A Fanciful Twist

A Garden Fairy Tale {Of the Alice in Wonderland Variety}

The most unexpected little adventure took place in the monsoon garden today.

And because we celebrate Alice every summer and have for over 15 years -

I only thought it proper to invite you to the tiniest little tea party that happened absolutely serendipitously.

The summer garden was full of blossoms and sunshine, until...

Monsoon rainstorms happened every single day, preventing a proper garden party.

Or did they?

You see, one never fully knows exactly what goes on deep in the secret fairy tale garden.

The rain came every day for weeks, making the garden so full and lush, a human sized person could hardly enter.

But that doesn't mean that a bevy of other curious characters are not clinking teacups.

And wouldn't you know, that is exactly what Alice came across whilst doing her garden duties.

This is where a regular day became positively fairy tale.

Do you believe in fairies?

Alice had been working ever so feverishly, in the kind of hot sun that turns into torrential afternoon rainstorms.

In that time where heat builds up, leading to rain, one could nearly faint from the heat and humidity.

And so, Alice decided to do her garden rounds on her little pink vespa.

However, on this one day, she found herself terribly faint in the heat.

And so, when she came upon a little bottle that said "drink me," she simply could not resist.

All at once, you know exactly what happened...

She turned very small, as did her motorbike.

The path became lined in stardust that whispered a beautiful little tune.

The toadstools grew incredibly tall and huge, which were quite difficult to navigate around.

And so, she toppled over, and after standing up to dust herself off she realized things were becoming curiouser and curiouser indeed!

There was a huge book, just sitting on the garden floor.

Of course, the book was probably not that big at all, but seeing as how she was now so very small...

And when she peeked into the pages, they made the most magical twinkling sounds.

Just then, she heard a very sweet little voice.

So inquisitive and slightly bothered by all of the noise and ruckus.

Excuse me, pardon me, said the little voice...

But what, pray tell, is all the noise?

And what are you doing here in my toadstool village dear girl?

Alice proceeded to explain, that she was very sorry, but she had only been working in her garden when she sipped what seemed to be a spell potion, turning her very small.

And that somehow, she became disoriented and crashed her vespa.

She explained how she then followed the stardust path, beckoning her deep into the toadstool village, in a whispered little tune.

The little pinkish rabbit stopped her there and said, no need to explain any further, I was simply trying to have a tea party.

You see, it is all set out said he, pointing to the most beautiful tea service.

"And seeing as how you are here now, and the tea party guests are about to arrive, you might as well stay."

And so, the pinkish rabbit rolled over a jar of singing stars, for Alice to use as a seat.

She felt ever so welcomed, as they sipped the most delicious tea, and nibbled on exquisite confectionary.

A storm began to roll in, and the pinkish rabbit was worried that his other guests would not show up.

And although Alice was having the very most wonderful time -

She knew she should finish her lovely treats and be on her way.

She had heard of the Mad Hatter who was always late, even though everyone thought it was the white rabbit with the time issue.

And how the caterpillar had recently turned into the most beautiful butterfly known in all the land.

And also, how the Cheshire cat had grown long beautiful fur that he adorned in gold threads.

Oh, the tales were just marvelous.

Alas, Alice knew, she had to beat the rain.

She asked the pinkish rabbit how she would ever grow tall again and make her way back to her garden.

He said, simply take another sip from the bottle.

Only, there was but a drop left, but she somehow managed to have a tiny taste.

Now be quick said the rabbit, before the rain catches you.

In fact, she backed up so quickly she crashed into a toadstool and toppled it over.

But the toadstool assured her that it was okay, and not to worry.

Off she drove, following the path of singing stardust...

She almost didn't want to leave.

But she knew, in time, she might be able to return again.

Just as the thunder clapped and the raindrops began, she turned back into a human sized girl.

The sun shone through a magical cloudy rain mist as she drove in through the rose arbor.

Just in time to have her own proper tea.

But she decided she'd keep her journey to herself.

Seeing as how, people are so judgmental these days and might not believe her.

Oh, everyone's judge and jury and has a comment to share thought Alice, as she giggled to herself.

And so, she tucked her fairy tale adventure deep inside, to bring out as a wonderful memory.

Now friends, the rain may have washed away our regular summer tea party, but never fret because there is always a tea party waiting for you deep in your imagination.

Don't forget, there is magic lurking deep in the darkest corners of the secret garden.

With tales beyond your wildest imagination.

Aren't we the lucky ones, to be able to dream and imagine? <3

 

I hope you enjoyed our secret little party.

You, of course, are always invited.

