Something strange happened last night.
It was cool, open window cool.
Cool air, with a sky full of crazy unreal stars.
This cool night thing in August is bizarre for such hot days.
It made me feel needy for summer.
Like summer was slipping through my fingers.
So, I vowed to plunge and enjoy every single moment of it.
Even if it's oven hot during the day.
The heat can feel so healing and wonderful, note to self, more garden baths!
There are roses blooming here and there, so I steal some from the garden…
Bundling some up, others gifted to nooks and crannies.
I woke up the other day at 4:30 a.m.
At 5 a.m. it was still dark.
Strange, then I realized, it is August.
August, September, October – what???
I went outside.
It was not raining, and the sun was rising to the east, filtered golden rays, through fluffy clouds.
Then I looked to the west and gasped.
A rainbow??
A rainbow!
What?
How?
But there it was, sure as my camera can share.
A sunrise rainbow on a day with no rain.
I snoop around, sniffing flowers.
Wisteria blooms giving off the scent of an entire flower shop.
A complex scent of mixed flowers.
I wash my shells.
I dream of the ocean.
We cuddle.
In my little family of one girl, one man, and two fur boys – there is much much cuddling.
We are hopeless huggers and cuddlers.
Disheveled hair for 3 of us, straight and tidy for Matty.
Who was cuddling with us, until the camera came out.
Then he was gone.
But Miley always stays.
I am reading Garden Spells.
I am into it.
My dear friend Miss D gave me this book years ago.
Finally, with all your positive suggestions, I plunged.
I will read the rest of today.
I will take a summer vacation day.
I am loving the words on the pages.
We are sleepy.
The rain is gone maybe until next week, and it is scorching hot again and dry.
No complaints.
But we are sleepy in this heat.
Miles is doing great.
Like nothing ever happened to him.
All his tests and bloodwork came back perfect, no signs of anything.
We have come to a conclusion that a scorpion very well could have been the culprit.
Especially based on his initial reaction of fear and pawing at his face violently.
They are not uncommon where he was sleeping.
But I am still watching my puppybrother, making sure he is a-okay.
Matty and Miles follow me all around, like baby chicks.
Every single step, there they are.
We pick ever so many flowers, and hide them in our curtained porch.
Where new age music plays, with flutes and birds, yep you got it 😉
And the fountain trickles loudly.
Peacefully.
(Mister Lovee comes over and makes "making fun of music" dance moves and facial expression of fake bliss, that rascal)
Savor summer.
That is our motto of the day.
Time, why do you have to fly past so quickly?
Why?
Well…
It's Jon Secada Friday, so I best be on my way.
I realize, you have no clue what that means, and I promise to bring some Jon Secada Friday here soon. (I did a post about it years ago and never shared it, must find it)
I invented this Jon Secada Friday thing years ago – my sis is usually my party of 2 for the Friday event.
But normally, it's a party of 1.
As I am usually on my own Friday nights, with Mister out playing instruments down the road.
Maybe we'll share it next Friday, and make a thing of it?
Love, V
It is mysterious the coolness. Two evenings ago I took Mal out and was surprised at how cool it was. Not cool enough to need a sweater or anything, but also not still 90 degrees at 6:00 at night! I hope it stays warm in the days and cooler in the nights, that is the best! I am glad Miles seems to be back to normal. I have been hearing a lot about that book lately, maybe I will give it a try!
PS. I am going on a work trip to Texas next week and although I do want summer to last longer, it would be nice if it wasn’t quite so hot since I will be lugging around boxes of documents the whole time! We do get to go to Carlsbad Caverns which I am excited about because I love caves! Have you been to Texas? Do you have any Texas related recommendations. (Also New Mexico. We are staying the first night in Las Cruces).
Heehee
I am ever so curious about your fountain, Oh Beloved Fanciful Friend-ling.
Now if I could just get a closer peek at the details my heart would be most grateful!
Xoxo
Coricakes
Lovely Coricakes – I think there is a better shot of it in this
postling… perhaps?
http://afancifultwist.typepad.com/a_fanciful_twist/2013/07/and-then-the-storm.html
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 8/9/2013 2:42:30 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Awww.. looks so great!!!
Yes, that wee cooling, overcast was quite the magical mystery moment for Arizona monsoon season… I too am soooo enjoying being back to a dry, bright sunny big time summer day. You are so right, the dry heat is a balm of healing for the bones. Your photos are most beautiful and the flowers especially make Queenie smile.
Enjoy the dry, bright summer and give the fur babe extra hugs from me.
Have a great day,
Always, Queenie
Wellllll, I happen to love John Secada! I discovered him, probably like everyone else thru Gloria Estefan, who I also secretly love! I only ever owned one cassette of Johns but I have always always loved his voice! Plus he is easy on the eyes too!
