Be Thankful 2

Have you been focusing on Being Thankful this month?  November is the month to do that, but I try to be mindful daily about the blessings in my life.  Here are Five Faves that I am thankful for this week.  The link to post your FRIDAY FAVE FIVES or read what others have written is in the link.

1.  One day we drove to Santa Barbara to visit the Botanic Garden there.    Our purpose was to  purchase some California native plants to add to the slope behind our house.  But since we were at the garden, we decided to walk a couple of the trails and view the autumn colors in a Southern California garden.

2.  No garden in Southern CA is complete without the state flower--the poppy.

3.  The view from the top of the trail  extended all across the city and over the sea (which was fogged in) and out to one of the Channel Islands.  That slightly darker line just below the sky and above the fog is the outline of the island.

4.  A friend gifted me a succulent filled pumpkin.  Evidently, what you do is trim the top off the pumpkin and glue succulents there.  The idea is to have the plants take root in the pumpkin which has not been gutted or carved.  I think it's cute.

5.  Coffee time with a college friend.  We found out that an old friend from college who lives in our county is also moving out of state.  This news prompted us to reach out and grab a coffee time with him before we all disperse.  We had a good time and I especially enjoyed listening to the guys reminisce about their dads who both were professors at the college we attended.

Bonus pictures:

There is so much beauty around us!  Let's be thankful for even the little busy bees and tiny rushes by a pond.  Happy Thanksgiving Month, week two!

Mid March Happiness

It is time to be back on schedule and at Willow's Cottage, scheduling includes doing my

Friday Fave Fives

each week.  Yes, I missed last week, but I am back and ready to jump in again.

1.  I'm very thankful for Gypsy Cold Care tea and echinacea drops.  Fortunately, my cold did not materialize in a nasty way. I credit my herbal teas and drops.

2.  I'm thankful that I was feeling great by Monday because I received a Very. Important. Visitor. My sister-in-law arrived for a five days visit!  We have been buds since high school and then she married my beloved brother and so became my sister-in-law.  Am I not the most fortunate person?  My relative by marriage is a favorite friend!

3.  Sister-in-law had never been to Santa Barbara so although it was raining cats-and-dogs, we decided to go ahead and show-her-the-town.  Our destination was Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and we drove past Santa Barbara Mission.  Usually people don't photograph lovely places in the rain, but I think they are still beautiful.

4.  You know that friend who you can laugh with about most anything?  That's my sister-in-law and me.  When you've been friends since you were fourteen, you have a lot to laugh about.

5.  Daily walks, even in the rain, were favorite activities for both of us.

Oh! And the rain!  Yes, I am thankful for RAIN!

Friday Fave Fives, Almost Spring

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  This is one of my favorite holidays.  I am a little bit Irish AND it's my birthday!  Here are the Friday Fave Fives from Willow's Week on this almost spring Friday.

1.  Here is a favorite portion of the Patrick Compline:

May God shield me,

May God fill me,

May God keep me,

May God bring me this night,

To the nearness of his love.

The peace of the Father of joy,

The peace of the Christ of hope,

The peace of the Spirit of grace.

2.  Last Saturday, The Professor and I spent our morning learning about traditional California native plants which were/are used for traditional medicines.  The presenter was a very knowledgeable young woman and was an excellent teacher.  We wandered around the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden with her and several other people (including a former student and her mom!). We learned so much!

A couple of interesting specimens

Mallow (Malva spp)

Horsetail esquisetum arvense

3.  A friend gifted me this from her garden for my birthday.  Isn't it beautiful?

4.  I do love a clean house.  And there's nothing like expecting company to get me to clean my house!

5.  Speaking of company, guess who's coming today?  My dear PAL!  (And her daddy and mommy!) Can't wait!

And, just for fun and your viewing pleasure, here are two more photos of our California poppies which are blooming and blooming and blooming!  This spring, the flowers are extra ordinarily large, maybe because of all the rain we received this winter.

Enjoy your weekend!