Day One Hundred Fifty Three, Four, Five and Six

Since Christmas, I have gotten absolutely nothing done. I haven't wanted to do anything and, actually, I did accomplish that, so, maybe I have been able to accomplish something! Anyway, I don't feel bad because of it and I'm certainly not thinking about any resolutions for the new year that I might want to adopt so maybe I'm finally on the right track. What I mean by that is, having the mindset of taking each day as it comes and figuring out what would be meaningful and important for any particular day at any particular time. Sounds good to me. So, with that said, I don't feel like blogging right now - and so I'm not going to.

Days One Hundred Fifty One and Fifty Two

It seems cooking has become a major theme of our Christmas holidays anymore, which is fine with me and much welcomed by my family. We told our boys that once your parens get to a certain age, it seems we just don't need anything anymore. If we do need something, we buy it when we need it and because traveling has become our major pastime, we are usually saving for the next adventure. So, with that said, when our children asked us what would be on our Christmas list, we answered, "food." Our eldest jumped on that opportunity and ended up purchasing all the necessary groceries for Christmas dinner. I left the meat choice up to him and so he bought flank steak from our local butcher. It was fun to welcome him home for the holidays as he brought the cardboard box of food supplies in the door. It felt rather old-fashioned, something that would have been the ultimate gift decades ago. Once arrived, I started making a late breakfast of buckwheat crepes and warm pears which we all enjoyed together as we began our holiday.

The bottle of Roederer champagne Jay brought couldn't wait for Christmas Day dinner, however. That was mainly due to the fact that I had prepared lobster lasagna with a creamy artichoke sauce for Christmas Eve which just screamed for a glass of champagne alongside. Besides, I had an Italian Chianti and a bottle of Cantiga Zinfandel for our beef dinner. After an afternooon walk up near the pits and a day of just lounging, the champagne was uncorked and we toasted the evening along with a classic Ceasar salad to start our dining extravaganza. Once the salad course was consumed and the champagne just about exhausted, we cracked open a bottle of Dry Creek fume blanc and dug into the lobster lasagna. It was delicious and a bit over the top as far as richness was concerned, but because I kept the variety of Christmas Eve food to a manageable selection, we were able to enjoy it's fullness without being stuffed. Earlier, we had been nibbling on a cream cheese cracker spread I had put together after smoking a piece of salmon in the stove-top smoker and mixed with some white cheddar and chipotle seasoning. You could say our Christmas got off to a rather fishy start - but a delicious start at that. Small mincemeat and vanilla ice cream pies ended our food evening and we broke out the Mexican train dominos. Eric ended up the big winner in a surprise finish after thinking we would all go down miserably to Jay's first couple of winning rounds. As I sat having fun, watching my family, and doing something as simple as amusing ourselves with a game, I wondered how many other families were doing the very same thing. What fun.

Christmas morning got off to a late start which it usually does at our house. Bob and I were up earlier than the boys and began the morning sitting in our viewing chairs near the backyard window with our coffee and tea as we watched the birds begin the day feasting on all the seed we had thrown around the ground after filling the numerous bird feeders we have. Once the boys woke up, we had toast and opened gifts. Everyone agreed that we would have an early afternoon dinner so none of use ended up having breakfast. We finished up the salmon spread as we snacked on crackers to get us to the dinner bell. Jay got an RSVP ricer for me for my birthday so he let me open it up early to try out on the mashed potatoes I was preparing. I love it - the potatoes were so light and fluffy. I didn't even put any butter in them, just milk and chopped fresh chives for flavor. I roasted yams and mixed those together with some candied ginger, cinnamon, cloves and just a bit of heavy cream to smooth them out. I crumbled some crushed sage leaves I had crisped in butter over the yams. After purusing my Cook's Illustrated magazines several days ago, I had decided on roasted carrots and parmesan green beans as our vegetables and we began our meal with a wonderful, warm, wilted spinach salad sprinkled with pancetta and feta cheese, sautéed red onions and balsamic vinegar along with the bottle of Chianti. It was nice to sit and talk while leisurely eating our salad and enjoying the Chianti. Once we were done, I exited the table and finished the vegetables for plating, put the hot gravy made from the drippings from the two rolled flank steaks I had coated with a cherry balsamic marinade while cookiing, and took the potatoes and yams out of the warming oven. The Cantiga Zinfandel had been opened earlier to let it breath a bit before dinner. I must say, we all enjoyed the food immensely as there were periods of complete silence between sighs of contentment. We didn't have dessert until 6pm, as we had to recover from dinner first. Once the panna cotta, drizzled with warm berry compote was served, we were all, once again, back into the sighs of contentment phase. After that, we ended up in the living room talking and watching a bit of TV until it was time to say goodnight. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I finally rested this old body on the couch. I feel like I could have slept right there. Needless to say, I fell right asleep once we got to bed and only got up once in the night.

Day One Hundred Forty-Nine and Fifty

It's interesting to me how issues manifest themselves in me, sometimes rather insidiously it seems. There are so many factors that play upon my emotional well-being at any one time and unless I have time to really think them through, these factors end up clouding my ability to see things straight at times. The necessity to reflect on the events that occur in my life, the feelings attached to those events and the need to understand why I am the way I am has come at a very high price - and I mean by that, the dance of time which has left me with a feeling of regret and sadness that I am only now realizing. I think, only now, am I finally willing to look at myself with objectivity. With that said, my dissatisfaction and discontentment is beginning to be understood. My life has been made, shaped and defined by me but, unfortunately, I have only realized this at this point in my life and am wondering if it is too late? There are so many questions I constantly put to myself and sometimes, the answers are disturbing - would I have done this different, would I have not done this or that, would I change things and in what way? Perhaps this is the process everyone ends up going through - a kind of last judgment if you will, a good look at one's life in retrospective. Don't get me wrong, I don't plan on this being the last chapter in my "book" but I do want to make the most of the rest of the time I do have on this Earth. And, I don't mean this to be depressing or a commentary of sorrow and regret, I just want to make sure that the forward movement continues forward and that the mistakes of the past are reflected on, learned from, and not repeated. It sounds daunting but I'm up for it and I plan to make the most of each day, but not forget that thoughtful introspection is warranted. I'm sure this is why I am excited about working for the next couple of months and plan to jump in with both feet.

Day One Hundred and Forty-Eight

Hallelujah! There is a God, and God is the Sun, and it's high in the sky and magnificent. As you can probably guess by now, I was elated to see a bright blue sky, birds and glistening snow this morning. There are so many birds out and the resident hawk was perched in the neighbor's tree scoping out the day's first meal. It is truly a sign of the power of light when the birds disappear and don't present themselves until the sun presents itself once again. I went out and threw a bunch of seed on the ground so they can munch away before the next round of rain and snow.

Day One Hundred Forty Six and Forty Seven

I was in a real funk yesterday. The weather was the most depressing display of snow, pouring rain, slush, and dark, dark, dark gloom. Even physically, I was struggling to find solace and comfort which didn't seem to want to manifest. Bob and I decided to brave the weather and head to Grover's Hot Springs just to find some forward momentum in some activity. It helped to get into the hot water, although the temperature wasn't as hot as it usually is. We sat in the hot water and watched several snow squalls move across the little valley below the springs and felt the snow and rain come down, sometimes pretty hard on us while we relaxed. We stopped at the Cutthroat Saloon and had lunch and then headed back home. It was a nice get away and we almost felt as if we were in a time warp as we didn't see many people out that day and we were the only ones in the restaurant.

Today, however, was a different story. After running into a very excellent friend and sharing our mutual stories of our Sunday funk, I felt comforted in a selfish way that I wasn't the only one out there ready to throw in the towel of life. We hugged and reassured each other and ourselves that things would be alright - and they are - because this evening the full moon presented the most incredible optic experience I have ever witnessed during the winter. I have a large maple tree right outside my back door that leads to the backyard. It ends up being beautifully backlit when there is a full moon and tonight was no exception. But something extraordinary occurred mainly due to the wet weather we had on Sunday, my day of funk. There were frozen droplets of water all over the tree - small and round. Because there's going to be a lunar eclipse tonight, I poked my head out the back door and the droplets of water all over the tree were lit up by the moonlight. It was as though the tree was strung with Christmas lights! I keep going out the back door just to catch another glimpse and soak in some of the magic even though it's icy cold outside. It is truly beautiful and I wish I could get a photograph. How magical. Thank you universe for the natural uplift from the dreary doldrums of yesterday.

Day One Hundred Forty-Five

The weather's been pretty blustery and chilly but I did manage to get out and go to the grocery store. However, this afternoon was a different story - it warmed up and the snow has been melting quite rapidly. Despite the warmer temperatures, I felt colder this afternoon than at any other time during the day. So, with that said, I decided I needed to get in the kitchen to warm up. I pulled out a ricotta gnocchi recipe from Cook's Ilustrated as I've been coveting some homemade ricotta I had stored away a couple of weeks ago. The recipe was surprisingly simple as it didn't require any potato mashing, but instead used the ricotta as the base. Since my ricotta was homemade, I was able to omit the necessity of straining the store bought cheese which saved me a lot of time. I think all in all, it only took me about 20 minutes to get the gnocchi ready to cook. While the batter refrigerating for about 15 minutes before cutting, I cooked the sauce which consisted of some leftover marinara with a splash of vodka, some roasted pine nuts and finished with about 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese. I think Bob likes it as I haven't heard a word from him since I put the plate on the table. A good glass of sauvignon is washing it down as we speak. I did taste it and I certainly could eat a whole bowl full, but because my heartburn has been a real issue for the past couple of weeks, I'm not going to risk the tomato acid. Oh well, at least I'm able to feed my husband, and guess what? - I'm sweating!

