Lamp Glow

Don't you just love a rainy, foggy night?

I do. I also love the cozy feeling

of lamp glow on such a night....

Don't you think every woman needs a beautiful dressing table?

Place beautiful pieces of crystal on it

and a beautiful lamp nearby....

Add an amber bulb and you have a mellow 'lamp glow'.....

Rambling thoughts from the country house.....

Let your imagination soar

for it is your souls blueprint for success.....

Know the things you love

and surround yourself with them.....

Make the place you live

the place you love.....

Throw conventional design rules out the window,

shake that hair free

and live in a space

that speaks of adventure, journeys

and everything

that you dream of.....

'From a junk gypsy'

Love your space.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

A Simple Path

Embrace a child.....

Desire to inspire.....
Live your life with such perfection
that the inspiration
you
provide others will set them
on the same marvelous course.....





Rambling thoughts from the country house.....


Life rays...your beautiful energy,
drifting out and into the universe. It is there. It is real.
As real as the sun, the moon and the stars.....
Let your thoughts reach out
and grasp the stars.
Make every day of life count.....



Take time to think...especially before you speak.
Take time to pray/meditate.
Take time to laugh/be kind.

It is the source of power.
It is the greatest power on earth.
It is the music of the soul.


Take time to play/talk.
Take time to love and be loved.
Take time to give...
Mother Theresa...from "A Simple Path"




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

Serenity In The Countryside

Fall is here in all of it's jewel-tone colors.....

Leaves of gold, amber and rusty red

are drifting in the wind.....

Falling, falling.....

When life feels as if you are in the fast lane,

it's time to escape...

Get away from it all.

Seek rest, peace and tranquility.

A remote place, hidden from the world...

The island cottage is closed.

As I drove North, into the rural Alabama countryside,

the landscape started to change.

The gentle rolling hills glowed in brillent autumn color

and the air felt different.

When at the country house,

you can almost feel the quiet.

Breathe...

The air seems pure and intoxicating.

Today it is cold, damp and gray.

The perfect setting for a fire and beautiful lamps with an amber glow.

Such is the charm of the rural countryside.

It feels enchanting.

I love the feeling of driving through the gates

and closing out the world.

Flannel-clad, I love sipping hot tea or hot mulled wine

while sitting on the porch

watching the fog roll in over the pastures.

Is that a distant murmur of a quail?

With the fireplace blazing away,

the night has arrived,

casting a misty golden glow into the grayness of this perfect fall day.

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

"Summer's End"....

"Summer's End"...

An old book by Danielle Steel,

or "Islands", by Anne Rivers Siddons,

causes one to 'feel' an island.

The smell of woodsmoke and salty air...

A gulls cry in the gray sky...

Rain dancing on the old tin roof,

and Lena Horn singing "September Song"...

Swimsuits are wrapped in tissue paper

and tucked away in drawers...

Drawers that are scented with fragrance sachet.

A scented candle flickers,

and distant chimes ring in the island breeze.

We walked the beach at sunset,

wrapped in old sweaters,

sipping hot mulled wine,

and savoured the moment of

the summer's end.....

In the coastal South,

the weather can be warm & beautiful

right on into fall.

But, when the last October moon,

travels across the Southern sky

and the first November sun rises,

that, for me,

truly marks

"Summer's End"

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Dinosaurs Are Delicious!

The birthday boy is all about dinosaurs!

So, here you go, buddy.....

A big green dinosaur that you can EAT!!!

Made with much love by his mommy & daddy.

WOW!

A work of art!

A Dinosaur Birthday Party

That's a T-rex.....

Yes, I can name all of the dinosaurs.....

"Can't you" ?!?

WOW!!!


It looks real.....
If it moves, I'm outta here!!!


"This is how you eat a dinosaur cake....watch"
"You don't say"................

WOW! You're pretty!!!

Real pretty...

"Look, Yaya.....she's pretty"

Sugar and spice

and all things nice.....

Another pretty lil' Southern princess.....

and more lil' princesses.....

What is it?!?

Let me see!!!

It's a T-REX MOUNTAIN!!!

COOL!!!

Happy birthday, Mose.....

We love you!!!

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Fun at the Party

Toot Toot

It's a party for my big brother!

Happy 4th birthday, Mose.

WE LOVE YOU, MOSE!!!

Many blessings are wished for the birthday boy....

And blessings to all.

*****Yaya*****

Autumn Storm

It is afternoon....

just after noon on our island.....

and the raindrops start to fall....

gentle raindrops

splashing onto the roof and windows

of the island cottage.....

The grey clouds settle over the island

and the raindrops are heavier.....

The bottom of the sky opens,
and the rain starts to pour.....
The wind is whipping the Fan Palms...
Pouring down...
Pouring down...
Pouring down rain.....




As the island rain pours down upon us,
and the island winds blow,
I light scented candles
one by one.....




An Autumn dusk is upon us,
and the Autumn rain is heavy.
The salt air has turned cold
and warm cotton sweaters are desired.
I go to the scented storage boxes
and pull out the wonderful old sweaters.....





Wrapped in the comfort of an old cotton sweater
I approach the West Indies desk.....
It sits under a South window of the tiny island cottage.
I sip hot mulled wine
and become lost in the enchantment
of bloggers paradise.





I love the Autumn storm.....
the pounding surf.....
the hard, blowing rain
and the howling wind.
I throw open the cottage windows,
burn scented candles in handpainted hurricane vases
and sip mulled wine while wrapped in the comfort of an
old cotton sweater.....



Autumn Blessings
*****Yaya*****

Island Music

The air is full of melodies.

You just have to reach up

and

pluck one down

and

insert it into your violin.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

October on an Island

Lil' island friends.....
I believe I can fly.....

Pretty little island princess.....

Mr. Bubba and Ms. Nana

and our pretty little island princess.....

Joining them are the precious little grandangels of

Yaya and Papa.....

Mr. Bubba getting ready to cast the net.....

Now, what do I know about the art of throwing a net?!?

Clearly, the net has been thrown

AND

that is the catch....

Yes, I'm a real prince.....

Prince Jagello....(Yag lo)

Jag for short.....

Sand castles.....

Brothers.....

Island time with Yaya.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Our Wonderful Greek Memories

A country of myth and beauty.....
And such lovely Greek grace.....

And magnificent Greek views....

We had the most incredible time.....

Magical.....

Mystical.....

Perfect.....

Wander, wander, wandering.....

Wanderlust,

are you ever cured?

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Doors of Greece