Tag Archives: California

Pink Saturday ~ Store and Houses

It’s time for another PINK Saturday and I couldn’t resist showing you this store at the Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks and some houses we walked by on Main St. and just off Main in Ventura, California.

I’m going to admit to y’all that I didn’t go into the store because I was just speeding through the mall that day to get in some extra steps for my walking totals.

The following houses were fun discoveries when my husband and I decided to stroll through this part of downtown Ventura last Saturday.  We saw a lot of great old houses but I’m only sharing the PINK ones…

The house that is shown in the top row of the collage is for Rent and the sign says that it is the oldest house in Ventura.

 

Do you think it would be fun to live in this pink house?

Oh and I’m experimenting with a new program that is more creative with collages. Here’s my first attempt.

I’ll be doing a lot more experimenting this week. Have a fabulous Saturday everyone. I’m headed to an Open House for my niece’s 30th birthday!

For more Pink Saturday Posts visit our hostess Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

 

Sky Watch #10

Sky Watch #10 ~ St. Mary Magdalen Church in Camarillo, California

I headed over to this historical church this week hoping to get inside to see their stained glass windows. I looked up and saw these wispy clouds above the church bell tower and decided this would be my Sky Watch photo this week. I found out that to see the windows up close I’ll have to return for a 6:30 AM mass because that’s the only time during the day that the church is open. Here is a little of the history behind the windows. I find it fascinating.

“The most notable chapel fixtures were its magnificent 13 stained glass windows.  These azure, crimson, green, and gold windows tell a double story — one of the life of Christ, the other of a world at war.

While on a trip to Europe, Juan Camarillo selected the windows in Munich, Germany. The year was 1913 and the early rumbles of the continent gathering its strength for conflict were growing with each passing day. Somewhere between the studios of glass-blower F. X. Zettler of Munich and the church on a hilltop in faraway Camarillo, the stained glass windows were lost. Zettler’s name can be seen at the bottom of the windows depicting the Holy Family (east side) and Christ with the children (west side). Despite the best efforts of the Camarillo family through consuls and ambassadors, the windows appeared lost forever. Mrs. Carmen Camarillo Jones recalled that her uncle Juan feared they were at the bottom of the sea. One day a letter arrived from a German official. This official in Munich had been noticing several large crates staked outside a building with Juan’s name on them. He had written Juan several letters and finally one got through at the end of Word War 1. Much to the joy and relief of everyone, the lost windows had been found. However, it was a painfully slow and long trek to Los Angeles, and then on to Camarillo, before they were finally installed in the thick brick and plastered chapel walls in 1919.”

I’m not catholic but I’ll be happy to attend mass early in the morning and have my heart directed to God and then enjoy viewing the stained glass windows. I hope they’ll let me take pictures…

For more Sky watch click here.

 

WFW ~ Psalm 95: 6,7

Psalm 95: 6,7 (ESV) ~ “Oh Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

For more Word Filled Wednesday visit Amydeanne.

The photo of the door was taken in downtown Ventura where there are lots of great older homes and churches built in the early 1900’s. This is actually a building or house converted into a church. It is not where we worship…

 

Early Morning Walk at Emma Wood State Beach

Dear and I arrived for our Saturday walk early again this week and because the tide was too high to walk on our regular route we walked along the dunes in the opposite direction headed toward Surfer’s Point.

After we walked along the dunes we cut across them to the water. This rocky driftwood carpeting is not real easy on the ankles.

This had us scratching our heads wondering “what the heck is it or was it”?

We saw a lot of Godwits and Sanderlings.

This is a section of the beach where the Ventura river empties into the ocean. It was a favorite spot for these herons, seagulls, and godwits.

When we headed back to the dunes to get to our car we were thrilled to see this lone Heron posing for us.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again, we cannot exhaust beautiful views of God’s creation.

Ruby Tuesday ~ Neighborhood Walks

My Ruby Tuesday Photos are again from one of our neighborhood walks.

The plants in the top row are Coleus. I’m not sure what the rest of the plants are called. Happy Ruby Tuesday everyone (even though right now it’s Monday). Next week Maryt is challenging us to find a photo with just a little bit of red in it. Fun!

For more Ruby Tuesday click over to Maryt’s at Work of the Poet.

When I was Little My Mother Gave Me Castor Oil

Were you ever given Castor Oil? Saturday on our walk at Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura we found a Castor Bush with clusters of seed pods. When we opened up the pods we found these Castor Seeds. These are what they make Castor Oil from.

We also saw and smelled the Fennel plants. Sweet Fennel is so much more appealing  than Castor oil. I’m not sure what the second yellow plant is and the sweet lavender colored plant is either. It was another great early morning walk on the beach with wonderful views of God’s creation all around us. This next shot was a special treat for us as we walked back to our starting point.

I’ll be posting more photos from this walk. We saw other herons, godwits, and gulls, all together but this heron seemed to be standing alone for us to appreciate.

 

Saturday in Huntington Beach with Hope ~

My brother Leonard, his wife Mandy and their 7 month old daughter Hope paid us a surprise visit from Dallas the last few days. Leonard had to travel to Southern California for business so Mandy and Hope joined him for the weekend.

 

Leonard is my baby brother, Lana G’s twin. He’s been married to Mandy for 2 years now and they were blessed with sweet little Hope in January of this year.

When my family gets together there is a lot of everything. Lots of people, lots of food, lots of plates, lots of talk and lots of laughter. We generally meet up at my sister Vera’s house in Huntington Beach because her and her husband Nick have the gift of making lots of food. We joke around about what 3 meats they will be preparing this time. The rest of us bring something to accompany all the meat they prepare. This time we had ribs, chuck roast, pineapple chicken, roasted chicken, spaghetti and meat sauce. My brother Tim and his wife Letty were all dressed up because they were headed to a wedding from our get-together. I don’t know why I had to explain that except for they are so dressed up compared to the rest of us.

Hope finally woke up and she just couldn’t take her eyes off of Jack. Jackson is my niece Michelle and Ryan’s 3 year old son. Michelle’s a blogger too and you’ll catch her in some of my photos with her camera in hand. Her blog is “Wait for It”

Some fun with Sweet Potatoes. Yes people there are going to be lots and lots of photos of Hope. I had to get my 4 hour fix before I see her again at Christmas.

 

 

After we stuffed ourselves with all that meat and salads and dessert we decided a walk down to the beach was in order. That’s the other great thing about Nick and Vera’s, it’s just a very short stroll to Huntington City Beach.

On our walk we met up with more guests for the evening and when we returned there was a gift for Hope. It was so stinkin sweet to watch her pat her Pooh Bear and give him loves.

We are so happy that our huge family does not overwhelm Hope. She seems to be able to relax with all of us.

Jackson entertained us with his dancing skills. He seems to be doing well with not having all the attention on him when Hope’s around.

Hope really lights up and kicks her feet when her Dzeda (grandfather) pays attention to her and he loves to entertain her. She loves her baba (grandmother). Aunt Kathy is great too. Now look at that expression on daddy and Hope’s face…hmmm.

 

 

Thanks Nick and Vera for opening your home for another fun get together.

 

Here’s the verse that Leonard and Mandy chose for Hope’s Baby Announcement ~

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, Therefore I have Hope in Him.”