Hyacinth, Blooms in early Spring, Smells Great

This beautiful flower blooms annually, and that means, that if they are successful the first time around, if everything goes right, they should bloom again, the following year.  Many flowers are annuals,why not plant annuals?  So you don't have to go and buy more seeds, or flowers.  In addition some annuals spread themselves, and you might find more in your garden than you planned.  

My mother planted these Hyacinth and they are gorgeous.  Every year they get bigger, and smell better.

Hyacinths and fairy.

Pink Hyacinth, a very fragrant annual flower.

Pink Hyacinth, so lovely and fragrant.

Cut Hyacinth in a vase.

Grandma's Flowers

It's no wonder I have a love for flowers!  My Grandmother has gorgeous flowers at her house, as does my mother, and both my aunts.  There were always flowers around in my childhood.    I was talking with someone the other day and there are so many to choose from, that it's hard to pick a favorite.  

My Grandmother has beautiful flowers throughout the yard.  There are camillias, Gerbera daisies, Begonia's, Birds of Paradise, and roses of course.  Many of which are tree's too which bloom, like dogwood, fig, and plum.  

Begonia, beautiful, bright and pink.

Pink Begonia's at Grandma's.

 

Camillia's a big beautiful tree.

Pink Gerbera Daisy, my absolute favorites.

Healdsburg, Train Tracks, Russian River and Wine GoddessV

I have been visiting Healdsburg, California more and exploring some of the neighbor hoods.  I was driving by the river, and noticed the old train bridge.  I pulled over and ran down the tracks to take a couple of pictures.   I always drive over the car bridge, which in one of the pictures, you can see it in the distance.  That bridge crosses over at the Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach is a public beach for swimming and day camping of sorts, or picnics.   

Train bridge over the Russian river.

View of car bridge over Russian river, and Healdsburg Memorial Beach.








View of Russian River and Healdsburg Memorial Beach.

Wine Goddess.

Wine Goddess of Healdsburg.

Veterans Memorial Beach

Daphne Bouquet.

I made a bouquet of Daphne recently and I love this flower so much.   I know I go on and on about it.  It's a perfect winter flower.  It's actually a big bush, and blooms quite a lot.

Daphne is beautiful and smells even better.

Bouquet of Daphne in a antique bottle.

Red Robins, Redding, California

We had a water leak in the front yard recently and the red robins were the ones that made us aware that it was there.  They kept gathering at this one spot for a day or two, not one or two birds but several at a time.  I took these picture, before scaring them off. I think I took the photo from indoors.  

These photos were taken before all the rain.  Luckily it has been raining lots this past few days, and hopefully enough to save the birds as there has been a shortage of water.

Red robins gather at the street for a water leak. 

Red Robins, probably noticing a shortage of water this year.

Red Robins, Shasta County

Moustache Baked Goods in Healdsburg, Birthday Cupcakes.

I love Healdsburg, California.  It's so quaint, quiet, and it's a wonderful place to enjoy a day or two.  There are lots of shops and places to eat, and quite a few wine bars.  Very near is Alexander Valley which has a great number of wineries too, this road leads to Calistoga, and Napa Valley.  This is definitely wine country, and the spring time is a wonderful time to check out the area, it's beautiful.

Recently I visited the downtown area, and was looking for cupcakes for my birthday.  I found some and they were spectacular!  They have a viewing window where you can view the cupcakes while they are being decorated.  The only and they are delicious.  I love cupcakes! :-)

http://moustachebakedgoods.com/

Moustache Baked Goods

Here is a picture of my cupcakes! :-)  

Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Museum

Recently we went to the Turtle Bay Exploration Park.  It had been some time since I had visited and I missed it.  I went with my cousins kids.  They really enjoyed it.  The Dr. Seuss Art exhibit is going on thru April 15th, and I highly recommend it.  The exhibit is interesting, fun for the children and his art work is amazing.  There is a reading area for the children.

In addition there is a fly fishing expedition going on thru April 15, 2012 also.  That was not my favorite part of the exhibit, but none the less interesting, and the children seemed to enjoy that one more than me.  Perhaps they enjoy fishing, more than I.  Or perhaps they never had a fish hook caught in their neck, like me, when I was a kid.  Yes, that could be it. :-) There is so much to do at turtle bay I could write an essay here about it.

