Bleat, Yum, Splash, Slurp and Ahhhh.....

Song - You Hit the Wrong Note Billy Goat by Bill Haley and the Comets

 Last Friday, Mr. B and I headed down Hwy. 1 along the California coast to visit Harley Goat Farm on our way to Santa Cruz for Easter weekend.

 Their link is here - Harley Goat Farm

 Yes.....there were lots of baby goats running around and lot's of delicious cheese and body products in their shop. We came home with a few fine goat cheeses'. 

The adult goats are in the photo above and below are the baby goats that are 6 weeks old and being weaned from their parents.

 We drove through fingers of fog......

 

....then out into sunshine again....and back again to heavy fog.

We arrived at the cabin to beautiful sunshine and sat on the deck and relaxed.

For dinner on Friday night we went to Soif (which is French for "thirst") in downtown Santa Cruz where we have eaten several times before. It's a cozy little bistro type restaurant that always has an interesting menu and atmosphere.

We shared a cheese course that had Kikorangi (Blue Cheese-cow) from New Zealand,  Brillat Savarin (Brie-cow) from Lyon, France (yummmmm, yummy, yummy, yum),  Pata Cabra (Chevre-goat) from Spain,  Cabot Clothbound Cheddar (pale yellow cheddar-cow) from Vermont, Manchego El Trigal (sheep) from Spain as well as quince paste, grapes, almonds and toast. Our portions were at lease four times this size but I was so excited that I forgot to take a photo.....

We each had a couple of glasses of wine - Mr. B had Syrah from Northern Rhone which he really liked and I had a Pere et Fils Remoissenet Bourgogne Blanc which was fabulous. We both ordered amazing entrees but once again they were gone before I thought to photograph them.  So now you will just have to go to Soif yourself and try something on their delightful menu!

Saturday morning was sunny and Andy & Ashley came to visit and stay overnight. 

We stopped by our very favorite bakery in Capitola to pick up some breakfast on our way to the beach - Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria! 

We picked up a bag of savory and sweet treats to-go and headed to Aptos Beach.

 We plopped on a log while looking at this view of the bay and dined with great joy!

We took a nice long walk along the shore and enjoyed dodging the waves as they rolled in.

 Saturday night we had an early Easter dinner as the kids had to head home in the morning to take care of some things. 

It was so nice to spend time together.

Easter morning we had breakfast and our guests took off for home.  Mr. B and I drove up to the lighthouse and watched the surfers for a while.  

The ocean was quiet but a few small waves rolled in but it looked more like

beginners-Easter-break-surfers out there.

Mr. B fixed a door in the cabin that needed attention 

and I planted a flat of white Impatiens in the garden.

In the afternoon our second set of guests arrived - our middle son Jon, his girlfriend Jacque and their puppy Chewy.  We had a lovely visit and late lunch together.

Mr. B and I stayed until Monday at noon as it was another beautiful day and difficult to return home but we will be back!

"You can't stop the waves but you can learn to surf. "

-- Jon Kabat-Zinn

The Mountains Are Calling

In the mountains of Tahoe, I am at my second home.  My grandparents, father & uncles built a little cabin here in the late 1950’s on Forest Service land at the base of Mt. Tallac.  For me it’s my heart & souls place to reconnect with nature and myself. 

Over the weekend all three of our sons and their wives or girlfriends came up to join us. My heart was full seeing them share their boyhood memories with their significant others. 

On Saturday we spent the day at the beach and then had dinner at the cabin. Sunday we drove to Angora Lake were they rented a boat and rowed around the little Alpine lake.   We had planned to go out to dinner but the traffic around the lake was so bad that I made a big bowl of Pasta Salad & we enjoyed another evening at the cabin visiting & playing Canasta!  Everyone took off early on Monday so Mr. B & I have been relaxing. 

TBT with Great Grandma Mary

Song - Choppin Wood by Van Morrison

Maria Bernadina Clauser Gembrini

There she is in 1961.....my Great Grandmother at 76 years of age and she is showing my brother David (standing) and my cousin Billy how to split firewood.  I love how she has a wedge and a maul as well as an apron on because she was probably cooking up some trout for dinner and saw the boys out of the window.  She was a tough ol' gal and lived to be 98.

Note from Grandma Sophie (Mary's daughter & my grandmother) on the back of the photo.

 My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were all still building the cabin in Tahoe at the time.  We used a big pot belly stove for heat as well as cooking so we needed plenty of firewood. We also had a washer with a ringer on top and the clothes would dry on a line between the trees.

Oh the fun we had up there in Tahoe!

"Behind every great man is a woman 

rolling her eyes." - Jim Carrey

May Girls Trip

Song - "These Are The Days" by Van Morrison

For the last ten years five women and myself go on a weekend trip together.  Since this was our 10th Anniversary, we decided to spend 4 days in Lake Tahoe.

