PRINTEMPS... SPRING... PRIMAVERA...

all pictures taken 3.20.16

HAPPY SPRING!!!

Do you think my neighbor will miss this??

ummm... love putting this bunny out!

has SPRING SPRUNG in your yard?

SUNBEAMS & RAINDROPS...

patio stone

SUNDAY

raindrops & sunshine

friends for dinner

house guests from Lakewood

GREAT DAY!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY 2.17.16

quote by Okakura Kakuzo (1862-1913) Japanese author, The Book of Tea

Oh boy! it's hump day (the middle of the work week, which I no longer have to think about)...

WEATHER-WIZE: After unseasonably warm weather (mid-80's) we are experiencing chilly weather & had a dash of drizzle this morning. 

HOME-LAND: We are enjoying having LOLA (our grand-dog) for a visit. She's such an adorable Boston Terrier... a real cuddle-bug when she wants to be (usually while you are sitting on the sofa trying to read)! JPE has been training her to run on a slack leash. They run down the center of our condo complex street (away from the distracting smells of the landscape & bushes). It's a kick watching them take off each morning for two times around the complex.

CALENDAR-STUFF: JPE & I are headed to a meeting this afternoon. Even though we have both retired from SLO County Office of Education, we still maintain ties with our community agencies... 

Don't you love this picture? it was taken on a trip to Virginia/Washington DC this past October. The leaves had just started turning COLORS... I envy those who have "seasons" they must adjust to... On the coast (Pismo Beach, CA) we have few seasonal changes... 

Allie & Brian are in Arlington/Wash DC visiting SLE & MB. They have enjoyed the "hushed" sounds of falling snow on Monday, then Tuesday, they were treated to a "chilly downpour" that turned the snow into slush & ice. Other than wanting to experience more snow, they have enjoyed the "constant readjustments to their surroundings."

Will plan to see you tomorrow...

posting to Wordless Wednesdays

THE POWER... IN READING!

quote by Lynn Payne, American artist

Retirement has allowed me to become "friends" with my local library again! When my girls were young we visited the library every Wednesday for Story Hour, and brought home a stack of books to read. Both my daughters love to read... although they fell in LOVE at different times in their lives.

Now, as a primary school teacher, Allison's classroom library is the "envy" of her colleagues. Need books to support a lesson on APPLES? she'll loan you Johnny Appleseed, Apples and Pumpkins or How Do Apples Grow? from her stack of primary books. She shares the MAGIC of books with her 5 year olds every day!

via amazon

When Stephanie wasn't at the dance studio, she had her nose in a book... my fondest memory is the summer we drove to Colorado to visit family. She was reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor... she went to that MAGICAL place where you aren't aware of your surroundings... tears rolled down her face as she was turning the final pages of her book. She was silent for an hour, processing what she had read, glancing back through the book to re-read passages that captured her emotions.

via amazon

When we returned home, she checked out Let the Circle Be Unbroken and Song of the Trees... also authored by Mildred Taylor... I believe this was her introduction to African American literature.

With a book in hand... you can experience different periods of history, explore new countries, learn about other cultures... the POWER of READING is MAGICAL. 

How has reading changed your life?

PLUI = REGEN = LLUVIA = RAIN

 Sunday December 13, 2015

 chimes a' singing

a crossword puzzle word for MOM!

PLUVIOPHILE describes ME! 

AUTUMN ARRIVES...

taken Saturday 9.20.14 

my FAVORITE SEASON

has arrived!

SUNDAY ON THE GO...

enjoying our company (the Skids)...

breakfast + movies + coffee + dinner + ice cream for dessert

:: two movies ::

"This is Where I Leave You"

{hilarious! about a dysfunctional family}

"The Drop" 

{intense!! organized crime & the use of neighborhood bars

as money-laundering drops}

OH... MOM!!!

thanks MOM...

we LOVE our new AUTUMN table runner.

FEAST OF JOY...

9.19.14

TGIF...  company for the weekend!

HARVEST-TIME...

Do you ever really "see" a painting

that grabs your HEART?

