Happy New Year 2012

If it's New Year's morning, it must be time for a Mimosa.

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Happy New Year

Town and Country

Last weekend Will and I visited the country town of Julian, CA.Home to rolling hills and apple orchards and a small town out of the 1870's. We picked apples at the Raven Hill Orchard and had lunch at Soups and Such, visited the Pioneer Museum and a one room schoolhouse, we walked up to the hilltop cemetery, browsed the bookshop and art shops, all under a glorious blue sky.

On the way out we strolled those rolling hills in the Wildlife Sanctuary.Today I made a Granola Apple Crisp with the Empire apples we picked. It's topped with Apple Cinnamon Granola and Honey Crisp Pecans from the Julian Cider Mill.
More photos on Flickr

Ever Gentle on My Mind

There was something so deeply intimate about being there in Troy, going through my Uncle's space, a space now empty of his physical presence, and yet he was everywhere. In the look on Rusty's face, the notes left on the table, a book on the nightstand, boots kicked off and laying on the floor.His ashes are heavy in my arms. And just like he did with my Grandpa before him, with my bare hand I lift the ashes out and let them fall through my fingers to the gentle wind, to the tall grass, to the river rocks, and to the wild river.There's deep sorrow and a calming peace in doing so. He's where he wanted to be. And I look at the bend in the river and tears of joy might stain my face, and the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind. But not to where I cannot see him walking on the back roads, by the rivers of my memory, ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind.
Those song lyrics have been in my head and I take a moment to say goodbye before I rise from the riverside, and return to the others.

I Come From a Family of Fishermen

I've wanted to fish all summer long, and it seemed there was a reason this feeling consumed me. I come from a family of fishermen, says my Mom, and so it is with thoughts of my Grandpa fishing the rivers of northern California's Shasta county, with a bond so strong and a connection everlasting, that another member of those fishermen was dying.

I learned in July that my Uncle Jimmy had terminal cancer, and by Saturday morning, September 3, 2011, he was gone. Jim passed away, quietly, at home with my Grandma.
Thinking about it all summer long, Will and I were up early yesterday driving east to the San Gabriel River. The sun rising before me, tears in my eyes, and my fishermen on my mind.
I didn't catch any fish (this time). But I connected with my fishermen, and had my husband at my side.

Will and I stood on the banks of the river, casting our lines into the current, practicing more than expecting to catch anything more than twigs. And with the cool rushing water circling my legs and the warmth of the sun on my shoulders, I thought of my Grandpa and my Uncle Jimmy.

Jim was a mountain man living in northwest Montana along the Kootenai River. Smart, strong, a master craftsman, always with a dog by his side, sometimes troubled and made mean by drinking, yet loving and loved deeply. I will miss him in my life.
Rest in peace Jimmy.

OMGoats Are Cute

The goats are clearing the brush on the slope around and under Angel's Flight downtown. After going to a movie we thought we'd stop by and say "hay". They are just about about the cutest ever.More Goats on Flickr

What's Goin' On

This long weekend has been spent taking advantage of California's outdoor weather. A walk to the Silver Lake Farmer's Market always turns into photo ops.Exploring the nearby Big Tajunga Canyon was a very pleasant surprise. Yellow wildflowers exploding everywhere and a river running through it.

Weeks past we've been enjoying classics on the big screens of Los Anagles' grand theaters on Broadway.
As well as a jaunt out to Ojai for the Lavender Festival.

Whew. Summer's here.

The Wonders of the East

Just back from our whirlwind trip to Thailand and Cambodia, my husband and I were with a band of travelers, compliments of my super great boss. This trip was packed with so many beautiful and interesting destinations, and photography, no matter how stunning or ordinary, can't begin to capture the reality, beauty, or scale of the places we visited.

But that didn't stop me from blazing through my memory cards and snapping 2,217 images.
One of my favorite days happened when we broke away from the group, and with like-minded travelers Miles and Maryann (in the tuk-tuk ahead of us as we approach the gates of the Bayon Temple above), we ditched the luxury bus for a couple of tuk-tuks and hit the road for the countryside and some temples.

I've uploaded a selection to Flickr. Notes and captions still to come.

Random Rat

When my computer is sleeping my photos slide across the screen. They're random. And after an African sunset the next image may be Ranger as a pup, then a downtown mural. This one is really fantastic. Seen as we were driving down the streets of Los Angeles and of course had to stop and take a look. Wonderful.

Market Basket

It's been unusually rainy and chilly these past few months. Unusual for Los Angeles. But there's been a turn in the weather and things seem back to normal around here, which makes a walk down to the local Farmer's Market on a Saturday morning a must. I fill the market basket with lettuces, leeks and lemons. With my husband by my side adding broccoli, beets and baby carrots. Life is fresh and life is good.

