favorite memories?
spending time with JPE & my mom!
actually, ANY FAMILY-TIME makes me H-A-P-P-Y!

"JUST BECAUSE... SO THERE!"
this beaded skull was also on display at
The Folk Tree!
couldn't miss sharing it!

did you know the COLOR for 2012 is TANGERINE TANGO?

"HOPES & DREAMS FOR 2012"
physically healthy bodies
to make a trip to MACHU PICCHU
(July 2012)
to celebrate JPE's 60th birthday!

HaPpY NeW YeaR's!!!
I'll be checking out the other participants in
MEMORIES, DREAMS & REFLECTIONS 2011!!!
How will you spend the FIRST DAY of 2012???

CHRISTMAS MAGIC...

2011-12-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

pic taken 12.1.11

:: the gifts are wrapped ::

(bagged & sorted for the location to be dropped)

:: suitcases lay open on the bedroom floor ::

(warm? or chilly? what clothes to pack?)

:: washer & dryer are whirling with activity ::

(dislike leaving dirty clothes in the hamper)

:: tidying up the refrigerator ::

(don't want any surprise fungi growing in our absence)

:: haven't made cookie dough... sinus infection! ::

(second day of antibiotics ~ should be feeling better soon!)

:: will see Lydia before she leaves for OHIO ::

(the holiday festivities begin tomorrow)

:: today = puttering & tidying up ::

(& an afternoon bubble bath)

:: TONIGHT ::

(spending time w/JPE & a good night's sleep)

:: NOTE TO MOM ::

did you read that I was NOT trying

to do everything on my LIST?

Tomorrow - on the road again!!!

How about you?

are you traveling for the holidays?

or do people come to your house?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 12.18.11

2011-12-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Wooden Head Santa ~ all pics taken 12.18.11

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY.... this will be the last one for a week! If you want to start participating, check Ashley's blog (after 12.25.11) for next series of words... I've peeked at a few of this week's participating bloggers! there are some great photos ~ you can find everyone at Ramblings & Photos (Ashley's blog).

This week's scavenger hunt included: Children / Fur Babies Sleeping, Joy, What is it?, Window, & Half.

CHILDREN / FUR BABIES SLEEPING

Since I don't have children or pets (in my home), I took a picture of the manager scene in one of my holiday books, CHRISTMAS, by Robert Sabuda. I think Baby Jesus qualifies as a SLEEPING BABY! If you need a book for an artsy person, check out this book... pop-up books make COOL presents...

JOY

This holiday season brings me a lot of JOY! I love the traditional colors (the combination of red, green & white); the smells (of biscotti & cookies baking); the candles (to brighten & warm the house); getting reacquainted with my Santa collection (memories of holidays past); the gift giving (finding the perfect gift & wrapping paper); & spending time with family & friends (even when I'm exhausted). December is a JOY-ful month for me!!

WHAT IS IT?

This time of year is about sparkly, glittery things that make noise, isn't it? So, WHAT IS IT? Check out the next picture!!!

WINDOW

Looking out the guest room WINDOW, you'll see what our favorite tree looks like today. The leaves are falling... (this tree was featured in another scavenger hunt ~ click here). Don't you LOVE the adorable Christmas tree? adorned with jingle bells... leaning, but securely attached to a wheel gear tree base! it was to be a Christmas gift, but don't know if I can bear to part with it!??! You can see the detail of the tree in the WHAT IS IT? photo.

HALF

I posted late because JPE & I went to a matinee to see, My Week with Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams. Michelle gives an Oscar worthy performance (singing & dancing) as the sexy, notoriously sad actress, Marilyn Monroe! Don't believe the movie rating (3 out of 4 tickets)!!! This is a 4 ticket movie... Oh, here's HALF of the ticket stub... check out that price! A "perk" for being classified a "senior"...

When we got back from the movie, lunch & our errands, I thought I would skip this week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY, but my camera called to me as I walked through the door at 3:30pm. Hope you enJOY my late entry?

CHRISTMAS IS...

2011-12-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

pic taken 12.14.11 @ team party

What do you do?

we leave baked goods on our neighbors porch

(usually next to their morning paper)...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!