 

I will return with a basket of many more tales super soon.

 

Love, Vanessa

 

ps: Links to years of tea parties here

 

 

pps: I meant to be here sooner, but it takes me a few days to put one post together for your viewing pleasure, I hope you don't mind.

I am working feverishly to make sure that A Fanciful Twist has a new post 2-4 times a week from now on <3

 

ppps: Please bear with me as I perfect my subscription provider.

I'm doing my best not to accidentally email subscribers a whole bunch of times whilst setting this new service up properly, eeeeek :-)

 

 

Secrets of Summer Petals and Clouds

Oh summer...

I'm just getting used to you, and somehow it has become the end of August.

The garden is full to bursting from an incredible monsoon season.

Lucky for us, summer lasts until Halloween here.

But this morning, the air was distinctly different, cool with a delicious breeze.

The clouds have been otherworldly, the rain divine.

The roses decided it was time to come out from their summer slumber, because the weather was utterly sublime.

Who would want to miss that?

Mrs. Swallowtail reminded me that autumn is but a month away.

With her tattered wings, I can only wonder and imagine what she has been through during this summer two-week life of hers.

Dear little thing <3

My freshly painted cabinet and columns have become the most perfect place to dry flowers.

Although, I do leave many in the garden to admire as I stroll through.

The rain has turned the garden into an absolute jungle.

My entire childhood I had this deep fascination with Miss Havisham, in her forgotten Paradiso Perduto.

With overgrown magical gardens, a tattered mansion and all manner of cobweb covered treasures.

I think reading that novel, and visualizing all the details as a child, created this deep love for old worn and forgotten places.

I love watching all those videos on YouTube of old mansions and castles, still filled with treasures, but totally overgrown and abandoned.

I can't imagine having a place like that in my family and not racing to it.

I'll link to a YouTube channel that features these places at the end of my post.

The funny thing is, I find that the things you love and admire when you are young are somehow drawn into your life as you grow up.

And here I find myself, with my own overgrown wild garden.

Funny how that happens, isn't it?

Now, our sweet Theodore Laurence was born for the garden.

He adores everything about it and loves to nibble the non-toxic plants.

I feel he was a master gardener in his past life, because he seems to know which plants are okay.

Although, I do keep my eye on him like a hawk.

He has a great love for zinnias, giving them a tiny nibble at any chance.

Luckily, they are edible and non-toxic to him and to us.

He's quite the trooper.

I let him get as dirty as he wants because he lets me wash him off, just standing there patiently, not fighting me at all.

Then he goes to his towels and rolls around drying off.

He's so good like that, plus he's a master cuddler.

I never thought in a million years that Teddy would have such a gorgeous personality.

He has absolutely amazed me.

I really needed him to smother me with love, and boy does he ever.

And bonus, he loves the garden.

He's very interested in all the vegetables and everything I am up to.

And goodness do we have a lot of vegetables this year.

Yesterday I was walking by the butterfly bush and admiring the purple flowers with orange centers.

The colors are so deep and beautiful.

I also love admiring the sunlight going through the leaves and illuminating the veins.

Such stunning patterns, just incredible really.

I have begun pruning the garden a lot, even though it doubled in size overnight from all the rain.

I haven't had to water hardly at all for a month.

I love how last year's arugula spreads seeds that comes to life during monsoon season.

There's spicy buttery arugula growing here and there and everywhere now, I love to pick it in the evenings.

The roses also burst into the air, making their way over the chickenless chicken coop greenhouse.

It's really exciting to see how the garden transforms from season to season.

I love bringing in a few, but as I said, I also leave many outside to admire.

I have cleared this sea of zinnias path below several times.

I love that the roses are going over both twin arbors.

Almost making the curve at the top, soon they will.

One arbor is a bit farther up the hill and this one is midway down the hill.

I can see a morning glory or two have self-seeded from last year and are also winding their way up.

Can't wait for their beautiful blue trumpet flowers to emerge.

How we love to just stroll through here...

I wonder where Teddy is?

Oh there he is, always my his mum's side.

Helping me prune and harvest.

Taking large flower stems away just as quickly as I can cut them.

I hadn't checked the zucchini for a few days because we had so much of it inside...

But also, because it was raining so much, and my sister was visiting.

In that short time, they managed to grow almost the size of Teddy.

You really have to see them in person to understand the gigantic size and weight.

I know people like to harvest them young, but these don't really get woody or dry despite their size.

They're still delicioso, despite their hugeness.

There's my swallowtail friend again.

Enjoying the fruits of the garden and the gifts of the vast rain.

(New Dawn rose)

What a lovely summer indeed.

