A Fanciful Twist

Sweet Mornings

I love mornings.

Even on hot days.

When the sound of the cooler blows, coffee brews, bread toasts...

Fresh fruit scents waft about.

It's quiet and very sunny.

I don't drink coffee but I love the scent of Mister's morning brew.

It's hot picking flowers and rosemary.

But fresh and cool inside.

The light of summer is beautiful and bright.

Strong and light.

Setting table, breakfast times.

I love that quiet fresh morning time.

Poached eggs, fresh squeezed oranges.

Avocados + blooms.

Sitting, taking the time to look at every little petal.

Layers and pinks.

Jam jars for sipping.

Creamy poached eggs.

Raspberry jam.

Sitting extra long when Sundays roll in.

Elbows on table, no matter.

Chatting about this and that's of life with Mister.

First giant dahlia bloom.

Herbs in water.

Happy moments.

I just love the soft clanking sounds of mornings.

Mornings like these remind me of being in the dining room of a beautiful old hotel.

Much like my favorite breakfasts at Hotel del Coronado and the Hassayampa Hotel.

Love those places to pieces.

I have such fond memories of both.

Fresh mornings, silverware sounds, coffee and tea and the scent of cooking potatoes.

People seem delighted and happy.

First morning sips.

Love that time of day.

Do you?

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

ps:

It's been a crazy weekend.

1)  I got sloshed around in bed last night thinking I was going mad, only to find out we had a rare earthquake occurrence in Arizona, yikes! 

And then only to find out, maybe it's not that rare, as seen in history files.

Personally, every so often, I feel a little tremble of the ground.

I think, am I imagining things?

Hmm, seems, perhaps not?

 

2)  Watching a mama try to teach a baby owl to fly for two nights.

Baby crying crying.

Me, crying crying.

Quite big baby below.

Mama watching watching.

Hi Owlie Mama

Me hoping hoping.

And in my heart knowing....

Nature knows what it is doing.

Mama knows what she is doing.

So I left them alone quickly.

Please fly baby owl, please!!!

Good baby owl info. here.

 

Oh my aching weekend nerves, hahaha!!

 

Faded Flowers...

The summer heat is fading and draining in its strength.

I beg the sky for monsoon rain.

My garden and I beg and long, beg and long.

There is a beauty in this rain waiting dance.

A week shuffles by in a fog of painting.

All the days flash together like one extra long day in time.

Brushes and paint...

And sleeping with paint on fingers and toes.

Trying to stay cool amongst intense heat.

Painting away.

Where studio and bedroom overlap.

Breaks are for playing little chords.

Picking faded zinnias to place here and there.

And pinning all manner of little treasures to a nonsense board.

Spools and ribbons for inspiration + mending.

And books stacked so precariously, they nearly always topple over lately.

Begging to be rearranged.

But every time I start to do that I am distracted by some found sheet music.

Antique flowers float about.

As collections grow.

And somehow, magically...

Little pink roses survive the heat.

Like their friends, the zinnias.

Who you can always count on to hang on for dear life.

Whilst other creatures nap in cool rooms on crisp clean sheets and pillowcases.

Ain't that the life?

 

It's hot.

Hot I tell ya.

You know the feeling when you open the oven to check your baking goods?

That is how it feels when you open the front door and go outside.

A blast of scorching heat.

I have a love hate relationship with it.

If I want to run in my hose, I love it.

If I have to go out into the world on a 113' day, not so much love there.

 

But it's dry heat, so it doesn't feel terribly horrible.

 

If you have never experienced such heat, you might be shocked.

 

Thank goodness for cool a/c air and water.

 

What is the weather doing where you are?

 

I adore weather.

I can't wait for ridiculous winds and downpours of rain.

I will be out there in it, waiting, running around in it more than happily.

As always.

 

Looove, V

 

Happy Weekend!!

 

 

 

 

ps:  Remember that silly monsoon mermaid video I made?

I love that rain!!

Green Days

Green is everywhere.

All shades and textures.

With pops of color here and there.

I am finishing up some paintings.

They are so dear to me.

They are happy paintings.

From such delightful fairy tale lovely day places in my heart.

Early morning walks show a little pop of party color in the veggie garden out back.

