darlings
happy monday!
is that an oxymoron for you? or are you happy to be Back in the general Swing of things?
we have been thinking about Needs (as opposed to desires) today.
not all day.
but, you know, intermittently.
de temps en temps as they might say in la belle france.
Mr. Einstein (didn’t see that coming did you?) said that a (wo)man just needed the following to be completely at ease and inside the comfort-ness-of-life:
a table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?
yes.
agreed.
it’s the Violin that really makes that sentence sing, doesn’t it?
well, let’s see:
*looks_around*
we have a (lovely farmhouse) table, two chairs (and a sofa and a bench that matches the lovely farmhouse table), no fruit in a bowl today (we’ve eaten the fruit up before we go on our Trip To Europe) and, nope, oh that is disappointing, no actual Violin.
oh – WAIT!
we *do* have a virtual violin – there are, in fact, plenty on mr. soundcloud.
https://soundcloud.com/ray-chen-violin/sets/tchaikovsky-and-mendelssohn
then we started to think (not always a good idea but fine as the sun is going down) – what’s our Equivalent of Mr. Einstein’s small yet beautiful requirements?
let’s see….
quiet contemplation and supper with friends. 
visiting splendid ladies in the canyon who have Scavullo coffee table books and soft cashmere blankets and feeling useful and inspired. 
surrounded by tea lights and soft inspirational pictures in wooden frames.
pulling over on the side of the road and standing on the cliffs above the ocean and feeling the breeze ripple through the (freshly bobbed) hair.
breathing deep in beverly hills as the road winds through the verdant streets.
and taking to the o p e n r o a d with the windows rolled down while listening to Ms. J. Joplin.
https://soundcloud.com/legacyrecordings/2-09-me-and-bobby-mcgee-demo
yes.
that’s it.
the open road, music, cashmere blankets, tea lights, ocean breezes and a regular dose of Doris Day movies, of course.
what’s your list?
do. tell.
*winning_smile_to_camera4*
Carbs with chula sauce, cartmel sticky toffee pudding, a whole box set of a tv show, ipad on my lap while watching it, puppy sniffing around, hubs making me tea and asking him to get me a lindt bar from the shops at 11 at night bc I insist on not having it stocked at home…
*chuckling* love the last line – keeping it safely at the shops until Needed ;-)
I do love the violin, but… Give me Paris, people watching, hustle bustle, coffee… And my pen and pencil.
Add modern art?
Heaven.
glorious!
which Modern Artists in particular?
*curious_look_via_the_interweb*
NYC was very wet this past weekend. While not cold, there was a damp chill that made anywhere but home less than tempting. On Sunday, I re-read How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World on my iPad. Very soothing before another Monday.
I have candles but rarely light them (more absent-minded about these things than spartan). Your book provided a warm glow though. :)
XO!
you are SO lovely for buying one (especially a modern back-lit version on the portable device).
sending warm vibes from This Coast.
_tg xxxxx
I love staring at the ocean on a winters day…there is something electrifying about it, complete with grey skies and its a black and white portrait..the smell of the earth after rain, a warm bowl of soup, listening to the rain patting away on my windowsill, spending an entire weekend under the blankets reading… hello winter in south africa :-)
that’s a gorgeous image of winter in the southern part of AFRICA!
My dogs and honey, a glass of good red wine with a nibble of cheese, sunlight but candles at night, beautiful music, old films and the promise of an unread book.
oh that’s lovely – yes – the promise of an unread book – freshly waiting by the small reading lamp in the corner
*moves_dog_off_chair*
Sunshine on my face, a nice view, a glass of wine, and good company! (oh, and probably so really good food too)
*sighs*
sunshine and a view.
lovely.
Quiet contemplation sounds nice.
it is always good for the s o u l. :-)
Tea, the sea, an occaissional restaurant with lovely people, lots of quiet and warm sunshine, and tea. And I LOVE cake.
Oh and heart lifting choral music.
any in particular?
we are in Need of some heart lifting Choral.
and a fish supper (vegetarian for you) with the windows steamed up against the cold and hands warming on a nice mug of Yorkshire Gold.
Definitely :)
Any William Byrd is good. I can let you have some next week if you remind me. X
HURRAH!
so excited for this whole Trip.
see you a little bleary eyed on sunday april 13th at whitstable station!