Mama!

Song - Mother & Child Reunion by Paul Simon

The above photo was taken several years ago when a pair of Mourning Doves made a nest in our side yard.  Her baby ended up growing quite large so I nicknamed him "Baby Huey".

This year they have a nest nearby but not in their usual spot on the side of our house.

I know they are nearby as they come to dine several times a day under my feeders.


"Everyone needs time 
to develop their dreams.
An egg in the nest
does not become
a bird overnight."

Lois Ehlert

PS - Sorry if you are receiving this post twice as I have been having trouble with Google Blogger..... :-/

Sierra Birthday

Song - Sierra by Boz Scaggs

Tuesday was my birthday and Mr. B and I decided that we very much needed a break from staying at home so we drove up to Lake Tahoe for the day.  We packed a picnic lunch and headed to the mountains. 

My birthday surprises were:

1. Spending the entire day with my love - Mr. B

2. The smell of fresh mountain air - pine trees and crisp air

3. The parking lot at the beach was opened that day so we didn't have to haul all of our stuff from the highway.

4. I found a heart shaped rock within minutes of getting there

5. A bald eagle flew over us on the beach

6. We also had a fly over by the Blue Angels (not really them but military planes that sounded loud)

7. We had wine, chocolate and strawberries

8. It was a beautiful warm day with very cold Tahoe water!

9. We picked up dinner on the way home - Yum!

10. We both got burnt to a crisp!!! Peeling to come later....

PS - It had snowed at lake level two days earlier....

"The more you praise and celebrate your life,

the more there is to celebrate life."

--Oprah Winfrey

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

Inspired

Song - Everybody Hurts by REM

The events of the last few weeks coupled with the events of the last few months have caused me to reconsider my blog. My blog felt insincere and it lacked gravity.What was I doing posting photos of flowers and birds when so many of us are hurting. Does anyone even care to see yet another photo of a cottage in England or a bee on a flower?

I do

My soul needs it

We all need beauty in our lives otherwise what are we fighting so hard for?

I need both the silliness of squirrels running up and down my tree AND I need to feel the gravity of this moment in time. 

I enjoy imparting interesting quotes and songs that bring us back to a moment in time.

So I will continue my blog until all of you shout STOP we can't take it anymore!

"Show someone a little kindness today because we all need that."

--Jeanette

Time Away

Taking a few days off of social media.......

Coming and Going

Song - Summer Breeze by Seals & Croft

Coming and Going by Norman Rockwell - 1947

Summer vacation season is about to begin!

I know for us, we will be spending time poolside and hopefully a few short day trips.

I used to have a copy of this painting which I purchased at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts hanging in our downstairs bathroom.  I just love how Norman Rockwell truthfully portrays a family heading off on a summer vacation in the upper photo - kids are excited, the dog can't wait, the little blonde girl has a big red bow in her hair and a big bubble to match.  Grandma is gassing up the back seat so I guess she is excited too!  The mom & dad are sitting next to each other and the boat and oars are on top of the car ready for some fun.

On the way back (bottom photo) Grandma has the same expression but the little boy is clearly tired holding on to his fishing pole, the little girl's bow & bubble are smaller and she doesn't look nearly as happy. Same for the dog and the older son.  Mom is asleep (because we all know mom's are still on the job during vacation) and there is a child between her and her husband who looks exhausted. The only thing that looks happy is the felt pennant from the lake they visited.

"We do not remember days;

we remember moments."

--Cesare Pavese

Yellow

Song - Yellow by Coldplay

Bright yellow mustard flowers blooming near Dijon, France

Photo taken from the TGV train which can travel 

up to 186 mph in commercial service 

and 320 mph under special test conditions.  

I so wish we had fast, clean, efficient trains like that in America!

Viva le Moutarde de Dijon

"Almost anything is edible 

with a dab of French mustard on it."

--Nigel Slater

Come on in.....

Song - Close the Door by Teddy Pendergrass

My favorite knocker of all time (at least so far) is this one above from a door in Paris.

So interesting and elaborate!

 A man & a woman's hand knocker

Both are from France - the one on the right was taken in Brantome.

You can put your letters through the slot on this knocker from Lacock, England

A simple but elegant knocker found on a beautiful wooden door in Tuscany



"The ache for home lives in all of us
the safe place 
we can go as we are

and not be questioned."

Maya Angelou

Squirrel Agility Course

Video - Building the Perfect Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder by Mark Rober

Zipper the squirrel assessing which bird feeder he is going to launch himself at this morning!

"Phantastic Gus is my spiritual animal."

--Mark Rober

(see above video)

It's Three a.m.

Song - Mr. Sandman by Richard Smith & Joscho Stephan

A full moon peeking out behind the clouds overlooking the rooftops in Paris at 3 am.


"Oh, London is a man's town, there is power in the air; 
 And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair;
And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome;
But when it comes to living, there is no place like home."

--Henry Van Dyke

Turtle Soup

Song - Turtle Blues by Janis Joplin

The first turtle on the left is the only one doing proper distancing.....well for turtles at least!

Photo captured several years ago while walking around Heather Farms pond.

"Try to be like the turtle -

at ease in your own shell."

