BailiwickStudio

Today...

... I woke up to a lovely Fall morning - a brisk breeze blowing, the sky as blue as could be, and yellow leaves flinging themselves off the tree. It made me happy, because today is also my birthday. I love that I was born in Autumn!

 

The colors of Autumn sing to me - yellows and greens, violets and oranges... I don't really wear those colors, but to see them all around me puts a spring in my step and gratitude in my heart, for it means my favorite season is upon us. The birds in the trees are looking very fat as they pile on their winter undergarments, and I may soon look just like them as I pull out my favorite boots and scarves and sweaters and coats, even while hoping that summer doesn't come 'round again until next year.  I sometimes wonder how my heart would manage if I lived in, say, New Hampshire or Vermont or somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains. I'm sure it would find itself near to bursting with the color and dance of Fall.

 

Even though Autumn beauty never quite tips the scales here in California, it's really not as much about the vibrant fall foliage (which we don't see here anyway) but rather the comfort of the days to come - the chill outside and the warmth inside and all the musing and daydreaming and cozy living that goes with it.

It's exactly my cup of tea.

Go, sit upon the lofty hill,
And turn your eyes around,
Where waving woods and waters wild
Do hymn an autumn sound.
The summer sun is faint on them —
The summer flowers depart —
Sit still — as all transform’d to stone,
Except your musing heart.

Elizabeth Barret Browning

January

Here it is mid January and I'm finally stepping in to wish everyone a very happy new year! I'm not sure what has happened to me and blogging the last few months, except that I must admit to going through a dull time and having nothing to write about. Maybe I need new clothes, or perhaps a new haircolor, or even a trip to Paris! That would certainly get anyone out of the doldrums. The best thing about a new year coming around is having a new page to write on and a corner to turn - both of which are full of fresh possibilities. I'm going to take those possibilities and run with them!

I'm not one to write down resolutions because they're rarely kept past the month of January, but if by the end of the year I can look back and see

that I've kept a good balance of being productively busy and quietly still

that I've eaten a healthier diet

that my summer garden was beautifully satisfying

that there was more faith and music and gladness in my life than the year before,

that's good enough for me. Those are the general, impression type of resolutions, not said out loud but always there in spirit. The one thing I will say out loud and in writing - no more dullness! And that means I'll be around more this year.

Small Blessings

Life is full of small blessings. Yesterday for no reason I could think of I had a rather down day, but today I've been lifted up.

First, when I was walking the Corgi I found 26 cents (I always love finding money even if it's just an old penny - the older and crustier the better!). Then I went to Lowe's for a few more large stepping stones for my patio, which are usually $3.38 per stone, but today they were $2.70. Then I went to Joann's to buy a yard of linen, but I didn't have a coupon so the cashier said "oh here's one that a customer couldn't use" so I got 40% off. Then I had a craving for a decaf mocha frappucino, so I went to a Starbucks with a drive-through and when I pulled up to the window the girl told me the lady ahead of me had paid for my drink, doing her good deed for the day.

I was reminded of this verse, always a favorite of mine...

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

I hope all of you enjoy the small blessings that come your way, too!

 

Seaglass

I am completely captivated by seaglass. The colors are so me - the soft cool blues, aquas, greens, and white.

I spent many long-ago summer days walking along the rocky beaches of Catalina Island looking for seaglass. You hardly ever see any on the mainland beaches anymore.

Sometimes I feel like a piece of seaglass - tumbling around through life. Do you ever feel like that? Some life experiences break us into pieces, and others smooth the sharp edges. Some add pitting, and others add polish. But eventually, like after about 50 years or so, we begin to get a lovely patina!

Right now I feel content with my life, but eventually another tide will come in and move me to a different shore, and I'll tumble around a bit more in the process. But like the small bits of broken glass that look so much lovelier after the tumbling has done it's work, so it is with us.

Thursday Market

With sunny weather comes all the good fruits and veggies that can be had at a Farmer's Market. Our local market is on Thursday mornings, and I wandered through with all kinds of healthy ideas running through my head.

