Memories of Mom

My mother had gowns -- dazzling gowns -- that she kept in a trunk in our garage. They were keepsakes from when she'd been an actress on the stage. She had satin gowns and beaded dresses, as well as feathered fans and boas. Each piece as stunning as a Bob Mackie design. Retired from her acting days -- and a full-time wife and mother -- Mom let me play with her stage wardrobe.

A little girl of age seven and skinny as a twig, I donned her shimmering clothes. And in boat-sized high heels, trying to keep my balance, I clopped across the patio. Holding the hems high, I lifted my shoulders tall and pretended the gowns fit. And as I waved my hands and spoke with an invisible prince, I dreamed of a day in the future when I might really wear those kinds of clothes.


With memories of my mother, Cleo, and her effervescent spirit, I want to wish all of you Lovely Readers a beautiful Mother's Day.

Sincerely,   ~   Anitra

** My next post will be next week, on the 20th.

Spring Splash

Last year at this time, I began to notice more vintage cars on the road. Now, with spring in full swing, I'm seeing these relics again. I imagine that many people with vintage cars have more than one vehicle, and in the way that spring displays its splendor (birds fluffing their feathers, flowers bursting with color), I've come to think that vintage car owners too are moved by the season.



Yesterday, I had a day chock-full of chores. To bolster myself for the tasks, I did something uncharacteristic: I began with a breakfast biscuit from Jack in the Box. From there, I stopped at Office Max and picked up printer ink, I then swung by Ace Hardware to gather bricks for a new shelf for my bookcase. After that, I drove into the heart of Santa Barbara and stopped at The Bead Store, hoping to find a small fleck of coral for the missing eye of a brass owl.


At this point, with half my chores crossed off the list, I headed uptown to tackle the second half. As I drove up Santa Barbara Street, approaching Alice Keck Park -- on this gorgeous temperate day of 74 degree weather -- I began to daydream about stopping and taking a stroll. I pulled over.





In the park, I wandered past turtles sunning themselves on the rocks and couples enjoying lunch beneath the trees. By the time I returned to my car, even though my "to do" list was still clamoring with hungry expectation, I began to wonder, "What if I take an instant vacation? What if I jump ship on my list of things to do?" And with that, I got back in my car and began to meander. I coasted along the elegant streets of the Upper East Side passing Spanish-style houses with tile roofs, two-story Victorians and stately Craftsman homes. Ultimately, I wound up at the Rose Garden on Plaza Rubio, across from the Santa Barbara Mission.






After last week's rain, the Florabundas were in full bloom. And so I stood there, gazing into a sea of roses -- and in time, what else could I do but dive in.





** I'll be back on Mother's Day, the 13th of May, and again on May 20th. Until then, my warm wishes, ~ Anitra

This Day

At this time of the year, in the full bud of springtime, it becomes especially clear to me that every day is a gift.



So fragile it is, this life . . . and rare . . . dangling from a silver web in the wind.

To me, now, the air itself is enough, gives me all the information I need to know that every moment is gold, and to hold it all, everything that is arising, expressing and dissolving, with reverence.



Have a beautiful day, ~ Aneet






** I will return again on April 20, look forward to seeing you then.

DBE Blooper Reel #1: Jelly Isn't A Good Prize!

Here is a sketchy clip from The Price is Right. It starts out with Bob then goes to black and follows with visual static, but after that, you get a glimpse of me doing what I did thousands of times -- and this one with superb lighting!

I came across the clip several months ago and tried to post it then, but to no avail. A couple of days ago, I came across it again, and even though I have stated that my next post will be on Easter, I couldn't help but give it one more try. Obviously, this time it took :)

See you again next Sunday.

Hello Spring

So much has happened in the past few months. Nothing I would call monumental -- mainly the day-to-day changes that have come and gone. Like the exquisite days we had this fall and winter. After two summers of fog, our fall and winter turned out to be the best summer I've seen in years.


I was looking forward to sharing with you the beauty of those days. But then, on Saturday, we got a perfect rainstorm. One that doused the succulents in the garden with just the right amount of moisture, fed the poppies on the hillsides and stopped from time-to-time to give us several breaks throughout the day. After the brunt of the storm had passed, I woke early Sunday morning to find its signature scrawled in white across the peaks. Oh yes. Since our snow melts quickly, and on this day it lasted less than two hours, you, Dear Readers, get to see something that most Santa Barbarans missed.






When I saw the snow, I grabbed my camera, hopped into my car and tore down to Stearn's Warf for an unobstructed view. At the Warf, as always, I got lost in its wonderland. The high surf warnings had brought surfers out to tackle the wild waves of the Breakwater. Hefty winds were slapping the surf into a back-drift and splashing spume into the air; a group of grebes, seemingly stunned from the storm, were bobbing and preening in the water; and uptown, on the East Side, a misty patch of rainbow hovered above the Mission for half-an-hour. On this Sunday, Santa Barbara once again displayed her splendor.



** Dear Cherished Readers, my writing assignment is going well and has been extended through the summer. I will continue to post on the 20th of each month, unless otherwise announced, and on a few holidays as well. My next post will be on Easter, followed by a post on the 20th of April. With gratitude and joy, expressing my warm regards, ~ Aneet

Top O' the Mornin'

And here we are, at our second St. Paddy's Day. Once again, I am sharing a view, actually, two views, of the majestic great Dane statue on Garden Street.

Last year, he wore a larger bow and spats. This year, he has balloons! I don't know his name, but I always think of him as Duke. It's because when I was five-years-old, our neighbor had a great Dane named Duke: a big gentle guy who wandered loose through the neighborhood.

Right now, we Santa Barbarians are hunkering down, as word has it that a storm is on its way. It's been a while since I've posted, and I look forward to posting again on the 20th, in just a few days. Until then, sending you my warm wishes. I hope you all have a fun-filled 17th. ~ Aneet

On Valentine's Day

I love it when synchronicity arrives. When it delivers gifts and I can say to myself, "Look, look at this beautiful coincidence." That's exactly what happened last year before making my Valentine's Day post. A heart-shaped mussel shell greeted me on the seashore, glowing in the late day sun. It was the perfect image for my Valentine's post. But this year, even though I took myself to the beach twice for long walks at low tide, in the glorious, unseasonably warm weather (which is the ideal environment for inviting synchronicity), I didn't find the image I was looking for.

I saw a snowy egret posing in a tide pool; a man and a woman trotted past me on horseback; and I found a couple of heart-shaped rocks clustered on the sand, but the special something that I knew I would recognize when I saw it, didn't materialize. The next morning when I awoke with my creativity in high gear, I switched to plan B. In this mode, I decided to create a heart from the heart.

Fully immersed in the delight of Valentine's Day and fueled by one, dark, pyramid-shaped chocolate drop, with espresso cream filling, I allowed myself to play with paint, paper and scissors. When I took my completed project outside to be photographed, a blue jay that's been appearing daily on my deck, was sitting on the back of a chair waiting for me. After paying him the high wages of dry-roasted almonds, he agreed to be my model and even tolerated the flash.

And so, Dear Readers, here it is . . . my Valentine's post to you, topped with much appreciation, warm wishes and a heart-shaped chocolate filled with chocolate chipotle ganache.

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL VALENTINE'S DAY



Sincerely, ~ Aneet


**I will likely post a photo on March 17th and make a post on March 20th as well. Hope to see you then.