Sunday, September 29, 2013

I blame it on Mother Nature . . .

The first 2 months of retirement I was totally creative and productive - I set goals and accomplished all of them.

But, the only step I took toward my September goal to open an Etsy shop was to take photos for a logo.


Instead of creating, I was relaxed and lazy all because of days like this.


On our morning walk yesterday, we could sense before we were at the end of the lane that the beach would be beautiful


and that kayaking would be the main activity of the day.


The wheels allow us to walk to Little Beach for launching and with the wheels on the boats we can leave the water anywhere along our route.


This remodel has sprung up in the weeks since I have been on the water.


The house is located at an ideal spot where 3 channels converge


and the views abound which ever direction one looks.


We asked the father and son fishing if the pelican was their friend and they assured us that he was their competition.


On a typical summer day, Mothers' Beach is crowded from jetty to jetty, but due to soccer season, only a few were enjoying the safest beach in town.


Anacapa Island stood in the distance and the sound of the seals jockeying for a spot on the mile buoy came across loud and clear.


Boat owners were out enjoying a day on the water


as were stand up paddlers who had the kayakers beat at a ratio of 16:9.


 Santa Cruz Island is hidden by the breakwater.


A little boy out fishing with dad assured me that they would be catching fish for dinner.


As we entered the little bay at Marina Park, the seagulls crowded around the breakwater on the left


 and smaller birds stood their ground on the jetty to the right.


I love to look toward our beach from the bay.


Zooming in on my camera, I can see all the way to our lane and the small crowd gathered on our beach.


Two Tree Hill is a city icon (old timers tell of the days when there were 7 and then 5 trees) and it is beautiful even in fall when the hills are brown.


A family from church helped build this monument


and now, the mermaid at Soter Point is another Ventura icon.


During the summer, Marina Park is filled every weekend with people throwing birthday parties and family get togethers, but like Mothers' Beach, it was relatively empty yesterday.


On our way back to Little Beach, the couple in this boat passed us and yelled out, "It's a great day, we live in paradise!" and I definitely agree with them.


On our walk over to Little Beach, our friends who live in this house on the water called to us laughing that we were headed to their neighborhood for a paddle and they were headed to our lane to sit on the beach.


Paddling back in at Little Beach, we spotted our neighbor Lorna, who was headed out with her stand up paddle board- I told her she looks like a teenager.

Mother Nature and the fact that we had company 10 days in September kept me from being productive and I did not meet my September goal.

But, I have to say that September has definitely been the most relaxing month of retirement.


Back at home a neighbor asked how our paddle was and he said, "you and Steve definitely know how to enjoy life."


And so, that will be my October goal - Enjoy Life.

I would be headed to the beach to read right now if my team didn't have a volleyball tournament this afternoon.

Hmm, does the coach really needs to be there?

. . . . . . . . . 

I am sharing at 

The Tablescaper - Oh, The Places I've Been

Dear Little Red House - Mosaic Monday

Friday, September 27, 2013

Tea Party

I have mentioned in previous posts that we live on a wonderful lane with great neighbors who like to socialize frequently.

I am going to a Tea Party today, in Freddie's garden.


Freddie, who has exquisite taste, gave me a lovely LOVE heart at my retirement party.


I want to take a little something to Freddie.


I bought a little ocean colored vase at TJ Maxx


and tied on a bit of Tim Holtz metal, but I wasn't sure I liked how it looked.


I swapped out the Live in the Moment piece for a simple LIVE tag attached with chain.



I like how it looks on my shelf - might have to go back to TJ Maxx and pick up a vase for myself.


For a tag, I used one of the sweet gifts I received from Patty in the Chaotic Goddess Color Swap.


It's not much - a single tea rose (there isn't much in bloom right now) from my garden.


And now, it is time to put on a sundress and head to Freddie's garden to look at this view from her deck.

Tonight, we will ride our bikes to an ocean front restaurant for dinner.  

I love . . .  September days . . . wonderful neighbors . . . riding my bicycle along the beach . . . being retired . . . 

. . . . . . . . . 

I will be joining these great parties

My Romantic Home - Show and Tell Friday

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Swapping Green For Red

A couple of weeks ago I was reading the blogPatty's Pretty Things, and Patty talked about joining the Chaotic Goddess Color Swap which sounded like so much fun.

I immediately went and signed up and ironically, I was partnered with Patty for the swap.


Check out Patty's blog post here about her love of green.

I had to drive KC to Los Angeles yesterday where we got in some quality mother/daughter shopping time before I put her on an airplane and when I got home this package was waiting for me.


I was exhausted and I knew I wanted to take pictures as I opened it for my link to the color swap so I held off opening it until this morning.


Surprise - red tissue paper and lots of it with a sweet note from Patty.


Patty definitely paid attention to my blog and included a sweet red scarf for Lulu - whose only interest at the moment is to eat it.


And Patty knows my love of creating - red pins, duck tape, buttons, string . . .


Handmade dishcloths which ended up on a pile of red dish towels.


After a day in the garden, I can wash up with the Lava soap and then enjoy a cup of tea - can't enjoy the cookies because we already ate them!


I know from following Patty that she has a Silhouette and after seeing this cute red pillow box and matchbook notepads I am convinced I need to buy a Silhouette.


More of Patty's beautiful work - cards, all with red images - and I love every single one of them.


And then, I came to the bottom of the box.


Patty had already told me she had made me some "red" things, but seeing a photo of my colorful croquet balls brought tears to my eyes.


When I opened the book and saw a photo of our sweet Lulu, tears began streaming down my face and I took the book to show Steve.


Page after page of "red" in all different sizes and another image of Lulu on her first day with us adorns the back of the book.


Patty has obviously noted my love of red and polka dots - the book has joined other handmade books in a basket in the hallway.


It was a red letter day for me receiving a fantastic gift from a wonderful blogging friend.


And, a red letter day on the beach with my 2 besties - Lulu and Steve.

Check out what others received in the color swap at Chaotic Goddess Swaps.