~ IT IS NEAR ~

I ran across this picture in my cell phone today & realized how closely fall is approaching! Fall is by far my most favorite time of the year. In fact, there are SO many things I love about this time of year I could never just pick one. To name just a few: the fall breeze - that crisp smell in the air where just the simple task of opening your windows brings in that magical rejuvenating burst of life, OH and then there is PUMPKIN (isn’t that a fun word hehe) … pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pancakes, scones & muffins, pumpkin cookies & cakes, pumpkin soups & pumpkin side dishes AND carving pumpkins; this time of year we’re surrounded by pumpkins & I am a sucker for ANYTHING with the word pumpkin in it! Then of course, there are the colors of fall. Makes my heart giddy with joy just saying those words “colors of fall” … I spent many of my latter years in Colorado where this time of year the Aspens are bursting with bright reds, oranges & yellows against the deepest of greens of the Evergreens and it is without words, breathtaking – beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe it! I have this memory of one fall day I had spent driving through the Rockies just absorbing the picturesque scenes around me, forever it will be embedded into my mind! Unfortunately, “Sparkles” colorful season is not the fall. But she has her own way of making up for that as the spring ground breaks with bundles of wild flowers in shades you have only seen in your dreams! So for now, I will just have to resort to my memory if I want to soak up falls astounding colors and that will suffice until I get to see it first hand again.

To sum up my love & connection to this time of year: Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~George Eliot


in peace & harmony,
Whitney

The sweetest moments in life!

I love down time & I love time with my family but I love the two together even more! Recently, I spent the weekend with my dad’s mom whom is known as Faye Jean by all those who adore her or to all the grandchildren & great grandchildren she is our “Nana”. What a beautiful lady she is & with a heart of pure gold at that – seriously! She cares for us all like no other. Time spent with her out in the country just has a way of easing your mind! Below are some pictures or as I like to refer to them as “memories” ; precious moments made while enjoying one another's company. Hope you like!

Enjoying the sunset on the swing; see I told you she was beautiful!

Country sunsets are always so relaxing.

Sadie - Nan's great protector & her ball.

We baked a strawberry shortcake cake!

And was it ever delish!

Pa (R.I.P.) & Nana on their wedding day! And I will say it again, b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!

XO,
Whitney

ode to friday

hello darling friday,



i love you because of the peace of mind you bring knowing that the weekend lays soon before me & with that means time to just be!


i love you because i know i can indulge in my artistic abilities without a cluttered mind of weekly “to-do’s”.


i love you because you carry the promise of time in the days ahead to take pleasure in precious moments with my family & friends. (like this weekend, a day spent with the nana baking this cake!)


i love you because YOU are the last day of which i am required to hear the sound of my evil alarm clock.


i love you because it’s as if you allow life to slow down for a bit.


and i love you especially "this" friday because of the wonderful SURPRISE coffee treat the fiance just dropped off!


 so take the time to slow down & live in the moment.

1,001 Ways to Live in the Moment

(i plan on buying this book today, not only does it have birds of which i am obsessed but totally goes with my mood!)

happy weekend to all.


xo,
Whitney

A Toast on Thursday

With my coffee cup in hand, held high and our many years of friendship on my mind, here is to you best friend of mine! Happy Happy Birthday to yooooou.

Bring on the rain

Rain, rain oh HOW you made my day! I can’t tell you enough how much I love little surprises of nature. … One of my most treasured ‘passer of time’ moments on rainy weekend days is lying in bed snuggled all close to my fiancé w/ our 4 non-human children. Just the 6 of us, no noise other than the music of the rain drops as they dance down in frantic motion from the gloomy sky above. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to enjoy days as such in quite awhile because it seems to only rain while I am work! So instead of the rain being an enjoyable heaven sent gift it’s more of a torturous reminder of where I would rather be, only to make my day drag on and on and on and on and on and on and on (you know the feeling?) Well to my surprise today, the nature God’s knew I was not in the mood to be imprisoned within the white walls of my office while the rain taunted my sanity! So in all their power and in all their might they struck out the lights, they struck out the computers and all possibility of being able to accomplish any form of work at not only my office but also my fiancé’s! (Just a slight hint from nature that a lunch date was in order) The fiancé works just a hop, skip & a jump away from me so within minutes I saw his car pull into our drive, it was like a chariot in waiting and inside, my prince!!! It felt a bit magical as I swiftly pranced through rain to his car, having just abandoned all responsibilities of work and off to enjoy an unexpected but much welcomed early lunch for two. So, thank you rain! Thank you nature God’s and your power outage might! Thank you fiancé for a lovely hour spent with you over a bowl of nice warm soup!

Picture I took as the clouds finally parted.