Living in the Wine Country

St. Francis Wine Tasting

2010-09-04T18:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I take for granted the beautiful area I live in...then I get reminded when I take a step back and look at this beautiful photo of St. Francis winery. A friend of mine, Susan, belongs to the wine club here at St. Francis. Besides the great wines they offer, they also offer wine and food parings which we signed up for immediately! Why not?? After signing in that we have arrived, we were directed to the back patio which overlooked the gorgeous vineyard and enjoyed a great glass of Sauvignon Blanc.After a full day of shopping, what a better way to relax than to have a great glass of wine outdoors and RELAX! Next, we were guided into a building off to the side of the main tasting room into the dining room. I could not believe of open and huge the dining area was. Glass doors surrounded the room with a great fireplace as a focal point.

I was amazed at the size of the dining room table! The table seated 12! Susan and I lucked out because we were the ONLY peeps tasting and paring at the allotted time slot. How cool is that! Needless to say, we were blown away having the entire room to ourselves and to be served!

Our wine and food paring menu was brought out for our reference during the dining. The parings were going to be 4 wines with 4 parings. We could not wait to begin, and after a complimentary glass of Sauvignon Blanc, we were ready!

First paring was a Wild Oak, Sonoma County Chardonnay paired with house cured salmon, braised English peas, Yukon gold potatoes, English pea puree, with lemon beurre monte.

Second course was McCoy Vineyard, Sonoma County Cabernet Franc paired with royal trumpet, shiitake mushroom & fava bean ragout. Served with caramelized cipollini onion, pecorino romano, romesco sauce and balsamic syrup. The mushrooms were so tasty in this dish!

Next was a Sonoma County, Wild Oak Syrah paired with soy and Syrah braised pork cheeks. Yes, pork cheeks. I thought that cheeks was a choice better that butt, however, I was corrected and it is really cheeks! The cheeks was served with smoked Gouda polenta, shaved red cabbage and braising jus. Oh my.....this was sooooooooooo good!

Last but not least was a Dry Creek Valley Petite Syrah paired with roasted marquez meatball with sauteed ratatouille, couscous, kalamata olive vinaigrette and sweet basil puree. Very nice pairing with the wine!

Wow, such great wines and great food. The serves also offered another tasting of a Sonoma County Cabernet which was very good! By this time, we had more that our share of wine!

Best part was when we received out tab-$0. Loved it~ great wines, great food, service to a T, and no money owed! One of the benefits of being a wine club member.

Just when we thought we were done.....our cute server brought out a decadent dessert and port! I wasn't sure I could consume any more wine at this point but managed. Chocolate, who could turn that down? Delicious chocolate cake with whip cream, chocolate sauce and marinated dark cherries! The port was a great compliment to the dessert.

This photo of Susan explains it all~ We ventured outside of the dining room to the back patio overlooking the Sonoma mountains and sobering up, while others napped!

What a great experience and an excellent way to end the day~

2nd Day of Spring

2010-03-21T18:33:00.000-07:00

SPRING has SPRUNG! I love having the days longer and sings of spring all around me.

I love having these daisies right by my front steps to the house. They are so cheery and a nice sight walking up to the house.

The color is amazing on the Camila shrub. So beautiful!

I have never seen my Alyssum's so happy before!

I can not wait for my rose bushes to open. I have so many buds just waiting......
even my mini is ready to bloom!

My Iris's are almost ready to open, another couple of days.

Amazing colors this spring, everything is so vibrant.

It is so nice to walk around outside, get fresh air, relax and see the beautiful signs of SPRING in the AIR!!!

A day with Allesandra

2009-12-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

I was blessed to spend the day with niece Allesandra! What a fun day. Rainy and stormy outside made it a perfect day to spend with loved ones. My brother Jeff brought his daughter over for a visit. I have a balance ball in my bedroom that has now become my nieces' favorite toy! The ball is larger than she is tall. It is so funny to watch her try to maneuver the ball around.

Besides playing bouncy ball on the bed, balance ball, we also decided to use it as a pillow on the bed while we tried to push buttons on the remote to make the TV work. Allesandra was in search of Dora the Explorer!

Allesandra never leaves the house without her purple back pack to load her favorite toys and snacks in. Her latest thing she is into is FAIRIES!

