G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E.

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia ~ 10.24.15

Our Thanksgiving Week has been AMAZING!
It wasn't just the food,
{which is always tasty}
B.U.T.
JPE & I spent quality time with Mom!

Monday - Cambria, Splash Cafe clam chowder, & the Palm Theater to see "SPOTLIGHT" {a thought-provoking movie}.

Tuesday - Massage w/Patricia {mom}, began House of Cards-Season 3 Marathon, & watched a PBS Special about the Mayflower & first settlers.

Wednesday - Another episode of House of Cards, saw "BROOKLYN" {sweet, love story} at Fair Oaks Theater, early dinner at Old Juan's Cantina, Oceano & a few more episodes of House of Cards.

Thursday - Started our morning with House of Cards & oatmeal, Thanksgiving with Lars & Kathryn's family/friends in Solvang {incredible food, company & wine}, & a nightcap of House of Cards.

Friday - JPE put our turkey in the oven, watched an episode of House of Cards w/am coffee, turkey dinner w/Mom, JPE & Lars {sorry, you missed it}, the thirteenth & final episode of House of Cards, followed by evening news w/Gwen Ifil, & Andre Botcelli {both on PBS, our favorite channel}

We chatted on the phone with our girls, texted other family members... and just R.E.L.A.X.E.D.

Unfortunately, Mom insists it's time to board Amtrak to head home tomorrow. Bummer! But, it's only a month until Christmas, so time will pass quickly.

There's SOOO much to be thankful for!

F.O.O.D.

F.I.L.M.S.

F.A.M.I.L.Y.

How was your holiday?

THREE WEEKS AGO...

the daylight hours are getting shorter

flannel sheets are on the bed

sweaters & scarves are being pulled from storage

the birds were getting quiet

the water had stilled its movement

an hour before the sun dipped behind the hills

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

snapping the final pictures

fingers pulling our coats closed

the chilly air swirled deep into our lungs

as we returned to the warm car

seems like yesterday

{instead of three weeks ago}

we stood on top of this stone wall

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V46

JPE & I celebrated our 11th Anniversary last Thursday. We took a drive to Cambria, CA (a 40 minute drive up Hwy 1). The weather was beautiful... we had a tasty breakfast at Linn's Restaurant... peeked into our favorite stores... and enjoyed a GOOD ole' relaxing day... topped off with massages & Linn's Chicken Pot Pies followed by a sliver of Linn's famous Olallieberry pie with a dollop of ice cream. Ahhhh! we certainly know how to celebrate!!

After Sunday's downpour, I was checking out the tree in our front yard. I've been watching our tree with "eagle-eyes"... A couple of days ago I noticed a leaf that appeared to be falling. When I put on my glasses, I could see the leaf was tangled in a spider's web. RANDOM sighting! even with a half inch of rain & some wind, the web is still hanging onto its leaf. Yeah for Mother Nature!!

Today is National Button Day. I'll bet you a "card of buttons" that you didn't know there was a website dedicated to button collecting. I looked around on the website and found a resource link for new button collectors. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I collect buttons for the "cute-ness"... my Instagram post gives some tips for using buttons in your elementary classroom!

time to "button my lips"

{sorry for the pun, couldn't help myself}

& link this post to Tamar's blog at Random-osity.

Come back tomorrow for a review of the book I finished this morning!

ORANGE, ROUND, SCARY...

Winchester, VA ~ pumpkin patch
"curly vine & visiting spider"

Fredericksburg, VA
"colonial skeletons, webs & spiders"

Fredericksburg, VA ~ decorating contest
"If she'd ONLY had a BRAIN"

Fredericksburg, VA
"a splash of fall colors + Halloween decor"

Fredericksburg, VA
Mary Washington's House
{mother of George} 
simple pumpkin & PicMonkey enhancements

remembering... reflecting
Fall Colors Trip

GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V44

 ::  GOOD  ::

Oh yeah!

five of us shared a piece of "Peanut Butter Madness"

after dinner at Bonnie Blue Bakery & Market, Winchester, VA.

this was beyond GOOD... I'm sure Steph, Mazen, JPE & Mom will salivate remembering the creamy-ness of this treat!

::  RANDOM  ::

totally RANDOM!

A bit of fluffy whiteness standing T.A.L.L. &
holding S.T.R.O.N.G. in the COLOR competition on Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.

::  FUN  ::

Mazen to Steph: "Is this too big for our dining room table?"

Sebastian, "guide-dog extraordinaire" has no opinion!

The five of us took a FUN drive out to

Marker-Miller Orchards & Farm, outside Winchester, VA.

In addition to pumpkins, we purchased apples, 

jams, & apple cider donuts. 

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

THANKFUL FOR....

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Skyline Drive ~ October 24, 2015

I've been sifting through 900+ photos JPE & I

captured on our trip to Virginia & Washington DC!

Words can't describe the beauty.

The trees were a RIOT of COLOR!

AUTUMN ARRIVES...

taken Saturday 9.20.14 

my FAVORITE SEASON

has arrived!

