The Flower Fields of Carlsbad, CA

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As morning coffee was sipped, the thought came to me of getting out and doing something today.  I had a couple of thoughts A – Drive up to the mountains for a peak at the snow or B – Drive to The Flower Fields.

It turned into a short tug-of-war.  The strings of my heart tugged towards the flowers, a place where I could roam.  50 acres of flowers, it sounded wonderful.

The question when I arrived was, which way to turn.

The path along the way was perfection.

And the flowers were strikingly beautiful.

Beautiful flowers, stretching as far as the eye could see.

There were rides – Hello there sir!

And I was happy as a clam to be in the midst of it all.

What a jolly man.

So jolly.  And what a treat to see the pacific ocean from this spot too.

I like how this guy waved when he noticed the camera.

Be still my heart…The color of Carlsbad is amazing.

How many petals can a flower have?

I’d like to think that for every flower, there’s a smile.

The sweet pea maze is so cool.  There was every color imaginable climbing the fence.

Twas fun!

Hey, another tractor – What a great team of men and women working such that visitors could have a great experience.  And what a cool way to see the flowers.  I opted to stay on foot.  I got to stop and enjoy the flowers when I wanted + get my exercise.

Known for their 50 acres of flowers, I’m impressed with all the amazing things they do to make their fields shine.

Today made my 2nd annual trip to the fields.  I’m thinking this will turn into an annual tradition for years to come.

My heart is full and running over with joy.

Blessings – Debbie

Winter and Spring and A Surprise Visitor is in the Kitchen

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Good Afternoon!  I hope all is well in your world.  It’s been one of those, what shall I say, frigid blustery last three days.  But this morning was a new day and So Cal was back to beautiful springtime weather.

While I’m a lover of snow with all of its beauty, it was fun enjoying it from a bit of a distance.  Like today, the mountains in the distance are topped with snow.

We can still see a teeny bit on the tops of these guys.

But here in our world, it’s beautiful springtime.  And my morning hike was nothing short of amazing.

After my hike, I made a visit with the orange tree out back.  I think these guys will be added to smoothies in the very near future.

And then, one of the highlights of my afternoon.  Allow me to say, It’s not something most would get excited about.  But for me, It was over the top amazing and hit the spot.  That is, a piece of rye toast (lightly toasted) with a medium – hard (not too medium, not too hard) boiled egg.

Rye bread, it has to me my favorite bread ever.  And why is it that I never buy it?  If I think back over the last 10 + years, I would have to say it never once entered our home.  We have our  moments with bread.  A loaf could mold before we finish it.  Hubby is not a rye bread fan and I normally could take bread or leave it.  Perhaps I feared overeating bread if I brought the rye in.  Or it’s possible I didn’t want/need the butter on a nice hot slab of rye toast.  For whatever reason, I just never bought it.

But today, it made a grand entrance into the kitchen.  An entrance that is sure to wow me more than once in the days to come.

I have gained control over my old eating habits.  Butter was not an option, nor did I miss it.  I had just one slice and already thinking its what’s for breakfast tomorrow.

It has to be the best food reconnection ever.  And if it’s up to me, it won’t remain visitor status for long.  I plan for it to reside in the kitchen for years to come.

With that, my day is complete and looking forward to my evening with the hubs.

Blessings – Debbie

Fire ~ Smoke ~ Wind ~ Rain ~ Hail

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That’s a large portion of what our weekend looked like.  And it felt like the dead of winter.  However, we did have the bonus of a little sunshine ~ grilling ~ and patio eating before the blustery winter set in.

First off, our weekend started Thursday night when hubby walked in the door from work.  We always enjoy these longer weekends every other week.

There was a nip in the air and a fire seemed to be the thing to have in the home.  So hubby got started on it right away.

It was the perfect way to chill or shall I say relax all evening long.

When Friday morning dawned, another fire seemed the likely thing to have in the home while sipping that first cup of coffee.

The crackle, glow and warmth was much better than the heater.

But look out!  Friday afternoon we had the most amazing sunshine along with (it seems) every window in the house open.  From the screen doors to windows, the breeze was sheer bliss.

In springtime fashion, we lit the grill fires and enjoyed dinner on the patio.  The new favorite thing on our baked potato is that peach mango salsa.  So Good that we don’t need butter and all that high fat/calorie stuff on there.  P.S. My plate is not the huge dinner plate, rather a small salad plate.  And those are gilled onions there in the back with a small 2.5 oz serving of grilled chicken.

Saturday morning mother nature greeted us with some pretty massive winds, rain and hail.  She was on a mean chilly winter streak and we San Diegans thought we were in the dead of winter.

Another fire was in the works but this time, I think that crazy wind affected the chimney and it literally blew the smoke back at us, filling our little warm nest with smoke.

Every window in the house was quickly flung open and soon winter greeted our toasty warm bones with a chill.  True, it only got to 65 in the house, but for us, it felt like winter for hours as we continued to air out the house until the fire died.

We bundled up and puttered around getting a few more things crossed off the list.

