Greetings from Monterey, California

Hi there and greetings from Monterey, CA. We have had a fabulous time and the time is going at a nice pace. Not tooo fast so thats good.

We've been to SanFrancisco and packed in lots of fun and we're back from Reno, Nevada last night. Nice and hot there at 101F. Do you know it is STILL raining at home? I can't believe it.

I have taken a gazillion pictures but I'm not downloading them all on Marc's laptop so I'll check them out and share them from home.

Hope you are all doing well and enjoying your summer....I have so much blogging and reading to catch up on!!

Keep well...enjoy... Love Judi xoxo

California Dreaming...

I'm excited and you can watch the video below and sing along with me to learn why we are "California Dreaming"





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtVIhDgo_uU
We're flying to California tomorrow and we are excited. We'll be landing in SanFrancisco and staying in Oakland for a few nights then driving to Reno for a couple of nights, through Lake Tahoe and then Monteray for a couple of nights before we're back to SanFrancisco.

I have never been there but always wanted to go. Years ago Marc had a job there and for 5 years he flew to SanFrancisco for a week each month. He loved it. He has talked about the wonderful dining experiences and he's happy to go back and experience them again and it'll be fun to explore together.

We have tickets to Alcatraz and we'll go to Napa Valley and the 17 Mile Drive and the cannery and .... hopefully we won't have rain!! I think of the song "It Never Rains in California"...and if it does I'm sure that somehow we'll be responsible. We have had our fair share of it here..and there.... When we return wonder if we'll be singing "I Left My Heart...in SanFrancisco".... because we loved it all so much.... What other California songs are there?

My son will be here looking after Abby so she'll feel special too!

If we don't take along our laptop keep well and see you at the end of next week.... Judi xoxo

Strawberry Lemonade...When Life Hands You Lemons

Yesterday I posted about the day Madeline and I had together. In the picture during our picnic I said I would tell you more about the drink Madeline has in her drinking jar.

It is a delicious Strawberry Lemonade I have learned to make this week. I got the recipe from a new blogging friend Kathy at http://www.kathyscottage.blogspot.com/.

The recipe is so simple and so very yummy!! I can't seem to get enough of it. Kathy said it was ok to share the recipe with you. If you go to her site you'll find some fun reading and you'll see her jar of this drink also.

Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Slice up about 4-6 lemons very thinly, slice up a quart of strawberries and add them along with 1-1/2 cups of sugar into a large jar. I used a wooden spoon to mush the fruit very very well with the sugar. I stirred and I mushed and I stirred...you know? Then just add water.

You can adjust the taste by the amount of sugar and water you add. Pop that into the fridge to get nice and cold and yum. I left it in the fridge for a few hours and then strained it. Kathy said she doesn't leave the sliced lemons in the juice overnight because the rinds do give a flavour. Yum and Madeline loved it too. Give it a try one of these hot days!!

Have a lovely day... Judi xoxo

A Perfect Day with Madeline and Lovely Sisters ATC Card

Because I'm on vacation my granddaughter Madeline and I spent the day together. I picked her up before noon and we had a great day and I drove her home for 8:00 p.m. Even the weather cooperated and it was so nice and warm and sunny for a change.

We went to 2 parks which were close to each other. I'd never been to the 2nd one and yet she told me which way to keep turning as we drove to get to the other one. Smart for a just turned 5 year old. We had a picnic on a blanket. Tomorrow I'll tell you about that yummy lemonade Madeline has in her drinking cup...

She had fun on all the equipment at both parks and met another "Madeline" one month older than she was. They both had long blonde hair and were so cute together.

We fed the ducks and the geese. They sure were hungry.

Then we visited Big Al's Aquarium to look at fish and a big shark they allow you to feed on certain nights of the week. We were out for 5 hours before coming to my place and having dinner and we watched "The Reef" and coloured. It was a fun filled day for both Madeline and Grammy.

A very special day and I loved our one-on-one day together.

and also thank you Patti!.....

Another special I wanted to share is from my blogging friend Patti from TreasureBarn. She makes beautiful ATC cards. I enjoy reading visiting her blog and if you haven't done so before be sure to visit.

When I saw one she had named "Sisters" I commented on how beautiful the card was. Patti was so thoughtful she sent it to me! It came with a handwritten card and when you flip the ATC card over she has signed and dated it. Thank you so very much. I just love the card.

I hope you have had a wonderful day today.... Judi xoxo

A Drive to the Cottage...

On the weekend I drove the route that runs along Lake Ontario to the cottage in NY state. You can see the skies were wanting to threaten. I drive this road for the last hour of the drive. The first couple of hours are a hectic highway drive but this one is so peaceful and quiet.

I always love this house I pass along the way. The picture is a little crooked because I was being good and concentrating on the road (most of the time) . The house overlooks the lake and has a beautiful yard and lawn.










