Zeus

 

                                                                                

I'm still not ready to write about Zeus. This is our beloved Bulmastiff-Rottweiler who passed away on the last day of winter, March 19th of this year. You can see by this picture, the bones in his face are quite visible. He had lymphoma. We worked with his oncologist to extend remissions until he no longer responded to treatment. He was a light in our lives and was by our family's side through the highs and the lows. As Zeus's hospice caregiver, he taught me so much. I miss him deeply. Someday, I'll write more about him...for now, I believe he is healthy and whole once more. Love you, buddy.

YouTube

 

                                                                                

    If  you want to learn how to do something, need help in algebra or want to take up meditation, the list goes on and on - just YouTube it! There is almost no excuse for failing algebra if you have access to a computer or smart phone. You can literally plug in a problem and instructions on how to solve it will come up in the search results. It's like having a personal tutor

    My son is a scientist, he has no background in carpentry, plumbing or lighting. Youtube is helping him fix up an older home he bought and is living in. He YouTubes everything! He is also having an ADU built on his property and I guarantee, YouTube will be his best friend during this process. 

    Several years ago, I took a college algebra class and Youtube got me through some tough homework. An instructor actually takes you through a similar problem with the same process.  Math is all about the process. My YouTube account has many saved channels: art, music, sewing, tennis, yoga, mediation and inspiration. All of them are how to channels.

    My 19 year old enjoys researching different topics and teaches himself about history, science,  astronomy; any question that pops into his head that he is curious about. Sometimes, he brings up topics in conversation that blow my mind. I'll ask him, "David, where'd you learn that?" His reply, "YouTube."

    I can't help but think what it was like when I was a kid in the 70's. All of my education came from going to school and my questions were answered with the Britannica Encyclopedia! My parents had a beautiful set in our family room. My next resource was the Public Library. Today, there's YouTube.

    

xenophobe

 

                                                                                            

                                                            

    The definition of xenophobe:

       1) a person who fears or hates foreigners, people from different cultures, or strangers. 

       2) a person who fears or dislikes the customs, dress, etc., of people who are culturally different

    I am stumped on letter x, so I thought I would educate myself on words that begin with letter "x."

    After doing a little reading, I was struck with the notion of what foreigners think of us Americans coming into their country. Consensus says foreigners see quite a few cultural quirks in Americans. I'll detail a few of those quirks:

    Foreigners can agree that Americans are generally friendly and easy to approach, but that they can also be a little too outgoing - offering too much personal information (especially after they've been drinking).  Isn't that true for everybody though, or maybe not?  I found that to be interesting...I guess we Americans are more of a free spirit.

    Foreigners also associate American with unhealthy food and oversized portions. They link America's fast food culture to poor health and and lack of small family farms.

    Americans say "awesome" all the time, while the British say. "Brilliant!" A man from England says that everything can't be that awe-inspiring all the time to call it awesome, as Americans do. 

    One foreigner claimed that Americans smile too much; claiming that smiles come to mean nothing because they are over used. How can a smile be over used? In my opinion, there aren't enough of them. A person from Finland says he assumes a stranger is drunk, off his rocker or from the United States when he or she smiles. This seems like a stretch, but nevertheless, that's what he said. A scientific explanation was offered: that emotional expressiveness is connected to diversity and America is among the most diverse countries in the world.

    Another observation from a foreigner: that one of the worst habits Americans have is emailing after work hours, according to some Europeans who think Americans don't stop working. The European states that, In Europe, people work from 9 to 5, and relax after that and don't like dealing with anything job related after 5 or on weekends. This observation could go in a few different directions.

    And last but not least, many people in Southern Europe, Greece, France and Italy, think Americans are arrogant and look down on people (according to Norwegian journalist Rene Zografos, author of "Attractive Unattractive Americans: How the World Sees America.") I haven't been to France, but know of a few people who have been,  and both felt unwelcomed in France and looked down upon. Just thought I would throw that in.

    This feels like more of a mini-research paper, but I enjoyed doing it. I think no matter what state or country we're in, we become a bit territorial and very curiously-leery about foreigners. It's human nature to  be wary of someone new; especially in our world today.

works cited:

dictionary.com

USA Today Travel

    

    

    

Wharf

 

                                        Old Fisherman's Wharf -  Monterey, California

                     

     I took these photos from a restaurant at the Old Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. We were there for a car club dinner. When we arrived, it was daylight. I enjoy taking pictures and could hardly wait for the sun to set so I could capture the lights from the harbor with my iPhone. 

