Thursday, November 12, 2009

My Neck of the Woods

I invite you to join me for a little Sunday drive, just around our neighborhood so you can enjoy the palette of Autumn colors currently on display. There is something very special about the Virginia countryside and although I've lived here for 10 years, I'm still humbled by its raw untouched Autumn beauty.
Thanks for joining me today.

Gabriela

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Soup and a Sandwich

Don't be fooled by the title of this post. Lunch was really more like just the sandwich part. Oh sure the soup looked mouthwatering appetizing but do you see all those little green flecks? Well it was the over abundance of said little green flecks that ruined the soup and rendered it inedible.
Way too much oregano. My DH said to tell you that the soup was Progresso and that some disgruntled production line employee probably spilled a whole can of crushed oregano into the mix and that Progresso, in order to not lose a single dime on profit earnings, simply relabeled it as "Tuscan Chicken". Maybe a more appropriate title for this post would have been "Soup Sucked" - cuz it sure did.Now this sandwich was the king of all sandwiches. This sandwich was at the opposite end of the spectrum, for as bad as the soup was, the sandwich was out of this world good. Grilled on fresh baked sourdough with generous slices of imported aged Irish cheddar melted to savory perfection. This sandwich was the food of gods. So if you come to my house around lunch time, I hereby promise to never, ever, serve you anything from a can.Gabriela

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Mellow Yellow

Autumn is undoubtedly here. There is a chill in the air, although it has been blessedly sunny so far, and the wind is starting to rattle the gradually baring branches of the trees. Everything is starting to turn to shades of gold and umber. Oh how I love Autumn in Virginia!

Gabriela

Monday, November 9, 2009

Blog Award

My sweet friend Tosha has sent me this blog award (thank you Tosh) and while I've stopped accepting awards (please hold all applause) I've decided to make an exception for Tosha and will play along. The rules are to answer each of the questions but with just one word (I'm not sure I can, but I'll try).
  1. Where is your cell phone? charging
  2. Your hair? brunette
  3. Your mother? kindest
  4. Your father? loving
  5. Your favorite food? Thai
  6. Your dream last night? adventuresome
  7. Your favorite drink? water
  8. Your dream/goal?
  9. What room are you in? kitchen
  10. Your hobby? stamping
  11. Your fear? cancer
  12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Provence
  13. Where were you last night? home
  14. Something that you aren't? lonely
  15. Muffins? pistachio
  16. Wish list item? earrings
  17. Where did you grow up? Los Angeles
  18. Last thing you did? kissed
  19. What are you wearing? Danskos
  20. Your TV? OFF!
  21. Your pets? dachshund
  22. Friends? Numerous
  23. Your life? fulfilled
  24. Your mood? pleased
  25. Missing someone? yes
  26. Vehicle? BMW
  27. Something you're not wearing? gloves
  28. Your favorite store? Coldwater Creek
  29. Your favorite color? Red
  30. When was the last time you laughed? Now
  31. Last time you cried? July
  32. Your best friend? All
  33. One place that I go to over and over? Michael's
  34. Facebook? Stalker
  35. Favorite place to eat? Home
Now I'm supposed to pass this blog award along to five other bloggers whom I visit daily and by whom I'm inspired. Hmmm...only five? That doesn't seem fair since I subscribe to over 130 blogs. Well, here's five in alphabetical order whom I don't believe have already received this award and whon I find very inspiring:



Amy

Anna

Cookie

Denise

Charlene

Thank you - Thank you - Thank you very much (said a la Elvis).




P.S. The photo is completely random. Any guesses as to the identity of the subject in the photo?

Gabriela

Vicki's Color Palette

That's right! The uber talented Vicki over at Fields in Fiber has created another sumptuous color palette out of this puny little photo I shot of my street gutter. If you're not already familiar with Vicki's talent, check out her blog because you're in for a real treat with her phenomenal stitching, quilting, embroidery, fabric postcards, fabric dyeing, Tye-dyeing, and so much more. She's got some serious talent as you will soon find out.