Glad to hear Miles is recovered! So freaking scary for our fur babies when they can’t tell us what is wrong or how they are feeling. We just need to go with gut feelings and signals!
Enjoy you JS Friday and the weekend too!
Oh yes, now I see it. I remember peeking at that post with all the glorious monsoonal storms. It made me long for rain in my neck of the woods…or should I say suburbia…eeewwww!
It is a lovely fountain made more magical with your adornments.
Xoxo,
Coricakes
It is so HUGE and heavy pure concrete, you should see us bickering and
trying to lift pieces when I need to do little repairs…. OY VEY!! 😉
Blog: http://www.aFancifulTwist.com
Website: http://www.VanessaValencia.com
In a message dated 8/9/2013 8:42:56 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
Hello there! That’s so funny, I just downloaded Garden Spells onto my iPad a few days ago!
I haven’t started it yet. I’m glad Miles is doing better.
I’ve been making plans for Labor Day weekend, I can’t believe it’s almost here! It’s been a pretty mild summer by me.
We had a little hot spell when everyone else did too. Now it’s not too hot & not too humid. I like that!
Is that Alice in Wonderland material I spy? (I have been spying quite a bit and not commenting)
It is a meditation to come here……you are a gift!
so glad Miles is ok…and that rainbow, it was made just for you! xoxo
I think all of Us would love to spend a day with You in Your magical yard full of garden,dogs ,twinkling lights and lovely magical men 😉
Lovely photos…I am excited that everyone is good. Still sending good vibes your way.
Wonderful pictures. The flowers are so beautiful and I love your little fountain. I can almost here it. So glad your pup is doing ok.
Our dog was sick too, very sick, but she pulled through at an age of nearly 14 that is close to a miracle ; )
have a magical day.
You live in a fairy dream world, sweet Vanessa…your fountain is pure bliss, and the bronze fairy figure is divine…so precious. It looks like something that would be in a French garden, especially with all of the flowers adorning it. I love the three spouts where the water is flowing. So refreshing to experience I am sure.
Me thinks you are part French too! If you think about it Spain and France are right next to each other so many who are Spanish most likely have French roots too and vise versa! Two very beautiful peoples, cultures, societies, etc. (I know…we don’t use ‘peoples’ like we used to in our English language. Now it is just ‘people’. )
Have a very lovely week. The rainbow photo was amazing.
Hi Vanessa!
I got so excited when I read your post because I just recently finished my Garden Spells and did a post on it a few weeks ago as well!!! I absolutely LOVED it so much that I went out and picked up a couple of Sarah Addison Allen’s other books!
Please check out my Garden Spells post if you get the chance
http://labohememagique.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-weekend-headcold-garden-spells.html
How did you enjoy the book? I am reading the Sugar Queen now…
Your posts are ever so magickal! I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer!
Justina
xoxo
So pretty…the flowers and your fountain. That book looks good too. I’ll have to find it at my library. 🙂
So thrilled you decided to finally read Garden Spells, I (and many others in that post) just knew you’d love it! Glad to hear your sweet doggins is on the mend. Give him some extra snuzzles and loves and ear skritches for me.
Don’t you just love Garden Spells? It is one of my very favorite books ever. I haven’t been able to get into the garden. But yours is so pretty that I can enjoy it instead of my own messy one.
love & blessings
~*~
ps…hugs & kisses to Matty and Miles
This summer (or lack of) has been, indeed, rather odd…….we have had more rain in July than has ever been on record for our area, and we all got a cold last week….a cold!? In August!!? Odd, no? And the leaves are already hinting at Fall…..there are reds and yellows falling from the trees in our yard….Its almost like we went from Spring to Autumn with a monsoon in-between……I wonder if it will be a snowy winter? Hmmmm…….teehee. Happy late summer-magic times to you!!!
oh the gorgeousness of this post! swoon! Okay I too have had Garden Spells for years – I’m digging it out now. I need a magical read!
OK, wow! I went to my library and checked out “Garden Spells” and another four books in the series/by the author. I blew through the first book and now I’m on the second one…so good. Reminds me of the movies “Practical Magic”, “Fried Green Tomato’s” and “Sleeping With the Enemy” mixed together. I really am enjoying them – thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
We enjoyed several days of cool summer weather, too. It was delightful! I love being able to bundle up during the evenings. Has me longing for sweater weather! I am glad that Miles is doing better. What a scary thing to happen!!!! Glad you are enjoying “Garden Spells.” what an enchanting passage you selected! I was fortunate enough to collect some of her books for free when I worked at the bookstore. 🙂 Her and Alice Hoffman are two of my faves…