A Day in my Garden

I love to be in the garden.

Love, love, love, love, love!

Scott and I have been  working hard in the garden!  

I'm loving having something else we enjoy doing together. Justin has one year left at home, then we are empty nesters, gulp!

As we were working today, I went over to where he planted the vineyard a few years ago. It takes several years to get the first grapes! This first year's grapes won't produce any wine, but it's so much fun to watch.

As we were working I began to look at how beautiful everything is...

The grape vines want to go where they are guided and can reach. They carefully wrap their tendrils around whatever they can and keep wrapping and curling and twisting. It is breathtaking and miraculous to watch. You can see such magnificent detail in these tiny little curls.

I was awestruck at something else I noticed. 

As I was walking and climbing and trying to find the perfect vantage point for snapping pics, I realized that I had never come to this side of the vineyard and climbed up to take pictures.

The perspective was amazing.

Life is funny like that. I had not come over to the grape side of the little gully since the vines were planted, 3 years I think, maybe 4. So much has changed. When I hiked up the little hill to take a picture of the vineyard I realized how beautiful the view was.

Perspective.

Time.

Sometimes you don't see the growth, until its time.

Sometimes it's not time, until you can see all the beauty.

I realized again how much I love my garden.

I put my herb and veggie markers in, too. 

I love them. Silver, hammered with the letters of the herbs. 

Scott is in charge of the veggies.

I'm the vine and herb girl.

Oh, and I planted two pomegranate trees, too!

ox much love ox

Beautiful Green Santa Barbara Courtyards for St Patricks Day

Happy St. Patricks Day!
One of my favorite things is a beautiful garden and since green is the color for today, I thought it would be a fitting way to celebrate!
The first picture was taken on the Westmont Campus in Santa Barbara and the rest are taken at the San Ysidro Ranch. The Ranch' grounds are meticulously maintained and are breathtaking.
Enjoy!
Roxanne

How can you be a Christian...when Christians can be so....mean?

Funny title, but read on as I begin 2014 with my biggest passion!

(to be honest the Olympics is on TV and my boys have been watching for a few hours now) I have a fun calendar of topics to post for the newly designed blog, but a few details first!

I'll get to the fun new calendar of topics to begin in early March, but first things first.

SunsetandMagnolia.com is up and  I just love what the blog designer did. The name: Sunset and Magnolia was inspired during a trip I took with my mom to Washington DC.  I was doing research for an article for Silver Magazine and discovered the American Archives at the Smithsonian had original sketches by Grandpa Allan (Adler)/Great-Grandpa Porter (Blanchard) that were  accessible only in person. These documents were fascinating. Among the  original sketches by both my grandfathers,  I found brochures on their individual business and craft philosophy and the address' which were on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood and Magnolia Blvd in Burbank. Thus the namesake. 

First things first...

There is so much of that I want to share, but don't want to skip ahead of the plan.

I have a plan to share a few really important elements of my mission, before I move deep into design.

 Ultimately inspired by the greatest designer of them all (God, of course) I can't separate any of my design and entrepreneur passions from my deeply held passions for living a life faithful to the Lord, my savior, whose grace, love and mercy is my true reason for being!

I am often asked (often by liberal and/or college friends, whom I love and adore) how can I be a Christian when there are so many mean Christians? 

Well, I don't follow other Christians, I follow Christ.

I am a Christ-follower, more than I am a Christian, per se.

It's not that I am a Christ-follower, in spite of other Christians.

Nor is it that I am a Christian because of other Christians.

It's that I am simply a Christ follower because it is Christ that I follow.

 I hear the thoughtless,  mean spirited comments by other "Christians" and I cringe.

 I have even been treated callously (my most kind description) by "a Christian".  

My non-Christian friends might comment, "See...it's that behavior/hypocracy that keeps me from being a Christian, I just don't understand it! I don't want to be like that!"

 Neither do I, by the way.  

My Christian friends would say, "Well, they cannot/are not a Christian because anyone filled with the true heart of Jesus could truly not act with such apathy when the heart of Jesus was love.

You know what, I am a Christ follower because I follow Christ.

Not in-spite-of other Christians.

Not because of other Christians.

It's because I believe to the depths of my soul that Christ died for my sins.

The love of Christ, His Grace, His Mercy, His Love...

is what it is all about.

I love Scott.

I love my Hannah & Justin! (and Luc and my my parents, sister etc...)

I am passionate about design.

I am passionate about serving.

I am passionate about entrepreneurship, business and Inspired31.org!

But...

I live for Christ. 

There are many exciting things I want to share with you, 

but of them all...

It needs to start with this...

I live for Christ. I want His love, His grace, His mercy...to live within me.

Enjoy the sneakity peak at the cottage...

I spent such fun time with some dear old (longtime friends) and my precious girl (!) and family!

That blog will be done next week.

(Studying Philippians and being so inspired)

With much love,

Roxanne