This spunky tree inspired me as it stood next to the sea and a colorful street in a fishing village on Burano Island in Venice, Italy.
“What is the good of stars and trees, sunrise and wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?” E.M. Forster
grace, peace & spunky (inspiring) trees
Virginia : )
Roses in the Rubble 
I’m loving the colourful buildings…very unique and different and then there’s the outstanding tree in the middle. Nice scenic…pleasing to the eye.
Love and light. 💝💫🌟✨
Thanks, Sunshine – this was one of my favorite pics from a 3 week trip to Italy & Austria. As a tree groupie & bright color appreciator this scene lifted my spirits on a dreary day. Blessings!!! 💨🌟🌳🌟💨
Hey Virginia, how are you?
Wonderful quote, great photograph, inspiring post, thank you 🙂
Namaste,
DN
Hey DN – hope you are well?
As a tree groupie, this photo is a fav taken on a dreary cold day during a visit to Italy (altho those sort of travel days are always opportunities for Hot Chocolate!) Actually, hot chocolate is good anytime (!!)
Blessings!! 💨🌟🌳🌟💨
I am very well thank you Virginia, as I hope you are too 😀
It suddenly occurs to me that the colours of the houses lining the passageway are those one would readily see in Autumn. Perhaps your photo might then be seen as a prelude to a change of seasons 🙂
Sweet, frothy, hot choccy, topped with whipped cream and marshmallow pieces is heaven in a glass!
From one tree groupie to another, enjoy your evening 😀
Namaste,
DN
Hey Dewin, glad to hear you are a tree groupie, too! I have tree artwork all over the house (paintings, etchings, African wood-art, stitched on pillows) ‘cause its not enough to have trees all around outside, this tree groupie needs reminders inside, too!
Now that fall temps are finally here on this side of the globe (in the state of Virginia) I am looking forward to high frequency doses of hot chocolate. I whisk dark (very dark) drinking chocolate into cashew milk on the stove until frothy (adding the tiniest drop of stevia to sweeten.) Oh la la, it’s so good it doesn’t need anything else! I’m with you – Heaven in a glass!
Blessings, Dewin – hope your week is grand (or at least has grand bits in it!)
Virginia 🙂🍂🙃 ☕️🙃🍂🙂
Hey Virginia,
What a lovely thought it is to imagine the great outdoors extending itself into your home by way of tree-orientated arts and crafts! As you’ll undoubtedly know already, trees have held our fascination for thousands of years and are imbued with magic, mystery, sacredness, symbolism and motif: attributes that go far beyond merely describing their species. Trees invite us to absorb their essence for they exemplify how to live, grow, transition, adapt, change and flourish with grace. Sometimes there really is nothing better than to lose oneself in the entanglement of a leafy forest.
Autumn has arrived here in the U.K with gusto as well and recent days, if not weeks, have seen daylight hours shorten, temperatures diminish, and rain fall increase, but Mother Nature wears her autumn gown of many beautiful colours and she is a joy to behold. It is the perfect weather for enjoying warm home comforts, of which hot choccy is but one seasonal essential, and I must say, I am inspired by your hot-choccy recipe and will certainly give it a go. Dark drinking-chocolate is my favourite but I’d never considered trying an alternative to full-cream milk before. It does sound rather delicious, so thank you for the suggestion! I’ll let you know what I think. 😀
A grand week would be delightful, thank you Virginia. I hope yours will prove to be much the same. Take care,
Love, Peace and hot choccy 😀
DN
Thanks Dewin – so glad to find another tree groupie who enjoys the ‘entanglement of a leafy forest’ and the mysterious majesty of trees! Our leaves here are just changing – yesterday I almost drove off the road with bright colors popping out everywhere. Let me know what you think (re: hot chocolate with cashew milk!) Hope you have a grand week ahead, DN! 🍂🌳🍂☕️🍂🌳🍂
Hey Virginia,
Here in the U.K, Nature has worn her vibrant Autumn gown for several weeks now. In some ways I think she looks her best in crisp morning sunlight when thinly veiled by swirls of mist lifting from frosty fields. At this time of year U.K clocks go back one hour, which means days are brighter in the morning and one doesn’t have to be up at the crack-of-dawn to be amazed by her beauty.
Reporting back on the hot-chocolate. Your recipe was a huge success amongst family and friends who have all sampled said concoction and firmly agree the cashew milk adds another dimension to the hot-chocolate making! For those with a very sweet-tooth the addition of cream frothy topping proved too much of a temptation. Your idea to vary the flavour of milk being used is now firmly ingrained in the process. Winters won’t now be the same without it! 😀 Thank you.
Take care,
DN
Dewin, so glad the hot chocolate with cashew milk went over well. I’ve also tried making it with almond milk, coconut milk, and almond-coconut milk. Although almond-coconut milk is my go-to for smoothies, for some reason the cashew milk is my fav for hot chocolate. I bet it would be good for chai, too. In Tanzania I made vanilla chai with fresh masala spice (from Zanzibar) & vanilla tea leaves (from Kenya) cooked together in milk, then strained into a thermos for dispensing. Oh, & a little honey. Yum, will have to start making that again! Hugs, DN! 🌟☕️🌟🤗🌟☕️
Virginia – Ah, the very idea of now varying the milk used has also been suggested by family members! We shall embark on a journey of discovery leading to what we all hope will be the definitive cup of hot-chocolate 😀 I shall make mention of both almond and coconut and share your perspective accordingly.
I had no idea you were so well travelled, nor so creative in your ‘chai-making’! Of course, since you are something of a tea-connoisseur, I should have anticipated you making most of local ingredients whilst adventuring overseas. I’m not sure I will attempt your tea-recipe – my preference is for coffee – but I am so pleased to know you might well consider indulging in your Tanzanian dream-cup once again. It would be a great shame if now you have mentioned said exotic concoction you didn’t brew another pot!
Love, Peace and tea-leaves to please,
Namaste,
DN