And The Music Continues...

Sorry that I have been a bit absent but I decided to give my knee a little extra rest

after the surgery.  I hope you are all doing well and in the mood to maybe re-live

a bit of a teenage summer.

I know all  our thoughts have turned to the fall season but here in Southern California
there are a few summer things that last well into the fall.  One of these "summer"
things is time at the ocean. There is something very special about the Pacific Ocean in
the fall. And, another one of the "summer" things that continues is The Beach Boys
music. I think that no matter where we live when we  hear The Beach Boys music on
the radio we all become a teenager again.

It was a fun surprise to find that there is a monument in honor of The Beach Boys
childhood home in Hawthorne, California where it all began.  It is located at the former
location of the Wilson home where Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson grew up.  The home
was demolished in the 1980's to make way for a Freeway.

I think when people hear The Beach Boys music they immediately think of the
Southern California lifestyle...surfing, beach parties, beach volleyball, etc.  Their music
was really responsible for people all over the world imagining a lifestyle of fun at the
beach.  Believe it or not, they have been performing for 50 years!

Bricks were donated by family, friends and fans and the bricks are engraved with the
donors names. 
The monument also features a large white stone carving of The Beach Boys carrying a
surfboard and was inspired by the Surfer Girl album cover...

A bronze historical plaque is also part of the monument and marks the California
Registered Historical Landmark #1041...

There are also six gold records each with the name of the original Beach Boys.

Brian Wilson...

Carl Wilson...

Dennis Wilson...

Mike Love...

Al Jardine...

And David Marks...

Brian, Carl and Dennis were brothers and Mike and Al are their cousins. 
David Marks was a neighbor who lived across the street.

It was 50 years ago this past Labor Day that they recorded their first tape which
started an image of California as a place of sun, surf and romance.  Can you believe
it has been 50 years!!!

Construction of the monument was thanks to Scott Wilson, Dennis Wilson's adopted
son.

I happened to have worked with The Beach Boys a few times over the years.  I also
attended one of Mike Love's weddings. I can't remember if it was Mike's fourth or
fifth or sixth wedding.  But I do remember that dj and television host Wolfman Jack
officiated!

I would love to know if you were a Beach Boys fan and if you have any memories of
their music in your life.  Do you know the lyrics to their songs when they come on the
radio and do you still sing along?  Did their music spark your imagination of a certain
lifestyle when you were a kid? Maybe a teenage crush?

I have to admit that when I drive along Pacific Coast Highway and see all the surfers,
The Beach Boys music still goes through my mind...

Coming in at the end of the day...

And the birds are glad to have the beach all to themselves again!

I also had the pleasure of spending a little time again with Terri of La Dolfina and her

husband Chris.  We were able to catch a lovely Malibu sunset and share some good

conversation and celebrate Terri's birthday.

Restaurant Floor

It's always such a treat to see them and be sure to visit La Dolfina to catch up on Terri's

new antique store, The House of Hoarders. I hope she had a fun birthday weekend!

I hope you have a great week.  Now I'm going to have fun catching up on your blogs.

A Mermaid Gave Birth To New Friendships!

Because I have spring fever I have been thinking a lot about my garden and what I
might want to add this summer.
Over the last several months I have shown pictures of many statues, figures, sculptures
and shells...most of which would be wonderful in a garden...

This cherub is already in my garden and was adorned with violets for last Mother's Day...
they were my mom's favorite flower...

This sculpture is over 20 feet tall...

Some figures really might not work in a garden but would be better displayed inside...

Actually, it's the lamp I really like in this picture...

Some are wonderful water features or at least make us think of water...

There happens to be one particular figure that has ended up bringing new friends together. 
It is this lovely mermaid.  The lighting was difficult that day but can you see the dolphin
under her arm?

I found her at Country Roads Antiques in Southern California and showed her to you on
my blog.  A couple of months later I was looking at La Dolfina's lovely blog and saw that
she was showing the same mermaid but up in Northern California.  It turned out to be the
same exact mermaid but she was now located up north.  Terri and I exchanged emails and
laughter and a long distance friendship was born from this mermaid.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting and spending an afternoon in Malibu with Terri of
La Dolfina and Jermaine of French Kissed. We had wonderful conversations and lots of
laughter. They are both fabulous women and have fantastic blogs.  French Kissed is one
of the beautiful blogs featured in the current issue of Romantic Homes magazine.
Oh, and by the way, Terri’s gorgeous husband Chris joined us and put up with all our
“girl talk”... talk about being a good sport!!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful week. Are you making plans for your garden this
spring?  Do you have any statues, sculptures, fountains or shells in your garden?


And, our hearts go out to everyone in Japan as we continue to hold them in our
thoughts and prayers. This has been an overwhelming tragedy.