Israel and a Taste of the Middle East

It's been weeks since my last post so I'll quickly update you on what's been happening this summer. We have had both amazing highs and frightening lows.  The high point was obviously our trip to Israel which was amazing!  The low was my father being seriously injured in a fire that required him to be airlifted to a burn center here in Los Angeles which was a blessing as Steve (a retired doctor) was invaluable in making critical medical decisions that effected his recovery.  It's now six weeks since his injury and I am extremely happy to share that he is at home recovering and his wounds have almost completely healed. It's nothing short of miraculous and largely thanks to Steve's decisions and my dad's wonderful healing capacity. But a very stressful time as you can imagine.

As I promised in my last post I do have a wonderful vegetarian dish that I am dying to share!  It's a knockoff of a dish that I had while in Jerusalem that was served as a main course.  I enjoyed it so much that while in the restaurant I carefully and surreptitiously wrote down all the ingredients on a napkin sothat I could recreate it when I returned home. You might find that some of the ingredients are not your typical grocery staple but they all have a long shelf life and I think once you try this dish you will find that you make it over and over again. I know that I do.  It's also a great dish to have in your repertoire in this day and age when everyone is either a vegan, vegetarian, or some other enlightened or otherwise picky eater.

Red Quinoa and Mushroom Salad

~ serves 4 ~

Salad Ingredients:

3/4 cup red quinoa (measured raw)
1/4 cup fine Bulgar (measured raw)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup raw slivered almonds
1/4 cup dried cranberries or tart cherries - chopped
1/2 a small red onion or medium red sweet pepper - diced
7 medium to large sized brown mushrooms - quartered
2 Tbs. olive oil for sauteing mushrooms
Coarse Kosher Salt (used to season the mushrooms)

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tablespoon tahini
1 tsp. Chia seeds
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice* 
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup olive oil (I use Greek Kalamata extra virgin olive oil - available at Trader Joes)

*For a Southern California twist try substituting 2 Tbs. sweet wine vinegar for the lemon juice and eliminate the added sugar.  It's a little pricey but I love using Blackberry Roasted Pepper Vinegar and use it on all my salads.  

Optional Garnish:
Parsley 

Steps:

N.B.  There is a long soak period to soften the bulgar grain so I generally begin my salad preparation roughly 2 hours before I wish to serve.

1.  Cover raw bulgar in cold water and allow to sit at room temperature 1 hour covered.  Drain and set aside.  N.B. If you are using a whole grain bulgar it will take 1.5 hours up to 2 hours to soften. Parenthetically I prefer a cold soak to using hot water because it retains a better texture for salads, but you could always use the hot water method for a faster process if you prefer.

2.  Boil red quinoa in salted water for 15 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  

3.  While bulgar and quinoa are being prepared chop celery, cranberries, red onion (or red sweet pepper) and quarter mushrooms.  Set aside.

4.  Toast almonds in a dry pan until slightly browned and fragrant.  Set Aside.

5.  Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft and cooked through, then season with coarse kosher salt.  Set Aside.

6.  Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients in a small jar and shaking well.  Set Aside. Incidentally this is a lightly dressed salad.  If you prefer a lot of dressing on salads you might want to consider doubling the dressing and adding to taste.

7.  Prepare Salad by combining all ingredients except mushrooms and dressing.  Add dressing to mixture retaining 1 tablespoon and mix well.  Sprinkle mushrooms over top of salad and drizzle with remaining tablespoon of dressing.  

8.  Serve at room temperature either as a main course or as a side dish as I typically do.

Sojourn to Israel ~

Of all the amazing places that we have traveled and sights that we have seen Israel is my favorite for its religious and historical significance are truly awe inspiring.  And the food is pretty delicious too. Which I always count as a positive for any vacation destination.  As a preface we went as tourists and not as pilgrims. This means that we saw and explored everything from the formation of the modern Israeli state to cultural and archaeological sites and both Jewish and Christian holy sites and never had enough time at any one location.  Our trip left us exhausted and profoundly impacted by our experience.  Someday I would like to return as a pilgrim and stay just in the old city of Jerusalem.

