THE VIEW FROM THE DECK ON A SUMMER EVENING

Flamenco Recital

Last Sunday was the Arteflamenco annual recital. Seeing as how I could not participate (due to my knee problem) I was able to take a few photos of the performance.

My classmates preparing for their "Tango"

Several of my classmates in the midst of a "Sevillana".

Our fabulous instructors.

The Advanced Class performing a classical dance inspired by Bizet's Carmen.


I will begin 2 classes this week (if the knee cooperates)so maybe next year I will be among the ranks. Who knows?

Days of Wine and Dogs and Horses

This past Friday night we hosted a fabulous event at The Wine Bin- our first annual Yappy Hour.
A portion of our sales that evening was donated to Spay Maryland and the Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue.
What an amazing turn-out. We provided beer and wine tastings and a chocolate and dog treat tasting by Parfections Chocolates. The Rumour Mill (a local restaurant) provided goodies for the humans to chow down on. And entertainment by Crystal Sands (a wonderful up and coming country singer) rounded out the evening.
I am a huge dog (and horse) lover but people are CRAZY when it comes to their dogs. Who would have thought that a yappy hour would draw so many attendees.


Some of the crowd of our well-behaved owners (and their dogs)
Our youngest dog-loving customer
Music by a fabulous young country singer- Crystal Sands
Chloe and Louie


The Gentle Giant Draft Horses and volunteers



We're looking forward to supporting many more good causes.

I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it. ~Abraham Lincoln

SHOWERS AND FLOWERS IN GEWELS' GARDEN

My pansies love this gray,cold and dreary weather....

...But my peonies don't. One bloom has managed to survive the storms.


My trusty and heady scented lilac

And how happy was I when I spotted my Scotch broom blooming. The scent is heaven!


Observe this dew-drenched rose of Tyrian gardens
A rose today. But you will ask in vain
Tomorrow what it is; and yesterday
It was the dust, the sunshine, and the rains.
- Christina Rosetti

SO BUSY!!!!

The last 4 months have been incredibly busy for me. Not with anything that is making any money you see. But, with some amazing events which I have had a hand in producing.
January thru March are wedding show months. So, to entice new clients over the top vignettes must be produced. It's all about SELLING YOURSELF.
Here are a few photos of some of the displays which I've had a hand in designing.

The first is a sort of Moroccan inspired theme. This was done under a canopy of all pink, orange and lime green. I LOVE the combo of orange and hot pink.


One vignette was more contemporary in a black and red scheme.

This next photo was not my design but the linens used were mine. I adore how they put the whole tablescape together using very elegant french tulips and river rocks.


The next set of photos were from a Bridal show that we did the beginning of April. Each designer was given a separate room at The Tremont Hotel here in Baltimore. Each room was a different color-scheme or theme. My room was done in all shades of silver, purple and periwinkle blue. I was trying to create a very moody, but elegant space. The only thing missing was the smoke machine (the higher ups nixed the idea but later wished we had done it- go figure).


This last set of photos was for a fundraiser called UNCORKED- A five course wine dinner with proceeds going to the Maryland Food Bank. The theme of the affair was "A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES" and each table was designed by different florists, event planners or designers.
My movie was OUT OF AFRICA- and this is the result. I made a coffee tree for the center (since it was set on a coffee farm)surrounded by huge King Protea (the national flower of South Africa) and 3 foot tall giraffes that I was fortunate enough to find the day before the event.
I chose linens to evoke an elegant british safari feel. The base linen was a beautiful ecru lace topped with a natural burlap (much like you would find a coffee bean bag made from). Lace napkins, silver candlesticks and animal print covered bamboo chairs finished the design. Favors were bottles of South African wines wrapped in burlap and finished with raffia ties.


Other movies represented were Breakfast at Tiffanys, La Cage Au Folle, The Birds, The Dark Knight, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (that was wild), Saturday Night Fever and many more. The creativity constantly amazes me!!!

The world is but a canvas to the imagination.
Henry David Thoreau


Unfortunately now I'm brain dead and have not one creative thought in my mind.

MOTHER EARTH

Celebrate Earth Day with me....with photos and native american poetry.


Coming onto the golden belly
of this mother the earth
where the winds talk
and the stones cast no shadows

i was dreaming
my face in the ground
belly to belly
i wept into the earth

a dreaming
but when it was there
it was a singing

my mouth as wide
as the heart of the earth
into the ground I was dreaming
all dressed in hair

Tobacco Indian




The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
Wendell Berry

RECIPES

With all of the recipe posting going on over at Barbara's place I was inspired to begin posting anew at Imagined Eating.