Bill Copeland

Timmy

Song - Sweet Loretta (Get Back) by The Beatles

 Several years ago Mr. B and I took a trip to England and before we left I booked a tour with the above company Fab Four Taxi Tour.  And the best thing was....

....Timmy!!!  Our funny and informative guide!




"I get by with a little help from my friends."

--The Beatles

Three Mini's

Song - Outlander - The Skye Boat Song by Bear McCreary



In the last few weeks I have taken three mini vacations all while SIP at home.  The first one was ordering Sam Heughan's The Sassenach Whiskey.  Mr. B and I enjoy him on the Outlander series.  It took several months to arrive and I will pop it one evening soon while watching Outlander reruns as we are in Droughtlander right now - meaning the lack of a new show until next year.

I mean just look at this man - who wouldn't want a wee dram with him - in a kilt - of course!



My second mini-vacay was ordering bread from Poilâne a bakery in Paris.....yes really Paris, France. OK here is the deal.....I was tired of our local artisan bread drying out each day and I had heard that in France they use linen bags to let some air in but not too much.  I started looking on Amazon but they all had corny labels on them so I thought of  Poilâne.

It's an amazing bakery that bakes mostly bread and is located at 

8 Rue du Cherche-Midi in the heart of Paris.  

I went to their website - HERE. 

I placed an order for the linen bread bag and noticed that there was a 30 euro charge for shipping. It seemed a little steep but when I realized all of the money that I was saving Mr. B by not traveling to France this year, it seemed like a great deal! I threw in a few more items in my cart and noticed that the shipping cost stayed the same.  I ordered some shortbread cookie spoons for my mom to dip in her morning coffee and a loaf of Walnut Bread.  I received a text the next morning that they were just taking my bread out of the oven and getting it ready for shipping and that I would receive it by 10:30 the next morning!

Ding-dong......right on time!

It even came with a handwritten card thanking me for my order.

I had a little bit of Brie on hand and Mr. B and I had a delicious breakfast! I put on French music and danced around the kitchen with joy in my heart!!!
Delish!!!

Then little Henry arrived and he munched on a piece of bread too as did his daddy.  I sent Andy home with a slice for Ashley too!

PS - The linen bread bag doesn't work....maybe I shouldn't have left my SF Sourdough bread in it for 4 days????



My next adventure was a little more local -- Santa Fe!  Several years ago I went to a Painting Workshop there given by the artist Carol Marine. It was held at a convent and the food was catered locally and was amazing.  One of the things I loved most was their granola that they served with breakfast. We have ordered it through the years but I had forgotten about it until last week.  So I jumped on their website - Santa Fe Granola Company - and ordered us two bags.  Mmmmm.....

So what little surprises have you been enjoying during SIP?  

We all need to break it up a little and have some fun!

"Quarantine has me realizing why my dog 

gets so excited about something moving outside 

and going for walks and car rides.  

I just barked at a squirrel." 

It's Open

Song - Open the Door Richard by Louis Jordan

What looks like a woman's face and a serpent tail door knocker was found in Pisa, Italy

This little guy is holding a window shutter open in Honfleur, France

A door pull with wolves

found in Paris




"The front door continues to appeal to our sense of arrival. 
Call it the ceremony of coming home."

--Akiko Busch

Tanguy

Song -  Stary, Stary Night by Don McLean

Vincent Van Gogh painted three portraits of Père Tanguy a valued friend who ran a small paint shop in Paris. Tanguy would occasionally accept artwork for payment of art supplies. This one was painted in 1887 and is hanging at the Musee Rodin in Paris.

"Painting is a faith, 

and it imposes the duty to disregard public opinion."

--Vincent Van Gogh

Percy

Song - You're So Vain by Carly Simon

Percy the Peacock could not get enough of his reflection 

standing in front of a glass door. 

He kept displaying his feathers for the glory of all 

but mostly for himself.  

This photo was taken at Chateau et Jardins du Rivau in the Loire Valley.

Spring 2018

"Like a peacock, dance with an open mind 

and a loving heart to reveal your incredible beauty."

--Debasish Mridha

It's Alright

Song - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright by Bob Dylan & Eric Clapton

The guy in front of me at a Dylan concert in Berkeley

Right now we need to be thinking twice

and

I hope it's going to be alright!

Stay Safe Out There!!!



"Some people feel the rain. 
Others just get wet." 

--Bob Dylan

Going to the Chapel

Song - Angel from Montgomery by Bonnie Raitt & John Prine

St Edward's Church is a medieval-built Church of England parish church 

 and is in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswalds.  

I wonder what came first the church or the trees?




"There's nothing wrong with having a tree for a friend."

--Bob Ross

What Not to Do....

Song - Come Monday by Jimmy Buffett

Sea Lions in Santa Cruz

Totally oblivious to Social Distancing



"The only nation I’m visiting this spring is imagination!"

-- Anonymous

Gloves and Foxes

Song - A Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James

Beautiful Foxgloves

May 2017

In Hyde Park near the Italian Gardens

"London is not a city, London is a person. 

Tower Bridge talks to you, National Gallery reads a poem for you, 

Hyde Park dances with you, Palace of Westminster plays the piano, Big Ben and St. Paul's sing an opera! 

London is not a city, 

it is a talented artist who is ready 

to contact with you directly!"

--Mehmet Murat ildan