"Whole Lotta Hope Garden"

Here at the beach we don't get the heat that (they say) is required to grow a hearty garden.  Apparently, tomato's need days of intense heat.  But as I take my dogs on their daily walk about, I keep seeing little gardens on our precious plots of ground in the neighborhood.  I say precious because land is at a premium by the sea, and you usually get more house than yard.  Your yard is the beach and your pool is the ocean.  Not a bad trade off for sure and I'll take it!

 Matter of fact, it's so cool and damp that we even get a wee bit of moss on our cliff sides.

On a completely different note, just because from my 57,000 photos I found this one whilst perusing for blog fodder.  This is a sign that my sister gifted me with, which I put on my mantel for a fresh summer look.  Now, what are the chances there existed a chippy old sign that says the name of my little ol blog?  Thanks sissy.  I LOVE IT!

Meanwhile we have been gallantly throwing  our money into the money pit  remodeling, building, constructing and decorating our Cottage by the Sea for about four years now.  About the same time I started this blog.  Here's  a 'before' picture.

We pretty much gutted the old cottage and started over.

If you're interested in a reminder of the "Birth Of The Arch",  and other shenanigans we've been up to since 2009, head back over and have a look-see.  We've come a long way since then.

It's amazing how far a little lotta wood, cedar shakes and stone will go to invent the cottage of your dreams!

This pic was from last Autumn.  The courtyard was looking great with smiling pumpkins and all.  This is after we installed our Ipe (pronounced in the king's english as Epay).  Beautiful isn't it?

These are the official design architect's plans for our back yard.  Well...  You know how I mentioned that pit we've been throwing money into?  We done run out of money for the pit way before we completed it.  I, for one always  never complain about this.

But I like to think that while we dream our dream, we've made the most of our little plot of backyard.

We decided, beach or no beach, to try growing a garden where the spa should be.  It's a sunny little space and you can see how we professionally outlined our new garden.

First, we headed on over to, The Home Depot and bought 12 bags of very heavy soil, and a little cedar garden kit, us being garden newbies and all.  I say, very heavy because we, and by we,  I mean the hubby part of we, lifted and carried each and every bag from it's perch at Home Depot to our gigantic industrial cart, to our vehicle lined with plastic.  After a leisurely drive home, HE lifted and carried the bags one by one, down the stairs and around the corner where they came to rest right here.  To me it seemed like a piece of cake, but HE said they were very heavy!  Our little garden begot its name when, the lady standing behind our huge overloaded cart of dirt organic soil, rolled her eyes and exclaimed, "you guys have got a whole lotta hope!"  Oh boy :)

All it took was a little wood, (the gardening kit made it easy, peasy), you should try one!  A power tool here and there and some tiny, ready made startings of our favorite plants.

First was a blueberry bush because every morning I start off my day with a bowl of Irish Oats slathered in blueberry's.

 Then we added tomato's, both Early Girl and Big Boy.  Very erotic exotic.

 And since then they grew, and they grew and they grew.  And now they look like...THIS!

I made markers from old wine corks and chopsticks.  This one now sits under our enormous Serano pepper plant.  My salsa has never tasted so hot!

I'm growing two kinds of mint because, I love them both and couldn't make up my mind.  Something which hardly ever always happens around here.  The one on the left is Peppermint, and the one in the foreground is Mojito.  I hear that's a cocktail which I've never tried, but it's also a mint which grows wild in France.  It's a shoe-in for my favorite cocktail, iced tea.

 This is a fabulous, gorgeous, happy yellow,  pumpkin flower.  And from it blooms:

 A pumpkin!  I'm told this pumpkin will thrive and grow into a big orange smiling Jack O Lantern.  This Autumn we will adorn our front porch with as many of these as our Whole Lotta Hope garden supplies.

 Our zucchini is enormous thank you.  How's yours doing?

 So now, only 6 weeks later, wallah!  Not only do I have a green thumb - I think it may be florescent!

Maybe it helps that we have Our Lady of Hope reposing beside our Whole Lotta Hope garden but, something's working over here at the beach.

Love you more than all the bounty in all our gardens,

Tia

Today, instead of the promised sunset, I give you the sunrise over our Whole Lotta Hope garden.  Who needs a spa anyway?

Blessings!

COCKAPOODLEDOODLE

 This is not a face only a mother could love.  EVERYBODY loves this face xoxo

 This is a face you can play with because she is pliable, fun, and has a good sense of humor
(for a dog).

Her favorite thing in the world is to go on a (walk) but, you have to whisper it if your intentions aren't immediate or she'll bark until you come through with your promise.

She and her big brother are inseparable, although he gets a bit testy with her playfulness.  He's 91 now and all her energy exhausts him.  She can be very immature.

 She pouts.

 She begs.

 She gets sleepy and believes in the healthy strategy of a long nap every day.  That's a good plan for life quality in a dog.

