Monday, July 30, 2012

When Last I Bought A Cup of Calm...{ huh??}

'Twas morning...

I drank tea from my CUP ... {oh, you know the drill! - Instagram photo-a-day}... see below ~





Oops... wait a minute, that's not me!  ^ That's no CUP, that's a bucket!... and I'm not nearly as furry either.. {well, except for my chin at this age}... hhhaaa

Ah, yes - here we go ~





Back to the storyline... 'twas morn, and time to be gathering goodies - packing the car; to have another family assembly at one of the Bros homes for our Dad's Birthday. The parents were in town.

My delegated duty for BBQ Birthday was appetizers.  Easier said than done when you have folks that equate appetizers with onion dip and ruffled chips. Then others that are vegetarian. Some that don't find "rabbit food" appealing. YIKES!! Almost can't go wrong with cheese though. Hubby & I are fromage-fiends from way back. We seek out cheese establishments on trips, we browse deli cheese aisles at the drop of a hat. Switzerland to France, Tomales Bay to Puget Sound - we've bought queso!
Today is no different ...THE LAST THING I BOUGHT  {Instagram again}





Goat Feta Cheese from the farmers market in town. Absolutely scrumptious!! Dang! gotta share - bringing it for appetizers. It was a hit served with toasted Kalamata olive bread, and homegrown freshly sliced tomato.

A toast to my Dad. That man that fought so hard exactly one year ago. He has hit the amazing marker of EIGHTY TWO YEARS! So remarkable - both he and his age...




That was our Sunday.

Today is CALM!





and today is July 30th... one more day of Photo-a-day July....

Friday, July 27, 2012

I've Got Sunshine...

Sunshine in a photograph.What would that look like to you? How does that subject translate to a single moment? ...


golden and heartwarming ^... and also this ->

Bright, straight-up glowing!

Who doesn't love a bit o'sunshine on a road trip???



Blurry, blurry Mr. Instagram! Photo-a-day asked for a road-trip though. Not my best photographic contribution to the blog.

Speaking of road trips - I probably haven't mentioned lately that I'm still writing on another blog. That blog is Goat Hill Fair.The road trip I mentioned there is about heading to the beach. Offering up all sorts of divergences... yes, even into the woods. Cruise a road less traveled on your way to the Moss Landing Antique event. I've been - and may plan a Sunday drive for this weekend again.

Dad's 82nd Birthday is Monday. A small, thankful celebration will mark his day on this Saturday. If we take along some sleeping equipment, I could wake up bright and early with the SUNSHINE
and be at the first Moss Landing booth in a matter of minutes! Busy weekend - road trips, celebrations and antiques - OH MY!!  {and don't forget Olympics too!}

Have a good one!!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Six Days Packed Into One

Instagram, Instagram... I used to love you so! If ever you need a way to free yourself from an item you enjoy, just challenge yourself to do said item for an entire month straight. Right about now, I've nearly given up on the photo-a-day for the month of July project! Oh, I've taken most of the photos, sometimes on the actual day, sometimes NOT. I've rarely posted about each day consecutively.

My EYES were too big for my lens!! hhaaa   ** eyes being the subject for July 20th



Apparently I've not seen NINE O'CLOCK in the past few days - as that was my July 21st topic and not only did I not complete the task then... I still don't rightly care about it, even now.

Sunflowers are in bloom in many a garden on my walks. The birds either ate the seeds I planted, or the chickens scratched them up. Either scenario - none of those lovelies in my yard. I do have though, an old dried pod.... hanging UPSIDE DOWN! The funny topic for the 22nd.







Then along comes the 23rd, and even though I've decorated nearly every room in our home with a
MIRROR, I was unable to do my homework for that day... could even take a photo now, still not up for it. Do I have the photo-blahs or something?


Here's a STRANGE one.... Who is that STRANGER standing next to the gal with the fake smile {me}?  A photo taken one day, just not on the 24th of July!





Today I will do my photo in real time! Whether I love HEART it or not! Even though my HEART is no longer in it..... 




Monday, July 23, 2012

Who's That Knocking At My Door?

 A welcome and funny sight at my backdoor screen ~



Peck, peck, peck... {softer than a knock, knock, knock}....

Biloxi asking to come inside?? more like seeking out food ...

She had me chuckling! Then along came one of the others to beg also ~


Penny always gets her way with handouts! That red hen gobbles faster than lightening..

Photo-a-day {which I've attempted to follow for the month of July} was to Instagram a pet/animal. Biloxi and crew are pets that we never knew we'd adopt. But, ours, they are!




These chicks are a smile a minute!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The Healing Powers of a Sunflower

The tiny potted sunflower, with a head much too large for it's torso smiled at me as I passed. "Take me home". Better yet, bring it to a friend to cheer them. I was on my way to take my sweet friend home from the hospital. This would make the perfect addition to her room at the top of the stairs - the one that has windows to spare - and sun that shines brightly to keep the sunflower happy. Also to keep her happy.

The two of us; this friend and I, banter back and forth about her non-gardening skills and my gardening efforts. A green thumb, she is not. Plastic topiary trees used to grace the front window box of her home. So, bringing this living thing to her was meant to say I LOVE YOU, not take care of the sunflower and keep it happy. Yet, the little sunflower with the huge head is still beaming! She's done it! My friend may not be able to will her body into conforming to health, but she's now achieved a green thumb.





When last we talked, my friend explained that the poor flower was looking stricken and sickly. It's leaves drooping and head lolling. It amazed her that with a little attention she was able to revive it.

