~ Mr and Missus Wren Setting Up House ~

~ Bird Song of Spring in the Air ~

As of late~ we have had more of our share of rain in Southern California. I have worried about my sweet daffodils being battered around by the harsh wind and torrential, constant downfall of rain as storm after storm hits our coast and garden. Rain and Mother nature do have their benefits though~ as the water gives birth to the flower and ground cover with beautiful budding blooms and new ladybugs hatching.~ As Spring approaches, another creation of God's is the beautiful mating song of the bird in the garden at Beverly Cottage. As I listen to my garden song every morning, I can recognise the different songs and identify some as I have come to know them, and to whom they belong. Every year there seems to be a new visitor in the garden here at Beverly Cottage. I look to catch a quick glimpse of my elusive Oriole, trying to coax him to stop and visit my hummingbird feeders, but only see him fly by infrequently. We noticed the Bluebird family choose our neighborhood as eating grounds and nesting spot 10 years ago, and love to see them join the other native birds in the birdbath splashing~ A flock of Cedar waxwings like to frequent the empty branches across the street from the Cottage and they have a lovely smooth appearance. Last year the early chortling of as new visitor had us in a quandary trying to spot him and identify what type he was. It was a Cassin's Kingbird. This week, after a strong rain, I heard the singing of a new friend and looked out into our screened patio to find a bird had found its way in. I hastened to open the door to help it exit and share it's adventure of being "locked up" in a humans outside room and freed by the larger than life, up close person and lived to tell about it. When I turned around to see where it had flitted to, it had disappeared upon it's own. hummm.... I am a collector of abandoned bird nests~ As I looked around, I noticed that things seemed askew and that the wind from the storm couldn't have possibly blown a bird nest carefully placed in a container on to the ground. I went about tidying up and thought no more of it until the next day when my little friend was singing his beautiful song, broadcasting that there was free nesting material on my screened patio! After discussing the "new song" of the unidentifiable bird, we set out to find and identify him. Each time we heard the song we searched and looked. We also looked in the bird book and thought that it might be a wren.~ Well yesterday while my husband was gardening, he spotted the bird singing on our Plumeria bush near the trash bin area on the side of the house. Watching, he saw that he and the missus were setting up home in the terracotta sun face placed on the side of the house! There in the open mouth of the sun was evidence of a nest being built. I set the camera up on the tripod and waited in the arbor to see them working diligently before it was time to lay their eggs.~ They are House wrens.~ Enjoy the pictures~ ~May I suggest you sit outside or take a walk and listen to the bird song. ~It is lovely~

Japan's 8.9 Earthquake and Tsunami A Wake Up Call to be Prepared!

Last night as I was turning the television off to retire for the night, I was startled as I switched to the local news to see a Tsunami sweeping over the Japan landscape carrying with it everything in it's path. I was instantly awake and glued to the set as I tried to find out the earthquake's epicenter as years ago I was a teacher/coordinator for Japanese students and have several I still am close to.
It was unbelievable to watch entire villages swept inland. Where did all the heavy aircraft disappear to at the airport?
My heart goes out to this nation as they recover from this extreme shock. it has only just begun.
Thank God that my girls and their families all live in the southern part of the Islands, and no one I know of as of yet, has been effected.

This brought to mind that we live near an active fault line, the San Andreas fault, and there is the impending "BIG ONE" hanging over our heads here in the San Diego/Los Angeles area that not only could level our buildings and even cause tsunami waves to hit our shores and to break off the state of California at the Arizona state line, just snap it right off! (Hence the statement California will fall into the sea!)

This past weekend we experienced massive high wind gusts throughout the night beginning at 12:00am and continuing through the early morning, in the Anza Borrego desert, 72 mile an hour gusts, experienced while we were trying to sleep in a fifth wheel, hoping that out stabilizers would hold us, and praying that we wouldn't tip over or blow off our blocks!!
I had in the back of my mind...what if.. an earthquake were to happen while we were out here?

A friend who camps with us was returning this week to give a disaster preparedness class, and as we talked we were suggesting items that you could not do without and might need to add to such a kit to keep for emergency.

This really hits home and sounds the alarm for us to be prepared.
As we watch the movement of the earth throughout the world, earthquakes are hitting and devastating our global communities. Our hearts go out to our global neighbours as we know that it would impact us the same.
Say a prayer for our friends in this time of great loss, not only here, but New Zealand and China, and by all means, it is a warning call for us to be prepared!

~A Valentine ~ For You!

~Will You Be My Valentine?~

February is the month of love~
When one thinks of the month of February, red, pink and heart shapes come to mind.
I remember the art project of making Valentine's "mail boxes" for the handfuls of little envelopes with sweet messages from classmates and friends.~

As the years have sifted by, I still like to remember my dear friends with a little valentine of sorts to let them know how special they are in my heart. ~ I hold each friendship dear, as growing up in a Military family, we moved frequently, and close friends were few.~

This week I hosted a luncheon for friends who are in a doll club with me. I decided since we were to have lunch, that I would treat them to a special Valentine celebration. Our theme after all ,was Valentine's Day, why not do it up properly.~

This year we made a special Valentine for one of the club members, and then drew names.
I think that we enjoyed ourselves brilliantly and the weather was appropriate for a fete' on the screened porch. It was a lovely day.~

I hope that you will make your Valentine's Day a special one with friends that you hold dear to your heart.
~After all, that is what it is all about~

Please Join Me For A Cup Of Tea And A Chat~

~Beautiful Spring Days Visit Us Here At Beverly Cottage~

It's a lovely day here at Beverly Cottage~

I would like to invite you in for a tour of the Cottage and for a cup of tea.
The screened deck awaits us and I invite you to sit awhile and chat and relax as I set the kettle on the stove.
Valentine's day is coming and this is my gift to you~

I thank you for your visits, frequent or few, and love to hear your comments, in fact I thrill when I see you have been here.

If you are in the area, you are always certainly welcome, and the door to Beverly Cottage will always be opened for you and a pot of steeped tea poured into one of my sweet china cups~

I will serve fresh lemon curd, picked from one of the trees in the garden, on toast or scone and we can have a chat about what is new in your life, or what your plans are for the week~
Just give me a call to set up a little visit, or leave me a comment so that I know that you have stopped by for a while~

~Emerald Carpeted Room~

~Emerald Carpets~

I've Chosen Emerald Green Carpets For My New Room

Welcome~
The weather here has been magnificent the past few days, warm and balmy. We have to be reminded to put a coat on if we will be out past sunset, as the evenings cool down quite a bit.
I have been enjoying my outdoor room by reading in the sunshine and discovering the wonders of nature's beauty~
It invited me into my newly emerald carpeted room Saturday. I stepped barefooted onto the soft spring shoots of ground cover, recently produced by showers of rain that have been coming our way, more often than of past years, and into the room nature has given us, with my camera ready to record the greatness that has been going on through this winter.
The flowers are trying their best to use the nourishment of this rain to bring Spring our way soon.
The arbor even has presented a rose or two, promising that it will burst forth with glory soon with more sunny weather.
The citrus trees are laden with abundant fruit. The lemon has already given of her fruit for me to make batches of fresh Lemon Curd for future tea parties at Beverly Cottage this Spring.
The lime ,tangerine and orange as well~
The orange tree bid me under it's umbrella of branches and verdant leaves to view it's orange orbs hanging from limb, waiting for a few more weeks sweetness. I felt as a child and wanted to lay under it's shade and gaze up waiting for a bird to land and sing it's sweet song ,and smell the sweetness of the orange blossoms promising next year's crop.
The bees are busy doing their work as well~ pollinating and gathering from the pink and purple lavender along the picket fence.
The vegetable garden has been turned and awaits it's time to burst forth with seeds of delicious bounty~ But that is for yet another post~
Yes, I am enjoying my new emerald green carpets here at Beverly Cottage~

