Thursday, May 23, 2013

Viejo Molino de Cela


Today I found myself reflecting back to this same calendar day a year ago, last May 23rd when we slipped away for an overnight stay at a charming 17th-century mill on the banks of the River Tuerto.

The Viejo Molino de Cela was the perfect retreat for a birthday celebration, being only a ten minute drive from our city of Astorga.
There abundant wisteria gracefully laced its way through the lattice for overhead shade
above a private patio for refreshments and intimate chats. 

The Old Milll of Cela’s estate was surrounded by the river on all sides and a terrace that provided a view of its garden, whose lily pond I found particularly enchanting.


After a long walk through the woods we were delighted to return to find we could play table tennis next to open fields of green and in the company of a friendly horse who came to say hello during our rousing competition. 


Although we liked all of the classic-style rooms we especially liked ours with wooden floors and a private marbled tub.



Later that evening we were served a delicious vegetarian meal upon request of carrot soup with fresh baked bread and vegetable pie in the spacious dining room over the river.  Unforgettably rustic and romantic to the very last detail like this birthday note from proprietress and author, Mercedes Unzeta Gullón. Her book, of which I'll write more later, came home with us, of course. 
Happy Birthday Memories, Enrique my love. Here's to many more to come!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

La Espiral del Viento

Cuatro grandes obras del escultor grancanario Martín Chirino:
El Pensador, Raíz, Mediterránea y
la Espiral del Viento.
 La Calle 18, Triana, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria,
Canary Islands

There are people, who for unexplainable reasons are so part of us that our existence and theirs are coiled one inside of the other. They are at the very center of who we are and what we love. They are the wind spiral of our soul.
Hay personas, las cuales por razones inexplicables son parte de nosotros, que nuestra existencia y la suya están enrolladas una dentro de la otra. Están en el centro del corazón de quienes somos y lo que amamos. Ellas son la espiral del viento de nuestras almas. 

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Dedicated to Pequeña Palmero

I love her, my mom.
Happy Mothers' Day!

La quiero, mi mamá.
¡Feliz Día de la Madre!

Wendy Lousie Palmero (Akerstrom adopted surname,)
Huntington Park, Huntington Beach,  1946 (?)
"We're not the Hallmark mother, just the Velveteen Mothers.

The angular, hard edges of perfection are being sanded down by all our scrapes and falls, till we’re round and soft and can get close enough to each other to just hold each other.

Only when you’re broken are you tender enough to wrap yourself around anyone.
Only the broken people can really embrace.

Find each other and hold onto each other and offer the hug of the broken who know the relief that homemaking is about making a home, not perfection, that motherhood is a hallowed space because children aren’t commonplace, that anyone who fosters dreams and labor prayers is a mother to the child in us all."  - Ann Voskamp,  Mother's Day is for the Birds

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Cicatrices

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars."
Khalil Gibran

Monday, May 6, 2013

Café La Más Bonita

With a friends visiting from Madrid we found a new favorite café in León.
Con unos amigos de Madrid conocimos una nueva cafetería favorita en León.

It was difficult to decide what was the best scenery, the inside or out.
Fue difícil decidir cuál era el mejor escenario, el interior o el de fuera.


The inside was decorated in Vintage Chic.
El interior estaba decorado con Elegante Vintage.
Directly in front of us was the Cathedral of León's front entrance.
Justo enfrente de nosotros estaba la majestuosa entrada principal de la Catedral de León.


But, best of all was the happy conversation with friends, a menu of delicious choices and José and Grace who made us feel like stopping for the merienda was a special treat.
Pero, lo mejor de todo fue la conversación alegre entre amigos, un menú de deliciosas opciones y José y Gracia que nos hicieron sentir que parar a merendar era una delicia especial.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

For the Heart that Holds On


Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Praise song by Matt Redman