Hello there, feel like chatting a bit?  I've got a list of this and that to talk about so I thought I'd just lump it all together and have a good old fashion coffee and... morning conversation.


I realize more now than ever how important relationships with other women are and how important it

When the weather is nice outside I tend to spend most of my free time outdoors but as the temps rise I find myself drawn to the air conditioned comfort of my craft studio.  I ducked in there earlier in the week intent on making a few drawstring bags to carry journaling supplies for the ladies who sit around my Tuesday morning bible study table.

I emerged a couple of hours later with six bags and a head full of ideas with what to put in them.


Since I was looking for a creative way to show them my love of bible journaling I put together a kit

Whenever I talk about gardening in January and February I always get comments either about how lucky we are or how we miss out on the normal rest from gardening that winter provides.  And then we hit July and August and my desire to be out in the garden hits a wall.  That is my "winter break" from gardening, when I rest from the outdoor planting and move into the indoor dreaming of my fall and winter garden.

This year has been a little different in that the weather has stayed relatively pleasant and the garden is still lush enough to draw me out through this last week of July...but I'm waning fast.


Before I go into minimal survival mode (where I do just enough to keep my perennials and heat

I just returned from a little vacation with my mom, sister, brother and two nephews to the resort island of Catalina off the coast of California.  My mom has wanted to visit the island for the longest time and as a native Californian it had kind of become a bucket list item.


The city of Avalon is around an hour and a half boat ride from Newport Beach (which is where we

On Thursday my mom and sister came out for an early dinner and I had a chance to treat them to a fiesta afternoon complete with Mexican food and festive decor.  Despite the fact that we all ate way too much, we had such a nice time.


I can't stress enough how much the little touches you add to a gathering lets people know you care.

My sister is visiting from Texas for a couple of weeks and I wanted to have her, my mom and sister in law come for dinner while she was out.  She hasn't been to our little cottage in a couple of years so I wanted to make it a fun and festive occasion   Since the focus with any gathering is connecting, I knew I wanted to keep it simple and for me that usually means Mexican food so I thought immediately of throwing a fiesta inspired gathering.


Once I had the theme set I started shopping my home for anything that might provide a fiesta

I think I've found my blogging groove again and it feels pretty good.  With all the shiny new ways to share on social media (and I do love sharing on instagram, facebook and now YouTube) the art of blogging will always be home for me.  I have been typing my heart out in blog posts for nearly nine years and have recorded some major highs and lows in my life along the way.


And our Saturday Morning chats about everything and nothing at all are my absolute favorite.

Before the gardening bug took over I was having a fling with my crochet hook and now that the temperatures are on the rise I know I'll find myself heading inside and up to my craft room searching for inspiration and a creative outlet once again.

I'm not even going to pretend to be surprised by the fact that it's already July and the year is halfway over.  The swift passing of time just seems to be ever more evident as we age.  Don't you agree? Spending time in the garden, even in our mild Southern California climate, only seems to accentuate the passing of seasons for me.


I wish that I had been a more faithful blogger through May and June as that is when my garden is at