A Fanciful Twist

Fairy Lights & Winter Nights

Oh lovely winter evenings.

The best part is plugging in the fairy lights.

I love fairy lights all times of the year.

But on these early winter nights they are extra beloved.

Just as the pink light fades to purple snow mountains...

I plug them in.

Putting on the electric kettle as beautiful winter colors dance in fluffy clouds.

I hide in here a lot these days it seems.

With faux flickering light bulbs and signs of Valentine's day.

Amor and all.

I string fairy lights here, there & everywhere.

Wonderful things on cold winter nights.

Cozy in the colorful tea nook.

Dreaming and plotting and planning fun things.

On my little wicker chair.

Lemon ginger tea.

Fresh candied orange peels.

Music, wagging tails.

Mandolin in the distance.

All is good on these loveliest winter fairy light nights.

It's been chilly, cold for us in the land of sun.

Not like you snow fairies.

But still cold at night in the mountains.

Thank goodness for my Miles cuddler to keep me warm.

Matty just cuddles in his own bed and I cover him up as he snores.

I love the Valentine vibe in the air.

Pink and red make me so happy.

I stroll around my garden pinching rosemary and lemon leaves.

They smell so good.

It's amazing how winter flowers do so well in the cold.

I hope you're staying warm out there.

I'm off to work on a new painting.

See you really soon!

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

Rainy Day Oranges

It's a rainy dark day in the desert.

I looove rainy days, they add such a different mood in the land of sun.

Time for snuggling with mystery novels.

The trees in both the city and country are full of oranges.

So many oranges I have not even made a dent.

Even though I've been using them daily.

I feel so lucky and grateful for them.

I normally have fresh orange juice everyday so this is perfect.

Just as with tomatoes and other home garden grown fruits and vegetables, there really is nothing like the sweetness and freshness of these oranges and lemons.

Even the skins are sweet.

The flavors are so robust and full when you eat homegrown goodies.

I've made my first batch of candied orange peels and they've already been gobbled up.

I know there is nothing worse than flash in photos or dark photos lit by lamps...

But, it's all we've got for today.

Lamp lit rooms.

Freshness on a grey day.

Last weekend I invented a new cookie recipe.

I also made a huge sugar mistake that made me change it even more.

Somehow I put in 4 cups of sugar instead of 1.5, haha!

I was majorly multitasking and lost track of reality.

So then I added two extra eggs and more orange juice and shaved rind.

And another cup of flour.

I saved the dough in the end and it turned out to be a good mistake.

They are super chewy days later.

The ones cooked until extra golden brown (not pictured) got super crunchy though, so there are two options.

I topped them with a lemon drizzle.

Orange and lemon sugar cookies.

I'll make them again to test and then share the recipe.

The infusement of oranges has hit the winter spot.

They make me so happy.

I always look forward to orange season in winter.

So fun.

Chomp!

Seems I'm the only one who loves this weather though.

Sulky sulky.

Although, truth be told, he's very cozy and seems happy as a lark.

So, I think he's just watching the rain fall and not sulking.

Tea and flowers, oh my.

Two of my favorite things.

Yesterday was very rainy and dark too.

I decided to deep clean & dust the house whilst binge watching The Jinx on Amazon.

(with the HBO add-on)

There's a part of me that is drawn to crime shows, I don't know why.

I have to be in the mood, but I'm sure I get it from my dad.

So of course I had to keep watching until the end as it was a documentary series.

The end was, well, it was verrrry interesting.

So I was up into the wee hours of the night.

Then somehow, I got in a bidding war for an antique painting on Ebay at midnight.

I'm not sure what's worse...

Insane late night bidding on Ebay or someone binge eating at 2 a.m. in front of the light of the fridge, haha!

Thank goodness I haven't done that since late night partying in college.

Have you done either? Do tell!

The worst part is, after I paid too much for this painting that I'm not sure I even really wanted (oops), I read some bad reviews about the seller that were hidden in there, zoikkks! Haha! I guess I deserve it. Who knows what I'll be receiving. Luckily I'm laughing about it.

We'll see next week.

Isn't it wrong that an antiques addict can be allowed to shop from her phone at any hour?!

It's not right I tell ya ;-)

Oh my, sooo funny!

Anywho, it's a lovely grey day.

Which I will revel in as 104' degree weather is not forgotten yet.