We began our trip in Tel Aviv which is a vibrant modern city (as seen above) with a young population and a liberal culture self described as Jew-ish, i.e. the residents identify themselves as Jewish but they pick and choose the commandments they follow.  For example almost everyone has a tattoo which are forbidden in the bible.  

The food is also outstanding in Tel Aviv (and throughout Israel).  Both at hidden away bakeries and the famous spice markets.  I'll never forget the incredible savory bourekas I had in Tel Aviv made with hand pulled fillo dough.  They were melt in your mouth delicious and just the memory makes my knees go weak. It even crossed my mind that I should learning how to make hand stretched fillo dough. But then I realized I wasn't insane. So I'll be sticking with frozen fillo dough.  Warning. There are potato bourekas pictures below.

I did come home with a variety of spices from the markets and in particular I love Zaatar (a blend of hyssop, toasted sesame seeds, salt and lemon) that is use as a dipping spice for bread.  I like it on my morning toast drizzled with olive oil for a savory start to my day.  I find it strangely addictive. Traditionally it's a topping for pita bread although I first tasted it as a dry rub on a Jerusalem bagel in the old city of Jerusalem.  Which reminds me, definitely add eating a Jerusalem bagel to your to do list.

But our trip wasn't just about the food.  We visited incredible archaeological sites including the ongoing excavation site commonly called Abraham's Gate at the city of  Dan.  It's called Abraham's Gate because Dan is the city where Abraham rescued his nephew Lot and both Abraham and Lot would have walked through this arched gateway to enter the city.  

And of course we visited many Roman sites including Harod's Palace and the Roman theater in Caesarea where Steve and I sat on on the public toilets located near the entrance to the amphitheater. But don't let Steve holding his nose fool you.  These toilets are no longer used by the public.  I can not even imagine anyone thinking it was a good idea to have open air public toilets where people entered and exited the forum.  Although you do need a bathroom at public events. To think I am squeamish about pit toilets which are at least private.

The Golan heights was another interesting place to visit.  We took a guided jeep tour up to the Syrian bunkers where troops used to snipe at the Jewish settlers in the Huleh Valley below until Israel seized this area in the Six-Day war in 1967.  You can see from the bunker pictured below that the Syrian bunkers were well camouflaged and it was only through the intelligence of an Israel spy who infiltrated the Syrian army that Israel was able to pinpoint the exact location of these bunkers and was quickly able to neutralize them.  The story of this spy (Eli Cohn) is told in the book Our Man in Damascus written by Eli Ben-Hanan. Eli Cohn was eventually captured and hanged for espionage by the Syrians.

But for me, a Christian, the most significant and profound experience was to visit the places where Jesus lived and performed his miracles including the miracle of loaves and fishes, walking on water at the sea of Galilee, and where he gave the sermon on the mount.  In the old city of Jerusalem we visited where the Last supper is believed to have been held, King David's tomb, the Western Wall and the Jewish quarter. But without a doubt the most significant experience of the entire trip for me was visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem where Jesus is believed to have been crucified.  To actually place my hand into the rock where Jesus was crucified and to think what he suffered for humanity was very emotional. The picture below was taken while waiting in line and shows the wall hangings above the rock where Christ was crucified.  The Holy Sepulchre is also believed to be the site where Christ was buried after being crucified and rose again.  

As you can tell we had a once in a life time experience.  If you are thinking about visiting Israel we have only the highest praise for Arza World tours and our guide Yishay Shavit who was incredibly knowledgeable, humorous, balanced in his opinions, and someone you would want to entrust your trip and safety to.  Yishay is an independent tour guide and leads tours all over the world.  Our trip was organized and led by our Chazzan Danny Maseng and his lovely wife Terry Maseng through Makon LA and next year they plan on leading a tour through Spain.  Non members are welcome and all faiths are included!   Lastly here's a picture of me looking very much the tourist in Tel Aviv and I hope to be a tourist in Spain next year too.  

