Kind Words, Long Walks

I know a dear heart that makes me feel

~ at home ~

Welcome, come on in my heart tells me...

I've gone for a walk,
seen some beautiful Morning Glories
these beautiful flowers mean "Affection"
I thought they were just the lovelies to say
Thank you and that's how I feel about you, Pearl

Pearl has given me this award and one to
Rhonda at Scooterblu's Whimsy
we're both such fortunate women
to know YOU, Pearl!

She's one in a million, trillion
a gazillion!

Don't you just love it when someone makes your day?
A dear friend and it comes out of no where
and such a lovely surprise, just when you need it?

~*~*~*~
Now, here are a few pictures from my walk I've been
promising ~ perfect for the long weekend...
Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them~

First, we must go through the scary forest
(back lot of "my house")
Front of "my house"
Notice the fleur de lys corbels?
I have loved this old house for years
(7 to be exact)
The owners have not given it the TLC it deserves
and it's rotting away ~
I go by and say hello each morning though...

Hello House, someone's thinking of you!

The front yard of a Victorian down the street
a wonderfully tended garden and house,
one day I'll take photos of the rest of the gardens
and the grand house (nice people live there too!)

A thing of beauty - one block down from our
Petite Maison
the sun was streaming down and I couldn't resist
One of the churches I walk by each morning,
beautiful, isn't it?
Hope you enjoyed my little walk,
I still have many more to share, but will wait
for another time. Maybe next time the shops ;)

What are you doing this weekend
and who has made
your day like Pearl made mine?

Happy Labor Day Weekend~

Singing, Singing, Singing~

And Zeke's heard it all before~
...She's at it again...

Suzy at Wild Rose Cottage tagged me for songs I'd be
~*~ Embarrassed ~*~
To admit I like ~ I'm not embarrassed one bit though~

Okay, since you asked Suzy, here you go
and I hope I don't bore you all as much as I bore poor Zeke

Barry Manilow - Looks Like We Made It
(I love to sing this one on walks to my husband,
sometimes just to bother him - especially when it's cold,
I love to jump around to keep warm and sing Barry Manilow songs~
I believe I have Joanne Pizzo to thank for this one - she loved
him so I listened with her to all his albums
(yes albums back in the olden days)

Olivia Newton-John - Xanadu
Yes, I love the movie too
Any time it comes on Tivo grabs it for some reason
Now you are here in Xanadu - singing & roller skates

Kenny Rogers - You Decorated My Life
I still melt when I hear this song, which is hardly ever -
but I still love that gravel voice of Kenny's

The Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now
I hear it once in a while when I'm at Marshall's
it so makes my day, reminds me of making lasagna
with my Grandma. She actually knew the words
and we'd sing it together while making Sunday dinner~
The radio sitting on top of the refrigerator ;)

The Theme from Green Acres!

Green Acres is the place to be,
farm living is the life for me,
land spreading out so far and wide,
keep Manhattan just give me that countryside...
New York is where I'd rather stay,
I get allergic smelling hay,
I just adore a penthouse view,
darlin I love you but give me Park Avenue

da da da da da ~ The chores!
da da da da da ~ The stores!
da da da da da ~ Fresh Air!
da da da da da - Times Square!

You are my wife,
Good bye city life~
Green Acres we are there!

If you'd like to join, feel free to run with a song...
I'd love to hear your favorites, embarrassing or not ;)

Hope you have as fun a day as I did
Walking down Memory Lane with this one~

Talk to you soon
da, da, da, da, da,
da, da!

xoxo~

Summer Abundance

Look familiar?
We are so fortunate, our house is overflowing...

With Summer fruits~
I love, love, love tomatoes - do you?
We picked the figues from a neighbor's tree
(figue tree's on our list, so is an olive tree!)

I took this last week while on one of my morning walks,
Now I'm on the hunt for an old, rusty chair I can leave out
(Hopefully I'll find one during my treasure hunts)

Hmm, I'm looking, I'm looking
Not one here ~
Cute bird cage though...

I love these, I've never seen so many together~
I'll have to ask Brenda what they're called
Maybe hens and chicks?

My husband brought me roses (lucky me, every Friday)
This one just kept saying I'm perfect, so I took the photo
...to remember it always...

This is my favorite, the twilight~
Looking out a front window and the sun is just setting
on a beautiful Saturday evening

Everyone felt better Sunday and we went out walking and took
a tour of our town with camera in hand
early in the morning
(after the yummy Jasmine tea ;)

Can't wait to share since I took photos
of some beautiful late Summer flowers ~ and shops too.

Hope you're having a wonderful beginning of your week
...and looking forward to our long weekend ahead.

Wishing you an abundance of all things you love!

Rest and Jasmine Tea

What is it about school starting?
First week of school & two of us are sick (already!)

Just in time for the weekend...

A cup of jasmine tea will make things right as rain,
hmm, and maybe watch the Miss Potter movie finally...

It's going to be a quiet weekend here~

Yes, a restful weekend for us~

Umm, can smell the tea and there's a down-filled couch
just calling my name - ahhh....

What are your plans?
Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo~

That's One Great Rabbit Hole ~ Lucky Me!

Remember the Unbirthday Party
at Pearl's Sentimental Journey?

I have been so fortunate lately, my name was drawn for gifts
that Alice grabbed while falling down that Rabbit Hole...

Let me tell you, that girl has some really good hands on her
Look at all the beautiful things she managed to grab for me~
Pretty cards and every color of the rainbow wrapping too!

