Lazy Day at the Ranch

First things first...We are truly blessed to have the means to set a pretty table and invite our friends to join us for good food and fellowship. I am mindful that many are not so fortunate. My daughter has a passion for the work of the Food Bank. As a singer-songwriter, she has written and recorded a song that is the anthem for the world wide Crop Hunger Walk project. Her song, "Raise Your Voice" is featured in their video. I've included a link in the side margin of my blog. I hope that it will encourage you to support projects in your community that contribute to the effort to overcome hunger.

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Last week after dinner with Mr. Randolph Hearst, we finally found our bedrooms, and I hope that we all had a good night of sleep.  

After breakfast, we'll mosey out to the guest houses and decide how we're going to spend our day of leisure here on the ranch...Mr. Hearst appears to like ketchup with everything!

...I think that it's going to be another rotten day in paradise. 

I ate so much breakfast, I may rest a bit here in the living room of the guest house...

 ...or take a nap... 

...or a bubble bath. 

How would you like to wake up to this each morning?

  

 Another gorgeous lamp shade.

Not bad for a bunk room. 

No comment.

Let's go to the "pantry", which was built above the kitchen, for a snack...

The original Booth's Real Old Blue Willow was produced until 1942.  After that time, Royal Doulton began to produce their version of the pattern.

I love the faucets, and the back splashes were spectacular!

 The huge island is actually a warming table.

A large crowd at the ranch would have been around 50 people.  The kitchen is more than ample.

   

Tennis, anyone?

Or how about a swim in the Neptune Pool? 

The cabana is an authentic Greek temple, taken down, shipped to California, and reassembled.  Oh, my. And if you find it too hot to swim outside...

We can spend some time doing laps in the indoor Roman pool...

This might be the most magnificent spot on the entire property.  It blew me away!

 We can practice our dives from the diving tower.  The far room features a shallow water pool if we just want to soak.

I'll race you to the other end.  Oh, by the way, the tennis court is built on top of this building...just thought that you'd like to know.

Ho hum, I'm pretty exhausted.  Let's mosey on back to our guest houses and take another nap...

...and then we'll sit and visit until it's time to saunter up to the ranch house again for dinner with Mr. Hearst.  La. de. dah.  Now this it the definition of vacation.  No wonder Cary Grant managed to be invited here as a guest more than 40 times.  Our invitations are in the mail!

Thank you, yet again, to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting her magical meme, Tablescape Thursday.  I'll be linking my post to "TABLESCAPE THURSDAY."   Hop on over and check out the myriad of marvelous tablescape designs, after 10:00 AM on Thursdays.  You'll be glad that you made the trip...it's a wonderful adventure.

When I think of August, I think windows of opportunity to travel to new spots.  How about you?  With thankfulness for her dedication and efforts, I'm joining the multi-talented Tablescaper for her fabulous meme SEASONAL SUNDAYS.  Hope to see you there!

Wednesday evening is the twenty-sixth edition of Cuisine Kathleen's meme, "LET'S DISH".   Excited to be a charter member.  Pop over (pun intended for the Chef Supreme Kathleen) and join the fun!

You can check out KC's music at www.kcclifford.com, on iTunes, and on YouTube.  I hope that you'll take a few minutes and give her a listen.  You'll also enjoy reading back through her blog on this site.  The girl can really write!  KC has just released her 5th studio CD project, "The Tag Hollow Sessions".  The sold out CD release concert was this past weekend.  "The Tag Hollow Sessions" is available on iTunes or through her website.  I hope that you'll give her music a chance.  I know that I have zero objectivity where she is concerned, but I think that you'll fall in love with her music and her!