Sailing Monterey Bay

Sailing. My favorite activity in the world, yet I can't seem to bring myself to get excited about spending seven days on a cruise ship next summer. At least we will be near the shore in an intensely gorgeous place covered with glaciers and wildlife, the likes of which I don't see here. I do love the shore view. Watching the shore is one of the most intense relaxing moments for me while sailing. The few times I went to Alaska as a child, the memories of the glaciers, the bald eagles, the moose, the ice sculptures, still stand out in my mind. I don't have a lot of childhood memories that are picture perfect and clear as if they were yesterday, but Alaska is one of them. How do you feel about sailing? How do you feel about cruises? Ever taken a cruise to Alaska? Convince me to go!

Now this, the boat below, I could spend seven days on, a short swim from shore and lazily tanning on the deck, sipping drinks, taking in the sights.

Harbors are such a peaceful place. Sailing out of the Santa Cruz, California, harbor into the wild blue yonder, with rows upon rows of boats patiently waiting for their owners to arrive and take them on another wet wonderland adventure,

 sails dancing in the sunshine, providing dappled shade for those below.

 Shawners gazing out upon the wonders nature has to hold,

 boats with their sails blustering in the wind, flying creatures that also happen to float perfectly well, hazy mountains,

 smooth shores along the ragged cliffs,

 Walton lighthouse with the beach just beyond to one side, the harbor on the other,

the wharf, a sight to see, buildings suspended over water,

 the perfect gazing spot,

 a safe harbor for barking seals.

A more romantic place for me, I could not imagine, except perhaps the beach Brando proposed to me at - less than a mile north along the shoreline.

 Sailing, my favorite place in the world.

Silliness ensues after the water lulls me into a relaxed state of being I never want to leave.

 My view as I sat across from my family.

 My Mom doing the Titanic with the boys.

 Doing our own version of Titanic. Yes, I did the arms.

 Feels like we're alone on the ocean, suspended over water.

 Gazing upon the water, looking for a jellyfish. One will come my way.

Hearst Castle

Thought I'd pop in and say hello! It's been super quiet over here due to my super business which resulted in prioritizing said blog lower on the totem pole.

Keep your eye out for an online book tour stop here on yours truly blog from a good friend, Samira Hodges, author of Milestones young adult novel, about her recently released sequel, Milestones Return to Camp.

In the meantime you can make up your own stories about the vastly intriguing Hearst Castle with breathtaking views of the Pacific Coast which we recently visited on our vacation down the Pacific Coast Highway. If you ever have the chance to go, go. The most breathtaking coastal views I have ever seen viewable the entire drive up to the European style castle and from the entire western side of the building alone are worth it. And I had just driven south on the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey and Carmel, through Big Sur to Pismo Beach.

Enjoying the Little Moments

Posts like these, like this one from one of my favorite bloggers and graphic designers (she did my header!) as of late, Jaymee, who detail the little nuances that make life fun, make me excited about blogging again. Too much time has passed since I appreciated the little things. Sometimes I look around me at the places that I enjoy, like a vineyard tour in the hill country for my birthday- we've actually done one before and this time we recreated some of the photos from the previous tour- specifically these two,

Solaro Estate, our first stop for my birthday hill country vineyard tour

live music on the rooftop over the lake that we've been enjoying as many times as possible - we've made it up to five and will miss these nights now that the series is over for the summer,

Uncle Billy's Rooftop Over Lake Travis free Sundays hosted by KGSR

and all four of us working on a prayer path at our church,

Creating a ditch for the stone edging of the prayer path

and remember what the days were like when I used to blog fervently.

Picturing every small detail with wonder and delight, not only in my head, but on film, so YOU could see it, too. I delighted in sharing every detail with you, so you could experience the moment as did I. Somewhere along the way, I started doing the same things over and over, and as much as I still delight in each moment, I lost the drive to share each detail with you... over and over. Even the new things, I wanted to savor for myself as preciously new. Have me and whoever I am with being the only one wrapping up every detail and savoring it. I wanted to enjoy the moment. And enjoy the moment I have. Only I don't have them not only for you to enjoy as well, nor for me to look back and enjoy again myself.

