I hope these quotes and images leave you with a sense of wonder and inspiration for days to come.
Do you have a favorite that resonates with you?
Take good care, remember to breathe, and don’t forget to smile,
Lauren ❤️
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
One foot first
then the other,
he stepped inside,
warm ambience
enfolded him,
greetings from
arms open wide…
friendly faces,
smiles seemingly
sincere,
but for only
seconds
before those arms
turned on him,
shoving him out
with smiles
vanishing into
murky atmosphere
he stumbled backwards
over the darkened line
not to be missed
(it was there
for their purpose)
a tug
from the welcome
being extracted
out of his trusting heart
gave him pause
How many rings?
How far
from the inner circle
did he land?
And does it really matter?
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
On March 4th, I shared the adventure in San Francisco my husband and I went on for his birthday in February. If you missed it and would like to check it out, here is the link: https://baydreamerwrites.com/2023/03/04/sun-on-the-city/
I’m sharing our fun and educational experience to give you insight into the fabulous museums in the iconic city and to focus on appreciating fine art. Not so much on our birthdays. I know some people would rather skip their birthdays altogether. But not me. I love to celebrate with family, friends, good wine and food, and once a year, yes, cake!
Life is so full of tragedy these days with yet another school shooting yesterday that we should truly live each day with every ounce of energy and joy because the fragility of tomorrow is no surprise. So, the good news is that we are alive to celebrate another year of life. That doesn’t mean our bodies won’t change as the years pass, but we can still “stop and smell the flowers” even with aches, pains, a few more wrinkles (laugh lines), and gray hairs. Sure beats the alternative, right??? So, here we go!
San Francisco sits “in our backyard” but we tend to venture west or north more often than south. Lately, we have changed our compass to relive some of the adventures from years ago. The de Young Museum was our next destination. Below is a brief description from Wikipedia:
The de Young Museum, formally the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, is a fine arts museum located in San Francisco, California. Located in Golden Gate Park, it is a component of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, along with the Legion of Honor. The de Young is named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H. de Young.
The de Young showcases American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries, international contemporary art, textiles, and costumes, and art from the Americas, the Pacific and Africa. The deYoung Museum Collections include: American Art, African Art, Oceanic Art, Arts of the Americas, Costume and Textile Arts, Graphic Arts, Photography and Sculpture. Some of the collection is accessible online on the museum website and Google Arts and Culture.
As I mentioned on the 4th, time won’t allow me to caption each photo. So, I hope you enjoy the slideshow below of only a small amount of the art. My cell battery was beginning to conk out, so I had to give it a rest. Some pieces were awe-inspiring, some very moving, others fascinating. I was in awe of the tiny details in paintings and sculptures and the incredible talent and skill needed to achieve such fantastic artwork. The photos don’t do justice, but I hope you can see what a fabulous collection this museum offers:
Photos I took throughout the day…
“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”
~ Vincent Van Gogh
The first photo above was taken from inside the museum, the three following were taken from the observatory on the 9th floor. This was another stunning day in the big city, sunny, cold, a bit windy, but with the umbrella of a clear, blue sky. The view from the observatory was spectacular!
The photos below were taken when we walked around the grounds. We wanted to ride the ferris wheel, but the line was a mile long. No patience to wait. The observatory is in the tall brown building on the 9th floor. That’s where you could hear everyone ooh and ahh at the stunning views of San Francisco and the museum surroundings.
The trees in the photo above are mostly London Plane and Scotch Elm, which are heavily cut back to give a very regular and formal appearance to the plaza.
I couldn’t leave out the pretty and unique flowers…
Selfie time and a bit windy. When we left the museum later in the afternoon, we drove to The Presidio in San Francisco and walked on the tunnel tops: The Presidio Tunnel Tops project creates San Francisco’s great escape – a 14-acre oasis at the center of the Presidio featuring views, nature, and play.
This was our first time on these tunnel tops and what an amazing oasis! You’ll see the playground for kids, the view of San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, the highway beneath, and red Adirondack chairs that we parked ourselves on to enjoy the view. It was fun to see sailboats, yachts, wind surfers, and other water sports aficionados on the bay.
