Tag Archives: flowers

Happy Easter!

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Wishing everyone a beautiful Easter Weekend.

 It was indeed an exquisite day here in Santa Barbara, though I’m fending off a touch of melancholy as has been my custom the past few Easters; reminiscing about egg hunts with our little boys and how those days are long gone for us now. Peculiar that this holiday more than any other affects me in this way.  I’ve one photo in particular of my little men with their Easter baskets that almost makes me weep every time I look at it. My older son’s hair is as gold as if the sun itself has bent to kiss him, and younger son is trailing along,  sporting overalls at half-mast and a look that suggests he’s not at all satisfied with the day’s gatherings just yet.

But…

As nature (and Khalil Gibran) remind us

“Life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday…”

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 Columbines photographed today in the garden. I only have this colour at the moment, but I’m on the hunt for the coral and pale yellow combination as well.

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I love the little tails that shoot out behind these flowers. They are a sweet addition to a bouquet.

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Looks as if we’re going to have another bumper crop of roses this Spring and Summer!

I can barely stand how beautiful the colour of this rose is.

I could almost cry (again. Oh dear…)

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Merci to a dear friend for my delicious bonbons

 I hope you receive many treasures from your bunny(s) this Easter Morning!

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Looking back to Easters past (a post from 2010);  Peeps & Paas 


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And for newer readers;

 if you care to take a peek at the post I hold dearest in my heart  (I warned you I was emotional)

  Here; Bringing up Boys  (please do play the music)

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and once again,

Happy Easter and Passover to you all!

xoxo

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Thinking Outside The Vase

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I need to take a “Cheat Day” and post an article I wrote for The Huffington Post earlier this year.  I’m playing a rather hectic game of Catch Up this week after being away for so long, and much like my luck in Vegas last weekend, I’m losing! Although some of you might have already read the article if you’ve visited my “Press Box” tab,  I never actually posted it on Slim Paley.  I’ve copied and pasted below, but it looks a little out of focus for some reason, so I’m also attaching the direct link here;

Thinking Outside The Vase
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I promise to be back once again with a good “Friday Favourites” …and here’s the novel part for me… on FRIDAY!

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Friday Favourites (Special Edition)

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Watch short video clip at the bottom of the page

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From the “Slash” Paper exhibition NYC  (covert photo with my iphone :) )

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Neon Knickers from Barney’s

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image from Tumblr

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Paul Smith rug for The Rug Company

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“La Montana” by Ana maria Hernando  (mounded petticoats stiffened with resin, from a remote village in Peru)

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Elephant on Old Bond St. in London

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Men’s tie section in Barney’s

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Cynthia Rowley

Pantone Paint

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Emma Bridgewater for Aga stove  (for real!)

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Paul Smith for The Rug Company

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Creativi-tea

Jessica Stam

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This is a very important “Friday Favourites” for me…

Have my colours grabbed your attention?!?

Drumroll please…I finally pulled a Blog Roll together!

I’m so chuffed with myself :)   Still haven’t figured out how to run it down the side without the text going thru my photos, but baby steps…

If you go to my heading at the top of of the page, you will find a new tab called “SLIM’S PICKINGS”

You’ll find my List there.  Please take the time to visit all these fun destinations when you have a chance.  Thanks so much again to many of you fellow bloggers that have been linking to me since January.  If I’ve left anyone out, please know my “Pickings” are still very much a work in progress, much like me.

I’ve had SO MUCH FUN playing in this new world and I look forward to getting to know you all better.

May your days be as bright as this post!!

xx Slim

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PS.  If this is ever me, you’ll tell me right??  Pinky swear?

( I kind of love her really- I joke, but I’m having a “Senior Moment” myself- I can’t recall her name :( )

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“COLOR ME CRAZY”A short video by Sarah St. Clair Renard

(Please click- great music!)


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KONA

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Sunrise on the beach at Hualalai, Kona, Hawaii

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Aloha from The Big Island!!  I’m here for one hopefully glorious week with my menfolk.  They are golfing and doing manly things, including getting up early to watch World Cup this morning, hence the photo above.  I hope to do a whole lot of reading, yoga, imbibing of shamefully creamy, delicious drinks whose names I will slyly attempt to use in Scrabble, and not too much else.   Our travel day yesterday was hellish in the extreme. Battling Friday morning traffic from S.B. to LAX spelled a very early departure from home. After sitting at the gate until 10 minutes before the flight was due to leave we learned it was delayed due to maintenance issues. Then, they changed the plane entirely.  A new plane meant completely re-shuffling and rechecking in every single passenger on the full flight. The substitute aircraft had fewer seats, so people were asked to accept $500 coupons and take the next scheduled flight. Had we known we were going to be surrounded by a cast of tiny humans auditioning for ” The Exorcist In Air” we might have considered taking the vouchers.  All I can say is I’m thankful I taught my boys manners enough to not say anything to other people who aren’t doing the same.  OK, I have to say this too; WHAT THE @#*&(%$ ARE PEOPLE THINKING??!!