Merry Christmas to ... ME

I have lived with a utilitarian refrigerator, about the only one that fit in the 30" slot between the sink cabinet and a wall, for more than 10 years. While I was single it was ok. But with my husband and a whole produce section required for Buster's greens, peppers, carrots, butternut squash and other assorted vegis, it was becoming just a huge pain in the butt.As I began designing the upstairs renovations I also wanted to re-do the kitchen. However, the kitchen had to be placed on the back burner (I hope to be able to get to it the year after next). So any dreams of a 36" wide counter depth french door refrigerator were also placed on the back burner.

Until...somewhere along the line, more than a year after the upstairs was completed, we realized there might be an interim solution. We could replace the pantry unit next to the stove with a refrigerator, and replace the old refrigerator with a new pantry unit. It's not ideal, but it's doable. Very doable. So the search began in earnest. I read consumer reports and narrowed my search down, I went to show rooms to touch and feel refrigerators, I came away with a clearer idea of what I wanted (and what I didn't want) in a refrigerator. I searched again and went to Best Buy to touch and feel the Samsung rfg237aars. I read more reviews, searched the Internet near and far for the best price, and with my selection made and my husband's endorsement I pressed the Check Out button. And with my dear husband managing the delivery and installation I came home Friday to the most beautiful refrigerator I have ever owned.
I gave it (and my husband) a big hug this morning.

Happy Thanksgiving

The Menu

Turkey's going in the oven in a few minutes. I made the pie last night.

Update: The evening, like turkey, is done. Here's a few shots of dinner.

The spread.
The bird.
Preparing to feast.

Search Engine

Trying to remember what we did last thanksgiving... I know we were in Yosemite for Christmas. But I wasn't finding Thanksgiving in my memory bank. It's a good thing I had my camera with me. So I went to My Photos and OF COURSE! We were traveling in the camper-van through Death Valley. WONDERFUL trip. Remember?

Halloween - The Day After

After making apple pie on Saturday and preparing for trick-or-treaters on Sunday I just wanted to throw a couple of photos up of our pumpkin carvings. So here's the pumpkins.* * *

Will's got more photos here.

Apple Pie

I'm no pastry chef, that's for sure. I know it's all in the crust and my crusts have tended to be heavy and dense, not light a flaky. But with the abundance of apples gathered from our day trip out to Yucaipa's Oak Glen Apple Orchards AND the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens' feature of Alan Carter with his pie pastry recipe AND an Apple-Cranberry Pie recipe to go with the pastry, well it was clear that I would be making a pie.

Of course I could have opted for a ready made crust, but with Mr. Carter's recipe, including his secrets for a perfect pastry, I had to give it a try.

With everything ready I began making the pie from its pastry bottom to pastry top.
Though certainly inexperienced hands rolled it, the pastry was indeed flaky. And the cranberries really added a nice tartness. It turned out to be an altogether yummy pie.Will's apple orchard set here.
Mine here.

Family Visit

Meeting my Mom in the middle between where she lives on the east coast of Myrtle Beach, SC and me on the west cost of Los Angeles, CA we made our way to the beautiful mountain town of Troy on the Kootenai River in northwest MT at the end of September.

Mom and I met up at the Denver airport and caught the twin engine prop to Kalispell, picked up a car and drove the 2 hours on the 2 highway passing rivers, lakes, meadows and mountains, arriving at Grandma and Jimmy's house by mid-afternoon. Neither Mom nor I had the street address but as long as you're on the right side of the main street and left of the railroad tracks, who needs an address.

With no agenda other that to visit with my family I settled in to the sofa and conversation. I see my family so seldom. We're few and scattered around a bit, and when my Mom told me she was planning a visit I told her to let me know when and I'd be there.

Through my entire adult life, and before, we would all get together at Grandma and Grandpa's house for Thanksgiving. Every year, year after year. My Mom used to pay for my flight when I was still a young adult and making my way on my own. I treasure those memories and still find myself trying to adapt to the new calendar of my life. And to my family that is less one important person in my life.

Lot's of things will make me think of my late Grandpa, and my thoughts of him are always, always, deep and calming and I brim with my memories of him. We all do.

So when I have the chance to see my family, even if only for a day or two, I'm there. I'm always there.

New Destination #2 - The Getty Villa

For my Mom-in-law's birthday we made a day of it and went to the Getty Villa, had dinner at Moonshadows on the ocean, and went back to the Getty Villa amphitheater for the spectacular performance of Sophocles' Elektra.I especially enjoyed the herb garden at the Getty Villa. Plucking sprigs of rosemary, basil, and mint, I held them up to my nose breathing them in, oh, heaven.

What a wonderful museum. And an amazing collection of marble and bronze sculptures and artifacts from the Romans, Greeks and Etruscans.