    I recall going to the Wharf in Monterey as a little girl with my parents on a weekend.  My dad would always get a bowl of clam chowder and usually a little plastic cup of wine. We would stroll the wharf as he ate his soup.  It was always a happy day for me. I could always look forward to choosing something special from the souvenir shop, then an ice cream cone. At the entrance to the wharf, there was always "the man with the monkey." This was the icing on our day at the Wharf. The man would crank his music box, while the little monkey dressed in shorts, suspenders and a hat, would take a penny from your hand. I can't remember where he would put the penny after taking it from me...I was fascinated with this little monkey - cutest thing I ever saw for sure. I can still see him at this moment, like it was yesterday. 

    The monkey hasn't been at the wharf for several years now. I think I heard it was not politically correct to have him as a form of entertainment and source of income on the wharf. There was always a large circle of people around this monkey working the crowd. Now and then, he would get a dollar bill or two.

    Today, the Old Fisherman's Wharf is still thriving. You can buy fresh fish from the local fishermen, spend a few hours on a whale watching boat and end the day with a great meal. It's a great spot for people watching too. 

    I live on the other side of this bay. I'm thinking it's time for a drive and some clam chowder. 

Vegas

                         The water fountain show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada    

    I took this video on my birthday last October. There are over 1000 fountains in this water show, combined with lights and music. The water moves with the music. It's quite spectacular. There is an 8.5 acre man-made lake in front of the resort where the fountains shoot as high as 480 feet and have been entertaining tourists since 1998. 

    The Bellagio fountains is a Las Vegas landmark and a place of marriage proposals, selfies and even weddings. It is one activity and source of entertainment in Vegas that is free. It's especially nice to have a dinner reservation with a view of the fountains. The genres of music in which the fountains dance are diverse. During the winter months, you can expect to hear holiday music. 

    We never spend more than two nights in Las Vegas. We usually fly in for a show or concert, dinner, a little gambling and time for relaxation. That's plenty Las Vegas for me!  Enjoy the show.

Uptown Girl (Official Video)

                      

    This is one of those songs that tell a true story. It's a love story about Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley. I remember when I learned they were dating. I thought to myself, "What an odd couple!" After all, Christie Brinkley is an uptown girl, the face of Cover Girl as well as the cover of many high end fashion magazines. Then we have Billy Joel, as the song says "A back street guy," who once was a piano man playing in bars. To me, they seemed odd together like they didn't fit and yet they always looked happy together. Obviously, looks are deceiving because they divorced. I believe their daughter Alexa Ray is a singer-songwriter like her dad. Alexa's parents are still going strong with their new partners and families. Billy continues to make beautiful music and Christie continues to brighten up the page or screen with that beautiful smile of hers. Cheers to them both! 

    

Trail

 

                                                                        

    This is a trail around the corner from my home. It is one of many trails into the Forest of Nisene Marks. There used to be a sign up ahead that alerted hikers to the presence of lions and what to do and what not to do should you come across one. It took me a while to have the courage to start hiking here. The sign is gone now and I know the lions aren't. I also realize there is a very small chance I would come across one. I have not heard of anybody being approached by a lion in this forest. I do stay off the trail at dusk.                                                

   

                                                

                                                         A perfect Sunday afternoon

    

    I never noticed this bench before. There was a dedication emblem on the back rest. This would be a perfect place for meditation or a sack lunch.

                                                Hmm...which trail do you think I took?

                                                               Sweet little meadow

      I took the trail to the right and glad I did. I was all alone up to this point, so it was nice to come across some humans. They inspired me to invite my husband on my next trek.                                                                                        

                                                                      Wildflowers!

                                                     Spring is here - time to get outdoors!

                                                               

Sunset at Rio Del Mar Beach

 

                                                                                

    This is just one of many spectacular sunsets at Rio Del Mar Beach in Aptos, California. You might be more familiar with Santa Cruz, which is 10 minutes from Aptos. I took this photo a few years ago. If you get to the beach at sunset, you will meet up with many others who are there to witness this beautiful sight. The different phases of a sunset amaze me. One mustn't take their eyes off the sun setting for a moment. It is a beautiful progression. No one sunset is ever the same.

