California Dreamin'

The Simple Woman's Daybook that I usually do on Mondays has been moved to Tuesdays so today I will show pictures of my recent trip to CA.  It has been a week since I got back and to be honest I have been a little depressed having come from Spring everywhere you look to very brown and gray here at home.  But, I will buck up and put on my happy face and pretend happiness!  Come with me as I show you what I saw.  I must show you the beautiful green hills first.

I think there is nothing as beautiful as the bright chartreuse color, especially after so much rain in CA, that the hills right next to the main roads and freeway get in northern California.  I was so busy there that I didn't take time to get out of the car to photograph so these pics are from inside the car. (Ignore the bottom half of pics)
There is a place along the road that someone many years ago planted hundreds of daffodil bulbs so that as you drive along the freeway there is this beautiful yellow roadside.  They were just beginning to spring up.

 It is so nice to be with friends that you haven't seen for a while and make new ones.  So, we had a Valentine party and made of course, valentines!

 

 

As well as a cute musical pin to wear and learned how to make a banner too.

I

I loved talking to and catching up on each one's life.

  The weather was beautiful and fun was had by all. 

 A beautiful lunch was served on red and white tablecloths and all enjoyed being together.  I have the best friends!  Thank you Vicki and Angela for the luncheons.

One day on our way down to Pebble Beach we stopped at Wal-Mart where this cute little family were in the parking lot with a line of people backed up next to their truck.

 

    We found out they were selling homemade tamales from the back of their pick-up truck!  Of course, we were on an adventure so we made this part of it too.  They were hot and so delicious!

 The ocean was many shades of blue and refreshing just to see.

I love the charming shops of Carmel with all it's little alley ways, cobblestones and 

dutch doors to the cute shops.

 

  

And no matter what time of year you go to Carmel there are beautiful flowers everywhere.

In planter boxes.

In pots.

 

Or hanging on the side of the wall, they are beautiful.

Even the animals have taken on color it seems as we saw this poodle happily walking down the street in a coat of Bubble Gum pink!

 

We drove through Berkeley on our way back to the airport and stopped at this open Market selling beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables and specialty ethnic foods.  We bought a wonderful "sandwich" made of very thin tortilla-like bread filled with a spinach mixture that was just delicious.  Another filling was a pumpkin pesto that was good too.

Thanks for reliving my trip to CA with me and I hope Spring comes soon to your part of the country just as I am looking forward to the first tulip emerging here in a couple of months.

  Have a wonderful week!

Camera-Captured Summertime Activities

Camera-Captured Summertime Activities
Sometimes we wonder where our time has gone, especially this summer. It is a good thing that we can record events with our camera so that we can answer that for ourselves. Here are some events I captured with family and friends--fun times and times for memories.1. My sweet aunt, Gladys (89), and I had a beautiful drive north to my sister, Kaye's, home. We helped her celebrate her birthday by taking her to lunch at a lovely restaurant up one of the canyons near her home. (I won't tell how old she is, only that she looks 25!).
This is the birthday girl complete with a darling apron and birthday crown. She is in her livingroom that is filled with all things memorable and fun including the family portrait mantle with it's inscription "Be Warm Inside and Out", two loveseats that she recovered from our mom's home, tea cup collections, hand stitched pillows, decoupaged Girl's Time (on the easel) and other fun and quirky things. Everything has a story. It is always a treat to go there to see what she has done lately. She is a very talented and fun sister.
Barbara and I took a little trip to an old Inn where my husband and I spent our honeymoon many years ago and enjoyed the gardens there. We took the plunge and sat in the natural mineral springs that are on the property. Something that neither one of us had done before. Doesn't she look amazing! She is an inspiration to me of perseverance and patience having stuck with her diet since last November!
I pressed her into service to redecorate the guest room while she was staying in it. So it went from French Country to Cottage Beachy in the course of one week. Of course, we found time to make some crafts before she went home too. She is making a Danger cosmetic bag out of danger tape and duct tape.
The craft room found cute Maddy making a banner for her bedroom back home too.
It is so nice to have spent time with those you love. I hope your summer is filled with the people you enjoy being with too.