Frosso's balcony garden

These were some of the plants in pots on Frosso's balcony in Vancouver, and I really liked the looks of them. So this year I decided that I would plant some shrubs into my pots and see if that appeals to me over the hot summer months here in Westbank...Frosso took me to a wonderful little garden centre in Vancouver ( Figaro's) and I found lots of shrubs that I hope work for me up here. I will post my potted plants later on this week. All we need is some warm weather to get the plants growing...brr it is still so cool and windy here. And they call this Spring?

There is no gardening without humility. Nature is constantly sending even its oldest scholars to the bottom of the class for some egregious blunder.

~Alfred Austin

Jeremy, Julie and I...

Jeremy and Julie at their new place in PoCo...Julie leaving in the early am to go snowboarding in Whistler

Jeremy and I had a wonderful lunch at the new Boathouse in Port Moody. You sit on the deck overlooking the inlet, all kinds of boats going by and you can even rent a canoe. What a great place to eat.

What could be better than this, Jeremy and I having Starbucks Coffee which was his early morning treat...So sweet.

You don't raise heroes, you raise sons. And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes. ~

Walter M. Schirra, Sr.

Vancouver...Day 1

Staying overnight for a couple of days with my long time friend Frosso..

Shopping for things at Antique Attic for all things Vintage. Cindy, I took these for you when you come down with me next time.

Real Vintage Fiestaware

I worked Wednesday morning at the winery, Jim had my car loaded, lunch for me, and I left around noon. It has been so cold in Westabank although there wasn't any snow on the road, it sure was piled up high on the sides. Drove into Port Coquitlam, met up with Jeremy and finally got to see their new place...Loved it. We got some Sushi and when Julie came home from her teaching job, we eat and had a lovely visit...I drove into Vancouver to stay the next couple of days here at Frosso's, staying up until 12:30 catching up with her.

Tomorrow I have lunch with Shirley and then overnight until Sunday afternoon with Jeremy and Julie's. It still hasn't warmed up at all...but we are sure that Spring/Summer is just around the corner....But at least the flowers and the trees are blooming.

Cakeadoodledo Cupcake Article....

This is the article that I found Kate's cupcakes in, and to my amazement, she saw my blog and this is what she wrote to me.. Thanks Kate for your kind words and that you took the time to write...

"Well, I think they look pretty impressive myself - and I should jolly well know...Kate (Cakeadoodledo)!!! Keep baking. By the way - I was talking about YOUR chocolate cupcakes - not mine..."

So check out her website, it is so impressive, I am trying to convince her to come across from England and give Cupcake Lesson!!!!

http://www.cakeadoodledo.co.uk/

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I can live for two months on a good compliment

~Mark Twain

At home today....

Cut from the garden this afternoon

Still life on the dining table

In the living room.

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. ~

Lindley Karstens

Spring snowfall....

This is the view from our dining room window this morning at 5:30 am....it kept on snowing until about 10:30. It is warming up and the golf course under this snow is now showing grass, but the weather office said that it hasn't snow on this date for 50 years...go figure.

My cupcakes....& Nicole....

Well, here are the cupcakes that I made and although tasty, not nearly as picturesque as the ones that Kate Shirazi of Cakeadoodledo made. I am going to get Kate's book, Cupcake Magic, and see it that will make a difference. It was fun to make, but the icing was not quite right. I delivered some to my buddies Andrea and Judith. I work with both of them at Mission Hill Winery. Andrea said she put hers in the freezer and only has 1/2 a one per day and Judith said she and Andrew eat theirs. They both have homes here where we live in in Sonoma Pines.

Cold as anything here today and supposedly this weekend it will be snowing.

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Happy Birthday to little Nicole, who turned 1 in March, thank you Kim for sharing her photos with us. How she has grown and what a sweetie....Nicole, one of these cupcakes is for you.

Cupcakes...

