I saw an old friend today

I saw an old friend today.
One I haven’t seen in years,
but each day, every day, I pass her craftsman cottage
on my way to school.

And as I pass by I send up a little prayer
for her and those that are in her care.
I wonder how she is, how her life has been going
as I hurry on my way
and I say to myself, “if I see her tending her roses
I’ll stop to say hello,” but I’ve never seen her there…

Until today. A day when I had to hurry on my way.
Does she ever think of me or even remember my name?
Does she know that I am praying for her
sometimes twice a day?

Some Bunny thinks it’s Spring!

Even though it’s still blustery cold outside!!!!
But then Bunnies are always ready for spring even in the dead of winter.

Last week my friend Nancy and I drove to Riverside to check out the historic Mission Inn…
but this post is not about that.
It’s more about what happened at the end of the day.
Nancy had been wanting a new camera and finally got one for her birthday, so who better to call then her shutterbug crazy friend Cori. Off we went for a day of picture taking, exploring, and just plain ol” fun!
I met Nancy that morning at her mechanic’s in Tustin just across the street from one of my favorite stores…”Whimsy.” have you heard of it? Have you been there? Twice a year, Whimsy hosts one of the most amazing Artisan Fairs filled with, well, amazing artists and their wares. It’s called “GLITTERFEST,” and you guessed it! It’s filled with all kinds of glittery goodness.

(Me thinks this Bunny lady is taunting me with her tiara’s. Do you think she will let me try one on)?

Nancy’s car wasn’t ready by the time we made it back to the mechanic so we decided to venture across the street and visit Whimsy. It’s a wee little store jam packed with all sort of creative wonders and in the back, right out of view of the front door, is my favorite section. I never know what I’m going to find there, but it’s always a delightful surprise. This day was no different!!! 

As I rounded the corner, there she was…all decked out for Spring.
All I could do was stand there and laugh at her ridiculous expression and choice of silly attire. It was almost as if she was yelling at me, “HEY YOU! Yeah you! Come here! I want to show you what I’ve got!! How would you like to buy one of my tiara’s???” Can you hear her too, or is it just me?

Anywho, this spring’s Glitterfest will be held on March 10th and here’s a list of some of the amazing artist who will be selling their wares…
oh! And wouldn’t that be funny if my Bunny lady friend would be there to greet all the guests at the door?? I think it would be most delightful!!

FuN things come in 3’s

I’ve been very busy lately, what with Christmas being right around the corner, but if you were to ask me what I’ve been up to…well, I can’t rightly say. Isn’t that terrible?? I know…it is. But I can tell you that 3 fun things happened last weekend.

I turned 50 for one, so Yes! I am now a 1/2 century old.
To celebrate my 50th I thought it would be fun to visit a few sights that were much older then me and since I’ve always wanted to ride the Funicular in down town LA and visit the Biltmore Hotel that was where hubby and I went to celebrate.

This lovely little train/trolley is the shortest railway in the world and was built in 1901 where it was used to shuttle the Victorians from their homes on Bunker Hill to the business district below. I’ve always imagined it filled with ladies in Bustle gowns and men wearing bowler hats. It’s a short 298 ft. ride up the hill for the price of a quarter.

At the top of the Funicular we stopped at Starbuck’s for a refreshing frosty Peppermint Frappuccino…yum! 

This is a view of the fountain in Pershing square taken from the top floor of the Biltmore. I had to lean wwwwaaaayyyyy out over the railing to get this picture and felt ever so dizzy when I pulled myself back. Interesting, now that I look at the picture there’s not a person in the square. It was a quiet day in LA,

And this is a view of the roof lines directly across the street. There's so much beautiful stone work to see up there that it’s a shame you can’t see it well from below. I’m a wee bit crazy about architecture, in case you didn’t know “-).

 

Anywho, we hung out at the Biltmore for quite a while, walking up and down halls and exploring every corner. Here I am in the Ladies Room. I loved how the lights reflected in the mirror and formed an arc.

If you’ve never been to the Biltmore I highly recommend it…even if it is just to look around. There are amazing light fixtures every where. These are located in the atrium room, where many movies have been filmed. One of my favorites is a Bollywood version on Pride and Prejudice, titled, “Bride and Prejudice.”

Hubby and I plopped ourselves in two comfy chairs and watched as people moved about in the main lobby. As I sat there, I thought to myself, “I could easily get used to this.” Everything was so beautiful!
Somewhere in my memory I remember telling my mother that I was born into the wrong family. I had this crazy notion that the stork who flew me was instructed to set me down at the Vanderbilt’s, but accidently dropped me and I rolled into my mother’s yard instead. Of course, she was delighted to have such a sweet child to care for. Yep! Wrong family indeed, but then the Lord had other plans for me…you know I’m just kidding right?

Well, I must get out of here for now and begin my Christmas baking, but I’ll be back later with more on the Biltmore.
If I don’t see you before then I hope you all have a
VeRy MeRrY CHRISTmas!!!
xoxo Cori

Water Color Kittens

 

Hello! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I keep trying to find my blogging rhythm and every time I think I’ve found it, just like that, it slips away. I’m hoping 2012 will be better… when it comes to me and posting.

Can you believe that Christmas is just one week away? Me neither and I think it’s safe to say that I’m not exactly ready, but then I never am.
So where have I been lately, you ask? Well, I’ve been trudging through another semester of school. I say “trudging” because that’s the only way to describe what it’s been like. Even up to the last day with finals, my computer crashed 20 times. Oi Vey! Thankfully I’m done…until next semester.

For Thanksgiving hubby and I decided to drive up North and spend the Holiday with one of my Aunts and cousins. We had a wonderful time enjoying the cold weather, slow pace, and the beautiful stars shining in the night sky. Living in Southern Cal a girl can easily forget that there are so many constellations overhead. I can’t tell you the last time I saw the Milky Way, but there it was, shining ever so brightly, illuminating the sky.

Since my Aunt’s house was filled to overflowing, hubby and I, along with our pups, spent our nights beyond the orchard in the motorhome. Many times throughout the night I woke and lay there gazing up at the stars. I think the stars remind me of how small I am and How Big my Lord and Savior is. After all, He is the One who flung the stars out into the universe.

The following morning we went into town to explore the local antiques shops. This is where I ran across these adorable water color kittens. Tucked beneath a pile of books was this half tattered children’s book with 3/4 of its pages missing. But the illustrations where so delicate and the colors exquisite. My pictures can’t possibly do them justice.

As long as I can remember I have adored children’s books and this little one captivated my heart, so home with me it went. When we returned home I became curious about the markings and set off on a little fact finding mission.
What did I discover about my little tattered book…
It was published about 1893 by a well known author named Ernest Nister from Nuremburg, Germany.

He created many books having movable parts as well as pictures that dissolved into other pictures. And after my search I also discovered that many of the beautiful Victorian illustrations that I love so much were used in his publications.
Sweet little water color kittens

 

that's how it's done :-)

Hello! I'm showing my niece how to upload images so please ignore this post ;-)