All We Need is Love

Song - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You by Van Morrison

When my oldest son and daughter-in-law were married in our garden several years ago, we had these little paper floats that had a candle in them and at dusk we asked everyone to write a wish for the married couple and then float it in our pool.  It was lovely.....and it feels like people are showing more kindness and love to their neighbors and even strangers right now.  A nod of the head or wave from a stranger with gloves and a mask on says "We are in this together and I hope you are safe".

A Wild New Years Eve

Song - Celtic New Year by Van Morrison

On New Year's Eve Day Mr. B got us some great yummy sandwiches from our neighborhood deli Morucci's and I packed a picnic basket with Prosecco, linen napkins, crystal goblets, chips and cookies.  We picked up my mom & her sweet dog Buddy and headed to Danville.

Past the town of Danville and out towards Mt. Diablo where there is still farm land, cows, wild turkeys, deer and sheep.

Did I mention that the sky was a brilliant blue but it was cold and oh so windy?  Brrr......it truly felt like winter! 

Our destination was the Tassajara One Room Schoolhouse on Finley Road because I knew it had picnic tables and some history that my mom probably did not know about. But it was oh so cold!

Mom spotted a little wooden table inside the "garage" so that we were protected from the wind but could stand in the sunshine and eat our lunch.

Narcissus bulbs surround the property and are about to burst out.  Buddy sniffed and explored but even he was chilled. We popped the bubbly and toasted to the New Year then.....

...... we took a quick little photo shoot while the wind whipped our hair and we hurried to the warmth of the car.

And enjoyed the Oaks and hills with the heater on!

....and the variety of animals nearby......(one is a lama and the rest are goats or sheep).

"Can you remember who you were, 

before the world told you who you should be?" 

--Danielle Laporte

Returning to France Day 7

Song - These Are the Days by Van Morrison


Jackie, Sydney and I got up early and headed to Pierre Herme's bakery near Saint-Sulpice.  We stood in line, in the rain to get a fresh croissant.  They are popular and go very quickly!

It was so hard to choose once I saw all of that goodness in front of me!

.....but it was just breakfast time!

 So I stuck with my original decision and got a croissant....but it was a Passion Fruit crossiant!

 Oh my graciousness was it wonderful! Every last crumb!

 With our souls having been filled by that yummy croissant we ventured around the corner to Odorantes - a tiny flower shop filled with sweet peas, peonies, ranunculus, freesias etc.  They were not quite open for business yet so we headed over to some other local shops.

Cire Trudon a candlemakers shop.....


Souleiado a Provencal fabric & clothing shop.......


 A few posies were around the corner in Le Marche Saint Germain and begged to be photographed....

 After dropping off our purchases at the hotel we Ubered over to E. Dehillerin in the 1st Arr. for our copper fix!

 I have been known to bring home copper pots for Mr. B in my suitcase - large ones too! This time I spotted a small pan with a very beautiful shape but figured that I would wait to buy it until Mr. B and I return to Paris in a few weeks. No sense lugging it around France for all of that time.

And guess what time it is?   Yup.  Lunchtime!  We wanted to eat at Cinq-Mars near the Musee d'Orsay but there was a 30 minute wait as we did not have any reservations. So we walked around the block and did some window shopping.....well maybe stepped inside a few places.  Like this cheese shop - just for a quick sniff!

By then it was time to be seated at the cafe and eat.........something yummy!

Sydney and I each ordered the Morel mushroom omelette...... 

And Jackie had the asparagus and terrine......

Once again our souls were happy!

Sydney took off to explore while Jackie & I headed back to our hotel to wash our hair.  No dinner tonight as we were all too full!

"In France, cooking is a serious art form

 and a national sport." 

 -- Julia Child

TBT with Great Grandma Mary

Song - Choppin Wood by Van Morrison

Maria Bernadina Clauser Gembrini

There she is in 1961.....my Great Grandmother at 76 years of age and she is showing my brother David (standing) and my cousin Billy how to split firewood.  I love how she has a wedge and a maul as well as an apron on because she was probably cooking up some trout for dinner and saw the boys out of the window.  She was a tough ol' gal and lived to be 98.