I passed this beautiful lavender along a fence...











This house doesn't really look as good as it does in the picture. I can just imagine how beautiful it would be with a little TLC. Wouldn't that top be a great spot for crafting? It also overlooks the water. Its in a lovely location.
























I took a picture of the shed at the cottage to show you the perennial flowers I had planted around it at the end of last summer. The picture also shows the door needing some TLC and paint. Funny I hadn't noticed it as much as I do in the picture.











The daisies were happy.

This is Marc and his grandson Jack having a heart-to-heart conversation. Jack just turned 2 last month.

Marc played in a fundraising golf tournament called the name of 2 dear friends who passed away 18 years ago. Ever since that time this group of golfers and they were up to about 80 this year pays to golf. The proceeds go to a good cause. They had a great day as usual. There was much laughing going on.

It has become a tradition that because one of the couples has a wedding anniversary that weekend they stop at the 17th hole and open up a bottle of champagne to toast. This year a couple of ladies took a break and reappeared in wedding dresses. One of the fellows had been persuaded to change into a black gown with pearls...and he played the rest of the game this way. It was so silly. Later everyone gathered at the Elk's Lodge and we had a delicous steak dinner and prizes were awarded to the golfers and 4-somes that were the best and the worst, and the longest and the shortest. Its always a fun time.

I hope you had a lovely weekend... Judi xoxo

An Irish Blessing....and a Lovely Friday

I've arrived at the cottage waiting for Marc to get home. Its the weekend so the forecast has changed and there is a steady stream of rain...but through the screen door I can hear the raindrops softly hitting the beautiful green leaves of the big trees in my view...it is a pretty day regardless of the rain. We are having a pizza and chicken wings with a glass of wine dinner tonight. Just taking it easy..... I love Fridays....

While I was blogging earlier I came across this Irish Blessing...its so beautiful. When you open it up go to the version by Phil Coulter and Roma Downey. It goes so beautifully with what I'm seeing as I look out the large windows here...and at the lake... a lovely blessing.

The Irish Blessing
http://www.playlist.com/searchbeta/tracks#an%20irish%20blessing

I hope you too have a lovely Friday... Blessings....Judi xoxo

Vacation Time!

I'm excited! Today I start a 3-1/2 week vacation. I think I deserve it too. On Monday I returned to work after a 2-week vacation and I worked darn hard to cram and get things organized at work so I could go on vacation again. It was a fast 4 days and I was an hour late getting out of there.

Tomorrow morning I'll drive to the cottage in New York state and the weather is supposed to be great for a change. Today is the real first summery day I think we've had from start to finish! I'm so looking forward to this.

Once I am able to transfer some pics this weekend (the cord is at the cottage) I'll show you where we're going next week on vacation.. yipee..

I do have these lovely roses to show that grow by the shed at the cottage.

and my lavender is doing nicely beside the hosta and rudenbeckia. Maybe this weekend its flowers will have opened.

Marc will be at a Golf Tournament closeby on Saturday and following that I join them for prize giveaways and dinner! It'll be fun. Maybe I'll galavant while he's golfing...hmmmmm..

Have a lovely weekend. Judi xoxo

Sound of Music Video...and Picture Transfer Cord

I can't share any pictures with you this week. I forgot the cord to transfer pics at the cottage on the weekend...along with my favourite black shoes I can't wear to work this week.

I'm not going to post about the surprise birthday party we had for Marc's special birthday on Saturday because I can't share pictures. It really was a surprise...my eldest son Geoff has flown to British Columbia today and he took LOTS of pictures at the party...but...his pictures have flown with him...

I've sewn 2 skirts this past week...the last one I finished tonight and then made a matching necklace to one of them and added a matching stone to a bracelet. I can't even show you...

and tonight I started making a dress for myself. Now that I brought the fabric home I'm not that crazy about it. I can't show you so you'd see what I mean...because...I don't have that transfer cord....

hmmmmm...so instead I'll share a video I've watched a couple of times and it always makes me smile. It is a Dancing Performance by 200 at a train station in Belgium. I'm sure it'll put a smile on your face too. Enjoy it and have a lovely lovely day...take lots of pictures you can share. Judi xoxo

This is the video...its about 4 minutes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k

What About Now - Chris Daughtry

I love American Idol. Maybe you do too. I remember a few years ago I thought Chris Daughtry would become the next American Idol. He came second. Although he wasn't the American Idol for that season he certainly has surpassed the person who did win.

This is one song of his I enjoy. This video shows so much. It makes me think this morning....it makes me realize how fortunate I am...and how I should appreciate everything I have. I'm sure you'll feel the same way....

Just click to view his video..
http://new.ca.music.yahoo.com/videos/Daughtry/What+About+Now--157691378;_ylt=AkLp.6fnEE5Cz3wB6ymOojir6SUv

Have a lovely day... Judi xoxo

Happy 5th Birthday Madeline

Happy Birthday to my little granddaughter Madeline!!