2011-12-16T13:30:00.000-08:00

HaPpY BiRThdAy

to.... US!!!

My brother was born on my FIRST birthday!

I couldn't have asked for a better present.

birthday picture at 1 yr & 2 yrs...

cute (& young) parents

in front of my grandparents house...

our families

THANK YOU!

A TASTE OF LEMON...

2011-12-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

:: A TASTE OF LEMON ::

Monday evening, I baked mini-bundt cakes for

my girlfriends...

I've been making this recipe for a dozen years!

(recipe courtesy of sister-in-law)

it's dense & quite tasty with a cup of coffee or tea!

LEMON LOAF

1 medium lemon

2 1/4 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 c sugar

3/4 c butter

3 eggs

3/4 c milk

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. GRATE 1 TBSP lemon peel & SQUEEZE 4 1/2 tsp lemon juice; then set aside.

3. GREASE a 9"x5" loaf pan; or 4 mini-loaf pans. If you double the recipe, you will get 15 mini-bundt cakes.

4. In a large bowl, MIX flour, baking powder, salt & sugar with a fork. Use a pastry blender to CUT in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. STIR in grated lemon peel.

5. In a small bowl, BEAT eggs slightly & STIR in milk. MIX until flour mixture is moistened.

6. SPOON into greased pans. FILL loaf pans 3/4 full. If using mini-bundt pans, SPOON 1/2 c of batter into each section.

7. BAKE 9"x5" loaf for 65-70 minutes; mini-loaf pans for 45-50 minutes; mini-bundt cakes for 15-20 minutes.

8. COOL in pan on wire rack. REMOVE from pan.

filled TOO FULL!
removed two teaspoons of batter from each cake

LEMON GLAZE

8. In 1 qt sauce pan (medium heat), HEAT 4 1/2 tsp of lemon juice (see #2) + 2 TBSP of sugar to boiling.

9. COOK, STIRRING continuously (until slightly thickened) about 5 minutes.

10. With pastry brush, SPREAD sugar mixture over top of bread.

11. Can be served WARM or COOL...

NOTE: If serving the next day, consider making more glaze & spoon it warm over slices of the LEMON bread

(& add a few raspberries & a dollop of whipped cream).

glazed mini-bundt cake

The glaze is sticky, so I wrapped the bundt cakes

in waxed paper before dropping them

into a cellophane bag!

added a bit of ribbon & mini-ornament....

VOILA...

cellophane bags ~ World Market

ribbon & mini-ornament ~ Michael's

platter ~ Target

TASTY TREAT

for my "girlies!!"

We met at Ventana Grill, overlooking the Pacific Ocean...

knowing our group of ten like to talk

(sometime all at the same time),

we asked to be seated where we wouldn't disturb anyone...

our waiter (Dick) was exceptional, the food excellent

& we played our "STEAL 'EM GIFT EXCHANGE"

without being asked to leave the restaurant!!!

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE RECIPE!!!

SANTA HIS-STORY...

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

pic taken 12.10.11

I don't remember when I began my SANTA Collection ~ I don't think I intentionally thought about it?? until about the early 1990's.

When I first married in 1971, our Christmas decorations were minimal & if the ornaments were purchased, it was from Pic n' Save (similar to the Dollar stores). Most garlands (remember popcorn & cranberries) & ornaments were handmade...

When the girls were little, I began tucking a new ornament in their stocking each year. All three of us (ACE, SLE & myself) have a SANTA tin filled with ornaments; each lovingly wrapped in pieces of tissue. ACE collects snowmen & penguins.... while SLE's ornaments are more eclectic.

Over the years, my SANTA collection has grown, so the small tree ornaments are stored in the SANTA tin!

the "large" SANTA's are wrapped in tissue & stored in flat boxes.

My "large" SANTA's are created from a variety of materials ~ some are soft sculture, a few are painted canvas, several are made from metal or wood --- ALL were selected for their unique features.

Lydia calls this "Scary SANTA" --- perhaps it WAS scary?? lucky for me! I purchased it after Christmas (Providence, RI).

