Snap Out of It

Song - Canon guitarlele by Kyaw Moe Khaing

 

Have you ever just had one of those days?

Well, I'm having one of those weeks!

Hark

Song - Sugar Mountain by Neil Young

This was the view from our room at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite last week.  Mr. B gave me a gift of three days at the Chef's Holidays Sessions they have there annually.

On the way up there we drove through the devastation of the Rim-Fire from last summer.  It went on for as far as your eye could see and was so sad that I couldn't even snap a photo.

But once into the Valley everything was beautiful......

We arrived just in time to get settled into our room and then see our first Chef demo.  It was Parke Ulrich from the Waterbar in San Francisco who also made our Grand Finale dinner on Thursday night.  The other two chefs who did great demo's during our stay were Jimmy Bradley from The Red Cat & The Harrison in NY as well as Harold Dieterle from Perilla in NY.

But the best part of the whole trip was having Mr. B to myself and the beauty of Yosemite!

 

The clouds rolled in on Thursday night and it felt spiritual.  

I kept looking for a Tibetan monastery on the mountaintops somewhere.

 Occasionally a spit of sun would land on a spot on a mountain and highlight it for a moment.  Then just as fast as it came, it would then disappear. Then another place in the clouds would open for a second just letting your eyes feast upon one tiny miracle after another!

It was truly magical.

 

 Thursday morning we woke to snow.  Just a dusting of snow on the mountain tops and collecting on the trees.....my favorite.

 

Before heading home we stopped at the museum in the Village and visited with Julia Parker. She was busy weaving a small basket but she is always happy to pause and tell you something wonderful.

 Several summers ago, I took a basket weaving class from Julia.  From personal experience I'll tell you, it is hard work collecting the red bud or reeds, splitting them and making a nice tightly woven basket.  

 

She is a good soul.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."  - John Muir 1901 

OLW 2014

Song - The Light by The Album Leaf

During the month of December, I began to think of what my One Little Word  for 2014 might feel like and become.

I wrote down several words that might be a good fit for the upcoming year.  As the weeks passed, I was able to cross off words that I just didn't connect to at the present time.

This year's One Little Word is.....

l  i  g  h  t 

--lightness of being

--lighter possessions

--a lighter load

--enlightenment

--delight

--bathed in light

--shine my light

--my art needs light

--to become light

If you would like to join in One Little Word with Ali Edwards, here is her link.

One Little Word

"Shine like the whole universe is yours" -- Rumi

Furry things.....

Song - Hug You, Squeeze You by Stevie Ray Vaughan


We all need something cozy to enjoy at times....

Mika snuggling with her new Christmas-furry-squeeky-donkey.

Ashley snuggling with my furry hatted son, Andy.

(Mr. B said hatted is a real word)!!!

Hope you have a furry Sunday!

“We'll be Friends Forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet.

Even longer,' Pooh answered.” 

 --A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

twentyfourteen

Song - Cocktails for Two by Spike Jones & City Slickers

Wishing you a safe and happy New Year's Eve 

and a most wonderful 

2014!

  Cheers --Jeanette

Celebrate what you want to see more of. Tom Peters
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_newyears.html#2ijwqvRF8DXWHErI.99

Celebrate what you want to see more of. Tom Peters
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_newyears.html#2ijwqvRF8DXWHErI.99

"Celebrate what you want to see more of." --Tom Peters

Was Jeanette eaten by a Dinasour?

I know, I know.....I have been gone for awhile on both my personal blog and my painting blog.

I've been busy. 

Everyone seems to be busy. 

Life needs to slow down.

Can that happen???

Sing this to the tune of the 12 days of Christmas....

This month I had.....

1 dad recovering from hip surgery

2  friends in need of meals

and 3 new painting shows.

4 commissions waiting

5  deadlines  approaching

and 6 places to be to-day! 

7 new paintings drying,

8  Lemon trees freezing,

and oh yes,
many days of no-oh-oh rain.

