To see a World in a grain of Sand,
and heaven in a wild Flower,
To hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour
~William Blake
A friend welcomed me home after my long trip with this lovely rose.
Not a wild flower, but I can still see a glimpse of heaven in her lovely gesture.
A lovely vase of flowers.
A gift from a neighbor
A bit of kindness that made me happy.
I awake early to a dark and cold house.
Downstairs, I flip the switch on the gas fireplace in my living room. I am rewarded with heat and light.
I keep the blinds closed. There is nothing inspiring about looking out into the dark. Continue reading “A simple breakfast”
The pop up on my smartphone was timely.
“Reach out to a friend” was the reminder from Google that I programmed a few months ago. Continue reading “A Google Prompt”
Strong social support is one of the keys to happiness and good health. Making an effort to improve relationships with people already in your life is one way to increase your social support.”— Jeanne Graner Krochta, L.P. Mayo Clinic
I have an acquaintance whose hobby is collecting “friends”.
She is warm and friendly. She has amusing conversations.
She flutters from one friend to another.
She undoubtedly has hundreds of Facebook friends.
She finds no lasting joy in friendship, only the excitement of making a new friend.
Or, rather, making an acquaintance.
Two yoga buddies, we headed out to the beach in my friend’s adorable Mini Cooper.
Adorable is usually reserved for puppies, but don’t you agree that this is the cutest, most adorable car??
Even though the beach is less than two hours away from Portland, we stopped in Dundee for lunch.
Taking our time. We were like school girls playing hooky!
We had a tasty egg salad on arugula sandwich and coffee at the Red Hills Market.
Pretty soon, after conversing about everything under the sun, we arrived in Lincoln City.
My friend and I stayed in her contemporary beach house near Lincoln City.
An open floor plan, two-story,glass windows in the living room and bedrooms with incredible views.
Sunshine and light everywhere with simple elegant furniture and striking artwork.
Even though this was an elegant custom home, I felt comfortable.
She and her late husband designed and built it just in time for their honeymoon.
I smiled at the picture of him carrying her over the threshold over twenty years ago.
Her husband’s life was cut short a few years after the completion of the house.
There were many other photos of family gatherings, meals by the lake and life outdoors.
I felt honored to spend time in this special place filled with memories.
We opened a bottle of French red wine to sip while enjoying the view.
After relaxing and watching the water for awhile, we prepared dinner.
I should say Linda prepared dinner. I did help stuff and fold the dumplings.
In my bedroom, I left the blinds on the windows open so that I could enjoy the early morning sun.
The two large windows on two adjoining sides of the room provided a watery panorama.
At first, I felt a bit seasick watching the water…no joke!
Because it is Oregon in the spring, it rained and rained.
I slept well.
An amazing sunrise over the water.
A warm, dry day after days of rain.
Young eagles in the tree outside.
Fresh coffee. An omelet with Linda’s homemade sundried tomatoes.
A bit of lunch before heading back to Portland?
Let’s go to Bella Beach!
Penelope Cole, the owner, has created a magical French creperie in this tiny beach community.
I always make it a point to go for breakfast or lunch when I am in the area.
The food is always good and Penelope is gracious and charming.
Cafe C’est La Vie speaks to my heart with its French books, memorabilia and French cuisine.
I think Sylvia Beach would approve. As would the grand dame of French cuisine.
C’est la vie!
C’est si bon!
Cafe C’est la Vie, 8 Bella Beach Drive, Depot Beach, OR 97341
My friend became very sick one night at home.
Her husband was out of town.
There was no one to drive her to the hospital.
So, she drove herself across town at 2:30 in the morning.
She was sick and alone for hours at the hospital.
Continue reading “You Got a Friend…”
Hi there,
Do you feel better today about your life?
About the world?
About almost everything?
I sure hope so! I am not just being nice when I say that.
My friend Jane called me today.
We talked for over two hours about everything.
So, if the world isn’t right, it’s not because we didn’t do our best!
If only women ruled the world, right?
Monday mornings can be either wonderful or dreadful. Continue reading “Monday, Monday**”
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Marcel Proust
A little bouquet that I keep on my kitchen counter. I see it every time I make coffee or prepare a meal. It makes me smile. Continue reading “Friendship & Flowers”
Lori Greer in Portland 