Flowers Everywhere

Flowers blooming in the gardens at The Getty Villa, Malibu in May

A little flower love for the week.

May Flowers

Willow's Week Fave Fives

1. This five minute Ignite Phoenix talk by Joshua Becker about how minimalism has changed his life and enriched his family.  I've heard Joshua speak in person and have read his blog for several years and find his posts always wise, thoughtful, and encouraging.

2.  On Sunday afternoon a friend and I visited five local gardens which were part of the community garden tour. We toured five gardens and discovered elements of each one which we loved.

My kind of back garden--whimsical and practical. 

3.  My favorite architectural style is California Mission and this inner courtyard surrounded on three sides (including a bell tower complete with bell) by the home and the fourth side by a high wall was lovely.

4.  Bright bougainvillea and white roses greet visitors at this home's front entrance.

5.  My photographer's eye invariably zeroes in on the details.

This Sunday is Mother's Day.  I am going to have a special treat.  My world traveling graduate student son will be home!  That's my bonus fave!

Lessons Derived from a Near Catastrophe

The Springs Fire in Southern California burned much too close for my comfort.  Three Hundred Feet.  The Professor stated, "This is the closest I ever want to be to a major wild fire."  I concur.  After the fire burned and blew through our neighborhood and moved on toward the university where The Professor teaches and then to the Pacific Ocean, I sat and contemplated my reactions and the lessons I learned.  Here are four although I'm sure I will think of many more through the next week.

1. A prosaic day can turn climactic in an instant.  One word from our neighbor changed our direction.  We decided to continue on to our jobs but take what few things we felt we absolutely needed to save in the somewhat unlikely event that the fire would directly affect us.  (This was at 8am before anyone in our neighborhood realized just how fast and furious the fire was moving.)

2. All the planning in the world may not make a difference in what I choose to take with me.  I have an emergency list.  I totally forgot to refer to it.  Truthfully, we felt there wasn't time to spend on packing the cars, not because we needed to leave immediately due to fire danger (as did our friends who live in University Glen), but because we were taking simple precautions for our peace of mind before leaving for our respective jobs.  We packed our fire proof security box, genealogical information, photos, our laptops, external hard drive, camera, and various cables.  As I was driving away from the fire up the freeway, I realized that I had left the camera cord, check book, current bills, some cash and my favorite jeans (in fact, we took no clothing at all).  For the future, I need a better plan.

3. The stuff we left really didn't matter.  We have each other.  That's enough.  However, I've been thinking about our stuff.  Among my friends, I am known as the simplicity girl.  They know I maintain a simple house and don't shop for fun.  Perhaps other people wouldn't notice, but over the past few months things have crept in to my house, but other objects have not marched out, so the net number of possessions has increased.  This is not because I am going out on buying binges; it's just inattention to what's happening.  I need to pay more attention and be more pro-active in this area.  If that stuff doesn't matter, it shouldn't be taking up space in my house.

4. I've been feeling overwhelmed with a few areas around the house.  Mostly, I just don't want to deal with the huge task of organizing, filing, and scanning the photos which have collected here.  Somehow, I became the 'guardian' of many of the family photos from more than 100 years ago.  I want to share them with my family.  But there are so many I don't know how to approach the problem.  Also, I have those file folders full of background information about our families.  Truly, I'm interested in putting that genealogical information into a single readable document, but it's going to take a major block of time to accomplish that task.  Finally, I have planned for a long time to prepare a detailed personal property list for insurance purposes.  Fortunately, I didn't need to use it last week.  It's time to get over feeling overwhelmed and just do these jobs.

Hopefully, I won't have to face this problem of evacuation and possibly losing my home to a natural disaster again for a few years unless of course there's an earthquake.  (We are actually more prepared for an earthquake and staying in our house without services than we are for evacuation.)  This has been a wake up slap to get my house in order.  It was a hard lesson that ended well.

Did you notice that I didn't even think about my yarn and knitting needles?  I know those can be easily replaced.  However, how would I have been able to survive those days and nights without something to keep my fingers busy??

Bullet Dodging

I had some ideas for posting my Fave Fives this week.  I'd sort of been thinking through my little moments from the week.  But. Then. It. Happened.  This. Morning.

The Fire.

Unless you have been living under a rock today in the US and possibly other places around the world, you will have been informed by various news stations that there is a wild fire raging in Southern California.  In my backyard.  Literally.