Until next time be well and love well.  Already my thoughts are turning toward Fall and I'm getting excited to share the knits, flavors and holidays of this my favorite of all seasons!

Hitchhiking and Bike Riding in Sonoma County

This summer I highly recommend that you hitch a ride with the rest of us hitchhikers and knit this super simple and fabulous scarf pattern designed by Martina Behm.  If you are not familiar with Martina she has designed some of the very best patterns for summer scarfs that show off variegated and self striping sock yarns to their best advantage.    

I like her designs because they are modern and also simple to knit which makes for perfect summer knitting.  The equivalent of an easy summer beach read.  But even so there is always the chance of making a mindless mistake and that's exactly what I did with this pattern.  It is designed to be knit in garter stitch but due to carelessness on my part I accidentally purled across a row creating a stockinette pattern.  Rather than rip back my "mistake" I decided to incorporate it as a design element and call it a "signature mistake." I made that decision because I liked the visual interest the different texture created and so I intentionally purled a row at equal distances through the rest of the pattern.

If you haven't heard the expression "signature mistake" before it is what a knitter will tongue-in-cheek call a mistake they make and decide not to correct.  Some mistakes absolutely have to be corrected and others are more a personal judgement call.  A good rule of thumb is to objectively view the mistake and decide if a non-knitter would recognize the mistake. If not, then it generally isn't worth the time and trouble to correct it.  When you think about it the line between a mistake and a modification is really very fine and  depends upon how you view things.  Are you an optimist or a pessimist?  An optimist sees it as a possibility to personalize a pattern.  A pessimist sees it as a mistake. I'll let you guess which I am.

Particulars: Hitchhiker by Martina Behm (website: Strickmich); 1 skein Ricin Yarn (Merino, bamboo, nylon 440 yds)(colorway Clockwork (March 2013 Gothsock Club); US 5 needles; 36 pattern repeats (sharp points); and blocked dimensions: 76" x 10" (deepest point).  No modifications other than my "signature mistake" described above.  If you are looking for a similar free scarf pattern you might like the Baktus scarf I knit several years ago and blogged as Add Color to Your Summer - Knit a Baktus Scarf.  I really like Goth Sock yarns (Rainy Days & Wooly Dogs) and previously used her yarn to knit socks blogged as Halloween Socks.

A Bike Adventure in Sonoma County ~

I was delighted when Steve suggested while visiting family in Northern California that we take a bike tour of wineries in Healdsburg, California (Sonoma County).   I told him "yes, yes, yes book us!"   Two days before our trip it occurred to me to inquire exactly how long a bike ride would it be?  He paused while he looked up the information on the internet before announcing "25 miles." Now I don't know about you, but to me that sounded like a long bike ride for two people who haven't been on bikes since we were kids.

And frankly, we were incredibly lucky because we had the nicest biking tour company and the best tour guide ever who quickly surmised the situation and adjusted our bike trip to a mere 15 mile trip encompassing several wineries, a scrumptious lunch, and lolling hills at a leisurely pace that we had no trouble with at all.

And we had a blast!  There is nothing like being on a bike to relax and experience the scenery and fresh air as you peddle through gentling rolling hills with shady lanes with plenty of stops to enjoy organic gardens and, of course, the wine and olive oil tastings.  As you can see from these pictures we saw some beautiful country and gardens including the above artichoke bloom; steel bridges, and peaceful creekbeds.

Don't look too closely at us, as cycling while wearing helmets is not exactly conducive to good hair photos.

But hopefully you can tell we were having a super time because we really were.  Surprisingly we were not in the least sore from our excursion and felt great the next day.  We are definitely coming back and will shoot for the full 25 mile tour next time but on a cool Fall day.  We used Wine County Bikes tours and definitely ask for Taylor as your tour guide.

Until next time be well and love well and if you haven't ridden a bike in years (like us) this summer is the perfect time to find out where they rent bikes in your town and play tourist.  I always think a bike ride is most enjoyable if you have a destination in mind and preferably one that involves ice cream!

