New Tampa Residents

Baby it's cold outside!

Happy New Year

If there is anything that I have learned as one year goes by and another one begins is that I don't control it. I can write my list of goals, dreams, plans but there is only One who knows what the year will bring. As we lift our glasses, ring those bells, set off the fireworks let us also release our plans to Him, asking that He shape them in to His own and then watch the fireworks begin.

Happy New Year everybody.

God Bless the works of your hands and hearts.

May your Christmas Be Sweet!!

Merry Christmas
Stir up some sweetness

And then dive in!
Merry Christmas!

Hugs

Becky

California Whites on Wednesday

To people who blog we understand that there are certain days in blogland. We have Pink Saturday, Metamorphis Monday, Thrifty Thursdays, Tablescape Tuesdays, Waterside Wednesday and White Wednesday and the list goes on and on. We get it right? It is like a magazine that you actually get to meet and speak with the authors. You see whatever your hobby or passion a blog is a great place to meet people with like interests. It is also an incredible link to wonderful ideas on homemaking and travel, and many points of interest. It is fun making friends here. I said all that to say this. I felt the need to explain my blog because I recently invited my Facebook friends to take a peek at my blogs. This is who I am and these are the things I like. Today is White Wednesday and so I am sharing my favorite whites from my vacation.

Above is the kind of shop I am drawn to because this is what I do for a living. I buy, paint and sell furniture in a shop in Tampa called Summer House. So when I go on trips I like to find shops that do the same thing and gather new ideas for the shop I am in. This shop is Ivy's Porch in Scotts Valley CA.

These are the white roses that bordered the drive to the Ledson Winery that we visited.

These are the white roses that graced the gardens of Chateau St Jean winery.

Everyones castle needs roses!!

Here is another great shop in San Jose, called Not Too Shabby.

I had no idea that hubby would allow for me to spend a day in search of these shops. He likes to see what others are doing too. He helps me in the shop by painting and building when he isn't traveling on business.

This was just one of many beautiful white Victorian style houses that we saw.

This is the San Francisco Mission that is in Sonoma.

We spent the day in Yosemite and as you can see White is an Amazing Wonder there too.

These are the clouds that were rolling in as we drove to the airport.

They brought the rain that my California friends are enjoying.

There you have my White Wednesday post.

As I was reading the Vintage Patina blog today the blog author gave this quote.

White is not a mere absence of colour: it is a shining and affirmative thing as fierce as red, as definate as black....God paints in many colours but He never paints so gorgeously as when He paints in White.

Gilbert Keith Chesterson British author 1874-1936

Here is my quote...

"and.. OH Honey, Can HE Paint!"

A Cure for Sauvignon "Blah"

Being a blogger certainly held it's perks for hubby and I this last week. When I found out that I could join him on a business trip to California I started asking fellow bloggers where to go and what to see. I always wanted to visit Wine Country. I was told that it was a little like going to France with over 13,000 acres of vineyards and more than 40 wineries. The valley boasts of castles and garden chateaus all sharing a love of the grape. When I asked Tracie from My Petite Maison just where she would go if she were to spend a few days in Wine country she gave me wonderful advise. Upon her recommendation we set off to Sonoma Valley with our first stop at, The girl & the fig, a mouth watering resturant that delights visitors and residents of the town of Sonoma.

This resturant filled up quickly. We were seated in the patio with it's firepits and places and water fountains as well as beautiful potted flowers. It was certainly a glorious cool fall day and we dined among several pleased patrons.


Has anyone ever wished they could have a taste of what everybody around you is having? Everything was presented beautifully and our lunch was exceptionally good.



After lunch we walked around this beautiful town and I was smitten with all of the roses that were in bloom. In fact we saw so many glorious rose gardens this week it has made me long for one of my own.

The town of Sonoma is charming with it's Spanish architecture and you could almost feel the blessing of Jose Altimira the Padre who started Mission San Francisco which was located in the plaza.

Our next stop and recommendation by Tracie was the Ledson Winery. This modern day castle was built as a retirement home. However so many people were stopping to ask to do a wine tasting that the owner decided to do just that and they redesigned the home to host wine tastings of over 70 wines that are available.

Imagine having a vineyard purchased and named after you so that you could blend and play and create your very own wine. That is just what Steven Ledson did for his wife Anna.
I think that the Castle would have been enough for me. What about you?

Our next stop was Chateau St Jean.

I loved the surrounding gardens. Roses were blooming everywhere and it was a perfect blend of wine and roses as we sat and enjoyed the scenery of grapevines and roses and mountainside splendor.
We only visited 2 wineries among the 57 award winning wineries listed.

Why can't I get my landscape to look like this??????

So this was our day in Sonoma Valley.

It was as beautiful as I could have ever imagined.

And Tracie.....we raised a glass to you my friend.

And as they say in France, it was

En valeur le voyage

WORTH THE TRIP!

Making Music with Old Frames

Somebody spent hours making these pretty doilies. At one time it was very popular to frame your handiwork.
Although the doilies are very pretty what caused me to buy these were the beautiful picture frames. And paying just a few dollars made it even better. Home they came.

I pulled the doilies off the board they had been tacked to and then ran to the piano bench. I had hit the mother load of vintage sheet music a few months ago and picked these little pretties to place in the frames.

I can't wait to take them up to the Shabby Old House.
I think they will look perfect there.

Missing my Daddy

I am missing my daddy tonight.

Each year as people start to talk about Sept. 11th and the horrors of that day I am reminded once again of how that day kept me from my Father's funeral. I was afraid to travel. I didn't want to leave my home. I was afraid to travel by car or by plane . I didn't feel safe. Nobody did.I knew what safe felt like because of my dad. I felt safe in his arms.
I rested in them often. I snuggled often in his embrace. I was my daddy's girl and
He was my super hero.


I'm missing my daddy tonight.