So Allesandra and her Dad were playing fairies at the kitchen table! That is a first for me to see my brother flying fairies around. It was cute and funny at the same time. During play time Allesandra wanted "Juicy". I gave her some apple juice and it was so cute because she called it "apple sauce juicy".

Then Jeff thought it would good for Jaguar, Alle's stuffed animal to meet Milo my cat.

Angel

Allesandra wanted to share her fairies with Milo. He was nice enough to sniff them but wasn't interested in playing.

As you can tell, he went to hide. Well, sort of.....

Allesandra fits under the table being she is only 2.5 years! Perfect play area. She insisted Milo play with the fairies!

***HUGS***

***MORE HUGS***

~Family Love~

Christmas Card Making

2009-12-07T18:38:00.001-08:00

A perfect Sunday~weather is chilly, rain is moving in and Christmas cards need to be made. I pulled out my supplies and and was ready to be crafty. Almost..............
First things first. I walked over to Starbucks to get a Cost-a-latte to keep me warm and fuzzy while making my cards. A Gingerbread Latte with Whip Cream. Perfect.

Oh and second, I would need my assistant a.k.a Supervisor Tule. Somehow he managed to stay put on the top of the chair even as I moved around in it. My worst fear was for him to put is claws out and scratch my head as he tried to keep his balance. I lucked out and no cat mishaps.

This year I decided to be simple in my card making. Maybe because I was lazy about the details this year or just wanted the task to be done in one day. Not sure, but they still are cute and handmade.

I got up for a nano second and up jumped Milo! And of course he happened to be in a playful mood. PURR-fect timing! There went my organized work space filled with a large feline and my embellishments looked like 52 card pick up!

BAD KITTY!!! NO MILO, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See what happens to bad kitties~Sticky BUTT!

What did I do?? I am angel kitty, MOM!

Luckily I was almost done with most of my cards before my cat managed to mess my entire workspace up! Starved so I am off to make Crab Bisque from the New England Soup Factory Cookbook that my Aunt Nancy www.homeatacorncottage.blogspot.com was kind enough to rummage up a copy for me.

Yumm...dinner is ready. Crab Bisque with Havarti and dill.....

What a day!

CelebratetheSeason

2009-12-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

Loving this time of year! I am one of those people who can not wait to "Celebrate the Season." I had it all planned out the day after Thanksgiving to have the outside Christmas lights hung, all the fall decor packed away and my Christmas totes of goodies stacked in the living room. Here is my mantle this year. I have been enjoying turning on the twinkle lights every night at 5PM sharp! Every year I decorate my mantle a little different. It is fun to be able to switch out my decor each year.

I can't forget the stockings for the kittens! They would be very disappointed~

I love Stars! This year my tree is decorated with stars, hearts and snowflakes.

I also enjoy my flame less candles every night too! They are on timers and come on every night at 5 and off at 10PM. It is great, I no longer have to worry about the cats tails catching on fire!!

Did I mention I like stars??

I saw this candle holder on year and liked it a lot. But now that I am seeing here in the photo, it makes me wonder why is the candle on the tree top?? Kind of weird....

These are my cute little Christmas birds that I purchased in Kansas of all places! Lol... I was visiting my Auntie and had to bring them home. Can't wait for my mini Christmas cactus to bloom.

This cactus just started blooming and I love it this time of year to see the beautiful blooms! Not to mention my cute squirrel salt and pepper shakers.

Hope you all enjoy your holiday and "Celebrate the Season"!!!!

Apple Crumb Pie

2009-09-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Let me start out by saying, I am so glad it is a 3 day weekend!! Today after work, I indulged in Thai take out. Next I found myself asleep on the couch watching the Food Network. When I woke up, I had this horrid craving for Apple Crumb Pie. I was got up and decided to go buy an Apple Crumb Pie, why because it would be quicker and easier. Let me say this, I went to 3 markets in search of and came up with the zero, zilch, nada. This led me to turn to this recipe. This cute recipe was given to me by my Aunt Nancy, a.k.a, ANT, ANT-ie, Aunt Fane! This recipe is so simple and yet sooooo good. I was just in the dilemma of wanting now and not having to go through the time to make one although I knew it would be BETTER than store bought. Here is my assistant, a.k.a. supervisor of the kitchen to help me make my apple crumb pie! I did make a small alteration to this already perfect recipe. One thing was I used a little less sugar because the Gravenstein apples I used were already super sweet. The second thing I changed was I added a generous handful of walnuts to the crumb topping recipe. I was hoping to add pecans but realized I was out. Perfectly baked!

