~ Nature's Theater ~

This morning I awoke to sunshine streaming in the bedroom window and bleu skies. This is a seldom happening thing this summer as we have had a barrage of overcast skies that eventually burn off at mid day.
I quickly grabbed my items of the morning, a large cup of Coffee and books and headded out to the patio to enjoy the morning.
The fountain delighted my ears with its constant tinkle of running water, reminding me of sitting beside a stream. I watched as nature"s morning parade in the garden.
The Lord blessing me continually with His simple gifts of pleasure surrounding me. This theater is constantly about us, but how often do we stop and make time to view it?
I was very pleased at the visitation of the "Blue Bird Family", that came by for a cool drink of water and a morning plunge into the turquoise birdbath. They are not seed eaters, they prefer bugs and grubs found in Mother Earth. God provides~
The Monarch Butterfly flit by and grabbed my attention from afar, landing on the purple Butterfly bush for me to catch in a photo.
I spotted a female Oriole also, which seems so illusive around Beverly Cottage. I must refill the nectar for the humming bird feeders.
Thank you for the beautiful morning Lord.

My Very First Favorite Things Swap

A few months ago, my daughter invited me to join a group of blogging women for a "Favorite Things Swap, Through Kelly, Accordingtokelly.blogspot.com. I chose to swap internationally. My new swap friend is Sya, a 16 year old young lady from Malaysia.
I chose several of my favorite things and added a few lovely ribbons for my new friend across the ocean in Malaysia, and sent the package off.
Today my package arrived. It was quite exciting as I had my grand children here and had told my oldest that a package would be arriving probably today from far across the ocean on the other side of the world.
He helped me unwrap the package and we inspected every item,and read the enclosed note and looked closely at the vintage postcards.
If you want to check out Saya's craftiness, she is a follower of my Blog. Just click on her picture.
I received two meters( I think) of Batik fabric, a cute two tone pink/flower tote, darling hair clips for Tegan,an outfit that the ladies wear in Malaysia,Baju Kyrung, made by a friend of her mother's, Vintage postcards,a blue sharpie pen(My favorite color),post it notes,and a tissue cozy that Saya made.A lovely pop up card and a bookmark made like a shrinky dink memorializing the 2009 Favorite Things Swap! Also one of Saya's favorite food. I will try it later and let you know what I think.
It is so nice to reach across the internet and find new friends and connect, it was a lot of fun and I now have a new best friend!!

~ Favorite Things Swap ~

I am so excited!! Guess why?
A friend of mine, Georgia is hosting a Favorite Things Swap!

Want to join in on the fun?
Here is what you do. Go to Georgia's blog, amoderncrush.blogspot.com and e-mail her the requested information.
She will randomly pair you with a partner and then you will gather and send your new friend at least 3 of your favorite things,( can be more if you are feeling generous!)

These favorite things can be purchased or handmade, old or new. They do not have to be extravagant,( Good examples are things like your favorite tea, a favorite novel,something you love in your kitchen, your favorite candies.) Get creative!

You have to e-mail Georgia by August 14th and send your lovelies by August 28th.

Pass this along to all your friends everywhere! The more the merrier!
It should be fun, and you will make a new friend!
You don't want to miss out!

~ Panels in the Widow Looking out ~

~ Stained Glass Panels at Beverly Cottage ~

These panels connect through the window panes and follow the room to the small entry way window.
The landscape depicts the lake and furrowed hills ready to be planted. the lake is connected by a stream that leads to the waterfall.
Our area was a farming agricultural area for many years leading up to the 70's.
And a surprise picture of the photographer!

~ More Outside Windows Looking In ~

It was requested that I display our stained glass panels found in a resale shop and bought many years ago for our anniversary. They were purchased to specifically hang in the spaces of our deck view. They reflect the stained glass panels in our home,which we made reflecting the hills of the town we live in when we moved to North County in the mid 70's.

~ Looking Through the Windows Into Summer ~

My blog friend Lylah, La Maison Et Le Jardin.com, was blogging about shutters and how we use them, and what character they add to the home.
Her's is a French influenced blog. I quickly clicked on the links to view the various blog answere and to view the pictures.

I was sitting out on my back deck porch enjoying the atmosphere I had created and realized that we have put up windows as art to be looked through out into the garden.

Here are a few pictures of my Summer porch looking out through the windows into Summer here at Beverly Cottage.

~Enjoy~

~NEW POST~

I was just thinking that I needed to gather up all my past posts, as I have done before, to keep them as a recorded journal that I have in my hand.
It occurred to me that this is just about what scrap booking is.

I have always looked at scrap booking as a record of the outings of the "Family".
And I enjoy doing this.

I am going to copy my posts and have the pictures printed that I have posted and put them into a scrapbook of "My Life". This will be a great thing for the grand kids in the future.

For them to be able to read what I have written and see how I think and know what my values are.
Sounds like fun~ What do you think?

I remember finding a 5 year diary of my Great Grandmother and being so excited to read her thoughts recorded in this precious journal. I was very disappointed when I opened it to find the daily record of," I did the work." Written repeatedly throughout the journal.
There was hardly a mention of her daughter and grand daughter, my mother!

I want to leave a legacy~

Quilts in the Garden

I had long wanted to hang my quilts in the garden to enjoy their beauty and love the patterns made of tiny cut up squares of carefully purchased fabrics.
One morning, after a conversation with Steve, we went out and rigged up a close line of sorts to display these lovelies. I wish that the garden always looked dressed in its splendor in the spring, but as summer turns her heated eyes upon the gardens of Beverly Cottage, the plants and grass loose their blush of color.
I am glad that I have these pictures to gaze at and remember this past spring and enjoy the beauty and creativity that God has blessed me with!
Enjoy!

La jolla Cove and A feeling of DeJa Vu

This Saturday I attended a wedding Shower for a dear friend's daughter, held in La Jolla along the Cove.

I was taken a back as I looked out upon the view of the Cove from my vantage point.
I couldn't help but feel as if I were looking back in time to the Fifties with the beach seen I was surveying. I felt as if I were looking upon a picture puzzle from the past,of a visit to the shore and how it made a summer day wonderful!

Beach umbrellas displaying their colored crowns, protecting those underneath sitting in the sand. The beach was bustling with the throng of sun bathers and swimmers desiring to plunge into the gentle surf slapping the shore. The swimmers were floating along the top of the water,too many to be counted, and it wasn't for a moment until I finally realized that these for the most part were snorkelers enjoying the underwater view.

The scent of the salt sea air mingled in the warmth of the sun baked day with a hint of seaweed in the breeze.
Everything called to me to come down the cement steps to join the holidaymakers.

I could envision a child building a sandcastle encrusted with tiny sea shells and a flag perched upon its turret.
It truly was a marvelous summer day at the cove and it made me reminisce on days gone by when to sit upon the shore and play was a delight