So, I'm in heaven in this grey rain.

Please sun go away for a couple more days.

Summer will be back again soon enough, so for now I enjoy.

It's perfect weather for sprinkling seeds for spring.

Which I normally do during winter rains.

I hope you are doing quite grand out there.

I need to install an app so I can chat with you via comments in an easier fashion.

I think I'll look into that today.

See you soon!

Love, V

 

 

ps:

 Here's a video of our citrus trees I had posted on Instagram last week.

Although it looks better if you view it over there.

 

pps:

The Christmas tree market is still open and they had a bunch of HUGE pumpkins for pennies.

I had to buy this gigantic Rouge Vif D'Etampes.

Aka Cinderella Pumpkin.

It weights much more than Matty (who weighs 37lbs.)

Isn't he so happy to be in the pic?

I just have to be careful because the rabbits in my garden have figured out how to eat pumpkins.

You should see them.

It's quite hilarious to watch a giant pumpkin slowly disappear.

 

Of Pink Snow Skies & Rainbow Tea Times

The most curiously beautiful days have been upon us.

With flowers and pink snow skies and rainbows, all happening at once.

I was preparing a little tea time goodness when I noticed this out the window.

I threw on my runners and hit the dirt, chasing that rainbow.

Up the big hill and then over a ridge.

Rainbow light.

Is there anything more magical?

It was spectacular.

The brightest colors I have ever seen.

It illuminated the entire area.

Cars were pulling over to gasp.

The brightness was astounding beyond words.

It was truly spectacular.

I got closer than this but those pics are a bit blurry.

I came back home in a rainbow daze and set out to make my forgotten tea.

Such beautiful days these winter days.

Aren't they?

So cozy and lovely.

One thing you will never believe is that, that rainbow was a snow rainbow.

Because at the top of the big mountains, above the rainbow, this had started happening...

And down below, in my high desert garden, I was admiring my flowers.

Snow and rainbows and poppies and snapdragons.

Swirling all at once.

I really couldn't get over it.

But it was true.

It was happening all at once.

Oh, and a big group of crows has moved into my trees.

Chatting all the live long day.

Love them.

Even though it's been sunny, it's chilly because of the snow on the mountain tops.

So I tend my garden in a sweater as I watch the snow skies turn orange and pink...

Rose gold and peach.

Then dusty pink and lavender.

All in a day, can you believe it?

But wait, as the rainbows faded and more snow turned up, the sky was doing this to the west.

Sunset.

Yes, all on the same day.

I just stood there in disbelief.

I whispered to nature, is this for real?

The beauty of it all.

Imagine, if I had been inside I would have missed it all entirely.

So glad I got to see it.

Stand in it.

It's very colorful around here these days.

Did you know that you can be busy all day doing nonsense?

I've been trying to discipline myself to work in the studio and such.

However, after a fantastical "me year" of hiking and soiree-ing...

I've learned one most important thing.

I am sooo busy.

Busy with nonsense, haha!

Oh it's grand indeed, to have the luxury to be busy with nonsense such as...

Planting flowers, chasing rainbows, climbing hills every morning, decorating, antiquing etc.

But at some point you have to say to yourself...

Get to work!!!

I am such a Pippi of the heart.

I try to exert discipline and before I know it I'm climbing a tree hanging things from it.

Oh by the way, I'm sorry I alarmed people with my last post?

I got several emails from people asking me if I was okay.

And yes, I'm grand and happy and having a ball in life.

I was just trying to convey the importance of finding things you love because life has ups and downs.

But I wasn't insinuating that something is wrong, sorry bout that.

I for one like to always have a path to the ups.

And those wonderful things that make up who you are will carry you when you are falling.

I can tell you this from experience.

And my main goal in life is to always chase happy.

I live for bliss.

I love bliss.

My sister says I'm eternally 17 years old.

Anywho, I find myself crazy happy in life at this time and I think these are good times to reflect on what brings you joy.

Just wanted to share what I have learned.

Do I make sense?

Anyhow, my problem right now is that I need some sound discipline.

I repeat myself, I know.

But then again, do we really need discipline?

:-)

I spent the weekend inventing an orange sugar cookie recipe with lemon drizzle.

Then I decided to make candied orange peels.

I made huge salads and watched movies as crazy amounts of rain fell.

Went out for sushi and looked at my dream house at an open house.

