Did You Get Chocolate For Valentine's Day?

While exercising on a trendmill - and passing the time away  I was chatting with my friend Jeanie who was exercising next to me -- most of the time the gym has the television on without the sound and a  music CD is blaring in the background.  The food network channel was on with the show "Whats the best thing you ever eat?  With food on my mind -- I asked her "did you get chocolate for Valentine's Day?" Actually it is a long standing joke between the two of us. She has been married for 27 years and her husband, who is a real nice guy, but never seems to know what to get her.  On different occasions he actually solicited my help in selecting the "right" gift for her.  One thing he does know  she is a confessed chocoholic and he never can go wrong with buying her some chocolates- Each year he gets a little more venturous and looks for shops that sell gourmet chocolate products -- and surprise's her with some irresistible delicacy

 Chatting away -- she was describing the dark chocolate velvety mouth watering confections

When she stopped right in her tracks and disappeared from my peripheral vision and I heard a loud bump, bump  thump... I stopped my treadmill  to turn around and help my friend -  when she was laughing with joy that's it look look on the television.....

"The Golden Opulence Sundae"

 

 In all its glory right in front of us ...for a mere $1000.00  you can order The Golden Opulence Sundae 

That is the name listed on the menu at the famed Serendipity 3 in New York I know she said it sounds crazy to want an ice cream sundae for a $1,000.00 but that is what I want for our 30th wedding anniversary.  She went on to say that they never done anything like this ever and instead of a big party or a cruise she rather go to New York and celebrate.  It is her hometown and she hasn't been back there in years. Now she said she just has to convince her spouse ---- she does has three years to do it in. 

You are probably wondering only a few people have that kind of money to indulge in such opulence, but you can make this sundae for a lot less here is the following recipe from Serendipity 3 in New York

Use "5 scoops of the richest Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream infused with Madagascar vanilla and covered in 23K edible gold leaf, the sundae is drizzled with the world's most expensive chocolate, Amedei Porceleana,

Cover with chunks of rare Chuao chocolate, which is from cocoa beans harvested by the Caribbean Sea on Venezuela's coast.

Then it is suffused with exotic candied fruits from Paris, gold dragets, truffles and Marzipan Cherries. 

Topped with a tiny glass bowl of Grand Passion Caviar, an exclusive dessert caviar, made of salt-free American Golden caviar, known for its sparkling golden color.

Sweetened and infused with fresh passion fruit, orange and Armagnac.

The sundae is served in a baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet with an 18K gold spoon to partake in the indulgence served with a petite mother of pearl spoon and topped with a gilded sugar flower by Ron Ben-Israel."

Of course there is nothing quite like being there and ordering  the world's most expensive ice cream sundae and having  it prepared and served by the chef.

Visit Serendipity's website www.serendipity3.com for more information.

 Bon Appetit

It's Valentine’s Day and love is in the air!

This is one of those few days during the year we set time aside and  allow our spirits to soar and have fun - be romantic,  dreamy, and allow ourselves to feel love and give love to our  partners, family, friends, neighbors, pets, & ???

google inage

"Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone you will presently come to love him." C.S. Lewis

image by dowsers daughter 

Happy Valentines Day!

Nested

Here in the Northwest it isn't too early to be thinking of planting for the spring garden, most of our winters are fairly mild,  but it is still to early to use a rototiller the soil is mostly wet and damp. 

My plants have been resting all winter long under a bed of rich compost that nurtures and protects them through the cold, wet winter months.  There is a sense of continuance that I count on each year with the first sign of spring. Dormant life stirs in my garden.
Old favorites planted a couple of years ago pop their lovely heads up and open wide to the sun.

A fragrant bush planted by the front walkway scents  

the air greeting all those who come to my door.

A pretty faerie ring pops up around the base of the tree

I disturb the tree by poking around  the roots-- and it wakes up from its long winter nap

I climb up the ladder with my saw to prune some unwieldy looking branches when I spot

a very beautiful  empty nest  left behind from last years fledgling's --

Curious that I am by nature -- 

I look inside thinking it was empty and startled  from my find -- 

 image found on Country French Antiques  http://euroantiquemarket.blogspot.com/
All other images by Joanny

The lovely inhabitant inside the nest leaped out and 

disappeared inside the tree not wishing to be seen or caught no doubt. 

 Lady Wisteria  not wanting to be outdone 

by Mister Tree 

shakes her head,  a cool breeze carries her laughter to the top 

of her long tendrils wrapped around the deck

a whispering is heard in the wind 

There is magic afoot 

in Milady's Garden and down falls a gift - 

Landing at my feet --

Everyday Inspiration!

 I remember asking my father when I was quite young, "Where do you find your inspiration to do your paintings or your poetry?" He answered, "It's a place, he said.  Someday I will take you there." I did not have to wait very long, for in the wee hours of the morning, around 4:00 am he woke me saying "Shh! do not wake anyone, hurry up and get ready time is of the essence, and off we went in the car to a destination unknown, but in my mind at the time - I was bubbling over with anticipation, like following the rainbow in hopes of arriving at the other end and discovering a treasure.

google image

We finally arrived... it was the beach.  It is a different world at night it was so surreal, it wasn't filled with people bathing and sunning themselves, children laughing and playing,  over head seagulls squawking. . .  the only sounds that filled the night air was the waves hitting the shore.  

The moon light was bright in the sky and the moon ray's danced across the water bobbing up and down like a surfer riding the waves to shore. It was surprisingly bright out and it was the only light we had except for a flashlight that lit the pathway to the sandy beach as we stumbled over the wet rocks and shrubbery exposed by the receded water, for it was low tide. 

 We sat down together on a big log at the waters edge,  with each silvery moonbeam carried by the waves to shore brought with it rivulets of thoughts cascading into a liquid flow of creative ideas.

