Winter Break

 Where else but in sunny California

Where the Lemon Grove is in bloom all year round.

Where the oranges are sweeter than anywhere else.

Where the flowers grow in wild profusion.

And where the trees emit a heady perfume of blossom and fruit.

All lovingly tended by our friends J & B.

At La Casa el Grande, in Rancho Santa Fe.

And my favorite shop is right around the corner.

Trader Joe's, where orchids can be had for a song.

I brought many home.

Even a small lemon tree. Laden with tiny lemons. 

Now in my dining room.

Thank you J & B for letting me pick to my hearts'  content.

Gina 

Rancho Santa Fe

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.

 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

On the way to Rancho Santa Fe

About 350 miles (560 km) from our house, 

through mostly desert, a few small towns and a couple of Indian Reservations....

There is Las Vegas

It's out in nowhere.  In the middle of the Desert. It shouldn't even be there.  But it has everything.  The Statue of Liberty,

The Eiffel Tower

La Belle Epoque Architecture

The Sphinx and the Great Pyramid

and so much more

 And the Bellagio, the ultimate Las Vegas Hotel experience with its famous dancing fountains. A fabulous, ever changing spectacle of  fountains dancing to Opera, Classical and Broadway tunes.

click on button in lower right corner for full view

Watching it from the balustrades, street side, the show is free, every 15 minutes in the evening and every 1/2 hour during the day.

Or you can splurge and watch the show from one of the award winning dining rooms at the grand Bellagio.

Now on to California where our friends are waiting for us.

Gina