Friday, July 1, 2016

Simple Pleasures


It's been a crazy week for us with out of town guests, a late Father's Day celebration, 8.5 hours of driving for me on Wednesday . . .


But even on busy days, I take time to look around and enjoy life's simple pleasures.


I am loving the canna lilies


that are slowly blooming all over the garden.


Steve and I escaped the heat and hit the water in our kayaks.


That long drive on Wednesday (4 hours each way) for a reunion planning meeting led to me spotting a gorgeous garden.


I moved a little table onto the back porch - 


it needs to be painted, but for now it's dressed up with a patriotic display.


Out shopping the other day, I came across these little pieces of wood in one of my favorite shops


and that led to me writing words on a piece of driftwood.


I gathered shells, sea glass and starfish


to create a summer centerpiece for the dining room table.


Along with shells and starfish, my beach bucket collection is on display for summer.


While tackling the jungle the other day, I propped a shovel against the house - that gave me the idea of displaying my father's old garden tools all over the garden.


My final pleasure was actually Steve's - while I was driving in LA traffic, he spotted our resident bluebird hanging out on the most recent addition to the garden.


What were your simple pleasures this week?

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Join me at Poofing the Pillows for Thoughts of Home Thursday

34 comments:

  1. I could literally make a list here. Ya know, I will. OK, my simple pleasures for the week are:

    1. finally figuring out how to photograph my garden at night without a flash.
    2. staying up late enough to accomplish #1 and feeling like a child playing out in the summer air until midnight.
    3. learning once again that I am making PROCESS, and that's just as important as making PROGRESS.
    4. Hearing and watching the blue jays in our garden while they take a bath in our water fountain.
    5. learning alone, with no one to "comfort" me, that I must get up, dust off, and keep trying until I feel happy about what I'm learning.
    6. keep creating whether or not anyone else cares.

    Simple, meaningful, powerful for me.

    Not to mention the FLOWERS in POWER right now!

    Much love Carol! Anita

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  2. Your yellow roses are spectacular in the old bucket. My simple pleasures this week were gathering flowers to bring in from the garden, taking early morning walks and coffee with a friend. Real simple!

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  3. Well, ONE of my simple pleasures was coming here and looking at all your great pictures and catching up with you. You really portray lots of simple pleasures here today. The best simple pleasure I have is watching my grandkids interact to their simple pleasures. xo Diana

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  4. Carol, you always have the best pictures. Let's all come to your house and sit in the garden, take turns on the kayak, eat at your always awesome table, look at your beach buckets (love them!), and have you teach us how to write on cool things like driftwood. P.S. We'll bring the food.

    Just kidding...... sorta. ;)

    Mary

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  5. My simple pleasures this week were focused on an overgrown flower garden to the side and front of our Pacific Northwest home. I've been digging until I wore out the fingers in my gloves but it is becoming a garden again and one that makes me smile every time I look at it. Simple pleasures are the best pleasures, I've decided. Happy Fourth of July! xoxo

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  6. My daughter just graduated high school and after a nutty week, including prom, parties and the graduation ceremony, we have been ignoring our phones, sitting by the pool, sticking our toes in the sand and eating ice pops. It's been wonderful! Happy 4th, Carol!

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  7. Beautiful! and my simple pleasure wound up being my new air conditioner. Ahhh the comfort of cool air on a super hot day/night.

    xox

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  8. I bet I can guess which little store!!!

    Have a safe and sane weekend ~

    Hugs ~

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  9. Simple Pleasures! Sleeping in your own bed (especially after a hospital stay). Fresh fruit! A good book on a hot summer day!

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  10. Such pretty pleasures you've shared. I love the bird that Steve saw. Have a Happy Fourth!

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  11. Kayaking is a simple pleaure. Each time we visit our vacation house on Balboa Island, my son and I take a kayak trip around the island. It's a great bonding time!
    Best & Bisous,
    Michelle from Simply Santa Barbara

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  12. Oh, I haven't seen a bluebird since I left Texas! You two are so lucky living so close to a gorgeous ocean.
    Brenda

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  13. One of my pleasures is going out into the garden and see what's blooming. Your flowers are always so special.