I found these cupcakes made by Kate Shirazi in the April 2008 Country Living, British Editon and her website is http://www.cakeadoodledo.co.uk/ They look so yummy that I have decided that I am going to learn how to make mine look like this. How difficult can this be?..stay posted.

Day 4...home ...

The Hut Cafe.

I have wanted to take this photo for at least 5 years, and this time I stopped to take this picture. It is just north of Soap Lake in Washington

Pow Wow Drive-In Theater

This old Drive in Theater sign is just south of the border at Osoyoos, I am sure it will be gone in the next few years,

The Oliver Theatre

Almost home, this one is in Oliver, nice old Vintage Neon sign.
We travelled 1, 571 miles from our home in Queen Creek, to our home here in Westbank, and it was a very interesting drive. Next year we will try to enjoy another route going down in Oct and coming back again in April. We crossed the border and imported the Jeep in 30 minutes, paperwork and all .The border guard told us that they process 50 imported cars a Day!!!! Unbelievable, but what a difference buying it in the States as opposed to here in BC..

So now here we are back in BC, sunny but cool today. Have almost everything unpacked, and the most important thing, have my license plates on my convertible, so I will be free as a bird again to drive and enjoy the sunshine.

Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.~

Robert Montgomery

Day 3 ..To Kennewick, Wa

The "girlies" getting out of bed to start their day on the Road

The temperature was 76 at Twin Falls, and then dropped to 46 at Le Grande, Oregon and this was the pass coming into Pendleton. It snowed, but nothing stuck on the road, but the wind was so strong.

What I needed to get thru the day, coming into the sun after the windy pass drive

Which way do you think this truck is travelling? We travelled about 400 miles today, one more to go before we arrive back at Westbank.

Great Basin Highway..Las Vegas to Twin Falls...

Butte Valley Mtns

Jim driving in the Jeep ahead of me

Cookie really tired and taking up most of the bed

Pebbles on her mat...good girl

It was a long day today, nearly 500 miles, but what beautiful scenery we went thru, and we were at a pass of 7300 feet just south of Ely. The weather has been really warm today, and we still have the air conditioner on here in our room in Twin Falls, Idaho. What a pretty town, we are going out to walk the dogs, have some dinner, take some photos, oh yes, and have a glass of wine first.

Tomorrow, we head thru Oregon, and then to the Tri Cities for our last overnight on the road.

Las Vegas...Day 1

Today we left Queen Creek at 7:45 am, and with 2 vehicles, 2 dogs, & 2 drivers, we made it safely here to Las Vegas at 3:00. 377 miles, not too long day of a drive. The walkie/talkies almost made it all the way here.

The road up thru Wickenburg is my favourite seeing all those pre-historic looking Joshua Trees. There were many flowers and catci blooming..lovely.

After we got settled in with the pets into the hotel, we drove down the strip and could not believe all the people living in tent cities in such poverty and dispair. There does not seem to be anything that is being done to help them...you really appreciate your normal life.

Tomorrow we are off for the longest of the 3 days, so it will be early to bed, early to rise, and Hit the Road, Jack

Leaving Arizona..

Just like this Hummingbird that flies up north in the spring, our time down here is almost done. Today, it is 85 and time enought to finish all the little things that need to be done then hang out at the pool for one last dip before we leave tomorrow.

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Have you ever observed a humming-bird moving about in an aerial dance among the flowers - a living prismatic gem.... it is a creature of such fairy-like loveliness as to mock all description.

~W.H. Hudson, Green Mansions

Use the talents you possess - for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except for the best. ~

Henry Van Dyke

Summertime living

These images of Summertime Living down here in AZ. will hopefully bring a smile to my friends, knowing that soon these summer time pleasures will be theirs to enjoy as well.

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A life without love is like a year without summer.

~Swedish Proverb

Knitted Pals...

These two guys might make me take up knitting, aren't they so cute....So I thought I would share them with You!

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You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. ~

John Wooden