Miss Vicki is a fellow Virginian who lives about an hour south of here and although I've never had the pleasure of meeting Vicki vis-a-vis, I have met her husband through a friend of a friend. It just goes to show how the world is getting smaller and smaller through the magic of cyber space. I trust that Vicki and I are destined to meet in person one of these ol' days and in the not too distant future and that is something to which I truly am looking forward.

Vicki, thank you for the awesome color palette. It's truly breath taking.

Gabriela

Coupla Nuts

without their lids.

Gabriela

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Dappled Color

This is one of the large maple trees in my front yard. This photo was taken on a grey Saturday morning with tepid light and no tripod. I was very pleased with how well the leaves photographed in the muted morning light. (click on the image to see the entire photo)

I hope you're having a splendid day today.

Gabriela

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Orange You Glad it's Fall in Virginia?

Gabriela

Friday, November 6, 2009

My Secret Garden

This is my Secret Garden. Welcome. Come right in and stroll leisurely through its grounds. This garden, these grounds, are the reason I bought this house. I love meandering through the various forest paths. I love walking under the shade of these 150' tall trees. I love looking for toad stools, seed pods, acorn and birds. These woods bring such serenity and each time I walk them, I'm amazed at their beauty and thankful that I'm here to enjoy them during this period in my life. Showcased in this photo are a small smapling of redbud, dogwood, maple, cedar, hemlock, and tulip poplar.

Gabriela

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Curb Appeal

There's something so appealing to me about a street gutter filled with Autumn leaves. Ours are just starting to fall and our curb is gratefully receiving them, collecting them, and happily waiting to show me its coveted prize. (click on the photo to enlargeand see the rest of it.)

Gabriela

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

I've Turned Over a New Leaf

...and have lost myself in a sea of color. (click on image to enlarge)

Gabriela

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Sky is Falling

...at least it seems to be in Virginia.

Gabriela

Monday, November 2, 2009

The Last Geranium

This is the last of the summer geraniums. It's one of two that are potted and sit like sentinels at the front porch entry, greeting every visitor with a bright sunny hello. There's something very nostalgic about geraniums for me - geraniums and hydrangea. You'll probably need to click on the photo to see the whole thing.

Gabriela

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Mums the Word

More mums, different shot. This time I centered my focus a bit better. This would have been infinitely better with a macro lens though...

I hope you're enjoying the Fall weather. It's perfectly cool and crisp here in Virginia.

Gabriela

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween

See that Snickers bar? Yeah, that one, right next to the Reese's peanut butter cup. It's mine.
And the peanut butter cup? It's mine too. Don't nobody touch it!
Here's my little Club Penguin girl.
She designed her own costume all by herself.
Check out those penguin feet. Complete with yellow Puffle.DH was busy baking mini cupcakes and a Jack-o-Lantern cake. Pretty creepy, huh?

Then he rubbed some of the black frosting all over his teeth and scared the daylights out of us.

Not nice.

I hope you had a fun and safe Halloween.

Gabriela

Spiders & Gobblins

wishing you a Happy Halloween!
Gabriela

Friday, October 30, 2009

Punch Art

...just a little punch art for you today. And that's that.
Gabriela

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Plenty of Pumpkins

This card is actually a couple of years old, but I don't think you've seen it before. Pretty simple, eh?
Gabriela

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Pumpkin Patch

I'd love to tell you about our trip to the pumpkin patch down at the Belvedere Plantation and how we took Minime on a hayride, and how she got lost in the corn maze, and how she must have turned over at least a hundred pumpkins in search of the "right" one. But I cannot tell a lie (well actually I can). Our pumpkin came from Wal-Mart. Now wouldn't the pumpkin patch story have been much more entertaining?

DH is now threatening to commandeer the blog from me. Help! He's snatching at the laptop. Help me! What ever you do, don't believe a word he says about me!

Gabriela

Never Enough Buttons

Same card - different DP. This time in Old Olive. I know my creativity is just astounding. Try to contain your excitement.
Gabriela