OH... MOM!!!

thanks MOM...

we LOVE our new AUTUMN table runner.

FEAST OF JOY...

9.19.14

TGIF...  company for the weekend!

RUSHING? WHOO-SH...

had to pick up some elastic at the fabric store...

technically, it's NOT even AUTUMN

(officially starts September 23rd)

...AND the CHRISTMAS decorations

are ALREADY being displayed!

I love CHRISTMAS, but

let's S-L-O-W  D-O-W-N!

SIX WORD FRIDAY {9.12.14}

"If you've got nothing to dance

about, find a reason to SING"

~ melody carstair, physical trainer

I'm SING-ING because

Gopher Glen Apple Farm is open --- crunchy, crisp, juicy, apples picked daily!

posting with Adrienne @ My Memory Art host of SIX WORD FRIDAYS.

Caption a photo, share a poem

or tell a story. Just remember,

only six words in each line!

P52 {WEEK 46}

the tree outside our front door is shedding its COLORFUL leaves.

Checking in with Tamar @ Random-osity for Project 52 {Week 48},
as we spin toward the end of 2013!

First Congregational Church - Long Beach, CA
site for Andrew & Talia wedding!!
stunning stained-glass windows!

Sebastian, "guide-dog extraordinaire" wore a lavender bow-tie
to Andrew & Talia's wedding!

Sycamore Mineral Springs, Avila Beach
{click on link - it's amazing place}
JPE & I celebrated our 9th anniversary!
with a morning hot-tub, massages &
breakfast at Fat Cat's Cafe (on the pier in Avila Beach).
Sat on the patio enjoying the beautiful weather!

we want to book another massage soon!

a touch of FALL inside...

A busy few weeks! 
B.U.T.
Thanksgiving Break
is coming soon!
{looking forward to some time off}

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 11.17.13 + SONG-OGRAPHY

11.17.13
OKAY, MOM - - - This post is for you!

I know how much MOM looks forward to pictures from my week! After a whirlwind two weeks, I think I can once again get my camera out (this coming week).

ASHLEY at RAMBLING & PHOTOS continues to host

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY. This week's words are:

PATTERN, SUNGLASSES, ROUND,

LOOKING IN and CRUNCHY.

Photos were taken on my i-Pad mini.

PATTERN

Zig-zag PATTERN in the dining room rug! YES, the rug is actually a muted yellow, but the bamboo floors soften the color.

SUNGLASSES

I know! I know! I should wear SUNGLASSES when I'm in the bright sunlight. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old... plus those horribly uncomfortable "hard" contact lens, and now alternate between glasses &  soft contact lens. Constantly changing glasses to sunglasses, sunglasses over contact lens... I'd need a backpack to carry all the cases. Urghh! (SO, I don't own a pair of SUNGLASSES --- that'd I'd want to take a picture of)

ROUND

A quick picture (remember, I'm using my i-Pad)... ROUND dishes in our newly painted kitchen cabinet.

LOOKING IN

We're already getting ready for the holidays. JPE unpacked & set-up his "holiday houses" yesterday (so, we enjoy them for a longer period of time). We love window shopping & LOOKING IN these miniature windows is no exception. I'll post better pictures of what's inside the shops, another time.

CRUNCHY

Apple Farm had discounted their Fall decorations before Veterans Day, so I grabbed this wreath for 60% off. Some of the crispy, CRUNCHY leaves have fallen off --- what a pleasant reminder that Fall is all-about color and sounds!

And now, to SONG-OGRAPHY! If you head to Kathy's blog, You'll Shoot Your Eye Out! you'll find stunning pictures for this week's song, "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

photo by JPE - Mason, OH - before Veteran's Day

"I see skies of blue,
And clouds of white.
The bright blessed day,
The dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world."

Oh, there's so much to be THANKFUL for!

that's for certain!!!

Will be checking in with Tamar tomorrow.

Back to regular photography! See ya then!!

P52 {WEEK 44}

LOVE the "GLAM PUMPKIN" in the middle

~ such brilliance ~

 don't ya LOVE the Fall season?

~ teeny, tiny rose hips ~

don't ya think it looks like a pumpkin?

~ MAMMO, PAY DAY & TGIF ~

many reasons to stop for a breakfast treat!

~ thought about DAD today ~

a working day in the kitchen 

(paint brush, putty knife, sandpaper = rough hands)

more about Dia de Muertos

getting close to the end of the condo updates!

Thanks for stopping by!

stop by Tamar's @ Random-osity & tell her I sent you!

A BIT OF GOLD...

Stepped outside to capture some

G.O.L.D.E.N

moments this morning!

"Dripping & Dipping Lily"

reminds me of the swirling gown of a ballet dancer!

{use your imagination}

Interesting, huh?

couldn't miss a chance to share this 

G.O.L.D.E.N fungi!

my neighbor's juicy

G.O.L.D.E.N oranges...

some G.O.L.D.E.N moments

on a G.L.O.O.M.Y day...

G.L.O.O.M and F.O.G

is energizing, so I'm getting my paintbrush out!

 sanding & priming my kitchen cabinets!