OK, now have you ever tried Haagan-Dazs five ice cream? IF not, it is a must. They don't make more than a handful of flavors BUT the vanilla bean is heaven!!!! Made of only 5 ingredients.

Finally, the pie is ready now that it is accompanied by the ice cream! Well worth the work of making your own pie. Now I have left overs for the next few day! Enjoy~

Pizza Night

2009-09-02T18:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to eat-PIZZA ! Tonight's variation was just from what I had on hand at home and sounded good. On my way home from work, I stopped at my favorite grocery store-Trader Joe's. I picked up the fresh pre-made whole wheat pizza dough in the cooler section. Yes, I said whole wheat. Don't knock it until you try it! Got to be somewhat healthy...right? In a small skillet I chopped onion, zucchini, and red bell pepper in EVOO. Then added in one clove of minced fresh garlic and a nice portion of cubed pancetta and finished cooking until the veggies were al dente. Meanwhile, after letting the pizza dough rise, I attempted to roll it out into a circle. Still need more practice with that! For my sauce, I always use tomato paste. I just love the tangy taste it gives to the pizza. I do season that with a little salt and Italian seasoning. Next I sprinkle an overly generous amount of shredded mozzarella. More the better, LOVE cheese! Then I distribute the cooked veggies evenly, add sliced kalamata olives and dabs of ricotta cheese. Then yes, I topped the pizza with a little sprinkle of MORE cheese.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Yummmy!

And don't forget the vino! Chardonnay was my choice tonight due to our HOT weather. Was debating even making pizza for dinner tonight because it is a hot day and didn't want to turn the oven on but it was WAY worth it!

Cannellini Salad

2009-08-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, so since I am single and I eat simple when cooking for one, here is one of my favorites. Cannellini Salad. There are several different variations of this salad that I make or swap out the beans for another, like chick peas. Start with a can of Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) and drain them well. I usually drain and rinse mine in a strainer to remove the starchy liquid.

Next I add a can of artichoke hearts which are already halved. I slice them in half again, so now they are quartered. These ones are packed in water but will often use the marinated artichoke hearts.

Then one of my favorites-OLIVES! Today I used Kalamata, but feel free to swap these with your favorite or black is always a good choice.

Mmmm, then I add fresh mozzarella. Ciliegine! I love these from Trader Joe's because they are small and round. I usually slice them in half so they are more bite size.

Next is to dice up a fresh tomato like this beauty below. This tomato was grown by my good friend James. I better get some gardening tips from him so my tomatoes will look like this next year!

Today I choose to add some basil I was growing. Usually I use fresh flat leaf parsley but didn't have any on had so basil was the winner. After washing the leaves, I gently stack the leaves together. Then roll them up into a tight little wrap and slice thinly.

Lastly is to season with Salt & Pepper and drizzle generously with EVOO. As an alternative you can use a good quality Italian dressing or your own favorite vinaigrette. The possibilities are endless. I think that is why I like to cook more than bake! Baking is precise measuring and not too much flexibility with the ingredients. With cooking, you rarely need to follow a recipe to a T!

Gently toss all ingredients together. Then grab a cute little bowl to enjoy your salad in!

Enjoy!

A Lazy Milo Sunday

2009-07-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

As I am being productive in the office organizing "things" and filing bills and other paperwork, I took a break to get a beverage. In passing the living room I look over and see my kitten taking the day off. Like he doesn't have any other day off. This picture unfortunately shows the lovely size of his fuzzy wuzzy lean belly! I can just hear him now-"do you mind?" What are you looking at?.....

Stretch.......

Ricotta Pancakes

2009-06-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

Sunday breakfast was HEAVEN! Homemade ricotta pancakes topped with fresh berries, pure maple syrup and a side of bacon! OMG, these pancakes are so light and fluffy and lightly crisped on the edges because they are cooked in butter. One good thing is that they are mainly protein with only a little flour so they are not a heavy carbohydrate for breakfast. Highly recommend trying these. I think the recipe also allows for variations or different flavors or zests added to the batter. Enjoy!