Our cabin was far enough away from towns and roads that we only heard the sound of Tahoe lapping gently against the shore and an occasional breeze through the trees.


We had a pier and a white sand beach!



We were very close to heaven!

You can see the "cabin" peeking out from the pines.

Zen rocks were all around.

Snow was on the mountains around us but it was sunny and warm on the beach - I came home looking somewhat like a lobster!

We read, relaxed, painted, took photo's, did needlework, laughed, ate some great food, walked, shared stories, slept in cozy beds, played games, meditated, breathed in the mountain air and enjoyed each others company as well as some solitary time.

At times there may have been some dancing and singing going on......but my lips are sealed!

Barn Swallow with beautiful colors

We did some bird watching.....

Do I spot a white head?

Yep.....a Bald Eagle flew over the lake looking for dinner!

Nothing like enjoying a hot tub with this view!

Every morning I enjoyed the sunrise from my bed.....

Will we go back to this little spot of paradise?  I don't think we can wait until next year! Love all of these wild women!

"Each person's perspective contains a pearl of wisdom, but this only becomes apparent when you string them all together."
--Thanks for being part of the necklace of my life. – Joanne Taeuffer

Paradise

Song - Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel

 We spent the weekend in Santa Cruz.....

Mr. B & Andy built a gate on the cabin deck for our doggies and kiddies!  Looks great!

Then the carrot was going wine tasting in the afternoon.

Saturday we went to Windy Hill (Windy Oak) and Nicholson.  Both were great!

Then we returned to the cabin for a BBQ.  

Amazingly we stayed up and visited on the deck until after midnight.  

Such a warm weekend!

Very relaxing after a long day of work and a late lunch at Gayle's Bakery in Capitola!

On Sunday morning, I painted, Ashley studied and the guys finished up the gate.

It was a great weekend!

"What wine goes with Capitan Crunch?" - George Carlin

Back in Paradise

For those of you that know me well, my home away from home is Lake Tahoe.  It is were I go to relax and rejuvenate!  It is a magical place for me and I dream about this special place weekly.

Upon arrival, I am greeted by a sweet little bear.  Must be the "year of the bear" for me!


Driving up the Forest Service road to the cabin, I delight in seeing this sign.

Because that is what I feel like when I am in the mountains!

And right next to the sign I see 8-10 rocks piled in a Zen like formation.

Perfect.

I unload the car and get the cabin all set up then head to the beach.  Still some snow on Mt. Tallac.

At the local bulletin board I check the annual bear sighting report.  There is one in the area....mmmm....

Glad Mr. B is joining me tonight!

There is a momma bird sitting on her nest right next to the deck.  Yesterday I was painting in that corner of the deck and she kept her eye on me the whole time.  Today I will set up farther away so as not to make her too anxious.

Mika likes to lay in the cool shady wildflowers and watch me paint.

Mr. B and I headed to the beach at stateline for breakfast yesterday and this was our view.

I'm in love....again!

Hot Summer Nights

 Heatwave by Martha & The Vandella's

My dad at the Boardwalk beach a few years ago!

Just returned from 3 days in Santa Cruz with Mr. B, Andy & Ashley and Max. 

Mika got to stay with Grandma & Grandpa and get spoiled for a few days. 

It has been so hot here in California that the hills are brittle and brown while the trees are begin to show signs of distress. Everyone and everything is "crisping up" - is that a word?

However, Santa Cruz was beautiful up in the Redwood forest.

Our first night there we dined out on the Wharf.  For the life of me I could not get a good photo of the Boardwalk with all of rides whizzing by in full color.  (I think I had better read my camera manual!)

Is it plumb Mr. B.?

The guys worked on the cabin deck.  This has been a real team effort as everyone goes down to work as they find the time. Notice how Mr. B supervises while Andy is "in the trenches"???

Ashley and I fed the guys and worked on individual projects inside as it was warm even there. However, late one afternoon she took me for a joyride in my parents golf cart.  I didn't know golf carts could go so fast!!!

Just kidding, she was an excellent driver and we enjoyed taking a tour of the park with Max sitting between us.

Max supervised the guys work from inside the cabin and he made sure that Ashley & I were safe from big dogs that would walk by.


On Saturday evening we played a wild game of shuffleboard.  We were not too sure of the correct rules but Andy & I are sure that we skunked Mr. B & Ashley!!!

Huveros Rancheros casserole with a poached egg on top

This morning the guys did some work and then the four of us went to Gayle's Bakery in Capitola for Brunch.  Yum-oooh.


If you have never been there, it's a great spot for some wonderful food, casual dining or getting something to go and heading to the beach for a picnic! 

Always a hit with my boys - Fresh Fruit Tartlettes

Cute "broken plate" tables at Gayles

One question for my brother Tim.....what's up with this addition? You used 45 screws for a temporary little step?  Mmmmm......I had better check the receipt book for the cost of that item!

Mr. B checking out the decks progress....

Looks plumb to me!

 Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.  ~Melody Beattie