I have no real complaints thus far, as I have enjoyed every moment.

Even the ant bites, well, maybe not those.

I have started making this spicy zucchini dish that is really yummy.

The thing about zucchini is that it really absorbs flavors well.

Do you have a zucchini dish that you love?

I would really like to try other dishes, other than my 4 go to.

Grilled, sauteed, baked, zoodled.

I have ordered some garden fencing pieces to help hold up some of the flowers.

I need to do a huge pruning job as the flowers will only continue to pour in as the weather cools.

November is actually the most floriferous month in my garden.

I have enjoyed a handful of wonderful rain days pruning at the country house as well, throwing open the windows.

Listen to the tapping of those raindrops, ahh, such bliss.

The river was full and rushing, the desert is super green.

The funny thing is, so many people ask me if I'm in Ireland or where I am at.

Especially during monsoon season.

People are so surprised to hear Arizona, but I think many don't realize that Arizona has 4 vast landscapes.

Some are lower desert, some are mid then high desert, and others are evergreen forests.

I am at a higher elevation, especially at the country house.

There we are at 3100 ft., on a ridge beneath a huge mountain that is a forest at 9100 ft., called Mt. Lemmon.

So, that makes a huge difference.

Such a beautiful state, I absolutely adore Jerome and Prescott Arizona, just to name two.

So many charming little towns and places in Arizona.

Well, I must be off for now as my chores are mounting.

Hope you are doing extra well.

 

See you soon.

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

ps: Speaking of Paradiso Perduto...

Do you remember the 1998 Great Expectations movie?

I really loved it, here is a link to the trailer...

 

pps:

Here is the channel of one of the many content creators that travel to abandoned old castles and mansions all over the world

Bros Of Decay - YouTube

 

 

The Before and After of a Cabinet's Journey

For the last 5 years I have been doing a bunch of projects on a house.

A house that has become very dear to me because of how much I've done inside and outside.

It is a curious place filled with imported architectural items, secret passageways, and terraced gardens.

There are some things I will never touch with paint or a sander.

But there are others that have been beckoning me since day one.

Such as some very dark antique columns on a very dark buffet, with the most exquisite carvings.

Only they were almost impossible to see.

I'd imagine that if I did my dry brush technique, and didn't get into the grooves, that I could highlight the designs beautifully.

Perhaps in a flat chalk white?

I always wait to be certain before I implement my ideas, in this case waiting a long time.

But, seeing as how I am about to begin my 6th year here (meanwhile still having my country house as well), I have gotten a bit braver with my projects.

Case in point, what I did last week.

Ta-daaaa!

I don't know what came over me last week, but I decided that I owed these carvings a better life than they were leading.

(insert impish grin)

I knew that my tried and true dry brush, quick flick of the wrist technique, is what I would do.

Because I literally began dreaming about seeing the carvings better.

As you can see below, the carvings are really lovely.

The only reason I took so long to make this decision is because I really did like the dark wood.

I am one of those rare lovers of dark wood.

The antique columns were cut down to fit on this buffet, and I'd stand there and just admire the floral hand carved workmanship.

I knew they had been pink and lime green before because I could see flecks of paint in the grooves.

I imagine they must have been stunning, in their bright colors of India.

But they had been sanded and waxed ages ago.

Still, they'd sort of beg me for a makeover, and I'd say, I like you just the way you are.

Whenever I am going to paint or create anything I first visualize it.

The more I thought about the carvings in white, the more I knew I had to do it.

Sort of like not being able to stop pulling old puckered wallpaper off of a wall.

And so, I tested one column first, just to be sure I'd like it.

I didn't want to have any regrets.

But I loved it!

I worked fairly quickly because it was so exciting, seeing the designs reveal themselves.

The more I painted, the more beautiful it became, looking larger and grander with each swipe.

I've been doing this technique for over 2 decades, and so I felt very confident about it going okay.

I was overjoyed with the final result, more than I thought I would be.

3 coats of a dry brush technique, careful to use just enough, but not too much paint.

The details of these pieces just amaze me completely.

Here I am below, with my supervisor.

I scrubbed down the piece and then rubbed it with alcohol prior to beginning.

Because I used chalk paint, I really did not need to prime.

I just stare at the columns, and wonder how on earth they were carved so beautifully?

I can't even get over the hand carved chain detail at the top.

I used a little gold paint to lightly brush the drawer pulls.

I didn't think they needed anything more than that.

And then I picked flowers from my garden to celebrate its makeover.

The lightness of it is so refreshing in the house.

I've painted over 20 pieces of furniture and done endless projects in this house.