Note from Grandma Sophie (Mary's daughter & my grandmother) on the back of the photo.

 My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were all still building the cabin in Tahoe at the time.  We used a big pot belly stove for heat as well as cooking so we needed plenty of firewood. We also had a washer with a ringer on top and the clothes would dry on a line between the trees.

Oh the fun we had up there in Tahoe!

"Behind every great man is a woman 

rolling her eyes." - Jim Carrey

Coming Back to Center

Song - Celtic New Year by Van Morrison

Twenty-sixteen was a rough year for both me and my family. 

I am looking forward to 2017!

There is a certain ebb and flow to our days and years.

Clarity and confusion.

Joy and suffering.

Finding balance.

Now is the time for me to recenter myself.

Rediscovering that core within me.

The one who knows how to feed my spirit.

Somehow through this last year I have forgotten.

It's not gone but just cast aside.

Learning to remember.

Needing that cue to set time aside daily...

...to work on my inner growth. 

My One Little Word for the year is "centering".

Just so I can 

Create

Journey

Cultivate

Love

and

Replenish.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

"One of the most essential things you need to do for yourself is to choose a goal that is important to you.  

Perfection does not exist--you can always do better 

and you can always grow." 

--Les Brown

Where's Waldo?

Song - When the Leaves Come Falling Down by Van Morrison

The sunrise from our bedroom deck.....was amazing!

Later that night I got a text from Mr. B.....

Who is that silver fox at the football game?

Waldo....errr....I mean Mr. B!

I know he is kind of hard to pick out in a crowd!  

“The problem with winter sports is that -- 

follow me closely here -- 

they generally take place in winter.” 

--Dave Barry

May Girls Trip

Song - "These Are The Days" by Van Morrison

For the last ten years five women and myself go on a weekend trip together.  Since this was our 10th Anniversary, we decided to spend 4 days in Lake Tahoe.

Our cabin was far enough away from towns and roads that we only heard the sound of Tahoe lapping gently against the shore and an occasional breeze through the trees.


We had a pier and a white sand beach!



We were very close to heaven!

You can see the "cabin" peeking out from the pines.

Zen rocks were all around.

Snow was on the mountains around us but it was sunny and warm on the beach - I came home looking somewhat like a lobster!

We read, relaxed, painted, took photo's, did needlework, laughed, ate some great food, walked, shared stories, slept in cozy beds, played games, meditated, breathed in the mountain air and enjoyed each others company as well as some solitary time.

At times there may have been some dancing and singing going on......but my lips are sealed!

Barn Swallow with beautiful colors

We did some bird watching.....

Do I spot a white head?

Yep.....a Bald Eagle flew over the lake looking for dinner!

Nothing like enjoying a hot tub with this view!

Every morning I enjoyed the sunrise from my bed.....

Will we go back to this little spot of paradise?  I don't think we can wait until next year! Love all of these wild women!

"Each person's perspective contains a pearl of wisdom, but this only becomes apparent when you string them all together."
--Thanks for being part of the necklace of my life. – Joanne Taeuffer

Radiant Heart

Song - "These Are the Days" by Van Morrison

Last Saturday my future daughter-in-law's family threw an engagement party at a local park for Andy and Ashley.

Toasts were made....

Some kissing may have occurred.......

Prime spots were reserved for Bocce Ball.....

Games were enjoyed.....

Families spent time together.....

Some delicious margarita's were enjoyed.....

MOG and MOB got to hug the happy groom-to-be.....

Babies were held.......

Welcome to the world Nicholas! Four weeks old!......

Ashley, my mom & "Reverend" Jodi got to visit....

MOB, FOG and the "Reverend" enjoy the sunny day....

My mom made mini apple pie's for dessert.....yumm.....

Love and Laughter were ever present.....

Now I am off to cry some happy tears for these two dear ones!

Congratulations Andy and Ashley.