Turnaround Trip

This weekend we committed to a turnaround trip to the Bay Area for a memorial service.
There was never a question if we would go.  And now that the trip is behind us we are so
glad that we made the effort.

I am so fortunate to have childhood friends.  Friends that know everything about me and still
love me.  These special friends are in my heart always and there isn't anything we won't do for them.

The blessing of the weekend was the ability to support a very special childhood friend, visit with best friends and my brother.  Sometimes the only cure for being homesick is to go home.

Here is Holly running on the same church steps that I played on as a child.


This is the front door of the Mill Rose, the bed and breakfast across
from the house I grew up in on Mill Street.

 A garden bed.

The garden gate to the garden at San Benito House.

Where we drowned our sorrows.

We walked around town.  Small town living is my favorite.

Solana Beach

Our very first visit to the Mermaid's Mercantile.
315 S. Cedros Avenue
Solana Beach


Definitely an avenue we have to return to in the near future.

My soul was famished.  Maybe it is the state of our economy and
the consistent telling ourselves to be thankful.  At the end of each day
after we have given thanks we have to also have a bit of food for the soul.

Maybe even a morsel for our taste buds.  Tomorrow I will share the images
from the nursery across the street.  We didn't do any further exploring
but the avenue is full of interesting nooks and crannies.

These cupcakes are some of the best I have ever had.

Teaching Your Kids to Love what You Love

We do everything as a family.  Kids grow up fast.  When I was 16 someone told me that 20 years is just a blink of an eye and that is so true.  Thirty years have gone by.  Since this is my second time around, I am keenly aware of the fleeting joys that I should not miss.

Even with this understanding, nothing has been normal around here lately.  Our Easter decorations aren't up and our weekends have been amazingly light. We miss our jam packed weekends and road trips and in a flash will made it right.  Yesterday was just the beginning.  First stop, monster pepper and tomato sale at the Fullerton Arboretum, on to the Glitterfest, with a last stop at Claros Italian market.  Swoon.

I have been a friend of Fullerton Arboretum for probably twenty years and while the facilities have improved the simple joy is the same.   Mark attended science classes in second grade as a home schooled kid.  Now, Jacob as a second grader, looks forward to purchasing succulents and cactus.  Holly has her own favorites mostly flowers.  

My mother and father both had green thumbs.  My father grew vegetables mostly out of necessity but my mother continued to grow both vegetables and flowers for pleasure.  Nothing tastes better.  Heirloom varieties of both vegetables and flowers are my favorites.  Everyone knows vine picked tomatoes taste better but have you ever given any thought to the amazing variety and taste of lettuce from the garden.  Keeping the growing tradition alive is so important.  This weekend we gently encouraged the love of growing.  All the peppers were gone but  the variety of tomatoes was encouraging.

Jacob's favorites.



Pineapple tomatillos, these bring such delightful childhood memories to mind. I love the thought of having Holly eat cherry tomatoes and pineapple tomatillo/cape gooseberries
warm from the vine just like I used to.

It's important that our children be exposed to creative endeavors.

And really good food.

Claros has so many yummy foods.

Pumpkin Cottage's Front Porch

Some days are rougher than others.  Photo taken with Lee's Droid Incredible
Retro camera application.  Lee says they couldn't call it incredible if it wasn't.

Susan Branch

Visiting with Susan Branch.  A great time was had by all last night.  Susan's books taught me to enjoy being a homemaker and a mom to two darling boys that are men now.  Susan's books helped me through a painful divorce. I still relish each of her books but my favorite is Girlfriends Forever.  The hobbies my mother and sisters taught me blossomed with Susan's words of wisdom.

If you ever get a chance to hear Susan speak...go listen and bond with other women.  I promise you will not be sorry.     

Things to be Happy About

Yikes. I have been such a bad bloggy friend.  We have been working so hard...Holly said today.."Was this our weekend?  We didn't go any where."  So sad.  Jacob and Holly did swim on Saturday but in reality I had so much homework and Lee was cleaning the carpet.  So much needed cleaning.

Here's a little photo of pure joy.

Sigh.  You have to think of this.
Things to be Happy About.  

Simple Joys

Our cardigan welsh corgi, Waffle, will turn 17 years old in June.  We understand that our time is fleeting and that we should enjoy her.  Her vet said let her have what she wants.  Let her smoke and eat steak if she desires.  It's the advise we give people so why not our most loyal companions.   I don't like to consider the inevitability so instead I consider the things I like.

Spring is in the air. Magazines are among my favorites things.

Golden Girl purses and books.

And the towels I spied on Cherry Hill Cottage around Valentine's Day
were finally located at a local Super Wallymart.
Texas must be ahead of California.