My Ojai Garden Roses

 I was so nervous to plant roses in my garden in Ojai... and predominantly David Austin English roses.  I thought the weather might be too hot. I took a chance late last spring, surfed the web for ideas and ordered my favorites from Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria. then of course we had a horrendously hot summer and they looked like hell by August.  But, alas... spring came and what a great surprise.  My delicate little babies are twice as big and so abundant .... YIPPPEEE!!!

The roses shown above are "Johann Strauss", "Hot Cocoa", "Glamis Castle", "Gentle Hermione", "Jubilee Celebration", "Julia Child" and "Mary Magdalene"(not in order).

Ojai Winter Walk

I took a walk this morning around the block in my neighborhood.  It was VERY brisk as the storm was approaching.  Some might laugh when I say brisk (like those on the East coast today) but for sunny California it felt like an arctic front!  But as I've said before, I am a wimp.   But it was a lovely stroll!

JENGA !!! ART

And you thought Jenga was just a balancing act.  Well, when a 7 year old is bored you never know what they will come up with. Tonight, we watched as Jenga became art.  All his idea too.   I prompted him to do more that his original (first photo) and he was game.  He even took most of the photographs though I did crop them.  It was his idea to use the Instagram filters and turn them black and white.  My little guy is really getting the artsy eye!  I then uploaded them to the computer for a little additional contrast/boost and voila.... 

JENGA ART!

......or maybe we should call it

JENGART!

Fall in Paradise

Yes, this is Paradise... Paradise, California.  There IS such a place and it IS a paradise.  If you haven't heard of it, not to worry.  Just drive about 2 hours north of Sacramento, and between Oroville and Chico you will find this little beauty.  Lots of pines, lots of oaks, lots of maples, lots of sycamores, lots of nice folks.  And lovely colors this time of year.  These were taken on Thanksgiving while visiting my in-laws... in their front yard.  I hope you are enjoying fall while it's here as it's almost over!

Lovin' Labradorite and Labradoodles

I've said it before....I LOVE labradorite!  

Not sure if I've said it before .... I LOVE labradoodles!

.... see below for the contrasting beauty of both species.

According to Wikipedia.org, labradorite was discovered near a town called Nain in Labrador, Canada though usually mined nowadays for jewelry quality in Madagascar.  And the labradoodle dogs "ancestors originated on the island of Newfoundland, now part of the province of Labrador, Canada."

 Has anybody ever been to Labrador?  Sounds like a pretty nice place to me.

My cousin saw the combo above (a labradorite briolette, my floral "shield" pendant and tiny faceted labradorite beads) before I put it all together and said I'll take it!

Thanks Cuz!  

So if you're down near San Diego way and you see this on a pretty lady...you know who it is : )

Which brings me to say that I will be making another soon.... if any of ya'll are interested let me know!  

And, I have just had a mold made of my pmc pendant below so now I can have lost wax casting made in sterling.  I'm thinking of experimenting with castin in gold too.  I need to hold my breath when I ask for the quote!

And if you're in Ojai, California and you see these funny looking pups... please don't be afraid.  Their bark is just them sayin' hello.  Their names are Stella (red) and Lucy (cream)... mother and daughter.  No, these are NOT their beds .... though they sometimes think otherwise!

Lotusland

Summer was fast, furious and fun.  Not much creating or lounging but lots of adventures, lots of taxi-cabbing for a small boy, lots of birthday and birthday party planning for August... a 7 (son), a 21 (daughter), a 50 (hubby), a 70 (mom) and a 75!(mom in law). My wedding anniversary was somehow in the middle of all that too.  Summer was over in the snap of my fingers.

I'm still busy as usual but ever since school has started back up a couple of weeks ago, I've actually had a little me time. I think I may have said that last September.   I've been creating in my studio while enjoying my new windows...yay!!! I've been walking ... yay!!! I've been meditating... yay!!!  And, I celebrated my birthday with my dear friend Dana at Lotusland.... yay!!!  

Here are a few pics (I love Instagram) from this truly amazing enchanted property in Montecito near Santa Barbara.  But if you are interested in going there, you must make advance reservations.  Created by Madame Ganna Walska (1887 - 1884), Lotusland has the most spectacular botanical gardens I've ever seen... especially the cactus gardens.

"As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world."

~ Buddha ~

Huntington Gardens ... a shared experience

My sister Lucinda and I are both artists, we both have blogs (hers is cobaltviolet), we both enjoy photography and we often go on outings together.  After most of these excursions, I often find myself getting a post together to find out that she has beat me to it and blogged on the same subject with very similar photos.  Oiy vey!  (spelling anyone??)  As we have some of the same followers I sometimes just pass on posting the same basic story.  But not today!  I'm not going to go on about how fabulous the Huntington Library in Pasadena is and how amazing the gardens... I 'm just going to post a few of my favorite images from our day a few weeks back.  If you want to know more about our trip, check out my sister's blog posts....  She took some great photos of the gardens and paintings and is quite prolific on this subject.  But I am proud to say it was my idea that she start a blog...  I'm glad she took my advise for once!

Huntington Museum in Pasadena - American Collection.

Chinese Gardens at the Huntington - Pasadena

Shakespeare's Garden - The Huntington in Pasadena, California

Japanese Gardens at the Huntington

I will say that it's the Chinese and Japanese gardens that keep me coming back.....

I'm cracking up right now....I was just looking for a quote on gardens and I found this one on brainyquote.com!!!

"Eventually my goal is get a place in Ojai where I can have animals and a big garden. Just drink wine all day and hang in my garden."
~Michelle Branch~

.....maybe I ought to call her over for a glass of wine?