Happy 4th of July!

Imagining sunny skies for July 4th 

 and celebrating the joyful honor of being American!

Memorial Day Flags around Rockefeller Center 2013                                                  photo by DesignInMyView

My emotions well-up with pride so deep for our history, and hope for our future, I feel it hit me physically in the heart every time I hear our National Anthem, or see a Veteran walking in a parade.

We fly our flag everyday.
Appreciation for it's symbol of the foundation of our country is easy on days of celebration.
It's all the regular days when we enjoy the visual reminder, as we come and go freely.

Front Garden San Juan Capistrano                                   photo by DesignInMyView

We are readying for a visit from #1 Son's babyhood, childhood and now college aged best friend who is entering his 4th year in the Air Force Academy.  When I give him my Momma Bear hug after his long drive tonight, I know my eyes will well-up and that seizing in my prideful chest will nearly stop my breath.

I heard a great suggestion for our 4th of July Celebrations 

and want to share it with you....

  

Print out a copy of the Declaration of Independence and read it aloud to the group you have gathered. 

I'm planning on making a few copies and have each generation at our picnic read a section. 

God Bless America!

Cheers!   Linda   :-)

MADNESS !

10 years ago, after removing (with the help of Mom and Mrs. T.) a measurable depth of generations of wallpaper fashions.  I had exposed bare walls in my dining and living rooms and I loved (cherished, works here too) them!

Suddenly needing to sell....
the lovely hand plastered over lath, smooth as silk walls JUST LIKE THESE were painted.  Yes.        
             Sadly.
                            Painted.

Designer Frank Faulkner                                  via Habitually Chic

Madness !

One Bag Contains A Balanced Life

What's in your one bag after a quick stop at the Market?

Sable & Rosenfeld  vermouth "tipsy olives";  Santa Barbara Olive Co. handstuffed Garlic Olives;
Beyond Gourmet unbleached coffee filters;  Martini & Rossi extra dry vermouth;
Tazo "zen", "passion" and "china green tips" teas.

These are the contents (none added or taken away) of my single bag from today's grocery-ing.


As usual, I was shopping without a list.
Only one item made the trip necessary.  (We only needed coffee filters.)  Special save the planet unbleached coffee filters that we find only at this particular store.

And then I got the impulse to make some additions!  (famillar?)
On my way to the coffee aisle I wandered down the tea aisle.  Inspired to continue resume my cuppa green tea a day + an herbal in the evening I thought,  Why not add a few more to my collection?

Fortunately (as in, great gobs of profits) for the market, I roamed toward the many offerings of olives.
(Hm, they are very healthy for me so why not get more of these too?)  Not exclusively for cocktails of course, but necessary in most gin or vodka martinis.  Must never run short, so two of those...

Once I heard my mother tell of a guest who exclaimed (to all within earshot) that moms vermouth had spoiled.  Don't know how her helpful guest could tell, but not wanting to EVER face that same horror I picked up another bottle for my liquor cabinet closet.

As I do (do you?), I surveyed my purchases as the cashier rang them through.  I caught her attention with some small talk, "Looks like a balanced selection?"  "Good with the bad (not really BAD, bad - just naughty?) and each for different times of the day!"  She agreed, "yes" and added a big warm smile for emphasis.  I smiled back.

Cheers!  Linda   :-)

Uncle Gary's Minnesota Mule 

(kinda BAD - but in the good/naughty way)

Fill

 a double oldfashion glass 3/4 full with crushed ice

Add 

2oz citron vodka

2oz gin

cap full of dry vermouth

2 garlic stuffed olives

Stir

Pace yourself getting through this or split with a friend

 (my friends have not been around when I've had one - now we're back to kinda BAD, in a very good way)

Simple Wishes For MORE Leads To Summer Resolutions

                                                                                                        please let me know whom to credit

These are not in my priority order.  Are they maybe in the proper order?  If I went to bed at a decent hour would the other MOREs fall into line?

In addition to absence of a New Years Resolution (365 days!  REally?) how about Seasonal Resolutions?  

Cheers!  Linda   :-)

New York Street Fashions My View

The Thursday before Memorial Day and I am over the moon in New York City, surrounded by our sidewalk view of Central Park South and enjoying breakfast at Sarabeth's.

photo via Amy D. on Yelp

Our table was under the window in the far corner and I was seated facing the on coming sidewalk traffic.  Between bites of scone and sips of coffee I attempted to snap the mornings street fashion.... not as they approached, but as they passed by, I'm not The Satorialist!

I am a bit like The New York Times, Bill Cunningham, in that "The problem is I'm not a good photographer. To be perfectly honest, I'm too shy. Not aggressive enough. Well, I'm not aggressive at all." (quote from Bill) 

oops.  really poor photography.  i-phone held incorrectly.  i guess.

I had about this much view (minus the waitress) to then time my shot as my "subjects" passed by here....

a quick shot between mom's chair and the planter box

This gal is very hopeful the day's weather will turn better than predicted.  We experienced heat into the 70's and thunderstorms with flash flood warnings, but we were out all day. 


Young moms pushing strollers were spotted wearing shorts
or skirts with knee high rain boots in all colors and patterns.  
I do like the rubber "wellies" better than Uggs.



Black and White stripes with black leggings....

now the movers are set-up and slowing down my subjects.  a bit.

Great Bag in a vivid color can make coming back from a workout fashionable....

Men's fashion - admire the hat and jacket-less combo....

We did notice a grand parade of flat shoe styles....

the double bag look is hard to pull off

Blond pony dressed in all black layers.... 

just to describe how distorted these photos are:  she is very tall and very thin

Black with a POP of color.....

Hello sis!     more coffee?

Cheers!  Linda   :-)