JPE bought "Glittery SANTA" to celebrate our first Christmas together. He's always on the look-out for a unique SANTA to add to my collection.

I'll share another episode in the "SANTA His-Story" series later this week... BUT, you may be wondering how I keep track of my SANTA's??

Look back up at the first blog picture: on the bottom (or backside, any discrete place), I put the date + name of the person who gave the SANTA as a gift; or where I purchased the SANTA. For example: the ornament on the left was purchased in Big Bear this past summer; while the ornament on the right was a gift from Jackie (one of the girls in my Camp Fire group) in 1997...

How do you keep track of your collections?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 12.11.11

2011-12-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY ~ 12.11.11

I confess ~ I'm addicted to SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY... have you given it a try?

This week's words were somewhat "seasonal"... Less is More, Holiday Lights, Ornaments, Cup of Cheer, & Nativity.

LESS IS MORE

Usually the fireplace mantle is covered with lights + greenery + the "Large Santas"... with JPE being gone the past week, I re-evaluated how much decorating I wanted to do... AND put away upon our return after holiday visiting... So, I went with LESS IS MORE this Christmas!

HOLIDAY LIGHTS

Oops! the camera tilted as I was taking a picture... a glimpse of our Christmas tree with HOLIDAY LIGHTS!!

ORNAMENTS ~ SANTA collage

I collect Santa ORNAMENTS... here are a few (top left, clockwise) Red Tummy Santa, Big Bear Santa (gift from JPE), Three Thin Santas, Bearded Santa... previous Santa posts can be seen hErE, HeRE & hEre!

CUP OF CHEER

Ummm... it's anything hot! Nothing better than Cranberry Biscotti dipped in a warm CUP OF CHEER. Picked up JPE on Friday evening & he spent Saturday baking multiple batches of his delicious biscotti.

NATIVITY

This NATIVITY actually belongs to ACE... I found a box of decorations that she hasn't moved to her place! During their college years, I stored the bulk of the girls "seasonal items" which they would take back with them after Thanksgiving, each year. Some day, they will both have storage for ALL their childhood treasures, including their various boxes of Christmas decorations. My parents bought this handmade NATIVITY in Mexico, and passed it to ACE when they downsized to a condo. Should I wrap this up as a Christmas present for ACE, so it'll find its way home this year?

Already thinking ahead to next week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY... the words are: What is It? Children / Fur Babies Sleeping, Joy, Window, & Half.

THE HEAT'S ON...

2011-12-09T15:34:00.001-08:00

decorations at work...

I've been out of the office quite a bit this week - facilitating & attending meetings, working on projects, and taking care of business. In my absence, the office had an "elf visit" that left his/her creative touches all over!

work project ~ certificate of appreciation
added the "scrapbook-y" look to the
"pitiful little grapes" that were to be the
original certificate of appreciation!

Oh! JPE landed at LAX... leaving to pick him up at his sister's (85 minutes south of us). Love that I didn't have to drive to LAX (4+ hours on a Friday afternoon = dismal!!)...

FINAL NOTE: The heater's been repaired.... blown circuit board.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to US????

WEDNESDAY RECAP... BRRR!

2011-12-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

OKAY - I'm complaining... a teeny, tiny bit!

A crisp, chill has hit the Central Coast! Our condo is situated in a "dip" (not a trench, valley, fissure or crevice) - ummm, perhaps it's a "gulch" & the temperatures in our driveway are 3-4 degrees colder than the house on the corner. BTW, we are the 12th house from the corner.

I drank a pot of coffee, two cups of hot tea, took a long, hot shower and I'm still chilled-to-the-bone.

Our abode (house, nest, condo, castle, crash pad) was 57 degrees this morning! Yeck! Last night, I set the heater was at 70 (in hopes of getting our small abode warmed up). NO LUCK! So, this morning, on my third call I was able to book an appointment with a repairman.

Umm... the part is being shipped (the switch on the circuit board fried)! Hopefully, it will arrive & be installed Friday afternoon?? otherwise, it'll be a chilly weekend in the E-E abode. Before you feel too sorry for me, we do have a gas fireplace downstairs... even with the fireplace running for 6 hours this morning I wasn't able to get the temperature above 62 degrees!

