GOOD. RANDOM. FUN. V48

Sunday, JPE & I walked around Arroyo Grande Village (actually, our historic downtown area)... In addition to having a coffee of coffee at Andreini's, we watched the "locals" stake out their spot along Branch Street for watching the holiday parade that started at 5:00pm. 

Grace Bible Church performed at the gazebo on the So County Historical Society lawn... and led a sing-a-long of holiday songs.

The Santa Manuela Schoolhouse had been decorated so we took a "peek" inside.

We had to laugh at the writing on the chalkboard! It IS a GOOD idea NOT to SPIT on the STOVE... all those germs! 

Thinking of dining or having an appetizer at Rooster Creek Tavern? well, the resident rooster will be joining you!! pretty RANDOM eh? having to share your outdoor dining experience with the "local" roosters that prowl the downtown area.

In addition to the holiday decorations in the old schoolhouse, we had FUN reminiscing about how many of the items we had during our elementary school years... of course the American flag, but I didn't recognize the California map displayed. Both JPE & I recognized the two items that were used on the blackboard... I especially remember five-prong chalk holder (the bottom piece of chalk is missing) that drew parallel lines for demonstrating penmanship or for music class. Although we didn't sit at desks like these, I recognized several of the textbooks on top of the desks... a science book from 1959, a history book and penmanship book. I didn't attend a one-room schoolhouse, but there is actually one in our county that still operates. It's amazing to think this teacher is responsible for teaching lessons to multiple grades. 

Last post of November... the holidays are approaching! will share my decorating once I get over the frenzy that 2015 is almost over!

posting with Tamar @ Random-osity

KONYA & RUMI...

Mevlana Mosque (Lodge for Rumi)

Well... we finally have some internet connection, but details of our days are melting together. We are on information overload! which is GREAT, until it's time to pull the written words together to detail our journey.

Street corners are decorated with whirling dervishes which I'll address in a future post!

Konya, Turkey

is a very conservative city!
Most women on the street cover their heads with headscarves... but we also saw Westernized attire worn by young women (perhaps college age?)!

Stephanie asked for prayer beads from Konya! Do you think she'll like these?

JPE & I are amazed by the number of mosques that dot the horizon...

these clay bottles act as chimneys & prevent rain from entering the flue...

a shopkeeper cleaning the sidewalk in front of his store!

one benefit of staying in a business hotel is comfy beds!

ummmm! endless cups of coffee or tea!

crispy potatoes with cumin, sausage or hard-boiled eggs...

an assortment of olives...

apricots (the tastiest dried fruit ever!), raisins &

 cereal (similar to cocoa puffs), as well as cornflakes...

& a chef to cook your omelette!

after one night, we're off to Antalya (on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea).

LYDIA'S SEWING PROJECT...

On Monday, Lydia & I stopped in the local fabric.

She selected these three fabrics for her FIRST sewing project.

First, Lydia learned to sew straight lines & manage the speed of the machine.

Lydia wanted Grandma's help in feeding the fabric!

building confidence!!

I can DO this!

 some of the steps Lydia mastered!

learning to turn fabric inside out!

MAGIC - all the raw edges are hidden inside...

Lydia sharing her completed project!

INCREDIBLE! job Lydia!!!

we're all proud of her for trying something new!

nice job on your FIRST sewing project!

THE LAST 10 DAYS!

captured this morning ~ 3.15.14

simple breakfast ~ yoghurt + purple grapes

{sour + bursts of sweetness that pop when you bite into them}

enjoying a peek over the fence

{everything is covered with "fluffy" cotton-y dander floating off the trees}

getting close to finishing the monthly Book Club selection

{Cuesta College Book of the Year - tickets to hear the author speak have been distributed

& only one member of my Book Club got tickets}

they lived a l-o-n-g life!

{poor, neglected flowers - I promise to put you out of your misery}

best GET GOING with my day!

{I have a date with a spray can & glue gun} 

what sort of P-U-T-T-E-R-I-N-G are you doing today?

oh! the reference to the last 10 days!

well, what can I tell you?

it's been H E {double L} for JPE!

{but, the end is in sight ~ his last day of work is before Spring Break}

SONG-OGRAPHY 3.2.14

paper sculpture ~ Sunnyvale, CA

 posting with Kathy @ You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

this week's song is "NOTHING MORE"

by Alternate Routes (an two-person indie band from Connecticut)

For some reason, I thought of women when I read the lyrics of this song. I pulled some samples of women from my photos archives to illustrate the theme of this week's SONG-OGRAPHY.

During my research of this week's song, I learned it was played at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Sochi...

painting on the side of a building ~ San Francisco, CA

statue of a military woman ~ Arlington Cemetery, Washington DC

wall art ~ Women in the Military Museum, Washington DC

This song, "Nothing More" was written  for NEWTOWN KINDNESS, the organization founded by a family who lost a child in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. You can learn more about how schools are using this song to “to promote kindness as a guiding principle of humanity” by clicking THIS LINK.

Before the Academy Awards begin, take a peek at some of the other bloggers posting their interpretation for SONG-OGRAPHY.

Will you watch the ACADEMY AWARDS tonight?

My prediction.... Best Picture Award will probably go to "12 Years a Slave" - the only movie in this category that we HAVE NOT seen. Having seen the movie trailers, I need to be in the certain frame of mind to watch the "deplorable" way we've treated people... in this case, slaves.

I predict "FROZEN" will win the Best Animated Feature Film & "LET IT GO" (from the movie, FROZEN) will win the Best Original Song. Will see this again when it comes out on video... YEP! it's great!

P52 {WEEK 40}

MUD ART?

excited to be posting two days in a row!

linking up with Tamar at Random-osity

...had to write a few posts ahead of time to make it happen.

once my work week starts, it seems there's

no stopping until the next weekend...

Sacramento Map... I love maps...

especially communities that post maps so you can locate famous landmarks.

eco-friendly... park your car & shuttle.

as the sun dipped lower to the horizon,

the acorns began their early evening GLOW!

Allie's kinder lesson on "mixing primary colors"

...my favorite experiment

demonstrating how a flower absorbs fluids through their root system.

AND, can change the color of the white carnation.

M-A-G-I-C-A-L for 4 & 5 year olds.

and, this necklace! ADORABLE!

my daughter, ACE {also known as Allie} is so very creative!

I think I'd like her to make me a NEW necklace for Christmas!

I'll be back with another post tomorrow!