I had arrived for a meeting 20 minutes early, so I sat in the lobby and began checking emails. Listening to the sounds of the receptionists answering phones, talking with clients, my eyes glazed over... when I focused my attention again, I was looking at this painting. 

I've seen this painting many times, but really had not stopped to appreciate the significance of its placement in this location.

This agency serves our lowest income residents... and many of the families have small children. I realized what a significant impact this painting could have on these families & children. The paint COLORS grab your attention! what a positive view of farmworkers collecting produce... the produce we are fortunate to purchase in our local Farmer's Markets!

I LOVE living in an area that supports the agricultural industry!

{painting in the lobby at CAP-SLO (Community Action Partnerships-San Luis Obispo); cropped in PicMonkey}

PROCRASTINATION...

patio shoot ~ 9.9.14

YEP!

came home & sat on the patio with a cup of coffee!

check out the reflection of the trees!

WEDNESDAY WANDERINGS 7.23.14

thought for the week!

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?

STAYING HOME...

resting, reading, relaxing, reclining... recuperating

from a 'little surgery"

my male nurse (JPE) is amazing!

SOME DAYS...

picture taken this morning!

So, my family left for home yesterday afternoon!

Everyone arrived safely by truck & train!

Getting settled... unpacking... looking through

the mail & newspapers...

making lists of items needed from the market...

THEN... the rattling, rolling, shaking, and creaking began!

This morning's LA Times headlines read,

"5.1 earthquake: More than 100 aftershocks, scattered damage"

Most of my family lives a few miles from the

epicenter of the earthquake (Brea & La Habra).

Having been born & raised in California,

earthquakes are NOTHING NEW to us... 

but, they are unnerving &

the aftershocks leave you sitting on the edge of your seat,

wondering when the next one will R.O.C.K. your W.O.R.L.D.

My family is fine!

breakables have been moved to a safer location!

they have water, electricity & gas!

Life moves on!

JPE is mulching the garden...

& a crockpot of potato soup is cooking!

I need to finish this book by Monday! 

my work team is discussing

"the smartest kids in the world... and how they got that way" by amanda ripley.

A simple, thought-provoking read!

our educational system needs to be transformed...

we have become a country used to MAKING EXCUSES!

we have problems because of...

the Common Core.

schools teach to the test.

kids have too much homework.

summer is too long.

summer is too short.

teachers have too many inservice days.

parents don't care. students don't care.

teachers don't care.

we have too many poor students.

we don't offer the arts. 

they need more science. or history. or electives.

schools need more money.

their union makes it hard to get rid of bad teachers.

it's because of the second language students.

GOSH! I've heard all these comments...

and more.

I invite you to check out this book!

Love to hear your thoughts.

let's move away from EXCUSES!

ANTICIPATING GOOD...

"rain-drenched leaf on the hood of my car"

:: A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-N-G ::

a weather change in "my neck of the woods coast"

{rumors are "a period of rain" is coming next week}

some time to read listen to my book today

{The Invention of Wings, by Sue Monk Kidd}

seeing Hamlet at PCPA ~ the Sunday matinee

{Lauren, JPE & I}

 taking a deep breath without coughing up a lung

{day three - antibiotics + different inhaler; day nine for coughing}

a brief return to work

{hopefully, tomorrow - to check in} 

WHEW! T-G-I-F...

a 3-day weekend!

looking forward to some

reading, rest & relaxation...

{and a few de-cluttering projects}

How about you?

HOLIDAY CLOSE-OUT!

The Living Room ~ January 4, 2014

 Well, today was the DAY!

took down the tree ~ packed all my Santa ornaments

each one wrapped in tissue,

and positioned securely in a box,

to be deposited in the attic 

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!

THANK-FUL...

AHHH!!!

starting to enjoy my Thanksgiving Break!

How about you?

RIGHT AT YOUR HEELS...

H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S  is...

...hearing the heater come on this morning, FALL is coming.

...catching a ride to work with JPE, one less car on the road.

...seeing the trees in our condo complex, change color.

...cleaning & de-cluttering, ah! such a weight off our shoulders.

...walking up the stairway, no more dirty carpet.

...stripping the bed, clean sheets tonight!

What brings you H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S?