With each project over the years, it has come to feel like my own little pet.

Like it's a piece of me.

The chairs I reupholstered a few months ago look soooo happy next to this piece.

I will share them soon.

That was another huge project I did.

For now, I am tickled pink with how this turned out.

I knew it would be good, but I didn't know it would be soooo fresh and fabulous.

Amazing what a little white paint and patience can do.

That's really all it was, white chalk paint, and some varnish only for the top.

I'm pleasantly surprised and very satisfied with this project

Who knew it would go so well?

I surely did not.

I do not plan to paint all the antique columns around the house, because they look great with the floors as they are.

But this piece, in this nook, really popped with a little white paint.

I did about 3 coats, dry brushing in very quick flicking movements.

If I think about all the projects I have done at both of my homes, I can honestly say that those are the things that make a place really feel like home.

Several years ago I took out a whole closet in the dining room at the country house, and put a mantel and mirror in its place, with China cabinets on either side.

I also painted everything white, ceilings and walls.

That project felt like this.

Like it was "my" home, even though it already was.

The projects turn it into your baby, and it feels soooo good.

I can't wait to show you what I did to my dining chairs a few months ago.

Now that was an intense project, but this one was easy and very quick.

I love those kinds of projects.

Painless with maximum results.

You'll have to let me know what you think.

If you have anything you've been wanting to paint, I suggest you just go for it.

You will be so happy that you did, and you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

I will be beginning my 6th year of my journey with house #2 (known as Villa Fiore) soon.

Mister Lovee says I should write down every single project I've done.

Maybe I should?

I've painted nearly every piece of furniture in here, that's for certain, and mirrors.

I should have been sharing each project as I went, but I can still share some of them.

It's never too late, right?

 

I am off to kick my feet up and look at my cabinet now.

Thank you for stopping in.

I hope you are doing extra well.

 

Love, Vanessa

See you sooner than soooon!

xoxo

 

 

August's Delights

Hello Friends♡

Happy fresh new week.

I found some roses in the August garden Today.

I simply could not believe it, as some of these only bloom in spring & autumn, so I brought a few in to enjoy.

Of course, the rainy days have breathed wonderful life into the garden.

Pink petals & pink paint sure do make me happy.

Speaking of pink paint...

I decided to distress the buffet that was grey, which I then painted and enjoyed in white for a few years, which I then proceeded to paint in two shades of pink last year.

It just needed a little aging.

I also did a huuuuuge painting job (I will share in the next post) last Wednesday & Thursday.

I've been painting & upcycling furniture since my parents allowed me to paint my bedroom furniture when I was a youngster.

I find it so relaxing & enjoyable.

Anywho...

I just wanted to pop in really quickly & wish you a delightful new week. I still have a lovely houseguest & we have theater candy & popcorn & The Hobbit ready to go, so I best be quick. 

But before I go, here are some of our beautiful monsoon skies.

Fluffy clouds & rainbows galore.

Let's not forget the charming huge sunflowers popping up everywhere.

August is a wonderful month, isn't it?

The bounty of the garden is magnificent & pumpkins are inspiring me, but I already told you that in our last post.

Oh, I almost forgot to share...

The 5 a.m. moon has been huge, harvest yellow & utterly magical the last couple of mornings.

Have you seen it?

This morning the air had a crispness in it that always stirs up something in my soul.

There is definitely something good swirling around.

I've had such a wonderful few days with my sister, the boys LOVE her.

Teddy is utterly obsessed.

And Matty allowed himself to be hugged & kissed.

Completely amazing, truly.

Aunties are always so beloved, aren't they?

I am listening to my sister's needle go through the fabric in her embroidery hoop as I type.

Such a comforting feeling to have someone embroidering by your side.

We've picked flowers, made pesto and bruschetta, and had ever so many courgette dishes.

We haven't tired of them yet.

Zuchinni bread is definitely on the list next.

I pruned the garden last night & we watched the storm come in over the Santa Catalina's.

I feel so lucky to have a sister.

I better not get too sentimental.

I have been working on responding to all comments in my posts.

I have found a way to facilitate that, so I can see your comments more readily.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, it means so much to me. I read every word & it fills me with such pleasure, to have kindred friends out there like you♡

 

My sis is waiting, so off I go for now.

See you sooner than you can imagine.

 

Written with love,

Vanessa 

 

Ps: I am working on getting my subscription service up & running. I switched companies & it's a little less user friendly, but it will work soon♡

 

 

 

 

Of Fairy Tale Magic on our Shelves

Happy weekend friends.

I have a little visitor in my home this weekend...