                                                                 

Rosie

 

                                                                            

                                                                                  

 This is my dog Rosie all bundled up in the back seat of our truck. We're heading to our condo in Lake Tahoe. She doesn't like being cold and is well prepared for the change in temperature as we approach the mountains. Maybe some of you have heard about the massive amounts of snow Lake Tahoe received this year.

     

    Along with the snow came unbelievably cold temperatures. We arrived at our condo on the North Shore and decided she needed some warmer clothing for her outdoor outings. We found a cozy pet store in InclineVillage. She had her Christmas sweater on that I brought from home. We bought her a hat and shoes to keep her extra warm. She has never had shoes before and was not thrilled about wearing them.

    Rosie is a purebred Boston Terrier. She is sixteen years old and in good health. You can't see her physique, but she still has a muscular body and very active. Her little gray face and cataracts show proof of her age. We love her so.

    Here is a picture looking outside the window of our condo. We have never seen so much snow in Lake Tahoe in all the years we have been coming here (40 years). Lake Tahoe hasn't seen this much snow since 1951-1952. Tahoe has received 812 inches of snow this year. That's over 60 feet!

    This final picture is taken from inside the truck, going down our street toward town. The snow plows hadn't gotten to this road yet. How absolutely beautiful right? A true winter wonderland. The Palisades (formerly known as Squaw Valley) will be open for skiing through 4th of July this year. That's how much snow there is. We're headed back this week for a few days. Of course, Rosie is coming with.

I can't recall where I put Rosie's little snow shoes...I hope I find them, they weren't cheap!

Quiche

 

                                        

    This cookbook is a wedding gift I received from my brother and his wife thirty-six years ago. Terri knew that I was very much concerned about my lack of cooking skills and practice, so this book was very much appreciated! There is a recipe in this book that stands out in my mind. It is Quiche Lorraine on page 166. Very early in our marriage, I had a small group of women over and I made this recipe. I forget what the occasion was, but Terri was at my gathering and she raved about the Quiche Lorraine I made. She went on to make this quiche for the ladies at her church and continues to make it to this day.

    I pull this book out at every holiday. I use it now and then throughout the year too. I made my first Au Gratin potato casserole from this book. It goes so well with a really good steak! I'm planning on passing this cookbook down to my only daughter. I found a handwritten recipe from my mom in between the pages the other day. If you're looking for a dish to go with your Sunday brunch, I highly recommend this recipe:

                                                                   Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:

Pastry for 9 inch one crust pie

12 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

1 cup shredded natural Swiss cheese (4 ounces)

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

4 eggs

2 cups whipping cream

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 425*.  Prepare pastry (I use ready made Pillsbury Pie dough). Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pastry-lined plate. Beat eggs slightly;  beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into pie plate. Bake uncovered 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300*. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 

6 servings; 625 calories per serving.

A simple, yet elegant dish. 

                                                         

Poppies

                                                                   "Seven Wild Poppies"

                                                                

                                                                    Seven wild poppies,

                                                                    No others in sight,

                                                                    They catch the eyes 

                                                                    Of all who pass by.

                                                                    Like those who choose

                                                                    To be their own smaller crowd,

                                                                    Being true to themselves,

                                                                    A reason to be proud.

                              (photo I took from the sidewalk, on my way home from a hike 4/23)

Ocean

                                                                               Haiku

 

                                                                     To the sea she walked

                                                            Crashing waves, there to greet her

                                                                   It's Kona's playground.

Nosy Neighbor

 

                  

    I'm pretty sure we all have one...a nosy neighbor. My nosy neighbor is at our second home in a neighboring city. I consider it my sanctuary. It is a small cottage directly across from the beach - a humble abode with a million dollar view.  It has a nice front yard with lawn, roses, various plants and a few trees that frame our yard. It's a joy to garden there in spring and summer. All is pretty much perfect at my little Shangri-La, except for my neighbor to the left of us...

