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?

 

 

Nanny Buttoncap ♥

Into the world of Nanny Buttoncap...

One of the bestest of all worlds, me thinks.

What's going on in there?

Ruffles and fur a plenty.

Tenderest, kindest heart you will ever ever ever meet.

Most biggest love of all times.

Accepts kisses and hugs, and roll on the floor cuddles from all.

Fills every part full to bursting of your childhood heart.

(and your unwillingly-grown-up-girl heart too)

Tales and dress-up and treats and wonderfulest times of everness.

What would I do without my Nanny Buttoncap?

All those endless hours of cuddling and tale telling?

Except, don't tell her/him I told you.

But...

She (he) always falls asleep when story times are happening.

Snores.

Hugest fluffy tale love.

Oops, nap-time is over.

Lost a bonnet?

Nanny has to go.

On the way out, giving lots of high fives for good times had.

And, he's off.

Back to his King Miles of the Santa Catalina's self.

Secretly...

He'll  always be my Nanny Buttoncap of the heart.

I have 3 great loves under my roof.

All loved equally but oh so differently.

One is fun but quite ornery too, love dances about in a top hat.

The other is like a cat, leave me alone, let me love you from afar in my brown fur.

But don't come near me or bother me because I don't like it.

And the 3rd.

So easy to love, with love flooding out like puffs of clouds that take your breath away and steal your heart in one fell swoop.

If you are not careful, you might do the most awful thing and accidentally pick favorites.

Because this love is like angel love, pure and fluttering and soft and endless.

Gasp, sigh, gasp.

 

Almost wants to make you jump on a couch and proclaim your love if you aren't careful.

 

Don't worry.

I am fully aware there is this space where young woman/girl dressing up dog is funny and sweet, then sort of morphs into crazy whacked out dog lady who needs help.

 

But I don't care.

I am blinded by mad love you see.

 

And, don't they say that being in love is the one socially acceptable form of insanity?

 

So, I'm in love.

 

Aka, accepatably nuts.

 

What about you?

Who are you acceptably fruit looped cray cray for?

 

I need names and nicknames.

 

Anyone got a floofloosweetiefrooliemickwootzycoo?

I mean, a furling love, or two or three?

Who stole your heart?

Tell me, tell me, tell me...

 

 

Looove, V

 

 

ps:

 

Some things never change.

 Oh swooooon, I love looking at this old post.

 

pss: 

Once I was watching this show where this guy had bunches of goats.

He loved them so much, that as he was being interviewed about them he started choking up and sobbing.

Sobbing over his love for them.

And he eeked out through sobs, "I am so sorry, I just love them so much."

You know what?

I totally get it.

:-)

Love your goats sir, don't be ashamed.

 

(oh, found an article here, that mentions the goat loving man)

Dreams of Alice

Dreams of Alice...

Waft in through thickest rain clouds...

Clouds dusted with pink sun hues hiding from behind.

A cool breeze and rain drops tease a parched earth.

Leading me on an early morning journey.

Through dark corridors, where words are scribbled from a feather tip, onto parchment.

Tales and stories that capture all.

Grey light diffused through wavy old windows.

Candlelight.

Curious mirrors beckoning you, promising safe passage.

Secret doors and nooks and crannies.

All there for the taking.

Endless flights of imagination.

If you dare.

Alice lives within all and everyone.

Those who travel into her tales.

Those who long for such adventures.

Curious happenings of the most wonderland variety.

Tiny tea and chats with bunny.

Growing tall, then very small.

I dream of times gone by.

Long long agos.

Which these very moments will be one day too.

Writing letters.

Jotting down dream stories.

Stories that are lost at first gasp of air from deep sleep.

Lost if you do not capture them quickly as can be.

Thank goodness he captured Alice's adventures perfectly.

Thank you Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.

Aka, Lewis Carroll.

What a great gift he bestowed unto all.

An endless expanding and wonderland gift.

So that today we can still celebrate.

Plotting and planning away.

Our own way of becoming a part of those mad tea party ways.

He was so taken by her.

Wasn't he?

That Alice girl who inspired such journeys?

If you are a wandering dreamer...

Much like me -

Which I dare guess that you are...?

Then, the gift is infinite because if we wish just so, we can go there too.

To that place where mushrooms grow and grow.

And cats with biggest grins chatter like mad and grin beyond glad.