Speaking of visiters vs. visitors.

I've decided to come over to have a cup of tea with you before rushing off to do all the sort of fun things one does with a guest.

As we sip our tea, and I enjoy my daily shelves, I got to thinking about the things we put on our shelves.

About how "styling a shelf" is the thing of the day.

I do admire a beautifully styled shelfie, don't you?

The thing of it is, in my home, I like to simply place my favorite curiosities around so I can enjoy them.

Leaning more towards enjoyment than styling, you know what I mean?

I don't know if this happens to you, but I found that actually styling a shelfie in a home decor sense was not only sort of difficult, but it left me feeling less than fulfilled by the shelves I look at every day.

These shelves are in front of my bed, and I want to really enjoy what I see.

And so, I set out to figure out what my styling of a shelfie would really be like.

I find that I more enjoy filling my shelves with little faces and treasures that I adore.

More than that, I love them placed in no particularly fancy order-

But more in an appealing to me sort of fashion.

I especially love the bunnies by artist Sarah Blank.

I love to collect very old things, and so I find that the enjoying of them is key.

Tucking this and that, into here and there, makes me happy.

I love things like old books, antique China dolls, dried flowers, ribbons and thread...

And so, I gather them together in one place to enjoy.

I am not a "one pot on a shelf" kind of gal.

Although I do admire such style.

I tend to be more of a gatherer of the treasures of my childlike heart kind of girl.

And if you are to enjoy your little collections, why not place them about in a way that brings you joy?

So that you are better able to enjoy your bits and bobs.

I think that if you place your items in a way that is joyful to you, in the end you will find that your shelves are quite charming.

That they feel like something you love to look at.

All I need now are a few tiny vases of garden findings for my day.

I tiptoe into the early morning garden to pick some flowers...

And I am greeted by dozens of hummingbird moths helping to pollinate the pumpkin babes.

Such joy when summer begins to meet the autumn garden babies.

In other news...

I've also been putting the finishing touches on some paintings now that I can paint again.

I've had a repetitive motion wrist and thumb tendon injury for 3 months and it's still healing, but I can move it enough to paint again.

Hooooray!

Well, I best be on my way.

My sister is my houseguest, and we are having a ball.

I decorated the dollhouse guest room in Halloween motif, because we both love the holiday and wanted to get into the fun of it all.

So, I thought, I'll just go bonkers in this room, making it super halloweenified.

She walked in and screamed Halloweeeeeen!

She was so surprised and overjoyed.

We both were on the fence of whether to plunge or not in August, alas, I made the final decision on that.

So, it seems I've dunked us both into pumpkin spice tea without warning, haha!

I hope you are having a delightful weekend, and I will be back really soon.

Sooner than you can imagine <3

 

Lots of love, 

 

Vanessa (insert cackle)

;-)

 

 

Join us for Early Morning Delights...

Hello friends <3

I thought you might like to join us in our daily morning adventures.

We begin by flipping the lights on in the kitchen and grabbing a basket to gather garden findings.

We are sort of drowning in a couple of types of courgettes right now, aka zucchini.

But they're super delicious and versatile, so I suppose that's a good problem to have.

Entering the summer garden early in the morning imparts a kind of magic that one can not even describe.

I suppose it has a sort of fairy tale quality.

I am always utterly amazed that nature creates such vast beauty.

My amazement is renewed every single day, and it never fades.

Our monsoon season has been so wonderful this year.

The rain has blown up the garden and has it looking so very healthy.

In fact, as we step outside this morning there is an ethereal mist and the softest droplets.

I had to stop and gasp for a second, it was almost like there was a cloud floating through the garden.

There could not have been a more perfect mood to welcome all the little baby pumpkins.

Then the sun slightly peeked out from behind a cloud and illuminated the water droplets enough to make it look like it was sparkling with fairy dust.

Matty takes his post in one corner of the garden and looks out the fence into the desert, protecting us of course.

Meanwhile Teddy is into everything.

He sniffs, rolls, hunts for sticks, pulls apart planters.

Then shows up with his innocent face, with a little explosion of everything he got into behind him.

He's so much fun, I love my boys sooo much.

I feel like I have known Teddy for years, he has really blown my mind with his beautiful personality and cuddly demeanor.

He has such a strong character and presence, I never expected he would be like this.

I am pleasantly surprised.

And so, we all do our thing in the garden.

The bees are hard at work, and I am utterly thankful to them.

I bought matching arbors a few years ago and painted them in sea glass chalk paint.

There is a rolling hill in my garden, so one arbor is down the path a bit from the other.