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But all that’s behind us now (other than the pathetically useless email I’ll be sending to Amercian Airlines, booo hiss)

OOHHMMMM…I’ve already done a PiYo class (for the uninitiated including me, up until today, that’s Pilates and Yoga combined)  But more on that later.

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole- Some nice Hawaiian Over the Rainbow…

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Apparently the Geiko Gecko is quite the lothario  over here on the Big Island…

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The Beach at Hualalai, Four Seasons, Kona

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I brought several books with me;  ”Byron In Love” by Edna O’Brien, “Growing Pains, The Autobiography of Emily Carr“, “Colombo Heat” a novel about Ceylon in the dying days of the Empire by the author of The Killing Fields, Christopher Hudson, and “Nature & Nurture; The Art & Science of Living The Good Life” by Brad Woodson. I have no idea where this book came from but it was small and in the bookcase outside my bedroom so I grabbed it.  I also figured out how to download all the books from my Kindle onto my iPad – Look at me, all growed up and technical!

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Have you ever actually read Michener’s “Hawaii”?  I have.  Really, I did! and I loved it.  As Michener novels go, this one is relatively light on the geographical, dinasoury stuff at the beginning and although it’s a beast (over 960 pages) once you get past the early chapters (no cheating- the book police are over your shoulder) I remember it being hard to put down.  People, I’m embarrassed to admit it but I read “The Help” last year (see November posts) and didn’t love.  I feel like I’m the only one and no doubt we’ll hear they’re making the movie any day now but there you have it.

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I believe these are Plumeria Trees, but I’m not sure.  I can’t get over how they thrive so profusely here, jutting out of all the black volcanic rock. I wish for the 100th time I could add scent to my posts!

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I love wooden screen doors, don’t you?!

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More gorgeousness growing out of rock!.

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Time You Enjoyed Wasting, Is Not Wasted Time

T.S. Eliot

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Oh- better go- I think I hear a large frothy concoction calling my name…

I’ll check back in in a couple of days :)

Have a wonderful Weekend Everyone!

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Letter From London

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Slim Paley Photo……………..Curzon St. in London

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Umm…Where did the last few days just go??  Sorry I didn’t post after The Chelsea Flower Show but it’s been Go GO GO since the moment I arrived in London.  Now I am reminded of how much fun it was to live here although I certainly couldn’t maintain this pace full-time anymore!  I’m off to see the Grace Kelly exhibition at The Victoria & Albert museum shortly, then some last minute shopping, pick up my teas and various other culinary delights from Marks & Spencers that can survive the trip home, dinner with friends, then no doubt up until all hours repacking my cases for the trip home.  ”Friday Favourites” will be back next week, but for now I will leave you with a few holiday snaps of Jolly old London :)

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Liberty, one of the oldest and most charming department stores in London has really hit it’s stride.

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The newest print at Liberty

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We saw War Horse one night.  The Puppetry is not to be believed,or rather quite the opposite, it’s so alive one forgets the horses are not.  The creativity behind such innovation is really impressive, although the storyline is a tad heavy handed.  It made total sense to me when I read it had been adapted from a children’s book. Still, it is more than worth seeing for the “puppets” alone- and don’t let the photos put you off- you can actually see the horses breathing.  The music is also quite beautiful (don’t worry, it’s not a musical) but be forewarned to plug your ears for the few gunshots. No one’s sleeping through this show!

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I walked and walked and day dreamed about having a London address again…

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In a style I could become accustomed to :)

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And visited one of my favourite bookshops ( on Curzon St.)

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The sign above the door at Heywood’s bookshop

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I marveled at the sense of pomp and pageantry that still exists…

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…aaaand then again, not so much…

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I window shopped for the essentials…


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and smiled at the English sense of whimsy

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Slim Paley photo……………….Fortnum & Mason

Agonized over jam selections…

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Slim Paley photo……………………………..“Mock Turtle Soup” at The Fat Duck

and enjoyed some wonderful meals and great laughs with friends old and new.

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And of course, went to The Chelsea Flower Show, but that is another post!

Lastly, a few Favourite Things about London;

-The black cabs and the cabbies- the BEST in the world.

- The cobblestones

- The chesnut trees

- The soft water

- The long summer days

-  The way the restaurants stay the same forever

- Portobello Road

- The window boxes

- That waiters never ask  if “You’re done working on that?”

- The food halls at Selfridges, Harrod’s, Marks & Spencers,  & Fortnum & Mason.

- That you can go tiara shopping…in many different areas!

- The monuments

- The bookshops

- The magazines

- The double cream

- The TEA!!

What I don’t love about London;  That all the shop keepers call you “Madame”  UGH.

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Please wish me luck with my jet lag upon return- Don’t you find it’s always much worse coming back, then going??

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Happy Friday to everyone!

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