Sunday, April 15, 2012

Here are a few photos from my first guided fly fishing lesson. why fly fishing? why not?! It does need a deal of patience and persistence. The rewards in the end always reminds you of the good fun activity you just had. In this outing, the five ladies fly fished in two ponds and a small lake. At "about the high noon, we decided to give the "smaller" pond a rest due to the fact that  we "put the fish under" and besides it was lunch time.  The laughter, chatter, comrade and friendly competition for beautiful trout was evident and extremely fun. The day was beautiful and the conditions just about perfect equaled a hoot and hollering time!

at the first pond

our resident fly master demonstrating the first cast


reeling it in

my first catch, a growing beauty


from the second pond, what a nice size 18 incher

the winning catch of the day

at the dammed lake

serenity at its finest

at the end of the day and on the way home, bisons resting their weary hoofs


Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A few good organizations to share

https://promujer.org/index.tpl?NG_View=14 -Founder, Lynne Patterson
http://www.girlswithsole.org/ - Founder, Liz Ferro
http://www.bonemarrow.org/ - Founder, Christina Merrill
http://www.projectnightnight.org/ - Founder, Kendra Stitt Robins
http://tipitinasfoundation.org/ - Founder, Mary Von Kurnatowski

Check these few great charities great for you and others. If you cannot donate a little then do not forget about your local food banks, VA Hospitals and homeless shelters. Instead of throwing or hosting an elaborate party, go out there and have a volunteer party! 

JOY

http://www.answers.com/topic/joy

According to answers.com, the definition of joy is the intense and ecstatic or exultant happiness; the expression or manifestation of such feeling; to great pleasure or to rejoice; to fulfill ecstatic happiness, pleasure or satisfaction.

Joy can be legally defined in many ways. What is important to you and others around you? What is your joy and comfort? What is your haven? Satisfaction? What makes you safe or smile? What a person should bare in mind is the sanity and constant psychological and emotional balance in life. Satisfaction is achievable and it only takes hard work.

If there is ugliness or negativity around you, move away from it. There is a lot of it out there and you should keep away from it for starters. If you want the joy you have got to share it with others and share it freely without prejudice and return. Keep your mind clean, clear and crisp. Meditate and find your own personal peace and freedom. Do not suck the good energy from others and do not bring it around you as well.

Find FREE and healthy activities for you mind, body and soul. It is out there and free to share with. If you know or possess a commodity, share with it with your community of friends and family. 

Sunday, January 29, 2012

wine anyone?

 When I was in the San Francisco, California area for the christmas and new year holiday I was very fortunate to take an afternoon excursion to the Sonoma Valley for these two wineries. I love their wines and you should definitely try them out too!

at the Rodney Strong vineyard! I ended up getting their reserve Port wine...it is the most amazing Port i have ever tried. It is light and beautiful. 

driving into their drive way

a winter view from the top of their tasting room

omg, the smell from the current collection was amazing! upon the entrance you are surrounded by the luscious aroma of sweet wine. it smelled amazing, like nothing you have ever smelled before.

the oak casks are from Europe and are about 10 feet tall and with about the diameter of 5 or 6 feet wide.




entering the Francis Ford Coppola winery in Healdsburg, Ca

the Coppola vineyard

the Coppola Vineyard pool. you can come and hang out at their public pool for a small nominal fee...lol...but it mostly open for private functions! it was a gorgeous scene...

actual set props from the Bram Stroker Dracula film directed of course by the winery name sake.

i was amazed by the Victorian wedding dress of one of the movie's character. all that upper de'colletage was just fitting for the movie persona.

million dollar Tucker car and can you believe Francis owns two of which only four was made in the world? guess who owns the third one?

the Godfather's desk from the movie set.


a memorabilia wall from the movie set of the Godfather



cast list of the Godfather movie, i am not sure who's hand written list this is, but I guess Francis owns!


I was lucky enough to taste a flight of wine from the Coppola list and unfortunately I didn't a taste of the Grappa, but I am sure it is wonderful!


the Sofia rose' were beautiful and a little on the drier side but none the less yummy!~


one of their wall of selections


a table setting of holiday goodies


Change of direction here...

okay, so due to a brief sigh of relief and busy days, I thought I'd like to add my trivial resource cents here too... let's say I had an epiphany of sorts of what nirvana would be like (for me) and it begins here.....as I sit here listening to my fave lady Niki Minaj (thank you lovely), I stare in solace the winter 2012 issue of edible PORTLAND (www.edibleportland.com) and it makes me sooo happy. Thank you ECOTRUST for a wonderful community print resource. I am happy to be able to share with you a small window of the edible communities here in Portland, Oregon. I will also have postings of the wine country here in Oregon as well. It is all something I have a love for and I am happy to share this sustainability with you. Please check  the edible Portland out and don't forget to support your local farmers! they are a huge part of the heart of America. Let's get organic so go out there and shop local. Remember start locally expand globally!  I will post up beautiful photographs of the local sights and scenes for your enjoyment. the whirlwind of an ADHD here as my BFF calls me....

This winter's edible Portland highlights the "Life on a Mushroom Farm" on it's cover. It also features the "Three cheers for Parsley" and the "Cost of Coffee" as well.  I will rehash on the eP cover's featured farmer. The parsley and coffee articles are great too so you should definitely check the website out and enjoy. I love the parsley recipes and so will you. www.edibleportland.com

the featured article titles, "Out of the dark, Meet your local mushroom farm" composed by Lola Milholland is beautiful and simple in its direct message.  The article begins on the brief run down of what a mushroom is and where the capital Agaricus variety derive from....definitely not from Oregon. She also states that less than 4 percent of that variety is produced in the West Coast US (mostly in California of course). What a shame! Holy basil world! how can that be...so, the buddies Dan Thall and Brian Shaw take the variety to higher local level. they braved on the mushroom world. hehehe....thank goodness! The organic wizard Dan Thall cohorted with his college friend Brian Shaw and the Hood River Organics came into fruition. who knew growing mushrooms was that difficult! completely! and although having an organic operation sounds liberating and environmentally sound, it is at least 80 percent sweat equity.  the labor of love and science works in this organic farmers' idealism. exact science on temperature, water control, compost and the only non-local manifestation of "spawn" produce the king of this turd pile....cremini and portobello mushrooms.  all local baby! the pair also have an ample size amount of lush and organic fruits, eggs and bread as a part of their CSA (community supported agriculture) program. In the end, after the scientific and organic compost is used over, it is recycled into their organic orchards and shared among the local communities. a wonderful way to organically come full circle with their mushroom dreams.  You too can purchase the lush and bootiful compose from them. check them out and give them a holler of love and praise. http://hoodriverorganic.com/ourfriends.html sounds like i am going to make a visit to the two gentlemen's farm for my visual collections...keep in tune for future local photographs of the gorgeous upcoming NW spring season.....i hope....in the mean while, the following photographs are from four years ago in my first annual spring and summer visit to Hood River, Oregon. enjoy!

in Hood River, OR somewhere upon the fruitloop lane


a small glimpse of the eastern side of Mt. Hood


at my favoritest place, the Lavender Farm in Hood River, OR

another scenic shot

at the Rasmussen Farm in Hood River, OR
sunflowers of course!

a few alpacas of course, you gotta love em

driving out towards the river 

another slip of Mt. Hood, OR

other websites of interests:




Tuesday, January 10, 2012

the beauty of no bad hair days


A friend's sentimental message of love through my favorite flowers....who doesn't love sunflowers and stargazers?

A duration of chemotherapy

Just some of the stuff I got.....steroids and chemotherapy....