I had a dr appointment & back-to-back meetings this afternoon & evening! upon my return at 7:40 this evening, I cranked up the fireplace full-blast & the temperature has reached a high of 62 degrees.

SO - I'm taking my stack of library books to bed! ohhh! I love flannel sheets... & I'll grab a quick warm-up in the shower before pulling on my cozy jammies (warmed in the dryer). I realize I'm not being energy conscious! & I'm very thankful for a roof over my head!

Ohh... a couple of friends kept me company while I was waiting for the repairman to arrive this morning... talked to JPE this afternoon... he said it sounds colder on the Central Coast than in Cincinnati...

BTW - his dad was moved to a care facility this afternoon! Hope to see pics soon.

Stay tuned for more news from the Central Coast..!

SIMPLE GIFTS...

2011-12-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

"May SIMPLE GIFTS bring great JOY at Christmas."

I've been a bit distracted...

haven't decorated!

nor shopped!

JPE hopped a plane to Ohio on Sunday!

(moved his travel plans back a week)

Chick, our guest of honor at Thanksgiving, was taken to the hospital last Friday.

Thankfully, he's doing better & will be moved to a care facility tomorrow.

Chick & Peanut ENJOYING the sunshine
:: Big Bear Lake, CA ::

Don't forget to ENJOY

the SIMPLE GIFTS!

RING... RING... RING...

2011-12-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

Santa Manuela Schoolhouse, Arroyo Grande, CA
(snow ~ courtesy of Picnik)

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day,

their old, familiar carols play,

and wild and sweet,

the word repeat, of peace on earth,

good-will to men."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet & educator

author of the famous "Paul Revere's Ride"

Where do you go to hear the BELLS ringing?

O CHRISTMAS TREE...

2011-12-05T06:30:00.000-08:00

from my SANTA collection

"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.

In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall."

~ Larry Wilde, humorist - Director, Carmel Institute of Humor

image here

(my addition to this quote)

"or the shape of your Christmas tree!"

SLE & ACE will tell you about the many

Charlie Brown Christmas trees

we decorated!

WELL, they weren't this sparse...

but, they were definitely lopsided, so we would put the scruffy side towards the wall.

With a few decorations
(homemade, purchased @ Pic 'n Save, & twinkling lights)
our Charlie Brown Christmas tree
looked magnificent, majestic, & melted our hearts!

:: 5 questions ::

Do you have an artificial tree?
Do you cut your tree from the woods?
Do you have an aluminum tree?
Do you buy your tree from a public lot?
Do you decorate something other than a tree?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 12.4.11

2011-12-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

my knit stocking ~ pic taken 12.4.11

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY ~~~ wanna participate? there's still time to take pictures & post them in the next two days!

Interested??? the words are: Portrait, Nostalgic, Time, Full of Light, & Motion.

Had to pull one out of the photo archives... my "fave" PORTRAIT of Lydia ~ taken in July on her 8th birthday!

My hand-knit stocking... of course, I had to share my Christmas stocking ~ truly NOSTALGIC... (Mom knit this for my "first Christmas")

JPE left for OHIO this morning! the TIME? we got up at 3am to drive to Santa Barbara Airport!

Driving through AG (our hometown), I noticed one of the store windows was FULL OF LIGHT... a snowman!

"D" swinging a red lantern. A gift in MOTION.

Don't forget ~ you can check the other participating bloggers HERE.

Plan to join us! the words for Sunday 12.11.11 are:
Less is More, Holiday Lights, Ornaments, Cup of Cheer, & Nativity.

DECORATING SILLINESS...

2011-12-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

"Friday's pm snack"

silliness to "kick off"

the

WEEKEND HOliDaY DECORATING!

TIS' THE SEASON...

2011-12-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

snow globe ~ Christmas 2010

the

M-A-G-I-C of the S-E-A-S-O-N

is upon us!

JOYFUL...

2011-11-30T06:30:00.000-08:00

MEMORIES OF HOLIDAYS PAST...