10 Christmas lists,

11 Amazon drop offs,

and 12 places to be at once!

After wrapping 46 gifts today, I will be ready to put my feet up.  How about you?

Enjoy this holiday season, for no matter whether you got every ornament on your Christmas tree or the perfect Carrot Pudding made this year, or the dust bunnies from under your bed, it truly is about more important things.  And you are one of them.  Family and friends!!

Enjoy 2014...

xoxx - Jeanette

The Dinner Party

Just a quick note to let you know about this group of incredible young people who are trying to deal with the loss of a loved one....in a different way.

Please spent 30 seconds and watch this -

The Dinner Party

 

 

"Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain." - Anonymous, more recently attributed to Vivian Greene

Gobble Gobble Ugh

I Ate Too Much Turkey

by Jack Prelutsky

I ate too much turkey,
I ate too much corn,
I ate too much pudding and pie,
I'm stuffed up with muffins
and much too much stuffin',
I'm probably going to die.

I piled up my plate
and I ate and I ate,
but I wish I had known when to stop,
for I'm so crammed with yams,
sauces, gravies, and jams
that my buttons are starting to pop.

I'm full of tomatoes
and french fried potatoes,
my stomach is swollen and sore,
but there's still some dessert,
so I guess it won't hurt
if I eat just a little bit more.

Every Thanksgiving, I think of my youngest son, Tyler reciting this poem for us in 1st or 2nd grade. So I hear it in my head with his little boy sing-song voice & lisp.  

This year all of our boys came home for Turkey Day and I have to say that it warmed my heart.  They all contribute towards helping to cook the meal.  I am very grateful for that!!!

Andy and his sweetie pie, Ashley made Sweet Potato's and a very yummy dessert that tasted like S'mores. Unfortunately I did not get photo's of either because I was a little busy being "the hostess".  But trust me, they know how to cook!

Jon made an incredible platter of fresh green beans with bacon............cooked to perfection!

Tyler added to the feast with two delicious bowls of fresh Cranberry Sauce with Orange zest.  I am going to try to get the recipe from him but I think he just made it up.....

But the most amazing man in the kitchen is Mr. B who cooked a "regular" turkey and he BBQ'd a Wild Turkey that Andy had shot several months ago.  The two guys dry brined both Turkey's on Sunday night and then on Wednesday night they washed off the brine and let them dry in the refrigerator uncovered overnight.  I was a little hesitant to try the wild turkey because I thought it would be "gamey" but it was just delicious. 

Did you know that wild turkeys only have dark meat?  


You may use that fact next time you play Jeopardy!  


Both turkeys were moist and delicious.

 Mr. B also made delectable dressing and got a little help with the gravy from Grandma Betty. 

 I made Rustic mashed potatoes, appetizers, Grandma Sophie's Jello Salad (it's a tradition) and all of the little extra sides.

My favorite part of the preparations is setting the table.  I think it's because I get to use my creative side and I love my linens, silverware & dishes.

 I put Post-It notes on all of the bowls, platters and silverware so when Thanksgiving chaos ensues, I can kinda keep it together.

 

Ashley's mom, Melinda joined in the fun and brought an amazing green salad with a whole platter of goodies to add, like broccoli, cheese, nuts, etc.  She also brought along her beautiful smile and upbeat attitude.  I just love someone ooohhing and aaahhhing over the food and table setting.

At the end of the meal, Ashley shared some stories that her Kindergarten students wrote about their own Thanksgiving meals.  So precious.  Like how Turkeys cook for 5 minutes and then they are done, but cookies get crumbled on top.  Huh?

When we went into the living room to relax. Tyler and Andy treated us with some spontaneous music......if you can call "Chopsticks" music?

 

Right now while I am sitting at the computer, writing this blog, Mr. B is in the kitchen finishing up the dishes from last night!  

I think he is a keeper!!!

I am thankful for my sweetie pie.....