Day One Hundred Forty Four

It's a good thing I took the time to bask in the sun yesterday because today the snow fell all day long, leaving about 7" on the ground. It was beautiful to watch but I was feeling rather restless this afternoon so I ended up donning my snow gear and schlepping around my neighborhood just to get some exercise. My blood pressure has been a bit high despite the fact that I take medication and have absolutely no stress right now. I'm sure I'll find out that there is stress during the Holidays regardless of whether you feel you should be experiencing it or not. The only problem I've been having is getting a good nights sleep which might be the culprit.

Tonight's going to be a soup night - minestrone. I don't think you can go wrong with a good pot of soup and some crusty French bread on these nights when weather keeps you at home. I can't even imagine having to do any type of Christmas shopping this late in the game. I told my boys that their father and I have enough stuff and what we need, we end up buying when we need it. So, with that said, I let them know that it would be more than welcome if they bought the supplies for the Christmas dinner. We enjoy eating together so much and enjoy each other's company, they might as well be the founders of the feast! They've requested a list and I'll get that together soon. I know it's going to be some type of beef dish, as it seems that's been our tradition now for several years. I'll leave the choice up to them, but a rolled flank steak has been mentioned, as well as medallion of beef. I already have two lobster tails to make ravioli for Christmas Eve. I wish I could have been blessed with skinny genes!

Day One Hundred Forty-Three

It was very enjoyable to have friends over last night. I really should do it more often as it makes me feel a little more connected to others and keeps me from sheltering myself within the confines of my own world. It's funny how I love to travel and yet, moving around within my community has become so painful - just seeing people while going here and there can be quite unnerving.

I was able to get a few Christmas cards done this morning as well. I do love to hand write letters still, as I find just the act of having a pen in hand ends up being an artistic endeavor. It's very beautiful to watch words flow on paper from the ink of the pen as the hand guides it along. I do believe the scrolling letters written as they have been for thousands of years will not be something that endures time much longer with the advent of computers. I mean, look at me, I've joined in the slow death of penmanship as well! I've even resorted to jotting down notes on my iPhone or iPad for future reference. I look at the stacks of handwritten notes I have tucked away in my writing desk and wonder if those will be antiques someday.

Well, Christmas is nearing and I'm pretty much done with my forays into the retail jungle. Not much buying this year as I pretty much leave that up to the boys by giving them money and letting them go get what they need. When I do end up venturing into some of the shops, I come away with nothing as most of it is just stuff, albeit pretty stuff sometimes, but out of the context of the store, becomes rather lonesome when it's taken away from its "friends." (Wow, the sun just popped out from under the clouds - I think it's time to go outside and enjoy it while it lasts.)

Day One Hundred Forty One and Forty Two

Guess what I'm doing? Baking!!! My dining room table is full of sweet goodies for the friends I've invited over for Wine Down Wednesday and I'm working on the savory stuff this morning so that we have a good mix of food for wine tasting. Here's a rundown: mini mincemeat tarts; wine cookies; butter cookies; lavender biscotti; cognac sourcream cake with chocolate frosting; tamale casserole; baked brie with Indian chutney; artichoke and spinach dip; mushroom tarts; and, I'm still thinking I might make some puff pastry appetizers. The problem with all this food is, there probably won't be that many people as everyone is so busy at this time of year! (I did invite my oldest son to stop by after work if he wants as that with solve the "too much food" problem - he can take some home to his brother as well.) Someday I'll have to invite the husbands and SO's but, right now, I do so love to be with just my girlfriends!

Day Somewhere around One Hundred Forty

Just sitting in Comma Coffee listening to some live old time banjo music from one of our local old guys band. Interesting but after awhile, all the songs sound the same - just a little too much washboard at times - I guess it beats cowbells. I think being out of the house today has helped get me into the mood to blog today because during this time of year, and being around the kitchen all day, I just want to bake, which I have been doing a lot of. I've been able to give a lot of it away to friends which makes me feel a little more involved in the Christmas season. I was very busy doing a picture book for my siblings with all the really old photos we had of our parents and grandparents. It was a real chore to get them all scanned and put into an arrangment for printing. I still have to do some kind of key so that everyone knows who is who. My mom had sorted the pictures and given each of us kids our share but none of us knew who had what so, earlier this year I asked my brothers and sisters to send me what they had and I'd put something together. I didn't realize how little we had after they had all arrived by post but, nonetheless, the collection made for a nice book we can all share and past down to our children. I'm sure many families end up with incomplete photo collections as siblings move away from each other and photos end up getting lost or misplaced, not to mention those family members who really could care less about their heritage. I've been wondering lately just what my cousins may or may not have in the way of photos. Another task for me to do one of these days.

The Holidays have seemed rather subdued this year. This season is the first for Bob and I as official empty nesters. I must admit that the house stays much cleaner but I do miss having the available conversation when others are in the house. I've enjoyed listening to my Christmas music everyday and am sure that someone would end up saying something about it if they were subjected to it all day long. I love it. Music makes life rich and poetic and isn't that what it's all about - making life poetic? I believe so. It's certainly not about working yourself to death to make enough money to buy all the stuff that ends up cluttering thought, clouding emotion and getting in the way of real love. It's a trap that I've periodically been snared by. Reflecting on all the things I felt I couldn't live without or the impulse buying I've done for the instant rush is puzzling at best. I'm not sure whether it's a symptom of the times we live in or of the generations past who existed on so little and wanted us to have so much more than they did. Why has consumption become such a conspicuous measure of success for many Americans? Sometimes I'm envious of the lives I can imagine my ancestors living where hard work producing the things they did enjoy gave such a wholesome quality to life and was the true measure of comfort. The things they did have were so special to them. Nowadays, we have so much that we can't place much sentimental value on anything. We don't even anticipate passing down family heirlooms because all the stuff we have can be easily replaced or bought from the next year's clearance table. I didn't even put the fake Christmas tree up this year. I ended up decorating a live evergreen houseplant with only those tree decorations that were made for me by friends, my mom, or by me. An evergreen garland holds the overflow that didn't fit on the houseplant. I must say, my house looks decorated and festive but not contrived. I feel very comfortable this year and look forward to sharing food and wine with friends and, of course, cooking for my guys the feast that is anticipated by all of them. That's really what I enjoy the most. The cherry on top would be to have the company of a dog as loving and good as Buzz was - someday perhaps, after Bob and I have decided not to do so much traveling.

Day One Hundred Thirty

A friend's husband passed away this morning. They are an elderly couple who have gone through many health crises and the husband has been having dementia issues for about the six months now. They have been through a lot together, both good and bad. They are old school - they remind me of my parents, hard working, moral and deeply honest. She is just a little bitty thing who, just a few months ago, almost died after lung surgery to remove a growth. I'm sure her tenacity and the fact that she knew she still needed to care for her aging husband got her through the ordeal, but because her husband has been having many problems recently, she has become exhausted. On Sunday she had to call 911 to take her husband to the hospital as his dementia was getting to the breaking point for her. They diagnosed pneumonia and said he was in bad shape. I went over last night to talk with her and bring her something for dinner because I was sure that eating was the last thing on her mind. She told me all about the weekend ordeal and was quite distressed at how the dementia had taken her beloved away from her - she said the man who has been needing her constant attention for the past few months was a stranger most of the time. I almost felt relief for her knowing that he would probably never come home. This morning she called and left a message saying he had passed.

When I called her back, she said she had to tell me a story. After I left her house last night, she was just digging into the turkey soup I had left when a call rang the phone. She picked it up and was surprised that her husband was on the other end. He seemed very coherent and wanted her to come to the hospital. When she got there, the nurse said he had woken up, took off his oxygen and asked for the phone. He was sitting up in bed and smiled as she came into his room. He said, "I have something I want you to help me with." He then asked her to put his arms around her so that he could hug her. She did just that and they both exchanged prolonged, heartfelt "I love yous." He then said he wanted her to go home, take care of the dog and not come back to the hospital. When the nurse walked in, he said he wanted to go to sleep and requested the oxygen not be put back on. As my friend was walking out, her husband pointed his finger at her and said, "I'll see you down the road." After all the struggles she's had with him lately, she said she is thankful to have had that memory which will erase many of those she's experienced recently. She felt like she was able to say goodbye to the man she married many, many years ago. I will remember him as one of those men from my father's bent. Part of the greatest generation.

