beaUtiful things

My friend Julie was visiting from Colorado Springs and she brought some beautiful "show & tell"...in the form of amazing jewelry. I was drooling!

This one is crocheted flowers top (purple grapes) and bottom (brick colored blossoms)....and in between, the felted blossoms on felted stems to tie around one's neck - soooo lovely!

And here we have "bits" of several pieces, including a carved bracelet and ring and some cherries & blossoms on a brooch. All the colors are so beaUtiful!

Julie went back to Colorado today, but I have a feeling that we will stay in touch much more regularly now! She has infectious laughter and a delightful outlook on life. I love her dearly!

I love FALL!

I love the FALL! It is my absolute favorite time of year. The air has so much positive energy in it. The sun shines every day and the air is crisp like the best kind of apple. Looking up at the mountain, I can see that the aspens are golden. I need to get the dogs up there while it is still at "peak." There is not much that is more spectacular than the golden-aspen mountainside.

And the Farmer's Market. wow. Fall is the BEST time to be there - definitely!

We laughed soooo hard when we found this little "guy" in the eggplant pile! Isn't he cute?

These cosmos were just glorious! 
....and the SUNFLOWERS! Julie drives back to Colorado tomorrow and I will be getting back to work, though we have been "working" on some pretty wonderfully creative things. I am so glad that she has been here and we have gotten to know one another better. We have missed Sue, but know that she has things to "tie up" at home......she'll be back for her birthday in November.

fun stuff...

Last night, Sue and I went to a birthday party and this is the appetizer that Sue created! It is skewers of mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes and basil....and it is soooo Dr Suess! It was fun to eat and could easily have been confused with a centerpiece, don't you think?

The birthday girl received this bracelet, which was a joint effort from Sue and me....the colors are super! Looks so "fall" ......great buttons.....
Speaking of buttons, here they are! ...... well, some of them.....the kitchen table is loaded!

Delilah.....and cosmos

Yesterday, we went to the art store and took a photo of Delilah, the Reticulated Python who lives there.....amazing, hunh? It is a great store with wonderful art supplies of all kinds....and a large snake!

(the photo was taken through glass, so it is not very clear...)

These are the flowers that Sue bought at the Farmer's Market....aren't they GoRgEoUs?!!! I think that cosmos are such bright, cheerful flowers....great colors!

(hmmmm, and you get a peek at my kitchen...)
More later on, ladies. We just started the new day...........

a "Santa Fe" Day

Today was a beautiful day in Santa Fe - just for Sue, who came all the way from Massachusetts to visit! We went to the Teahouse, of course, after a morning at the Farmer's Market. There was an Artists' Market going on as well, which made us extremely happy! I didn't get any photos, but Sue might have. We met some wonderful artists and bought a few lovely things.

Here are a couple of good photos of the Teahouse - quiet and serene. We had a terrific lunch and lots of chai - yum!

Absolutely love this garden - my second home!

...and here is the outside menu, which I wrote out a few months ago - for the summer. I think that the menu will change for the fall, so I'll be re-writing it. I was rather impressed to be able to write on such a large surface, seeing as how I usually work so small... not bad....

Chilly and Wet

It's raining in Santa Fe, which is unusual. Hopefully, it is a foreshadowing of a wet winter and lots of  *s*n*o*w*  on the mountain. Funny that only two days ago, I was sitting in the hot sun watching a soccer game. Today, the temperature has dropped considerably and it is chilly! Maybe we will be turning the heat on and lighting the fire soon.This photo is the back porch (and back yard) from the kitchen door. The glass is cracked,  but I love how it sparkles - can't think about replacing it yet. This is the door we call, "The Bird Channel" because the cats plant themselves here to watch the birds go about their business - in nests up in the porch lights, or hopping around the porch.....

A Great Find!

Last Saturday afternoon, I went to a book sale up at Museum Hill (where there are several museums all in the same place) I was lucky to find the most wonderful books that make me so happy!

This first one I got for the cover. It is like a beautiful carving. The images are so fantastic and such an inspiration to me...it was just $4.

...And these are really the best! I know that I had books illustrated by Virginia Kahl as a child, but I am thrilled that my friend, Anna and I found these! Lucky stars, for sure....hmmm, the "Rudolph" is really a find! "An authentic reproduction of the original edition of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" for just $2! And we were there the last half hour of the sale....wow....