Tag Archives: Surprises

Buckeye: Lucky Charms

This past weekend I met two new friends — a sweet, young married couple just getting a start in life. They are both creatives, one a graphic designer and one a writer. They wanted to know about my writing and what I’ve done to grow my business. I thought about it for a moment, and although...

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Colors of Fall

Colors of fall: orange, yellow, scarlet and … Pink. Yes, pink. Here in Cali, we still have some lovely blushing flowers to admire, like this Begonia. Once Jack Frost breathes over my garden, this little beauty will be a goner. So, I will admire its delicate nature now. This sweet Dianthus adds cheer to the...

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Morning Glory Memories

When I was a little girl, my sister and I loved to help our mom plant morning glory vines every spring. Once the weather was just right, in the early morning light, my mom would tear open the colorful paper packets and pour the hard, shriveled-up seeds into our soft, little girl hands. We’d kneel...

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From California to Colorado on the Back of a Hog

Whirlwind of a ride pretty much sums up our trip, although looking at the words now, I see that I am putting it to you mildly. To kick off our two-week motorcycle road trip from California to Colorado, brother-in-law’s bike wouldn’t start. It was a few expletives and a slammed tool box lid later before...

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High Desert Happiness

Kindness comes in many forms: a smile from a stranger, a heartfelt compliment or an unexpected subscription to High Desert Journal. I was perplexed when I first saw the journal as I couldn’t figure out how it made its way to my mailbox. I thought, who would have sent this? It wasn’t until a day...

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Dutchman’s Pipe: Perfectly Happy in the Home Garden

Dangling from chartreuse vines, the  flowers of Dutchmans’s Pipe, or Aristolochia californica, serve as a reminder of Nature’s unique gifts. As the sun sinks lower toward the horizon, shining its rays through the delicate orchid-like flowers, burgundy veins that look very much like those under our skin, stand out against the antique-yellow petals, creating a lantern-like...

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Friends, Fun and Live Wall Art

A month or so ago my fellow knitters threw a birthday party for me. Betsy brought a delightful cheese plate, Shannon made a to-die-for vegetarian moussaka, Angie made a fresh garden salad, Lisa provided gourmet bread and Karen baked a decadent Texas sheet cake. As we sat in front of the fireplace, eating and chatting,...

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Citrus Harvest: Mandarins, Buddah’s Hand and a Surprising Birdlike Friend

The sun has been shining and daytime temperatures have been in the low 60s. However, nightly temps have been dropping into the low 20s with last night bringing frost. Taking a risk, I’ve decided to leave the Meyer lemons on the trees in hopes they will ripen (and sweeten) a bit more. I wouldn’t dare...

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Winner of the Chico Bag and My Orb-weaver Spider Surprise

Well, we have a winner! Cinnamon, a new reader, was able to positively ID the gorgeous orange flower: Mexican shell flower or Tigridia pavonia. Thank you Cinnamon! Your Chico Bag is in the mail. Now, I want to switch gears — from flora to fauna. One of my favorite pleasures in life is meandering through...

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Fresh look, Fresh inspiration

I needed inspiration in the creativity department. I needed a new look. Actually, my blog, which is an extension of me, needed a fresh look. So, I asked a friend if he could design a new logo for nature-drunk.com. He was was crazy busy and couldn’t swing it, but he recommended his friend Matt Briner...

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