Tongue in Cheek

photo via Sacha

Elena posted this to her Instagram. We enjoyed sharing country life in California with you xxx

Lead me love

to have awareness of
your guidance

to bring forth your invisible truth

…

advent prayer

By Jessica Powers 

My mother‘’a Christmas theme flower bed.

How does her garden grow?

I can honestly say she can hold happiness and sadness in the same hand and yet plant the seeds for life to continue gracefully.

The art of gardening is knowing that roses have thorns.

How does your garden grow?

Every month one of us in the Amaro family paints my mom’s mailbox at the end of her lane. Today Elena was the one to give it a go. My mom likes her big country mailbox to be painted following holiday themes or monthly traditions this month it is a given … Christmas.

Elena asked my mom what she preferred her to paint and  Santa was...

One moment leads to another 

Seed . Bud . Blossom …

 
Life is movement

Becoming  .  Changing  .  Growing

Blending the physical and spiritual,

Intellect and intuition.

Life changes

it weaves within us 

connects us to each other

…

When someone we love leaves...

For those of you who do not follow me on Instagram, where I post videos I will be re-posting a few here every now and then.

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photo above via my dear friend Erika.

Thanksgiving day

( my mom and sister in law Diane are out of view can you find them sitting at the table. My brother Marty’s family did not join us. Understandably, it was too hard for them.)

Sacha came from Seattle with Elena his Italian girlfriend.

As it was...

For those of you who do not follow me on Instagram, where I post videos I will be re-posting a few here every now and then.

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Obviously this is my favorite.

Once upon a time, I stopped using plastic.

Once upon a time, I only used two gallons of water a day, I was obsessed with every drop of water.

Once upon a time, I stopped buying new clothes and adhered to slow fashion.

Once upon a time, I walked if the distance was less than three miles away.

Once upon a time, I only ate food that was grown...

We miss you.

My Mother prepares the Thanksgiving meal.

Every year one of the traditional things that she makes are butter cookies that she cuts out with a red cookie cutter that is shaped like a turkey.

Setting the table she adds one of the turkey cut-out cookies to each of the plates.

—-

My brother Marty would traditionally sneak...

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What speaks my mother's kitchen to me:

- The sugar bowl and spoon, the exact same one since forever, in the exact same place in the cupboard.

- The small old dust brooms laced on a rod for a kitchen curtain.

- The pull-out cutting board.

- The tin cup sitting on the counter that she drinks from everyday.

- The chocolate chips...

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For those of you who do not follow me on Instagram, where I post videos I will be re-posting a few here every now and then.

While walking to and from Chelsea's family's apartment to our apartment in Paris I spotted this amazing protective iron gate, it looked to be a permenate piece.

Unfortunately, and often while I am walking I...

Beaujolais Nouveau, is the first wine of the season to be uncorked. It is a big deal in France. An honored tradition. Every year on the third Thursday of November, you can hear Beaujolais Nouveau being poured, followed by a lively conversation about this years grapes. Predictions are set in place regarding the flavor of Beaujolais Nouveau as...

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Thank you Andrea Waltzer Hames for sharing this with me on FB

Olivia the easy birth baby.

who sleeps eats, poops, and repeats.

Cries rarely.

I have only heard her cry twice, once was right before these photos 

were taken and that is why I am laughing, as it was so surreal to hear her cry...

What? Is she ...

"A real baby?"

Four weeks old.

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Today at an auction house I spotted this painting, or I should say I spotted the detail that I liked about the painting… The ribbon on the foot. For me just painting the foot with a rivet would have been enough.

Today at an auction house I spotted this painting, or I should say I spotted the detail that I liked...

No questions asked

No reason nor explanation 

Just taking it when I see it

holding it to be true

You are here that’s all that matters

You brought a smile to my face and I thank you for that

Spiritual love is real

Letting the heart be open to it 

so true

so lovely

so simply powerful

remembering that most hold suffering silently 

I hope I can be the friend who notices and helps.

Photo message by Instagram Bethany Ciotola

Baby Love 

Olivia three weeks old.

Went to a flea market today which isn’t unusual for me …

but the prices were absolutely ridiculous,

I wouldn’t pay those prices at a brocante let alone at a flea market where one expects to pay less.

