Put Another Candle on that Cake!

It was my dear friend, Jill's birthday this week and we set today aside to have lunch and celebrate. 

First I gave her three choices of where she would like to spend the day.....the city (SF - Air Show), the country (Napa modern art gallery & lunch in Sonoma) or on the coast (Nick's cove right on the water).



She chose The City.  So we drove to San Francisco then discussed the crowds at the Embarcadero and decided to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head to Murray Circle restaurant at Cavallo Point.  It's an old military base that has been turned into a wonderful Spa/Lodge/Restaurant.

We sat out on the front porch and watched the show while dining on some very yummy food & wine.

See how low they are?  Some even went under the Bay Bridge!!

Later we walked out to Horseshoe Bay Pier and watched the rest of the show from right under the bridge

It had been raining (at times pouring) in the Bay Area for the last few days.  Today was beautiful as you can see!  I ordered it all for my bud Jill!

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.  It's the life in your years" 

---  Abraham Lincoln

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Subtleties

1. The quality or state of being subtle.
2. A subtle distinction, feature, or argument.

Today in my "Picture Fall" class with Tracey Clark our assignment was "subtleties" (capturing an image in one color or value).  I had to dig into my digital photo albums to pull up a recent one as it was raining today and I had painting class this morning and critique this afternoon and besides, the dog ate my homework!

PS - Every once in a while I have to do this, pull something from my stash, as I just can't capture an appropriate image (for 4 classes) everyday!!! But being the "good girl" that I am, I feel very, very guilty about it.....OK?

So the photo I pulled up was one from last month when my son Jon and his wonderful girlfriend, Megan, went horseback riding at a little stable near our cabin in Lake Tahoe. 

It was early morning but the horses had already been out for their first ride.  I was attracted to the beauty in the knot that the horse was tied up to the rail.  It had many subtle colors as well as the horse's legs in the background was ready to go on the next trail ride.

"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe? "  -- Kate Chopin

Serenity of the Soul

I just began reading "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott.  The title is from her father who was also a writer.  Anne's brother had put off a large school report about birds for months and on the night before it was due, he was trying to start it but was feeling overwhelmed.

(I don't know about you but I never delay in any of my tasks!)

Sitting at the kitchen table amongst piles of bird books, her father gently rubbed his son's shoulders and told him to take it "bird by bird".


And that my friends is life......

I have been feeling so overwhelmed with life lately that I didn't feel balanced.








Therefore my body gently reminded me with 3 weeks of vertigo to come into balance both mentally and physically.



Why is simple so difficult?  Just take it bird by bird.....

“I'm all over the place, up and down, scattered, withdrawing, trying to find some elusive sense of serenity."
The world can't give that serenity. The world can't give us peace. We can only find it in our hearts."
I hate that."
I know. But the good news is that by the same token, the world can't take it away.”
― Anne Lamott

Falling Leaves

falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly

~John Bailey