Soup Lady, "Cooking from the Heart"

Burn the Floor

Jamie and I have been BIG fans of "So You Think You Can Dance."  We even bought tickets to see a couple of the shows.  Today, at the Fox Theatre they played, "Burn the Floor", with special appearanced by Pasha and Anya, two of our favorite dancers from  "So You Think You Can Dance."

Here are some snaps of the day...

Before leaving I had Jamie take a photo of me in the garden next to one of my favorite plants.  This is a Kangaroo Paw.  Can you belive a little over a year ago this was a one gallon plant?  Amazing!

 

We stopped at Relish for some cool drinks.  They have some great selections.  Plus, we parked in their lot and walked to the Fox.

 
Waiting for his woman...

 
This is Debbie.  How cute is she with her pink little tongue peaking through her front tooth.  Smile and the world smiles with you...

 
Fun selection of fancy sodas...

 
Our selections organic tea with coconut and Rock and Rye Cream soda, yummy!!!

 
Dragon Marsh has been around for a long time.  They specialize in Renaissance Fair items...

 
In June we have a large group who will be seeing Brian Regan.  We are definitely groupies!!!

 
But today, we are here to see Burn the Floor!!!

 
 
Waiting for the show to begin...

 
We gave the show a 7 or 8 out of 10.  I think I would have liked it better if it had a broader mix of dance like hip hop and contemporary.  This was mostly ballroom.  However, Anya and Pasha were HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!!

Afterwards a little Shakey's for pizza, chicken and Mo Jo potatoes...

 
 

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens

 
Located at an elevation of 1,350 feet on the outwash plain of the San Gabriel Mountains, the 86-acre Garden is laid out in three areas.  Indian Hill Mesa, The East Alluvial Gardens and the Plant Communities.

Come, hike with me through this beautiful, serene garden experience.

 
As I got to the garden I saw the school buses - children quickly organized to attention...

 
Off we go...

 
Berry nice...

 
 
 
The majestic redwoods...

 
 
Douglas Fir...

 
 

Pretty, pretty, Iris...

 

 
Flowering trees...

 
 
The hills are alive!!!

 

 
Manzanita.  I love the striking red bark.  We have these in our garden!!!

 

 
Patches of color and texture...

 
 
 

 

California Cultivar Garden...

 
 
 
 
 

 
Spidery cactus... 

All this and Butterflies too?!?!?!

 
Looks like one escaped...

 
 

 
 

 
This will one day be a Monarch Butterfly - isn't nature amazing???

 
 

Butterfly nectar and food...

 
 
 
 
Monarchs love milkweed...

 

The Butterfly man...

 

The stars of the show...

 

 
 
 

 
 

With a limited budget the community volunteers to run programs and water the garden.  This is what I want to do when I retire!!!

The volunteers...

 

 
 
How inviting...

 
 

 Blue Bird...

 

Turtle Pond..

 
 
 

Peeker

 

Beet Salad

Home made beets.  Feta cheese.  Hazlenuts. Inspired by the dinner at the Salted Pig.

 

Creative Fire

There is a fire inside of me.  A creative fire.  Flaming.  Bursting from the inside out.  I can't explain it.  I have no natural artistic talent.  I won't let that stop me.  I am open to the universe.  I will find a way to express myself creatively...

My book...

 
My tools..

 
My scrap book page...

 
 

My ink...

 
My art...

 
 

 
First Steps...

 

 
 
 
 

Folly's Birthday

It was Folly's birthday over the weekend.  Her hubby had to work.  Megan had another party to attend.  So, I got an invitation I could not pass up.  Folly asked me to spend her birthday with her at her desert retreat.  What a great time I had with my BFF. 

Here is a photo journal of our remarkable weekend...

Here is a shot of Folly and me on our way out.  Please note how I am dressed for pick up.  Hair done.  Make up on.  Nice dress and shoes.

 
We definitely love each other...

 
Our first stop was Las Consuelas Mexican Cantina.  Live music.  Good food.  Good drinks.

