hello & howdy friends!
i arrived yesterday to my montecito cottage retreat. i’ll be hanging my hat here in a woodland paradise for the next week.
the little cottage i’m at is on a quaint little lane in the upper village of montecito, the whole of which is nestled into a divine oak woodland between santa barbara and summerland.
you might enjoy reading a bit about montecito history and architecture. if so go HERE.
it’s a bit foggy and cool. by that i mean it’s 60 degrees and the air is damp with a marine layer blowing in from the pacific. don a sweatshirt, cotton scarf, and hat and you’ll be ready for a beach walk.
i’m planning on getting lots and lots of steps this week. i woke up this morning before dawn and headed to the beach for a sunrise walk. the tide was too high so i walked all along the seawall at butterfly beach. the sun didn’t make an appearance. instead i drank in the shimmer of grey water and mist while meandering by the water and taking side streets deeper into the neighborhood.
this woodsy area is full of cottages, gardens, spanish stuccos, enormous hibiscus blooms, and all manner of scented blooming tree & shrub.
montecito has victorian box trees everywhere and the scent is intoxicating this time of year. victorian box is also known as sweet pittosporum or pittosporum undulatum.
last night i walked into the velvety darkness, down the lane, and collected a fragrant little bouquet. i could hear animals through the trees – maybe deer. or werewolves.
the moon glowed through the fog and it was dark. delicious. fairytale-esque. my imagination on high alert.
in the light of day the magic had dimmed, but oh..oh..oh..it is still present. i can feel it!
my feet love walking down new paths. after my morning ramble i am settling in for an afternoon of drawing & painting. maybe a nap. maybe a read. another beach walk when the tide is low. that sort of thing.
i think you might enjoy susannah’s post about blogging. i did. very very much! and the comments are just as good as the post. i love what one person wrote about how her bloglovin’ feed is like a stack of letters waiting to be read.
I wasn’t going to blab again but this place is dreamy and WHAT a great time to enjoy it.
Love going out in areas I don’t know well in the dark. Don’t know why, just do. I have to say that if the animal you heard was a werewolf you wouldn’t have gotten far with that flower, because they use flowers in their décor and are fairly proprietary.
I have thought of a poem. Had I not blabbed again, how would that have happened! Serendipity From LA!
I really think i could hear the waves from your photos. No, really! I particularly liked your nighttime magical walk down the lane description.
I leave it up to you to publish this comment.
Please know it’s my experience and after that experience I have an opinion.
I don’t want you to be upset. Or upset your followers.
I have been reading blogs since 2006. Hers (Susannah) was in my list until all went about her business in or about 2011 and then suddenly she stated strong words against all those blogs which were all about “happy go lucky” then I realized wait a minute she had no right to tell no one how to blog.
I did read all about her painful PMS and other of her personal stuff.
And I respect her and sent good wishes and thoughts.
I am very respectful of everyone specially online. It’s courageous to express yourself so I stopped reading her after several of those kind of posts. There were several.
In fact I did read this post of hers you recommended which I think -after my experience following her- she just wants to know who is still reading her blog and again she did mentioned her business.
It’s ok with me. And it is even ok to write provoking words/emotions to bring followers back And getting attention to her business.
She is a writer And business woman. I understand.
But then again, she made me realized, learned and understand those who are behind a computer monitor trying to see the world egotistical.
And this world is full of good things not just about one persons interests or opinions.
It’s about accepting our uniqueness.
there is some people like me -intelligent, emotional, sensitive, respectful of all, intuitive and most i have all of my senses aware when others even with good ideas are trying to tell me that reading and admiring “the happy bloggers” is wrong.
No! I want to know about everything and learn and accept and exchange if possible.
I have been following you since 2008. I have a notebook where I recorded the very first of my impressions about your blog and I’m not disappointed at all. I adore your sincere posts, you are real to me!
carmen, no reason whatsoever for me to be upset about your comment. i read her blog occasionally and enjoyed this particular post so much – mostly because of the comments. i found them to be thoughtful and interesting…and echoing some of my thoughts about blogging. which, i love and don’t think is dying, at least i hope not! personal bloggers will always be my favorites. people sharing bits of their lives and art.
Hi Mary Ann,
I came to your blog many years ago through the art door. I’ve enjoyed participating in several of your classes and have loved reading your posts about travel, sketching, flowers, family, and the cat posse. One thing you’ve (unexpectedly) really inspired me with though has been your love for succulents!
Because of you, I recently loaded up my cart at the nursery with a variety of succulents. I potted them in the type of soil the lady recommended plus I included some rocks at the bottom to help improve drainage. Now I’m in a panic! Can you help me? Please!?!? LOL (My only other experience with succulents was years ago and I promptly killed every single one of them.)
I live in Studio City, so I have the same climate as you. How often do you water them? What do you do when it rains? Do you cover them up and/or bring them in? (Mine are currently on my balcony which gets morning sun.) Also, I know you sometimes bring back pieces of plants while on your walks to start a new plant at home. How do you do that? Do you need some sort of rooting hormone?