    There are no tall fences between our two properties. I have a white picket garden fence and a very narrow street between us. Facing my home is her kitchen window; which when she is not outside talking as loud as humanly possible to every passerby there is, she is at the kitchen window - watching every move me or anybody makes. She has a vegetable garden on her side yard that faces me. She tends to it a lot. I can hardly go outside without her bellowing out, "Hey Linda, haven't seen you for a while!" Her voice is SO loud too. Sometimes, I wait to go outside until she goes back into her house.

    Last year, this woman walked onto my property when I was not there and cut down my rose bush by two or three feet. She claims it was blocking her ocean view while she cooks. Are you kidding me! Of course, I complained to the HOA and she was told to not touch anything on my property again. I was so mad. I mean, who does she think she is? I jokingly said to my husband that she thinks she is the mayor of that little corner of our community. She put a sign in the street (with an underlying threatening tone) during Covid that everyone needs to have a mask on when walking down the street that divides our homes. (Almost done venting...) She would even yell at people from her front porch, who were out for their daily beach walk, that weren't wearing masks, "Hey, put a mask on!" 

   

    For the most part, I think she is harmless. She is just terribly, terribly annoying and has no boundaries. I'm a little concerned though...a tree that lines the left side of my property line, that blossoms beautiful purple flowers has suddenly died (?). A healthy tree for six years, has shriveled up and died. This is a tree she asked us to trim three years ago, and like good neighbors - we trimmed the top down, so she could have an ocean view while she is at her kitchen window. From her front porch, she has a 180 degree view of the ocean. 

    We've been doing some renovations to the house the past few months, so she'll be seeing a lot of me. And for the record, we are planting a bigger tree where my dead once purple blossoming tree is now.  When we bought the place, a quiet lovely couple lived there. Sadly, they moved and we got a new neighbor. 

    Thank you all for reading my rant of a blog. I wish her no harm, but I do wish she would keep her voice down and only use her gardening sheers on her property. As for my dead tree, with once beautiful purple blossoms...we are installing Ring cameras. 

Maui

     These are the shores of Kihei, at the southwest end of Maui. We spent a week in Kihei - summer of 2022. It was our first time renting a condo for our vacation. In the past, we stayed at the Fairmont in Wailea. We decided to try something different. I went online and searched for ocean front condos. I found Kihei Condos and liked what I saw. Two things attracted me: the condos were on the beach and I liked the price!

I couldn’t help but think of all the money we would be saving on food and drinks. It also sounded private and relaxing. Before arriving, we stopped at the grocery store, stocked the fridge, bought some snacks and drinks; we were set for the week. The picture above shows the endless shores on the beach. This made for miles of walking and reflecting. 

    We were told by some locals that we had to experience Sugar Beach bakery. We brewed some coffee and set out on foot for some sweet treats. It was an interesting and colorful place. There was a line out the door. They were only letting one customer in at a time. I’m guessing because of Covid. They didn’t accept cash, but lucky for us and our iPhone  - Apple Pay! The locals were right, the cookies were rich and delicious. There were several beautiful roosters walking about the tables in front of the shop. This was one handsome fella!

    This is our view from inside our condo. We were on the second floor. Now that is what I call a deck with a view. I’m pretty sure I took this picture in the late afternoon…palm trees, stunning ocean, ever changing hues in the sky, and always a warm gentle breeze. I love the weather in Hawaii. For that one week, I never had to worry about feeling cold. I don’t like being cold! I live on the coast in Aptos, California (Santa Cruz County). It is a beautiful place to live and I feel blessed to live here, but it does get a little chilly at times.

            How about this for a walk on a warm evening with your loved one, a friend or by yourself.  

    If you could zoom in on this picture, you would be able to see the many stars! I was in bed sleeping and woke up during the night, opened my eyes and this is what I saw. I immediately grabbed my phone. You can see the white dots, but in real time, the bright stars were dancing in the jet black sky. 

     See you in May Maui! 🌴

Laundry room/She shed

    This is my laundry room.  It is also my office and art room. My husband designed this laundry room to also serve as my creative space. It has everything I need: light, a sink, water and lots of storage for "my stuff." If you opened every door, you would find watercolor and acrylic paints, brushes, color pencils, pens of every sort, yarn, crochet hooks, a sewing machine, creative journaling supplies, drawing tablets, lettering books, zentangle books and various art teaching books. Yes, laundry supplies too. I also have a pull out drawer to the right of the dryer, that unfolds into an ironing board. This room has it all...a little work and a lot of play.  

