weekend with the folks...

This weekend my parents came into town...

I always look forward to a visit from my Mom and Dad.

On Sunday we had breakfast in Veronica's gazebo dining room which feels like you're dining inside a Tiffany box.

My Mom is talking on the phone to Jesse, who is off making a movie in the woods in Washington state. We sure did miss him. Aunt Mary looks on...Becca was there...which was great as she has been so very busy with her story producing job and settling into her new home...

Veronica's dog 'Louie the Lip' peeks in to see what's going on...

When we were getting ready to leave I had the family pose for a shadow portrait...

it soon evolved into a bit of shadow play between my Dad and brother Chris...

Even Veronica's son Dakota joined in with a bird...or is that a butterfly? Whatever it was it was cool.

Becca's duck greets my Dad's dog...
Spontaneous shadow play is good for the soul....try it sometime...

the colors of the fruitstand...

Hansa Yellow Light and Naphthol Red Light
Cadmium Yellow Medium bananas...

Jenkins Green

Indian Yellow Historic Hue

Pyrrole Orange and Phthalo Green (Yellow Shade)
with some Paynes and Neutral Gray

a bountiful crop...

an explosive selection of nuts...

We always stop at Francisco's when we are out Fillmore way...

the wedding this weekend...

Here I am on the patio of our room as we attended a wedding this past weekend of the daughter of some dear old friends.
It took place at a beautiful resort, one of my favorites, the Ojai Valley Inn. I was glad we could spend the weekend and indulge in their amazing spa. It's like being in another country, a peaceful and zen like place...where everyone is really, really nice and helpful.
These terra cotta plants line the outer rim of the resort. Beautiful from every vista.

Here I am arriving at the wedding which started at 6:30...just as the sun was setting and the shadows were deep...

the wedding party walking down the aisle under a huge oak tree...

later we danced into the night...

and the happy couple started their new life together.
Weddings are new beginnings, new journeys, new adjustments.
I hope their lives together are as beautiful as their wedding was.

opening doors...

Today I've been thinking...about the gates that are opening...
and the gates that have closed behind me...
Our friends are doing some construction...which made me think. What construction do I need to do in my own life? What needs to be built up...and what needs to be taken down. Cleaning house both physically and emotionally is a good thing to do...

Yep...today...I've been doing some thinking...