Teddy's favorite spot is on the other side of this arbor below, to the left, on a patch of verbena that self-seeded there.

I should also mention that all of the zinnias in my garden self-seeded from last year's blooms.

I didn't plant any zinnia seeds, pretty magical of them to show up like this.

I did however plant a few sunflower seeds.

I love seeing them towering around the garden, happy and sunshiny.

Yesterday I spotted some twin fairy tale pumpkins on the vine.

I can't wait to see if they make it.

I also had a conjoined zinnia this year.

I guess it's the year of the garden twins.

I love collecting bits and bobs from the garden and bringing them inside.

I tuck them everywhere, and dry a lot of herbs, which I tie up and hang.

The kitchen has such a beautiful fresh smell when the herbs are drying.

Makes my heart sing.

I've been pretty good about pruning zinnias, because the more you prune, the more you get.

Today is a good day to bring in a huuuuuge zinnia arrangement.

The bees are making me so happy, tucked deep into the pumpkins.

You know that when the bees are hanging out in there, your pumpkins will likely take.

All the pollen loving bugs help pollinate of course, even the ants.

But there's nothing quite like what the bees can accomplish.

The paths are becoming so full, but Teddy just pushes his way through.

He really LOVES the garden.

He sniffs every single flower and takes a huge interest in every aspect.

Especially the watering one, haha!

There he is hiding in his favorite bed of verbena, just like Miles did.

Miles is actually buried in his favorite verbena patch at the country house.

It's amazing how I took a tiny cutting from the river 21 years ago, and now the verbena has spread itself across the gardens of both houses.

Little purple flowers everywhere.

Here's the only photo I could get of Matty this morning, as he loathes cameras.

On guard per usual.

He will be 13 years old on September 1.

I can hardly believe it; time has just flown by so quickly.

Once you hit your late 30's, it seems like time just fast forwards itself.

I really don't mind getting older.

I've just accepted it and go with it.

I don't even really do anything to my face except put on moisturizers twice a day.

This sunflower needs to have a lion face painted in the center.

I see the story of life happen with every passing season in the garden. 

From seed, to bud, to bloom, to seed again.

Life is happening at different speeds for everyone.

Flowers and insects included.

I do all my garden chores and then go swimming almost every single day.

The water is between 85-90'F on its own this time of year.

Teddy loves the water, but he will not go into the big pool.

I carried him in once, but now he is too heavy and far too strong.

So, I let him do as he pleases.

He is happy in his little pool that he outgrew lightning fast, and that is a-okay.

Here I stood this morning, marveling at what the rain has done.

No water hose could ever do what rain can.

I still can't believe all these zinnias turned up on their own.

The yellow-bellied finches do a number on them, but when there are so many, there's enough for everyone to enjoy.

Doesn't Teddy look like he's made out of cotton?

He practically glows.

When the rain became a little more than a drizzle, we went back inside to sort through our garden findings.

But not before enjoying the giant sunflower in the mist.

I really have such a love for anything garden and kitchen related.

I was having a discussion with my sister the other day, and she was talking about traits we have from our ancestors.

I definitely was born with a love for gardens, and my grandmothers had wonderful gardens themselves.

My paternal grandmother had endless strawberries and pears, apple and quince dangled from trees.

And their mothers and grandmothers before them had gardens as well.

I suppose you can say it is my life's calling, to grow things.

It's deep within me, just something I do.

I find my peace, my solace, my joy in the place where things grow.

Where clouds pass by, and birds sing.

I hope I don't bore you with all my garden chatter, but it's the hugest part of my life.

The dogs and I go between the country house and our second house daily.

I just did a ton of pruning at the country house yeasterday.

Teddy stays with Mister Lovee often, they really are meant for each other.

They are so alike and love to play and wrestle.

I love waking up in my bed at the country house, or just sitting in the cottage out in the garden for hours, pondering, drawing, reading.

I promise to take you with me on more of those adventures.

Weekend before last we went on a road trip and had a really lovely birthday weekend for my mom.

On the way there were such horrible storm with zero visibility, that we had to pull over 3 times.

Luckily, we made it safe and had an incredible weekend.

It was really scary in the rainstorm, but the green the rain has created reminds me so very much of my childhood.

People are always amazed that Arizona can be so green, but Arizona has vastly different landscapes throughout, from forests to deserts, to everything in between.

Where I grew up, right on the Mexican border, it was super green all the time.

I grew up with huge trees, swimming in the river, having picnics every single weekend.

It was a wonderful childhood, and there was zero technology.

No phones, no videoing everything.

We just lived, filled our souls with joy until bursting.