She tries to see eye to eye with everybody.  Especially Maggie, since Maggie's room is where she sleeps.

 Unless they don't see eye to eye, and she sleeps here.

 Halloween is her favorite holiday because she gets to wear her girly bow.

 Sometimes just being a puppy wears her out.

She LOVES her rawhide chewy's.  I can bribe her to do anything with the promise of one.  Just don't try to take it back once you have given.

 Have you ever seen such fluffy feet?  Hers, not mine.

 Sleepy yawn.

Funny, furry, face kisser, foot-chaser, paper tearer, tummy rub, tail-chasing, kitty stalking, soft, sweet, cuddly love.  Bailey - yes, named after Bailey's Irish Cream.  It's true, we name our dogs after booze. 

Cockapoodledoodles - hypo allergenic.  Love all wrapped up in a coat of hypo allergenic, non shedding fur.  This momma's best friend.

How about you?  Do you have a best friend you love?  A furry one?  LUCKY YOU!

Love you more than the God given, spectacular sunset we had tonight.

Summer Blessings,

Tia

And We Are Crying The Oceans In Our Tears

"Our life, it probably began inside of the ocean," Johnny said quietly.  "About four thousand million years before now.  Probably near hot places like volcanoes, under the sea."

"And for almost all of that long time, all the living things were water things, living inside the sea.  Then a few hundred million years ago, maybe a little more - just a little while, really, in the big history of the Earth- the living things began to be living on the land, as well."

"But in a way you can say that after leaving the sea, after all those millions of years of living inside of the sea, we took the ocean with us.  When a woman makes a baby, she gives it water, inside her body, to grow in.  That water inside her body is almost exactly the same as the water of the sea.  It is salty, by just the same amount.  she makes a little ocean, in her body.  And not only this.  Our blood and our sweating, they are both salty, almost exactly like the water from the sea is salty.  We carry oceans inside of us, in our blood and our sweat.  And we are crying the oceans, in our tears.

Quoted from one of my favorite books of all time, "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts.

Blessings from The Cottage,

Tia

Machete Madness

My hubby is the best!  He took me on my first vacation to Hawaii in years.  All I can say is,  "we needed it man."   We were blessed to go to one of the most beautiful islands in the world, staying at the "Napili Kai" on Maui, in the same condo my hubby grew up in during the summers, with his large family of seven.  Now that must have been peaceful, yes?

The following will recount and reaffirm my theory that, boys men will be boys.  Let me know if you agree.  No machete's were actually involved in this task but worse, a dull (if it wasn't dull then, it certainly is now!) Knife.

Here's how this escapade went down.  If you are squeamish or have an over active imagination, skim over the pics quickly.  Otherwise enjoy because, it is Maui after all.

MAUI, HAWAII.  Tis Paradise.  The soft trade winds kiss your skin while the 80 degree water makes bobbing up and down with the gentle waves feel like you are in the womb again.  Bliss.

 The flora and fauna are bigger and brighter in the tropics.  "Land of the Giants" comes to mind.

Boulders touch the water where turtles and brilliantly colored fish quietly go about their business as curious snorkelers snap their underwater photos.  But mostly at Napili it's just quiet and tropical, and the pina coladas aren't half bad either.

Even the food is tastier when you're relaxed and everything is fresh.  The colors, like everything else are brilliant, and because your senses are heightened the taste is magnifico!  But now, is where "The Madness" comes in.

There are huge coconuts on the ground everywhere in Hawaii.  I don't know if you've ever seen one outside the market with the husk on and all.  It's a big ol thing which looks to me like getting into would be an overcomeable obstacle.  I'm kind of a pacifist  pessimist.  The man I am married to is not!  While my hubby sat down on the ground, overlooking the Napili Bay, I was lounging nearby with a good book, quietly keeping one eye open whilst wondering what he was up to.  Because from past experience, you never know.

He kept going in and out of the kitchen with his "find" and I just giggled at the thought of him trying to get that thing open with his bare hands.  Then I saw this.

I quickly did what any self respecting woman of the 21st Century would do, and Googled, "How To Husk A Coconut."  The first thing it said was:  1.  If you don't feel confident using a knife, DON'T USE ANY METHOD INVOLVING ONE.  2.  Don't use your teeth because they may break. Duh.
3.  Use eye covering because pieces may fly off into the eyes causing serious damage or even blindness.  As you can clearly see, he did not heed any of these suggestions rules.

As my friend Sue in Ireland would say, "All righty then."

During the process of using his Eagle Scout survivor skills to open this daunting looking fruit, knowing that the end result would produce a juicy core and delicious sweet coconut meat which we could slightly bake and have a delectable treat,  I alternately closed my eyes, gave explicit instructions from the internet, and reminded him once again how squeamish I am, and that if I were to see one drop of blood, to say nothing of severed extremities, I would be of no help because, I would be running at breakneck speed in the opposite direction, arms flailing, tears streaming.  Seriously, I don't even know how to do a tourniquet, more less would I try.