In all reality, though, I am enjoying a new found freedom in not feeling tied to having to capture and share every little detail on film. Some I share on facebook (you're welcome to friend me, just please don't mention my blog on there as it is still anonymous), but most I keep in my heart. Piling up the moments and enjoying each moment of relationship shared in them.

I'll be back, because who can stay away from blogging once you've realized the world it can open up with new friends and new found joy in the little things. I'm not taking a conscious hiatus, either. I'm just relaxing from the blogging world.

And the winner is . . .

*drumroll please*

Teagan of Teagan in the T.Dot.O!! Even though the T.Dot.O. is obviously a Canadian blog, she fortunately also has a US address. Teagan happens to be one of my real life friends, and I am so excited for her to win this gift card! Of course, there were a few other real life friends and lots of blog friends that definitely deserved to win.

Although she is much more gorgeous than the blonde in this photo, this dress totally reminds me of a dress Teagan would wear and look smoking in, like she does in everything.

Teagan, I already have your address, so your gift card will be on it's way.

While I have your attention, I noticed a phenomenon with this being my first giveaway. There is such a thing as blog giveaway spammers. People who troll blogs looking for giveaways just to enter and move on their merry way. Troll is a harsh word, and I mean to use it. Spamming blogs for giveaways is so far from the spirit of blogging that it hurts my heart. It takes the privilege of blogging and leaving a comment on someone else's blog down a notch to more general internet fodder. I've seen a few friends leaving spam blog giveaway comments on facebook, and I noticed it in spades here. Easy to find - just google their email address and the search results pop up with the email address as a comment on blog giveaway after blog giveaway. I almost fell for spamming giveaways myself when I was offered this sweet giveaway of my own - I googled a few giveaways and entered so I could win my own Shabby Apple gift card. The friends I've seen spamming blog giveaways on facebook aren't malicious friends, and I believe they are doing it innocently enough, as I was, but being on the other side and seeing how far removed spamming giveaways with comments is from the spirit of blogging, I'm sad I got caught up, even for a moment.

That being said, and to end on a high note, I am loving these giveaways! I have been approached to do a few reviews and/or sponsored posts for products I haven't heard of and wouldn't support if I had and have turned each one down. Hearing from Shabby Apple was a delight and a win-win - my readers got to hear about a product I LOVE, got a chance to win a gift card to said store, and I'm crossing fingers I discovered some fabulous new readers :) !

Shabby Apple Gift Card Giveaway

How would you feel about a Shabby Apple give away?

I hope you said extremely happy, because that's exactly what's in store. Shabby Apple has offered to give one of my lucky readers a $50 gift card, and now is your chance to win it.

If you haven't heard of them yet, Shabby Apple makes the most wonderful timeless, classic dresses in the most fabulous designs separated into collections from eras such as the silent era, geographical locations such as Rome and Yosemite, and colorful ones such as Carousel. My favorite is the Set Sail collection. Mostly because I could actually see myself wearing a majority of those dresses. However, my absolute favorite dress of all time that is unfortunately no longer available was in the Paris oh la la collection, the Bonheur.

This dress takes me to the scene where Diane Lane wore a similar dress in Under the Tuscan Sun when she went to meet Marcello in Positano.

Add a black belt to Shabby Apple's version and it's exactly the same dress. Oh, if only I could enter this giveaway and win it if they still had it myself!

I've been a huge fan of Shabby Apple - liking their facebook page, sharing their dresses with friends, and poring over their site - even before they approached me about their giveaway. I could go on and on about their gorgeous collections from their regular breathtaking clothing line, swimwear, to maternity wear as well as new mama nursing friendly dresses - what a concept, even to little girls' dresses which totally makes me melt as my mother used to dress her, my sister, and I, in matching dresses which she made, but I'll stop here so you can actually enter and save the rest of my gushing for another day.

To enter, leave a comment on this post, become a follower of my blog, and 'like' Shabby Apple's Facebook page. Must have a USA shipping address to be eligible for entry.

To make the deal even sweeter use the Shabby Apple promotional code pinksundrops10off for 10% off your order whether or not you win. Code expires July 12, 2012.

The winner will be chosen randomly and announced next Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Good luck!