special moments and memories

It's a warm, sunny, cold and cloudy day in Borrowby. Only in places such as England can the clouds part to let the warm sun shine down for a few exquisite moments before the sky closes back up again. The inclement weather doesn't stop the likes of Betty and Jan of the Three Chimneys estate.

They've got a lot of ground to cover and maintain, and they enjoy every minute of it.

When asking how their estate came into their lives and how it has developed over the years, Beth lays down her tools and Jan pauses to reflect from the top rung of his ladder:

"It was fate really.  We were looking to buy a house and just happened to find this place as we opened the paper one morning.  We came by to have a look and just loved it.  Unlike most homes that have problems and issues to sort out, this place was and has been just perfect." 

  As far as entertaining goes, the house and grounds offer tons of charm, sure.  Yet it's these two who use their love of detail to really add the flair and pizazz to their parties.

  Spicy pepper and feta cheese stuffed olives, jalapenos and bread with hummus, olive oil & balsamic vinegar.
Tuna, pepper and mushroom shish kebabs over a charcoal pit.

Champagne Mojitos?  Just add lime juice cordial to a glass of prosecco and top with fresh mint leaves.  A perfect way to toast to good health and good friends at the charming Three Chimneys estate.

"We like to have friends over, indeed.  Yes, our place is beautiful, but really, it's just stuff unless you have special people to create special moments and memories with..."

red sock friday

What memories do you hold dear?

Which family traditions fill you with pride?

What tales with childhood buddies do you tell over and over again?

Which causes ignite your soul?

What makes you feel happy? Angry? Sad? Blessed?

"Red Sock Friday means all of that...it means remembering your family, your mates, the life that you are afforded to live and the energy you carry with you knowing that others are remembering

 those same qualities in you!"

To learn more about the story and charitable mission of
Red Sock Friday, go to:

   http://redsockfriday.com/

suspended in time

Ice cream cones, cotton candy and fun under the sun.  Plunking pennies into the water glasses and screeching with joy to win one ill-fated little goldfish.  It's 1 in the afternoon and the day has just begun...What to do with the goldfish for the rest of the day?  "Daddy, will you...???"  In  a moment, attention is diverted away from the fish and drawn on to more promising prospects.  Pulling on Dad's t-shirt and begging impatiently for more ride tickets is now the principal aim...Other kids are racing and will beat you to the long lines for the main attraction if you don't get a move on.  Ahhh, the Giant Dipper.  The classic symbol of summertime thrill on the Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, California.  As a child, the now-not-so-massive drop was the ultimate in colossal-sized adventure.  Facing the drop with brave hands in the air was enough to generate brag-worthy fodder on the school playground for months. 

                                        

As an adult now, I get back to the boardwalk from time to time and enjoy the chair-lift ride above the park to take in the view of the ocean and the little ones below enjoying the extravaganza like I used to.  Letting my feet dangle as I did when I was a youngster, I love floating in and out of memories while I glide from one end of the park to another.  Sometimes the chair-lift stops and leaves one suspended in place, suspended in time, for a few moments.  I imagine that now, looking down below to see a little girl tugging on her Daddy's t-shirt and begging for more ride tickets.

anything good on?

Today is Tuesday, May 25, 2010.  Another boring day, another tedious not-even-midway point to the work week.  Today's highlight will no doubt be mindless TV watching.  Has May 25th ever been an interesting day for anyone?    I wonder if May 25th ever offered anything interesting on TV or in the news in years past...

-1932 :Goofy, aka Dippy Dawg, 1st appears in 'Mickey's Revue' by Walt Disney-


-1977: Original "Star Wars" movie released-


-2001: 32-year-old Erik Weihenmayer, of Boulder, Colorado, becomes the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest-

As it turns out, this has indeed been a memorable day in the past.  And Erik Weihenmayer most especially reminds me I should change my perspective and make this day of today memorable, too.

architecture

Architecture can be a fascinating marvel, no matter how elaborate or simple.  Materials vary from place to place depending on economic levels; different textures can emerge and give the observer a feel for the local culture.

Throughout his walks on the streets of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Clifford Day gazes at the colorful dwellings and lets his mind wander:

    

"The houses are stacked on top of each other, it's hard to tell whether the inhabitants have money or are poor; they all seem to live together.  Some look like they are in need of repairs and next door another looks as though it's falling apart, then next to that a very well kept one...I wonder how they do it...

I know it's the architecture of these buildings that caught my eye initially, but now I realize I am more intrigued and interested to know about the people who live in them..."

play and make noise

Must life be so black and white?  Is it possible to stray from the norm, the expected?

The work of Carly Moffitt, an aspiring artist in the heart of Ireland, offers a a refreshing perspective:

"Any reality can be embraced.  High flying art that encourages and fosters a strong relationship with pleasure and self-indulgence is a good thing.  You should feel free to play and make noise..."

check out more at http://www.nothingtodowithbuttons.blogspot.com/

the good life

The sun is out and shining; it's summer time in Europe.  The happiest time of year.

Gone are the cold, dreary days that lock us up in our homes.  We're trading in our scarves and sweaters for shorts and sneakers, our warm, strong spirits for refreshing cold pints of beer...

Our eyes are open wider and we're inspired by life again.  We want to stimulate, create, innovate.  The world is ours for the taking. 

We want to stop to smell the roses, unwind and take a break from the daily grind.  Mother Nature is opening her arms to us and pleading with us to come out and relish in these precoius moments.

Let's follow the lead of these good German folk in Munich's Englischer Garten and start to live the good life again.

story telling

We can tell stories about art and images...and sometimes they can tell stories about us.  Listen as Raghava KK shares his perspective...

deal with it

No matter our persuasion, we must all agree that at certain moments, in certain situatons, it's all about shaking things up by getting to the point.

Certain moments call for eloquence and elaboration; showing diplomacy by using the vast array of words in our vocabulary as if they were individual brush strokes painting the most ornate pictures of rhetorical prose...Other times, however, we must cut to the chase, get down to the point and be real. 

At the entrance to the Gay Rodeo in San Diego, California, this sign speaks volumes despite the lack of elaborate elocution.  Life is sometimes too short to apologize and accomodate.  Come as you are, take in what is and deal with it.

living for the day

They say that age is but a number.  And that you're only as old as you behave.  No more true a message could come to mind as I marvel at this adventurous lady in our travel group somewhere in the Costa Rican rainforest.

I'm too scared to get much closer.  I let the strength of my camera's zoom compensate for the lack of proximity I will allow myself.  Most people I know would be petrified to have such an encounter, and yet, she's all smiles.

I wish I could speak Chinese in this moment.  I'd love to hear some words of wisdom from this radiant elderly woman who clearly knows a thing or two about living for the day.