Day One Hundred Twenty-Nine

I'm not a turkey fanatic but I do love turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce. The only thing I have left of the turkey and turkey breast I cooked this season is the breast which is great for just that. I usually balk at all the turkey recipes that seem to flood the cooking magazines - most of them sound just dreadful. I think you can really overdose on turkey if you're not careful. Recently, I informed my friend Marti of just how repugnant I found leftover turkey recipes when I commented that I hated turkey soup. Since she's a soupaholic, like me, I think she was shocked. But I must admit, and will probably take some ribbing for it, I did end up making turkey soup for dinner tonight. I had a ham bone that I threw in a pot to cook down for broth and added some onion, carrots, celery and some Harvest Grains Blend that Trader Joe's sells which is a nice blend of Israeli couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa. I also added the fried sage leaves I had left over, some herbs de provence and, yes, turkey! A little turkey gravy in the broth was good as well. Yum, it was good.

Day One Hundred Twenty-Eight

Bob and I took our walk today down by the river as the weather has turned sunny but still crispy. It was wonderful to see the sun for a change but we still needed our gloves, hats and scarves. I hope it stays dry for awhile - I like it when it snows, melts and goes away, remains dry for awhile and then snows again. Aren't I hard to please! I think I'm just use to the cycle of Northern Nevada winter weather.

Watching a movie (Stepmom) but I'm at the point of sappy saturation so I think it's time to crack one of the numerous books I have going (both actual paper and electronic). I'm such a techie. I do love my iPad and reading books on it is so convenient. The only problem is, I can't procrastinate as well with the iPad as I can with the paper version of a book. Leaving the book behind is always an option, but I take my iPad with me wherever I go. Then there's also the numerous books I have on my iPhone which I definitely never leave behind. I don't think religion has as much of an influence on us as our electronics do. Maybe the advent of all this technology is the second coming of Christ - or something like that. We just haven't been able to acknowledge it's preeminence since it doesn't have a human face - yet.

Day One Hundred Twenty-Seven

I've vowed never to shop on Black Friday and yesterday was no exception. Considering all the stories of people being trampled, pushed, shoved and ripped off, I am once again secure in my boycott of this ridiculous holiday tradition of hedonistic consumer spending and, what I believe to be a terrible way to begin the holiday season. There is absolutely nothing out there I would want to bring home that would warrant putting myself or my loved ones in harms way. Luckily, my children are grown and I don't have grandkids. But I did venture out today with a friend who I called this morning to see what she was doing and low and behold, she was getting ready to go out and asked if I wanted to tag along. The few shops we went to were rather quiet and we were able to get what little we needed with subdued effort. It was even nice to browse and the stores were so packed with merchandise, it made me wonder if yesterday was a success for the consumer spending index. Afterwards, I came home, unloaded my goodies, and pigged out on turkey again. The weather's been a real teaser today as it was sprinkling snow when we left, the sun came out while we were shopping, it's been a virtual blizzard since I got home, but now I can see some blue sky again. What fickled weather we have here in Nevada.

Day One Hundred Twenty-Five and Twenty-Six

I've already blown my resolve to blog everyday but I guess I had a good excuse - preparation of Thanksgiving dinner (although I had started cooking on Sunday and most everything was already in the fridge waiting to be reheated). The turkeys were the only things I needed to cook and also the task of stir frying the brussel sprouts. I must say, and my family seconds it, this meal was the very best of the best when it comes to the feast of the turkey come each November. I relied on several new techniques learned from Cook's Illustrated, probably my favorite cooking magazine. I like the fact that their recipes are tested as I have been burned many times by other cookbooks and cooking magazine recipes that were either marginal or failures. I think that's why I don't use recipes themselves but mainly get inspiration from the ideas and ingredients and then put them together as I see fit, or end up substituting certain ingredients for others that I think will work better. It seems to work for me. Cooking is all about technique and good ingredients as far as I'm concerned.

We did something different this year that I'm sure is going to become a tradition for us both at Thanksgiving and Christmas. At about 1:00 pm on Thanksgiving we sat down to a warm goat cheese, beet, arugula and mandarine orange salad with mandarine orange and vanilla balsamic vinagrette. It was very savory and after we ate and talked a bit, we put on our warm clothes and headed out to Riverview Park for a 2 mile walk. It was brisk, the sky was clear except for a few feathery clouds and the view of the new fallen snow in the valley and on the Sierras was just beautiful. We walked, talked and felt invigorated. When we returned, I just needed to make the gravy, brussel sprouts and carve the turkey. We had a leisurely dinner and didn't feel overly stuffed. Dishes were minimal and so we broke out the Scrabble board and began to play, with Bob leading off with a bizarre word that set the tone of the board for the evening. I never laughed so hard in my life listening to Jay and Eric joke around with the words that ended up finding their way onto the board. At one point I had to leave because my stomach muscles were in jeopardy of exploding. It's bad when these two brothers get together and it gets worse when you start laughing at their jokes! It just spurs them on.

I finally took pictures of the two pastels I did up at St. Mary's Art Center and I'm definitely ready to do some more. The photos I took are a little crooked as they're just taped on my easel but here they are.

Day One Hundred Twenty-Four

Ah sunshine, bitter cold, but sunshine nonetheless. There is a blanket of snow everywhere and I don't envy those people who are traveling to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. I'm just happy my turkeys are submerged in brining solution, and the pies are the only thing I have left to assemble. Since I've been experiencing so much joint and muscle pain recently, I think it's a good thing that I won't be pressed to prepare much of our Thanksgiving feast - as my sons call it - in one day. Maybe I should start focusing my travel excursions to places that are warm and sunny instead of cold and rainy. It's terrible when your soul is one place and your body craves another.

Since my day is pretty much free, I think I'll try to put some finishing touches on the two pastels I did while in Virginia City. I'd like to start another painting while I wait for some photos of Scotland and England to arrive. I'm still concentrating on Italy but am anxious to tackle some of the compositions from our recent trip. Now the big decision is whether to learn to frame my own works as framing pastels can get rather pricey - minimum $250 and can go up, up, up from there. I must say that having the pastels back in my hand feels real, real good, especially after unloading a good portion of my fabric stash. It seems the more stuff I have, the more the stuff ends up defining what I do and who I am, or it is just a constant reminder that I have a lot "to do." There's much to be said for living simply, and absent of clutter.

It must be warming up outside as I see a Stellar Jay hopping from limb to limb in the neighbor's tree. I guess it's time to go spread some seed.

Day One Hundred Fourteen through Twenty-Three

This is probably the longest period of time I've let pass without blogging, so now I'm really playing catch up. I've missed it but the longer I go, the easier it seems to be to pass the opportunity by to do some reflection. There are times when it's almost physical for me to reflect and think about the things that are going on in my life, which isn't actually much. My need for a simple life is great though. If distraction persists for longer periods of time, the more difficult it becomes to get back on track and submit to the needs and desires for the enjoyment of living - just being.

We've been in the middle of a big push to get our front deck done with the help of the youngest son. He's done a fabulous job with little input from us as far as construction is concerned. Designwise, I gave him my vision and he more or less ran with it. I couldn't be more pleased. He's about 3/4 of the way finished and gave it all he could, working in the dark, before the snow started falling Friday night. Argggggggg! I am not ready for the snow, and right now it's falling hard - big flakes coming in different directions. It's funny, I'm looking over my neighbor's roofs and the snow is coming in a bit sideways. It's falling straight down in my yard, and next door, it's falling at an angle just opposite of the stuff falling on the street just below us. It's very pretty and tranquil - it almost seems like it's dancing to the music I have playing, swirling this way and that - but I'm just not ready for it. Maybe I just need to sit and realize that it is there for me to enjoy and relish if I so desire. Everything has a meaning and the meaning I place on it can help me through the day, the hour, the minute, if I so choose to allow the experience to bring me joy instead of fueling disappointment.

I am glad I went out yesterday and did all my Thanksgiving food shopping. I've purchased an organic turkey from our local butcher and it better be good as it cost me three times as much as a regular big box store turkey would! I also bought a turkey breast from Safeway and I plan to brine both, so we'll get a comparison and also more turkey for sandwiches. I was in a bit of a panic at Safeway while looking for fresh sage in the produce section. Last year all the grocery stores ran out and, of course, I had waited until the last minute to purchase it. So, this year I was bound and determined to get my sage. I immediately headed over to herbs and could feel my heart sink as I rummaged through the plastic packages looking for the "Fresh Sage" label. None. Fortunately, the produce guy saw my distress and asked me what I was looking for (I had totally decimated his tidy rows of packages). I said, with the look of horror in my eyes, "SAGE," as he wheeled his little produce cart toward me. As he got closer, he said, "How many would you like?" I was ecstatic as I cannot do without my crisped sage leaves on top of my yams - no marshmallows here. I felt like Fagan with his fingerless gloves clutching my sage bundles and gently tucking them into my cart - I think I began humming If I Were A Rich Man as I snuck away.  Deep fried herbs are a delicacy and sage is right up there in the must have category. This year I'm going to try browned butter and crispy sage leaf gnocchi if I'm not too rushed with the rest of the feast. I do have several dishes prepared. I made four miniature loaves of bread on Sunday, broth for the turkey gravy, and pureed the roasted sugar pie pumpkins. I'll probably get the pastry for the pies done today and maybe even the stuffing and yams. That way, I'll just have to cook and mash the potatoes, put the turkeys in the oven, stir fry the brussel sprouts and cook the green bean casserole. I'm sure I've forgot something, but it'll come to me. Looking forward to staying home and an intimate dining experience with my very favorite people. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Day One Hundred Nine through Thirteen