"Easy peasy," said he.

You are supposed to use a machete or a meat cleaver to hack off the husk.  My man however, used a dull knife from the kitchen since our condo didn't come equipped with a machete.  Rentals these days, sheesh.  Are you listening "Survivor?"  You then proceed to find one of the three eyes and use a screw driver to open the soft one (he used a cork screw).  He's very good at improvising.  Eagle Scout here,  he reminded me more than once.  After removing the outer husk and through an open hole in the inner husk, you hold the fruit over a bowl as the sweet water pours out. You then use a machete or a meat cleaver to hack off the remaining husk.

If you microwave it for 15 minutes and then freeze it for 15 more, the meat is supposed to easily slip form the shell and you're almost there.  Well, that's a lesson that you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet!  We tried the alternate suggestion of using a potato peeler to peel off the inner husk but that was even more pathetic.

Look how proud he is.  All limbs still intact.  I think.

Say what?  Men are exhausting.  I'm going back inside to do yoga.

Zen on.  Peace out.

Love you more than all the coconuts on the island of Hawaii.

Blessings,

Tia

Graduation Day Baby!

Spring has sprung in California.

Last weekend was my lucky 3!  My oldest son graduated University.  It was Mother's Day and this Momma had all five of her kids together at one time.  Can you say - CHRISTMAS PICTURE?  And,
my youngest son left for his stint in the United States Armed Forces on Sunday evening after months of planning and preparation.  He was so excited and ready to go serve his country.  You could feel his enthusiasm and not help but to be happy for him!  Well, you don't , but I do.  I'm finding that I have a new affinity for momma's who let their babies grow up to be soldiers.  Then again, as all momma's know, if your kids are happy, you're happy!

We even talked our Mimi into tagging along.  She has MS and must now use a walker and a wheel chair.  Heat affects her too.  MS is frankly a disease that sucks like all others, but our Mimi is an inspiration.  The smile never left her lovely face, she never complained once although I know she must have been way over tired.  Besides that, she taught us drinking songs from her college days the entire 2 1/2 hour drive up to Los Angeles!

How about this one:  Drink, drank, drunk last night, drunk the night before
                                   Gonna get drunk tonight, like we've never been drunk before!

Gotta love home car schooling, Mimi style!

 This here is our official Loyola Marymount University graduate.

Feeling the love as we piled into his little house from two cars!

These have been his haunts for the past 4 years.  He's loved every minute of it.  I spent the first eighteen years of my life trying to escape the smog and traffic and over- crowding of LA, but I guess DNA wins out because, he spent his four years of high school, working on his GPA just so he could attend his dream school up in LA where I was born and grew up.  And he's loved every minute of it!

 Biiiiiiig hugs from everybody.  His sister who's VERY pregnant made the treck, and the tricky, mom magic of getting sitters, and friends (and an awesome hubby) to tend to and schedule her other six kids at home.

The Baccalaureate Mass was spectacular!  The choir had a jazz ensemble and the entire mass was seeped in the beauty of our rich Catholic Tradition.  I may have cried.

There was a huge party afterward, given by the University.  The entire quad was full of food, sushi stations,  dippin' dots, rocking bands and CONGRATULATIONS to all Graduates.

Can you believe that my family came from San Diego, Seattle and Illinois, just to be together to celebrate their, son-brother-grandson?  I was the luckiest Mom on earth last weekend.  Oh, did I mention that my newest granddaughter is in her momma's belly, there on the far right?  Yup, she is!

 Proud, proud, beaming, bragging parents with their son.  No excuses.  Sorry.

The fab five.  We missed our two sons in law, but to have my forevers back together, made this picture worth a thousand words for this now, empty nester.  Who by the way, so far, hates, hates, hates it!

 This touching bronze statue on campus overlooking Los Angeles to the Hollywood hills, represents the students who passed on during their time at LMU.  There are plaques at the base, with their names, remembering all of the students for the past 100 years.  I think it is a beautiful tribute for those of us who believe that souls live on forever, never to be forgotten.

Never mind that we were pounded by 85 degrees in the direct sun for four hours of graduation and two hours of mind numbing traffic trying to get out of the campus afterwards.  We still had fun.  My hubby was so happy and so grateful he couldn't wipe the smile off his face and even offered to carry all our heavy purses when we looked like we were going to topple over from exhaustion.  (Actually his grin belies the fact that he no longer has to pay the bill for Cooper's University and it was akin to getting a big fat raise!)  Whatever floats your boat darlin'.  You're a good man.

Congratulations son!  We couldn't be prouder of you.  Now come home and live with your momma forever, K?

Love you more than how happy my weekend made me!

Blessings,

Tia

PS   Your promised sunset...