Ricotta Pancakes

1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 pinch salt

3 eggs, separated

2/3 c. milk

1/2 lb. ricotta

Blend above ingredients until well combined and smooth batter excluding the egg whites. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gently fold in whipped egg whites into batter. Pour batter a ladle at a time into a buttered skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Serve with fresh berries and/or pure maple syrup.

~Enjoy~

~Lemon Curd with Blueberries~

2009-06-06T21:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick dessert that has huge flavors going on. My mother~Barb~is visiting and made home made lemon curd with Meyer lemons which is sooooo yummy. We served the lemon curd over pound cake and topped it with fresh blueberries! Simple and yummy!

Mmmmmm........

Look at that smile.......must be good!!

Lemon Curd

from Ina Garden

3 lemons

1 1/2 c sugar

1/4 lb butter

4 eggs

1/2 c lemon juice (3-4 lemons)

1/8 tsp salt

Zest 3 lemons and place in food processor with the sugar and pulse until finely minced.

Cream the butter and add in the lemon & sugar mixture.

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.

Then add in the lemon juice and salt.

Mix until combined.

Pour mixture into a sauce pot and stir constantly until thickened over low heat.

Remove from heat and refrigerate until chilled.

Garden Before & After

2009-05-30T20:39:00.001-07:00

Thought I would give a quick update on the progress of my garden this year. Here is the before of my heirloom tomatoes. They sure did take a while to start growing this year. Here they are now. I am much more relaxed to see the plants growing now. Can't wait to see the first sight of an actual tomato!

Below is the before picture of my garden box. Exciting huh?

And now!....I have a ton of spring lettuce mix growing, radishes that look like they inhaled miracle grow and baby carrots starting.

Now I know why they say zucchini plants grow like weeds. They do! I was amazed by the size of the leaves on my plant this year. They are like elephant ears!

Radishes!

2009-05-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Look at the size of these radishes! Couldn't believe how large they grew this year. Here they are with hair cuts and all washed up looking good!

Apparently, Milo kitten also thought they were looking good! He also thought NOBODY was watching.

I didn't do it!!! Caught in action but got the "who me" look!

Yeah you! Bad kitten......

Cute Photo

2009-05-23T21:19:00.000-07:00

I thought this photo was so cute. This is kitten Tule who must always be in the window! I just love this photo because look at the size of the rose and look at the size of Tule's face. The rose is huge! Beautiful rose and cute kitten! Tule and I are good communicators. We talk to one another all the time. I have learned to speak his language after much practice but don't know what it means and Tule seems to understand my language but can't speak it. It all works out in the end!

Mac n Cheese

2009-05-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

My love for Mac n cheese is like a major food group to me. Here is a variation I tried today for lunch. First I used a multi-grain pasta to help add in extra fiber and nutrition as I am trying to ween off regular pasta. I sauteed finely minced yellow onion, sweet baby red peppers in EVOO. Then I added sliced white mushrooms and fresh spinach with a smidgen of S&P and shake of red pepper flakes for a little kick. Then I added in rotisserie chicken for protein. For the cheese sauce, I used 2 T butter, 2 T flour and whisked in 1 cup of milk and brought to a low boil. I then added in grated Parmesan cheese, a handful of crumbled goat cheese and 2 handfuls of finely grated Monterrey jack/cheddar blend. Then I simply combined all the ingredients. I was debating transferring the Mac n cheese to a dish and adding a crumb topping and baking but my stomach did not have the patience. Very yummy.....

Blessings

2009-05-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

I feel very blessed to have many friends and family members prayers for my father. He recently went under a life altering surgery which was successful! Having the support of many has helped during this ruff time. My father is a trooper and I very glad to have still have him in my life! Here he is enjoying his favorite beverage-Red Rose hot tea sweetened with honey and splashed with soy milk.

Yard Work

2009-04-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

This rose bush is gorgeous this year! It has been a head turner for walkers in the neighborhood. I have been cutting them for a bouquet in my front window over my sink which has been so nice.

Out back by the patio I have been working on adding in a flower bed between the backyard and my brick patio area. I wanted to define the area between the two and I think this is working. I have topped off the area with Cocoa mulch. Love that stuff. The aroma is wonderful and is also great for the soil!