This is the first day I've been alone in the house since our vacation ended and, I must say, it feels good. I'm a bit down after spending four days at St. Mary's Art Center with some friends and acquaintances. Beautiful mountain air, sunshine and picturesque surroundings make for a relaxing experience. Even though I did produce two paintings which I am rather satisfied with, I just don't do well being around other women I don't seek out as regular companions. I find I have problems dealing with other's idiosyncrasies. It's better for me, now more than ever, to spend my time with people whom I have an intimate relationship with as I don't tend to notice things about them that may bother me. In other words, I guess I need to focus on the times I can be with my close friends and family and remind myself that these are the people who mean the most to me - those who I have the energy to expend my efforts toward, building even stronger relationships with and learning to love and appreciate on a deeper level. I feel like I neglect those who mean the most to me when I am around other's who I have problems tolerating. It's something I've tried to work on and, at times, I have been successful in doing just that, but for the most part I tend to revert back to the same level of intolerance that is deeply ingrained in me. Although maybe this time I have finally realized it's futile for me to continue trying and really, why am I challenging myself to achieve something that may not be in me. Why I don't just accept acknowledging those who I am comfortable around and skip the pretense of enjoying the rest, is beyond me. Maybe this realization will set some roots. Thank God for the good friends I do have and work to keep those friendships lasting and meaningful. I guess it's pertinent to the old adage about spreading oneself too thin which applies to people as well as activities.

Day One Hundred and Eight

It feels real good to have the pastels in my hand again. I have several photos from Scotland that I intend to use as subjects, but right now, I'm still using the photos of Italy for subject matter. I began a picture of Lucca - buildings and roofs - and decided to just take my time, not rush myself and don't expect a masterpiece after having been away from the chalks for a very long time. The subject matter has inspired me and I must say, the result is going together very well so far. It takes awhile to get back into the groove and just remembering where your colors are in the chalk trays is a challenge. Once I get back into identifying the colors I like to work with, color selection seems to be a rather natural process. I do know what colors I gravitate to. It's also a welcome relief to be with my friends and get some girl talk in. The relationship I have with several close friends I wouldn't trade for anything. I value them so much and am so fortunate to have these women in my life. I have demonstrated my appreciation by bringing back six pounds of assorted fudge from York, England, for us to enjoy this evening. I see that there are several pieces missing already! I did tell them they had to eat their dinner first but being the self-indulgent women they are, and me also, I can hardly blame them.

Day One Hundred and Seven

I'm still trying to recover from my jet lag as it seems I am ready for bed at about 7pm and then ready to get up at 5am or so. I guess that's not so bad, getting up in the morning is so nice when you have the opportunity to watch the sun rise and wait for the birds to awake and start their feeding frenzy in the yard. I did get all our Scotland photos processed and on my website, so I guess I'm ahead of the game but still feel like I have several more self induced projects to finish. I have been going through the Scotland photos on a regular basis just to reflect on the great time we had. Coming home is always a downer for me so I've decided to head up the Virginia City and St. Mary's Art Center for a four day retreat with some quilting friends. I won't be quilting however, the photos of Scotland have really motivated me to paint - so that's what I'll be doing.

Day One Hundred and Six

I don't know exactly why and probably won't spend much time trying to figure it out, but I grabbed my favorite photo of my father and felt compelled to sit with him for awhile. I can look at that picture and remember every little thing about him. The soft folds of his face, his smooth brow even though he was 78 years old and his salt and pepper hair (more black than grey) and how it was always neatly coiffed. My father had big bushy eyebrows that were a big part of his smile. And Dad always smelled so good. He had a large Adam's apple and his hands were gnarly but had a wonderful choreography about them. His smile was warm and his laugh infectious, especially the little impish grin that always accompanied the laugh. I'm just thinking that these are the things that make people alive. It's in the knowing, touching, laughing with and crying with, that give life to memories. I can look at pictures of my grandparents, but not having actually experienced their essence, I cannot know them. My father I did know, my brothers and sisters I do know, my husband, sons, and friends, I have touched and felt the life coursing through them. They have shared it with me. I think I underestimate the importance of the direct interactions I have with those around me. So many times, I end up spending so much time trying to figure out my legacy and don't realize that it's here right now, in the day-to-day encounters with all those people who are important to me. Legacy does not have to be tangible nor measureable, at least not to the person who owns the legacy. My father's legacy is in my hands, my eyes, my hair and the blood that courses through my veins. His legacy is in the hugs I can still feel and the many things we did together. He gave me the ability to laugh and get pleasure out of simple things - I can still hear him laugh at the Coyote and Roadrunner cartoon which would make me laugh too, more at him laughing at it. He gave me his sense of humor along with many other personality traits that I discover as I get older. As I see these things in myself, I know my father even better. I miss him, yes, but he left me with many, many cherished memories of a man who did the best with what he had and I can only hope he was happy - I think he was.

Day One Hundred Five

The walks down by the Carson River have really helped me get over the jet lag. It seems I have much energy in the morning, am ready to hit the hay at about 8pm, and then wake up about 3:30am ready to get up. But these past couple of days have moved the schedule a little closer to normal. I do like getting up to see the sunrise, however. Bob and I have been on a strict regimen of oatmeal and toast, so it's good that I've been getting up early to get it together. We ended up eating a lot of full English breakfasts as they were part of our bed & breakfast lodgings so, to counteract the mass consumption of eggs, hopefully the oatmeal with do the trick. I must admit though, I do love to have a full breakfast of eggs in the mornings and only do it when we vacation. Their eggs are incredible - the yolks look like pumpkins - and oh, how delicious. Of course, I heard that whiskey helps with cholesterol buildup and we drank plenty of that! And no, we did not come back with any bottles, I'll leave that up to anyone who needs a Christmas gift suggestion from me, Caol Ila.

I invited both the boys to come for dinner last night. The duck I cooked turned out luscious and we had roasted carrots from the garden along with some couscous seasoned with sauteed raisins and cabbage, with herbed goat cheese added when warmed. Homemade bread and butternut squash soup, also harvested from the garden, along side. It was nice to talk to Jay and hear about his days, but I missed Eric's presence and am anxious to see him. I'll just have to schedule another dinner I suppose.

Day One Hundred Three and Four

I've now had plenty of time to ponder the holiday abroad. I was glad to get home but in a different sort of way than most, I believe. The sights, sounds of smells of Nevada are wonderful in the Fall and we came back to some above-average temperatures and still in the full regalia of Fall color. I was back but somehow, not home.  If someone offered me a return ticket today, I would be packing. How can you not love a country whose road kill is ring-necked pheasant? I'm already pacing the house and not garnering any satisfaction from thinking about an activity that might just give me some temporary relief from my separation anxiety. I do look forward to seeing the boys - maybe that will bring me to grips with my present reality.

You can see my Scotland/England pictures by visiting http://scottishhighlandadventure.shutterfly.com/.

Day One Hundred and One

We spent the morning on an unhurried drive back to London, saying goodbye to all the wonderful sights that England is capable of producing. There were no stops, except for lunch, as it was good just to reflect on the times spent together in this wonderful, magical place. I'm never anxious to leave. I think Bob was ready to get back to the familiar and we headed home without incident. Many times we just sat and held hands - no words necessary.

Day One Hundred

When Bob and I travel we try to eat a good breakfast, skip lunch and have an early dinner. That way, we get the most walking and sightseeing in as possible. This tends to have another effect - the more we exercise, the more we can eat at dinner! It's great to be able to go to a nice restaurant and order a bottle of wine with our meal and actually finish the food and the wine. Tonight was no exception. Had a marvelous full English breakfast and then walked from our hotel (The Grange in York which I highly recommend)through Bootham Bar and right into York Minster. The sun was just coming in through the stained glass windows on the east side and we were able to have the whole place to ourselves. Very peaceful and awe inspiring as York Minister is probably one of the most sun lit, expansive cathedrals in all of Europe. It feels so modern and yet is so ancient. It's foundations are Roman and Norman which you can see by touring the below ground level excavations. We then spent the rest of the day shopping and museum hopping. We also got to walk some of the ramparts and climbed Cifford's Tower. I was able to snap a wonderful photo of York Minister and the walled area of York from the top of the Tower. The only purchases we made today were confined to a book Bob bought for the plane ride home and I was enticed by a shop keeper to sample some fudge which I was gawking at through the shop window and ended up with a couple of pounds of different flavors to bring home to my hommies.

With my package of sweet indulgence under my arm, we walked down to an Italian restaurant for our last dinner in York before heading off to London tomorrow morning. Great meal, great bottle of wine, a few chunks of fudge, and we were ready to get back to the hotel. We were the only ones in the restaurant, as it was still pretty early for diners on European dinner schedules, except for a little old Englishwoman sitting behind us who came in with her shopping bags and had a treacle pudding and a hot chocolate. Just before she left, putting on her overcoat, scarf and hat, she came over to apologize for intruding, asking us if we were on our honeymoon. I smiled heartily and informed her that we had actually been married for 30 years. She said she had been watching us, even though she could only see Bob's back, but had a full view of my face as Bob and I talked during our meal. We were both very flattered and talked with her for several minutes before she excused herself and left for home - a native Yorkshire woman. How wonderful that she shared her observation with us.