Southwest Knit Shawl

I chose to knit the shawl that I'm wearing because it reminds me of the American Southwest and its gorgeous sunsets and the clothing inspired by that region. 

The Southwest is a beautiful part of America and has a distinct culture that is seen in its art, food, and clothing.   Steve and I once traveled by motorcycle all through the Southwest beginning in Albuquerque, New Mexico traveling up to Sante Fe, New Mexico and back through Arizona and ending up in Palm Springs, California.

I loved traveling by motorcycle (I rode on the back) because you experience the landscape on a much more intense level as all the sights, sounds, and smells of the land have no barrier to you.  I'll never forget the beautiful ring of golden fire that outlined the mountain ranges as the sun set and the evening began.  If you are familiar with the art of the Southwest you will often see a ring of gold or bright light which represents the sunset and how the evening sky is etched in molten gold.  

I see that landscape and the ring of fire in this shawl.  It also see, incidentally, Candy Corn but that might just be because it's close to Halloween.  I've included a few pictures from the trip we took (20 plus years ago) below and only wish I had taken some of the landscape.

Particulars:  Grade, a Twice Square Rectangular Shawl, design by Grace Anna Robbins, A Stitch to Wear.  Modifications:  For the main body of the shawl I reduced the needle size to US 7 on account of substituting yarn to silky merino by Malabrigo Yarns (cream, sand, camote, topaz).  For the red border I used a heavier yarn (Noro cash iroha) and used US 7 needles for the first row and then US 8 needles until the i-cord bind off at which point I switched back to US 7 needles.  I liked the slightly heavier gauge yarn for the border because it adds nice texture and some structure for the shawl which is largely knit in a soft yarn. Blocked (lightly) dimensions: 42" x 20."  For more gorgeous modern interpretations of stripes see Veera Valimaki aka: Rain Knitwear Designs (blogs 100% Rain) who has designed several stunning striped shawls, including Stripe Study Shawl and Different Lines.


Motorcyle Trip to Southwest

Steve shipped his motorcyle to a Bed and Breakfast in Albuquerque, New Mexico which is where we began our trip.  My favorite town was Santa Fe, New Mexico where we stayed at the famous La Fonda Hotel and below you can see we are in a square with various artist/vendors with booths.  Even back then I loved handcrafts.

The MisAdventures of Simcha 

All of the pumpkins will belong to me..... Muahahaa!

It was around this time last year that we discovered that Simcha had a possessive streak.  We had our pumpkin outside where he would “check it over” every time he went in and out of the house and one night he became enraged when he realized some animal was outside messing about with his pumpkin.  We did not get much sleep and in the morning we found the pumpkin covered in bite marks so this year I bring his pumpkin inside at night.  I hope he handles it well when I carve it.


Until next time, be well and love well and may you approach life as an adventure with each season a time to celebrate.

Green Tea and China

I have some Fall knitting to show you, but first here's a quick post on green tea, the second in my series on the teas of China. You can read about Chinese Chrysanthemum tea here.

If you don't like green tea I suspect it's because you haven't tried the right kind. At least that was the case for me. It wasn't until our trip to China while waiting about in the Shanghai airport that I discovered how delicious a really good green tea could be. I had ordered a spicy bowl of noodles and at the last minute decided to try a green tea with my meal. The tea was brought over to our table in a french press (just like the one pictured above) with the leaves still swirling about and after one savory sip I was hooked.

I had tried green tea before, but had found it bitter and not at all similar to the rich savory brew I was drinking. I have since learned that the reason for this is that green tea is rather like wine. There are multiple varieties and the price can range from cheap to $$$. If a green tea doesn't specify what type of green tea it is, then it's a sure bet it's not one of the better varieties. One of the best varieties of green tea is "dragon well" but be warned the quality varies considerably. After my lunch I went immediately into an airport gift shop and bought a pricey tin of what I believe is a dragon well tea from the Ganchun tea Company. I can't be certain because I don't speak Chinese and they didn't speak English but I did pay a fortune so it must be the good stuff, right? I have enjoyed every sip and felt the money was well spent.