I was hoping these iris would have bloomed this year. I had transplanted them from another area in the yard so hopefully next spring they will bloom. I also have a kangaroo paw to the left of the iris which are fun plants. They have such a cool texture to the flower, like velvet. Projects are always nice once you get to the end of them. Mine seem to be ongoing~

Here is one of m beautiful artichoke plants. I am so exciting to have 9 chokes between my two plants! I harvested my first one a couple of days ago and am going to cook it up today. This guy is next! Love artichokes!!

I have never grown strawberries in this type of planter before and thought I would give it a try this year. I have 25 plants growing and it seems to be working. I have some blossoms going so hopefully I can try to some great strawberries soon!

Cookbooks

2009-04-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

My love for cookbooks is growing. I have run into the problem of space for them which is the only thing holding me back from purchasing more! These are just a few to give a taste of what I like. America's Test Kitchen is a great book because they also comment on kitchen gadgets, cookware and ingredients which is a great learning tool to read.

I love the Food Network. My TV must be programmed only to that channel. I enjoy watching the chefs and learning from them. I get a lot of ideas from them and like to think of how I could make a dish similar but change up a few ingredients to my liking. I think that is why I prefer to cook than to bake. To measure precisely is not my cup of tea. I like to be creative and add my own ideas for ingredients. One of my favorite's is Giada de Laurentis. She makes me sick looking at how skinny she is and can still eat pasta! Pasta is one of my major food groups but sticks to me like glue.

I think it is fun to give cookbooks as gifts as it is fun to receive them too. I think I should retire early, like now, so I can stay home and cook and try all the recipes I have tagged to try SOMEDAY. I think I will need a guinea pig to try them too!

Garden Time

2009-04-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hydrangeas are beautiful! I couldn't pass them up while doing a little shopping in the garden department. I have been slowly working on landscaping my backyard which had not been done in years. It is a long, slow process with only one worker-ME. I decided to incorporate several hydrangeas along the fence line to help take up space and add beautiful color and foliage.
I also have a few iris plants as well. This guy below just opened up Easter weekend and needed his picture taken! Iris's are a nice bulb to have because they come back every year and are easy to maintain.

I also picked up a flat of impatiens to add into some of my shadier areas in the backyard, along the side of the garage and off the patio area. They are always a cute flower to look at and I think they will do well where I plant them.

Also in the backyard, since I have the room, I have added a few citrus trees. I have planted an orange and lemon tree and have a new addition-Pumello tree. Have you ever had a Pumello? If not, you need to try one. They are awesome! They are a large yellow Chinese grapefruit. They are delicious and I am hoping to at least get 1!

Finally I was able to con my brother into picking up a yard of planing mix from a local landscape yard. I wanted this for my garden "box". I have decided to downsize my garden from the previous years so it would be more maintainable for me. So far, this hasn't happened. I started growing items outside the box too! This years garden consists of artichokes, potatoes-red, yellow and russet, red onion, sweet onion, green onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, radishes, spring mix lettuce, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, red bell peppers and pablano peppers...and not to mention 8 heirloom tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe. I may be forgetting something. Today I took a look at thins and from seed, I have 1 iceberg lettuce that poke his head out of the ground, 4 radishes and 4 green onions that have sprouted-so exciting. I had to look closely to see them but was able to count something!

And a must have was this cute little garden hat that I needed to get the job done!!! Why did I need it~it was paisley!

Amber Rose

2009-04-08T20:03:00.001-07:00

Amber Rose is one of those GREAT friends! She is so honest, reliable, funny and generous. She and I met at college and soon became great friends. After college she moved away to Nevada City. While it is not terribly far from me, it is an all day event. So needless to say, we do not see one another ofter. This past weekend, she was heading to San Francisco for the weekend, so I met up with her there and met her first baby for my first time! It was wonderful! This is baby Zanyon! Is he winking at me in the above photo?Aren't I the cutest? No smiles but was a very good baby that day. I say that because Amber and I went shopping for her wedding dress. Yes, she is getting married next month in Hawaii and still needed a dress! Wish I could be there for her wedding but I will hear all about it and see all the photos.Here I am, Auntie Julie, with baby Zanyon. He was so good about letting me hold him although he was hungry and I couldn't help him out with that~

Paisley

2009-04-06T21:03:00.000-07:00

There is something about Paisley that I just love. I love the pattern and colors that are used in most of the designs. To me there is something whimsical about it.

