Just Chillin'

Song - Classical Chillout - Pachelbel, Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, Janacek, Bach, Handel

My son's dog Chewy just chillin' on our bed in the morning light.....sweet.

"Live in the sunshine

Swim the sea

Drink the wild air."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Carmel Face

Song - I've Just Seen A Face by The Beatles

Happy pup with a big stick (possibly a log) on the beach at Carmel.

Thanks for the song idea Gwen ;-)

"The world would be a nicer place

if everyone had the ability

to love as unconditionally as a dog."

--M.K. Clinton

SIP

Song - Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones

I know we are Sheltering In Place right now but Mr. B and I had a doggie to deliver to our son & his girlfriend who just returned home from St. Thomas.  We were very careful to not come in contact with anyone. We dropped Chewy's supplies off in the front yard and called from our car to let them know we were there. I dropped Chewy's leash and he dashed into his home without giving us a backward glance. I have to say it did me a world of good to get out of the house and watch the clouds, rain, newly planted crops, bright yellow mustard, many hawks and even a dusting of snow on some of the higher mountain tops. Nature gives me hope.....

Helping Hands

Song - HELP! by the Beatles

Mama Finch feeding her fledgling

While I have been posting about our April trip to France, a lot of love has been going around.....at least around our family.  We have celebrated six birthdays, Mother's Day was spent with family in Booneville, and we just celebrated Father's Day with a family BBQ in our backyard. But more importantly......

 My brother and I have found a great little rescue dog for my mom!  She has named him Buddy and that's just what he is.  He is sweet, cuddly, loves children, is properly house trained, doesn't dig in her garden or chew her shoes and insists on sleeping in bed with her! And when she gets out the brush to comb his soft coat, he lays there like he is having a Spa Day and wonders why she has stopped.  Buddy is learning to ride in a car and walk with a leash. 

Buddy is a mix of Bichon Frise and Halvanese.  He is bonding with his new family (all of us) and learning to trust again.  It's beautiful to watch this frightened little guy go from shaking in the corner to jumping into mom's lap and give her a kiss for taking such great care of him!

 A few weeks ago Mr. B and I drove down to my parents cabin in Santa Cruz.  After the long winter it needed a little loving care. 

 While Mr. B worked behind the scenes on fun stuff like the plumbing and clearing the leaves off of the roof, I got to do a little cleaning up and planting in the garden.

 Now it is ready for summer fun!

"We might think we are nurturing our garden, 

but of course it's our garden that is really nurturing us."

--Jenny Uglow

Home Sweet Home

Song - Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

As some of you may know, a wedding will be taking place in our backyard in September!  Our oldest son and his wonderful girlfriend have asked to be wed in our yard.

 


So I have been strolling around the yard for the last several weeks, pouring over plant catalogs, making garden plans and taking a few visits to local nurseries to see what my options are for beautiful blooms that time of year. I have a few idea's up my sleeve!

As I was walking around, I noticed the bird house that Andy placed up in an Oak tree in our shade garden.  I saw a pair of Black-Capped Chickadee's on the tree beside it last week.

Then several days ago I noticed something inside the hole but I couldn't quite make it out. When I got out my zoom lens, it just looked like a blur inside.

But today I noticed something move!

When I zoomed in on the hole, it looked like a lot of fuzz and maybe a few feathers!!! Not sure what to make of it but I am hopeful!  Even though I have fed the birds for years, this is the first bird house we have ever put up.

Other than our ladder on the side of the house which is inhabited again this year!  No sign of babies yet but mom & dad are taking their turns sitting on the nest. If you need to borrow a ladder, you'll have to wait a few more weeks!

 This is where the sweethearts are planning on having their ceremony - the side lawn. It is in need of some tender loving care as last year we had to let it die because of the California drought.  Right now it's green because of the recent rains but it's mostly weeds.....

Mika is hoping to be the flower girl or at least be invited!!!

"Weddings are important because they celebrate 

life and possibility."  -- Anne Hathaway

Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_wedding.html

Weddings are important because they celebrate life and possibility.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_wedding.

Surrounded by Color

Song - At Last by Etta James


So much has happened in the last few weeks......

It was Mr. B's birthday on Valentines Day and we had several friends over for Paella and laughter! Mr. B cooked the yummy Paella since I had carried this lovely copper pan from Paris as a gift for him 5 years ago and it's never been used!  Until NOW........

My nephew and his wife have been on a trip and my son volunteered to watch their dog for them while they are gone.  But my son and his fiancee both work full time so I volunteered to take Canonball for a few days.  What a sweet, loving doggie!  I remember her as a youngster and she was a bit on the wild side but not any more.  Very mellow.....and just the right height to pet when you pass her in the house!

Did you notice that "special" word that I casually inserted in the above paragraph?

YES!!!  Andy asked Ashley to marry him last weekend and she said YES!!!  I cried for 3 days with tears of joy! Mr. B and I both adore her and we couldn't be happier!  Heck, I'm crying right now just telling you about it............

I think my son has good taste in a wife and a ring......bling!

And on a final note, my momma Mourning Dove is back.  She and her partner built a nest in a day and that evening she was sitting on it.  So sweet.

So you can see how much color has been in my life recently and I'm loving it!!!
 


"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be." --Douglas Adams