Perhaps your answers could make a blog post of their own? Or if you have the time to just shoot me a quick sentence or two in reply, I’d be most grateful for that as well. You really do inspire me in so many ways and I thank you for all of it!
shari i’m writing this on saturday. i just packed up my car and drove back down the coast to LA. guess what i left on the porch of the house i rented? 3 succulents i was going to replant here! drat! here’s what i do:
make a nice clean cut and put the cutting somewhere out of direct sun to heal/form a bit of a scab
either lay it on top of dirt and you will see roots developing, or plant it and go easy on the water. it can rot if roots haven’t developed properly. very simple.
i’m really sad about leaving my aeonium sunbursts behind and my brand new agave variety from penny’s garden. i made the aeonium cuttings on monday and planned to plant them today.
better luck next time. by the way…the vast majority of succulents come from cuttings. i’ve developed quite a collection.
i find most succulents need more water than you think and some do not like full sun. most of mine are in partial shade. i water the ones on my porch every couple of weeks in winter. in summer a good soak 1-2 x per week when dry. when it rains i don’t move them, hope this helps you
Thanks for taking the time to respond, Mary Ann. I will give that a try to begin new plants.
One more question… all of the succulents I have planted are beginning to shrivel and turn reddish-brown at the edges. Do you think they are getting too much sun? It’s direct from sunrise until about 2 pm or so. I’ve watered them twice in four weeks. Could that be too much – either water or sun or both?
Thank you!
Shari
Oh my gosh! I’m SO sorry! When I read your reply in my email, it stopped/was cut off before you got to the part about the watering and the sunlight. I responded via email and then when I reread my comment I saw your full reply here. Shoot! Just ignore my last round of questions. Asked and answered. I’ll blame it on being tired on Sunday night. My best to you…
Oh thank you for this vacation. I am skipping along beside you on this trip. I love where you are and all your wonderful pics and words. Travel on!!!!!!!!
I’m loving your photos Mary Ann, making me remember my brief, but satisfying sojourn with the Mighy P. A week on the sea sounds divine. I’m working on things that hopefully will bring me back for a visit. Enjoy your R & R. I’ll be sitting right here keeping watch for footprints in the sand. 😉
I’m so happy we are on vacation! I really needed one!!! The colors of the flora are amazing…and the mysterious fauna scintillating. The perfect place to take many steps since each one takes you closer to a new discovery. Enjoy…you work hard and deserve a lovely break.
It looks like a good blog, but unfortunately there is no link on her web site that says “blog”. I was only able to get there through your link, but could not peruse it. What I did read looked interesting! Thanks for sharing your adventures MAM. Inspirational. I wish there were as many interesting places by the beach for me to escape to in VA.
What a gorgeous place to walk, and sniff, and look, and listen, and think, and Be.
Thank you for taking us along!
Wow! You picked a beautiful area to explore. Love your photos of the flowers everywhere. The beach walks sound wonderful. Wishing you a glorious time there. Have fun! You make me smile. Thank you?
Beautiful photos of a beautiful place.
Ohh ms moss, you’ve gone and done it again! We are savoring the location and the lusciousness of your photos. Can’t wait to see how you translate your surroundings onto paper. Did you find that cottage on VRBO? Do tell.
I always found the flowers and plants in California so exotic compared to here in New Hampshire. (Of course now we are just brown and blah and waiting for the real spring to arrive). They are pretty, along with the area. Enjoy!
Loved Susannah’s post. Thanks for turning me onto to another great blog!
Oh Mary Ann you are in my favorite place and one of the most beautiful places…………I grew up in SLO and always told my parents when traveling south when I was little that someday I want to live in Santa Barbara, I still do! I married an Okie and living in Oklahoma but when we retire I want to head west and make the long time wish of a little girl Santa Barbara my permanent home…….once or twice a year I go on a girls trip and Santa Barbara is always our destination!!!!! I am sure you will have a wonderful time ………… enjoy the beautiful surroundings!
I’m a writer but I have never felt comfortable blogging. I think it was because when I did, I was promoting my (now defunct) etsy shop and it all felt too “look at me!” I also don’t like writing about myself in the first person unless it is in my journal.
I’ve found your blog inspirational and am actually considering doing another one of my own. Enjoy your retreat!
Your words and photos make me want to run away to join you on your rambles! And I am in Santa Fe, not exactly a hardship destination….Enjoy your break.
XO
So lovely…you caught that wave at the perfect time. I need to research Montecito. It looks a place my husband and I enjoy!
Another great one. Thanks so much for taking us along. ♥
We just returned from a week on Tybee Island-right where the Savannah River becomes the Atlantic Ocean. I would go back in a flash if I could. I hope that your week is the curative that mine was. Enjoy!
Hey there! my family and I used to live in Montecito- 661 Hot Springs lane!! the road goes up into the hills and overlooks the channel islands. lived there for two years in the late 60″s. I have distinct memories of rescuing oil soaked seals and birds from Butterfly beach after the oil spills. Are the oil derricks still out there in the channel?? Go down at low tide and you should find some wonderful little olive snail shells. I spent hours putting them on the ends of plastic cocktail sticks that my folks used at their cocktail parties. looks like you have a wonderful little spot. Wish i could join you!!