I am also fond of quilts and quilting texture too which is also why I love the combination of Paisley and quilting together! Brands like Lemon Hill and Vera Bradley are definitely trouble with their designs.

These two pictures of are my bedding. I am enjoying the pink and green combination of the Paisley. What are your favorite designs or patterns that you are attracted to?

Healthy Lunch

2009-04-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

My new healthy lunch that I have been enjoying and thought I would share. I have been trying to eat a little healthier unlike the sandwich below. This salad is made with Spring lettuce mix, raw pecans, dried cranberries, chicken salad and poppy seed dressing! I know it isn't too low fat but low carb. My chicken salad is pretty simple-shredded chicken breast, mayo, lots of celery, green onions and crushed red pepper flakes. This combination is very yummy and recommend trying it.
This sandwich was awesome! Right up my alley! Crab cake melt which was from KC's Downtown Grill in Windsor, CA. Filled with melted Jack cheese, 2 crab cakes, tomato slices, lettuce, avocado and a sun dried tomato pesto! Not to mention the nice stack of onion rings on the side! My favorite. I could go on and on about dishes like this but I am trying to cut back and be good! Maybe I will come up with a little healthier version~

Who is it?

2009-03-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

Birthday Girl! Cutest little girl, my beautiful niece Allesandra just had her 2nd Birthday on April 4th. While visiting, Allesandra discovered the telephone and was insantly intrigued. I know growing up, I loved to play with the phone and push the buttons. Who is it? Apparently it is someone very important.You can tell by the cutest expressions on her face! Love her dearly and would do anything to spend more time with her and have her around more!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!

My Favorite Whites

2009-03-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

I am very fortinate to be living in this region of Sonom County where the wine is in abundance. Neighboring Napa, Ca. this area covers a wide range of wine varieties. 5 of my favorite white wines are shown. These Chardonnay wines are(left to right) Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma County, Napa, Ca. ** Laurier, Los Carneros, Sonoma, Ca. ** BV Beaulieu Vinyard, Coastal Estates, Sonoma, Ca. ** Sebastiani, Sonoma County, Sonoma, Ca. ** Geyser Peak, Alexander Valley, Geyserville, Ca. These wines are actually in my favorites order as well. I like these selected ones due to the overall taste and reasonable prices. I am not a wine snob so I will refrain talking about the notes each one has. I just enjoy a nice glass of wine! Highly recommend them if they are available in your area. One of my favorite events to attend is in the Fall, is called Har vest Fair. This is where all the local wineries come together in one pavilion. They post which ones have won Gold, Silver or Bronze awards and is a huge tasting event. It is so convenient to be able to try all your favorite wineries in one spot. I will also mention they have a grape stomp which is always fun to watch.

Flowers!

2009-03-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

I am loving the fact that SPRING is here. One of my favorite seasons besides Fall. I just love to watch the flowers grow and bloom. They are my babies besides my kittens who are actually grown cats now. Below is what I call the "Mound" and would love to re landscape some day. Until that happens it is loaded with Iris plants which will be beautiful once they open. I also have a butterfly bush which has grown into a tree and a pomegranate tree that I would be more fond of if it produced yummy pomegranates. I think Jasmine is such a beautiful fragrance and love the cute white flowers and pink buds. It is a great vine to have to cover a large area. I have mine planted on the fence between the neighbors house and mine. Everyday when I pull into the driveway I get to see this beautiful vine and have a nice aroma in the air too.

It is so nice to see bulbs from the prior year bloom. These Freesia flowers are beautiful. I love the contrast color of the center with the beautiful petals. I have many of these planted along the walkway to the front door.

I was at Home Depot for an item and of course had to take the long way through the garden center outside, then inside just to get my one item when my weakness started. This beautiful Primrose needed a good home. I couldn't leave it there at the store knowing it could get neglected. Isn't it gorgeous with the yellow center, and red petals rimmed with white!

Above all, my favorite flower is the Viola. I love all violas including their siblings the Pansy and Johnny Jump Ups! I had to buy this flat. I love the mix of the colors! They are the happiest flowers of them all how their little faces stand up tall and bright. Having a flat of them, I was able to plant them in many locations.