Turns out, though, you need to pay close attention when making a green tea to enjoy it as its best. A french press is perfect for green tea because it should be brewed in glass or porcelain so as not to taint the flavor. You can also immerse the leaves up to three times by simply adding more hot water, but the water should never be boiling. If you are interested in how to properly brew dragon well tea, I found this video on Walker Tea Reviews very interesting and helpful.

Whether you are enjoying a green or black tea, you can never go wrong with a slice of my Almond Delight Cake (pictured above). It's simple to make, moist, and has a rich almond flavor and is perfect for when you have last minute company! You can find the recipe in the post Is it Time for Tea?

Chinese Door Gods

Along with food and knitting I like to share some of the culture of places we have visited. You have probably seen the above images whether in a movie or magazine as they are ubiquitous in China. They are known as "Door Gods" and I learned their story over lunch when I asked our host to explain their significance.

Apparently the first Emperor of the Tang Dynasty had a nightmare that he was going to be killed while he slept. The next day he had two warriors placed outside his bed chamber to stand guard overnight. No harm came to him and it became the custom in China to paint these warriors on door fronts as a warning and to protect the occupants from harm.

China is a very mystical land with a long and rich history that is undergoing a period of tremendous change. The juxtaposition between the old and new culture is fascinating to see. Even the most sophisticated Chinese business people still believe that amulets bring power and luck to the wearer and I was given a jade bracelet to bring me prosperity and good luck. Come to think of it, where did I put that bracelet anyway? I could use a little good luck these days!

Until next time, be well and love well, and try a cup of green tea ~ it is good for your health ~ and that's not a myth.

Ribbon Tank and Chinese ChrysanthemumTea

Thank you so much for the lively discussion on the Blog Cafe! I enjoyed hearing everyone's views on organic food/farming and came to the conclusion that freshness probably is the biggest factor influencing taste and we are darn lucky to live in a country that has conventional farming capable of feeding the masses at an affordable cost.

Summer Ribbon Tank

I'm still recovering from the time difference (15 hours) and the jet lag so haven't been knitting much. Instead, I'm going to share a project I knit a few years ago (but never blogged) that is a great Summer project. It's a simple tank knit with a ribbon yarn.

Ribbon yarn is comfortable to wear and creates a nice drape to the fabric. A simple shell tank is easy to knit in this yarn and your local knit shop can help you calculate your gauge and dimensions. I added the flowers to jazz up this tank and Betty at Binding Off used tuck stitches to embellish her stylish Tuck Stitching Summer Top.

Particulars: Personal pattern; ribbon yarn (can't recall brand but a nylon blend) Note: Larissa (Stitches in Play) left a comment and I thought I should clarify that the ribbon yarn I used was slightly serrated. I believe this helped the fabric have a nice bounce and hold together well, giving it something like a slight felting effect similar to what happens with Shetland wool. I added a picture of the ribbon on my Ravelry notebook [here] so you can see what I'm talking about; US 7 needles. Simple tank design: single ribbing at the bottom and double crochet to finish armholes and neckline.

Chinese Tea Series: Chinese Chrysanthemum Flower Tea

I discovered in China, to my chagrin, that I didn't know as much about tea as I thought I did. China is a "tea culture" and Chengdu has 20 millions residents and only slightly fewer Tea Houses. Some are elegant and others don't offer much beyond rickety chairs and a wobbly table. The picture below is the roof of one of the prettier ones we visited (although not in the traditional style).

The Tea Houses primarily serve herbal tea which is brought to your table as a scoop of loose herbs dumped into your glass with hot water sloshed in. There are no scones or cakes, which was a disappointment. I have to admit, though, that the Chinese teas are not well suited to sweet pastries. Rather, the fruits and nuts served in small condiment dishes suit them better, unless you are hungry. I'm not going to apologize for having a healthy appetite, I'll just say that a small dish of sunflower seeds for a table to share either requires that one use restraint or adopt a brazen attitude.

