Sunday, December 22, 2013

I Did Manage A Mental Health Day

I stole away from my home full of contractors for a couple of hours to find my sanity in
Roger's Gardens, Corona Del Mar. 



Waiting in a very very long check out line (even with 5 registers ringing away!)



I took two steps away from my cart to snap this one.  And my cart rolled ever so slowly into the couple's cart behind me....  "oh, I'm so sorry! (big smile)"  No response from them, but maintaining eye contact I followed up with,  "That's a litigious offense, thank you for your patience. (bigger smile and a bit of a giggle)"  NaDa.  Maybe when I turned away they smiled to each other?

Not to be denied a lively exchange I engaged my cashier and his manager helper and we laughed; I was complemented on my unique plant (red camilla with a yellow pom pom center, orange red sedges, blue/grey sedum, and a new variety of Leucadendron "Ebony" aka black conebush)  combinations; we wished each other a Merry Christmas!


Cheers to You Dear Reader!   Linda   :-)

P.S.  Sorry about just two photos.  I hid my phone in the bottom of my purse while I walked through, so I would not stay all day!




Saturday, December 21, 2013

On This Day Of Christmas....

my true love gave to meeee,


One Roofer Roofing









Two Tilers Tiling 








Three New Water Pipes





the red line added a festive touch





















A Sheet-rocker behind plastic







Fiiiive Gollllden Rules!    (of home ownership)


1.  Live as if you're moving.  Weed out regularly or never keep the crap.  Make all repairs and updates to enjoy while you live there - why just do it for the buyer?

2.  When a pipe leaks take measures immediately to dry out all areas nearby. (and a bit further... water is sneaky)

3.  A roof is only as good as the application of the felt and metal channels over the plywood and under the roofing material.  (that's the pretty stuff you see but it's only function is to protect the felt from sun damage and to shed rain)

4.  Love thy neighbor and make decisions along your shared property line that will benefit their property as well as yours.  (they might will decline to pitch in financially, and then bitch about critique the changes during construction, but in the end they shut up calm down)

5.  And this too shall pass.  (when your subcontractors see you smiling and taking "it" all in stride they will go the extra mile for you)




Our 12 Days of Christmas song ends here with some photos of the decorations despite the chaos.














the long view of the living room
god that guest room holds a lot of decor!
more guest room furniture and the outdoor cushions
suspends pool table play


blurred lines (and focus!) between construction site and family room


and just as Mary and Joseph found room in the manger 

our guest room carpet will be laid and cleaned and decor replaced (on the 27th)
in time for our guests arrival on the 28th

a pretty blue christmas 

My favorite winter cocktails have helped me connect with the spirit of the season - join me!


pinterest
The classic Old Fashion

  • 2 maraschino cherries
  • 2 slices of orange
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or 1 small sugar cube
  • 1 or 2 dashes of angostura bitters
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 2 ounces rye or bourbon whiskey

Muddle 1 cherry, 1 orange slice (my mom uses a 1 inch slice of lemon zest), and the sugar, bitters, and water in a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Remove the orange rind. Add the whiskey and (load with) ice; stir. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.


Martha Stewart's Cider-Bourbon Cocktail





Cheers to a very Merry Christmas for All!     Linda   ;-)  


Friday, December 13, 2013

The Portland Horse Project

I didn't set out on this walk through Southeast Portland 
to find a horse...

DesignInMyView

... but when I spotted it I knew exactly why it was there!  

Either my sister, or a bloggers post a few years ago filled me in on what was going on in Portland.  The Horse Project was taking to the streets.
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It was soon after I could understand my father's spoken word that I learned about the iron ring imbedded in the curb in front of my grandmother's home.  We visited nearly twice a month and each time he fondly recalled how the horse wagons carrying produce or milk could tie up to that ring and sell their items to the neighbors on the block.   When he was 4 or 5, the man with the pony and a cowboy costume came to sell his parents a "photo op".  (Good thing too, it's one of our favorite photos of the boy who became our Dad.)



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In 2005 artist Scott Wayne Indiana (if you click on his name, don't be shy about clicking on the forks)  set out to bring attention to these artifacts which had been designated historic and development ordinances require their preservation.

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copied from The Project's site:


          The Portland Pony Project
It seems that we gallop through life in a haze
And don't notice the things we race by every day
Until a time comes when a change will occur
That will cause us to notice, stop and confer
We talk to our neighbors; ask "was that always there?"
"I never saw it before", the neighbors declare.
So it was with the horse rings 'til Scott came along
Thinking "I've an idea that could gather a throng!" 
He found some toy horses and tied them up tight
Then sat back to watch and see if they might
Cause people to notice what was always around;
What they had been missing – now they had found.
Now many people will pause for awhile
And others will notice, and they also smile
To see these small horses tied up to the rings
Where once their much bigger brothers had been
And maybe they'll even see a lot more
Of what they've been missing; it's happened before!
His project is spreading and now there's a herd
Of horse-loving folks who've also been spurred
To add some small horses to places near you
Hoping they’ll catch you smiling too.
Watch over our ponies, maybe bring them a rider
And we can make Portland a little bit brighter.

Ride on dear Reader, ride on!   Linda   :-)




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