Cub Scout Float at Fiesta Days

Our cub scouts won the best float entry in the annual Frazier Park Fiesta Days parade! On the heels of our country's sad loss over the weekend, seeing the boys in their uniforms, and all the good they represent, seems that much more poignant. This is an example of the American way of life that our soldiers sacrifice to preserve. No matter what one's opinion is of the war, or political views, we all support our brave military personnel, their families, and their sacrifice for us. It is only fitting that our sponsor is our local VFW...

Here is the monkey in his Bear uniform on the float...

The photo doesn't do it justice, it was an 'outdoorsy' theme, with a tent, & tons of camping gear. Kind of channeled 'the Little Rascals,' except we didn't misspell words (& weren't pulled by a mule following a dangling carrot, but maybe next year!).

This is a better look at our float...

The Hungry Valley Park float had a band that was awesome; they played a ton of Sublime (& very well...).

I was so excited to see Smokey the Bear! Yes, I am that dorky...

What's a parade without a monster truck??

There were some great food vendors. The hub brought me a great tri-tip burrito today while I was working the real estate (desk time & open house for my listing). Yum, yum...

Not as many rides this year (what, no ferris wheel??), but there was a cool little roller coaster...The games were good, too. The water balloon pop was great to win a prize...

Monkey got frightened halfway up the stairs to the big slide, but a very nice former K. classmate (should be a cub scout!), kindly helped him go the rest of the way up...so nice that there are kind kids in this town!!

PMC Pool

   The monkey is in his second week of swim lessons at the Pine Mountain Club pool, and has made soooo much progress! He is so willing to go under water, and can now kick without bending his legs (not in this photo, though!). The young lifeguards and instructors are awesome!

   Look at that adorable face (and the lovely mountain view behind him). Have met some very nice people poolside, and very grateful to my friends Lisa & Julie for the guest pass!
   Had a Norton anti-virus 'house party' on Sunday. It was very informative, and if anyone wants, I have extra discount cards to save money on purchasing Norton (which is the program I use). Amy was the lucky winner of a free year of Norton!! The Free Norton Online Family program is a great way to keep your kids from accessing inappropriate info on the internet, too.
   Well, enough procrastinating, time to type the minutes for the chamber of commerce (if you are awaiting PMLC SAC minutes, those are in the hands of the director & SAC pres., those were done Sunday nite!!

30 Year Reunion (yes, I'm that old!!)

I know this has nothing to do with the mountains, but Saturday was my 30 year high school reunion (South Pasadena H.S. Tigers, hence the tiger above us). Was a ton of fun, but nothing can surpass my 20th (those of you who know me well, know the whole 'Romy & Michelle' thing...

Hub looks pretty good, eh? I guess I'll keep him (lol)!!

Me & one of my very besties, I will love her forever!!!

A Busy Week & More Cerro Noroeste Photos (non-nuclear blast!)

   Phew! What a week! The monkey has been doing an awesome job with his swim lessons (so hopefully I will finally be off the hook w/his pediatrician at his yearly appt. this year!). I have had a non-official (no quorum) HOA board meeting, PMLC School Advisory Committee, Cub Scout Pack Meeting (so glad I didn't have to plan it!) & tonight, Chamber of Commerce (somehow I'm secretary, but don't own a business!).

   So, after the swim lesson, we took a drive down Cerro Noroeste (that's the road Mil Potrero turns into, & takes you from PMC to Hwy. 166). The above photos are examples of the scenery, but so much more dramatic in person...

   Here are some of those lovely flowers (so nice my photos came out great this time!).

 This is the entry gate to the 20 acres I'll be listing, but had access issues today, so no photos yet!

   The property is somewhere among the rolling hills below and to the right. The views are just incredible, even better than this one from the road. Note the Cuyama Valley farmland in the backround. That is where you drive through to get to Santa Maria & the 101 (lovely drive).

 So, of course I had to take more photos of those lovely wildflowers that look like something Diego Rivera would paint. Could only photograph sections where I could safely pull over, so some of the prettiest spots, you'll have to see for yourself!

I was so hoping that bird was a condor, but nope, way too small!!

Then, it was back to the PMC pool, which has its own lovely views!!

Some Yummy Food!

It was my friend's birthday last weekend, & she has a wonderful gourmet son & daughter-in-law that prepared a wonderful 'small bites' menu for a few select guests. Wow!! There were three different takes on a bruschetta. This first one was macerated fresh English peas with mint & a thin slice of cheese...ahhh!

Another was creme fraiche, with apples & prosciutto...Of course I have no photo of my favorite, which was served on toasted pumpernickel. Smoked salmon, thin slice of red onion, & as I recall, cheese & perhaps a little creme fraiche (gobbled down before I could snap photos!).

   They also served their famous 'zucchini cakes' (which I will have to get the recipe for) with 3 dipping sauces (evocative of Indian dipping sauces), chicken on skewers satay style, shrimp on skewers, as well as asparagus, sausage & broccolini. Yummy! We then had red velvet cake & black raspberry ice cream. Poor hub, he missed out!!
   I have been on a pizza kick lately, made some Sunday & Monday nights. Sunday was a garlic/carrot/basil/walnut pesto with bbq chicken, as well as pepperoni f/the boys (mixed some of my pesto in their red sauce). Then, with spur-of-the-moment dinner guests last night, I chose pizza again, this time carrot/basil/garlic/arugula/walnut pesto with slightly sauteed mushrooms and a red sauce bacon pizza! All with mozzarella cheese, of course. No photos this time. I put a ton of dried basil in my homemade dough, which has 2 cups of white flour to about 1 cup of whole wheat. I'll check my past posts to see if I have posted the pizza dough recipe. If I haven't, I will post the recipe...

Cerro Noroeste

   This morning, I went to see a lovely 20 acre piece of property I'm going to list off Cerro Noroeste (about 14 miles west ot the Apache Saddle Fire Station). For some strange reason, all of my photos came out looking like they were taken during a nuclear test; all bleached out. This photo is of some of the lovely (gourd?) plants blooming alongside the highway. I'm going to have to go back out there this week to retake my photos.

   The photos look somewhat artsy, after I tried to correct the color, but they don't do justice to the actual property, and the amazing views. I'll post the new photos when I take them, and you'll see what I mean. In person, you see the farmland of the Cuyama Valley, and it is stunning. Should be an interesting comparison...

  This one of the highway has a David Hockney feel to it, in my opinion...

A New Friend in the Garden

   About a week ago, we discovered a friend in our garden; Lumpy (as the monkey has named him) is a toad. We think s/he is a western, or boreal toad. We were very excited, and he likes to go in my little cottage garden. We are hoping Kosmo doesn't eat him. He has a little hole he likes to go in, under the driveway.

   This is what my little cottage garden looked like on July 2...

  ...and this is what it looks like today!! Remember all those snow photos in March???

   Speaking of gardens, here are those two beds I built! The hub helped add some logs to my top tier, but I did all the digging/lifting/building myself! The lower tier has eggplant, strawberry, basil, jalapeno, green pepper, Japanese eggplant and tomato. I am trying to get some corn in on the upper tier.

   I have some strawberry and a lovely heirloom tomato growing in a strawberry pot. I can't wait to try this tomato; it is supposed to be a rose/purple color!

   Kosmo (aka the world's happiest dog) enjoys the grass. He has taken out numerous rodents this summer. What a good doggie!!