Dinner On The Bay

A beautiful Southern sunset over the bay.....

And one happy couple awaiting their big day.....

Wedding party and family.....

We filled the entire screened porch and back deck.....

What a wonderful dinner!!!

Two margaritas.....
One for each hand.....




Yaya & Papa

Look, Papa.....

An alligator!!!

"Uh Oh! Did I forget my credit card"?!?!

"What did you say"?...she said.

ROFL!

Sorry Dusty! (big grin smilie)

I just love adding 'fitting' words with my pictures.

Thank you to the perfect groom and his family for a wonderful dinner!

The big day is almost here!!!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

A Time To Play

Come with me, Mommy.....There is a big lion over there!

My Turn!
No! My turn!!



Our very handsome, and soon-to-be, son-in-law.....Ohhhh, how sweet! Isn't he perfect?!



"Did someone call me? I wonder if they are looking for me"......
Thoughts from the mind of an adorable two year old.....

HEY! Over here!!! I'm riding the lion!

"Rover wants a bowtie, too", said the little boy.

"He can't"!?! "Why"?

I'm tired of rehearsing! I already know what to do......

Let's go EAT!

And so it is that there shall be a wedding.....

Come rain, come shine.....

And the "Stars Fell On Alabama" one more time.....

Blessings.....

*****Yaya*****

Party, Party, Before "I Do".....

A gift box you can eat!

Pretty pink cake for the bride to be and her girlfriends.....
One sister.....
Two sisters.....
A beautiful bride-to-be and her beautiful sister.....


One Nancy Drew.....
Two Nancy Drews.....
Professional Glock packers.....
Or, are they Bond girls?!?
Tonight they are just a beautiful bride-to-be and her dear and beautiful friend.....



Two lovely ladies sitting pretty.....

I
Is this silly party just for girls?.....

Two more parties and the fat lady will sing.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Two kites And A Moon

We islanders sometimes gather on the beach and raise a glass into the sunset.

What more can one ask for?

An island.....

Good friends.....

A beautiful sunset.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Welcome Home, Papa

WELCOME HOME, PAPA!

*****Yaya*****

Island Fun!

It seems a new tradition has started on our little island. We islanders are now at a risk of being "FLOCKED"!!!

Here, I am being "FLOCKED" by the Flamingo Sisters and their helpers.....

And here, they are sooo CAUGHT helping the flock to "FLOCK" in our yard!
It seems, if you are having an event, you are likely to get "FLOCKED". As y'all know, we are having company come to the island for our daughter's wedding, so I get to play host to the flock of pink flamingo sisters as they help us greet our guest. I just love it!!! What an honor it is to have them stay for awhile.....
If you are not laughing out loud yet, you will be.....I heard through the island grape vine that about 2 dozen more pink flamingos may be joining the flamingo sisters for the next "FLOCKING"..... Can you imagine!?!

AAaaaaahhhhh, it's ISLAND TIME!
2 margaritas, one for each hand.....
Jimmy Buffet music playing.....
The smell of shrimp starting to boil.....
Hammock swaying in the island breeze.....
A flock of pink flamingos in our yard.....
Wish y'all were here.....


*****Yaya*****

Divine Moments

The Divine is present in nature.....

It also dwells within us.....

Reconnect to divinity and empower your life.....

As long as you believe, all things are possible.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

An Island Sunset

Rambling thoughts from the island cottage.....

When I look out over the marshland I realize I am so ready for less chaos. I'm ready to discover my creative self. To paint, read, write....to connect with flora and creatures of fin and feathers...

Music by the marsh.....

8:00 AM Bacon, lettuce & tomato sandwich with coffee and fresh fruit, on the deck.....

10 AM Explore the island by bike.....

12PM Lunch of pasta salad and cold wine, on the deck under an umbrella.....

1PM Absolutely nothing - soak up the sun - feed the ducks - nap in the hammock.....

7PM Fresh seafood dinner.....

9PM Star gazing from the deck, sipping wine, listening to my music.....

Just being at the beach with friends and family restores my soul.....

Summer dreams - sleeping on the screened in porch.....there are roll down canvas to keep out the rain.....

If I could be anywhere it'd be a place that beckons me to linger for a lifetime and a day.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Rosemary On The Beach

I will set aside some time today to empty my mind and open myself to wonder...

You can because you think you can...

Not only must you know precisely who you are, but you need the confidence to show it...

