Our friends J and B invited us to come for a visit. No wonder so many people love California. It is beautiful. It has everything; The ocean, the warming sun, flowers blooming everywhere, mild climate and fruit and blossoms on trees at the same time.
Picking oranges, lemons and limes with the sun shining on my face.
Taking in the intoxicating perfume. What a treat, especially for us snowbirds coming from minus degree temperatures and several feet of snow.
Taking in the intoxicating perfume. What a treat, especially for us snowbirds coming from minus degree temperatures and several feet of snow.
Welcoming us, the portal to the garden, hand carved doors from Mexico. Palm trees planted by B forty years ago... the trees now almost a hundred feet tall.
Beauty everywhere and flowers in our apartment
We brought our treasures home.
We will make lemon juice and freeze it to be used for Summer Margaritas, afternoon teas and most importantly, during canning season when our fruit is ripe.
We are so lucky to have such special friends!
Thank you J and B for a lovely vacation
Gina
Hi Gina,
ReplyDeleteJuicing and freezing the fruit is a great idea. We'll be doing the same. The oranges also made a wonderful chipotle sauce for our spinach last night for dinner. We'll look forward to sharing our margaritas with you next summer.
Gina, I just have to say that I always love your beautiful photography. I'm also in love with smiling griffins and cherubs with green hair! Mark
ReplyDeleteI have always been jealous of anyone able to pick fresh citrus ..not having to go to the grocery store! Your pictures are just lovely.Your ceramics were just begging to be adorned with lemons and oranges.
ReplyDeleteDear Christine and dear Steven, Chipotle sauce and spinach? May I have the recipe?
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, Photography has become such a simple pleasure, instant gratification with digital cameras. The green-haired putto is a bit strange, but somehow it works and I have always loved griffins, I paint a lot of them on my ceramics.
ReplyDeleteDear Theresa, picking fruit from trees is a pleasure I have enjoyed since I was very young. Come for a visit in the Fall and we can pick plums, apples, apricots, peaches, pears and more.
ReplyDeleteWonderful lush photos filled with equally warm and appreciative sentiment. What a treat to see this today. So happy that you had a wonderful visit with close and important friends.
ReplyDeleteoh yes, nothing beats sunshine and hand picked lemons! and the beautiful pink bougainvillea... :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to be in a place like that on a winter vacation!
ReplyDeleteYou know me - no recipe, but here's what I did. I juiced 2 of your oranges and one clementine. I added about 1/2 to 3/4 t. of pureed chipolte from canned chipoltes in adobo sauce. Added a couple of spashes of soy sauce.
ReplyDeleteUsed baby spinach with the stems removed.
Cut 4 shrimp into crouton-sized pieces.
Sauteed 1 slice of diced thick-cut bacon, then used rendering to cook diced red onion and 2 roasted garlic cloves (I know you've got some).
Sauteed shrimp in bacon rendering.
Tossed spinach with bacon, onion and garlic, diced roasted red pepper and a little grated parmasean.
Brought juice mixture to a simmer, added one pat of butter and poured it over spinach to wilt.
Plated spinach and sprinkled shrimp croutons on top.
BON APPETIT
Such incredible photos, and two virtual trips for us to enjoy! Vegas looks bizarre and spectacular in a peculiarly awful kind of way, but your friends' Californian home is paradise on earth, surely. What a treat to be in warm sunshine after your severe winter - I would give anything to be able to walk through that hand-carved portal into their garden right now!
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah, You have written a very thoughtful and beautiful post today.
ReplyDeleteDear Lala, You have a new header for your blog. It looks great but make it larger. I would like to see more of your world.
ReplyDeleteYikes, Steven, that is a complicated recipe! I expect nothing less from such a fine gourmet cook.
ReplyDeleteDear Karen, thanks for sharing your beautiful photographs of Amsterdam. You caught the spirit of Amsterdam, the bicycles, the famous paintings, the boats, the waterways, everything.
ReplyDeleteDear Francesca, At least you are allready planting and getting your garden ready for the upcoming growing season.
ReplyDeleteGina I love Rancho Santa Fe, this brought back many memories!Those doors!!
ReplyDeleteI have an Artful Offering and great interview on my site.You will love it!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Dear Karena, Yes you do have a great interview and wonderful offering on your site. You always share the best.
ReplyDeleteYour trip to California looks wonderful...I know what you mean about the magic of picking citrus in winter...and the citrus looks so lovely in your beautiful ceramics.
ReplyDelete~jermaine
Dear Jermaine, You are so sweet. Thank you for the nice compliment. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDelete