Days of wine & roses~

  

This past weekend was peppered with many seasonings; nutritious and delicious food, happy family and friends sharing a celebratory mood, and the joys of exploring a new and uncluttered space to call our own.  It was bruschetta on crusty bread, balsamic on crunchy greens, and red wine. 

I am still the dreamer I was; launching newer and broader ideas out into the vast Universe to see what comes around again my way.  I dream of an art retreat, a quiet place where my soul can paint and photograph happily amidst the humming of cicadas and wind swept cedars.  A place near water, that is accessible to all the family, and it would have a spirit of it's own; a kindly, mothering spirit.  The kind of place that nurtures your bones.

I'm wishing (in vain!) that Domino would publish their monthly magazine again, so for now I look to their decorating "Bible" and hold it dear, for nothing in the stores has come close to it, with it's rich infusion of small space decorating ideas and it's level of sheer creativity. 

 

Our new home has a wrap around porch, and a yellow front door.  Just what I had asked for! So it deserves some roses, rambling climbing roses...and wisteria. {As all homes do! :) }

Lots of climbing, layered, fresh flowering goodness.  Since there is no landscaping, it will be up to me for these things.  I plan to shop for roses in the coming weeks.  :)

 

I'll finish "The Kite Runner" today...had to put it down numerous times due to life.  Life must happen and so it interferes with blogging and reading.  It's a must read if you haven't done so already.  Next on my list is a book my friend Heather gave me two years! ago.  "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte.  I'm very excited to read this because I finally unpacked all the books and this one was sitting on top.  (I know, I'm the last woman alive to read it!)

What are you reading?  Summer is reading season, don't you think? 

The rest of our week will include the following; gathering up wildflowers for pressing, collecting rocks from the beach for painting, antiquing and estate sale-ing, and shopping for roses.  (Not to mention the work we have cut out for us at the new place, cleaning and unpacking. Joyous things like that!)  I hope you all enjoy your week and keep dreaming big, it does wonders.  xo

Comments

[debi]

As much as I loved the blueness hovering at the top of your blog, I must admit that this new fresh look is quite wonderful!! Your new house sounds like a dream of mine, and yes, it needs all the flowers you mentioned. As for reading? Oh my - I am re-reading 1984 - can you believe it? :)

[MiddleAgedWomanBlogging]

I'm reading Sin in the Second City by Karen Abbott. Prostitution in Chicago! Very interesting indeed! Love the photos. You make me want a new home!

[Tara Bradford]

Every time I try to comment, I get kicked out of Typepad! And I'm within Typepad at the time! Sigh. It has something to do with the verification letters - the letters appear, but no space to type them in. So glad you had a lovely weekend and are enjoying feathering your nest. Wish I were with you for the flea markets and estate sales; estate sales usually yield wonderful things, if you turn up early! I am sending you something for your new home. Love the yellow and blue look of your blog. xoxox

[Diane]

then you must read " a thousand splendid suns". same author.

[Lisa Palombo]

Hi Gillian,
Haven't seen your blog in a while. It looks fantastic! Love your banner and photos are great as usual.
Hugs, Lisa

[A Fanciful Twist]

My throat is all tight and wanting to cause my eye to tear big time, after reading your little girls surgery and your feelings.

I am sure she will feel better. I am sure of it. Perhaps she is betetr already?

AUntie V would be glad to send her ten pounds of cakes and such from her frame that your little angel can wear on her lithe little frame. Why I would be more than happy to do so ;) Tonsils can be ever so rotten. Why do we even have them?

I still have mine. I have only had a couple traumatic surgery ladden moments in my life. But when I was 7, I used to play with "the squishy thing" in my palate. I guess it was just normal to me, and I never said anything about it. My parents were like, WHAT SQUISHY THING???

Well, it was a little growth, cyst. Well, it wasn't little actually. And it felt like a giant fat sticker, those ones filled with liquid from the 80's, as I slid my tongue across it. I know this is graphic, but you are a Mom, so you probably have a higher squeamish tolerance??

Anyhow, I had to have the thing taken out and then, I am thinking so that the shape of my palate would not sink, I had to have a cast thingie sewn into my palate. It was the pits of all pits. One day, I was on a school picnic and sneezed (luckily my mom was there) and the darned cast fell out and landed on my tongue, still sewn into my palate in places. Oh, what misery.

So, the point of that long annoying story was to say I feel your babies pain. I felt mine while typing, like it was yesterday. And anesthesia and I don't like eachother, so that added to my most exciting time.

Tell your little gal, I send huge sparkles and fanciful magical waves her way ;)

COngrats on your wonderous new home, you deserve all the lovely things life has to offer. Hugs to your Mom and Dad and your whole family. Who I feel like i know a tiny bit through your sharing, xoxo

ps: Thanks for the wine and fruit and cheese. After my rambling I need some of that ;)

[kai]

Aloha Blue..
Well, summer's got me into two good reads. Im reading the stuff of Thought by Steven Pinker, and house of leaves (Again)..
My dad plays in the church band at haworth (Bronte church) .. HEATHCLIFFF!!!! lol..
peace, Kai

[Relyn]

It has delighted me to hear about your new home full of yellow doors and happiness.

[Deborah Carr]

I just finished Away, by Canadian author Jane Urquhart. I can recommend any of her books...in particular, I loved Stonecarver.

[Jeaux]

This place is full of sunlight today!

Your new home and grounds are a tabula rasa, ready for you to draw the lines and write the music. It will thrive and sing in the great Bleux style.

I'll have a glass of Casillera del Diablo... a little Birdie turned me on to it.

[maddie]

bleutiful banner dear gils!

and that delicious image of olives has me
running for my olives with a little
cheese and blueberry juice:)

cant' wait to see photo's of your new home

:)

[pam aries]

I love olives as much as I love my chocolate,, and when i logged onto your blog I was ...yummmmm! Oh man..that gives me an idea..maybe I can dip olives in chocolat. Okay, I'm dreaming now too. Your new house sounds fun and perfect for you, Your yellow door is really gold. You are rich beyond belief! Ciao!

[gemma]

Congratulations on your new home. May it always be filled with love and laughter.
Speaking of kites....
Kite Strings of the Southern Cross is a beautiful book about a Canadian girl who travels the world alone!
Loved it.

[lisa]

Kite Runner...what a great story. I never did watch the movie solely based on other people telling me the book was 100% better. I chose to believe them. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns too but I didn't enjoy it as much but it was a good read as well.
I am reading a very sad book that I can't get through. It's called A Year of Fog and will probably be returned to the library unfinished. I just picked up A Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou yesterday and can't wait to crack the first page, perhaps when the bambinos are in bed with a glass of Merlot.
Gorgeous pix, by the way. I have had every wine pictured and love them all. Rarely a red wine I don't like. Here is to hoping we will be toasting to one another in person soon!
Congrats on the new house and all my love to B. Hope she is healed and back to herself.
xo

[Gillian daSilva]

Tara
I am sending you a flickr mail, could you go check it?
Also, I have removed the CAPTCHA letter thingie, hopefully that will make commenting easier. I hadn't realized that was enabled. I hope you don't have further trouble. It has been a pain for me commenting on others as well.
xo