Borrowing Ideas

Borrowing the great idea from Absolute Vanilla , I thought you might like to come along with me for a walk on this beautiful Novemberly (thanks Angela!) day...




Here is my street, isn't this a pretty view? If you turn directly around you will be looking at the ocean, well, if we had a 2 story house you could see it, you have to get a little higher. Today is really windy, it's hard to tell from the photo but I am bringing a beanie. I think we'll walk towards the mountains, let's go!








Right up the street is a miniature horse farm. There are alot of farms in this part of town, in the foothills. There are also several nursery's with green houses here in the valley. The most important, or I ought to say the largest are owned by Dutch families. They grow flowers to ship out across the country. Many have homes here and in Holland. My g~babies are a bit confused by this, they think Holland is down the street from us.

Now we are on a foothill road. This road meanders through Carpinteria and continues on all the way to Santa Barbara, past Summerland and Montecito. It winds it's way past old oaks, meadows, horses, orchards, mansions, small cottages...

and a dried up creek. Sometimes, during the winter, this creek is filled with water and it sweeps up all kinds of random things as it surges toward the ocean, like snakes and turtles, that end up on the beach. One year we scooped up a few turtles and took them to a local animal rescue center. A volunteer there rehabilitates them ~ they get a little massage and a tiny martini before their taken back up into the mountains and deposited right where they started. Kidding about the rehab part, in case you believed me.

Passing by an avocado orchard, we ought to look on the ground for any fallen avocados. I think the rule is anything on the ground is fair game. If you pick any you might get shot or go to jail. I think.

Aren't these beautiful? hanging there all green and ripe (almost) tempting, pick me,pick me. There must be 1 million avocado trees in my town ,with 10 million avocados hanging from them. I see them when I walk or run. But unless friends donate any (and they sometimes do ~bless bless!) I have to buy them in the market at $2.00 apiece!

Ooops! this picture has nothing to do with our walk, its just my delicious grandbabies. Can i tell you a couple cute things about them while we're on our walk? ok, Sadie, on the right, just learned how to text. I know, what? why? I didn't teach her, but anyway, it's a changing world. So, Sunday morning she ran in to me, very excited, "Did you get my text?" I look at her not understanding. My daughter comes in and explains. I go find my phone and here's what I found: i love you lore . Yes. and then, the boy. Travis. He is so smart, reading everything and only in 2nd grade. He is a very good boy too. Careful and thoughtful. He had an eyelash fall on his cheek the other day. My daughter told him he could make a wish. He got his thoughtful look on and said " I wish for all my library books to always make it back on time" . See what I mean? And yes, my daughter and her ex have a new plan for those books.

Uh oh. Our walk is about to be interrupted. It happens all the time when i get right here, unless I am running in which case I am sweating and redfaced and don't stop. This is another wonderful nursery that I love.

Lets go inside. Just for a minute. This place is called Island View Nursery. Because just like the name says, you can see the Channel Islands in the distance. I forgot to take that photo. Oh well, that just means we'll have to come back!

Wouldn't you love to have this in your backyard? think of all the wildlife you could attract. Fun!

And how about one of these? You could put it right next to your watering hole and have a pretend safari. Drinking sundowners watching humming birds and um, well, raccoons. Or maybe a skunk.
Or, look! you could buy a giraffe. He's cute right?

Or how about a tyrannosaurus Rex? I know 2 people (see above) who would think this would be just great for the garden.

I think this is a giant yucca. I like it alot. I think It's very dignified the way it stands in the middle of this courtyard. Now to the right of this photo is the inside part of the nursery, let's go...

I wish you really were here so you could feel the gentle energy of this place. Its saying welcome welcome...

can you see the lovely Buddha just under the fern?

There you are. Hello Buddha. Namaste. We are happy to be here.

In the greenhouse, fountains gurgling and tinkling in every corner.Plants generously giving off their their chlorophyll and oxygen, the air warm and moist.

Fabulous hand carved doors from Bali. Like Narnia. They seem to beckon, walk through me... come discover whats beyond...

And don't you think one of these ought to come home with you? yes? :)

~to be continued...

xxx lori