Friday, October 20th, was the fourth anniversary of my sister Patty’s unexpected death. Four years. Since then, every subsequent October 20th always start out terribly, sadly, sometimes angrily for me. I wake up in the early morning hours and relive … Continue reading
i’m not in a celebrating-the-holidays mood. losing my sister in october and losing my father-in-law in february did not leave me in a party mood. our thanksgiving here was a quiet meal with my parents, my brother, and my nephew. (my husband lawrence was with his mother.) it was quiet, peaceful, and simple. we also had a small cake for my mom; that day was also her 79th birthday.
lawrence and i did visit Huntington Library again a couple of weeks ago. (read my other post about the gorgeous library and botanical gardens here.) this visit was more about just clearing our heads and getting some exercise, so i was not concerned about taking too many photographs…
(i love how lawrence’s shadow looks in this photo!)
we watched some ducks for a while…
bridge in the japanese garden…
so – not many pictures to share this time, but we enjoyed the day. we even finally had lunch in the tea room: garlic shrimp spring rolls with jasmine tea. it was delicious!
i haven’t been painting as much as i should be, but i did start up again. funny thing – even though i don’t feeling much in the holiday spirit, i have been painting ornaments for my Etsy art shop – and enjoying it!
i added a pretty metal heart charm on sheer ribbon around the birds’ necks…
if you’d like to see what i’ve been adding to my Etsy shop, please check it out – hopefully you’ll find some holiday gifts you can check off your list! ♥
tomorrow (thanksgiving day) will be a quiet day here. it will be the first thanksgiving day without my father-in-law, and without my sister patty…
I’ll be cooking a simple birthday dinner for my mom (her 79th birthday) & hanging out with my parents. I do want to wish all of you a wonderful holiday, surrounded by those who matter most to you.
remember what’s important. life changes in an instant…
i leave you with these words:
live with intention. walk to the edge. listen hard. practice wellness. play with abandon. laugh. choose with no regret. appreciate your friends. continue to learn. do what you love. live as if this is all there is. – Mary Anne Radmacher
until next time…♥
my sister, lulu, invited lawrence and me to the huntington library in san marino last month. if you live in california and get a chance to go, do it – you will not regret it!
from the huntington’s “About” section on its website at http://www.huntington.org/
“A private, nonprofit institution, The Huntington was founded in 1919 by Henry E. Huntington, an exceptional businessman who built a financial empire that included railroad companies, utilities, and real estate holdings in Southern California.
Huntington was also a man of vision – with a special interest in books, art, and gardens. During his lifetime, he amassed the core of one of the finest research libraries in the world, established a splendid art collection, and created an array of botanical gardens with plants from a geographic range spanning the globe.
These three distinct facets of The Huntington are linked by a devotion to research, education, and beauty.”
It was a beautiful day to visit the botanical gardens, with so many flowers, shrubs, and trees blooming, but the best part of the day was spending time with lulu.
when lawrence’s father became ill, lulu texted me daily to check on his condition and see how we were doing. she went to see my father-in-law in the hospital on valentine’s day, the day before he died, providing lawrence with support and advice in making some difficult decisions. so it was nice to spend some time together, surrounded by nature and so much beauty after all the ugliness…
plus – my niece, marisa, has been volunteering at the huntington every saturday for the past 4 years, so lulu (her mother and chauffeur) is now an expert tour guide on the place!
beautiful sculptural pieces (middle is from Shakespeare’s garden)…
there’s no way to see everything in one visit: there are libraries, and art collections on display, and various botanical gardens. one of my favorites is the japanese gardens…
japanese garden…
lawrence, by the pond in the japanese garden…
it’s a great place for inspiring your creative muse! the three of us took so many photos – everywhere you look is a photo opportunity. you’re surrounded by all the colors, textures, and patterns nature has to offer. i can’t wait to go back!
it inspired me to draw again, the way i used to. just my black Sharpie and white cardstock. i feel my muse coming back…♥
susie carranza studio 