SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 6.1.14

MEMORIAL DAY = STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

Since 1983, the city of Arroyo Grande has hosted a
FESTIVAL on Memorial Day... 

tasty, delightful, juicy, brilliantly red, sweet orbs of goodness!

 a strawberry kabob drizzled with milk chocolate & white chocolate! ummm MAKE it MINE!

the Strawberry Festival also provides a chance for visitors

to see some of the "historical artifacts" from our community.

A QUIRKY apple peeler!

Lola came for a visit.

I love her WHAT WERE YOU THINKING pose, when I disturbed her morning nap!

the red-wing blackbirds "call" to us each morning.

Lola & I took a walk... for "her" MORNING RITUAL... to explore & experience the new smells.

Cute suitcase... a Mother's Day gift from Brian!

WHAT'S IN the suitcase?

It's a 1000 piece puzzle of San Francisco!

awesome-ness!

Thanks Brian, Allie & Lola for sharing the Memorial Day Weekend with us!

posting these pictures at RAMBLING & PHOTOS... checking in with Ashley after an unintentional break from blogging!

see you tomorrow!

more photos to post!

P52 {WEEK 52}

My last post of 2013!

Linking to Tamar's blog at Random-osity.

 Thanks, TAMAR for hosting P52. 

Although I missed a few weeks, I loved being able to connect to her blog. She'll be starting a new MONDAY "muse" entitled, 

 Hope to see you there!

We had a Christmas celebration at the Big Bear cabin... it had snowed the night before we drove up, but the warmer, sunny weather melted most of the snow before we left. Seems odd to have snow & kayaks in one picture! but here they are... in all their fair weather glory...

The orange cupcake looks realistic... I expected to be able to get a dab of icing on my finger, but, the ornament was spongy to the touch & squeezable!

Love the natural decor! although it wouldn't work in my house (I decorate our tree with my SANTA collection), I love the re-cycled, simplistic nature of houses that use loads of white, beige and cream in their decor.

One of my favorite bloggers is leaving the blog-world... Chez Larsson...  (her all-white decor is refreshing) of course I'm sad, but understanding how difficult it can be to write posts 2-4 times a week! it's something I expected! Benita will still post photos on Instagram.

CHRISTMAS DAY cookie decorating is becoming our "new" tradition! When my grandniece, Katie, and grandnephews, Matthew & Derek, were younger, I would bring the cookies fully decorated... as they gotten older, I'm s-l-o-w-l-y passing on the JOY of the Christmas cookie decorating!

This is the second year of asking them to decorate cookies. It's a blast... they eat (way too many cookies during the afternoon... more than their mom knows!!!) and decorate to their heart's content. Of course, the adults get caught up in the action also.

On our way home... we stopped at Snapper Jack's for fish tacos! yummy!! Arrived home to Lola sneaking a nap in front of the fireplace (Allie & Brian were watching a movie)... But, OH NO, our succulents got frost-bitten while we were gone! 

Today we're going to a matinee, to see the Hunger Games! then, dine on lentil-potato soup + cornbread! taste a bit of sparkling cider & "watch the ball drop" (three hours ahead of time-East Coast time)... we have a puzzle on the table... ENJOYING the quiet after a whirlwind November & December!

See you in 2014! (LOVE even-numbered years)... with my annual recap of the year, Memories, Dreams & Reflections ... here are my 2012 & 2011 posts.

BEST DAYS...

AIDS Memorial Grove, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

it's good to be home... but the last five days were simply delightful!

:: remembering :: 

a scrumptious pizza shared with Richard

leisurely Sunday morning ~ drinking multiple cups of coffee

bus ride to Golden Gate Park

gorgeous blue skies & flowers ~ Japanese Tea Garden

Sunday dinner with four men & a bowl of bacon 

plans for Pageant of the Masters in August 

"Tour of Nevada City" ~ Room 7 (Outside Inn)

walking... peeking... into windows at dusk

dimples, smiles, & drooling ~ baby Alder

delightful company & a delicious frittata

a relaxing afternoon

an amazing gift ~ dinner at Blue Moon Restaurant

thanks for the memories...

Richard, Eric, Joe, & Jeff

(San Francisco)

Rob, Daniela & Alder

(Nevada City)  

P52 {WEEK 12}

"tile work"
elementary school on Van Ness, San Francisco

JPE & I began our Spring Break
visiting friends in San Francisco...
apparently, we brought blue skies & light sweater weather!

"random findings" from Sunday's walk...
posting with Tamar @ Random-osity!

"looking up"

mobile made from recycled items

"swirly, graffiti art"
an abandoned jazz club

"recycled" shipping containers

(three-story clothing store)

"swinging in the breeze"
Japanese Tea Garden lantern

"captured"
by JPE

"scaring away the evil spirits"

"ballet"... anyone?

it WAS simply a "blue sky" day!

Thanks Richard & Eric... 

we'll be back!

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 3.24.13

SPRING BREAK!

yay! time to break out the camera...

Posting some new discoveries for SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY.

This week's words are: ASIAN, WAVY, DRAW, SOFT & TEXTURE.

ASIAN

We spent some time at the Japanese Tea Garden - an ASIAN influence was found at every turn in the pathway.

WAVY

Hayes Valley (a family-oriented neighborhood in San Francisco) is the home for this awesome sculpture with WAVY tendrils reaching to the sky. What you don't see is the children racing in & out of the bottom portion of this structure. It's almost like a house & has peek-holes for the kids to look out. 

DRAW

Check out this very cool hand-DRAWN lampshade. One-of-a-kind... seen looking in a pub window (San Francisco).

SOFT

Spring has arrived in California. Everything appears to be in full bloom. This was definitely SOFT to the touch!

TEXTURE

One more shot from the Japanese Tea Garden! We loved the TEXTURE of this sign describing the statue of Buddha.

Don't forget to check Ashley's blog RAMBLING & PHOTOS.

Oh, and next week's are: WATER, EMPTY, FRESH, WEATHERED & ORDINARY. Consider getting your camera out & posting your interpretations!