 "Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare.  They are consumed in twelve minutes.  Half-times take twelve minutes.  This is not a coincidence."  -- Erma Bombeck

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.
Erma Bombeck
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_thanksgiving.html#6bUo9sfdZYWxb47f.99

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.
Erma Bombeck
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_thanksgiving.html#6bUo9sfdZYWxb47f.99

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.
Erma Bombeck
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_thanksgiving.html#6bUo9sfdZYWxb47f.99

 

  

Celebrating in Santa Cruz

Song -  Happy Birthday by the Beatles

My best friend, Jill and I headed to Santa Cruz this last weekend to celebrate her birthday (and it was a biggie too!) But that's all I'm saying.....my lips are sealed!

In our younger years.....

On Saturday morning we headed to my parents cabin in the beautiful Redwood forest about 5 min. North of Santa Cruz.

We unpacked the car and headed out for lunch and to watch the surfers at Steamer Lane.

 There were an awful lot of birds, especially Pelican's flying East in formation.

 They kept flying overhead constantly.  Thousands of them.

Then we were off to Natural Bridges State Park to hopefully see the Monarch Butterflies.

From October through March they rest in the Eucalyptus trees at the park.

At first we just saw a few.

They were happily sunning themselves before they rested for the winter (after all some of them had flown all of the way from Canada!).

There is a wooden walkway that takes you through the forest and towards the Monarch resting area where there is a large deck where you can lay down and watch these beautiful creatures gently float and flutter above.

You try to see where they are landing in the trees.

But when you look around all you see is some dead brown clusters of leaves.

And they move a little and you wonder, is it really bunches of brown leaves......

Actually they are Monarch butterflies hanging together for protection and warmth.

I just wish I could transport you there, it was so amazing, beautiful and relaxing.

And quiet too because we all had on our Butterfly Voices!!!

Jill and I then headed to the mountains for some wine tasting.  In Soquel we went to Bargetto's Winery where she is a club member.  There was a beautiful little creek running by the property and the Pistache tree's were all changing color in the warm fall air.

Thought about getting this one for someone near & dear to my heart.....

We headed into the mountains to do some tasting at Nicholson Winery that is located on the side of a sunny hill filled with grape vines changing color overlooking the ocean.

We sat outside and visited with the owners, the people working there and some of their next door neighbors.   But soon it was time to head home to the cabin & make some dinner.

I had brought down some Tortilla Soup which I had made last week.  We lit a fire, sipped some wine, ate some soup and played Canasta until 2 am!  Yipes!  But it was actually Daylight Savings by then so we REALLY only stayed up until 1.....doesn't that feel better?

On Sunday morning, we headed to Gayle's Bakery in Capitola.  All I can say is YUMM-O.

Try not to drool.....

Jill's sundried tomato Frittata

Jill's semi-heart shaped Latte

My quiche.....

Oh....my, I'm getting ready to go back to Gayle's....soon....maybe tomorow....or tonight!

MMMM...mmmm...so good!

After all of that food we needed a long, long walk.  We headed over to Aptos and walked and walked and walked our little boodies off.  Then Jill took a "power nap" while I meditated and took in some wave action.

Still more and more birds......it was beginning to feel like the Hitchcock movie "The Birds"!

They were up in the sky.....

They were down low to the ground.....

They were in the water......everywhere!!!!

Later on at the cabin, I read that it's the Monterey Bay Pacific Flyway this time of year!

So much for Alfred Hitchcock & Tippi Hedren.

Back to the cabin for a doggie walk and a visit on the deck and figuring out where we were heading for dinner.  And Laili's in downtown Santa Cruz was just the ticket, with wonderful Mediterranean flavors.

But we ate our meal with so much love that I totally forgot to take some photo's.  Next time, I promise.

It was a Lamb shank & Chicken Kabobs......Cilantro Cesare Salad & the Mediterranean Appetizer Platter.  Mika got the lamb bone and she thought she had gone to doggie heaven.

It was a mighty good weekend.

Coming and going.

Happy Birthday dear friend.

The END.




"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."  ~Rabindranath Tagore