Lost Horizons, Carousels and Chinese food.

nce when my girls were little, my husband and I traveled from Hong Kong to California for a vacation.  It was before Disney had opened in Hong Kong.

As we drove along the coast from San Francisco to Disney Land we stopped at a motel.

It was summer, yet we cranked up the air conditioning in our room, so that we could use the fireplace.  Something we missed when we were living in Hong Kong.

We ordered Chinese takeout and enjoyed the fireplace and food that we had come accustomed to.

Sometimes memories come flooding back.

How do we get back home...

When you have lived in different countries home becomes a place that only lives in your heart.

Home to me is made up of many chapters, filled with beautiful people and places that I have known.

Lost Horizons by James Hilton, was one of my favorite books and movie when I was young.

Perhaps those lost horizons in our lives are impossible to find again, yet all we have to do is look into our hearts and we can find them again.



Ashley and Sarah 1995


Wishing you memories of Lost Horizons that warm your days with heartfelt memories.  The song for this post is Chinese

White Wednesday

oday is White Wednesday, and Kathleen from Faded Charm is hosting this lovely day.  My White Wednesday is all about an enchanting white garden.



I found a White windmill built in 1800,



Amongst gardens of white Lillies,







A white Arbor,



Leading to lovely gardens.



The song for this post is The Windmills of Your Mind.

.Wishing you a lovely White Wednesday.

he gardens are in The Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Please take home any photographs from this post, as my gift to you.

Have a lovely day.

Claudia from Dipity Road hosts Finding Beauty every Friday. Please join Claudia and others to celebrate the beauty around us.

The Wind In The Willows

There on the corner of a lovely table, was a blue hardcover book with a gold leaf illustration of a frog wearing an elaborate costume.

I picked up the book and read the spine. THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS.

Yes, the illustration is of Toad. I was thrilled and knew I had found a lost treasure.

I carefully looked though the pages, and was thrilled to find the illustrations I have come to love as a child, and those from my own daughter's childhood.

This 1940 edition, by Kenneth Grahame was illustrated by the famous Arthur Rackham. This is the last book that Arthur Rackham illustrated before he died.

The book is in perfect condition, with all bookplates inside. Twelve color illustrations in all.

There are also some lovely black and white renderings at the introduction of each chapter.

In the introduction, there is a letter from Theodore Roosevelt sharing had much he has loved this book.

T he book measures 9 x 6 x 9 inches, with a lovely blue hardcover with gold lettering.  Such a rare book, and so lovingly cared for, one would think that it was a collectible sitting on a shelf all these years.  



This book was published by Heritage Press, and printed in 1940. The Heritage Illustrated Bookshelf, A limited Edition Club.



I understand that in 2012 there will be a new movie based on the book. The new movie looks a little scarier than the Wind in The Willows I watched with my children.  But I am a bit corny when it comes to keeping things sweet.

The Wind In The Willows, placed in my etsy shop, For The Love of Old Books.

The Song for this post is Sweet Daydreams, sung by the lovely Jewel.

Mosaic Monday,

oday is Mosaic Monday, and Mary from Little Red House, is hosting this lovely day.









I took a ride to the Cape the other day.



After spending some time in Woods Hole,



Then I drove along the coastlines of Falmouth,



to Sandwich Beach.





I stayed long enough



to memorize the sunset.



The song for this post is sung by nature,



it is Ocean Waves hitting the Beach.