Nevertheless, there were some lovely surprises including their price points.

First time I walked away empty handed. 

Via Adrian Michael Greene on Instagram 

Season’s constant change

Autumn’s golden crown

Was once Spring’s fertile green

now falling leaves dance around my feet.

Wow, thank you for the good ideas for future challenges ❤️
Flowers are easy because they are everywhere, plus I had/have years of photos of flowers on file and as Susan commented flowers are happy and bright. I do not know if I could post hands or smiles everyday for a year… but wouldn’t that be lovely?

Of course antiques would be...

In 2020 I started to post a flower a day on my FB as a way to share faith, hope, love, and thanks.

As a way to dilute the negativity that was around us.

so far I have posted a flower photo each day for

1 year and 229 days.

Why flowers and not brocante is because I started posting flowers when I was stuck in California due to...

What you can find at the brocante  if truth be told is pure delight

the possibilities are endless and surprising.

There are miles and miles of fairs and stacks of boxes and places to go all over France.

The list of things one can find is from simple everyday pieces to the rare and unusual and often at an affordable price.

A...

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The Guesses as always are either so clever, or creative, or funny, and this time a correct answer too!

Here are a few guesses

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I saw this small circular wooden box and had to ask the dealer what it was. Inside the box was a smooth agate that had a tiny bowl-like center.

A few weeks ago as the seasons were changing places.

a moment was shared with our friends Laurie-Annya and Ian in Cassis

Crystal blue

a few puff clouds

smooth sea.

(Via Christine La Monte’s FB)

at the bull's eye?

In the center of the matter?

Or possibly, far away in case, one misses

nothing will be injured?

Do you take a chance on love, do you give it open-handedly, is it a game,...

This is a Louis 16th sofa leg, without a ribbon around its knee.

The real thing, standing strong even though it hasn't exercised in years.

What is its secret?

The leg is steady on its heel and stands as straight

 as the day it was carved.

How many sofa legs can stand up to that claim?

Okay, from now on I am going to post things that I see people are throwing out on the street.

Hence, the title "Look what my Neighbors are throwing out."

Spotted these on the street in Paris.

Mid-century reproduction of the classic frog chairs, yes that is what they are called:

"Fauteuil Crapaud"

usually, the feet are not seen as...

Just for the record about Sacha doing that jump on the edge… the other day while working on a documentary.

I said to him,

”Are you trying to scare me?”

He replied, “Yes!”

in which I said,

”Well, you did. Please don’t do that again!”

Sacha reassured me that the photo made it look worse than it was.

" Yeah right," I replied,...

 FRENCH la Vie dates for 2022 

Thank you thank you thank you! The dates for the French la Vie 2022 are full. We are going to have fun and I bet you won’t want to go home xxx

For the love of brocante and discovering Provence through the lens of  antiquing.

April 21st -...

  
in the Marais
every Autumn

a spectacular nature show

at

Marianne restaurant

2 Rue des Hospitalières Saint-Gervais, 75004 Paris

My cousin Joan sent me this article. I hope you will enjoy it.

The Curbed ——

 Text Shawn Mc Creesh by Photos by Greg Khan

“I started getting calls as soon as the fire was put out,” said Rick Brown, standing on the lawn at Catholic University the other day. Brown and his wife, Laura, are the co-founders...

Sacha worked on a documentary, though I cannot say much more than that.

He went to Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. These are a handful of photos

he shared on his instagram.

His energy and longing to work in cinema is a reality. How often do we get to do 

what we love and be good at...

As one can imagine I am gaga over this new little person.

When comparing the two loves

One seems extra tiny and the other oversize.

Everyone is doing well.

Olivia was born in a bathtub at a natural birthing clinic in Paris

where Gabriel was born.

Chelsea's birth story can be summed up like this:

Fast, painless, unless you count two...

o-li-via in French

Photo by Chelsea

A happy little family.

Gabriel adores Olivia.

When Gabriel started to consume solids I would say,

"Mmm, mmm, mmm, yummy for the tummy."

Gabriel started to say this too, especially when something was extra delicious.

He refers to being hungry, or wanting something to eat as, "Yum".

When Gabriel first saw his mother he let out a...