Silver Linings 4 ME

Monday, November 14, 2011

GIRLFRIENDS...

"wooden spoons" ~ Avila Barn

Girlfriends... nine? ten? six?

Coming... Tuesday ~ after work...

Tonight... making Tortilla Soup + dessert (any suggestions?)

We used to play Bunco... then Apples to Apples... sometimes we go to the movies... or walks along the Bob Jones Trail... or craft...

This month ~ we'll chat about how we'll spend the upcoming holidays! & select a restaurant for our December dinner!

The group's been together for 18+ years??

it's sort of like a marriage...

we don't always agree, but we're polite when we disagree
we comfort each other ~ through divorce, death, illness, loss of work & emotionally difficult times
we've all experienced the challenges of watching our parents get sick, ill or frail, with some passing on
our kids (the majority are 20's-30's) & grandkids are topics of conversation
we've shopped, traveled, dined, attended parties & weddings together
we've driven each other crazy (much like siblings)
we don't discuss politics, religion or money

I've hosted slumber parties (years ago as a single, empty-nest mom), brunch, dinner(s), movie night(s), a book exchange, & a craft night ~ lots of memories in my dozen years with the group!

So - girlfriends ~ I'll be chopping, whipping, cooking, baking up something tasty to share...

SEE YOU TUESDAY at 6pm... You can wear your pj's, if you like!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 11.13.11

a turquoise ceramic peacock ~ found at the entrance to NITT WITT RIDGE

This week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY was difficult! here's what I came up with for this week's list of words:

Before & After, Opposing Lines, Custom Bokeh, Which Shoes Should I Wear? & Little Features.

BEFORE & AFTER

I have mixed feelings about the adjustments I made to this picture. I think I like the BEFORE picture - the base blends into the bookcase. In the AFTER picture, the acorn is more noticeable, but I don't like the imperfections in the base of the statue. Editing is a photographer's choice??

OPPOSING LINES

Curves, scallops, straight lines (horizontal & vertical)... JPE & I drove by NITT WITT RIDGE, to get this picture of OPPOSING LINES. This house has to be one of California's most unusual, colorful examples of folk art! Created by Art Beal (he was also called DerTinker Paw by the residents of Cambria Pines), this residence was built entirely from scavenged materials, discarded objects picked up during his walks, or the items left out for the garbage collector. To learn more about Nitt Witt Ridge, California's Historical Landmark #939, click HERE!

BOKEH

Okay - this isn't the best example of BOKEH, but it's definitely on my list to learn... BOKEH, a word of Japanese origin (spelled "boke" & pronounced bo-keh), means "fuzzy"... in the photography world, it is the fuzzy or blurry composition of an "out of focus" picture. Want to learn how to shoot a photo with BOKEH? click HERE .

WHICH SHOES SHOULD I WEAR?

Of course, these are the SHOES I should be wearing every day (or at least 4 days a week). I can't use the time change as an excuse NOT to get out for an evening walk... JPE is a "ready & willing" walking buddy! But, slipping into flannel jammies after work is certainly tempting!

LITTLE FEATURES

A couple of LITTLE FEATURES found on the bookcase ~ two dice! One die is wooden - never noticed the scratched, dirty surface of the smaller, white die (that always sounds odd to me) - bought them at Remnants of the Past.

You can check out the SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY participants HERE!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

LUCKY SEVENTH!

November 12, 2004 @ 11:00am

ELOPE?? YEP - we did! Our family & friends knew we were planning to get married ~ but WE didn't know when or where or what to wear... Rather selfishly, we "ran-away" & took my mom & dad with us.

A destination wedding?

memorable, beautiful (just check out that view), easy to get to...

BIG SUR! LOVE-LY!!!

my parents earned their "badge of courage" by following us onto a narrow ledge, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, in order to be present at our ceremony! Fortunately, the ceremony lasted only 15 minutes...

Basket ~ Hot Air Balloon

FAST FORWARD TO OUR 7th ANNIVERSARY... We're pretty adventurous... so last year for Christmas, Natasha, Jack & Lydia "gifted" us with a hot-air balloon ride.
BOOKED A FLIGHT FOR FRIDAY! With camera(s), scarves, coats & binoculars, we arrived at the launch site (a winery in Paso Robles) at 6:30am! It turned out the weather patterns were unpredictable (it started raining later) ~ so, our flight was canceled. Breakfast at Dorn's in Morro Bay!

Sycamore Mineral Springs ~ Avila Beach

TODAY, we headed to Sycamore Mineral Springs in Avila Beach.

HOT TUB...
COUPLES MASSAGE...
LUNCH @ FAT CAT'S...
TEA @ JOE MOMMA'S...
AFTERNOON MATINEE ~ J EDGAR... (great movie)

LOVE-LY ANNIVERSARY!

redwood hot-tubs line the hillside
@ Sycamore Mineral Springs

I'll be honest ~ we live 15 minutes from this LOVE-ly place. Check out this WEBSITE!... we "floated" through the day after 30 minutes in the hot-tub + an hour massage!

HaPpY ANNiVerSaRy, JPE!

Friday, November 11, 2011

OUR GRATITUDE...

LYDIA ~ BIG BEAR ~ JUNE 2011

"We often take for granted the very things

that most deserve our gratitude."

~ Cynthia Ozick, novelist (short story)

In 1918, World War I ended on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11:00am!! EVERYONE CELEBRATED! The following year, on November 11, 1919, Americans celebrated Armistice (or truce) Day with the surviving soliders marching in local parades and honored publicly for their service to our country.

Armistice Day was suspended when World War II broke out in 1939. In 1954, Congress changed the holiday to Veterans's Day to honor military veterans from ALL wars. The National Celebration takes place at Arlington Cemetery at 11am today, beginning with a wreath being laid at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

THANKFUL FOR OUR MILITARY

VETERANS!