The women in China (at least in the tea houses) primarily drink Chrysanthemum Flower Tea (pictured above) whereas the men generally drink Jasmine Flower Tea. I was told that the women believe the Chrysanthemum Tea enhances beauty, and Chengdu is a city where that seems to matter. I was struck by the number of Chinese people who told me that Chengdu is known for having the most beautiful women in China. I drank lots of the Chrysanthemum Flower tea while there (and am currently drinking copious amounts) and I'm still waiting for the miraculous beauty benefits.

The Chinese put great store by their herbs and your selection of tea can be revealing. Steve, of course, is never one for conforming and instead of drinking Jasmine Tea like other men he chose a passion flower tea, to the amusement of the tea house attendant, and my slight embarrassment.

Chrysanthemum Flower Tea: A full bodied cooling tea. This tea is best brewed in glass or ceramic/porcelain to avoid taint to the flavor. The water should be very hot but not boiling and your glass can be refilled with hot water many times before the flowers lose their flavor. Because the flowers float this tea is served with a straw for sipping. This tea usually has wolf berries added (the red pods seen above) and rock sugar is sometimes added as a sweetener. Both the Chrysanthemum flower and Wolf berry are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Recommendations for Stories set in China

The White Pagoda, by Fay Angus. I am sorry to say that I've not read this story..... yet it is written by a dear family friend who has written many inspirational books. The Angus family were a huge part of my childhood and while I knew my Auntie Fay had written a book about her time in a concentration camp in China, I was too young when it came out to have read it. I'll read it now with great interest. I borrowed this review off Amazon: The White Pagoda by Fay Angus is a quick, interesting read. Set in the Shanghai of the 1930's, Angus gives a brief look into the foreign culture of pre-war china that continues through her time in a Japanese concentration camp during WWII. She explores her childhood and adolescence in an environment very different from that of most American teenagers. I would recommend this book, particularly to teenage girls, as a brief glimpse into the life of a girl growing up in another time and another culture. A good introduction to studying Asia during the second world war.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I loved this story which gives a fascinating glimpse into the culture and time surrounding the binding of girl's feet in rural China.

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. A classic. If you've not read this book yet, it's time. The characters in this story are so richly drawn you are unlikely to ever forgot them.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon This is a movie (make sure to get the English dubbed version) which will take you into the mysterious life of the Chinese warriors. The story is poignant and the scenery is stunning.

Until next time, be well, love well, and this Summer try experimenting with different types of teas!

P.S. I will also be writing about green tea and traditionally brewed black Chinese tea for those interested.

Cabo San Lucas

A Quick Trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Living in Southern California means that a trip to the Mexican Riviera is only a 2 hour plane flight away. Sometimes you just need a break and it's amazing how a few days away can feel like a lifetime when you are in a totally different setting.

Some of our vacations are very exotic and strenuous (sometime I'll tell you what it was like to trek in the Himalayas of Nepal) but this was purely a plop down and soak in the sun trip.



As a consequence not much of anything was done. Not even of a knitting nature. I did start on a pair of Snicket Socks (free pattern compliments of Sari's Mindful Knitting ~ Ravelry Link) using Madelinetosh sock yarn (malachite colorway). But, as you can see, I didn't get very far. This is beautifully dyed sock yarn and really soft on the hands. I don't know how well it will wear, but it's lovely to knit with.

We did manage to drag ourselves over to the marina one day for an outing. It's a beautiful harbor and is reportedly the sport fishing capital of the world. Next trip we really must give that a try.



Here's Steve acting like a twelve year old. Honestly, I can't take him anywhere. I blame myself, though. Giggling only encourages him.



Unfortunately dear little Mr Puffy wasn't able to go. Somehow I don't think the medallion pendant quite made up for being left behind.



Have a great week everyone ~ and if you can't get away ~ try cooking a dish from some place you would like to visit and invite friends over for a theme night potluck!