Old, charming, amazing.

The furs are cuddled at my feet right now and the mad hatter helped me turn a wine rack cabinet thingamajig into a shelving unit over the last 2 days.

So fun, I love such projects.

I'm still knitting a blanket for a Christmas gift, so maybe I should continue that tonight so I can check it off my list.

It's getting cold this week, but nothing like some of you freezing out there.

I'm just starting to float in the Valentine's day vibe.

I love the hearts and flutter of it all.

So fun and so great to have another holiday to pick you right up after Christmas, no?

I make Valentine's day a me holiday.

It's fun, I tell ya.

Try it if you haven't already.

Seems I'm just babbling now.

I best be on my way.

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

 

Loooove, V

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Days + Fresh Snapshots + Life Chatter

Oh such beautiful winter days we're having.

Sunlight and cool air.

Warm sun rays.

A few flowers bobbing around.

It's been so hard to come here because my camera has not been working.

It's given me a whole year of grief but the last few months were the worst.

My beloved professional camera who has been through so much.

Rebuilt after I dropped it.  Years of pics.

A new motherboard.

But now it has ceased to exist and a new fellah has taken its place.

Yep, new camera days are here.

So, here we go, let's see how this bad boy works.

It has me chasing sunsets...

Noticing all the different shades of green.

Looking for all different kinds of sunlight.

Paparazzi-ing the 35 little birds that live in my rose arbor.

Watching clouds and snow and...

Of course, harassing my beloved children.

Watching the little guardian.

Ears up, ready to pounce.

Little birds lined up on electrical wires.

And you can imagine my glee when the sky turns purple and neon pink.

Snap, and snap.

Fire light through bushes.

Candy sky dreams.

Moon wishes.

And garden twinkle lights.

So, here we go.

A new camera era & fresh snaps for the bloglette.

I'm iffy about change, although embracing it more as I get older.

Still, a new camera investment is always a crazy adventure.

Sooooo, it should be fun.

I'll be back to enjoying taking photos & sharing them with you.

Instagram is easy to get used to, just a phone pic and you post, voila.

You can find me there all the time.

But actually taking your camera out for picture taking is a whole different kind of experience.

Is it becoming a lost art in the age of phone pic ease?

I had forgotten how incredible it is.

So, hooray.

New camera.

The days have been so dreamy here, great weather.

Not hot, but sunny and cool.

I watched Bright Lights on HBO did you?

It was so good and heartbreaking.

Then I followed it up with Carrie Fisher's stage production of Wishful Drinking.

So good.

I was left very pensive after watching those two back to back.

(I watched them through Amazon with the HBO add on)

At how much we have to embrace and love every little morsel of life.

How fleeting it all is.

Living life as full as we can is everything.

That's why I spent a bunch of cash on winter flowers.

Hahaha!

Excuses excuses.

But really, it's true.

Find things that will bring you joy and do them.

Not to get all wacky weird, but once when I was around 18 or 19 I had my first traumatic break up where I totally lost myself. But that break up turned out to be the best thing ever ever ever because I was so sad that I was forced to get off the floor and find myself or die from pain.

And so I searched and searched.

And finally one day I asked myself, Vanessa, what would you like to do today?

What would make you happy?

And so I put canvases all over the floor of my garage and splattered paint.

I even put paint on my feet and ran all over the canvases.

Then I went to the garden center and bought tons of plants.

And thus started my journey with the healing power of the garden.

The point is, I stopped and asked myself the question.

What would you like to do today, what do you enjoy?

Not what do you want to do with your life.

But what would you like to do in this moment.

I think that's how you build a map to yourself.

You find all the things you love in life, and no matter how your world might get rocked...

You can easily go back to those things that your heart loves.

It's important to have a youness that you can turn to.

Don't you agree Eunice? ;-)

In the Words of Meryl...

"As my friend, the dear departed Princess Leia, said to me once,

'Take your broken heart, make it into art.' "

Hear Hear!

Heart art for always I say.

Broken or not.

For a healthy heart, make art!!

That's my newly, just now invented, motto.

Insert copyright, haha!

Wanna join me?

I'm gonna write it on my wall asap.

Ok so, have a fabbbb day!

And now I can be back sooner since I have a new partner in crime.

A dandy lil' photograph snapper to help document my adventures.

Yay!

 

Looove, V