You should visit the site yourself and see what they have to offer.  The museum and exploration park are right next to the Sundial bridge. Don't expect there to be refreshments besides a drinking fountain. There used to be a cafe there also, but is out of business AGAIN.  That should be the most successful cafe in town, but for some reason or another, every owner has failed to make it profitable.  Big changed coming to the museum and the cafe when the Sheraton comes to town so you might visit the museum now, while it's in it's original state.  

Here are a few pictures from our trip.   Enjoy!

Bird Exhibit, feed and interact with birds.

Dr. Seuss Art Exhibit ends April 15.

Dr. Seuss Art Exhibit, Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

Dr. Seuss Classic.

Fresh water fish at the aquarium at Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

Fresh water fish in the aquarium, Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

Dr. Seuss Art Exhibit.

The fox at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

Little hand and more Dr. Seuss writings.

Here is  a link to Turtle Bay Exploration Park's website.

They have events and all kinds of activities for children.  It's a wonderful place for people of all ages.

Turtle Bay Exploration Park and Museum

Gallstones and Gallbladders.

For the past year I had been having pains on my right hand side near my ribcage, and to the right and below.   Sometimes in the middle of my chest it was a painful feeling.  I was not sure what was wrong with me.  Then over Thanksgiving, probably due to all the yummy food, I started having more intense pain.  By the time Thanksgiving finished, a few days later, I had checked into the ER with pain.  

While at the ER, the ER doctor determined that I did indeed have gallstones in my gall bladder.  They referred me to a local surgeon, told me not to eat fats, and sent me home.  The pain had subsided and I was ok with going home.

Instead of going to the doctor they recommended, I went to my regular doctor, and she recommended another surgeon.  While waiting to see the doctor, I happened to mention in Facebook, to a friend about my health troubles.  She told me she had a booklet that I might be interested in, that has a gall bladder cleanse.   At first I was hesitant, but what did I have to lose?  I was about to lose my gall bladder as it looked anyway.

As I began reading the brochure, I felt confident I could do the fast/cleanse.  It was without food, but you had to drink four gallons of fresh apple juice over  four days, so roughly a gallon a day, and also lots of water.  Drinking these fluids keeps you filled up and was surprisingly easier than I had thought it would be.  If I got hungry I just drank more.    So I did it.  Everything went well, not exactly as the brochure described, but close enough.  I felt pretty good after the  cleanse, and my pain had subsided.  

Now, over two months later, I went back to the doctors to find out what my situation was and the results of the test.  The pain has been less, as my consuming fats had also decreased.  I had another test, that the surgeon wanted me to get done before visiting him.   It was a Hida Scan or a cholescintigraphy.  

After that test I got a call from the doctors assistant saying that everything looks great and that I do not have gallstones.  I am not sure if I am cured, but I am not going to argue with the doctors and insist I have them still.  I plan on doing the cleanse again also.  I don't think it can hurt.

Obviously, I wasn't needing surgery yet.  But what would have happened if I just listened to the doctors, and didn't try something natural?  I have a feeling I might be without a gall bladder.  

The moral of this story is you can't always believe what the doctors say, I highly doubt any of the doctors would have recommended I do this cleanse.  My own family doctor, said it could not hurt.  Not only, did it not hurt, it actually helped me greatly.

Gall Bladder Cleanse

I highly recommend this cleanse brochure and website to someone who is suffering from gallstones.  Obviously you should consult your doctor first.  Also, not all gall bladder symptoms are alike, and if the pain is so terrible, obviously, there may be no option but to remove.  The gallstones size can determine how much pain you may be in.  Tiny ones may block passages and this may be serious.

Good luck and healthy eating to you!

:-)

Grapes, vineyards, and grape growers in Sonoma county.

Rows and rows of grapes.

Sonoma County Wine Grape Grower.

Beautiful bright red colored grape leaves.

Green grape leaves, black grapes, and red grape leaves.

As a child I lived for a short time, in Sonoma county, and still have family there.  I love this area of California.   The days can be hot, but for the most part, it always cools down at night due to it's proximity to the ocean and the bays.  Sonoma county and the surrounding counties have lots of water, rivers, creeks, and lakes nearby, in addition, there are grape growers, and wine productions everywhere. 

Beautiful symmetrical rows of grapes.

Green grass, and beautiful rows of grapes, Sonoma county.

Beautiful grapes in Healdsburg, California.

These are not young grape vines, these are very old. :-)  Well taken care of also.  The area I was in was pristine, clean, and very well manicured especially the grapes.  

Sunset January 2011

Recently I stumbled upon these old photographs of the sunset.  It was a spectacular sunset!  I just stepped outside the back door and took these shots.  The colors are so beautiful and bright.