happy happy

happy birthday to you

happy birthday to you

happy birthday little sister

happy birthday to you

how old are you now

I'll never tell ; )

rattle shake roll...(GF tip)

We took this rickety(eek!) old(scary) and very cool(adventurous) elevator to the 4th floor of our daughter Angela's new apartment. We were here to bring the finished project of wrapping the Thailand Silk around four canvases, visit and go to dinner. Their place was clean, cozy and quite typical of downtown S.F. row houses. You enter a long wood floor hallway with all the rooms straight down in a row and off to the left; Bathroom, Kitchen, Living Room and a Bedroom. What more does anyone need?Well, here they are...the colors are so serene and I think they'll look lovely on any wall.


This last week was spent with all the surrounding orchards lining up for their turn to have the shakers do their thing. Wednesday bright and early it was our turn. I thought the shaker looked like a great big black spider maneuvering in and out of our rows. A big front claw gently grabbed each trunk and then (Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!) the quick vibration made the ground tickle beneath your feet and all the light fixtures rattled on the walls.I turned away, I can't watch and I found myself wincing deep inside with each and every tree. After many hours there was an abrupt silence and the regular hush informed me that the process was over. I ventured outside with apprehension, in my mind, the trees would all be broken and torn to shreds. But this was not so, THEY are much stronger than one thinks.My reaction came swift. My mouth dropped open and tears filled my eyes. I felt a sense of deep pride swell in my chest and covered all over the ground was the gift that comes when they are nursed from Winter to Harvest. Gifts, each and every one of them. Crazy me felt compelled to say out loud, "Good Job All of You! Thank You So Much!"Late afternoon Hubby arrived home from his main job, changed his clothes and drug out the poles. He poles the top of the branches to get the nuts that didn't make it to the ground...seriously, more? Hey, these pennies add up!


***Here is the skinny on the Best Gluten Free Pizza Dough Ever! Tried and tested by yours truly and "YUM" is all I can say!Go here(Schar) for more information about their products...and go crazy with the toppings ; )

Thailand Silk

This is the silk that Ang & Jon brought back with them from Thailand. My camera doesn't do them justice. Each one is iridescent and casts different colors, depending on the angle in which you are standing. Now home, they purchased 4 large rectangle shape canvases for me to stretch the material around. Great idea and they turned out beautiful. Tomorrow I will be bringing them to San Fran to see their new apartment and then go out to dinner. The restaurant is Gluten Free, so I will have to take some pics and let you know how it is. In the meantime, while I stare at each gorgeous canvas, it is very tempting to put them up on my own wall and when I see them tomorrow say, "What Silk?" I guess I'll have to settle for the scraps...which are also very beautiful ; )

nearly harvest time...

this may seem like just another ordinary day here
just another walk in the same orchard
one more day of many
but it isn't

how is it possible
that every time i come here
this place astounds me


each row offers a different view
a new perspective
some sense of calm

a moment of warm dappled sun
an offering of cool shade
and the conversations of rustling leaves...


I usually walk with these two as my companions. They don't complain about my slow pace, or if something random catches my attention. We three are very consistent together.

Ellie has a tendency to wander off in her own world

and Baxter stays by my side.

I can reach right up and taste the fruit of our labor

well, not actually fruit : )