Frosted Window-panes, candles gleaming inside. . .

Well, I'm finally over the ocean craze, not in actual fact, but at least for the time being, while the weather speaks so clearly of Christmas in the air.

So, thoughts of luxury take me to elegantly decorated mansions full of light, dancers of a bygone era twirling at Christmas balls, choirs announcing the birth of the Lord beneath cathedral walls, and all the other lovely things that make Christmas so very special.

In a sense, Christmas is the most naturally luxurious season of all. Bathed in the grace of the newborn King, nothing lacks richness. Our own spirits, renewed in the boundless Love of the Christ Child, savour everything large and small, because we have been given that Divine Peace that overflows and transforms everything else. Everything has been touched by the hand of God until it radiates a warmth not of this world, and we rest content in the midst of such luxurious good will.

From the Mediterranean

. . .to the Caribbean. Perhaps not so impressive as Meditteranean villas, this Caribbean plantation is nonetheless very pleasing. It is not so grand, yet it is perhaps a little more homey. There is something about a veranda that is automatically comforting. Makes you think of rocking chairs, iced tea, coffee, and long drowsy evenings. And of course, the one essential element is still much in evidence--cool, blue, blessed water. :)

An Enchanted. . . .

September? It may not have the ring of An Enchanted April, but it's just as beautiful! Could it get any better? A gorgeous house on the top of a solitary cliff overlooking an incredible view of water and islands. Sun, sky, palm trees, romance, quiet, room to think, space to breathe--truly enchanting.

Rooftop Dining

at dusk is the sort of thing that only people in the movies do. And yet, deep down, you've always wanted to too. Of course, you're not going to be able to for much longer, since autumn is fast approaching, and soon it will be too cold. Hmmm........ so maybe, before the end of September...

Pictures Like This. . .

always reassure me about the power and presence of God. The sea looks so peaceful, yet it is so powerful. It is vast and measureless. I can't help but think of God when contemplating the sea because He is our Peace, but He has the power to smite all evil. He is boundless and eternal in His great Goodness.

Posh

When you're in the mood for cool, Grace Kelly-style elegance and a night on the town, this seems like the perfect location. Dinner and dancing in a green-house Sabrinaesque. High class to be sure.

Romance of the Meditteranean

Only good things could happen in this picture. Between the peaceful sea, the white walls, the play of the shadows, and the twining flowers, there's no room for anything evil or ugly. It's a nice thought.

Magic Lighting

There is something utterly mesmerizing about pools lit up at night. The water takes on rich jewel tones not seen in anything else--aquas, turquoises, teals, midnight blues, and jade greens, all with a mysterious glow emanating from within. The nearly hypnotic effect is perfectly calculated to instill a quietude in your soul, and a belief that fundamentally, all is well.

Remarkably Pleasant

Great swaths of green velvet lawn, a sunny pool, and a Meditteranean view. This one is the best yet. I see croquet games, picnics under the trees, painting on the shore, swimming all the time, kids and dogs running about, lemonade on the terrace--a lovely life. :)

More Amalfi

This looks like it might be a fun place to stay for awhile. A little crowded, perhaps, but attractive despite. That's probably because it's European. Crowded seems to work alot better over there than it does in the States.

"I see skies of blue, waves sparkling too. . ."

Of course, if you can't have the Meditteranean, you can always live in the Caribbean. This is my new favorite waterfront home. :)

How's This for Luxury

An on the water bar in your own pool, with underwater bar stools so you can keep cool as you drink your beverage and play cards on the large bar surface. These people might just have a little too much time on their hands if they're actually able to use this feature; however, it's a nice thought.

Two of My Favorite Things

Pools are lovely, but they're even better when they're in Italy, the best place to be in the whole wide world.

And This Could Be

. . .the view from the veranda at the front of my house. It would be hard not to be inspired every day with views like these.

I would like this to be. . .

the view from my private balcony outside my bedroom. It would be such a lovely thing to see every night or morning, depending on which direction this is.

Joy of Life

What is it about Meditteranean places that makes them so soul-satisfying and addictive? Perhaps it's the bright sunshine. Perhaps it's the vivid splashes of color from all the flowering things. Maybe it's the broad sweep of sea, the sound of rolling waves, and the smell of salt in the air. Maybe it's the imaginative architecture, and the solidity of history. I don't know, but no matter how I look at it, the Meditteranean atmosphere never ceases to be invigorating and inspiring.

More Pools

Of course, I might have a pool like this one instead. Either way, it doesn't get much better than having a pool on the edge of a cliff that overlooks the sea.

Where Is the Sun, and Where is My Sea?

Someday, when I am rich and famous, I will own a house on the Meditteranean, and it will have a pool like this one on the Amalfi Coast. I will spend my days lazily swimming in the pool, gazing with happiness at the sea beyond, and when I get tired of swimming, I will read all sorts of good and enjoyable books while I sit in the lounge chairs on the edge of the pool. It will be a lovely existence. :)

The Best Kind of Beach

"Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world." --Hans Margolius

If my life could be as quiet as this beach, my mind as calm as these waters, and my day as peaceful as this sky, I think I would be perfectly happy.

I Am Content

"Beauty is a form of genius--is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the great facts in the world like sunlight, or springtime, or the reflection in dark water of that silver shell we call the moon" --Oscar Wilde

A Terrace in Positano

There is something about water that is so completely mesmerizing. I am wholly fascinated by it, and I never lose my love for it. Someday, there will be water in luxurious and copious amounts to grace my life.