Socks and Celebrations!

It's wonderful to go away but it's also wonderful to be home and together as a family again! Mr Puffy in particular is happy that the vacationing is over and we can get back to our regular daily lives.




As I breathed deeply of the salty air, felt the dry warmth of the sun on my skin, and watched Mr Puffy play in the sand, I realized that as much as I enjoy visiting other places there is no place I find more enjoyable than my own deck in San Clemente, California with a steaming pot of tea, a good book, and Mr Puffy to keep me company.

I didn't accomplish much knitting on my vacation, so I thought this would be a good time to share a pair of older socks. These are actually my favorite "go to" comfort socks and I wear them a lot in the Winter. Of course it's too warm to wear them at this time of year, but I've modeled them nonetheless perched upon a rock in front of our house - just for you - so you can see how they fit.



These socks have held up really well despite a slight tendency to pill. The yarn is Mountain Colors Bearfoot (60% superwash merino, 25% mohair, 15% nylon). Because it's a handpainted yarn it doesn't require a fancy stitch pattern so I chose a simple seed stitch motif on the leg to give them a bit of interest. The pattern is from The Joy of Knitting by Lisa R. Myers.

I "borrowed" my neighbor's fence and pretty hibiscus flowers for this shot. Hibiscus flowers are a quintessential California flower and they are particularly prevalent where I grew up in Santa Barbara, California. I love hibiscus flowers because the blooms are huge and colorful and they have a long season.


So What Was the Cruise Like?

Oh. My. Gosh. Going on a cruise is an incredibly relaxing and fun vacation. We were on the Carnival Cruise Line. The cruise was a week long and left from Long Beach, California and traveled along the Mexican Riviera (Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas). Besides relaxation and fun, there is also the food. What you hear about food on cruises is true - the food really is wonderful!

For those who have never been on a cruise, I would liken the experience, on this vessel, to something like being in a Las Vegas Hotel at sea. There is gambling, shows, food and drinks and impressive interior design (glass encased elevators, huge paintings, art work, etc.) In addition, you have the shore excursions which are a fun break on the journey. Here I am in Puerto Vallarta looking every inch the part of an American Tourist.

Here's Steve with my mom and dad, who are all looking quite the tourists as well. My dad in particular is looking pleased with himself as he has just found the perfect leather bag to hold his golf balls.



This particular cruise was family oriented and had fun shows in the evenings (comedy, musicals, a ventriloquist, etc.) and lots of activities that my nephews (ages 9 and 11) really enjoyed. Another nice feature of this ship is that the staterooms had private balconies. Here I am on our private deck modeling my newly completed Monkey sock!



I really enjoyed sitting on the deck being able to look out at the ocean. On several occasions we saw dolphins playing in the boat wake, and that was something to see. There were so many and sometimes they jumped so high they were completely out of the water!

Unfortunately we missed out on our day of snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas due to strong currents in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Douglas. But, I did manage to take this shot of the famed Cabo San Lucas "Los Arcos" rocks before we headed back out to sea.



You will recall from my last post that this cruise was a gift from my parents to the family in celebration of their 50th Wedding Anniversary. I love this photo, as it shows how happy they are together. This picture was taken on the last night of the cruise in the dinning room. I have to say the dinner waiters were just terrific and every night they either danced or sang for us and really made the dinners a fun experience.



Fifty years of marriage and they are happier now than they have ever been. If you ask my mother what is the secret to a happy marriage she will tell you "don't major in minors". What she means is - don't over react to small things. She would also tell you what her Aunt Joan told her (a woman who enjoyed an exceptionally happy marriage) and that is to bring a spirit of generosity to your marriage. If you plan on giving of yourself 75% and expect to receive 25% in return you will be setting a tone of "giving" that paradoxically is actually the most rewarding.



Here's a picture of them during their whirlwind courtship period (all of 3 months long *giggle*). The picture was taken on the beach in Santa Monica, California very close to where I live now.