Thank you Laura!

Laura, at Ciao Amalfi! presented me with this lovely award....She has an amazing blog about living in Amalfi, Italy....see link on side... In one of her recent posts, she was visiting Capri, and did some window shopping in Anacapri...I commented that Capri and the Amalfi Coast were our most favorite places in Italy during our trip in 2007...and while we admired the views, the expensive shops, ate incredible pastries, we also had a star sighting- the one and only Barbra Streisand! She was cruising around with her dogs, a floppy hat, some kind of a mumu and a few friends...not the glamorous star that we are used to seeing! We certainly didn't expect her to belt out in song, but I think she caught the eye of many tourists that day!

In ignoring the rules, I send this out to all the blogs that inspire me --you are all lovely!

JULIE & JULIA....

Instead of blogging...I'm reading...Just finished this book, which is a hoot, and very educational, in a Julia Child kind of way. I am really looking forward to the movie coming out on August 7th. and to see how well Meryl Streep does her Julia Child imitation.

I am sure you have heard the premise.... Julie, a young New York secretary decides to start a blog which involves cooking every single recipe in Julia Child's The Art of French Cooking and blogging about it--now I don't know about you, but I don't think I would even attempt any of her recipes....Now Ina Garten - I have 6 of your cookbooks, how long do you think it would take me to cook my way through all of those....

With the way the hot summer weather has made me - lazy, I don't think it would happen in this lifetime.

Hope you are all enjoying summer! And if you have a few hours, read the book, you will get a kick out of it!

INTOXICATING!

DEFINITION: EXCITING, THRILLING, STIMULATING, HEADY, EXHILARATING.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED ROSES, AND HAVE A FEW BUSHES GROWING IN MY YARD THAT ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO SURVIVE UNDER THE CARE OF MY BLACK THUMB..WHEN I DO GET A FEW BLOOMS I ENJOY CUTTING THEM TO MAKE FRAGRANT ARRANGEMENTS......I ALSO HAVE A MAGNOLIA TREE IN MY YARD...THE OTHER DAY I DECIDED TO CUT ONE OF THE HUGE BLOOMS AND PUT IT IN A SHALLOW BOWL....WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING SCENT, SWEET, EXOTIC, LEMONY...INTOXICATING!

SPEAKING OF FLOWERS HERE ARE SOME MORE PHOTOS OF THE BUCHART GARDENS IN VICTORIA, B.C. AS A FRIEND OF MINE SAID AFTER HER VISIT, IT FEELS SURREAL THERE...LIKE YOU ARE IN HEAVEN...LET'S HOPE HEAVEN LOOKS JUST LIKE THIS!