Wild zinnias are growing everywhere in there.

Yay!

I am also tending girl to all manner of succulents and cacti.

Pumpkin blossoms.

The other day I had this flash spark memory of pumpkins and early autumn.

And I got a little flutter of butters in the belly.

Mama hummingbird always meets me for my waterings after my walk.

White hollyhocks turned up by the many.

As vines crawl up and over and under and along.

I can't wait for monsoon season to really do something.

Those big rains make everything blow up madly.

We are waiting.

Nibbling basil, picking zinnias and watching babies, of the pumpkin variety, grow.

Oh also...

Been meaning to say.

I bought a Climbing America rose bush a couple months ago.

And might I say, it is growing so fast and so beautifully.

Amazing for the first year.

I recommend it.

It has new bright coral roses everyday.

And while other rose bushes see their roses get fried at first noon sun-

The Climbing America roses last for days.

Mind you we are in a record of 30+ days of over 100' temps.

So, that says a lot about these blooms.

(I made a little metal wire enclosure so the rabbits have not been able to gobble her down)

I hope they crawl over the fence.

Where I live, since people have goats and horses and chickens (and more), most people have sturdy metal fencing like chain link or barb wire fencing still remaining, now vintage or antique even.

Well, we were going to change our front fence which is metal (we have walls on sides) to a charming wooden fence, but the honeysuckle and vintage roses blew up and are covering most of it.

Dreamy!

So, I planted that Climbing America amongst them, and now I am sooo glad we didn't put in a white wooden fence.

Because now all the plants can grow over, and have a place to climb.

Looks so pretty.

Supposedly the Climbing America will grow 15 feet wide or more.

Imagine?

 

I hope it all works out before gophers discover it.

 

Oh oh, here's something random.

A guy in a plane flying right over my house.

Miraval is right down the street from me.

Do you know Miraval?

It's a hidden spot where famous folks like to go to get away.

So we do see helicopters taking people there all the time.

But it's not every day you see a guy just cruising around in his lil' plane.

Fun!

 

 Anywhoooo, it's 7:21 a.m. and I already went for an hour walk and tended all my gardens.

Yes, I was up at 4.

It was so nice to feel cool air at that time, since days are scorching.

 

Wells, time to paint.

I will be back very soon.

Love, V

 

 

 

 

ps:  Here is some info. on that rose bush.

Little Days of This and Thats

Weekends rumble by.

Where do they go?

For all the great abundance in the garden, it really is the little nosegays that make a person happy.

Don't you think?

Little things make us take a moment to notice.

Littl things here, there and everywhere.

I spent all weekend in the studio.

Brush washing aplenty.

Tiny tiny little details here and there.

Someone who sticks very close to me always.

Under my feet as I paint.

Wanting to be with me, but left alone.

That's his way of loving.

But every so often, he just might sneak up on me looking for love.

And of course, I drop everything for a Matty hug.

Both boys follow me around like baby chicks.

Rarely are we apart.

Friends who live in Guatemala and here, always lavish us with gifts upon their return.

This time, a beautiful scarf and Guatemalan chocolates...

But not just any chocolates.

Chocolates with bits of chilis inside.

It's magic in your mouth, the explosion of not too sweet chocolate and spice.

Oh my!

Click!

Got him again.

Wild salmon dinners.

Flawless method of pan searing for 3 minutes and baking for 8, pan and everything.

Just flawless and wonderful.

The recipe/tips are here amongst these older posts.

Along with a lot of ka-ringe worthy photos I forgot I had posted of my silly self.

Hello silly me, eek, ick!

You can make most any fish with this method, it's wonderful.

Well, here we are...

Fresh new week.

I wonder what will be in store?

I have taken to waking up extra extra early for my walks.

When the air is still cool, and the sun has not yet come over the mountains.

The clouds dance in pinks and goldens.

Soo many roosters are singing and owls hooting at that time.

Not to mention the crickets.

It's perfection.

However, I am now the lady that falls asleep at 7:45 p.m.

 

I have paint waiting for me so I best skedaddle.

5 paintings at once, that's what I have going on.

Madness.

 

Loooove, V

 

See you soon!

 

What have you been up to?

I always tell you about me, but what about you?