I'm summer, come, run along my beaches, loose your thoughts in my rays of sunshine, dive into my oceans ...

Dear friends, it's been a loooooong while since i last posted here - do you guess where i've been? It wasn't easy going beach life all the time, but somehow, summer took me on it's wings and carried me away. Making the long days seem short, giving me so much to do while at the same time making me .... not exactly lazy, but stretching my inner life out in various directions. These pix were taken during a trip to the Italian riviera, and i'm going to show you more of the colors of Italy here soon.

Hope you're having a splendid summer so far and send you a fresh ocean breeze!

Flower bomb

I must have flowers, always and always ...

This picture just captures the abundance and wonderful spirit of summer - and - since this last weekend held the solistice and summer has now officially started, i hope you all had a great start into this wonderful season! As luck would have it, my Birthday falls on to the summer solstice and this year we celebrated here with a family reunion and a party with friends in the evening, Grace to this, my house is now filled with flowers - and - back to the SPARKLING theme - that really makes me sparkle!

I wish you a great start - let's make the best of June! Which flower do you love best?

Photo: via tumblr

Little Garden Painting

Summer set lip to earth’s bosom bare,

And left the flushed print in a poppy there.

Francis Thompson

Something that came to me, while i was painting outside, in a soft summer breeze. It's a small painting 30 x 40 cm, mixed media on canvas - one of a series of 3. Hope you enjoy June so far - for me, it should be 3 times as long! This coming weekend brings the summer solstice and the longest night of the year. And it falls on a saturday - anything planned yet to celebrate?

Painting: Martina Voigt-Schmid

A little trip to Austria

Laughter is an instant vacation.  

Milton Berle
 

 Ha, ha, but even though friends, vee are also sneeking in a week in Austria - just for a change ;) I feel like we've had a lot of stress so far and we do look forward to some time out. The nice thing about Austria is, that the clocks still seem to be going a little slower there. The morning air feels like champagne and the soft lakewater is so lovely for a swim. 

Life is really nice and quiet in the seaside village called "Steindorf", were we stay. It's really like a second home to me, since i've spent almost all my childhood summers there, in the house of my grandparents that now belongs to my bro. We'll be meeting my sister and her family - see us on the last picture,  having a picnic at the "Schwimmbad".

So long lovelies, see you back soon for a fabulous time in Paris, hosted by my friend Anita. from Castles, crowns and cottages .

Photos: Martina Voigt-Scmid. Ali Adelstein

Two worlds - one garden

There are fairies at the bottom of our garden.
Rose Fyleman  

Although now, it may be too cold for them to dance and play outside. Or have you ever seen a fairy in a warm fur-coat? Garden in November and garden in June. Which one do you like better? I'm definitely a summer loving person, but can see the beauty in winter too. The graphic structures of the bare branches and twigs has got something. Keep warm today!