Fruit from the family tree. • Literally. Picked from the family garden in Central Coast California. The days I recently spent there, relaxing in the sunshine, breathing in fresh air, feet propped up on an outdoor wicker loveseat . . . summertime hours spent reading in the shade of a tall apple tree. As I … Continue reading Little Green →

Just four lads standing on the sands of the British shoreline. • In the beginning the Fab Four were a collective of different personalities, backgrounds, and interests. They possessed average to good talent but together their alignment created something that changed the world. Together a spark from each of their separate selves grew until it … Continue reading Fab Four →

Meant To Be I always loved Halloween as a kid and it wasn’t because of the tricks or the treats. It was always the singular day that I got to wear a one of a kind costume that transformed me into whatever I wanted to be. And thanks are owed to an intelligent and artistic … Continue reading Meant To Be →

“I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”, so said Bono. • Is it this? Is it that? Why is “it” just beyond my reach? How elusive, that thing is! Could it be that the very thing I still haven’t found is what I need to become? Hmmmm, pause and think about that. Is it … Continue reading Becoming →

This hand painted Italian ceiling was installed in one of the 58 guest rooms located at the California home (dubbed Castle) of Wm Randolph Hearst. They say that the occupants of these rooms weren’t given much time to spend looking up at it. Hearst insisted that his guests stay busy outdoors playing tennis, taking hikes, … Continue reading Someone To Look Up To →

While driving north on the freeway most mornings, every now and again I’ll experience a fleeting twinge of sadness at this one particular and recurring sight. There on the side of the road is an arm chair broken in two from a fall off a truck; a lone couch cushion all tattered and torn; random … Continue reading Side of the Road →

I know how to sew. How to pick up a needle and thread and reattach a wayward button; how to use a sewing machine to create a wedding gown even. I’ve covered a couch with new upholstery and made drapes and baby quilts. So why didn’t I feel compelled to pick up a needle and … Continue reading Unraveled →

I’ve been collecting rose petals all summer long in this vintage gallon jar. Only one rose grows in my garden and its a fragrant one with deep, dark, velvety red petals. When looking across the stretch of greenbelt, my neighbor’s roses often wink and wave at me, growing tall in vibrant shades of pink, coral, … Continue reading Dropping Petals →

The Relics Mall in Paso Robles is one of those places where individual vendors have set up their wares in a collection of wandering stalls—all under one roof, providing hours of enjoyment to the history buff, the collector, and the curious. • So many treasures from a day gone by. Everyday items from decades before … Continue reading Round and Round →

Have you ever used that magical product that removes the gummy, left-behind gunk from old price tags and stickers? Goo-Gone. It works like a charm. Sometimes requiring a little more elbow grease than others but it definitely does the trick. It contains some citrus leaf extract but the miracle ingredient is oil. • Olive oil, … Continue reading Smooth It Over →