 
As we entered the restaurant we sat at a table.  The waitress quickly came to us and told us we needed to go through the front to be seated.  When we got to the front we talked to the man at the front desk.  He quickly excorted us back to the table we sat at and told the waitress it was ok.  She was "intentionally" mean to us the rest of the night.  We gave her a penny tip.  Folly went back to the front desk to give a $5 tip to our courteous host.

 
Nothing like some chips and salsa...

 
After dinner we went to the condo...

Megan's room...

 
Folly's room...

 
 
The living room...

 

Getting ready for bed...

 

On Saturday morning Folly and I went to Dorleen's house to pick up her Mercedes Benz convertible.  What an awesome car...

 
 
Terry, Dorleen, Kyle, Megan and Connor were going to spend the day in the desert playing with their sand toys.  Later in the evening we planned to all meet back up at Mama Gina's restaurant for dinner.  Packing up the toys and tools...

 
 

The girls...

 
The boys...

 
Cactus Flower...

 
Shelby and her daddy, Terry...

 

Off we go...

 
 
First stop, Desert Eclipse Resort for a session with Scott (hair, wax, tint)...

 
The welcoming committee.  Can you believe this dog is 16 years old???

 

Before...

 
During...

 
After our session with Scott we headed to downtown Palm Springs for lunch at Tyler's.  They are famous for their sliders and potato salad.  You have to give them a try...

 
 
 
 
After lunch we decided to check out some of the consignment stores.  We were on a mission to find the old time scarfs that movie stars wrapped around their heads when driving with the top down with their leading man.  Well, there was no leading man.  Just two wild and crazy gals!!! We got the whole store all excited about the look.  So much so another customer bought a scarf as well as the sales girl!!! Here we are in our Babushka's.

  
Thelma and Louise...

 
 

 

 

Megan getting into the Babushka act.  She said it reminded her of her Polish grandmother.  
   
It took Doreleen to the end of our evening to put on the Babushka.  I am not sure what took her so long.   Darling, you look FABULOUS!!!!

 

 

Meeting up at Mamma Gina's...

Waiting for our table...

 
Terry and his new friend Dorothy...

 
Dinner time...

 
Family and friends...

 
 
 
 
 
Off to the Hyatt...

Folly and Will...

 
Folly and Eddie - Peace Out...

 
Working the room...

 
Dancing with Donny...

 
Foxy Mamma!!!

 
The locals..

 
 
Tree balls...

 
Pensive...

 
 
48 hours

 
The Bathing Suit...

 
The Stool...

 

The Telescope...

 
The neighbors Jack and Jan...

 
 
On Golden Pond (Jack and Jan's home in Idaho)...

 
The cart...

 

The course...

 
 

Don't put the cart before the course....hahaha!!!

The view...

 

 


I am really into shooting feet.  I know this is weird.  I got the idea from my daughter-in-law Tara who is a professional family photographer.  It is amazing how expressive foot shots can be.  Polish, shoes, and outfits all add to the whimsy of the photo.  Here are some of the shots...

 
 

 
Updated Barbie Glamour Shoes...

 
Getting ready to go leave...

 

This is the drop off outfit.  Much different than the one I left with.  Home Sweet Home - AHHH!!!

 

Jamie's Interview with CBU

On Friday the 13th Jamie had an interview with CBU for an adjunct position with the university.  The interview went well and we are hoping that the position will work itself out by Spring of next year.  This will give us time to pay off the house and cars.  I am so excited for this possible new career path for Jamie.  CBU is a Christian college, which ties so much to our belief system.  Good luck to you my love...as you begin this new chapter in your life!!!

Here is a shot of Jamie in his suit.  Definitey dressed to impress!!!

 

Barbie Glamour Shoes

Karen and I have know each other since the early 90's.  We were single together and lived in the same condo complex.  Karen introduced me to so many new experiences, particularly bike riding.  I was a new rider and had a big old mountain bike with the knobby tires.  Karen invited me to ride the Solvang half century.  For those of you who do not know what a half century is - that's 50 miles folks.  For some reason Karen must have not had her shoes with her to ride.  I had a pair of extra white leather tennis shoes with bling on them.  We immediately named them the Barbie Glamour shoes (see below).

