Already December

I'm back!  It's December!  It's Friday and that means Friday Fave Fives.

I missed blogging anything the last two weeks.  That's because I have been gone from Willow's Cottage again.  The week before Thanksgiving, I flew to the east coast to spend time with my Daughter #2 and her family.

1.   Daughter #1 came for the holiday, too.  On Friday, #optoutside day, we took the cousins for a hike.  I love sharing my love of the outdoors with my grandchildren.  I hope they are learning to love it, too.

2.  I've been using my ninja decluttering and packing skills to help Daughter #2 prepare for their upcoming move to the same area where Daughter #1 lives.  I love that she appreciates my help.  And I love that they are both excited to be living near each other.

3.  One day we took some time off and drove to Annapolis for lunch at the harbor.  I love exploring places, and I do love Annapolis!

4.  I knitted all the yarn I brought with me, so I have been raiding my daughter's stash.  I love that she loves to knit and is willing to share (less for her to move, right?).

5.  Have you been hearing and reading about the horrible fires in Southern California?  It's my county, Ventura County, that's burning.  I have been monitoring the situation as well as possible and The Professor who is home is keeping me up to date.  I hate the destruction, but it encourages me to see how we are all gathering around to help--everyone from the firefighters and first responders to neighbors and strangers.  Obviously, the fave is NOT the fires.  It's the outpouring of love and care.

A bit of mid-Atlantic, late autumn beauty to enjoy.

Summer Adventures

Wow.  It has been quite a couple of weeks.  Not much down time for blogging, but lots of time for family!  Here is a catch up Friday Fave Fives.

The mid Atlantic East Coast is a lovely place.  But the time spent with family was the best.  Within two weeks, we spent days with all of our grandchildren.  That never happens!

Hiking in the woods.  While the children played in the water, The Professor and I escaped for a hike in the woods.  What I love about Not-Southern-California nature hikes is the shade provided by the tree canopy.

Annapolis, Maryland.  The Professor had never been to Annapolis, so we took an excursion there one day.  The children were mesmerized by the harbor filled with boats and jellyfish.

The adults enjoyed the history and architecture.  Annapolis was at one time the capital of the United States and is still Maryland's state capital.

Train museum.  It was our wedding anniversary and we were asked what we wanted to do.  Why, visit a train museum, of course!  Hurry!  We have a train to 'catch'!

Train heaven!

Getty Villa.  After returning to the West Coast, we quickly prepared for a visit from our PAL.  On her list of places to see was the Getty Villa since her Auntie Mimi had never been there.

Seashore.  Little desert girls need a seashore visit, too.

Willow's Two Weeks Away were filled with adventures and children!

An East Coast Sojourn

I am writing from my daughter's living room.  Last week, we were visiting Daughter #1 (Older Daughter) and this week we journeyed even farther east to Daughter #2's home (Younger Daughter).  This is a yearly (or more frequent) event, this visiting east coast family.  These are my Friday Fave Fives for this week.

1.  Of course, I always have to state that my first fave in traveling is arriving safely.

2.  Time with our grandchildren.  We picked raspberries and fed horses at the farm of a friend's friend.

3.  Theater in the Park.  We watched The Countess of Monte Cristo.

4.  Hiking in the woods

5.  I love visiting places where there is lots of green!

(Next post--photos of other grandchildren!)

Friday Fave Five: Autumn Adventure

I missed last week's Friday Fave Fives.  In my defense, I was AWOL because of traveling with my family.  Is there a better excuse?  It was a wonderful trip.  But it's always also wonderful to state at the end "There's no place like home."  But oh! It was marvelous!  So, here are Five Faves from my Fall Adventure.

1.  A birthday party for our Miss PAL.  She's ONE!

2.  Then there was the plane flight to the home of Older Daughter.  Flying would certainly not be one of my faves.  And nearly missing my connection was very low on the 'faves' options.  But the consideration of the other passengers in allowing me and others who were making close connections to deplane first actually made the difference and I hurried RAN through the airport and was literally the last person on the plane. (Maybe they were waiting for me, knowing I was RUNNING to catch the flight?)  Sometimes considerate co passengers are a scarcity.  But this time there was an abundance of them.

3.  A whole day with three of my children and three of my grandchildren.  We hiked in the woods and enjoyed each other's company.  It made my mother's heart sing!

4.  Then I spent a week farther east with Younger Daughter.  We drove with Dr.Mike and dropped him off where he is living this year and then on to the Chesapeake Bay.  We walked the dogs.  We fed the children.  We enjoyed coffees and snacks.  We knitted.  We might have visited a yarn shop or two.

5.  We had occasion to visit Annapolis.  Since we both love the water, we strolled along the harbor and even drove through the US Naval Academy.

It was a long time to be roaming around the US, but I loved every minute.

Eastern Autumn

So different from our West Coast Mediterranean climate, an East Coast Autumn provides a vibrant colors, brilliant, beautiful orange, and red, and brown, and gold.  While The Professor reports hot Santa Ana winds in the weather report, I have been experiencing crisp, sunny and cool fall days.

A picture is worth a thousand words. 

 Sibling and cousin fun.

Rambles in the woods.

You just don't see the COLORS in Southern California.  I'm feasting my eyes while it lasts.

A STUDY IN GOLD