Happy Spring! Can't wait for more flowers to bloom this spring and summer.

Garden Prep Time

2009-03-22T16:07:00.000-07:00

It's Garden time! First need to prep the back yard and get the area cleaned up from the winter. Luckily I have a great friend who was willing to do the grunt work of tilling my back yard for a pretty penny. I am just glad to get the work done so I can do my "magic". Can't wait.

James is someone who is always fun to work with. No matter what the job, we can always have fun doing it. He has been an inspiration to me because his yard it gorgeous. Although he spends the majority of his non work time in his yard working, it has definitely paid off. Will share photos some day.I made sure my artichoke plants were saved! I have struggled with them for a couple years now and they are finally doing good so I wanted to leave them in hopes of getting at least 1 artichoke. So glad to see the yard tilled and ready for me to do the final prep for my garden. I am going to do a raised bed this year, so we will see pics soon!

Weakness

2009-03-17T18:06:00.001-07:00

I should have never tried this Lemon Tart from Michelle Marie's Patisserie in Montgomery Village. Trouble with a capital "T". This tart is excellent because it it not too sweet and not too tart either, perfect combination! I have had to enforce serious self control to refrain from patronizing the Patisserie. I could have one a day, but I only eat half so I can savour the flavor the next day too! Terrible Weakness~

Got Milk?

2009-03-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

Busted.....Mr. Milo, kitten #2 did paw dips into my milk glass and then decided to stick his head in the glass and ended up with milk on his chin. So cute. He was then in the bathtub waiting for me to turn on the water so he could get a drink of water when I needed to capture this photo opportunity for a "Got Milk?" photo. Milo is not a kitten anymore but is still my 16 pound baby. This photo makes him look skinny. Milo a.k.a. My-Lo, Mylar, pumpkin butt and baby boy. Pathetic, I know. He also looks like a mountain lion which is his idol. Yes, he is spoiled.

~Simply Beautiful~

2009-03-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Calla lilies and daffodils are so beautiful! My fathers care taker cut these from my yard and arranged them in a vase for me. What a nice surprise to see these when I came home for lunch today. I also have to mention my candles. These are flameless candles embossed in a paisley design. I have to admit that I was skeptical to purchase flameless candles when I have loved the typical wax ones for years. However, I have converted. They are great to have in the house because they are on timers! They automatically come on the same time every day and go off on their own. I never have to worry about the house burning down by an accident and the ambiance is so nice to enjoy everyday!

My love for kitchen gadgets!

2009-03-09T20:36:00.000-07:00

I love kitchen gadgets. There really isn't more to say. I don't think you can ever have too many unless you don't have the space or storage for them. It is nice to have a tool for ANY task needing to be accomplished in the kitchen. Why not? While visiting my Aunt in Kansas, she took me to Pryde's in Old Westport. Now every time I visit, this is a must on the "To Do" list. I love just looking at all the possibilities and wishing I had a HUGE kitchen to store more treats. The place is loaded with everything and anything you could possibly need, want or what you didn't realize you needed. The store is two stories which takes time to see everything. Plus, as a bonus, they have a cute little bakery downstairs to help your hunger as you shop. I highly recomend this store if you love to cook or bake.

I see you!!!

2009-03-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

I love this photo. Let me introduce you to kitten Tule a.k.a. Tulers, White-T, Y-T, block head, and Tools. Somehow, a little snail got lost one day and ended up on the living room window. Tule spotted him immediately and watched intensely until he got bored. Usually snails are not my favorite but this one was adventurous this day and was entertainment to the kitten. Love my Calla lilies in the photo too. They usually get to be about 5 feet tall which nice because they pop up to the living room window.

Ready for Spring?

2009-03-05T19:38:00.000-08:00

I am and can't wait! This is a rose from last year which is beautiful. I see new growth on my roses this year and I am excited about the first blooms of the year soon to come. I have spring fever and yes am excited to get working outdoors in the yard. With the time change coming Saturday night, this will allow more time after work to get busy in the yard.

Sunday Lunch

2009-03-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Grilled Vegetable Pannini

grilled zucchini, red onions

marinated artichoke hearts, fire roasted red peppers and Monteray jack cheese

Simple and delicious!!!