 

The first copy...

Of what he planned, for you and you and you and me.

Lots of good this and that's hidden in this little book.

Perfect for inspiring me to hide.

In a secret little writing nook.

Sending snail mail letters to friends far away.

Artists and imaginarians I know so well.

Lovers of fur children and friends telling tales to littles.

 

A book, a written letter, a written tale.

The page.

The page that brought us oh so much and more.

 

Do you have a favorite happening from Wonderland?

 Tumbling Tumbling...

Down that rabbit hole?

 

One of the greatest gifts of all.

 

Don't you think?

 

Are you prepping and looking for mad tea party inspiration?

I am.

I am in a dream day, of places far away.

You?

 

Off I run for now.

See you sooooon!

 

Looooove, V

 

 

 

ps:  My sister gave me the most hugest feather headband ever.

She didn't want it anymore, so I gladly took off with it.

I seem to want to wear it everyday.

It makes me so happy when I catch a glimpse in a mirror and I have this giant thing on my head.

Sometimes I forget I am wearing it, so I am shocked at first.

Then I laugh.

Makes me want to purchase all matter of most giant head gear.

Hats included.

I am sure I must look mad in it.

But, isn't it just perfect for a wild and kookie tea party???

 

Taste of Summer...

Summer is seeping in.

5 days until summer solstice...

And we have already had temps in the 100's for weeks.

Toasty skin, sun bleached hair, summer swollen gardening hands, hot wind, clouds teasing monsoon season down pours, dreaming of rain on sun parched earth.

Basil.

Endless beautiful summer scent of basil.

Popping tops off babies so they grow taller and taller.

All grown from seeds of last year's basil, which I broke open in winter and worked into the earth.

Bees buzz around, spreading pollen here and there.

Bringing us first sight of pumpkin babies 2014.

Tiny and others growing.

Giant tufts of flowering leeks.

If you cut the tops off of basil when you notice it wants to flower, you will get bigger and heartier plants through summer, until extra brisk autumn nights show up.

Dirty garden hands are the best tool.

The first taste of basil.

Summer in a leaf.

I spend my morning squatting around the garden, weeding and pruning and gathering.

I always get snuggled during those moments.

Snuggle us up when you are perched in an odd balance, please.

Love them so.

All clothes guaranteed to come with paint in this house.

Rinsing giant strawberries.

Birthday's of Mad Hatters morphing with Father's day.

Which means treats all weekend.

Friends and food.

Road trips.

Antiquing.

And...

Endless mimosas.

Champagne + orange juice.

Our first taste of my summer chicken salad came yesterday.

I make it several times during summer.

It is sooooo good.

And easy too.

And healthy to boot.

You can also double, triple or quadruple my invented recipe if you need it for a gathering etc.

Good for 4th of July too.

Here's how i make it...

 

Summer Salad Recipe

I start with 4-5 boneless skinless large chicken breasts.

(omit meat if you'd like to make it vegetarian, and use less dressing when you drizzle at the end)

I plop the raw chicken into a bowl with olive oil drizzled on each piece, salt and garlic powder.

Coat all pieces well and let sit for an hour (less if you are in a hurry).

Then grill and after fully cooked, let sit and cool for 1 hour or 2.

(again, if in a hurry just let sit 15-30 minutes)

Then shred and pop into a large bowl.

Also into the bowl of chicken goes half a small sweet onion finely diced.

4 diced avocados.

1 large diced mango.

1 larged diced red bell pepper.

One can sweet corn.

One can black beans rinsed and drained.

The juice of both half a lemon and half a lime.

The grated rind of half a lemon and half a lime.

Then drizzle with 3/4 cup sweet vinaigrette.

 

Vinaigrette dressing that is beyond yumm!

I make my own invention, for this dish I use 1/2 cup red wine vinegar.

A little under half a cup of good olive oil.

3 tablespoons of sugar, plus salt and garlic powder to taste.

Whisk until sugar has dissolved.

Then pour over chicken salad and toss until fully incorporated.

Yummmm!

It's sooo good.

 

Lasts a couple days perfectly well in fridge.

You can use a rotisserie chicken but grilled chicken makes all the difference in the taste of summer.

 

And then of course...

The pesto turns up.

I don't measure.

