Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 8: Collection

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 8: Collection 

In my house, the challenge was not finding a collection--my entire house seems to be various collections--, but selecting one collection.  Looking for something a bit different, I remembered my figural napkin rings.

The genesis of the collection was my friend Edith Jones whose story I told in "On the Shelf".  One of the many collections Edith had was of antique sterling silver figural napkin rings.  They were absolutely delightful and such an entertaining way to start, and offset, a formal meal.

These are definitely neither antique nor sterling silver.  They are, however, replicas made by Reed and Barton of a series they made in 1824. 

I love doing casual-elegant meals with friends.  Casual-elegant is where you set a formal table but dine in casual clothes.  The napkin rings have become an expected part of the table.  The most fun is that I let everyone chose their own.

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 7: Garden

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 7: Garden

Ours is an all-volunteer garden--it simply grows without anyone in our building taking care of it.  However, we are very fortunately as it is also very bountiful.  In our garden is:

Tabebuia (trumpet tree)  -  Plum Trees  -  Loquat Tree  - Agapanthus (my least favorite)
White Kadota Figs - Lemons -  Oranges - Apples (my very favorite)
Blue, Lavender, and Pink Hydrangeas and Geraniums.

We also have Brown Turkey Figs, but the fruit has just started on those.

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 6: My Three Rocking Chairs

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 6: My Three Rocking Chairs

In every house, there is a chair designated as "Daddy's Chair".  This was the one in our house; an upholster swan-arm rocker. I don't remember when my parents bought it, I just always remember it being there and sitting in my dad's lap in that chair.  It's been reupholstered several times and needs it again.  Happily, my dad is still here, but the rocker, as of 20 years ago, is now with me. 

However, rather than "Daddy's Chair", most of the time, it is now... Tigger's chair.  And if Tigger wants to sit there, you are not about to move him. 

I have two other wonderful rockers in my house...

The first is an old Windsor rocker that belonged to my paternal great grandmother Roberts.  I don't remember her in it, but I certainly remember Gram Roberts sitting in it.

The other chair came down to me from Great-Grandma Bingham, on my maternal side.  I definitely remember great-gram in this chair, and then my Gram Nissen, always crocheting or knitting.

There are wonderful, happy memories associated with these chairs.  Sadly, I have neither children nor close nieces or nephews to whom I shall leave these chairs.  I do hope they ultimately find a happy home and their new owners love them and feel the kind energy imbued within them....but not for many years yet. 

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 5: On the Floor

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 5: On the Floor

I am blessed to receive a fair number of free, advanced reader copy books for review.  Sometimes, I receive quite a few within a short period of time so they end up being stacked on the floor by my desk until I can go through and decide which one's I'll probably read. 

Tigger (orange) and T.S. Elliot (black) look as though they are discussing the book options and making their choice.

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 4: Fun

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 4: Fun

My pal Jody.  We met in 1985 when we were both working at Oracle.  I was newly divorced, spending my first Christmas alone and had a tree I had cut myself (in a suit and heels) in the back of my car.  She was in purchasing and loading my home computer and modem (pre-laptop days) into my car and saw the tree.  The next day, I went back to the tree farm with her, helped her cut her cut a tree for her and her husband and we've been friends ever since.

Jody, a 23-year veteran of the Navy--3 years active, 19 reserves--was in Iraq during Desert Storm.  

We always have fun together, even when it's bringing the Jeep I bought from my parents up from Arizona.  We're very different--she is science-based, intellectual and does everything from DIY to fine lace knitting; I'm slightly fey and intelligent (which is different from intellectual) and do crochet and needlepoint.  She forgives me for not letting her put the dead coyote in the back of the car so she could boil it down and study the skeleton;I made her try snails (escargot) at a restaurant in Independence, CA, which she thought were "okay".

Jody is now divorced as well.  Our goal is to be two old crones, living in a duplex in Washington State where she can keep a garden and a pony; and I can watch her garden and ride in the pony cart.  She's my pal.

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 3: Best Part of the Day

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 3: Best Part of the Day

is when the tasks are all done and I can relax with my crocheting, a good show and, perhaps, a 7-Up, but the last is a bit unusual, for me.

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 2: Busy

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 2: Busy

It was a day of errands.  The best was picking up fresh eggs from a friend's hens, but there was also taking my DEAD phone into the AT&T store, buying yet another large bin for yarn from Target, filling the car, stocking up at Costco, and getting the smog check done on my car.  The company of a friend and getting them all done in one trip made a busy day very enjoyable.

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 1: Favorite Piece of Clothing

Photo-a-Day - July 2012 - Day 1: Favorite Piece of Clothing

There are several items which are so comfortable I wear them over and over, but my crocheted striped scarf, which goes with absolutely everything, and my denim jeans jacket, scattered with rhinestones are two items I reach for constantly. 

Photo-a-Day - June 2012 - Day 30: A Friend

Photo-a-Day - June 2012 - Day 30: A Friend

It is hardly fair having to chose one friend as I am blessed by having several very good friends.  However, I chose Antonia as she is the friend I've known the longest since moving to California.

Moving to California from Boston in 1975 was a very difficult, painful decision.  I had never been here and knew no one other than the man for whom I was going to work.  However, I had a relationship there which, although not a bad relationship, was one with no real future to it.  So I packed my, then, few belongings, my cat Pamela and flew to San Francisco.

In 1978, the company for which I worked, expanded and we hired Antonia.  Tall, redheaded, smart and very nice, and we became friends.  That we have stayed friends all these years is really more to her credit than mine.  Anytime I'd start to drift away, she'd pull me back.  It's an unusual friendship, in some ways, as it's not so much a got-out-and-play friendship, as someone with whom each of us is comfortable and and talk.

Interestingly, for the past 31 years, we've lived within minutes of one another, but it was only with my move in 2002, that we really became close.  In fact, it was at the end of move day.  Everyone had gone and I found a container of homemade soup by my door from Antonia.  When I called to thank her, she sensed I was feeling very much alone and a bit down.  She asked whether I'd like her to keep me company until I was sleepy.  I don't think I could have said "yes" any faster, and there she was.  And there she continues to be; my friend.  Thank you, Antonia, for never letting me drift away.