Daily Archives: April 13, 2015
April 13 Day 37 Goodbye avocado country…hello Orange County!
Wow! What a difference. During the last three days I have been on top of the world located about a half hour from San Diego. Oh my goodness, how beautiful it is there. From the top of the mountain I could actually see some of the ocean when it was clear. Hills and hills, and more hills. Palms and avocado trees, mango trees and persimmon trees on the property of where I was staying. It was like a paradise. No traffic noise or sirens, no city lights, no people. Well I guess there were some people because on Sunday I was awakened to a crew of pickers reaching tall poles up into the avocado trees with little baskets at the end to catch the avocados as they were snipped. Today a huge truck drove off the mountain laden with fresh beautiful avocados fresh from the trees. I wonder where they will end up. I would have taken a photo but I was not dressed and we had to leave for church after we dressed. I watched from the window.
Bill and Lisa and I had a leisurely morning, a leftover lunch from yesterday’s restaurant meal and I left about 1:45. About 45 minutes later going up I-5 toward Anaheim the cars on the freeway stopped. Total traffic jam! I could just see the next 50 miles taking about 5 hours. Well, fortunately I beat the rush hour traffic and the freeway stall was the inspection of all cars because of being so close to the border. Well, I must not have looked too suspicious because they just waved me through. I also had to stop like that coming in from Arizona as I crossed the California state line. I was waved through at that time also.
Only made one wrong turn on the way to my friends, Bob and Linda. Linda came to the aid and talked me “home” on my car phone. Home for the week at least. This is a busy household. One grandma, one grandpa (who are Bob and Linda) and two granddaughters, Madison and Alex and one very sweet boy dog named Bruno all live here! Also, Bob and Linda’s son, whom I have known since he was a toddler is here. His two boys are here and his wife will show up later. Linda is creating a dinner that will be a work of art to the taste buds. She is making my favorite dish that she used to make me over 40 years ago. What a friend! Her 1st son Michael is an Executive Chef at theranch.com. Though I have not yet been there I do know that there are 50 people who work in the kitchen and “The Ranch” is in the top 10 best new restaurants in the country. Mike won the award as Best Chef of the Year by the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association for 2015. His brother David won the same award for Best Pastry Chef of the Year at the same restaurant in 2012. They both won BEST CHEF and BEST PASTRY CHEF for 2014. The restaurant is called THE RANCH RESTAURANT & SALOON. I have been informed that I will be eating at The Ranch with my friends on Wednesday evening! Oh my, that sounds just great to me! I’ll let you know how I like it! Check it out online. The pictures and menu alone make my mouth water.
On Mother’s day my friend Linda will be featured in the Orange County Register regarding her two sons accomplishments in the culinary arts. She will be cooking each sons favorite meal. The interview and cooking takes place on Monday. That is the day I am to leave. I just might have to rearrange my take -ff day so I can stay and eat these two meals. I remember both meals because I have have eaten them before cooked by her hands and loving heart, meatloaf and taco salad. Easy words to say but they are truly the best meatloaf and taco salad I have ever eaten. The taco salad is my favorite!
Dinner is almost ready and I am sitting at the dining room table so I will have to close down. Tonight will be a time of family and friends, reminiscing and good food. After all, this is an Italian family!
See my new hat in the “Selfie” I took today. Lisa’s neighbor gave it to me before I left the mountain. I love it! Everywhere I go people have been so generous to me. My friend in Mesa gave me a selection of beautiful earrings, my friend in Willow Springs took the most beautiful stone necklace off her neck and gave it to me. And there are other gifts I can’t even remember right this moment because I am being shewed away from the table.
6:50 p.m. California time, bright and sunny and about 80 degrees. Most of you back home and out east have probably already settled down for the night. My day is still going!
By the way, I am in Orange CA
April 12 Day 36 Sunday Sabbath
Several Months ago my friend Lisa, with whom I am currently staying, told me of her church and the excellent spiritual teaching from her Pastors. I have been listening to the Senior Pastor, Bob Botsford, on my I phone for several months and have really enjoyed his teaching. Lisa and her husband attend the church where he is Pastor. The church, Horizon Christian Fellowship North County is about 1/2 hour from their home in San Diego area. It is a large church with an amazing campus and building. Before leaving home I had hoped that when I visited Horizon church I would be able to meet Pastor Bob Botsford. Lisa didn’t know if that would be possible as he was not usually available before or between service. Well we walked into the courtyard at the church’s entrance and there he was just standing there with a couple of other people. Lisa walked up to him and introduced me to him. It was my pleasure to meet him.
It seems as if everywhere I go I meet the nicest people. Today at Horizon Fellowship I met a lady named Kim. It is always delightful to meet and talk with somebody and hear a bit of their story. We first spoke in the ladies room and continued out into the foyer. Thank you Kim for your conversation and being so kind to me. When I am on the road there are times when I don’t talk to people for hours. I know that seems impossible coming from me.
Bill, Lisa, and I enjoyed a delicious lunch out and an entertaining afternoon looking at new homes in the area. This entire area is built on little mountains or maybe I should say on big hills. I don’t know which. All I know is I’ve never experience so many winding, climbing roads. It is so lovely to look out over the mountains and see the valley below. Right now you might say that I am on the mountain top of life. I love the views. Tomorrow I leave for Orange County which is less than two hours away (for most people). Let’s see if I can get there without getting lost.
What I haven’t told you about this trip is the fact that rarely is there a trip I take that I don’t get lost, turned around, or doubtful as to my correct destination at some time or another during the drive. God has bailed me out a few times and just so you know He is the best GPS ever. I actually have a mapquest direction sheet, a GPS, an Iphone google maps, state maps and God. I’ve turned the GPS off as she interrupts too often, I don’t use the Iphone because it is too small and too dangerous to operate while driving, the map is too cumbersome and doesn’t not cooperate. So…being a woman I just stop and ask. So far I’ve always made it.
We watched another movie tonight, “God is Not Dead” . If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. It was about putting God on Trial. I thought the movie was well done.
Very sleepy again, must go before I nod off.
Good night
Visions of Poetry 