There isn't a heck of a lot going on here up on this mountain and I'm feeling a little homesick so I thought I'd pull some pics that contain red, white and blue or anything that comes close. I hope you are having a wonderful day and not inside looking at your computer screen like I am right now. I hope you are doing something very American like having a bbq, laying on a beach or in a boat or planning your fireworks tonight. I'm leaving on a hike in a minute and will be daydreaming about all those things! Have a wonderful wonderful holiday!
xo
If I were on your mountain I would be thrilled to look up at the inky black sky tonight that is studded with planets and big, bright stars and now and then a shooting star. THAT is your fireworks display that we in Pasadena can never see! I can remember a sky like that when I was a child sitting on the dock at Lake Okoboji, Iowa. It was achingly beautiful and how I miss it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy what you have, Janet! You will soon be home to a super-busy life and smoggy skies. - Jan Leanne
hi Jan! you are right...i was having a bad moment when i posted that. my day turned out well and i feel silly for being on the pity pot. before long i'll be back to the heat, smog, errands and work. my goal is to appreciate each and every moment i have here. thanks for the reminder. x
DeleteHappy Fourth of July Janet! I am sitting in Santa Clara County, just outside of San Jose in what is called the South Bay. It is hot as hell here (100 degrees) and I am on my computer. I would rather be somewhere on the Santa Cruz coast or walking along the cliffs in Carmel/Monterey/Asilomar Beach or hanging out on Tomales Bay in Marin County BUT the traffic is a nightmare today. It would probably take several hours just to get past San Francisco onto the Golden Gate Bridge to get to Marin. I am sure you know what I am talking about! When I go down to Santa Barbara, I never get close to where you live b/c of the traffic. I hope your hike is wonderful and I have to admit that I am kind of jealous that you can just walk out the door to forest bathe anytime.
ReplyDeleteThe traffic south from Santa Barbara has become impossible, just like going to San Diego from L.A. My husband was back and forth to L.A. from the burbs from Thurs to Sat. nite and he's a regular commuter, saying he'd never seen the traffic so bad in Burbank and L.A. as this 4th weekend, and he's been doing that commute for 20 years. We can't figure out what's up; what's different. Maybe as the Recession, for some, fades into memory, people are feeling more secure about getting out, going somewhere, spending money; going on vacation. Or they like really hot weather, 'cause L.A. and environs north/south/west/east have been darn hot. And humid. See, Janet? You're not missing anything weather-wise. Enjoy the cool and shady forest!
DeleteThe usual 5-hour drive from the Bay Area to Santa Barbara took 7 hours on Friday:(.
Deleteoh man i do not miss all the traffic or the heat that is pounding california this summer. thanks ladies for the reminder go appreciate just what i have. xo
DeleteYou are a great daughter-in-law. I too would be homesick if I was away from home for long. Your home always appeals to me...those roses, oh my. With the drought, I'm afraid my roses don't look their best.
ReplyDeleteHope you get to come home soon.
Karen
thank you karen. we have a caretaker looking after the garden and the reports are that the roses are suffering too. i do miss my home but not the heat. x
DeleteHappy 4th! Looking fab in that blue dress!
ReplyDeletethanks g!
DeleteI am a "homebody" at heart & always miss home whenever I'm away. I stayed with my mom years ago in another state when she had surgery & I felt just what you are feeling. You will be back home again & I'm sure a better person for what you are giving. We truly receive when we give.
ReplyDeleteWe have had a chilly (69), rainy & quiet day, so it doesn't seem at all like July 4th. This is the 53rd anniversary of my first date with my husband.....we were 16. So because of that it is always special to me. I don't need excitement for contentment.
Your pics are beautiful.....with just the right mix of red, white & blue.
Anita ~ the cabin on the creek
thanks for sharing your stories about you and your husband anita. they really touch me. i don't need excitement for contentment either. you are so right! i was missing my family and home but really home is with wherever larry is. x
DeleteWe've had a quiet day at home doing some yard work and enjoying a nice dinner. I can hear fireworks in the distance even though it's raining.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your posts and you look beautiful in your blue and white dress.
Betty
sounds lovely betty. x
Delete"I don't need excitement for contentment." I love that line from Anita~the cabin on the creek, eternally grateful for their good luck 53 years ago. I would love to know how she and her husband met.
ReplyDeleteWe were talking about this the other night over dinner with friends. I asked a friend how she met Bruce. Seems he was bringing an elderly friend to catch a flight out of San Francisco International Airport, a huge and very busy airport. She suddenly noticed she had left her purse on a bench and he went dashing back to retrieve it. Thankfully, it was right where she had left it. At that very moment Linda was coming in from Hawaii, waiting at the turnstyle for her luggage. You don't expect to see someone from your hometown, much less a handsome bachelor but that was their beginning...a forgotten purse and only seconds one way or another and they would have missed each other.
