Life...

It's yours...

your life.

Take nothing for granted!

Simplicity...

Kindness...

Love...

Family...

Harmony with nature, all things that are right,

and

a sense of calm and goodness...

Life should be hassle-free...

filled with what matters...

family, home and love...

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Wintering by the Seashore

Sharing a blissful island moment.....

Nothing compares to the pleasure

and

tranquility of salt air and sea birds,

while listening to the song of the sea.

Our little island offers

the perfect escape from a busy world.

Dreaming of the picture-perfect seaside sanctuary,

in harmony with nature,

just waiting to be explored

on yet another island adventure.

Imagine being gently rocked to sleep

by the symphony of the sea.

It's time to breathe deeply,

slow down

and

soak in the atmosphere of peace.

Such beauty on a winter's day

on an island.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Looking for Hats

Sandi, over at http://www.whistlestopcooking.blogspot.com/

is doing a Saturday photo search.

The theme is 'hats'.

Okay, I decided to play along.

A cute lil' green hat...
And another big green hat...

We can't have green hats
without having
pink hats...




And old worn out beach hats...

And red hats...

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

A Splash of Pink

Yes, I love pink and green...

It feels bright and tropical

on such a cold day.

And, when the oleander blooms

the entire yard is bursting with pink.

I hope you are snuggled in by the fire

on this very cold winter night.

Winter blessings while dreaming in pink and green.

*****Yaya*****

Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay

Watching the time slip away.....

I'll be sitting on the dock of the bay

watching time.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Another Island Sunset

Approaching the island by boat

and seeing it in all of its glory...

Kissed by a sunset.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Alligator Watch

Ssshhh....

Is there really an alligator

living

in

the bird sanctuary?!?

A Sunset Lullaby

Music provided by 'The Seabirds'.....

Where Dreams Begin

Being little.....

Wrapped in love.....

Encouraged to dream.....

And told to chase your dreams.....


Because you can do it.....

And always knowing
there is a beacon of light
to guide you.....
Someone believing in you
and
your dreams.....
Let your spirit soar.....
Flying.....
Flying.....
If you can dream it,
you can be it.






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

My Southern Sunset

Sunsets and salt air...

If one could only bottle and sell it...

It is more healing than all the medicine.

Sunset Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Gift From the Island

Peaceful Serenity

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

The Essence of Bliss

On this island I have had such a glimpse...

Such peace...

Such beauty...

Blissful Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Winter Beach Days

Treasured days...

There are places that call out to one's spirit,

giving us their secrets,

mingling their magic into our lives.

Escape to an island...

the outer banks of paradise.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

On Island Time

Our little sugahbear, Jag

as excited as we are

to be on island time.....

Welcome.....

It always feels so good

when I step inside our little island cottage

and see

"WELCOME TO OUR BEACH HOUSE".....

My hand painted signs remind me to

"Relax By The Sea".....

Relaxing ocean breezes...

lazy island days...

books to read...

paintings to gaze upon and move the soul...

I love my "DD" painting...

Thank you, DD!

Now, to find the perfect frame.

This painting will always be one of my island treasures...

You can visit her island blog at

www.DD-islandtime.blogspot.com

This makes me think of Katrina Key...

An empty stretch of island that was split from our island

during Katrina...

thus the name, Katrina Key...

Another oh-so-special painting,

painted by a dear friend.

It is suppose to be the two of us on island time!

I love it, Sandi!!

It will forever be a treasure...

And a lovely little journal to

jot down my

"Thoughts by the Sea".....

Coastal Living...

It's soul soothing...

Just what the doctor ordered.....

Aaahhh, ISLAND TIME!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

An Island State of Mind

If ever you sleep on an island,

it will call to your soul

forever and ever.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

The Duck and the Prince

Prince Jagello (yag-lo), Jag for short,

arrived at the Kentucky lake house

and spotted a new duck...

inside the lake house...

under the chair!

'Grrrrrrrrr'

Rrrrffff Rrrfffff!!

Yes, it's a duck!
Hey Mama! LOOK!
There's a duck in the house!

Mama, I'm going to sit on my bear rug, by the fire,

and you need to do something about that duck!


I really don't like that duck, said the prince...







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

A Beautiful Thursday

I love the drive to the lake house.

North Alabama has beautiful rolling hills

and I-65 takes you along a pretty area of

gentle rolling hills and pastureland.

From the heart of old Nashville,

we turn West for a short distance

and, once again, North.

We travel the Tennessee back roads

right into Kentucky, an hour and half out of Nashville.

This is our 'off-the-beaten-path' road

that leads right to the door of the lake house.

As I took an afternoon walk today,

the crisp, cold Kentucky air

was filled with the scent of smoke.

The old tobacco barns are still smoking and curing the tobacco.

It's a most unique scent

combined with wood smoke from firewood.

The lake...

reflecting the sunlight

and sparkling like diamonds...

And, the twitter of a few birds...

crunching leaves

and a 'splash'...

Ice and leaves...

Back inside the cozy lake house,
the smell is divine!
A bacon-wrapped pork loin slow baked in the oven
all afternoon.
It was sooo tender
it melted in your mouth like butter.
And the Black-eyed Pea Soup was delicious, as well.
It was full of smoked bacon, collard greens, onions, tomatos and potatos,
seasoned with a Tuscan seasoning.
The cornbread...
What can I say?!?
What's not to love!!?!!




HAPPY NEW YEAR
Blessings
*****Yaya*****

Quiet Moments

Give yourself permission to slow down,

if only for an afternoon.

After the hectic rush of the holiday season,

we should all pamper ourselves.....

Slow down...stop moving...

Take a scented bath by candle light,

put on those new flannels

and that, oh so soft, old cashmere sweater.

Put your new fuzzy socks on those well-pampered,

soaked,scrubbed, rubbed and lotioned feet...

Curl them up under you,

as you sip your spiced tea

while reading your new books that were Christmas gifts.

Snuggle deep into your favorite chair

with a soft throw.

We have a stack of new books

and I cannot wait to read them all.

"Seaside Style"

"The Last Godfather"

"Now You're Cookin' Tuscany"

"The Sharper Your Knife,The Less You Cry"...a cooking book in Paris!

and,

"Mrs. Wolf amd the Servants"....life with the Bloomsbury Bohemian Artsy folks.

Happy Pampering!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

I Want To See Christmas Through Your Eyes...

There is nothing like the magic of Christmas!

On Christmas Eve,

the old country house is full of laughter, excitement...

delicious food, wine...

family...

and story telling.

The boys get snug into bed

and

'Twas The Night Before Christmas"

is always read.

And, every year,

we actually hear the sleigh bells!!!

Oh we do!

It's true!!!

And then in the blink of an eye,

we awake

and,

GASP!!!

LOOK!!!

Santa came!!!

WOW!

AWESOME!

Merry Christmas to all!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****