Inspiration

Rain is splashing in puddles on the concrete, there is a chill in the air. A new season is beginning. A leaf or two begins the subtle change from green to orange, yellow and red. It's a glorious season one I love for reflection, meditation and making improvements. Preparing to hunker down for the winter to come. Or for us in the South the promise of Winter. It is a quiet Friday and I am prone to daydreaming...the dripping rain beckons me back to the window! Browsing thru some shots of things... I derive inspiration for future projects...
This humble cottage would make a lovely vacation home in the mountains. It's definitely a fixer. It is in fact in the Smokey Mountains. Can you just hear the rain tapping on the tin roof? A couple rockers on the porch. Pure Ecstasy.

The clouds rolling over the Great Smokey Mountains...all around one is engulfed in this smokey haze...it has an ethereal feel to it.

The lines of this bench and the way it felt against my back...I could nap here. Oh yeah...Me and Moe, our feline son.

On a walk in the country at the family ponderosa...I have no idea what these are...reminded me of some alien pods........

What's not to love about this wiggly, little guy. Can you look at him and not smile for all his being so very "twee" (as my friend Dorothy would have called it) This was on the dash of my friend Kelly's car. He was rescued from a thrift shop in Florida.

Nature's beauty discarded from the sea for us to look upon and enjoy. I could sit there for hours and sift my hands through the fragments. Some shells were selected to be added to jewelry projects...nature graciously provided holes for them to be re-used as jewelry or in other art.

Kinda what today looks like, shades of gray...behave... we are not talking about my hair! This day has a reflective, meditative, silent deliciousness about it...hope you enjoy your weekend!

Sun, Sand, Sea and Tattoos!

A return to sun, sand and sea beckons me like no other place. Sorrow, grief, frustration flows away with the tide...joy, delight and awe return with the tide! Doors open enabling the sounds of the waves to rock you to a peaceful slumber. Majestic colors of Sky and Sun reflecting on water. The delightful giggling and shrieking of happy children (especially grandchildren) racing to get busy digging, building, running and splashing. A return to childlike wonderment and delight.

A bright new day filled with possibilities awakens with the glorious sunrise!!! Morning begins with a swim in the pool with very excited grandchildren! Hunter isn't still long enough to be photographed. Anna must look at and touch everything.

It's a quick shower and off to be tattooed! Henna that is, washable, safe and fun! As we rode along the boulevard enjoying the "tourists" (Jayne, a former coastal resident for 30+years, Kristi and I being South Carolinians and a couple of hours away do not consider ourselves tourists!) we spyed an accommodating location to get our tattoos...so many to choose from...hmmm...

Yes, my lower back is a might ticklish and I am concentrating on being still!

Oh My Stars and Garters! I decided on a swirly star with a curly garland as an anklet! I love it.

Several women, later in the day asked me if it hurt and I said no because it is only dye and not permanent! I am too fickle to have anything inked on me forever.

Jayne decided to have stars, moon and dragonfly a wee bit higher up the leg...

Some much needed retail therapy and silliness after a scrumptious, fine dining experience at Abuelos. Great food, wonderful atmosphere and the best service I've had in a long time! Along with fajitas and yummy chips and salsa were these delicious papas con chile' (mashed potatoes on steroids) After an attempt to sample the "hot stuff in little silver cups" I quickly downed about 5 diet cokes!!! Reminder to self...do not drink 5 diet cokes when you must use many public restrooms! Goodbyes to Kristi and Jayne, return to the condo for me! Sunday was yet another beautiful day...exhausted children and great grandma...we let them sleep in and slipped downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast. We had our own private "worship" service on the beach. We usually do not shop and go places on Sunday, that is reserved for church service and rest...however being at the beach for a limited time we took the children and the great grandma to the aquarium to view the most amazing heavenly creatures! Michelle's husband was injured on a four wheeler while racing (note.. frowning here) we decided to depart early for home.

A lovely time was had by all...to my friends enjoying shagging (dancing) at the beach have fun...I may see you gals at the "grapevine" on Friday!!!

Palms versus Pines

The pine trees in my "woods" on our property. The ones still standing after DH eradicated approximately 26 trees that he deemed too close to the house. Pine trees are known to snap, crack, split, drop limbs and so forth. They tend to be inflexible and do not always weather storms very well. Pines tend to leave a "big mess" when tossed to and fro. In defense of the pine tree, they are majestic, regal, familiar, true and evergreen. Plus the needles make great baskets!

The lovely palms of St. Augustine, Florida. Palms weather storms by bending and swaying.

The palms are graceful under the onslaught of high winds, rain, floods and the tropical storms and hurricanes rampant in coastal areas of the world.

My friend Jayne having lived on the coast most of her adult life, of course, loves palm trees! She recently posted about palm trees and we also had a discussion about trees, nature and the many, many topics we find ourselves discussing on our Saturday excursions. She mentioned that she would like " to be graceful, bending, swaying, and flexible in order to weather all the storms of my life." I frequently think about the pines in my yard and how they snap and break at the slightest provocation. How they loose their needles and do not withstand storms very well and how often I resemble the pines as I am forever loosing my needles! I have always loved palm trees from the very first vision of them as a young child moving to a new country. I relate to them being graceful, swaying and bending. The palms lift up their skirts during the storms like a true southern belle implying that whatever forces or adversity served their way will be weathered with grace, dignity and a certain aplomb! Each time I view the palms in the midst of severe storms, I think...wow...I want to bounce back intact just like that! So Jayne, thanks for the reminder! I am striving to embrace the wonderful qualities of both the palm and the pine in a healthy balance. So are you in balance...are you more palm like or more pine like?

P.S. I will be getting up close and personal with the sand, sea, and palms for an extended weekend Friday. WOOHOO...color me happy! Plus I "get to" play in the sand with my grandchildren. Jayne, hopefully Kristi, and a few others will be meeting at the beach for our henna tattoos, shopping and a glorious fun time!!!