2011-11-29T06:30:00.000-08:00

Betsey Johnson Store ~ Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA

Do you remember the fake, aluminum Christmas trees (from the 50's)?

Did you ever have a rotating color wheel aimed at your aluminum tree? (the colors on the tree changed as the wheel rotated)

My grandma had one of those fake trees & a rotating color wheel that turned the tree red, blue, yellow & green... at the time, it was the latest trend?!? As kids (I think I was 7 or 8 years old), we thought she was the "best" grandma for having such a shiny tree!

But - the shiny tree was missing something! that pine scent! ummm... pine always reminds me of Yosemite National Park or Big Sur.

Take a moment to share a memory with the readers of this blog! then other readers can visit your blog!!

A TATTOO...?

2011-11-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

pineapple plant @ Pottery Barn

William F. DeVault
has been called the
"Romantic Poet of the Internet"
http://cityoflegends.com/about/

food-for-thought, huh?

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 11.27.11

2011-11-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

CANDELABRA FOLIAGE @ BIG BEAR LAKE

I just love participating in SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY... it helps create "balance" in a busy week. Often JPE helps by noticing a photo opp & getting my camera... always wanting the best for me. I'm so T-H-A-N-K-F-U-L to be part of his life!

This week JPE & I spent most of our Thanksgiving Break at Big Bear Lake, CA --- with 14 individuals... ages 8 to 87... most from various locations in CA, but three traveled from Cinncinati, OH. iNcREdiBLe visit!

I limited my pictures to the ones taken at our Thanksgiving Family Reunion at Big Bear Lake... Unfortunately, I didn't take as many as I thought... distracted by conversation, cooking, clean-up and cards.

photos for the week: Waiting, Foliage, Candid, Knife Fork or Spoon & Rule of Thirds.

WAITING

Someone is WAITING for a fish to jump on the line!

FOLIAGE

This candleholder was frozen solid when we arrived Monday night. Late Tuesday, the ice had melted leaving an example of the beautiful Autumn FOLIAGE behind.

CANDID

She doesn't like to lose... Loved this CANDID shot of Lydia. Here's another shot of Lydia playing this game with her cousins...

KNIFE FORK or SPOON

Pumpkin pie & Legos for breakfast... had to search for a clean SPOON!

RULE OF THIRDS
(taken by JPE)

This might be a stretch... I was thinking this qualifies as RULE of THIRDS, but the more I look at it, I don't think so?!!? But, you can LEARN MORE ABOUT RULE OF THIRDS HERE!

Our visit was fabulous! bittersweet!! (we don't know if the GUEST OF HONOR will be healthy enough for another trip to California)...

Stop by ASHLEY'S for this week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY participants.

Remember, to post your photos by Tues (midnight EST).

THANKSGIVING RECAP!

2011-11-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

cabin-life @ Big Bear Lake!!

"One way to get the most out of life

is to look upon it as an adventure."

― William Feather, author from Cleveland, OH

LYDIA TRYING OUT HER NEW MITT!

FISHING THE BASEBALL OUT OF THE LAKE!

FOG BLOWING IN ~ OVER THE LAKE!

DOING SOME HOMEWORK!

"DIARY OF A WIMPY KID" PUZZLE

NAPPING IN THE HAMMOCK

WHAT AM I?

JPE CHECKING THE TURKEY!

GUEST-OF-HONOR = CHICK

How was your

ThANKsGIVInG?

HAVE A "TASTY" THANKSGIVING!

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

artwork by Tasha & Lydia
sorry for the blurry picture!

SO...
what's your favorite
Thanksgiving dish?

FAMILY ----

2011-11-23T14:30:00.000-08:00

:: GAMES PEOPLE PLAY ::

" 1 - 4 - 3 "
equals
"I LOVE YOU"

If the family were a fruit,

it would be an orange, a circle of sections,

held together but separable - each segment distinct.

~Letty Cottin Pogrebin, founding editor of Ms. Magazine

LYDIA WELCOMES THE REST OF THE FAMILY!!

THE GANG'S ALL HERE!

well, just missing Mr Is...