A Beautiful Spring Day

My best friend's momentous wedding anniversary.  More to come...

“You have not chosen one another, but I have chosen you for one another.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Good morning darlings!

Good morning darlings! Yes, one year and nine months later I’m here greeting you. (Well, that’s obviously Ms. Holly Golightly looking pretty in the picture. *wink*) I hope the many seasons passed have been very good to you all. As for me, God has been good and faithful. I will begin where we left off and all the lovely little things in between.


This is for Sydney because I thought of you today. Happy springtime!

Pure Imagination

Hold your breath, make a wish, count to three

Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination

Take a look and you'll see into your imagination

We'll begin with a spin, traveling in the world of my creation

What we'll see will defy explanation...

... There's no life I know to compare with pure imagination

Living there you'll be free

If you truly wish to be

Pure Imagination - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

I've recently acquired a magical door.  Today of all days I felt the need to stop all plans and bring it to life.  So I spent a couple of hours with paint and brushes in hand tending to this delicate piece of wood.  I'm done painting.  It's midnight and instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment (I should breathe a sigh of relief and sleep), I feel a sense of wonder. I am wide awake and dreaming...  Perhaps you are too.  

A Fairy is making her way to Lavender Hill.  I hope to have her lock and key ready and relocate this magical door outdoors in time for her arrival.  Can't wait!      

In Between Days

Six months later... Remember the times I said, I would write more, share more, do more? I've shared the past six months with some of you (albeit briefly over the phone or mail) and I've definitely done so much more than I thought I would, but sadly I have not written to you here until today. How are you? Are you enjoying springtime? I'm doing well and spring has brought pretty colors and sweet scents here in Lavender Hill.

We just celebrated my husband's birthday and will soon welcome mine. So here I am reminiscing about last year; thinking about this year and the days in between.

last year's birthday date

celebrated with my bob, ameet and ally

proud and happy moment

patrick's graduation

msu nurse anesthesia class of 2011

celebrated mother's day

celebrated angie's happy 30th birthday!

celebrated life and love with melissa & david

my old (and first) digital camera finally died

believe it or not, this was the little gadget used to take all the pictures on this blog

it's been replaced by a canon, love it!

one of the many sweet holiday displays

at the drake hotel in chicago

adorable advent calendar which i filled with assorted chocolates

merry christmas

mistletoe

holiday baked goods:

almond biscottis

mocha log cakes

almond and pistachio nougat

2011 christmas tree

bob and i and a pixie

nico et belle

me and kuya dohn

niece sophie and nephew jack

on christmas eve at lolo & lola's home

a cute moment on christmas morning.

my husband discovered his childhood toys

in his old bedroom and began to play with them

new year's sunny day

homemade doughnuts. delightful!

updated french specs in saint james ne de la mer

winter's light snow fall on lavender hill

a drive by the river and the woods
meet my new cutie-pie: ben-the-fiat

(we had to say goodbye to bertha-the-rover)

cooked my first paella

baked my first tarte tatin

one of many thoughtful greetings and treats

i received while i was off recuperating...

nested here for two weeks

recycled anthropologie catalog...

...new book cover for my bible

surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and i will dwell in the house of the lord forever.
psalm 23:6

Rising Sun

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

C. S. Lewis

Wheat Field with Rising Sun

Vincent van Gogh

Write God's love on your heart

As I began to look at the remaining days of this month (to see when I can get around to writing that winter newsletter), it dawned on me that the winter season ended yesterday! Today is officially spring and indeed the rain came to announce it. Here's to God's promise of renewal, here's to God's invitation of Him into our hearts, here's to a life-- beautiful, abound in His love.

Wait on the Lord:

be of good courage,

and he shall strengthen

thine heart: wait, I say,

on the Lord.

Psalm: 27:14

In Steinbeck Country

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike.

And all plans, safeguards, policies and coercion are fruitless.

We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us."

- John Steinbeck

And we arrived in the land of poets and writers.

February 19, 2011

Tor House

"Look how noble the world is, the lonely-flowing waters, the secret-keeping stones, the flowing sky." - Robinson Jeffers

We were not at all familiar with this great American West Coast poet until we stumbled upon his enchanting home he named, Tor House. Historically preserved by the Tor House Foundation founded by Ansel Adams, walking through the house and the land brings anyone who stops here to the simple life of bygone times. We were informed that Robinson Jeffers planted some two thousand cypress and eucalyptus trees here in Camel. They are everywhere and still stand strong in the Pacific Coast. There's truly poetry in every tree here.

For Una - By Robinson Jeffers

I built her a tower when I was young--

Sometime she will die--

I built it with my hands, I hung

Stones in the sky.

Old but still strong I climb the stone--

Sometime she will die--

Climb the steep rough steps alone,

And weep in the sky.

Never weep, never weep...

To-night, dear,

Let's forget all that, that and the war,

And enisle ourselves a little beyond time,

You with the Irish whiskey, I with red wine

While the stars go over the sleepless ocean,

And sometime after midnight I'll pluck you a wreath

Of chosen ones; we'll talk about love and death,

Rock-solid themes, old and deep as the sea,

Admit nothing more timely, nothing less real

While the stars go over the timeless ocean,

And when they vanish we'll have spent the night well.

This house was built in 1919. The grey door to the left is the entrance to the main house. Once we entered the home we discovered the most memorable and breathtaking view. The living room displayed a sitting window overlooking the pacific ocean. Appearing a bit foggy from its old age, the french window pane is like a canvas with the most awe-inspiring painting of the ever changing sky and sea. There was but a small plot of land which was the back yard that separated this enchanting house to the water's edge. Oh, but there's more...

The later addition to home, a formal dining room and kitchen.

The Hawk Tower, built by the poet one stone at a time.

All for the love of his life. Imagine that.

The garden behind the stone walls.

The English courtyard garden.

Cameras were not allowed on this tour, but thankfully our nice guide allowed us to take pictures outdoors. : )