Today she is 5 years old. She is just a little delight and brings such wonderful joy to me and the family. Madeline is such a sweet considerate little one already very sensitive to people's feelings. She's always been that way. She is one to say "I don't want to hurt your feelings....but I don't prefer cooked carrots". She is so much like her father. I love watching them together.

Today she will have a swimming party at her nana's with her little friends. I had wanted to see her for her birthday (we'll get together for a little family one as well). Things are a little "skeltered" around here right now. Is skeltered a word? Maybe not but it sounds like a good word. Geoff called me while I was at the mall last night and we decided to have a last minute pre-birthday dinner celebration. We went to a place called "Crabby Joes".

It was a beautifully special time. Our dinner was lovely and the whole couple of hours there were a delight. Madeline opened her gifts from me and she was just so very sweet. I used my digital and took a couple of precious videos as well of her and her dad. Geoff is dressed very casual vacation style because he is on vacation and this was last minute.

She watched in bewilderment as they sang Happy Birthday to her and brought her a sundae with a candle. This was the first time she'd seen this and she didn't quite know what to think about it. When they were finished she asked us whey they did that? She said she was rather "annoyed" with them. I think she was actually feeling a slight bit embarrassed. You know how we get?

Five years ago Geoff gave me a beautiful present....and that present becomes more delightful with each passing year. I love you Madeline...and Geoff...

I hope you have a lovely day..... Judi xoxo

Rain Follows

I was at the cottage and it was great to see my nephew Thomas who is here just for one week from British Columbia. I hadn't seen him since he was 9 and he will be 16 in August. I do feel like a broken record because "that" weather followed us. We had rain each day and it was between overcast and cool to breaks of sunshine. VERY unusual. The summer that never came we're thinking.

The water was surprisingly warm enough to go swimming so that was nice but we didn't bother to go boating. Therefore I didn't really take pictures to share but once I get Geoff's pictures I'll tell you more.

Here then are just some wild flowers that crawled along the ground I thought were pretty.

There were many little chipmunk guys too...

It is a lovely sunny morning at home today and I'm still finishing off my 2nd week of vacation. Tomorrow I'll be back at the cottage in New York State. The weather forecast is showing the "R" word again for the weekend. Crazy eh? Maybe that will change.

Hope wherever you are you are getting the weather you're loving... Judi xoxo

Tenderflake Baked Brie, Pear and Walnut Braid & Another Week of Vacation

Marc is back to work this week but I have another week off. Abby and I are back in Canada.

My brother's youngest son Thomas is here from British Columbia for 9 days. My eldest son Geoff picked him up at the airport at midnight.

This morning we're picking up my mother along the way and driving 2.5 hours north to her cottage until Wednesday evening. I won't be able to blog while I'm away. I hope I'll have some pictures to share with you though when I'm back.

I am sharing the recipe for the Baked Brie, Pear and Walnut Braid Marc and I made to bring to the 4th of July Picnic we went to. We brought over 2 braids. The recipe follows. Its easy and sooo delish. We once brought some to a friend's place and they were serving a Mexican dinner. She served our dish with fresh fruit as a dessert. A great idea! Its very impressive but not difficult to make.

Baked Brie, Pear and Walnut Braid

Pillsbury Puffed Pastry (from the frozen section)

1 pear - leave skin on and slice thinly

1/3 cup dried cranberries - roughly chopped

1 tbsp Dijan mustard

1/3 cup chopped walnuts - toast on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes in oven

1 large sweet onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons butter

1 tbsp sugar

4 oz brie cheese, sliced into think slices

1 egg - mixed with a fork

The puffed pastry comes in 2 per package. You will use 1 sheet for the above recipe.

Allow the puffed pastry to thaw.

Meanwhile slice the onions thinly. Fry with the butter stirring occasionally and add the sugar. This helps to carmelize the onions. You will fry the onion for about 20 minutes until it is a lovely carmelized golden browny colour. Add the chopped walnuts and cranberries and stir together.

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam or brush with margarine/butter.

On a lightly floured counter, roll out the pastry to about 12"x9" size.

Brush the mustard down the middle third of the pastry lengthwise. Then spread the onion mixture over the mustard. Then place the brie cheese slices along the onion mixture followed by the pear slices in the same way.

Starting at the left corner make diagonal cuts 1" apart almost to the filling. (like the left side of a "V") Repeat on the right side in the opposite direction (like the right side of a "V") Alternating strips from side to side bring up one strip and fold over filling resembling a braid. Brush each strip with the eggs. You can see the strips in the picture with the fruit and cheese in the middle. Carefully using an egg lifter lift on to the cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until the top of the pastry is a light golden brown and you can see the cheese has melted.