Here I am with my knobby tired mountain bike up against the sleek- skinny tired, well toned, well trained athletes.  My only interest was to finish.  If you have never ridden 50 miles before you have no idea when the end is...

At last, I was coming to the finish line.  The last leg of the ride was uphill.  I was exhausted.  This guy came riding up beside me trying to have casual conversation.  I am huffing, and puffing up this hill.  I am BARN SOUR.  I want to get to the end.  I am thinking to myself...really guy do you really think I am interested in a word you have to say!!!  The answer, NO!!!  I just silently completed by 50 mile journey on my terms.

In a stroke of great luck Karen found some old pics of our trip - including one with her wearing the Barbie Glamour shoes.  What luck~~~~

 
 

 

Defining Moments...

My mom has always been special to me.  We shared a unique bond for the first 8 years of my life while my dad was in the merchant marines.  Once he came home our world changed.  She went to work.  My dad went to work.  My sis and I became latch-key kids.  After I moved from my home I rarely saw my mom or spoke much to her.  I was building a life with Tom Doyle, which included Mary Ann (shown below with my mom).  Mary Ann and I became best friends.  Later, my mom retired and took care of my sister's kids - I rarely saw my mom or spoke much to her.  She used to tell me on occassion she loved me, but it was shallow.  She really did not know me.  I wanted so much for my mother to love me, and know me.

After, when my dad passed away my sister decided she did not want to be part of me or my mom's life.  I began to re-build the relationship with my mother.  Slowly at first.  And with the encouragement of the love of my life - Jamie - I began calling her every day.  Over the years, my mom and I have shared, reconciled, laughed, cried and have become more than mother and daughter.  We talk about our family memories.  Anchored and connected by them.  We are the very best of friends.

As my mom, Ted and Mary Ann were about to leave on Mother's Day I over heard my mom and Mary Ann talking in the kitchen.  My mom was telling Mary Ann what a good cook I was.  Then, she said, "I love the smell of her cooking - it makes it feel like home".  Wow, she actually caught the essence of me and the home I have built with Jamie.

 

Another defining moment came when she was leaving and was saying how much she enjoyed the day.  She said to me, "The candy you gave me brought back so many memories.  I can tell how much you love creating memories".  Zing went the strings to my heart!!!!  She got it!!! Inside the bag was her mom's favorite candy Sen Sen, Chuckles, which bring back memories of her dad, violet candy and gum - which are both our favorites.  And a good old-fasioned candy necklace.  I told her she could give it to a little girl and she looked at me like I was crazy.  She was the little girl!!!!

 

Today, when my mother says she loves me - she really knows me. Isn't that what we all want???  To be loved for who we are by the people we love the most???  This day will be impressed on my life forever. 

Elmer Avenue Retrofit

One of my job responsibilities is to provide financial assistance to local agencies who have innovative water quality or water conservation aspects.  The Elmer Avenue retrofit had the best of both.  Following is a summary from the Watershed Council's website discussing the project.  http://lasgrwc2.org/programsandprojects/was.aspx

The Watershed Council has forged a unique partnership between local water, public works, and wastewater agencies, the State of California , and the US Bureau of Reclamation to more fully evaluate capacity and feasibility of new stormwater management practices through infiltration, and whether these can be achieved without impacting groundwater quality. At the same time, we are evaluating the benefits of enhancing environmental health, increasing green space in our neighborhoods, providing jobs, and increasing our water supply reliability.

Here are some photos of the Elmer Avenue project:

 
Our tour guide, Edward...

 
 

 
 
This is a catch basin...

 
Lots of cool elements: rain barrel, xmart controller, permeable paths and drought tolerant plants all watered with drip irrigation.

 
Bio swales are used to treat water, allow for groundwater replenishment and convey stormwater, here are some examples:

 
 
Rain Barrell and Smart Controller...

 
A variation of the poppy...

 
A soon to be Green Alley...

 
Drains...

 
The Los Angeles River is a channeled river for the most part...

 
This is the Santa Ana River (in Riverside)...

 
Very different, wouldn't you say?  Which do you prefer???