New fillers for my holes

My obsession with earrings started when I was about a year old; that is when I got my ears pierced. But when I grew up, I had a second set of holes put in; just another reason to buy more earrings. I will buy earrings just about anywhere - a vendor selling on the street corner, a hospital giftshop, the farmers market, Italy, of course, from a friend who crafts them from pine needles, the thrift store, our favourite truckstop on the freeway, and believe it or not, a winery.
Silver is my metal of choice but I do have a few made from that wonderful Italian gold. Mother-of-pearl, abalone, amber, recycled glass, wood, pine needles, thread, crystals, pearls, amethyst, and buttons have all dangled from my ears at one point or another.
But yesterday a package arrived with a special pair of earrings. Handmade by a wonderful artist, Nina Bagley, they are a combination of some of my favourite things. I may not have the latest styles in clothes but my ears will always look good with these babies.

The Blue Bird of Happiness?

Just looking at this little guy makes me feel good. Yes, I know I don't need anything to give me that feeling, just having a healthy family is more then enough. He (has not been named yet)perches on my computer table along with our family photo taken so many years ago, a cup gifted to me by a co-worker, postcards and letters from Korea, and a green stone heart with the word PEACE etched across the top. What is on your computer table that makes you feel happy?

Coming home pictures

The morning we left it was drizzling but at the coffee shop in the village we were greeted by pots of sunshine.



Another favourite stop on our way home is Il Giardino. I wandered through all the greenhouses admiring the hanging baskets, ran my fingers over all the different mosses, and checked out all the lavender pots.

The Country Store in Hedley has become another of our favourite stops. The store dates to 1904 and there is no prettier building in town.
This is the junk store in Hedley which I did not have a chance to check out - something to look forward to on our next trip.

Souvlaki anniversary

What better place to celebrate an Italian-Russian union then at a Greek taverna. After the disaster of last years anniversary dinner at "the Best Italian restaurant in Penticton" (Villa Rosa) we decided to try Theo's once again even though our first visit there was not enjoyable, to say the least. But we did recall that the food was good.
So this time we went early and ordered our food to go. The place was empty except for one table so while we waited we sat by the patio and toasted the day with a glass of red and some crusty bread with olive oil dip.

We were only at Theo's for about an hour but it was so relaxing to be able to sit back on the cushioned bench and enjoy the quiet and the special details - the fig plant touching the ceiling, the polished pine steps, the mismatched espresso cups, the terra cotta tiles, the luscious rosemary plants, and the old wood doors that welcome everyone into this slice of Greece right here in BC.

Raindrops keep falling on my head

You go down a road you've never been before, a horse quietly munching away makes you stop. All you can hear is the wind, some birds, and the sound of grass being ripped out of the ground.
He pays no attention to me at all, never raising his head to see what I am doing or how close I'm getting. It's spring and there is new grass to enjoy and that is all he is thinking about.
Our favourite part of the day - a walk through the village. The creek is running swift and brown, tulips everywhere we look, and the magnolias are drooping in the rain, their wax-like petals strewn about the ground in pink and white piles.
An empty lot with the remains of someone's garden - the clusters of tulips enduring even though there is nothing left of the home. We pause in the rain and wonder.
Down by the lake, the firepit is waterlogged, the benches wet and lonely.
The newly painted chairs patiently wait for a sunny day, a day of relaxed conversation while the world walks by.

At the play school we spot three peacocks perched on the porch railing, having heard their cry even before we saw them. Dozens of quails bustling about from one side of the road to the other. Ducks in the park enjoying the downpour.
A walk in the rain does not dampen our spirits, it actually has the opposite effect if you take the time to observe all that benefit from the warm spring shower.

An apple blossom day

We are back and even though it was a nice relaxing time we are glad to be back home. All the excitement of Ian Tyson at the Timmy's in Merritt - I don't think I could handle much more.
We have been anticipating our lunch at the pub for the past six months. They make the best burgers ever. No luck on the pull tabs.

After a pub lunch a walk is in order so we bundled up (yes it was cold and rainy) and walked down to the McCulloch Trestle. The view is fantastic from the trestle, the vineyards are bare but there is a lot of promise there, and the apple blossoms on either side of the trail made the walk so much more enjoyable.

R and R

I have been collecting boxes and containers since I was given two music boxes for my 16th birthday. Most boxes in my collection are just plain square or rectangular. Some have drawers and some are made of my favourite wood, oak. But this heart-shaped container caught my eye not because it's hand carved but because of the idyllic scene painted on the lid.
We will be away for some r and r travelling country roads hoping to find some peace and quiet.