A couple cloves of garlic, the juice of 1 or 2 lemons, 2-3 cups fresh basil, handful grated parmesan cheese, olive oil and a handful of pine nuts or walnuts.

(sometimes I do no nuts)

A little salt if need be, but parm is salty so wait until end to determine.

Pop into a food processor...

Yummmm!!!

Pesto means summer is here.

Basil times upon us majorly.

That makes me sooooo happy!!

 I love these times even though it's so hot.

It's fun too.

 

The gophers are being extra rotten.

They ate all the roots of one of my roses bushes, until it fell over before my eyes, dead.

I was so upset that I couldn't even react.

They are also everywhere in my veggie garden.

The rabbits are eating the pumpkin vines.

And the rodents are eating all the zinnias.

It's in the height of heat before monsoon season comes, that all the wild animals go crazy, and turn up to really cause havoc in my garden.

I feel for them so.

I really do.

The desert is a tough place for animals.

But I feel for years of hard work for the garden too.

 

I guess, you win some you lose some.

You have to take that attitude around here.

 

Our friends from Napa garden in huge tall above ground planters they built.

And have inspired me greatly to do the same.

 

Now I just have to get a certain someone to build then for me ;)

 

But imagine? 

The dream of not having to squat or kneel around for hours?

I am dreaming!!!

And no gophers or critters to get in and ruin?

Dreamy!

 

We have been ever sooooo busy.

Going places, hosting folks.

 

One of my fave times of the day is walking for an hour to good music every morning at 5:30/6 a.m.

It's such a great escape.

And bonus, it lets me really delve into music.

Also lets me listen to new music.

I love knowing what's happening in the music world.

 

Soooo, that's what I have been up to.

What about you???

 

Looove, V

 

 

 

ps:  I think I really better start planning my mad tea party instead of playing too much ;-)

 

 

1903 + Random Things

In the sunflower garden with granny...

Isn't that just wonderful?

Something I picked up on my antiqueventure with little brother.

This is a bit of a tester post.

Something weird happened to my phone line and it got crossed with other lines.

So, all sorts of weirdness is going on which is now also affecting my internet.

Therefore, I have not been able to post for a couple of days.

Hope this one holds, eeeks!

The shasta daisies are turning up in the same place they do year after year.

Even a couple cosmos are peeking in.

It is sooooo hot.

I am not complaining, just saying.

I don't know how the hydrangeas are surviving.

Although they do get wilty if I don't give them a drink twice a day.

So, I got a few treasures the other day.

Some I am saving for MTP.

However, I did pick up a baggie of photos for 5 bucks.

It makes me so sad to see photos discarded, so I try to save them all the time.

These are just wonderful.

I can tell they are mostly from the same family, as there are recurring people.

Many of the photos say 1903 on the back.

Do some people just not value family photos?

I know sometimes they get lost in twists of life and such.

But, I guess also, there are people who don't care to hold on to such things?

Henrietta.

One of my most favorite names.

Maybe I should name this horned toad Henrietta?

We have a little family that has lived in our garden for years.

I love seeing the tiny babies scurry around.

But this one here is a biggie.

They shoot blood out of their eyes when they are being attacked or feeling defensive.

Cool eh?

(by the by, I just got a call from my good friend Dick, who told me that actually, they don't shoot the blood out of their eyes, but from a duct between their eyes on their forehead.  Also, he said that for 50 years he has loved on horned toad lizards and never been shot with the blood.  He said you can put them to sleep by petting them gently from head to back.  But Miles got shot with blood when he was a pup who tried to catch one.  So maybe they only do it when they are really feeling attacked?  So, there you go, some more horned lizard trivia ;)  Thank you for the tips Dick!  Oh and please don't play with lizards unless you know for sure they are harmless, k?)

The skies have been beyond.

Just beyond.

Don't you just marvel at the happenings of the sky?

It never ceases to amaze me.

As cliche' as that sounds.

See the big forearm and hand reaching through the clouds below?

Well, dad's day is around the corner.

Sometimes I feel like we are the last species to figure out that it's super fab for dads to care for their kids and handle duties thought only for moms.

Waaay up in the big pecan tree, by the gigantic flowering yucca, all sorts of dad and kid stuff goes on every day.

Spy them there?

Baby cardinals have been born in the tree.

And guess who they rely on?

Yep...

It's dad, dad who brings them food.

Good ole dad!!!