I am so glad I grew up during that time.

Anywho, I digress, and I must get busy with my chores.

Thank you for joining me for a morning stroll.

I am so glad you are here.

I appreciate you so much.

 

Make sure to take time to go outside and gulp the fresh air.

Watch the clouds float by.

Stretch your arms out and smile.

It's nice to know you are out there somewhere out there.

As Fievil sang...

Somewhere out there, beneath the same big sky <3

Thank you for being so kindred and understanding in my last post.

 

Lots of love, see you in a day or two.

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

Summer Magic + Some Big Decisions & Thoughts

Hello friends!

I hope you are well in your neck of the woods, and that you are having a swell summer.

My summer is really in full swing right now...

With zinnias and cosmos becoming 4 feet tall and blooming like mad.

I've had so much fun bringing in blooms to place on shelves.

Foxgloves, yarrow, delicate soft pink Pearly Gates roses and a ballet slipper pink zinnia sure do make a girl like me happy.

And then, there's the rain...

We are having a very nice monsoon season, such delicious rainy days.

You never know which kind you will get, but last year was spectacular and this year is turning out to be quite lovely as well.

There is soft wild grass growing, pumpkin vines blowing up, trees growing super tall.

Nothing like real rain to feed the gardens.

Plus, endless rainbows.

This little window shelf does my heart so good.

Mister Lovee built it this spring, in the little kitchenette that is in my office

It's actually a very bright space, but the window back light makes for moody photos.

Which evokes the exact mood of the garden and rain swirled together.

Cozying up with a good book, or just looking out the window in bliss, makes me very happy in this little nook.

Listening to the tap tap tap of rain.

Plugging in the fairy lights and filling the mantel with garden findings really makes me feel a certain kind of joy.

I think it's the exercise in mindfulness of it all.

Taking the time to snip the flowers, put them in water...

Arrange them where you want them - it's honestly so relaxing.

It makes you slow down and enjoy your garden and the moment more deeply.

Giving the figurines some giant zinnia parasols for good measure.

And just enjoying the beauty that nature creates.

I've been taking these moments to really think about what I want out of life these days.

What is important to me, what I'd like to share in this virtual world.

I have definitely gotten carried away with the social media aspect of all of it...

Mainly because, everyone is moving so fast, few people take time to read blogs.

And it's a place to connect with your friends.

Although, I can't help but notice that everyone seems to just be scrolling quickly, looking at pictures and videos endlessly.

There is a lot of beauty to see, but it does move so fast, and there is sooo much of it, you almost become numb.

I've joined in the endless scrolling myself, and really immersed myself in the ins and outs of the social media world.

What I have found though, if I am being completely honest here, is not always a sense of fulfillment and inspiration, but more of a frantic deluge of visual stuff.

Buckets of it really.

And whilst I truly love the connections with my friends, because it's really the only way to connect and share these days...

I often find the endless stream of visual candy to be exhausting, if I'm being honest, as I said.

Of course, there is beauty to see and enjoy, but it can get overwhelming.

I love to share too though, so I suppose, just like anything, there are more than two sides to the complexity of it all.

In simpler terms - it's fun to share and look, but to an extent, does that make sense?

In an effort to mitigate this feeling of everything moving too quickly, I've been taking time to order books and sit and page through.

To hold a beautiful decor book in my hands, and quietly pore over each page.

To take a stack of magazines and lay on my sofa enjoying every morsel.

Instead of just scrolling mindlessly on my phone.

Social media moves so fast, you sometimes can't really even enjoy the beauty.

It can't fully sink in, because you see one thing after another, after another.

When vastly beautiful things, like a woman running through a field in a beautiful princess gown with an exquisite castle in the backdrop, becomes the norm, and you are not impressed or inspired by it, then you know something has gone awry.

I think what that thing is, if I even dare to say this...

Is a bit of an overload of beautiful things to see.

There's so much beauty that I think sometimes our brains don't even register it.

And so, for me, I've been taking the time to do more tangible things, for the own joy of my life.

To be more present, to fill little jars with water and flowers.

To take the time to do all the little beautiful things that fill my soul and make me feel good and well.

Of course, in the middle of those thoughts, I think about my blog, this space here that I hold so dear.

For a while it has seemed that blogging is relatively over.

However, it does not feel over in my heart, for a few reasons.

Mostly because it makes me slow down and enjoy my life's moments.

I take photos with my actual camera, it's a much slower type of virtual sharing.

And it really makes me so happy.

Curiously, I recently received a notification from Facebook stating that my account is considered gray and will be shut down on August 31, 2022.