Day Ninety-Eight and Ninety-Nine

I didn't anticipate how easily we adapted to driving on the opposite side of the road than we do in the States. I experienced a bit of intrepidation when we decided to actually rent a car and drive around Scotland but we did just fine, especially with Bob at the wheel. I was the navigator with reading glasses at the ready and map neatly folded in my lap to display just the section of the map that we would find ourselves in at any one time. We did end up back in Edinburgh (by accident) and were pleasantly surprised when we made it through with no problems. After that, our think our confidence levels were pretty high. The only thing I didn't want to do was try to drive at night. So, with that in mind, we headed toward York with one night in between without any prior reservation for sleeping arrangements. If we saw a sign for something we thought we might like to see, there we went and when we hit Berwick on Tweed for lunch, we ended up at an Indian restaurant - Villa Spice - that was absolutely incredible. Bob had Sag Duck with saffron rice, I had Bhuan Gnosht and garlic Nan. After enjoying our find, we walked the town a bit. The whole journey was a blast and after leaving Berwick we ended up taking mostly coastal roads, we had no idea that the impending sunset would be so beautiful along the shoreline. As the sky grew darker, we decided to look for a bed and breakfast so that we wouldn't be driving at night. We pulled into the Boat House Inn right along the shoreline of the very small village we found ourselves in and were told that there was a bed and breakfast right down the road, within sight. So, we pulled up, knocked on the door and were greeted by a delightful couple who had just returned from the Dominican Republic after a two week vacation. Hazel was so cute, a bit nervous that she had her vacation laundry drying everywhere, but she and Maddy were more than accommodating. It was a great little place, very clean and every need was anticipated by the stock of items in the room. The shoreline was just across the street and we had a clear view of the two little fishing boats anchored just out past the surf. The full English breakfast we had in the morning was the best yet. We appreciated their friendliness and all the suggestions they made for our drive south the York. When we told Hazel and Maddy about the nice dinner we had at the Boat House Inn and how friendly and talkative the owner and his wife were, they were so surprised as the owner is not usually so friendly. We talked and talked while we had our dinner at the bar and found it rather revealing when the owner, who was also the bartender, likened he and his wife to Basil Faulty and his wife. It was so true though. Bob and I laughed and laughed when he and his wife had a couple of interactions while we were there. Very nice couple and great food. We pulled away the next morning satisfied that we had experienced the real England.

We took our time getting to York via some very fun backroads - barely one lane - and when one of the roads we chose to travel on ended up diverted, we had a late lunch stop at a place called the Carpenter Arms Inn. I'm going to have to set the guy straight who said English food is relatively bad, because we have had some incredible meals of which today's was one of the very best. Bob started with a Yorkshire blue cheese and walnut salad and had baked salmon on top of a potato mash for his entree. I had a pumpkin curry soup that was so creamy, with just a hint of curry so that the pumpkin taste was still the dominating flavor, followed by Mount Grace roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and small, baked new potatoes, all swimming in a heady beef gravy. I don't know what it is, but the potatoes they grow here are so very tasty and extremely creamy. We were very happy campers. So onward we went on our journey to York, following the signs to Rievaulx Abbey, one of my very favorite places. After winding our way through the up and down roads of the Yorkshire Dales, we came upon Rievaulx sitting in the beauty of the small, narrow Rye Valley, full of trees adorned with the colors of Fall, the green of the pastures resplendent with grazing black faced sheep, all through a soft foggy mist. It was magical, as Rievaulx usually is. At it's height, the Abbey housed over 600 monks and the extensive ruins make you feel as though, if you stood still enough, you could still hear their chants and prayers. It's humbling to see the skeletal remains of the this once impressive community, with the holy water vessels still protruding from the walls. Just touching them with my hand as though I was dipping my fingers in their contents, sent shivers up my spine. I love it there and could repeat the visit many, many more times. I would be content to know my ashes could rest there someday.

We had about an hour at Rievaulx as the park was closing and dusk was upon us. I ended up driving out of the Rye Valley, up and down through the Dales once again but this time it was dark. It was quite an experience and now I feel like a seasoned English countryside driver. We made it easily into York, found a hotel quickly and walked the streets near the Minster. There is so much to do here and I'm looking forward to showing Bob around in the morning.

Day Ninety-Seven

Scotland is truly an amazing place. There is so much variety in the landscapes of this ancient land. There are times when I am reminded of the vistas in Nevada, as the mountains here seem to rise right out of the flat valleys, and even though the tallest mountain in Scotland is only a little more than 3,000 feet, they still seem to rise to the sky. The rolling hills and farms are much like the hills and valleys of Northern California although less inhabited and the buildings are mainly of stone and much older. We took a drive along the Fife coastal scenic route and were impressed by the small villages and rocky shoreline, as well as the small, rock walled ports of little fishing boats. Very colorful. The crab baskets stacked in careless piles along with corked fishing nets strewn here and there was a homage to a simple and yet treacherous existence that requires a lot of mental and physical stamina only years of tradition can supply. Tea and coffee in a small shop along a warf, a stop at what I would call a gourmet food farm (frozen meals prepared for take out, their own butchered meat artistically wrapped in freezers along with vegetables that looked like they were ready for a photo shoot and much jam and jelly. I know where I would be shopping for food on a daily basis, and all in an old stone barn that probably housed farm animals at some time in its history. It was a visual delight and a gastronomes paradise.

Beautiful sunset on the water flanked by small villages - many pictures taken - and back to our hotel for our last night in Scotland.

Day Ninety through Ninety-Six

It's very difficult to discipline myself to blog while I'm having such a great time. It doesn't help to be utterly exhausted either when we finally get back to the hotel each night. I don't know where to begin. After having a couple of days exploring Edinburgh and sharing a wonderful dinner with a very dear person, John, and his friends Nancy and David, at The Witchery, we felt as though we had already experienced the best of what Scotland has to offer. Our Witchery dinner was perfection and the company made the evening sweep by. After saying our goodbyes and marveling at the fact that even though John lives only 225 miles away from our home in the States, we had to travel to Edinburgh, Scotland to have dinner together, Bob and I walked arm in arm through the brisk night flanked by a full moon. As John was leaving for the Lake District the next morning with Nancy and David and Bob and I were headed to the Isle of Skye the next day as well, we did part knowing that we'd both be in contact again before our journeys in Scotland were at an end.

The Isle of Skye excursion was part of a small Highland Experience Tour program which put us in a small bus/van with 11 other people. It was amazing to see the variety of people who come to this area to vacation. Of all 13 of us, only five were English speakers. There were three people from China, 2 from Switzerland, one from Australia, one from South Korea, and two from Turkey. We all got along so well - no one knew when they were being insulted, nor did anyone complain about any body else. It was a delightful trip as far as fellow trekkers were concerned and the tour afforded us a beautifully diverse cross-section of what Scotland has to offer. I just kept thinking how much my son Eric would love this Country - fishing and hiking is what it's all about and the endless beauty that surrounds you while you do either absolutely takes your breath away. It was a treat to be able to sit and look out the window of our little van just listening to the stories our driver most adeptly relayed while we wound our way through the countryside - Jed had a great sense of humor, typical Scottish dry, subtle wit, plus many wonderful Scottish tales. After three days and two nights on the road, we landed back in Edinburgh in the late evening of the third day feeling we had quite an education and saw some marvelous sites. We even stayed one night at a very comfortable hotel right on the shores of Loch Ness but alas, we did not see the beast! If I had of had a couple more Caol Ila whiskies, I might have caught a glimpse. That's another thing - this Scottish whiskey has become a real must have. We were also fortunate enough to be able to beg our driver to stop at a small distillery and take a tour which he did without question. It seems it hasn't been difficult to substitute a bit of the barley water for wine on this trip. All I can say is smooooooth.

We are now staying at a large estate in Kirkcaldy and just settled in after having a wonderful dinner in their dining room (of course, after we had our double shots while enjoying a duck breast and goose liver pate terrine). Bob had pheasant and I had gorgonzola-hazelnut gnocchi both accompanied with honey roasted carrots and turnips. I think all the pheasant we saw on the side of the roads and in the fields, not to mention the ones that almost flew into the van as we were driving along, when we were on our countryside tour gave us a good hankering for some of the wild bird. It was a dinner we won't soon forget.

The area we are staying in is the home of many of my paternal grandmother's people. Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline, Wymess and Dysart are all along the coast just across the bay from Edinburgh. It was wonderful to drive right into Kirkcaldy on Nicol Street which is a family name. We went into the Kirkcaldy Museum and saw many of the family names there - Nicol, Bell, Hog - I can't wait to get to the cemetery tomorrow. There is also a research center in Edinburgh (Scotland's People Centre) where you can have access to a researcher for two hours while they assist you in finding your relatives. No need to call ahead and no reservations necessary. You just walk in. The only problem is, as I've just found out about this service, they're only open Monday through Friday and I'm not sure I'll be able to pop in. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to come over by myself for a couple of weeks! Anyway, I do plan to do some looking around this area as we have three days and two nights here before we begin our journey back to London. And, did I mention we rented a car? I already had to remind Bob to stay on the left side of the road. Cross your fingers and say a little prayer.