    You have the knack of being able to put things together and they look terrific.

    Wishing you and Steve a very happy 4th of July.

    Mary

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  14. My granddaughter spending the night. We went to two bookstores and bought some happiness :)

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  15. I love your bucket collection, I have one and love it! That blue bird is gorgeous. Tomorrow, as I take my usual Saturday drive to my mom's I plan on stopping to take photos of the corn fields and other sweet spots on the drive. Hoping to get a few good pics! Favorite simple pleasure this week was hanging out and crafting with my 3 granddaughters! Nothing Better! Blessings to you for a wonderful 4th of July weekend, Cindy xo

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  16. Carol, I love your simple but meaningful pleasures! Steve got a great shot of the bluebird on your new found chair! Happy 4th of July Weekend! Pam @ Everyday Living

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  17. Simple Pleasures are the best. Love seeing all your pretty flowers. Love that the blue bird was enjoying the new yellow chair in the garden. Too fun.
    Kris

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  18. Love the calla lilies! My mother had the most gorgeous red ones. I had some of hers until I missed digging them in time one autumn and lost them. I have never found the variety again. Thanks for the memory!

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  19. I did not know calla lilies came in yellow! Gorgeous! One of my most recent simple pleasures was going to a fantastic barn sale with my 11 year old granddaughter (showing her the ropes). Spending almost an hour there I found such great stuff for my garden and things to sell. My perfect kind of simple pleasure.

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  20. Oh Carol what a delightful post ... Simple pleasures are simply the best! Here are just a few simple pleasures that make me happy -
    In no particular order ...
    Twice daily meditation
    Leisurely weekend mornings engaged in conversation with John
    Playing and cuddling with Simon (our cat)
    Expressing my art in whatever medium I choose at the moment
    Sharing stories with my Grand Gabrielle
    driving anywhere in our Citroën our vintage French car
    Finding laughter in the day
    Nesting in down as I say goodnight with John my hubs of 37 years - just to share a few simple pleasures
    Have a fun long weekend sweet friend!
    xoxo,
    Vera

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  21. Ah, I love my visits here. My simple visits this week? Lunch with girlfriends, air conditioning, Rocky Road Ice Cream, seeing my son elated about something.

    Thank you for joining Thoughts of Home on Thursday, Carol. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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  22. Carol,
    Such a pretty post!! Truly filled with beautiful simple pleasures! Thanks so much for stopping by!! Happy 4th to you!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  23. Hi Carol, your home is so inspiring and it's the little things that add up to be wonderful. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you a Happy 4th of July weekend. xo

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  24. Such a lovely post filled with so much joy and colour. So many beautiful simple pleasures. And I do adore your bucket collection. :) One of my simple pleasures this week was definitely a shopping day together with my two teenage girls. We had such fun, made some bargains and had a lovely lunch. A perfect day with the two girls I love the most in the world.

    Have a great weekend!

    Charlie
    x

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  25. Flowers and sunshine and lots of nick nacks too.
    Merle..............

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  26. Carol, one picture is prettier than the next! Enjoyed reading about your simple pleasures! Today, at the top of my list was a beautiful monarch butterfly enjoying my marigolds!

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  27. Wow! Your lilies are gorgeous! That garden you spotted is delightful! Story book pretty! Happy 4th!

    Poppy

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  28. Wow, you were busy! Finding so many simple pleasures is such a blessing and what beautiful blessings they are

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  29. Besides the beauty of those photos, my pleasure of this week was a nice cup of coffee. It was a quiet morning with a fabulous cop of coffee. I am a simple person so I need simple things!

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  30. Wowww Your canna lilies are fabulous!!
    These photos that you put here are really beautiful and I enjoy looking :)

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  31. Carol, it really is those simple pleasures that make life so sweet! Love your cannas, driftwood displays, and especially your ladder. I only have two sand pails. Really need more! :)
    hugs,
    Jann

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  32. I think it's very important to enjoy simple pleasures, in your wonderful garden, and stop running every now and then. The quotes on the driftwood are all very inspiring.

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