Lantern light

Summer and Chinese lanterns go so well together. I've been painting some with birds and flowers, and mixing them up with others and hanging them just outside my front door. It was just about 8:30 last evening when I snapped this picture. Still light out!
I even added some Japanese character handwriting.
We've been in Big Sur and a bit further north for the Mister's birthday. I hope if you haven't been before you can plan a trip here. It really is this beautiful.
And there's a couple of eateries you must try. The best bread, scones and Coffee I've ever had are here,
Just around the bend,
At the Big Sur Bakery. Do yourself a favor and order a scone. They have a wonderful cookbook too.
This is a beautiful porcelain tea light holder, (getting back to lantern light). Its got little raindrops etched in the side and gives off the prettiest glow. Its from Maki, at
http://www.makikohastings.blogspot.co.uk/
and all the proceeds from the sale go to a little village in Japan that is still trying to find its way after the terrible tsunami last year. Maki is going to hand deliver the funds right to the town.
The reverse reads 'The Light of Hope' stamped in.

Hope is a wonderful thing , as Rabbit well knows.
I've started to make little vegetables from porcelain. Radishes and turnips. In lantern light almost everything gets a lovely glow. Even turnips!
We visited a museum that had a rose garden in back.
The kind of painting that can make you weak in the knees. A scene of St. Ives, Cornwall painted by E. Charlton Fortune in the 1920's.
They were getting ready for the Lantern Festival in the Monterey Bay area.

It was a lovely time, but I'm glad to be home. I've got alot of blogs to visit and some recipies to try from the Big Sur Bakery cookbook. The first thing I'm going to try is the scone recipie and I'll tell you how they turn out, and share the recipie with you........thanks so much for all your lovely comments on my bird watcher post!

xxx

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com