At 8 am, our next door neighbor yelled my husband's name and informed him that there was a fire burning between us and the 101 freeway (that's a distance of less than 1/4 mile).  As she is quite elderly, her daughter had called and insisted that she put her valuables in her car and leave home immediately.  We could see and smell the smoke when we opened our front door.  Since we were on our way out to work, we stopped for an extra five minutes and threw a few papers, photos and files into our cars and left to teach our Thursday classes.

As I drove up the on ramp onto the freeway, I pulled over and snapped this photo at about 8:15am.

I am grateful for so many things this evening.

1.  No homes in our neighborhood burned. The fire came within 300 feet of our house.  Yes, really.  I walked up the hill less than two blocks and photographed the burned areas.

2.  The Professor texted me to tell me that he had been evacuated from the university.  The announcement came as he was teaching his 10 o'clock class.  He didn't realize how close the fire was to the campus until he had left and was driving away.  I am thankful he is safe and the university did not sustain any damage.

3.  So many people called, emailed and texted to offer a place to stay if we were still on evacuation status.  I am so grateful and thankful for thoughtful friends.

4.  One friend texted me updates throughout the morning while I was teaching to let me know the status and direction of the fire.  There was nothing I could do even if my house did burn, but it was a comfort to KNOW.

5.  That comfort.  Knowing that God was still in control of everything.

As The Professor stated, "We really dodged a bullet this time."

Update:  The area where I hiked last week has burned.

Spring Moves Along

Camellia season is over

as you can see by all the dead blooms which litter the ground beneath the camellia bushes. 

But jasmine season has started!

The month we bought this house in 2007, the three towering jasmine bushes were throwing out their heady fragrance all around.

I'm sure that spring is here to stay when I smell the jasmine.

If You Are a Deer,

Be afraid.  Be very afraid.  I am not happy.

The crime scene.

The evidence.

  I WILL get you for this.

Six Miles of Beauty

The absolute highlight of Willow's Week which I'm posting for Friday Fave Five was a six mile trail I hiked with a friend this week.  Although the morning was foggy and gray, by the afternoon the sun had burned off the coastal cloud layer, and the sun was shining.  It was windy, but that didn't stop us from driving out to the Pacific Coast Highway and turning south toward Malibu.

Generally, most people do not realize that the coastal area between Pt. Mugu just south of Oxnard (well, technically it's east because the coastline along there traverses east/west, not north/south) is an area designated as Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.  There are 500 miles of hiking trails which range in elevation from sea level at the Pacific Ocean to over 3,000 feet at the highest peak, Sandstone Peak.

We've been casually planning this hike for more than a month, saying, "Yes, let's hike next week.  Oh, wait. Sorry, I'm busy with ....  OK, we'll try on Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Saturday or another day which ends in 'y'."  Finally, we impulsively decided, "Today!"  So we did it.

Six miles.  Sea level to 1,250 feet.  Fifty photos.

Here are my five favorite photos.

1. Purple sage in the twilight.  In the background below us is the Pacific Ocean.  Near the bottom of the trail.

2.  Of course, I had to photograph flowers.  This vibrant yellow daisy like flower blooms everywhere in the spring.

3.  Bright orange penstemons grow along the trail.

4.  Because we were hiking in the late afternoon into the early evening, the moon rose over the ridge on the east.

5.  Yes, we really were that high.  Standing on the ridge looking straight down on BOTH sides of the trail.  Somewhere down there along the beach's edge is Pacific Coast Highway.  Do you see that itty-bitty, tiny, little bump to the left of the sun's reflection on the ocean below the cloud on the left?  That's Mugu Rock, the famous monolith you pass when you begin to drive inland past Point Mugu Naval Air Station.  It towers above your car.  But from our perch, it was barely visible.

This was my 'mountain top' experience this week.  I can't wait to hike up there again!

And a bonus:  my friend shared a quote she found which she declared is something I might have said.  I seems to be famous among my acquaintances for my tendencies toward simplicity/minimalism.

Thank God for the things that I do not own. (Saint Teresa of Avila)

Parties, Zoos, Trains, and Books!

Here's Willow's Week in Five Faves.

After my long weekend away in San Diego, I'm back home and recovering from a very busy four days.  Well, when you have two little ones around, you don't have much down time.

1.  We went to a party.  Maybe some day we'll be a forever family.

2.   We went to the zoo.   This family of four is certainly a flip flop family.

3.  On Monday, after spending a couple of precious quiet 'just two of us' hours with my youngest girl in downtown San Diego, I took Amtrak home.  I love the train.  Since I've been on this train route many times, I know where to sit for the best views of the ocean and beach.  Even on a gray and dreary day, and through a train window, the view is gorgeous.