         I usually have a cup of coffee by my side when I'm working on a project or just playing around.

        I also do a little embroidery.  I penciled a design for a kitchen towel (that's an orange embroidery ring). To the left of that is my sketch journal and water colors on top. In the corner is an older picture of my six children. If you look closely, you can see five boys and a little ballerina. 

     I know what you're thinking...that I must be a pen hoarder. I prefer to think of myself as a  pen collector. I have always been very fond of writing implements. It all started with a color crayon many, many moons ago. I enjoy portrait and sight drawing and I've also been following a few YouTubers as of recent to learn how to "journal my day." It's like a drawing diary. It's great fun. Lettering is anther one of my favorite art mediums (calligraphy type writing). Amazon is my go to for most of my art needs, but there is nothing like browsing in your local art store. It's like therapy for me!

    If you're wondering why I mentioned She Shed in my title, it's because a friend of mine who lives in Auburn, posted pictures on Instagram of her adorable She Shed her husband built for her. I fell in love with it and wanted one. I expressed my desire for a She Shed to my husband. We were about to start landscaping our back yard, so I figured the timing was perfect. I was told I wouldn't be able to have running water or electricity in the shed. That was a deal breaker for me. Since then, he refers to my office as my She Shed. 

Kitchen

     This is my new kitchen. It's a dream come true! We had this home built and moved in December of 2020. It is a fry cry from the kitchen I was cooking in prior. I loved my old kitchen too. It was very small with green cabinetry. It was definitely cozy, with little working space.  It's' interesting how "you make it work." With a large family like mine, it was a challenge. I cook a lot. A family get together is a feast. My kitchen is a place where I can love up my family; through food!

    With that being said, I am in heaven with my new kitchen. The above picture is the view as I come around the corner each morning. I enjoy being up before anyone else, which is usually the case. A quiet and peaceful morning is my favorite time of day. No complaining or grouches allowed in the a.m. I honestly greet every morning with gratitude. The challenge is to stay in the mode of feeling blessed throughout the day, because life happens. Back to my kitchen...                                                                            

     It's pretty much state of the art. I am able to connect all my appliances to wifi. I could literally pre-heat the oven while I'm at Safeway grocery shopping. That would mean I'd have to pull out the manual and read the directions of how to do that. I just haven't felt like doing that. I don't mind turning my appliances on manually and I detest the thought of adding one more app to my phone that I have to figure out how to use. It just seems unnecessary. Someday, I'll do it when I have nothing better to do (which could possibly be never).

                                   

                                                    My new air fryer from Costco - love it!

         

                                               and our newest addition...an espresso machine! 

                                            yummy lattes made in the comfort of our own home 🤎

    

    Writing this blog has given me the idea that when I am feeling consumed by a little problem or something that is not going my way ~ to step into my kitchen and remember how fortunate I am to not only have a beautiful kitchen, but that I have a roof over my head, a stocked fridge and staples in my pantry. Attitude is everything.

              I can't forget this guy who goes with me from kitchen to kitchen.  A wedding gift from my 10 year old nephew, Jon who insisted to his mom he buy my husband and I a gift for our wedding. He was the ring bearer in our wedding 38 years ago. He bought this toothpick holder at the gift shop of the Radisson Hotel in San Jose, where we got married.

Joker

 

 

    

      This is a fun sketch I did of the Joker character from one of the latest Batman movies shown in the theaters. I watched the first Batman movie that came out years ago, but never watched the following versions. They seemed too dark (literally) and unappealing.

    

    I do, however remember the Batman TV series. I can still hear the theme music in my head. It was a good after school show. Adam West played Batman, Burt Ward as Robin and the insane Cesar Romero as the Joker. He was my favorite.  He was flamboyant, crazy and funny. He took clown make-up to a new level.  

    Cesar Romero probably displayed the most acting talent of the show; although the Penguin was pretty good too. When the Joker appeared on the the television screen as the villain for that episode, I was excited and became more engaged.

    During the Batman TV episode era, I had to get up from the sofa, walk over to the TV console, turn a knob with my hands to turn on the TV and  turn another knob to change the TV to one of 13 channels. 

Those were the days... I was probably having a bowl of after school Cornflakes too.