Trip to Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country

This is where we stayed. A beautiful Inn with a great chef.

The drive from LA to Santa Ynez is beautiful and romantic.

Gladiolas, Gladiolas, Gladiolas...

Harvest Time

First Harvest of the season at Kenneth Volk Winery

The Vineyards are breathtaking.

The landscape between and around the Vineyards.

Hungry?

Warm tortilla in a pan, place it on a plate, top with arugula and fried eggs. Sprinkle with olive oil, cumin powder, salt and pepper.

Dangerous Beauties

I met these stunning creatures at the Monterey Bay aquarium. Despite my intense fear of Jellyfish, I would have gladly dipped my head in the tank for a kiss. Beauty numbs a soul to danger.

Strawberry Picking Time

I drove up to Santa Cruz last month, stayed at my friend's light-filled beach house and let the ocean air renew my lungs, soul, the words the keep circling my mouth but get stuck between my teeth.

I stopped at a strawberry field and watched the pickers bent over, plucking the green field's little red hearts.
...........

Of Bugs and Beauty

All my life I have hated and feared all bugs. But last year something strange blossomed in my eyes. Bugs became beautiful. Delicate. Even precious.

(Disclaimer:  I still hate mosquitoes, black flies and cockroaches. They are pests that do not deserve any admiration or sympathy.)

A Study

All here. Her life. Her journey.

Cigs from Iran

A friend brought me a pack of cigarettes from Iran.  I'm not a smoker. So she took all the cigs and left me the package.  
The Persian text reads:  20 filtered cigarettes. 
Below the red line: Judge for your self.  
Underneath the healthy lung: Life;
and below the disgusting shriveled lungs: Death. 

Come on! If you are a smoker and you see this every time you reach for a pack, wouldn't you want to quit yesterday?

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