It was a “hair in face” day, but beautiful indeed! At the end of the day, who doesn’t like to go out for dinner? But we decided that after being out from morning until early evening and indulging in a great lunch on the cafe patio, staying in sounded nice and cozy. My hubby who is not a baker, made me my most favorite dessert, a homemade carrot cake (albeit with my supervision). And it was (still is) delicious! Although, most went into the freezer yesterday morning. Can’t eat it all week. 😁
I closed my eyes and thought of a wish before blowing out the candles, but honestly, I am so grateful for my life: for my husband, daughter and son, sisters, and friends for making this a special birthday. And for you in this wonderful blogging community!
❤️🙏🏻
Thanks for popping in and I hope you enjoyed the art, nature, and the importance of celebrating life! Keep celebrating!
Live Life!
Lauren 💝💝
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
I am short in height
a little thick in middle
stress-free maintenance
every other month
dunk my roots in cool water
they’ll dance in delight
stodgy short stature
decked out in handsome fashion
sturdy in nature
I’m adorable
according to my owner
my leaves are blushing
__________________________________________________________________
This little guy was a gift and my first thought was “he’s adorable!” His Latin name is Ficus Ginseng, a young, indoor bonsai.
I’ve always loved bonsai but have never had one. Now, life is complete. 🙂
Hope you enjoyed these fun haiku.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by! ❤️
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
joy could encompass
if you unfetter your goals
and dreams functioning
parallel with purposes
to be recognized upon
the path that guides you
because they desire to shift
and slide however
their moods or penchants persuade,
longing to find fulfillment
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
The radio belted out “Joy to the World!”
You were a teenage boy, but on this
Christmas morning in ‘75, excitement
buzzed! Your dad watched and listened,
relaxed in his corner chair, but your mom
played Santa, just as jolly! The first time
we met. Do you remember?
You and your dad hiked Half Dome that year,
then…the many trips we booked…
those rocky inclines had my sleeves shaking!
Hiking to Italy Pass, 12,000 feet at the top!
We did it! Trekking through the Trinity Alps,
Thousand Island Lake in the Sierra.
And Mount Shasta!
I kept you warm when the air was ice.
What a team we made, and I couldn’t believe
how beautiful the world could be…
Then with the years your adolescence faded like
my blue dye, but I stayed loyal. Why wouldn’t I?
You are my brother, even still, all grown up
with a family of your own.
Lucky is what I feel because ages ago, I thought
I’d be buried beneath piles of clothes at the bottom
of a bag to be given away.
But mostly, I feel privileged for my significance.
I recall her vividly.
She left this world too young, too soon.
You see, when we hang out,
your memories transport you
to that morning when her laughter was music,
her smile was sunlight,
her energy as vibrant as “Joy to the World.”
You travel to the special place in your mind
when your mom was still in your life.
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
My husband’s loyal blue down jacket. ❤️
With every new miracle of life
answers aren’t scripted in the stars,
but I knew since your very first breath
my life would become yours.
Through innocent eyes and curious touch
each new discovery you shared,
your smile grew bigger than the sun,
your heart’s elation declared.
You stowed dreams in the clouds,
imaginings rose higher than the heavens.
Cuddling you in that first euphoric light
made me fall in love with you in seconds.
Life has blossomed into delight and wonder
in every part of its glowing greatness,
and with each ounce of my being,
my enduring love for you is ageless.
© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com – All rights reserved.
Our children are now 31 & 27, but the love remains ageless. ❤️
To
the teen,
Edward was
like a grandpa
and dear friend to the
boy’s grandma, Mabel, at
a time when she persevered
through an unforgettable loss.
Sounds of war vibrated ruthlessly.
Women were placed in subordinate roles.
A pocket watch, timeless in its essence,
a present, golden in tone and worth.
Locomotive chugs down the tracks,
a couple turns makes it tick,
heartbeat of fifty years.
Poignant history,
memories to
visit now
and then…
time.
© Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites – All rights reserved.
Last week, we spent the day in San Francisco celebrating my husband’s birthday. The weather has been very wet and cold, but we were blessed with a stunning day in the city. Yes, the temperature was crisp, but the sun shined, warming us like a blanket and creating lovely photos. Even though we’ve visited this iconic city numerous times, I can’t help but take more pictures, especially of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay.
Our destination was The Legion of Honor (above top) which stands prominently above the Lincoln Park Golf Course. If you’re interested in learning about this fine art museum, I pulled the information below from Wikipedia:
The Legion of Honor displays a collection spanning more than 6,000 years of ancient and European art and houses the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts.
The Hall of Antiquities displays ancient works from Egypt, the Near East, Greece, and Rome, including sculptures, figurines, vessels, jewelry, and carved reliefs. Notable works include a 4,000-year-old carved wood figure of Seneb, an Egyptian royal scribe. The collection is supported in part by the Ancient Art Council, which offers a speakers program focusing on the ancient world.[7][8]
The museum contains a representative collection of European art, the largest portion of which is French. Its most distinguished collection is of sculpture by Auguste Rodin. Casts of some of his most famous works are on display, including one of The Thinker in the Court of Honor. Other artists in the collection include El Greco, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, Boucher, David, Tiepolo, Gainsborough and many of the Impressionists and post-Impressionists—Degas, Renoir, Monet, Pissarro, Seurat, Cézanne, van Gogh and others.
The museum’s collection of European Decorative Arts includes a gilded Spanish ceiling from c. 1500; numerous items of furniture, including Horace Walpole’s commode of 1763 from Strawberry Hill House, west of London; and three period rooms, including the Salon Doré from the Hôtel de La Trémoille, Paris, said to be the only complete example of a pre-Revolutionary Parisian salon to be displayed anywhere.[11][12]
The Bowles Porcelain Gallery displays an array of porcelain and pottery from England and continental Europe with a strong emphasis on the eighteenth century. Adjacent to the gallery is the Ceramic Study Center.[13]
The Contemporary Arts Program, which brings the work of living artists into dialogue with the building and the collections, was inaugurated in 2017 with an exhibition of more than 30 works by Urs Fischer installed throughout the museum.[14] Subsequent exhibitions have featured works and interventions by artists including Lynn Hershman Leeson,[15] Julian Schnabel,[16] Alexandre Singh,[17] and Wangechi Mutu.[18]
Situated off the northwest corner of the Legion grounds is the Holocaust Memorial, a sculptural group of white-painted bronze by George Segal installed in 1984. Although not part of the Legion’s collection, the sculpture is often seen by visitors to the museum.
The Legion of Honor has played a big part in films:
As much as I’d love to detail each photo, time won’t allow, so I hope you enjoy these visuals. The slideshow below presents only a fraction of the paintings, sculptures, furniture, architecture, porcelain, and silver.
We spent most of the day at the museum, but when we finished perusing each room, we walked around the grounds, enjoying the greenery of the Lincoln Park Golf Course (above photos). After leaving The Legion of Honor, we drove through Ocean Beach, pulled over to look at the view, and between the soothing colors of the ocean and that bright blue sky, we were in awe. More photos! And of course, a selfie was necessary, especially one of me sneaking in a kiss for the birthday boy.
As we were leaving and since I was driving, my hubby took some photos of the bridge (again, we can’t have too many). Then we took a slow drive through a picturesque coastal town and stopped at a cool bar on the bay and enjoyed the serenity from the stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. Before we left this beautiful spot, we walked out on the pier for more photos. Because fog and wind pay frequent visits to San Francisco, we truly lucked out with the weather on this celebratory February day. So, when I think of an adjective to describe this Saturday in the city, the word that comes to mind is Glorious! Cheers!
I hope you enjoyed this little slice of San Francisco.
Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely weekend ahead. ❤️
© Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites – All rights reserved.
All photos taken by me.
© Lauren Scott, baydreamerwrites – All rights reserved.
Photo: pixabay
Baydreamer ~ Lauren Scott 