The poetry of the earth is never dead. ~John Keats

I've been glued to CNN's coverage of Sandy.. I can't turn away from the live coverage. The brave journalists out there reporting from thigh-high salt water rushing through major streets.. the dangling crane that could drop any minute.. seeing Atlantic City completely underwater.. I could go on but you get the picture.

So after a few hours of live coverage yesterday, I decided I needed to go on a walk and enjoy our perfect California weather. I needed to stop along the way and smell the flowers, enjoy the palm trees and pine trees, breathe in the sweet scent of the eucalyptus tress, admire the crimson fall leaves, ogle the overgrown lavender gardens and thank that last magnolia flower for hanging on so long. 

Thank goodness I got out of the house for a few hours, because that live coverage kept me company for the rest of the day.

Thoughts to all of my sweet friends in New York, I hope you are all staying high, dry and extra warm!

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard. ~Standing Bear

I love the combination of 

nature and technology

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard. ~Standing Bear

One of my best friends (and her hubby) will be closing on their first real home this Friday. 

With her new blank canvas she's already starting to panic on how to decorate each room.

While wall decorations will be one of the last things she hangs - I remembered a while back trying to help her create a room for her man, without all of the dark "manly" colors and slick wood finishes. I suggested a lighter green on the walls, a cream colored cow hide rug, a big bulky bookshelf covered with more colorful objects - and as I came across this piece in Etsy.. I think it would be a perfect touch!

 This piece of art screams nature however, with the rustic vintage feel of the wood and the perfectly coiled metals that create a tree - the hard image is softened into the perfect married piece. 

find here on etsy ($175)

Search through the offerings of etsy and let the pieces inspire you. It's easy to see a big empty room and get overwhelmed... take it one piece at a time, the colors will fall together and in no time you will have created the perfect room!