 

 My father and I wait patiently for dawn to break while the sky is still dark and we can still see nothing but moonlight and stars -- 

When magically  appeared two dolphins  swimming close to shore- jumping back and forth over each other and then disappear in a blink of an eye into the dark shimmery ocean and bounce back up again in a different spot on the horizon -playing for our amusement like actors on stage and we are their captive audience.   

The sun slowly makes it way over the horizon, lighting the way with a miraculous power and awe inspiring beauty that is purposefully alive at every moment.  The sun seems to play with us as the dolphins - it repeats it's stellar performance for us every morning when we wake up early enough to watch it in all its glory coming up over the horizon as it has been doing for hundreds of thousands of years. In this moment in time I cannot comprehend my own seemingly unimportant existence as the rays of the sun wash over me but I am eternally grateful for being alive. 

The sea gulls are awake and active on the beach, a jogger passes us by,  the seal's are out on the rocks sunning themselves.  My father says, "it is time to go now"     

Painting of 'The Beach'
by Joanny
dedicated to and inspired by my father!

photo images found on google

Audrey Hepburn - 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993 - was a British actress and Humanitarian.

"Beauty Secrets," by Sam Levenson

Often attributed to Audrey Hepburn

For attractive lips,
speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure,
share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise, 

walk with the knowledge you never walk alone.

Quotes about Audrey:

"After so many drive-in waitresses becoming movie stars, there has been this real drought, when along came class; somebody who actually went to school, can spell, maybe even plays the piano. She may be a wispy, thin little thing, but when you see that girl, you know you're really in the presence of something. In that league there's only ever been Garbo, and the other Hepburn, and maybe Bergman.  It's a rare quality, but boy, do you know when you've found it."  Director Billy Wilder

"I think that there are few people in one's life that you never really feel that they're gone. I have to remind myself that she isn't around." Blake Edwards

quotes & images found on Wikipedia






 

What If . . .?

What if you slept?

 And what if, in your sleep you dreamed?

Birth of Venus (1863) Baron Friedrich von Hardenberg

              

And what if, in your dream. 
              You went to heaven 

 And there plucked 

A strange and beautiful flower?

And what if,
When you awoke,
You had the flower in your hand? 

My Sweet Rose - painting by John William Waterhouse

. . .Ah, what then?

poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

photo's by Joanny

The lost love letters . . .and the kiss that lasted a life time!

In the movie French Kiss starring Meg Ryan (Kate) 

and Kevin Kline who plays the sexy Frenchman (Luc) 

Kate asks Luc: do you believe in love, the kind that lasts for ever? 

 The question is, one man meant for one woman?

Luc is not convinced that love can last forever -he tells Kate it is a fairy tale for little girls.

Kate says: Everybody thinks they have the answer until one day . . .

Something Happens!--

That was what it was like for my father, John, it was love at first sight 

when he met my mother Rose for the very first time.

He Knew.  She was the one! 

Like Luc-- my mother needed convincing -- it was wartime 

passions ran high,

Though she wondered is this meant to last a lifetime?

 

My father thought if only Rosie would let him kiss her,

He believed as Kate did that the romance is in the kiss. 

 

Rosie and Johnny

Their love lasted for fifty years till my father passed on and my mother followed a few years later.

All illustration were drawn by my father shown here on the original envelopes that 

were sent through 

the  U.S. Postal service

This Magic Moment!

You wake up in the morning, and your purse is magically filled

With twenty-fours hours of un-manufactured tissue of the Universe of your life!

It is yours.

It is the most precious of possessions. NO one can take it from you.

And no one receives either more or less than you receive

(Author: Dr. Thomas Arnold Bennett)

"Live today, like you were going to die tomorrow" 
Mahatma Gandhi

 photos by Joanny

"The Woman Who Never Aged."

Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall

Who in this land is fairest of all?  The mirror said, "Ninon de Lenclos (1620-1705)" one of the most celebrated woman of the seventeenth century.  Ninon de Lenclos was renowned in her time as

"The Woman Who Never Aged."

Ninon was a beautiful french woman and a controversial figure in her life time.  She lived a life as a famed courtesan and in her mid-life retired and became a celebrated author. Her name remains synonymous with wit and beauty.   It has been reported that she retained her youthful and beautiful skin well into her eighties- until her death in 1705.  Lucky for us - she gave the secret of  her bathing ritual to her friend at the end of her life.  This herbal formal  was used every day in her daily bathing ritual and is what Ninon attributed to her skin being rejuvenated and maintaining her skins supple and youthful appearance.

If  botox and expensive serums and face lifts are not for you -- and you enjoy the natural remedies as much as I do then give it try.  You will need the following ingredients:

1 large square of muslin or cotton approximately

16 inches by 16 inches

1/4 cup mint

      1/4 cup lavender

            1/4 cup comfrey root

1/4 cup thyme

     1/4 cup rosemary

     1/4 cup Sempervivum (L. always living)

(common name-house-leek or hens and chickens)

Gently squeeze juice from the petals on the dry herbs just like you would from the aloe vera plant,  then put the petals in with the rest of the herb mixture.

Place the herbs in the center of the fabric - pull up corners and  make a pouch - tie with cotton string

Place the bag in the tub under the faucet while running the bath -- then place the bag in the bath water - let it seep for about 5 minutes.  Then it is ready to sit and soak in the warm bath for about 15- 20 minutes.

Especially good for that dry winter skin. Always do a skin test for sensitivity and possible allergic reactions.

 
http://www.amazon.com/Ninon-Lenclos-insoumise-Martial-Debriffe

If you would like to read about this enchanting lady Amazon books.com  has a good selection including the book pictured above.   Ninon de Lenclos, la belle insoumise the author is Martial Debriffe

all images above from google