Christmas 2015

Thankful for friends, family, good times!

Santa comes early.

Skis peeking out from the roof...

2015 new experiences- putting on ski racks :)

After 3 years of drought- welcome sight for sore eyes 

Snow at 3000 ft elevation!

Christmas eve..

7 boys playing Uno

Christmas fruit cake with rum

Baked Red Snapper

Christmas Yule Log- Tiramisu.

And spicy Bhelpuri- wish I had a picture of it.

Awesome views from Tyner way.

Diamond Peak, Mt Rose from Tyner way.

Good bye to a dear old friend, you served us well for 10 long years...

And hello, to our new friend, you travel well!

When it comes to baking...she takes the cake!

Artistic, blissful, classic, divine, elegant, fresh-baked, gourmet, heavenly, indulgent, lip- smacking, moist, one-of-a-kind, rich, scrumptious, sublime, sinful, velvety and wholesome :) :)
Was trying for an adjective for every alphabet but my vocabulary falls short...

Masterpieces from my niece- enjoy!

Vanilla with raspberry frosting

Berry arrangements

Hot chocolate with marshmallows

Vanilla with chocolate frosting

And the best one of them all- made specially for her cousins 13th birthday!

More teen inspired recipes...

Pasta Sauce from scratch ......was so fresh tasting and flavorful!

Parsley, Bay Leaves, Oregano and basil ...all came together just right!

Lemon Squares..heavenly! Much to mom's detriment :(

Spicy Beef fried rice with green onions....

And here's what awaited us on our Wedding Anniversary- all a complete surprise!

Baked cod with Quinoa, Tortilla soup and fruits!

A break from the grind, in Yosemite

“...full of God's thoughts, a place of peace and safety amid the most exalted grandeur and enthusiastic action, a new song, a place of beginnings abounding in first lessons of life, mountain building, eternal, invincible, unbreakable order; with sermons in stone, storms, trees, flowers, and animals brimful with humanity.” 

― John Muir

The Tuolumne River flows for 149 miles through Central California, from the high Sierra Nevada to join the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley. See the banks of the river, low water levels.

Entering Yosemite, one of the many  tunnels along the way.

The splendid views of the Yosemite Valley.

View from Glacier Point- Half dome, The Yosemite Valley.

View from the start of Panorama trail- Glacier Point

Bridalveil Fall, drought thinned but nevertheless serene.

Yosemite Falls

Hardy fellows :), getting to the base of Yosemite Lower Falls

A last look back at the Yosemite Valley as we leave................

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” 
― John Muir, The Mountains of California

Life is a garden, dig in.

Big bold colors...

Lush fragrant orchids....

The bonsai making a statement...

And Plantains betwixt it all...

All this in ~900 sqft or less.. a testament to the care and nurturing bestowed here.

My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.

 Claude Monet

( In this case my mother's garden :))