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!

H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S

"bleeding hearts" @ Big Bear (7.2.13)

FINALLY...

the last two nights, I've slept without

having weird dreams...
perhaps my overactive mind has settled into "summer mode"??

Instead of feeling like I "needed"

to be doing something, I actually just puttered!

CRUISED

the internet! YEP... checked blogs this am (no guilt)

TEXTED 

my family, encouraging them to watch this touching & powerful VIDEO

BAKED

loaves of banana nut bread & apricot bread

OBSERVED
a spider climbing his web...

TIDIED

the kitchen - washed & dried the dishes by hand

LISTENED

to Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor 

 & (soon) Evening Blues hosted by Neil Losey
KCBX - SLO (NPR)

total HAPPINESS!

Tomorrow morning we're having some friends
for brunch, so I'll whip
cream cheese & homemade apricot jam
to spread on our tea breads...
& cut up a fruit salad... 
JPE is making Rosemary Cheddar biscuits & 
whipping up an egg scramble with bacon + peppers + cheese..
we're set for a leisurely visit to start our Sunday.

What makes you HAPPY?

P52 {WEEK 18}

dust from the renovation - covering my camellia

On Saturday, bright & early (7:00am) our renovation crew arrived... ready to complete the master bedroom floors, work on the crown molding in the bedrooms, "mud" the new wall in the bathroom & pick-up the trash from Friday afternoon.

Wanting to stay out of the way, we gulped down a second cup of coffee & headed to the "big-box store" in SLO to pick up a shower rod, a couple replacement closet poles & check out the area rugs.

possible rug for living room?

See Canyon, Avila Beach

JPE stopped off the highway, so I could capture a few photographs...

the thick, soupy, coastal FOG muffled the sounds of the valley... 

LISTENING... JUST LISTENING...

... to the squeaky metal of the rotating windmill, as the sound drifted off the rolling hills...

... the rustling of the grass & the snorted greeting from this inquisitive beauty...

... such peaceful sounds in contrast to the hammering we left at home.

We spent the rest of the morning at our computers (yes, at work!!) enjoying the silence of the empty office.

Heaven-ly!

linking w/TAMAR for P52 {Week 18}...

A DAY IN THE LIFE...

Big Bear Lake ~ Weds April 11th @ 3:30pm

JPE's car covered with the Weds night snow!

LYDIA is a story-writer...

AND...
I've created several books of our adventures...


but today's post is a reflection of our THURSDAY or a 
DAY in the LIFE of this energetic 8 year old!


We packed up to leave for Santa Monica... early!

Shutting off the water & heat takes some time!

Lydia "passing some time" while we
"closed up the cabin"

OOOHHH! we couldn't forget PEANUT!

Good-bye SNOWY flag!

looking for BLOSSOMS on our next visit!

There was a MAD DASH for the bathroom
when we arrived in Santa Monica!
This is a UNI-SEX bathroom
(sign courtesy of Lydia)!!

PEANUT has a state-of-art dog house!

When you life the yellow handle, you'll find

dogfood, biscuits, pooper scooper, hose, leash

& extra PEANUT supplies.

WE spent time playing games...

...had to include a visit to STARBUCKS's

...JPE learns the "finer points" of playing
"Pirates of the Caribbean"
(LEGO-version)

then OFF to meet her POPI (dad)
for dinner!!!

JPE & I DROVE the last 3 hours home
(our bed felt splendid!!)

WHAT A MARVELOUS DAY!!!

Thank you, LYDIA...