I admittedly use Instagram a lot more than Facebook, and almost didn't care to lose my account.

But then I really started thinking about it, and my 4500 friends over there.

I have become increasingly sadder about losing it and have tried everything to try to save it.

I tried to post about what was going on, to let me friends know, but my posts get taken down by Facebook.

And so, this led me on a real heart to heart journey with myself about social media in general, and how it fits into my life.

What role I want it to play in my life, and the balance of my involvement in online activities.

I have seen so many people lose their Instagram accounts, get hacked, have everything deleted and wiped out.

I've had friends pay hackers to get their account back, and some land in a puddle on the ground in despair, having to start a whole other account after posting and losing 10 years of daily content.

The thing is, we do not own our social media accounts, and we've put so much effort and time into something that can be wiped out in the blink of an eye.

On August 31, ten years of my own content and posts will be deleted from Facebook, by Facebook.

I've pretty much accepted it (mainly because I'm older and wiser about letting go), but also, I've decided to be proactive about finding a solution.

I've watched videos and read a hundred posts about it, but in the end, it really is out of my control, despite my best efforts.

And that is truly okay.

But this led me to think about an important thought/realization, and that is...

We are really at the mercy of the social media services we are a part of.

We put so much time and energy into something we do not own.

It's not your own blog or website, and it can be taken away at any time.

So, with that in mind, I asked myself what I wanted to put my heart and soul into.

This makes me want to hug my blog and say I love youuuuu and I'm sorry I have not been coming here so often.

For whatever reason, I think the universe has spoken to me and said, open your eyes Vanessa!

Your blog needs you.

Even if there are crickets here.

Even if it is only me, in a hidden secret garden in the middle the deepest part of the forest...

It is mine.

It is my 15 year old home.

And so, I've had weeks to really think about what is important to me in life, what I want to put my energy into, and how I want to fill my days.

I am met with the same realization at every corner of my thoughts.

Your blog is your home.

You invite people here, to visit you, to be a part of this space, and to be friends.

So many of us kindred spirits have gathered here and found each other through this space throughout the years.

And it's a special place in my heart to share with you.

To share a morsel of my art world, and my garden world, that I have been building since I was 11 years old.

I still feel like that young girl painting vines on her furniture and helping water her dads' petunias and trees.

This space is so important to me.

To share my journey, and to maybe impart a little bit of light, hope and inspiration with whoever I come into contact with.

I've never been one to care about likes and followers and growing growing growing.

That is not me.

I care about people, and friends, and this one life we get.

I care about really living.

We are here for such a short time, I don't want to waste it.

I want to embrace it.

And that means, coming home.

Coming home to A Fanciful Twist.

This place that was created on a scrap paper, with a pencil drawing and endless hope 16 Decembers ago.

A place for you and me.

Not just for me, not just to see inside my house or to see everywhere I travel to, or what I buy.

But to really stand side by side, holding hands, looking into the world with a sense of support and inspiration.

To know that I am real like you, that I can cry, get anxious, feel lost and confused.

But that I find ways to experience life in a way that brings me joy and helps me get through the trials and tribulations of life, and perhaps through my journey I too can help you.

And somehow, we can help each other.

I don't care about numbers and content.

I care about you.

I care about me.

I care about this one life, and a sacred space to be free to be ourselves.

To be funny and silly, to love tea parties, to cry when our dogs die, to plant seeds of growth.

To know that you are not alone.

These are the sort of things that slip through the fingers of social media.

We can't visit our favorite blogs anymore, because no one is home.

Everyone is on a fast roller coaster ride, with a very beautiful scenery, but one that moves too fast to make a real impact.

At least that's how I feel.

There's too much to see, too many reels, too many posts, and it's moving so fast.

I want to just sit on a quilt under a tree here with you, and talk about life, and inspire one another.

And to make sure that you know that you are wonderful just as you are, and we are going to be okay.

I will still partake in social media in my own little way, but my heart will come to focus again, and put the time and effort into this space.

I don't know how I will tell you that I am here when my Facebook account closes, or in the ever changing world of social media.

So, I'll just tell you now.

I will be here.

I have decided this.

This space is where my virtual home is, and it's time to come back home.

So, I'll be here, in my little house under the big tree, with my rounded door, making a fire, putting on a copper kettle.

And you are always invited to join me.

This is the next leg of the journey.

Coming back home to where I belong.

A Fanciful Twist.

And nothing can make my heart feel better than this.

 

Lots of love, always and forever,

Vanessa

 

I will be here several times a week, from this day forward.

 

See you soon <3 <3 <3