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

A Sunday Afternoon Tea

Oh, you beautiful bride-to-be.....

Greeting guest at her tea.....

Oh so lovely!!!.....

A summer afternoon tea spent with wonderful friends and family.....

Treasured moments in time.....

And what a beautiful tea table! And the flowers.....gorgeous fresh flowers in every room....

Oh so lovely!!!

A beautiful Southern Belle and a lil' Southern Belle in the making....

Oh so lovely!!!

The matriarch of the Southern White house and the grand dame of Flat Rock, arriving.....
She is truly sensational.....
She walks on sandled feet, moving with the grace of a swan.....
She wears time with regal grace.....
She has always been one of my role models and will always be.....
Oh so lovely!!!





The very beautiful bride-to-be, getting a hug from our very beautiful grand dame.....
Oh so lovely!!!



Another beautiful Southern lady, my Aunt Bobbie.....
She makes the most wonderful chocolate cake in the world, and my favorite! I shared her recipe in an earlier blog. When I make chocolate cake I always use her recipe and now my grandangels will ask, "Yaya, do you have any chocolate cake?".....
Oh so lovely!!!






Yes, that's me, Yaya, on the left and my mother, seated and holding Gracie....and the beautiful 'Lady in Red', and lovely bride-to-be is Jodie, our daughter.....




Another wonderful Sunday afternoon in my South.....
The making of beautiful memories....
Carefully preserved treasures put away in my memory box for safe keeping...


Blessings
*****Yaya*****

My Tropical Paradise....

It's still island time.....time to relax.....

Cross the bridge and leave the mainland behind. Turn right and drive along the bay passed the old Pelican Pub.....Turn left at the Octopus tree. From here you get a glimpse of our tiny, colorful island cottage. It's an old cottage with a tin roof, immersed in oleander and fan palms. It feels very tropical and airy, especially when it's cool enough to throw open the shutters and windows. I think my favorite place is the hammock. There is nothing better than spending a summer afternoon swaying in the island breeze, listening to birdsong and the grandangels playing, while embracing the simple pleasure of this tiny island cottage and island living....

*****Yaya*****

Welcome to the island cottage...

Island style.....

flipflops.....

soft old t-shirts.....

ponytail.....

beach towels on the clothesline.....

bicycles.....

margaritas.....

sunsets over the bay and the Gulf of Mexico.....

fresh Gulf seafood.....

Island time.....

*****Yaya*****

Salt Air...

and seagulls....you can almost smell the fresh scent and hear the gulls cry, can't you?!

A few rambling thoughts from the island cottage.....

Life's a little easier down here - miles of deserted beaches and sunsets waiting for you.....

Little Hemingway cottages by the sea.....

unhurried.....

When on the island, live in the moment...just breathe and smell the air...

Slow down and surrender to a dreamy, laid-back island style.....

*****Yaya*****

A Little Beach Time

Look, Yaya...the seagull wants a cheese curl....
Bliss....it doesn't get any better than this....a day at the beach with the grandangels.....

Come on in, Yaya....run and jump!

A summer state of mind.....

*****Yaya*****

Such Southern Grace

An outdoor winding staircase, just for the lovely bride.....

and the balcony is the perfect place to stand and toss her bouquet.....

We're off to the beach.....

mermaid greetings and sand dollar blessings.....

*****Yaya*****

L.A.

Yes, I am in L.A.!!! Of course, to a Southerner, that just means lower Alabama. Things have been in a major tissy here of late. I had to pack for the trip to the island cottage, plan a wedding, work on guests list, well, I could go on and on but I will not exasperate you. But isn't it such fun to be in the mist of planning an event!?! I just love it! Don't you just love this old sunken garden. This is where the wedding of our daughter, will take place. Here in our L.A., it is such a beautiful and graceful, old Southern city. I need a mint julep, dahlin', or some iced sweet tea. Merciful heavens, it's hot down here today!
Just look at this elegant and beautiful old building. It is the office of our daughter, and our son-in-law. What a wonderful afternoon we had last Thursday and lunch at that special little Italian place was delicious. Nothing better than fresh Gulf shrimp served on a Greek salad in an Italian restaurant in the deep South.







A few rambling thoughts from the island cottage.....
'scuse me while I kiss the sky.....
This is cloud ten.....
Island dreaming becomes a reality.....
Color your world.....
Front porch living.....
Mermaid greetings.....


Blessings


*****Yaya*****