I've posted a few new dessert recipes which I recently tried, along with The Barefoot Contessa's scrumptious Espresso IceCream.

Check it out once in a while or feel free to invite yourself to post your own recipes. Let me know if you're interested and I'll add you to the page.

Happy Cooking!


A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch.
~James Beard

GEWELS BLOOMS

This dreary, dreary, rainy day calls for another installment of "What's blooming in Gewels's garden."

SONG OF THE FLOWER
I am a kind word uttered and repeated
By the voice of Nature;
I am a star fallen from the
Blue tent upon the green carpet.
I am the daughter of the elements
With whom Winter conceived;
To whom Spring gave birth; I was
Reared in the lap of Summer and I
Slept in the bed of Autumn.

At dawn I unite with the breeze
To announce the coming of light;
At eventide I join the birds
In bidding the light farewell.

The plains are decorated with
My beautiful colors, and the air
Is scented with my fragrance

As I embrace Slumber the eyes of
Night watch over me, and as I
Awaken I stare at the sun, which is
The only eye of the day.

I drink dew for wine, and hearken to
The voices of the birds, and dance
To the rhythmic swaying of the grass.

I am the lover's gift; I am the wedding wreath;
I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.


But I look up high to see only the light,
And never look down to see my shadow.
This is wisdom which man must learn.

Kahlil Gibran

And finally a shot of an orchid from my indoor garden.

ARTEFLAMENCO

Last night was my first class in Flamenco dance. I arrived at the studio a full 15 minutes early with long flowy skirt and flamenco shoes in hand.

There were some seasoned dancers in the class mixed in with the handful of beginners.
Because of this Natalia (our instructor) forced us to jump right in and learn some very intricate footwork. It was frustrating, exhausting and so much fun. I can't wait for the next class.

I fell in love with Flamenco while on a visit to Spain. Andalucia, to be exact. Within one week we saw three Flamenco shows. I was smitten.

The first show was in an auditorium of a church located on the town square of Rhonda.
This show was a sort of recital of a local dance troupe. Lots of beautiful women in gorgeous (mostly polka-dottted) dresses.

The second show took place in an outdoor courtyard on a tiny, winding street in the old Jewish neighborhood in Sevilla. This performance was in front of a much smaller, more intimate crowd. Several male guitarists accompanied a male singer and one pair of dancers. What surprised me most was the soulfulness of the guitar music and singer. The songs portrayed a life full of soul and angst. A truly moving performance.

The final performance took place in a cave on a hillside across the valley from the Alhambra in Granada. The music and dancing were performed by the gypsies that live in these caves. We were escorted in, seated crammed along the sides of someone's living room stone walls and given glasses of sangria. This performance was a much more raucous representation of the dance. The dancers were a bit more unrefined in their movements but you got the impression that they have been dancing this way for centuries. It seemed so much a part of their spirit. After all, it began with the gypsies in this part of the country.

This photo shows the gypsy dancer in the caves.

My son's girlfriend made the comment that I seem to choose hobbies just for the great clothes. Although that is not true I can't wait to go back to Spain to acquire a gorgeous polka-dotted dress of my own. And another pair of shoes- I'm thinking RED.

Time Flies

Wow, it's already been over a month since I've posted anything (again).

I don't know where the time seems to go. It seems I do more and more and yet feel as if I fall further and further behind. Time's flying and I'm missing out.

I want to go flyfishing
I want to ride my horse 3 times a week
I want a pedicure
I want to plant my pansies
I want to take more photos
I want to take a photography class
I want to take a trip
I want to write on my blog
I want to read more books
I want to go back to life drawing class
I want to ride my bike
I want to have a dinner party for my friends
I want to see my friends
I want to build a waterfall in my pond
I want to finally get that mammogram (not really want to but have to)
I want to go to clubs to listen to more music
I want to make beaded jewelry
I want to play the piano (and guitar)
I want to exercise more
I want to learn Spanish (French,Italian)
I want to learn grammar (is it a comma, colon, hyphen or what?)
I want to see more hummingbirds


I'm sure there are more "wants" but this is getting ridiculous.



A want becomes a have with time.
Marilyn Bencosme


Time Flies and I need to try and catch it.