Summoned

If any of you happen to have siblings,older sisters in particular, you'll totally get what I am about to say. I get this call from my older sister about a month ago, asking, er, more like demanding that I come visit her in Cali. But in reverence for her Highness, I'll say summoned.

She gave me and hour (that's right,1. single. hour.) to make up my mind. Because, as she firmly stated, she is at her computer, with the Southwest Airlines schedule before her very eyes, ready to press "book". No pressure there right? Well, for 55minutes I blustered and bristled at her Majesty's request. And then 5 minutes later, I answered her summons with this:

You may think me a wiener buckling under such dubious pressure, but if you do indeed have an older sister, I know I have your complete and utter sympathy. And lest anyone think that the actual years of separation in age make a difference. I reply with not one whit! In fact, when I arrived at her majesty's door we were the same age. And remained so for 4 days. Believe me, I tried my fools best to dethrone her highness, she would have none of it. But spending our birthdays together, clinking our bottles of Coke in honor of our Mother's fortitude and sense of humor, was worth every moment. And did I mention Lady Laughs-a-lot bought my airline ticket, so there, check-mate.

Her majesty loves purple. I'm thinking a subliminal message alluding to her royalty, or so I like to imagine. But her husband, being a mere peasant as I, seeing all things equal bought me a purple bouquet too. Checkmate;) In case you're wondering, Her majesty would be the 361 days older woman in this picture, but I'm not telling. Checkmate :0

For four lovely days we walked, danced, sang, cooked, ate, drank and maybe just a teensy bit fought, but that much is to be expected from sisters. Most of all we encouraged each other's creativity, shared our newest projects and plans. I love that the most about our visits.

I love the way my sister gets her creative daily fix by playing around in this ginormous brandy snifter. Her little china man with no hands exists in a tranquil garden of sand, moving about only at his mistress' will. I feel your pain little china guy (just saying).

I think these pods are very cool, from a Magnolia I'm guessing. We picked a passel of them on one of our walks. A few trips to Lowe's for paint chips and new pendant lighting for her highness's boudoir rounded out my trip.

Remember the Narcissus I have been dousing liberally with Gin.

I came home to find that she can't hold her liquor.

~cheers~

Home Again

I felt like George Bailey in the classic movie It's A Wonderful Life but in reverse as we journeyed to the airport the morning of my flight to California.

Because of the new fallen snow and icy road conditions we crept slowly up hill and dale leaving home, sweet warm home with it's curling stream of woodsmoke rising from the chimney. Everything moving by in slow motion.

"Goodbye little cottage in the woods."

"Goodbye little town just waking up."

"Goodbye you ol' snowplow, thank you."

In little over an hour flying time I was transported one season forward. And then I was saying.....

Hello sunny California suburbs!

Hello shiny white mercury. You make the sun reflect right into my cornea's. It hurts so good!

Hello delicate pink peach blossom, you make me hopeful.

I'm home now feeling refreshed having soaked up a little sunshine and blossoms in my soul and knowing that surely Spring is just around the corner.

If your dreamin' of being transported too with out booking a flight. Let Chris at

Red Gate Farm dazzle you with the bright colors of summer in flowers and veggies. I think I really really want to try some of her green "Envy" zinnias for Spring. I'm dreamin', I hope you are too.

California Dreamin'

All the leaves are brown, and the skies are grey.......
California dreamin' on such a winters day.
Mama's and the Papas

1965-1968

My dreamin' will be reality when my plane lands in Sacramento next Thursday at noon. I was thinking of this on the trail today humming this tune as the rain dripped from my raingear. There will be lots to do before I leave for a short respite. If I had a hired hand, I could blog all the way up until I lock the door. But no, It's up to me to get my you know what together, and take care of business around the place before leaving. So I won't be blathering into the blogoshpere for one whole week! Egads! Oh my virtual world feels like it's crashing.

So In case of a crash let me send out one last thought of non epic proportions.

A little something from a great little blog The Feminist Farmers Wife:

"There's nothing the years and gravity will have taken from me
that I need to have back again."

Ponderings from the trail.