Keep up those healing powers of yours, dear girl! If you believe and pray, and work at it.....
you too will one day soon be healthy and stand alone without assistance! I believe in your gardening skills!!  :-)





Wednesday, July 18, 2012

How I See It...

Finger

Sign

Addiction

Plate

Photo-a-day ..... I'm so very far behind!!! {words listed above are the topics for the last few days worth of Instagram photo-a-day project that I've been participating in}


My fingers are getting ready to snip basil, as it is already flowering... not a good sign... guess I haven't been cooking enough of late!




In love with this sign ^!!  Find it soooo adorable. Photo taken inside an abandoned house. Someone had their cupboard labeled... lest anyone else in the fam take her goodies??  <3


Oh, not sure now.  ADDICTION ? hmmmm  Probably food's a good one for me...
Then again, possibly the beach could be my addiction. I have a passion for it. I crave it. It makes me feel good. I can't get enough.... 




This may be very early morn. What the heck am I doing awake anyway? but the word for today is PLATE...


A little marbled rye {flown all the way from New York} on a bright yellow plate. Posted hours in advance. Now my stomach is growling... and I'm only just headed to bed. Not time for breakfast quite yet.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Bouncing and Beachy

Redwoods, sand, trails, creek, waterfall, bounce house, sun, fog.... which word DOES NOT FIT WITH THE REST?? hhhaa

The bounce house was a fixture at our graduation party. There was only one human under the age 16. Adults rocked the house!!

Adults attempted to rock the lives of two young boys over the weekend. Our family that is visiting includes these 2 guys. Heck, what do we know about the likes of teenage males? Well, they're fairly easy to work with. Most anything seemed to please. How could we go wrong with the beach and carnival-style rides ?









Neon lights and loopy rides were only one part of the Santa Cruz experience. There also were Redwood trees and creek walks.








This is my Saturday picture-a-day : BUILDING.... {the cabin} :-)




A trip to Santa Cruz would be incomplete without the beach....








Friday, July 13, 2012

Taking In-Land'ers To The Shore

Our upstate New York family has paid us a summer visit. Their usual down-time on our West Coast generally happens in the wintry months. But, when the vacation coincides with June, July or August - let the Summer SHENANIGANS begin!!

We're packed into a few vehicles, loaded to the brim with myriad beach essentials. The lush, cool of the Redwood forest is awaiting us. Our mini home for 3 nights is a mountain cottage of 80 years {or so}. The sweetest spot, dear to our hearts. An enclave at the end of a dirt path, with a creek running below it.

This first night the youngsters get to come and trawl the grounds of Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Well, I'll for sure be joining them too. It's a must to ride the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster!!





Hubby's favorite "ride" - if you want to call it one - is this aerial tram ^  BOOHHRRR-ing!! hhaa

The youngest cousin keeps asking about palm trees. "I thought there'd be more".. so we'll have to indulge his need




Some may ride the railroad around the forest. I will go one day to a family function, back inland for a bit. Two of my brother and SIL's adult children are graduating college. Proud moment for us all.

Mostly we will sit upon our relaxed beach chairs, light up a BBQ, read and breath fresh air. Yes, inhale the clean, cool forest dampness and be glad that we're together. Overjoyed that we have TIME to spend. There've been some blips in our road-of-life, again. Happens, I guess...
More than ever, the need to be joyful and able to enjoy these places of beauty is a gift!

************************************************************************

Picture-a-day yesterday was TEXTURE....




Guess what I was doing to obtain that texture photo??  ^ shhhh - be quiet about it.... trespassing, again
I found this door, and layers of pain, rust and dirt so interesting...
************************************************************

Today is Friday the 13th.... {no spookiness, please}. Picture-a-day is OPEN :




This picture for OPEN ^ was very nostalgic for me to get. I happened to be in the town where just a short part of my childhood was spent. This is the room where I went to Kindergarten. The school - to my surprise - is still OPEN!


Wednesday, July 11, 2012

If I Have This Right

I could easily check my facts first.... but, I'm tired and overly exercised, and cannot be bothered to go backwards into the files to see what my Instagram project has been for the last few days. I believe it went something like this ~

BIG was my next topic. Here's what I'm bringin' to the table


A BIG Oak tree. Isn't it lovely? sitting up on a dry grassy hill on my walk the other day.

Next should have come a picture of my favorite color. That color'd be YELLOW.


Kayak and paddle  {YELLOW}... my companions on the lake. Many degrees of HOT here, so I felt that some exercise on water might be cool. It was - in all regards!

Next comes today's Picture-a-Day topic: LETTER.  The most perfect topic for me today....
I went to my first band and marching practice. There is a story that goes along with this... later on that though. I am a letter girl for my old High School - and this is what it looked like ~



I should be all caught up with my Picture-a-day tasks. Until tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and...... {you get the idea}

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

More Beach, Less Fog

Fourth of July celebrating was done, and we still had an additional day and night at the beach. Waking to the scent of freshly baked bread is scrumptious. The kitchen was just below our open window at San Benito House.




A fog horn burping it's every ten second warning was beckoning us to come hither. The harbor where the horn bellows was peaceful, the beach hardly visited. We collected seashells and walked the cliffs.




I felt quite lucky to find an anemone, unmarred by the sea ~




Fog of the morning hours lifted and left us with glimmering sand ~






We had hours for relaxing, reading, browsing shops and feasting ~












Two days of cool beachy breezes and that extra added bonus of a small town parade - so good for one's spirit!

Goodnight Half Moon Bay - we'll see you very soon...