Dads are lovely.

Feed me, feed me!

Isn't it hard to figure out what to do for dads?

It's like, there are only so many socks you can give a man, ya know?

Oh, here is something random.

One of my fave times of the day is when I sit down for a few minutes to enjoy fresh squeezed orange juice and book pages.

Fresh orange juice makes me feel soooo good.

Especially if I am feeling a little tired, it just picks me right up.

I highly recommend it.

We buy lots of oranges every week, yumm.

The veggie garden is growing and I am weeding and thinning a whoooole lot.

Munching as I go.

Well, here goes nothing....

Let's hope I can post this.

And I also hope to one day be able to use my house phone again.

Hearing other people's conversations and massive crackling is wild.

When Mister tries to call me from town/work/grocery shopping, the phone says, please enter code.

As though I have a voice mail box or something?

And when I try to answer a call, it keeps ringing in this sinister ring.

Weeeeirdness!!

 

All 1st world problems of course, but I find it sort of amusing too.

 

Too bad I am not hearing any curious conversations on my crossed line.

Haha!

 

Has that ever happened to you?

Heard anything interesting on crossed phone lines?

 

Well, they will try to fix it for the 3rd time tomorrow.

So hopefully I will be back very sooooon!!

 

Looove, V

 

 

 

 

Vintagey

I can hardly type because...

I am on my way to go treasure hunting with my little brother.

And I am too excited.

It's amazing how when I look around almost everything I own is vintage or antique.

Old things all around me.

I love old things.

Tattered things.

Worn things.

Fraying, peeling, chipping things.

Things with stories and history.

Which is odd since I was raised in a house of newness and didn't even know the first thing about thrift stores until I was 17.

It was like, discovering pirate treasure.

That's when the collecting started.

Even my old piano, is well, old.

My piano tuner looks at it and wonders why I don't have a brand new Yamaha or something.

But I can't.

It's the tales within the tales, within the tunes of the keys...

That help me compose little this and that's of the heart.

In fact, Mister and I worked on some of my lil' creations this weekend.

Since he plays upright bass in his band, I wanted him to come up with a fun lil' bass line for me.

(he can play all instruments, wish I could)

He played around, I pumped the pedal.

We played together.

We do duets from time to time.

Even at a few parties.

Hire us.

Just kidding.

No really, just kidding.

I mean, just kidding about the hire us part.

I would be mortified to have to play.

I practically passed out from nerves doing piano recitals as a kid.

But if you did have a piano, and we were there, you might get a wacky dueted Heart and Soul out of us.

 

I jot down lyrics here and there.

I am not a fab singer but I LOVE to sing.

And I do make wishes for a good singing voice on falling stars all the time.

But I will say this, I can give you a stellar Disney Snow White any day ;-)

Haha!

 

 

(My sister warned me that my skin was getting quite toasty from being outside so much, but I didn't notice until I took these pics)

 

I love treasure hunting, you?

It inspires my art and my piano.

All of it.

I tack it up everywhere.

 

 

Vintage bits that is.

Here and there and everywhere.

I do have to lift this guy's spirits everyday.

Even my beloved old little sewing kit is pinned on the wall.

If it makes me feel like a forever youngster trapped inside of a fairy tale snow globe, then it comes home with me.

The phrase I hate the most...

Boy, you have sooooo much stuff.

Bah humbug.

:-)

I played a lot in jewels this weekend.

I am toying with the idea of making something with my piece of giant crystal quartz.

If I could ever bear to part with it.

I am inspired by crystals too.

You?

I think they are so special.

And, sometimes...

If the mood is right.

And the prisms are shining just so.

We might be lucky enough to catch a sonic wave...

That turns up in a way that looks a bit like this.

And those are the amazing moments I love.

Sound waves morphing into tales.

Stories.

Some light hearted, some tear jerkers.

All welcome.

 

Mister Lovee gets old instruments in the mail alllll the time.

Or comes home with them after visiting old music shops or thrift stores.

Accordions, horns, guitars guitars guitars.

 

Music is beyond words, isn't it?

If you think about it.

All these sounds.

Invented sounds, instruments made to capture sound.

And all those sounds create emotion and vibes and feelings.

It's unreal.

Now that is real magic.

Of the truest form.

 

Do you play anything?

In your deepest dreams, what instrument do you play?

