This and That

I think it's more fun to decorate when one's budget is sub par. The "survivor" emerges with resolve and a gathering basket! Common items stand ready to pose for possibilities!

I have an Italian white glass lamp with a swirl pattern. It's one piece of glass with a rounded base and a traditional lampshade toward the top. The entire lamp lights up. An extra perk is that it attracts and subtracts insects in the warmer months.

White is too stark for fall, so I grabbed a sheer April Cornell scarf and accessorized the lamp. I added an inexpensive white pumpkin and a fall wreath I had tucked away. Voila! A vignette was born.

I popped over to Blue Mountain and they have a bevy of free screensavers. My favorite is "Flying South." It's an animated screensaver with multiple layers of green to rustic hues, serenely swaying leaves, and realistic silhouettes of flying and perched birds. It's mesmerizing. Below are some stills. Click HERE for the download.

Fall is teasing us again. The rain has ended and by Sunday we'll be back in the 90's again. So, while sipping my French Press coffee, I'm going to savor this last bit of cold weather.

The Skipper

We went boating yesterday on a 30 Foot Bayliner Cruiser (with 2 Chevrolet V8 engines) in Dana Point, California. The McNaughton's invited Barry and I to be their guests and what a time we had! Despite our recent erratic weather, the day was made to order.

Here, my husband Barry is skippering the boat while keeping watch for dolphins! (He was looking quite foxy in his Penn State Hawaiian shirt.) It wasn't long before we were surrounded by a large pod of common dolphins.

I took these pictures with my older generation iPhone. I had forgotten my reading glasses at home which meant I was limited to the point-and-click method. Thankfully, I received adequate results.

There are several types of whales in this region, too. They didn't make an appearance.

Eye on L.A. filmed a Whale and Dolphin Safari which happened to be what we were using as a reference point. Click HERE to get a better idea of what we were seeing.

Sell Your Umbrella

I was awakened by the percussion section of a rogue storm. Loud crashing symbols sounded overhead. Rain pummeled the pavement while sunshine splashed brightly in the background.

The Weather Channel did not prepare us for this. With our recent high temperatures in Southern California, this storm was a surprise.

As I was steeping some Sundae Parlour tea, I kept running like a small child to our giant picture window. I love weather! It has a way of putting things into perspective.

Christian author, Graham Cooke, autographed one of his books to me with, "Karen, it's going to rain. Sell your umbrella." I knew exactly what he meant. In the Bible, rain represents blessings.

If you live by my decrees and obediently keep my commandments, I will send the rains in their seasons, the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. You will thresh until the grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting time; you'll have more than enough to eat and will live safe and secure in your land. -Leviticus 26:3-5 (MSG)

My family is in need of miracles right now and I truly don't want an umbrella coming between us and blessing. If it weren't for the lightning, I could have easily slipped out into the downpour and soaked up every drop!

Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around. -Proverbs 13:12 (MSG)

For several days, we have been praying for many sudden good breaks. The sudden occurrence of this rain proves how quickly things can change. As in the natural, so in the spiritual.

LINKED TO "SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS"