today

“You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” 

― C.S. Lewis

images from the ranch

spent the weekend at the ranch...

found on friday

finally warming up! one of the first flowers you'll see EVERYWHERE here is the california poppy

and i found a happy bumblebee bumbling around inside them

everyone is so happy to feel the warm, golden california sunshine again...

indoor garden and stylin' thoughts

a mere $5 can provide such pleasure...

i bought two tulip pots, pulled out some spanish moss, and made terrariums in some big glass vases that i have.

the house is smiling :)

i may have to paint them!

and i am SO incredibly flattered and encouraged!
paula of mindful drawing, who lives in belgium (i just think it is so absolutely COOL that our world is so connected), has given me a stylish blogger award. woo-woo-la-la! thank you, paula!



in the interest of promoting world peace and stylish blogs, i get to share the honors with other bloggers...

• for having such a personal and almost "retro" quality to her photographs, the first award goes to Amy at LuckyNumber13. I also love, love, love her style of sharing her world and her very worthwhile thoughts.
• jacilyn at blue china studio captures my heart, particularly with her absolutely charming art, and her sense of natural, simple beauty. 
• lindsay at banter has a guileless and basic style of her own. she shares real life.
• now, when someone say "stylish", i generally think of visual qualities... but i'm thinking a bit outside the box with kim of the bodhi chicklet. this woman's brain and sense of humor are absolutely stylin'! i love every word i read; sometimes she waxes poetic, sometimes she is artistic, or contemplative, and sometimes she just makes me blurt out laughing! bahahahaha!
• and simone of serendipity has a simple, elegant style that lets her gorgeous photography take the spotlight on her blog.

my intention is to pass this award on to bloggers that don't yet have GOBS of readers... but ought to! (although i have no idea about bodhi chicklet, cuz there's no "followers" thingy on her site) and these are the women whose styles are unique and particularly special to me.

i'm also supposed to tell you seven things about myself, but i have waaaaay too many other things to do with my day, so you'll just have to come back another time!

ttfn

sunday creative flourishes in the new year!

the prompt for the sunday creative this week is...

flourish verb 1. thrive, prosper 2. to be in a state of activity or production 3. to reach a height of development or influence 4. to make bold and sweeping gestures noun 1. a florid bit of speech or writing 2. an ornamental touch or decorative detail 3. fanfare 4. showiness in doing something

since flowers flourish here in california this time of year, i thought i'd add a few flourishes to some of those that are blooming right now...

a few of my favorite things...

ahhh, my blog...

we're all probably feeling a bit like, "how much can you fit into one week?!" one week ago i was wrapping and shopping and cooking and checking my lists... and now it's fait accomplit. our family's christmas is quiet and relaxed and very yummy... and there are certain customs that we have developed that are important to us. i neglected the advent calendar this year, and decided that was a mistake i will not make again! we play games together on christmas eve, the boys (now adult-sized) always open their stocking gifts on our bed in the morning (my favorite), breakfast is always eggs benedict (kyle's favorite) and "sunshine drinks", and english trifle with too much sherry (ian's favorite) for dessert after dinner. (all the food is kurt's favorite, especially the chicken a l'orange)

we usually go to christmas eve service as well, but my husband has had a rotten cold, so we stayed home and all my men listened while i read the littlest angel (i was a good girl and didn't cry).

we all love the opening and sharing and fun of the presents. it's been a tight year for us, and i was so pleased at my sons' acceptance of the smaller and more practical pile. of course, my favorites are anything pretty or crafty! i thought today i'd share some of my favorite new things...

the darling robin plate is from pier one,

the weekly organizer from art in motion, 

orchids courtesy of the greatest artist of all, 

the gorgeous water bottle from wild and wolf.

what were the most delightful gifts (yes, the ones you actually opened)

you received?

promises, promises...

i went out to the garden to pick the last pumpkin off the vine on sunday afternoon so my sons and i could carve our jack o' lanterns...

lots of marigolds had finished their last business for the season:
making their promises of another summer.
these will air dry for a week or so and then i'll package them up in pretty handmade envelopes.
i'll show you those when i make them.
they're great in christmas or easter baskets.

my sons had other seeds that they were more interested in :)

illumination

the prompt for this week's sunday creative is...

Illuminate vb 1: To supply or brighten with light: light up 2: To make clear: to bring to the fore 3: To decorate with designs or pictures in gold or colors

i am feeling a need for illumination. i feel a bit muddy and murky... with a family, with kids that are no longer kids, but young men, kids that still need mom there on the sidelines, ready to cheer, coach, doctor, just be a teammate... the stream of life has lots of feet jumping in and stirring up the bottom. i wouldn't have it any other way! i love it! but i have to learn where i ought to be standing. so i'm sorta standing here watching my feet and waiting for the stuff to settle and clear...

sunday creative

this week's prompt... shapely. gee, tempted to just post a picture of myself ;)... seems every year past 40 i keep getting more and more "shapely."

i think i'll stick to the purpose, which is prompting creativity.

in so many ways, isn't shape almost inseparable from color? it is often the very thing that defines shape. but in an even more real sense, the way something feels as we touch, that is the true experience of shape... hard, sharp angles, smooth planes, soft curves, bumps, ridges, even the missing places. best to close your eyes and discover what you hold, relishing the simple wonder of touch...

btw, these painted rocks are in my etsy shop.