Day Eight-Eight and Eighty-Nine

We opted to travel by bus from Leeds to Edinburgh just because we thought it would be nice to see some of the countryside. The trip took two more hours than by train but we were both happy to have chosen this mode of transportation as we did get to see more of the rural landscape than we would have by train. The city I was most impressed with was Durham and would definitely make that a stop at some point, possibly on another excursion. We were very tired when we arrived in Edinburgh at about 4:30 pm and had to get our bearings in order to find our hotel. After walking a bit through a very brisk wind and different weather than we had encountered elsewhere, we hailed a cab to get to our hotel which ended up to be just a few blocks away, but totally uphill. It was worth the 3.65 pound cab fare. The hotel is very fine and we have a splendid view of the surrounding old town area. Edinburgh Castel is right around the corner, as are all of the other places of interest. After setting up, we took a stroll to find a restaurant as all we had eaten for the day was the full English breakfast before checking out of our hotel in Leeds. We choose a small cafe, Le Sept, around the corner from our hotel and I ended up sending my dinner back - rabbit stew that looked like the rabbit regurgitated it - mainly because it was inedible due to the amount of salt the chef used. I would not have been so bold to send it back if I wasn't akin to all the cooking shows, especially those that feature chef competitions. I think even though I find it hard to watch Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen - he is so mean and foul - I have learned a lot from his insistence on quality meals going out of anyone's kitchen. Even though I might disagree with how he goes about it, I now know how to be an empowered diner and am confident that I am doing the chef a service by letting him know the quality demanded by the public in order for an establishment to remain in business. I noticed that when Gordon Ramsey tries to rescue restaurants in trouble, his first questions involve asking chefs what the problems are. Most chefs, to their discredit, remain in the dark when it comes to knowing why their customers are dissatisfied and don't repeat bookings. If you don't let the chef know what is wrong, they will assume their meals are prepared properly and are appreciated by their customers. I can see how very important it is for a chef to get out of their comfort zone of the kitchen and speak first hand with their guests. For this, I must thank Gordon Ramsey.

After a good night's rest (even though I was waking up every hour to blow my nose), we started our day off with some much appreciated, hot and thick, Scottish porridge with fresh raspberries and a drizzle of honey, along with some brown toast and, of course, tea and coffee. It was just what we needed considering we got a late start and it was rather cold and windy outside. There are many more Americans, it seems, in Edinburgh than in London, or for that matter, Leeds, and many more people in general in the small Castle area of this city. I also noticed that people here are not as friendly as in England. I don't feel as welcome here as I have in other areas of the UK.

After booking a 3 day tour of the highlands and Isle of Skye (2 nights on the Isle), we headed up to the Castle for a tour. I'm not sure I would do that again except for the wonderful 360 degree views. Not much of the Castle is open to visitors as it is actively inhabited for other functions and the museum area displays are rather confining and small. For instance, you walk through a maze of corridors and displays, packed in like sardines, just to get a glimpse of the Scottish Crown Jewels in one little room at the very end. It's almost as if there isn't really much to display at the Castle and so they make these rather elaborate walkthroughs to get to the real item of interest, and then you're done. The real highlight however, was the Whiskey Heritage Museum right outside the gates of Edinburgh Castle. I would strongly recommend the Gold Tour as you get to taste more whiskey at the end of the little barrel ride through the museum exhibit. I feel like I know quite a bit about a beverage that is really rather simple but has taken on many different forms and varieties. I hope it's medicinal as well, as I'm still fighting this head cold.

On to dinner at a local pub and wow, was it great. Not only did we get to experience a bit of the local rowdy crowd of footballers, but we also had a wonderful meal of Irish Stew for Bob and fish and chips for me. The fish was firm, flaky, moist and tasty with a light batter that was not drenched in oil. With a drizzle of brown sauce over the top, I was in fish and chips heaven. Good and cheap with a pint of Guinness, and nothing sent back to the chef this time. We were both very satisfied and are ready for another good night's sleep.

Day Eighty-Seven

I can't believe I forgot to mention the quilt exhibit at the Leeds Art Gallery, being a quilter and all. I wish I could have taken pictures as the pieces displayed used a technique that I have never heard of in quilting. Just as wood inlay is done, these quilts were wool inlay. Both the background piece and the inlay piece are cut to the same dimensions, inlayed, and then stitched to hold in place with very tiny, almost invisible stitches. Because the wools were felted and of limited colors, the quilts were very dramatic and quite intricate. The designs were small and much embroidery was included as well.

We walked through the open air market in Leeds where you can get just about anything - bakery goods, fresh meats and fish, flowers, etc., etc., etc., grabbed a cup of coffee and a sweet and headed to the bus for Harrogate which is about a 1/2 hour ride. It seemed a good day to move at a slower pace as I have a bit of a head cold and we both felt a little worn, so the Royal Baths were a must. We needed to ask one of our fellow riders where would be the most convenient getting off point and, as always when you get out of London, the locals as so at the ready to assist! It makes you feel rather special and wanted. We made it to the Baths, reserved our spot and then headed to Betty's Tea Parlor. Bob had a tasty chicken caesar sandwich (open faced) and I had a very hot bowl of cream of onion soup which hit the spot nicely. After walking through their park gardens and around the little town, it was time to meet our scheduled appointment for some needed pampering. The baths were fantastic - Tiled underground chambers with different temperature dry sauna rooms and a eucalyptus wet sauna that I'm sure helped my head cold. After about an hour and a half alternating between the steam and dry heat, we were ready for our massage. Caught the bus back to Leeds and sat next to a real character who talked all about the love he had for his England and how much he loved Americans and Canadians. Quite a fellow - he said we "made his day." He was a right jolly bus companion to end ours as well. Back at the hotel we slithered into bed after making bus arrangements to Edinburgh for tomorrow.

Day Eighty-Six

Caught the train from Kings Cross to Leeds. We had thought about renting a car but since the train is so convenient, fast and relaxing, we decided to make the car decision once we get to Leeds. Our hotel was just around the corner from the train station in Leeds so we dropped off our luggage and went exploring. Just about a half mile from our hotel is the Leeds city center. Leeds is a large college town (Leeds University) and is very clean but cold. The trees are all turning and it really feels like Fall here. We made it to the Leeds Art Gallery in the old town hall building which is magnificent in itself with it's completely tiled interior walls and high vaulted ceilings and ended up in the cafe inside for tea and sweets. We sat at a table in the sun just inside a window that looked out over the hall steps where some men were playing sidewalk chess with the large plastic pieces on the cement squares. It was truly delightful and a nice bit of relaxation. The gallery exhibits were wonderful and featured many Yorkshire artists both past and contemporary. I can see why so many great artists came from the Yorkshire area as the landscapes are inspiring.

After walking around for a while and getting our bearings (much easier here than in London), we looked over some activity options, went back to the hotel to check in and get cleaned up for dinner. We went to a small restaurant which is supposed to be a local favorite and had a very tasty and beautifully presented dinner with our bottle of wine. The food here is impressive - we started with beet gazpacho and gorgettes of feta, enjoyed them emmensely with an entree of rosemary and baby leek breast of chicken. We usually try to get different entrees so that we can each have a taste of the other's but the chicken just sounded too good - and it was! Topped of with a glass of port and we were set for a good nights sleep.

Day Eighty-one thru Eighty-five

We arrived in London very tired and went straight away to our hotel and dropped off our bags. Since it was still early, we decided to walk as we've found walking really helps mitigate the jet lag and after sitting for ten hours with little exercise, it helps to start the adventure off with physical activity. Our three days here were full of tube hopping, walking and general site seeing. The British Museum was on the top of our list as it seems one cannot see everything and it's good to concentrate on a special area of interest each time you come. Bob loved the Viking collections and I tarried at the Medieval period displays. It's like being in a history themed candy shop. We included tea at Fortnum & Mason, the London Eye which gave us a wonderful nighttime bird's eye view, a jaunt out to Hampton Court as I'd always wanted to see Harry VIII's digs outside of London and a fortuitous tube hop which brought us out right under the "Wicked" marquee near Victoria. Caught the show that evening and what a show it was! We sat right in the front behind the orchestra about eight rows back and were even commenting on the artistry of the shoes the performers were wearing! It was fantastical.

Weather was perfect - only rained on us once for about 10 minutes - and the food in London is truly a gastronomic's delight. We had said we would, of course, do Indian and ended up at Delhi in Soho. The food was aromatic, hot and full of the essence of East Indian flavors. We really felt we stumbled on a good find (actually having my iPad with a London area app was sooooo very helpful). We also ate one evening at our hotel, the Windermere near Victoria Station, which ended up to be an above-average London B&B considering the city is notorious for bad B&B's. I had chicken with bubble and squeak - Bob had a rib eye that was perfectly cooked lightly flavored with a delicious black pepper sauce. We did have a rather marginal and quite expensive meal at an Asian restaurant called Bam Bou in Soho. I had sea bass which wasn't bad, but the chef had chopped up lemon grass which were like fish bone shards over the top of it and the cilantro was so tough you couldn't even pull the leaves off the stems. The bok choy it was crowning was tough as well, in fact, so tough you couldn't even eat it. I should have known what the food was going to be like when my champaign cocktail arrived at room temperature. I would not recommend this place to anyone. We always had a full English breakfast at the B&B, would end up skipping lunch in lieu of tea, and make our dinner meal the star attraction of the day. Two meals a day is quite enough for the two of us.

