close call



the hike

began with so much enthusiasm. i was so ready, as i mentioned in one my previous posts. i had all the right intentions, the right gear, the water, snacks, the right shoes, the right frame of mind. but.......



it got hotter and hotter and hotter

and although the trail was not extraordinarily difficult

by mile 2 i was lagging behind as the temperature rose to 94 degrees, breaking all county records (that's me at the top of the hill in last place)

i'm usually a survivor and very strong, never a quitter, but this time, my life was definitely at risk and i had to call it quits.
it took hours to bring my core temperature down first with a hose, then with ice packs

but it will not discourage me. i will venture out again soon although i am still shakey from the close call heat stroke

costuritas

inbetween the wanting and the needing and the wishing and the dreaming, inbetween the vigil

and the daybreak and the whispering ghosts of the morrow, inbetween the rituals and the faceless feasts, the unanswered calls and the hollow halls of delusion, inbetween the heartbeats and the deep breaths, inbetween the willingness and the pulling back, and the wounds left behind,

there, in the inbetweens, i am actually able

constanza's poem

a patch of blue

the week, it rained.  it rained alot. so i spent most of it indoors listening to that pitter patter on the pavement below.  but what i liked most about the indoorness was the time i got to play house and conjur up a new handmade item for one of the bedrooms, a hand-crocheted cotton nap/lap blanket in pastels.  it is not quite finished yet but well on its way. 



see how far it's come?



12 spools of cotton so far and another 8 to go



with the help of these

and the light that is finally filtering into my bedroom

from my sunlit balcony which is inspired by my friend
chichi's enamelware collection

and pretty soon i will be able to step into my boots and
go for hikes again, those long missed walks on country roads

i am linking to faded charm cottage

face book

this was my surprise today: my aunt joanne sent me these
old photos of the family via facebook, photos i had never seen and
what a joy it was to see my daddy, martin, my darling, handsome daddy i only got for nine months of my life since he died during open heart surgery when he was a mere 22 years old and i a babe in arms.  there are so many stories about this family. maybe one day i will write a bit about them.

and this photo is of my great grandparents harry and helen berger with their children, among them, my grandfather oscar, when they still lived in sandringham, england.  i never got to meet alfred or john, only their daughters, but i totally adored auntie kitty and auntie barbara who i remember taking long walks with and betting on the horse races while visiting them in england (we won). they, too, have many a story.

I LOVE, LOVE, FAMILY HISTORY

circle

freehand chain stitch embroidery

going boho

loved making these.  trends change and i see a modern, sixties feel coming into craft magazines and books.  well, the whole concept of handmade and homespun has always been around but the sfifties and sixties were my early years and i got alot of visuals from them.  if you visit my home, you will clealry see i have an eclectic taste, but one thing is certain, there are a lot, i mean A LOT of handmade items all over the house, most of them created by myself.  i think i have always liked "the homemade home", beginning with the actual structures (tree houses, for example), continuing with the garden and then all inside.  i feel houses feel more like homes that way, not so manicured, a bit dysfunctional as we humans are, and, ultimately, more real.  so i have begun to practice the handmade more and more as i compost, crochet my own lap blanket, sew my own christmas ornaments, make my own cards, write personalized letters and even hum my own tunes.  hope you like them.

a few things to cheer us up

the photogrpahy of joy st. claire

natty boho's original clothes designs

prunella's soaps



pillow by bearded pidgeon




vintage bottles from the velvet ribbon



photograph by paulina



baumcat's fabric collages

kelly campbell's chair

chez fifi

las ideas geniales de dominga castagnoli



the jewelry of lily queen on etsy

 

pottery barn

Blogger's Day of silence

for japan with love

NoTHING, I mean NoTHING means anything in view of this HUMAN event.  I wholeheartedly join this moment of SILENCE to think, really think about the most touching natural disaster that we have ever witnesseed in our lives.  There may have been others before us and those that were present dealt with them accordinagly, THIS is our present disaster and we must focus all, ALL our energy into praying, helping and supporting the people of Japan, who, incidentally, I have learned so much from in the past week.

And YUI, you are a symbol of all I have spoken.

Grazie

today i simply choose to give thanks

for Life above all, for the daily blessings that pour down on me, for the chance to grow, for the challenges i am confronted with, for the gift of friendship, for the gift of fellowship, for all the things that make me uniquely me.

Deja Vu

私の全体がされて日本の人々や国とされ

painting by m.s. pearson



you are a beautiful people and we will do everything and anything within our means to help and support you



meadow

although i know i'll miss lighting the fireplace, it's spring we've all been waiting for and here in california it's spring, almost. new life hinting, peeking through the soil and branches, lots of daily sunshine, less and less foggy, gloomy days and all is focused on the garden, dreamt or otherwise.

my lilac ever gratifying

snapdragons, always a must for color

and the canterbury bells in innocent white amidst the camomille

shammrock & chives

this one was an intuituitive find since i love white flowers, it's called bridal wreath and turns out to be an esay grower in any soil and/or spot

bachelor's buttons

\

& the ready to be planted betty white and queen elizabeth roses

a california native

and a great idea from good ol martha stewart

lots of blisters on my hands now due to the ever invasive weeds

so for sure you will find me in the garden or at the local garden center ever closer to my dream meadow, preparing for that pre-summer party overlooking the city lights.  bring out the mimosa's.