New Destination #1 - Sequoia Kings Canyon NP

It was a wonderful September filled with new destinations. The first was a trip to Sequoia Kings Canyon NP over the Labor Day weekend. We scored Cabin #9 in Grant Grove Village which was the perfect location for our first trip to the sprawling park. We finished each day on the porch of our cabin with a cold beer looking out on our own pretty meadow as the sun set.

There were so many amazing areas and such a diversity of landscape, from the depths of the marble caves to the towering sequoias. Spending our first day to the North in Kings Canyon we hardly saw another vehicle on the road and rarely passed a person on the trail. It was a tranquil and leisurely day that included Boyden Cave, Zumwalt Meadow, Roaring River Falls and Grizzly Falls, along with Hume Lake and many many canyon vistas.On Saturday, upon emerging from Crystal Cave we quickly became mired in the tourist onslaught in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia NP where the General Sherman Tree is located. After viewing it's magnificence we had planned on scaling Moro Rock and strolling around Crystal Meadow, but we quickly skedaddled to a quiet creek for a picnic lunch, kicked off our shoes, and got our toes wet.

We found that, like Yellowstone, there may be a bazillion people in the park but it's easy enough to get away from them just by getting out early in the day or getting on a trail. So, returning to Sequoia the next day early enough to avoid the incoming waves of people, we did scale Moro Rock and walked the trail from there to Crystal Meadow (where we saw two bears). Then we took our new Ford Escape off the beaten path to a steep and rutted dirt road leading to the base of Buck Rock. We climbed the switchback of about 200 metal steps to the working fire lookout perched on top of the rock.The cinnamon giants (aka sequoias) are so beautiful and the meadows are like a dream, the waterfalls take me back to a time when I was free-spirited teen, and it's all right within a few hours drive. We will be going back again.

More photos (with more to come) on flickr.

Bird Inspired

When I was a young 'un I liked to paint and sketch. As I got older I turned to other joys; cooking, travel, my love. And although inspiration is virtually everywhere, absolutely everywhere, I haven't done such things for quite some time. Alas, it is time that is my barrier, or so I ration.

I love and admire art in so many of it's forms. Color, space, texture. Wherever I travel I look for something of art to bring back home. I have paintings by local artists from my trips through the enchanting Alsace region of Strasbourg France, the medieval treasure of Venice Italy, and the colonial gem of Guanajuato Mexico.

I've been framing some photos from our trip to Africa for the bedroom as well as keeping an eye out for bird prints for the bathroom. The frame store where I've been shopping also has a small art supply section and as I walk the isles I've been looking at brushes and watercolors. For so little I can get a variety pack of brushes, an 8 color watercolor set and a 9x12 pad of heavyweight paper. While I didn't get them the first time, the second time I went to the frame shop I did.

For my first attempt I thought I'd try a folk art style bird.
It's not really a style that I have experience with but it's a style I love and I think I'll continue to practice it, but it didn't quite come out like I pictured.

My next attempt was a more realistic, but still unrefined depiction of the winged, and modeled after an image I found online, it turned out looking closer to how I wanted it to. It's been a joy to mix the pot of eight basic colors to varying shades and hues. This one might even make it to frame and hang with the other birds in the bathroom.

And now while the days are long and the light is with me I can squeeze in the time to paint and I can't wait to begin the next one. Soon enough I'll have to fight time as it relentlessly turns those days against me.

Mango Salsa with a Brief Update

I made Mango Salsa to go along with grilled steaks for dinner tonight.
I know. I've been neglecting my blog. It's just that I find it hard to keep up with. It's not that there's nothing going on, because there certainly is. We've had a wonderful rainy winter and the garden is blooming big time. The Easter lilys were bigger and there were more blooms than I've ever seen. The Jasmin is full and fragrant. The Rosemary, well oh my goodness, aromatic heaven.

Sadly, Skip, one of our three tree frogs, died a couple of weeks ago. Now there's just Hop and Ajump. Skip was my favorite. He was always the first one to come down when I was tapping crickets in for them to hunt. We wrapped him in a paper towel and tied it with ribbon, and buried him in the garden under the water dish in which sits an iron frog from Guanajauto, Mexico.

There have been wonderful weekends and visits to LACMA where I had a nice chat with a woman from South Africa while I waited for my husband. We biked the Art in Historic Places, a self guided tour through West Adams District to view local artists work and their historic homes.

We're enjoying plenty of warm afternoons on the porch with the dogs, watching a hummingbird fly in and out of her nest, sipping sangria, mojitos, or just tea.

Time to get the steaks an the grill and pop open a cold Corona.

Is It April Already

Just back from camping in Death Valley and seeing a spectacular showing of wild flowers. While it may be true they were more like patches than blankets of blossoms, I would still say they were spectacular. And while a patch of purple and yellow flowers may get you to pull over and take a look, what you'll see are more wonderful flowers than you had imagined there would be. We also had the pleasure of taking Will's cousin, Nathan, with us. So we thoroughly enjoyed spring in DV and the company of a very nice young man to boot.