This is hand-written (not stamped), isn't Pearl's writing beautiful?
I was amazed, I've never seen anything so exact and perfect free hand!

A cute little butterfly above flying to it's heart's content
And...
A busy little bee just buzzing around saying a friendly hello~

Ready?

What lovelies!
I couldn't wait to try the coconut goodies and...
What's better for a francophile
than an enamel soap container? Ooh~ the old song book contains...
Sheet music for.... The Marseillaise ~ Perfect!
...And... the best, Where Does a Mother Go to Resign?
I needed that a long, long time ago ;)

It All Sounds like Fun!
Thank you for letting me share with you,
Now go see sweet Pearl if you get a moment.

~*~ Jour Heureux ~*~
Happy Day!

Here's the Bouquet & a Rant!

Okay, I finally got my pictures to load this morning
(better late than never!)

And my little angel is my model for today~


I have missed being out there with you in Blog Land so much
I'm planning on making the rounds today
(gee, it will take me a long time
to see what everyone's been up to - how fun ;)

Which is really a blessing for me since I've just got off the phone
with a lovely insurance company...
We've been waiting nine (yes 9) months to find out
what they will cover for our daughter's braces...

Have an insurance story (uh, nightmare) you wish to share?
Misery loves company, so they say.

I know, I usually try to keep "things light"~
but I must admit, it got the best of me today
(took nine months, but I finally reached my this is uncalled for factor!)

Please share...

In the meantime, I'm off to have fun in Blog Land ;) Yippee!

How can they put us off when there's an angel
like this in the household?

Off to Visit!

xoxoxo~

Almost there...?

... or not

I have been away too, too long
enjoying the last days of Summer vacation, getting ready for school...

Now Blogger won't let me upload any of my pictures :( Poor Me.

I've missed you all, I even had a bouquet of roses for everyone~

So, hope you'll take me without any whistles or bells... or anything else...

I'm with you in spirit, just without any curls or makeup - but I am smiling!

xoxo, Tracie

Last of the Summer Days

How are you spending the last of your Summer days~
Or has school started already for you?

Yes, this is pretty much what we've been doing...
(And yes, Pushing Daisies in coming back ~
been watching late night TV
The Tivo's been Seasoned Passed for this one already
I love the set of this show and the dog, of course!)

This is how Zeke's been spending his time
(while not watching General Hospital or going to the cool beach)

Ahh, nice cool walks in the morning, look how the clouds surround the mountain

We will be spending the next few days watching new movies and I will
have some reading to do with new magazines. I am especially excited
about the new Artful Blogging. I see there are a lot of talented ladies
in this issue but have got to say a personal (french accent)
Bonjour ~ Félicitations Nancy!

I found something new (food again) and I had to
laugh along with the bagger at the gourmet store
putting the brioche hot dogs buns
in my Marie Antoinette reusable tote - Quite appropriate!

In my travels, I found two pieces of an antique french gate ~
(well, here's one of the pieces) lovely, don't you think?

Ooh, beautiful things, this reminds me ~ Shabby Addict is having a
Thank you Giveaway. Visit her before Sunday here!

Back on the road for a while, I've missed everyone but am enjoying

The Last Days of Summer ~

I'd love to know what you've been up to and can't wait to get caught up
with everyone I love to visit so very much and have missed so much!

Until next week, when it's.... back to the real world ~
(yikes, I'll think about it then!)

DR 1960-1980
Remembering you today

Summertime...

Went for a walk to the organic store,
bought this delicious looking juice~


It was cute, had a little french girl on the label...
Lavender Lemonade? Sounds good this time of year
(I'll let you know if it's as good as the label is cute ;)

Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better...
I receive a packet on my picnique table, open it up
and look how beautiful. My cousin used to wrap gifts like these
but she went to classes to work at a specialized gift wrap
department in a very posh store in San Francisco

This is the artistry of Sheri from The Pawsh Poodle

I named Sheri's dummy (as in Charlie McCarthy doll) and she sent me
this for naming sweet Phineas for her family

A beautiful vintage necklace (white flowers, my very favorite!)
and a beautiful Romantic Homes Magazine, hot off the presses~

Thank you, Sheri (and Sophee-a)

Ordered something from the very talented, Madai
of Wren Cottage, I read about her work at Alice's Romantic Thoughts
(I love it when people share where they've found great things
and very nice people)

The wrapping is a beautiful gift ~ I waited a while to open it...
I could wait days to open a package,
I just love knowing it's there and the wrapping is just beautiful to look at!

Guess what happened?
I opened the wrapping, look inside...
just as beautiful with the protective wrap!
Bonjour it says to me & cheers my
already happy heart

Lots of goodies here, all the little pieces so touched my heart
~there's some tea tucked inside too (it smells so good, I'm going
to have some tomorrow, it's supposed to be overcast and it sounds great)

Okay, I've finally opened it~
Tah Dah!
I love it!

I walk into the bedroom and look across into the sun filled
bath and there's a glittery Maison sign. I took this late afternoon,
but should have taken it right at the 4 o'clock glow~
Just lovely if I say so myself, I do, I do!

Surprise~
Merci, Madai!

We're taking some family time before
school starts back up ~ See you in a few days...

For you old movie lovers (like me)
there's a Greta Garbo Festival on TCM
Thursday, August 7th~
I'm planning to have my Tivo running non-stop
Anna Karenina - ahh!


For now, I'll leave you with a bowl of sunshine~

And remember...

The Living is Easy~