Our next stop is for two nights in Leeds.

Day Seventy-Nine and Eighty

News Flash - Today's headlines: "Is it possible that while you're asleep tonight, thieves will be stealing your tires?" OMG, just one more thing we have to worry about!

Day Seventy-Eight

Yesterday a grizzly scene of mayhem, murder, and death presented itself in an insidious instant while I sat peacefully at my backyard window gazing at the tranquil scene of birds coexisting for one purpose - to fatten themselves up before the impending cold of Winter. That's when it all happened, and within seconds, there would be one less bird. No, it was not the neighbor's cat, as I have seen it lurking in the background several times during my morning viewings but have not seen it actually attempt to snatch anything. A warning - this story is not for the faint of heart. Here I am sitting, sipping my tea and marveling at the number of quail in the backyard, big fat ones, all pecking away at the seed I had just thrown in the "viewing area." There were probably more than four dozen. I was also surprised to notice some of them mating (in the Fall?). Here is creation happening right in my yard and I am feeling that my backyard paradise is facilitating more little critters being brought into the world, when all of a sudden the peace is shattered. The young Peregrin Falcon frequenting the neighborhood swoops down out, I guess from the powerlines, and plucks a young quail from the feeding grounds. At that moment it was quail mayhem. Three of them hit my big picture window trying to get away...boom...boom.......boom. These were big thuds as I thought the window would surely not hold up and as it's happening, I'm still just sitting there with my tea cup still poised in my hand. If you sneezed, you would have missed the theater! It happened so fast. They were gone in a flash of time and they haven't been back since. I think a few unsuspecting quail ventured in this morning to eat but were probably soon warned by spectacle goers of yesterday and summarily left - none have returned this afternoon. Now my yard is probably known as the killing field. I haven't had the nerve to go on Facebook yet and see if any of them have made some posts. At least I have the Sparrows.

Day Seventy-Six and Seventy-Seven

Someday I'd like to thank that Earl of Sandwich guy who, I believe, developed one of the most unique concoctions in gastronomic history - the sandwich of course. But leave it to the Italians to take the idea of an English Earl and perfect it; as I would also love to meet Mr. Panini. I was so overwhelmingly excited when my oldest son presented me with my beloved Panini Press for Mother's Day. Ever since, I have been relishing the unique sandwich inventions dictated mainly by what's in the refrigerator and what I need to use up, and then taking those rather lowly ingredients to another height by toasting them between two slices of bread in this wonderful Italian invention. Today was perfection. A ciabatta roll sliced open from Schaat's Bakery, a healthy swab of blue cheese and chive spread on both sides, a good helping of roast beef slices, my homemade pickles and topped off with sliced tomatoes from the garden (which are put on after the sandwich is liberated from the machine)! I'm already thinking of what's for lunch tomorrow - my creativity knows no boundaries.

Day Seventy-Three, Seventy-Four and Seventy-Five

It's amazing what a little rain can do to the waining harvest season. The temperatures are still hovering around 70 degrees but the leaves have begun to turn and the vegetables are beginning to shut down. After raking a few leaves - there are many more to come - and taking our walk this morning, we've made the realization that Fall is definitely here. The grasses and trees along the river walk are all turning that telltale yellow and beginning to thin out. The shadows are long, making the colors of the landscape intense. The contrast between light and dark is measurable against the vividness of the sky dotted with a few feathery clouds, and the haze that is indicative of humans desiring the reassurance of a warm fire at night. Everything points to the season to come. It seemed Bob and I had the same thing on our minds once we rounded the last corner to the car - I began thinking about brunch at the Cafe Del Rio and Bob ended up verbalizing it before I had the chance to even finish the thought. So, we headed up and dined by the open window as we admired the view down Six Mile Canyon. We both ordered the Jack, spinach and mushroom omlette smothered with roasted red pepper salsa and the best shredded hash browns (nice and brown and crunchy). Afterwards, we took a stroll down Virginia City's Main Street relishing the warm sun. We were both a bit sleepy when we arrived home but jumped into the yard as we need to tidy up a bit before our vacation. Dinner is looming and the leftovers from breakfast will do nicely wrapped in warm corn tortillas.

I picked all of the tomatillos which feels close to 20 pounds and pulled up the squash plants and picked a few tomatoes. I'll have to make sure I pack all the tomatoes in boxes before we leave to preserve them for our return. I'm sure we'll get a frost while we're gone and I don't want to lose any to the cold. They will store nicely in the shed and will begin to ripen. The carrots can stand even the snow which is quite satisfying in the winter when you can go out, brush the snow off and pull out the beautiful orange, crunchy treats. The pumpkin is still maturing - it's bright, bright orange now - and is being reserved for the boy down the street.

Five more days!

Day Seventy-One and Seventy-Two

I am convinced that Anthony Bourdain needs a sidekick and it's me. After all, I can be just as sarcastic, if not more. For instance, while at a locals market in Australia during season 7, Tony and his guide were purchasing breakfast (spicy bratwurst and saurkraut) at a market stand absolutely packed with breakfast goers. After purchasing their breakfast of champions, Tony commented on the tight fit between customers and food by explaining they would eat their purchase in a place where collisions between humans and sausage could be avoided. Now, I would have added that I actually enjoy an occasional collision between human and sausage as long as I've been wined and dined first. I'm sure my warped perspective would be a good fit along side Tony's rather twisted one. I wouldn't necessarily have to be on every episode, just the ones where the accommodations are five star. Now, I am in big trouble having found the No Reservations season episodes available on Netflix for instant play! I am at this moment rehearsing by adding my comments as I watch.

As always, inspired by food, I picked a butternut squash from the garden, peeled and seeded it, chopped it up in a glass pan with herbed butter, a little brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and have it in the oven for soup this evening. I wish I had of been born to be thin instead of just beautiful and smart. I guess two out of three isn't bad but what I could have done with that third attribute!!! Oh well. I am definitely ready to do some major consuming damage in Scotland, especially after watching Bourdain in Edinburgh. I've already printed out the info for The Kitchin near the Commercial Quay in Leith which is the dock area of Edinburgh. I have reservations at The Witchery and am not only looking forward to the food, but also the company as my best friend's cousin will be there to dine with. Oh my, I'm being reminded of how much I have to do yet to ready myself for the upcoming trip (I'm gobsmacked). Better get ripping!

Day Sixty-Seven, Eight, Nine and Seventy

It's been a few days as you can see but I do have a good excuse. On Saturday we began laying the driveway in pavers and have been working little by little each day, despite the rain which actually made it more enjoyable. At least we weren't sweating in the hot sun which has been rather relentless for the past month or so. I guess someone finally told the weather gods that the Fall season is upon us, so, with a flurry of trying to make up for their neglect, it's now raining cats and dogs. I can't complain though, I love the rain and the temperatures are supposed to climb again so the vegetables still have time to mature (I have loads of tomatoes still on the vines).

I don't know what it is about the rain but it sure lends itself to contemplation. It's as if ideas and thoughts become visual. A backdrop of grey must present itself as a nice canvas for profundity. Or maybe it's similar to dreaming while awake. Everything is in a state of darkness and yet light enough for guided thoughts that may be the basis for the dreams we have while asleep. For me, the rain magnifies the ancient nature of the world. After all, I do believe everything sprang from the water. Maybe it's a reminder of our origins and the power of nature to give and take away life. Mother Nature at her powerful best.

Definitely a day to spend in the kitchen. I've got a loaf of bread started and I just diced up some Aidele's habanero sausage to brown in the pan with some onion, diced tomatoes from the garden, diced green chili peppers, chopped carrots from the garden, and a bit of fresh cilantro. Once that's browned and leaves those nice browned bits on the bottom of the pan, I'll pour in some beef broth and a little seasoning to taste. Once the carrots start to soften, I'll add some fresh corn and a can of pinto beans. With a few pieces of corn bread I made the other night and froze, it'll be lunch! I also like to put some grated queso fresco and broken tortilla chips on top (you know, the ones that are always at the bottom of the bag that most people throw out).

Bring on more rain - I'm prepared!

Day Sixty-Six

I have resigned myself to the fact that I believe the United States' greatest threat is not what is out there trying to get in, but what is already here and has been for a very long time. It has nothing to do with bombs, guns or foreign terrorists - it's intolerance for one another's ideas and views. The divisiveness is palatable. The displays of hatred are numbing. This country is on a course of implosion if we don't stop harping on our differences instead of focusing on the ideals we agree on. The fear mongering and power grabbing is taking so much away from us. I don't know how I'm going to vote in this next election. I do know there are people that I surely don't want in power, but what a statement of our times to think the only choice is the lesser of the two evils. I used to get excited about voting.