California Dreamin' on Such a Winter's Day

Yesterday was a magnificent day.The weather was a dreamy warm one, which we haven't had in quite a while. The warm weather invited and drew us out to enjoy its splendour.
We decided to take the local Sprinter to the ocean which is an easy 15 minute drive, but made an afternoon of it by using public transportation.
Having lived here in Southern California for 37 years, we become complacent in having the beach at our bare toes and tend to stay in our comfortable back yard and home and pass the day away. Not today!
We left, camera in hand and pedometer set, to take a lovely walk along the strand and out on the Oceanside Pier.
The smell of hot dogs cooking on the open grill was delicious and reminded me of days gone by as a child, when these were one of my favorites. There is nothing more tasty than a hot dog cooked on an open fire outside.
The waves were calm and rather small, but the moisture in the air caused the sky to be a dreamy pale blue and the clouds appeared to be almost a creamy pink.
I watched as the seagulls dodged and swept past.
We walked and watched as the waves lapped the shore and the sun splayed it's golden light upon the sand as a golden mantel.
How beautiful a day and how blessed to be able to enjoy it outside after the rain and dreary cold snap we have experienced these past few weeks.
Out on the pier we were able to watch the surfers from a birds eye view. It is amazing that outside the surf there is a peaceful quietness as the swells gently bob the riders over them.
As we ended our day we were treated to the most beautiful sunset.
You never know what the sunset display will be, and sadly we were on the Sprinter as it set, I wish that I had stayed to capture it properly at the shoreline.
There will indeed be another time for this.~m

Pssst! Want to Know a Secret ????

Pssst! Want to know a secret???
A trip is being planned in our minds as I write this!
We are thinking of an extended time away to see what we can discover out there....
Where will it be? When will we be embarking on thei wonderful get away?
It is just an immagination in our minds at the moment.
Have you any suggestions for us? Favorite get away places in far off Countries?
Let me know and I will investigate further your suggestions!
I am so excited!!!~m

Memories of Christmas Past Brought Present~

As the years slip past I look at Christmas through memories of Christmases past. As I gather the decorations that have been stashed for the year, and ramble through the carefully wrapped and packaged boxes of wreaths and garlands and Nutcrackers, I spot those items that spark heartfelt memories of Christmases past.

I come from a Military family who moved frequently, memories of first Christmases bring thoughts of standing in front of the cookie cutter 1950's home, dressed in my fancy Christmas finest,squinting, trying to keep from blinking as the operator of the brownie instamatic tried to get their best shot to capture the memory for the future.

In First grade the teacher thought of a clever item for the class to make and take.
A "Sputnik". The first Satalite to be put into space that year. We proudly made ours by spray painting a jack ball silver and sticking toothpicks into it then pouring every young childs fantasy, silver glitter all over to make it sparkle!
This little trinket lasted way past my years of living at home and even through having my own little ones bringing their own treasures to adorn the tree.
Until one day I sadly discovered my father had cleansed the boxes of adorns for the tree and alas my dear sputnik had seen it's last holiday. I was broken hearted.

Other Christmas memories are of driving madly across the country to relocate to Conneticut, 4 children in the back of a Country Squire Station Wagon. Our Christmas was in a Motel and Santa came bringing a Mr. Machine for my little brother and Chatty Cathy's for my sisters. I got a much desired transistor radio with earphones
and used it as we buzzed from town to towntrying to locate the nearest radio signal.

In years reciently past I have had the opportunity of learning to make small Feather trees. Quite an endevour, and a challenge. My desire is to make one, but not this year. This year I decided to make tinsel trees and adorn them with vintage orniments to compliment them. They have the flavor of the 1950's and are a delight!

I found a design that caught my eye in a magazine and set out to create it. I found a darling two tiered antique table at a sale on the side of the road for $5.00 and brought it home and added trim around the edge of the table. Bought snow cotton to place on the top of the two tiers placed my tinsel tree in the center and Vola!
I especially like the little antique clip on birds that I found on e-bay! Enjoy~

And the Winner IS.....

After a month of posting and waiting... The winner is....
rucamping!!!
Becky, you may choose your picture from the post of 10 choices.
Email me @ mklicka@sbcglobal and let me know which picture you would like. :)~M

~ HAPPY HALLOWEEN ~