Gail, my husband & I started dating in high school. Each of us were asked by our best friend to go out so they would have someone to double date with on the 4th. We watched fireworks & then went for ice cream. He was very nice & comfortable to be around, but there were no real sparks at that time. Then when school started again, he asked me out.....I do have to add the corny part that he played football & I was a cheerleader.
DeleteI think what really made me fall for him was that he was respectful & fun to be around. We have 2 sons & 9 grandsons. Sadly, I lost him 3 years ago to a massive stroke, but I still feel his presence each day. We were very blessed to have the gift of so many years !! ~ Anita
"Respectful and fun"...what a lovable combination. I'll bet you anything he had a way of making you feel pretty, smart, loved, and protected and a way of making you unbelievably proud of him.
DeleteJuly 17, 2013..almost two years ago and not a day goes by that I don't miss my husband of 43 years. It never ends, and I feel privileged to have known him.
Apologies, Janet...the subject sprouted wings. ;-)
You are absolutely right in your assessment of how my husband made me feel.....very perceptive!! I'm sorry about your loss.....ours were almost exactly a year apart. Thank you, Janet, for allowing us this. ~ Anita
Deletelove all this ladies. it helped me through a down moment. xo
DeleteWhat a fun collection of photos! I enjoyed them. Honey, not all of us do the big-deal 4th of July. We watched the city fireworks for a few minutes from our front lawn, and that was that. We are BORING.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I want to do sometime is be out offshore, in a boat, and watch fireworks being shot off a pier. I've never seen the parade of sails in a marina or harbor at Christmas either, when the masts are strung with holiday lights. Ah, the bucket list!
I have relatives from the middle part of the country, south a bit, who have a community-wide picnic on the Fourth, blankets on the lawn with baskets of food and potluck, music and games and kids (and teens necking in parked cars while fireworks shoot off over the lake). It's like something out of a movie. Reminds me, in fact, of the Labor Day scenes in the film called 'Picnic' with William Holden and Kim Novak.
Dream on...
thing is vicki, we never do anything big for the 4th either. i was just on the pity pot missing the ordinary. i'm off it now and am appreciating just what i have. thanks for sharing your memories too. they help me a lot. xo
DeleteI could understand some feelings of homesickness. Happy 4th to you, and may the rest of your year be happier yet.
ReplyDeletethank you lisa. you are a dear. x
DeleteI was cleaning up and recovering from my impromptu barbecue on the 3rd and playing loud music so my little Barbie would be less scared of the fireworks. And looked at every house for sale on the Maine coast on Zillow. Haha of course I'm only fit to be a fair weather Mainer. Who wouldn't want to live in Maine in July? January...ehh. I'll do a more elaborate 4th celebration in August when my whole family can come. I'm sorry you were homesick yesterday! It's clearly a very beautiful time to enjoy your home. But the wonderful thing about the Fourth of July is that you can celebrate it any time you'd like. The spirit of the day has no expiration. there will just be less drunk drivers on the road and the wind will not carry the smell of burned hot dogs. Doesn't sound so bad! And I think buntings will look absolutely fabulous on your black bean cottage any time.
ReplyDeletethank you stephen for always brightening my days. your 4th sounds perfect and i love that you helped barbie dog. i hope you found a place in maine b/c quite frankly i've always wanted to visit there. :)
DeleteWonderful photos of your home in its French Red, white, and Bleu.
ReplyDeleteHope your fourth was beautifully relaxing.
Love the photo of you and your Vintage style dress.
Xx
Dore
thanks dore! x
DeleteHope you had an invigorating hike and that your homesickness has eased a bit.
ReplyDeleteIt's super HOT here and in BC there are many wild fires burning out of control and our skies are grey and smokey.
Take care.
yes the hike eased the sadness...it always does. hope your wildfires have been contained. so scary. x
DeleteI've been missing your cottage too! Nice to see it again in the photos.
ReplyDeletei'll prob post photos of it b/c i miss it too! hope you don't mind. x
DeleteHi Janet, just dropping by to say hello. I've been hardly reading blogs after joining Instagram (which I like and also hate but learning how to manage). I think of you and your blog from time to time and wanted to tell you that I miss your blog and your thoughts and must drop by more often to visit you. Hope all is well and I have a few months catching up to do.
ReplyDeletehi terri. i'm sorta sorry i deleted my IG account b/c up here there are so many beautiful moments that would be perfect on IG but i'm happy that i'm not glued to my phone any longer. thanks for stopping by and hope you are well. x
Deleteyou sound flat I hope you are ok. Saw are garden ladies yesterday!! Take care x
ReplyDeleteyeah i was flat but now i'm not. lol
Deletehow are the ladies? i miss you all. x
You are missing all your summer roses!! I hope you have a very good caretaker. I admire you for being so loving to your father in law. How long will you be there? Any baby news?
ReplyDelete