Early Autumn Roses

To be honest, I started to do a post about something else but at the last minute

I decided that the roses in my garden are so beautiful right now that I had to

show some of them to you...

I took all these photos a few days ago and truly feel the roses are celebrating the last

beautiful days of their late summer/early autumn blooms before coming back again in

a few weeks with their smaller, but still lovely, fall blooms.

This week the roses seem to be especially spectacular with a riot of beautiful

colors and blooms.

As you can see, I'm really not in any rush for autumn and winter because those

months seem to last so long.  I feel very fortunate that here in Southern California

our roses will bloom into early November. 

I hope you enjoy seeing these last days of late summer/early autumn roses.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

I will be joining Rose Vignettes for Fresh Cut Friday.
I will be joining How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday.

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.

On A Beautiful Hot Summer Day...

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is visit Roger's Garden in
Corona del Mar, California...

The gardens are always beautiful and the gift shop and fine art gallery are always lovely. 
Visiting here can never be a quick visit because there is always so much to see.
Let's begin with the garden because it is such a bright warm day.  However, because it
is so warm today we won't stay out too long...

So many varieties of flowers and plants...

Several waterfalls and fountains certainly make a warm day seem a bit cooler...

So many different ways to add interest to a garden...

I know we are getting toward the end of the season for roses but here are just a few
they are still offering...

We are very fortunate in Southern California that our rose growing season lasts well
into the year.

Now, let's take a peek inside the gift shop...

I look forward to going back to visit during the Christmas season because their displays
are always so beautiful.

I hope you have a lovely and peaceful week.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all on the east coast who were touched by
hurricane Irene.  I hope you are safe and with little damage.