Day Sixty-Five

Quite a beautiful morning. The temperatures have been incredibly warm and the nights crisp and comforting in the knowledge that the season is soon to change. That's the true beauty of living in the high desert, you tend to experience the seasons more intensely than in other areas were the weather and temperatures are more consistent. I do love the Fall, and this easing in weather we've been having is a delight. It prolongs the sense of change. I don't think I could do without it - it's wonderful knowing that nothing stays fixed in time and that we too are capable of embracing the passages in our own lives as something that is natural and found everywhere in nature. Even our backyard bird families have somewhat moved on. There are a few stragglers - a dove that seems to hang around, a couple of finches and the always present sparrow, but most have gone. We did enjoy the birds even more this year.

The mild weather also produces another bonus - more vegetable harvest. I have so many tomatoes, including some wonderful heirloom varieties which will provide us with some very fresh meals to wind down the season. It seems I put tomatoes on everything these days, but no one's complaining. My pumpkin is still growing but not in leaps and bounds as was the case for the last month or so. It's beginning to get the familiar bright orange tint as it matures and has a nice shape to it as well. I told our neighbor's son that he could have it for Halloween as Bob and I will be gone for the holiday. The butternut squash are maturing nicely as well. I'm still harvesting pattypan squash and have many tomatillos still on the vines. The carrots always weather nicely even when it snows. Yesterday, I picked some, steamed them and made a puree with a little butter and some sage that I had crisped in a pan with a little grapeseed oil. I had cut up an Aidele's pineapple sausage and pan fried it with some Fuji apple slices which made a healthy lunch with the carrot puree. Delicious. We're still pouring the grape syrup over vanilla ice cream for desert each evening. The only thing I wish I had better access to is fresh fish. I could really go for a piece of salmon tonight.

For anyone who loves to cook, I would strongly recommend the magazine Donna Hay. I believe it's one of those magazines that steps good cooking up a notch. The ingredients are simple and focus on fresh produce and other seasonal ingredients. If you're a good cook to begin with, these recipes will help you go to the next level. In the most recent issue (51) the How to Cook section features polenta which is one of my very favorite foods because it is so versatile and, in my book, is a true comfort food. There's a speck and maple beans with thyme toasts recipe that I'm going to put together one of these evenings. Soup, stew and beans are my main Fall repertoire. So easy and quick.

Day Sixty-Three and Sixty-Four

I think I'm way too excited about our upcoming trip to Scotland as it's three weeks away and I've already packed - a new record. I still have a lot of stuff I need to do. I want to get all the ancestry information together on our Scottish ancestors so that I can do a little snooping while there. I haven't uploaded all the DC photos yet pertaining to the Burges/Howell descendants onto Ancestry.com yet either. There's so much to do and every time I think I've accomplished something with regard to the research, it just ends up opening more doors that need to be walked through! Sometimes it can be overwhelming and such a daunting task. In fact, I don't even think it can be classified as a "task" anymore - it's more like a full time job. And, with all the things on my "to do" list, writing has become a chore as well. I didn't want that to happen. Writing is so much a part of my self induced therapy and very important to my peace of mind. When I don't have a lot on my mind, the words and thoughts just flow. Unfortunately, the words and thoughts are taking a back burner right now to all of the self induced tasks I taken on, and now with the Scotland trip looming, I just want October 16th to get here! Remember, enjoy each day as it comes and ultimately goes. Sip your tea, sit by the window, bask in the unseasonably warm, crisp weather before it slips away.

Day Sixty, Sixty-One and Sixty-Two

The days go by so fast. Each one blurring into the next. During the last year of my father's life, I can remember commenting to him how quickly each day passes. His comment to me was, "Wait till you get to be my age." I felt sorry that his good years had concluded so quickly. The last two years of his life was a constant struggle to just to breath. I think of my father often and have many regrets at not asking him about his life - growing up in Oklahoma, his life prior to WWII and his service in the war, his parents, and just generally what it was like when he was young. I so want to know now and putting the pieces together without that direct knowledge is so challenging.

After we came back from Washington DC, I noticed

that the grapes growing on the back patio were beginning to smell wonderful so I pulled a couple off and popped them in my mouth - wow. This is the first year they've actually be edible. They have quite an intense flavor. It would be difficult to just eat them one by one so I cooked them down and made a light syrup to pour over ice cream. Really, really tasty. I didn't use much sugar and the creamy sweetness of a scoop of vanilla along side makes a refreshing dessert. Bob loves it (of course, he loves anything involving vanilla).

Day Fifty-Seven, Fifty-Eight and Fifty-Nine

Being away from the house is a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I love to travel, to see things I've never seen before and experience the sense of history in new areas. These experiences truly awaken my desire to create, learn and most importantly, reflect on my life as being just a flash of time in the scheme of existence. There is something comforting about feeling small and insignificant - it allows me to just "be" without fearing the spores of inadequacy floating all around me, awaiting to land and slowly devour my uniquely human experience. We are all what we are supposed to be and we are truly alone in this world. By alone I mean each individual's experiences and thoughts can only be realized by that person. No one can be in the thoughts and experiences of another - in this sense we are on our own. Psychologists and psychiatrists attempt to explain the thought and experiences of others and predict human behavior. The real experience, however, is only there for the individual actually realizing it. Prediction is just that - an attempt to explain effect by viewing from the outside what a person does when faced with a litany of situations. Each of us are the only keepers of the key to ourselves. No one else, no manner how learned, can possess such a key. It's a powerful thing we all have and many of us don't even realize it. Our experience is clouded by greed, envy, uncontrollable desires and the man-made ideas related to purpose, faith and control - all barraging us from the outside when everything we need is inside. The act of being away from home produces the experiences needed for me to get back to the inside - home - where I can reflect on what makes "me," "me."

Day Fifty-Six

Our last day in DC and it was marvelously quiet, early Fall day. It has been unseasonably warm here but with a little cloud cover, the day was most enjoyable. We took it easy and ended up back on the Mall headed to the American History Museum. Both of us had seen it before but when you're herding 50 8th grade students, you don't get to spend some time with the exhibits you really want to absorb. So, we took our time and had a enjoyable stroll. Once we were at the saturation point, we decided to catch an early afternoon lunch and ended up on Constitution and S St., sat outside and ate, and then walked around the neighborhood. Definitely upper class, white area with several embassies along the way. We stumbled into the Textile Museum and then decided to get back to the car and head over to the Basilica - and am I glad we did. In contrast to the National Cathedral, the Basilica is very bright, full of bright, colorful mosaics, and imbues the onlooker with the knowledge that man is meant to find meaning and beauty in life and it's many passages. The crypt Chapel is more subdued but nonetheless so impressive with the low, vaulted ceilings. It gives the impression that even death is a movement toward something discoverable. After that, we headed back over to Roselyn and stopped at the Cheesecake Factory for dessert! What a fitting way to end a vacation. Tomorrow is airport shuttling time.

Day Fifty-Five

Wow what a day. We began by walking the Mall including the Jefferson Memorial - all on foot mind you, but it was an incredibly lovely day, probably around 82 degrees and clear. I had never seen the WWII Memorial and was deeply moved. I got a picture of the Oklahoma wreath as this was the State my father came from when he was drafted and served in the Pacific Theatre (Nagoya - Occupied Japan). It meant a lot to me but I don't think Dad would have really cared as he always said, "I'm a lover not a fighter," and was ready to come home immediately upon the birth of his third child (his first with Blanche Marie Burges). He served as a corporal. Then we went on to the Congressional Cemetery to find the burial place of Gustavus Howell, my maternal great,great,great grandfather who died in 1836. When we parked in front of the cemetery office a gentleman was leaving and asked us if we were looking for a relative. I was kind of taken aback as I had just stepped out of the car and didn't really see where he came from. It so happened that he is the Board Chairman of the Congressional Cemetery Executive Board and there was also a docent who was wrapping up his day as well. They both ushered us back into the locked office and started pulling out records! They found the plot on the map (which we would never have found without assistance) and the docent walked us to the site. Unfortunately, there is no headstone but in the picture, I am probably standing on GGGGrandfather Howell! Curiously, the internment records show that there were two burials at the site (the same site probably one on top of the other). The first burial reads, "Gustavus Howell, 9/16/1836" and the second reads, "Gustavus Howell, 12/12/1869." The only thing I can think of is that Gustavus died in 1836, and Augustus Howell died in 1869 and was buried on top of his father. I'm so sorry there is no headstone. Another mystery to be solved!

Day Fifty-Four

We went out to Gettysburg on a day that was wonderfully picturesque mainly due to the extraordinary weather - perfect temperatures and the clouds gave such definition to the landscape and sky. It added an extra element to the significance of the experience. After seeing and reading about the history of the Battle of Gettysburg, I truly believe every American should visit this site at sometime in their life when the significance can be realized. There is not a lot one can say. Just prior to this battle, Chancellorsville had been a significant victory for Lee's forces and he was flying rather high. Gettysburg was the first offensive campaign for Lee's army and they took many risks which didn't pay off. With Antietam looming ahead, it would still be almost another two years before the war ends and with so many more casualties. Fantastic tour, fantastic theatre presentation and the cyclorama was incredible. The memories will be enduring.

Day Fifty-Three

Today we're going to head out to the Gettysburg Battlefield. We'll get started early as I think we'll need a full day to tour the site. I'm very excited.

I do need to post another picture however. Yesterday we also found the church where Will and Blanche Burges were married in 1904.

It is in Will's childhood neighborhood and must have been his family's parish church - I'll do some more checking when I get home.