Visiting our wharf on the bay

A painting of a sea otter on our wharf and if you look closely you will see my reflection in it.

Our home is beyond those trees.

The flags are flying in a nice breeze on the restaurant patio near the end of the wharf.

When I see sailboats I think I should get a zoom lens.

Have a happy day and look for beauty all around you, friends.

Dr. Thorne, book and new tv series

I am so happy that Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, loves Anthony Trollope as I do. He has a new tv project in the works based on the book Dr. Thorne. This is the third book in the Chronicles of Barsetshire series. Fellowes says these books are very influential on his tv work.
I think each book, of the 4 of the 6 I have read, is perfection. Lots of humor, the author makes funny asides and pokes fun at himself. He wrote about "if I were a better writer, I could ... ", which is just so charming. At another point Trollope interrupts the story to write "Fear not dear reader. I will not make you wait in horror for the next book" when a heroine's fate is in jeopardy.
Some of you already know the charms of Barsetshire. Some of you may not care for the books. Could this be? But I love these books, written in the 1850s and carrying the reader to those times of country homes, middle and upper class people, poor people, and many lovely ladies and young men ready or not ready for romance. In the second book Barchester Towers is the best and most romantic description of a proposal of marriage I have read or can imagine.
Trollope uses very funny names for some of his characters. A few are: Dr. Fillgrave. Would you choose him for your doctor? Not me. Mr. Quiverful for a man who has 14 children. Mssrs. Slow and Bideawhile for a law firm. Just little welcome touches of humor.
Perhaps there will even be romance in store for "old" Dr. Thorne! Dr. Thorne is 50, not really so old at all, but he is a confirmed bachelor. I'll never tell.
I sometimes cry when I read or hear about something truly beautiful, and Trollope's books have done that for me. Usually it is when a difficult conceited or selfish person sees what is right and does it, just for the sake of doing what is good. A person in need is greatly helped, perhaps lovers are united or someone is saved from financial catastrophe. And not by a saintly character but by a flawed one who rises to the occasion. What beautiful writing by Mr. Trollope.

Sun rose and lantana

Our pink Sun Rose and our cream Lantana are happy in the half wine barrel, which they completely cover, but it is under there some where.

I planted these two pretty plants about ten years ago and they get compliments from people walking past our home.

The Sun Rose is also known as Cistus, and the petals of the flowers are papery thin and look almost like they are made of silk. Sun Rose and Lantana do not need much water, which is good news in the drought we are having here in California.
I think the plants look like a gigantic bouquet that a giant bride could carry in a wedding ceremony.

Mystery door home is painted

You might have seen my earlier post about this home with the door opening to a cliff drop.
Above is the freshly painted exterior, even the door is freshened up with paint.

Here below  are photos of the mystery door before the house was painted, and during the painting. It looks nicer now but I still wonder about the function of the door. Someone commented it might be the way to get rid of dinner guests who stayed too late. Ha ha. My guess is Rapunzel lives there and her beloved calls to her to let down her long braided hair.

Note the extensive scaffolding they put up to do the house painting. It seems odd that on the lower floor where the door is, there are no windows. Ah, sweet house of mystery.