You can serve it on a pretty plate with a seregated knife to cut as you eat it or as we did for the picnic we cut down lengthwise and then cut it into pieces across. It was easy for a crowd of people to help themselves that way. VERY yummy!

It can be cooled and wrapped in foil and frozen. Remove from foil and heat in oven.

Enjoy and see you when I'm back... Judi xoxo

Going Home....by Abby

Hi there...its me Abby and today I'm going home... :o( This has been my first summer with my momma and usually she leaves me at home when she comes here on the weekend. Its a 3 hour drive. This time she took me here on her vacation.

I was so good in the carrier and I kept my momma company by talking to her the whole way to the cottage. I didn't even close my eyes to sleep...not one wink! I just meowed at her.

When I got here I had so much xplorin' to do. I checked out everything. There are so many windows here I took over and kept watch.

....I got up right close to watch the hummingbirds but I sure did hollared at when I sat on the placemat on the diningroom table. I was only allowed on the chairs.

I looked out the front door and watched the little chicadees jumping sround on the ground and chirping at me.



I found a great spot on the back of the sofa to watch the world go by. I saw chipmunks and squirrels out this window. I got very excited watching them....

There are cozy lazyboy or lazykitty chairs to get comfy on.....

and high spots to curl up on Marc's hat collection.....

I watched the whole exciting cottage world going past me from the inside....

sometimes I was just so tired I plopped down in the middle of wherever....for a snooze...

sometimes I pretended I was in a real warm place someplace else when we happened to have a sunny day.....

and I even enjoyed my Princess life on the bed....

My momma says if I'm real good on the drive back I might be able to come back again.

Don't you hate it when its the end of a vacation? Meow!! Abby xoxo

Week at the Lake & Happy 4th of July

I can't believe my 10 days stretch at the cottage is coming to an end after today. Abby and I are packing our bags and heading home tomorrow....at least until next weekend. The weather has been quite ridiculous and not at all what is seasonal. We really did have rain just about every day and it changed by the hour. Today its only 59F at 9:00 a.m. but the sun is out. Maybe it'll warm up later. Otherwise we've had a great time visiting and entertaining and galavanting and just plain relaxing!

We're going to a 4th of July picnic down the road with friends. We're taking a Baked Brie with Fruit and Nut wrapped inside puff pastry. I'll share the recipe and pics once we've made it later today.

Our neighbours next door Bob and Georgia have a garden. They don't plant as much in it as they used to. Last year it was quite the community neighbourhood with enough tomatoes and eggplant for most of us.

This is the sign painted by a friend and in their garden.

We planted some brocolli and some yellow peppers. You can see how behind we are here with the growing of veggies compared to so many of you other bloggers.

Our cottage is on the left and Bob and Georgia's on the right.

The flowers are doing nicely though.

I planted some herbs and flowers in the wheelbarrow a couple of days ago. They will get pretty once the sun finds them....

We always hang Million Belles outside the front door. They love that spot and they are so pretty. We're trying a new colour this year. Last year they were red.

Enjoy this holiday... Love Judi xoxo

Belated Happy Birthday to Marc

Happy Belated Birthday to Marc post here. His BIG special birthday was on Tuesday, June 30th. We had sung Happy Birthday to him on Sunday at the Elk's picnic. On his birthday we went out for lunch together. He opened his card and presents before we left. This is a passport holder for our upcoming trip.

Tuesday is his golf game with the league so he was happy to be able to go there.

Last night his daughter and SIL and Jack were over for dinner. We made lasagne.

It was very yum. Janet made "Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies". This picture does them no justice. They were soooo good. Here is the recipe. If you love chocolate..mmmmm..

Warm Nutty Cramel Brownies Brownies

1 pkg semi-sweet chocolate morsels, divided
1 pkg brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 cup salted mixed nuts, divided
5 rolls milk chocolate-covered chewy cramels divided (40 pieces total) thats ROLO

Preheat 375. Brush large bar pan with vegetable oil. Chop 1.5 cups of the chocolate morsels. Combine brownie mix, water, oil, eggs and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Mix well. Fold in chopped chocolate pour batter in bar pan.

Chop nuts. Combine 1/2 of the nuts andre maining 1/2 cup brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over brownie batter. Bake 20-22 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean.

Cut 16 caramels into quarters. Place remaining 1/2 cup chocolate morsels into small glass measuring cup and microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after each 20-second interval. Set aside.

Remove bar pan from oven. Immediately press 24 caramels evenly into brownie in 4 rows of 6 caramels each. Sprinkle quartered caramels and remaining nuts over brownies. Drizzle with spoon the melted chocolate evenly over brownies. Cut into squares (24) and serve warm uing with ice-cream if desired.

They were very yummy......mmmmm...

Have a lovely day ... Judi xoxo