4.  Books!  I got books!  In the mail!

My friend the pit bull mommy sent me this book for my birthday.  It's the next best thing to owning my own dog.

5.  Then, my friend Meg from Minimalist Woman and her husband Steve Johnson (the Minimalist Photographer) sent me a copy of Steve's newest book!  Oh joy!  So much information to digest to improve my own photo skills. Plus incredible photos to drool over.

Obviously, my week was stuffed with much more than these Five Faves, but I can't share it all.  So I had to limit myself.  Some weeks that's easier done than others.  Yes, I photographed a few flowers.  Yes, I taught my classes.  Yes, I read a book.  But These Five Things shone in my memory.

A Little Danish

If I posted these two photos, would you know where I had visited this week?

Anyone who lives in California would likely guess Solvang and they would be correct.  Solvang is a small town located in the Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara.  It's a major tourist destination because of its beauty, its proximity to many wineries, and its Danish history and culture.  Although I spent only 24 hours there, it was a highlight of my week.  In fact, here are the FAVE FIVE highlights.

1.  Time with five other women who are also artists and who have been participating in a study group with me for the past two months.  Our overnight retreat in Solvang was the culmination of our focus group time.

2.  For me and the other spinner/weaver in our group, our favorite spot was Village Spinning and Weaving Shop.  Each time I wander into that store I smile happily as I gaze at All. Those. Spinning. Wheels. All. That. Wool.

3.  I love an early morning cup of great strong coffee.  The other coffee lover and I rose first and we walked along the streets searching for an open cafe.  We definitely scored with Bulldog Cafe.  And chatting with my friend made it all that much better.

4.  I can't not take photos of flowers!

5.  The Food.  Solvang specializes in goodies of a Danish nature.  Oh my!

If you ever are in California and driving between Los Angeles and San Francisco on Highway 101, be sure to take the exit for Solvang and delight yourself with a visit to this little town.

Note:  I will be computerless from Friday morning until Monday evening.  While I can check email on my phone, it will not be easy for me to steal borrow time on my daughter's laptop to visit other participants in Friday Fave Five which makes me rather sad.

Restful Break

After missing last week for Friday Fave Five, I am happily back on schedule.  This first week of April 2013 I have been on Spring Break from teaching.  Here is a sample of my simple days this week.

1. We had some April Showers on April 1st.  No foolin'.  It was a cloudy, misty day.  But we took our fun day and walked at the beach anyway.

2. On Monday we also decided to have lunch out.  Usually we aren't the going out to lunch or dinner kind of people, but we stopped at Pick up Stix and had the most delicious lunch we've eaten in a long time.  Being vegan (yes, I am) and focusing on plant based, no added oil meals means eating in restaurants is severely restricted.  But the amazing waitress at Pick Up Stix was helpful and cheerful in offering excellent and tasty options.

3.  Although our mornings all week have been the typical 'early morning coastal fog and low cloudiness', Tuesday was a brilliantly sunny day.  Since I had to be in Ventura to tutor a couple of writing students, I made a lunch detour to Ventura Harbor's beach.  Oh I do love all the moods of the beach.

4.  During my two weeks of Spring Break, I've had so. much. fun. working on a knitting and felting project.  I have posted photos of my sets of felted bowls here.  Basically, I took some hand spun and hand dyed (by me) wool which had been waiting for inspiration for several years and I knitted it all up into bowls.  It was a truly fun spring project.  And they're useful, too.

5.  There are so many other faves I could choose for the past two weeks, but one quote, a prayer, has been floating up in my memory which describes my spring break--mostly because a spring cold attacked me just as my break began.  "Take my tired body, my confused mind and my restless soul into your arms, and give me rest, simple quiet rest."  Henri Nouwen.  I have truly had a simple quiet rest for which I am most thankful.

How about you?  Did you get a spring break?  Did you experience simple quiet rest?

Mid Week

Monday it was misty and foggy.

The sea had no energy.

Surfers Point was more like Sit Around on your Board and Wait Point

But. Tuesday.

Beautiful.  Sunny.

Surf was up.

And today, Wednesday, it has been a sit on my patio and drink tea kind of sunny day.

I'm still loving these felted bowls.

The pattern is HERE if you want to make them.

Bowled Over

I assure you that I am not obsessed.  Really.

I just like making knitted and felted bowls.

I had some not so nice, a little bulky and uneven skeins of wool which I had spun YEARS ago.  I had even dyed them myself.  But they weren't fit to make into anything wearable.

Felted bowls were the perfect projects to use this yarn to its best advantage.

Some are large enough to use as yarn ball holders.

I'm loving them.