Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ Category

Handmade Inspiration

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011

handmade-mugs-inspire-daily-single-mug

Last month we drove to the foothills and stopped in the Evergreen Gallery.  I was delighted to find these handmade mugs made by Melissa Harvey.

Each mug is hand build and hand painted.  I love their whimsical quality and inspirational words.

There really is something wonderful about using and enjoying things that are handmade on a daily basis.  Whether it is a piece of art, jewelry, pottery, something functional or something you just love to look at, it lifts your spirits.

Here is a picture of the 4 mugs together.  I have fun choosing a different one each day, depending on my mood.

handmade-mugs-group

 

Santa Fe Style

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

Sally at Santa Fe

My husband and I took a 4 day trip to Santa Fe to celebrate our anniversary and his birthday.

What a wonderful place to be inspired by the art, architecture, history, and food!

This is a picture of me standing in front of the sculpture garden at the Wilford Gallery on Canyon Road.

One of the things I love about Santa Fe is that there is always a surprise around every nook and cranny.  There might be a beautiful, old, and rustic carved door or a quaint, inviting courtyard covered with vines and enclosed with a twig fence with graying bark.

santa fe door

I can’t believe I forgot to charge the battery on my small camera that I carry so I only got a few pictures.

We visited old cathedrals and churches, the Georgia O’Keefe museum, and enjoyed meals on shaded patios.

Santa Fe has a distinct style that gives you the feeling you have been transported to another time and place.

greg-canyon-road

 

 

Home Grown

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

home grown tomato-sage-and-purple-bean

I’ve grown a variety of herbs for the last several years and love being able to pick them, bury my nose in their heady scent, and use them to make anything taste better.

 

This year I decided to plant a vegetable garden.

 

I haven’t had a lot of success.  Many of the things I’ve planted from seeds barely came up or may have been eaten or trampled by rabbits and squirrels.

 

My radishes seemed to only get leaves with barely a hint of radish attached.  I did pick one that was fully grown.

 

That night, I announced to my family, they would be dining on steak and radish.  True to my word, I cut the one carefully cultivated radish in three pieces so we would each have a piece on our steak.

 

I am getting some home grown tomatoes.  Paired with basil, is there anything more delicious?

 

I also planted some Italian purple beans.  They have a lovely dark green leaf with small lavender and purple blossoms that almost look like a small orchid.

 

I “harvested” six beans today!  I’m quite the suburban farmer.

 

I am enjoying experiencing the small changes as the plants grow and mature and need to make notes about what to try for next year.