Wasting Time

I love this John Lennon quote because it reflects my life.

I love taking pictures and I love posting 1 picture daily on Instagram, 

but rarely is the picture I post the first (or second or third . . .) shot I take.

I was looking at my computer desktop this morning and it was filled with a ridiculous amount of photos all of the same thing.

The other day I wanted to take a photo of my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt to show Jann of Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson because she recently posted a pic of a similar quilt she found at an estate sale.

I literally took more that 50 shots (and edited most of them) just to get one pic to post on Instagram.

That led me to take my grapevine basket off the bench to get it's own photo, but I just wasn't satisfied with the photo.

 I added a few more flowers, but I thought the photo needed more color

so  I swapped the flowers in the basket, but I still wasn't sure about the photo.

I placed the basket on my sewing machine base table in the garden, 

tried it on a tree stump by my garden house

and then on the patio table.

My last attempt was to put the basket on one of the garden chairs

and this was the final edited shot I posted on Instagram.

After looking back at all the photos to write this post,  I am wondering if all those shots and all that editing was a waste of time because I really like this view that I took about 40 shots before that final picture.

If I listen to the words of John Lennon, all the photos I take

 and all the editing is not wasted time because I am enjoying myself.

Now my only problem is deciding how to waste my time tomorrow.

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Join me at 

Poofing the Pillows for Thoughts of Home Thursday

On the road again...

We haven't been away since Christmas so it was fun to be "on the road again" even for just a quick trip.

We have been traveling north on the 101 Freeway regularly since 1993 when our son started attending the University of California, Berkeley.

 Due to the drought over the last few years,

 the view from the road has been a sea of brown,

but on Friday, we saw color for the entire drive.

Yellow, blue and green were the predominant colors, but stopping in Pismo Beach for breakfast we were greeted by colorful flowers -

I couldn't resist snapping a shot of a fun sign on a building.

We took a country road to cut across from the coast to the center of California - our destination was Sacramento to visit our daughter.

Our first was a stop in the town of Cool

to visit Steve's brother

and this was our view from their deck on Saturday morning.

We visited Geoff and Joanne two years ago at Easter

and the view was not as colorful on that visit.

Saturday morning we left the country and headed to our state capital

and proceeded to eat our way through the city of Sacramento

while our daughter and her boyfriend gave us a tour.

So it was a good thing that Steve and I were up with the sun on Easter morning walking around town.

Few people were in McKinley Park when we walked through

and the tree lined streets of the Fab Forties

were quiet as residents slept

so I could snap pics without feeling like a "lookie loo".

I fell in love with each house

and the well manicured gardens.

The tulips lining the walkway of this brick house had me swooning.

We had a fun visit - family, food, flowers -  but it is nice to be home again.

I hope you had a lovely Easter and that spring is coloring your life today.

Cottage Garden

I love this time of year.

Every morning when I look outside, 

there is more color in the garden.

I've been sprucing up the yard because we will be away for Easter and I want the garden to be a welcoming retreat for Lulu's sitter.

Buckets of flowers on the ladder add vertical color to the garden.

I will plant all of the flowers in the garden next week and choose new flowers for the ladder.

I even found time to organize La Petite Maison

just in case our sitter, Suzanne, happens to look inside.

We don't use this area behind Steve's studio much

but the nights will soon be warm enough for us to sit by the fire pit.

Steve and I both enjoy reading (and just maybe snoozing) outside this time of year.

Fortunately, since Lulu likes to sunbathe on the chaise,

we have a second chaise for Steve and me to fight over.

The planter in front is bursting with color

and there are a few flowers I am watching closely.

I swear that our garden is planted by the birds and I'm keeping my eye on this fuzzy little bud.

Two more have developed since I took this photo and I am curious to see what the flowers will look like.

By the time we get home on Monday, I expect the hibiscus to be in full bloom

and maybe the rock rose hidden in the jungle will finally show its face.

I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to gardening, but I love our funky little cottage garden.

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Join me at Poofing the Pillows for Thoughts of Home on Thursday