Tonight's dinner will be breaded eggplant and roasted brussel sprouts.

and maybe asparagus too...

revved up with fresh herbs...

 

and finished with juicy nectarines for dessert.

I love the beauty of the color and pattern in the displays... 

and after shopping I can hardly wait to get home and throw some of my bounty in the blender ~

for the best summer drink ever.

I'm linking to Finding Beauty Friday today because fruits and vegetables are truly things of beauty!

Peonies

  

Oh how I love peonies! Unfortunantly I don't have any peony bushes of my own, so I buy bouquets of them at Whole Foods during the months of May and June. And then I photograph them like crazy. This latest bunch is delectable in these pale shades of pink and yellow, don't you think? I have to admit, I sure envy those of you with your very own garden peonies!

I'm linking up with Claudia at Dipity Road for Finding Beauty Friday and Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday. I hope you'll find time to visit them both!

Gather Ye Rosebuds

Around here May is the month for roses - they're in full bloom everywhere. I've been gathering some roses from an empty house down the street (I always seem to live near empty homes with beautiful but untended gardens!) since my own roses are newly planted and just beginning to bloom. That isn't really stealing, is it? No one seems to care about them except me, so I've been filling pitchers full of yellow, white, and pink roses nearly everyday. Such beauty shouldn't be allowed to wither on the branch!

I'm joining Claudia at Dipity Road for Finding Beauty Friday and Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday. Please visit them both for some inspiring posts!

The wonderful texture on the photograph came from Teresa Sheeley. I love it!

Hearts :: 8

I am so in love with the written word - or should I say lettered word. The flourishes, furbelows, and frills of fancy penmanship add an extra layer to old love letters, giving them cause to be saved and collected over and beyond the fact that they're expressions of someone's romantic heart. I wish fine penmanship was still taught in school. I think it was second grade for me when I finally got to learn how to make those fancy letters that were on the border that ran above the chalkboard in my classroom, but even then (the 60s) it wasn't a priority. There wasn't much room for one's own creative interpretation of them. But when penmanship was considered an artform, it truly was artful. I love seeing the signatures and flowing handwriting of generations past, and can't help but think how much more fulfilling it had to be when writing words to a beloved - filling the pen and tapping it against the inkwell, then creating beautiful pages that would speak as eloquently as the sentiment written on them.

Sigh. I believe we've given up a lot in the name of progress.

I'm joining Claudia at Dipity Road today for "Finding Beauty Friday".

Finding Beauty :: La Tour Eiffel

I adore the Eiffel Tower. It has the loveliest shape, and has become a symbol of Paris and all it's beauty, elegance, and romance - at least that's how I feel about it. When Gustav Eiffel began building his tower in 1887 as the entrance to the World's Fair, it was looked at as a monstrosity by many - they even circulated petitions against it. The people who lived near the Eiffel Tower could hardly wait for it's permit to expire so it could be torn down in 1909! Happily, it still stands.

I started collecting Eiffel Tower things a long, long time ago. I love old black & white photographs of it - I have a series of them down a hallway in my home but they were rather hard to photograph. And I really like the whimsical renditions of it - especially this painting by Raoul Dufy. I'm on my third print now - the sunlight fades the colors after a time. And I love these little drawings...

and this little clip...

and these silver charms...

Now if I could just see it in person again! I was 17 years old the last time I was in Paris, and I don't think I appreciated this beautiful tower nearly enough.

Today I'm joining Claudia at Dipity Road for Finding Beauty Friday and Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell. Be sure to visit both!

Finding Beauty :: Cameos

These little works of art are so beautiful! I started collecting cameos years ago, and looked for them whenever I happened into an antique store or flea market. Finding one every now and then was so much fun, but then eBay appeared and it was too easy. That's about when I stopped collecting them. Still, I keep an eye out for cameos anyway but find that they're rather expensive these days. I don't wear them, except for the little blue one on a chain - after I lost one of the most beautiful ones while wearing it I became rather nervous about losing more of them. So here they sit in this pretty little box where I'll lift the lid every so often, just to admire them.

Don't forget to visit Claudia at Dipity Road for more Finding Beauty Friday.