Or better yet, what instrument are you?

 

Off I go for now, an antique store awaits me!!

Loooove, V

 

 

 

 

Gloves & Books & Pretty Things

Today I put on some classical music, and dove into treasures.

If we were attending a real mad tea, and had to meet up in big hats and such, what ever would you wear?

I got out a few gloves.

I still have so much of my stuff in boxes from years ago, when I moved to the country house full time.

Isn't that appalling?

But I do have a few pretties at the ready.

Then I re-found my antique, supple as babies skin, white leather gloves.

We tried on bonnets and lace.

Some books for good measure.

Even the little bear is excited to dress up for tea.

I so love that bear.

Mister Lovee gave her to me on one of our first road trip dates.

She opted for a mask today.

Where ever would I go in these gloves today I ask?

They are so much fun to put on.

As I collect bits and bobs.

Mending this and that.

Boys napping under toadstools.

Playing with jewels.

I am so obsessed with scale stands that you can find and estate shops, missing the scales.

Mainly because if they are missing the scales and crystals I use them to hang all sorts of things on.

I used one here, to hang keys and teacups from.

I needed a fun centerpiece so I threw it together on a whim.

Mostly I heap necklaces on them.

Or, I use the spots where crystals should hang for earrings.

I buy one every time I see them, so I have a little collection.

They are so darn handy I tell ya.

Miss Witchie is soooo excited.

My sister is afraid of her.

She says every scary movie begins with a doll as such.

But I trust Witch.

Although, I do chase my sister around holding her and cackling.

But honestly, she is a dear.

Harmless little Witchcake.

I do sound certifiably mad don't I?

Well, we all need a little madness in our lives from time to time, me thinks.

I changed up the paper dress I made, more to suit my style.

The more jewels and flowers, the merrier, I say ;-)

Tales of making her here.

I collect bee pins and brooches, so I used some of my favorite jade bees.

Of course, no day of baubles and frocks is complete without a drift through stacks of books.

A few years ago I was gifted this Beatrix Potter book.

It's delightful.

I do enjoy it so.

It's a treat, and quite amusing.

Even for a girl who prefers old books, it's lovely all the same.

Filled with old letters and details that are wonderful to look at.

This is what the overview at Barnes and Noble says about the book...

"This lavish, illustrated journal describes Beatrix Potter's life as a young woman in Victorian England as she struggles to achieve independence and to find artistic success and romantic love. Using witty, observant commentary taken from Beatrix's own diaries, the journal features a wealth of watercolor paintings, sketches, photographs, letters and period memorabilia to recreate the world in which she lived."

The book is especially fun because letters open up, and photo books open up inside the main book.

Very interactive.

I have had it for years and still enjoy it, finding new little tid-bits here and there.

(never mind my nail polish, I picked it off from overwhelmingness watching an intense movie)

Why it inspires my tea party mood, I don't know?

But it does.

The overall feel of magic I suppose?

Beatrix and her Benjamin!

Ahh, dream times.

Love them so.

I am excited for the mad tea party, are you?

It's quite hot here.

You would melt if you are not a heat lover.

But it's dry heat, zero humidity until monsoon season.

Last night it was very cool at 9 p.m., surprisingly.

We sat outside and it was delightful.

My sister and I used her Ipad app for looking at constellations.

It was fascinating.

You point your Ipad at the sky and it shows you what you are looking at.

The stars are so big and clear here it's amazing really.

I am always amazed by those stars up there.

And it's easy to spot things like the big and little dipper.

But seeing all the others because of the app was awesome.

 

My extra plump garden rat, Ratty, is terrorizing my garden still.

I think he needs a little suit.

If I capture him, it's dress up times, so he best pack his suitcase and move on.

:-)

 

Love, V

 

 

 

ps:  There are so many bird babies in my garden.

Two big baby hawks were learning to fly this morning.

They were all chatter until their huge mom scurried them back up into a massive tree across the wash way out back.

Quail babies shuffle along with their parents and auntie all day.

So quickly that I can't even focus fast enough to photograph them.

There were about 10 babies to begin, and now there are two.

The remaining two are growing so fast.

I love how they stick together.

The male is the smaller one with markings on his face.

The females are larger with solid dark faces.

So I am sure it is mom, dad, auntie and two kids.

They live in a small wood pile behind the veggie garden.

So sweet!