As the evening hours settled in, we, in true hubby and wifey fashion, watched a few flicks and settled in for old man winter.

Winter lasted thru Sunday with more cold and rain outbursts.  And I can still hear hubby say “I can’t wait for it to warm up.”

I have a feeling we’re becoming San Diegans having forgot what winter really means.

So this Monday morning, the weather man forecasts partly cloudy skies for this area and it still feels like winter.  I think after a few days of winter, we will gladly take back our beautiful weather.

The good news, our apricot trees are in full bloom and I’m looking forward to more fruit in the days/months to come.

After this last spell of winter, I’ve already decided what I’m going to do in the next week or so.  But it has to be a day filled with abundant sunshine.  I can’t wait!

Blessings – Debbie

Not My Average Day at the Beach

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My day started off with uncertainty.  I knew my girlfriend and I were getting together and what time we were meeting.  We just didn’t have the day planned.  It was something we said we would figure out when we got together.

So when the decision was made to visit Coronado Island, it sounded like the perfect ticket for a fun-filled day.

Little did we know these sandcastles were in the making.

Soon we became bystanders taking in the detail from the steps leading into the castle to the trees surrounding this amazing fortress.

A castle next to a castle aka the Hotel Del.

It was fun to watch him work magic with his hands and tools.

It was also nice to have the soft sand between my toes.

Soon we made our way to this spot for lunch.  This pic was taken after lunch.  As you can see, the clouds rolled in.

Then we had the most amazing afternoon stroll on the island with Starbucks coffee in hand.  I had my first skinny latte ever, it was amazing.

I loved the feel and style of the homes on the island.  But this one struck me as if it leaped off the pages of Hansel and Gretel.

Oh the charm of this bike, I’m truly in love.

Friendship over coffee blended with a stroll made for a picture perfect afternoon.

I’m so thankful and blessed to have days like this.  It makes me look forward to our next visit.  Who knows what our next visit will look like, but it’s sure to be filled with love, laughter and more bonding.

Blessings – Debbie

My Cup is Full

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Good afternoon!  Is your cup full?  Well, mine just reached the overflowing part and I have some to spare.

Although the last couple of months, it hasn’t been this full.  And I’ve notice my glass at the half full mark.  There’s been a lack of things in the cup like fruit and veggies.  And I could tell my system was off.

So I was thinking this week, why not get back to my green monster that I love so much?  It’s packed full of all things good!

Today was just the day to make it happen.

I used Chobani yogurt instead of the Almond milk that I’ve used in the past.  I quite like the creaminess it produced.  It was nice and thick without adding ice.

For this full glass I used:  1 Black Cherry Chobani Yogurt + 5 oz orange + 3 oz fresh spinach = a 235 calorie beverage

I’m learning along the way that our cup doesn’t have to remain at the half full mark.  If there’s something we lack, why not fill the void in a big way?

Cheers to a full cup!

Blessings – Debbie

The Little Things

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The little things in life are well-known for bringing a great amount of pleasure.  Sometimes we need to pause and take a moment to reflect on these things.

Since our move, I longed for my good hiking shoes.  They were “packed/lost” in one of the boxes in the garage and I had no clue where to begin looking.  Leave it to hubby to have a good sense to know precisely the box to check first.

My feet were jumping for joy during and after my hike this morning.  It’s the little things that mean so much.

It was a nice 5.27 mile hike with an elevation gain of 2,219′.

I met a brand new neighbor while on my journey.  Her name is Rhonda.  We stopped and visited in front of her home.  When she learned that I hike each day, she said, “we should hike together sometime.”

I learned that she takes hiking serious.  As a matter of fact, she will be hiking in Europe soon!  We exchanged information and plan to make a hike date.

She also said “We have drinks on the patio every night, you’re welcome to join us anytime.”

If you were to ask me, It’s all about the little things that make a day great.

Now on to a few more little things around the house this afternoon.

Blessings – Debbie

Hubby was Mad at Me

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Hubby got mad at me in the wee hours of the morning.  Our 3:30 AM conversation went like this.

Hubby: Honey, we were on the Titanic!

Me: We were?

Hubby:  Yes! I told you to get in the life boat and you wouldn’t.  I got mad at you.

Me:  But Honey, I could never leave without you!

Hubby:  You’re a stubborn one.

Me:  Yes

We must have gone over the above for at least 10 or so minutes when he said, but I could never stay mad at you for long.

Whether in his dreams or in real life, this makes me so very happy.  And sometime just after our little round and round we heard a sweet little melody from a bird just outside our window.  We laughed and closed our eyes and carried on with sweet dreams thru the remains of the night.

As the morning sunbeams danced around our room this morning, we stretched and opened our eyes just a bit slower than usual.  It was a morning where things went at a slower pace.  A morning that didn’t require the extra effort for anything.

Morning coffee was leisurely sipped.  And the peaceful relaxation was just what we needed.

But this relaxation won’t last for long.  We have a list of things we want to accomplish by days end.  And the melting and relaxing will not achieve these goals.

Cheers to Saturday morning relaxation and an afternoon full of things to accomplish.

Blessings – Debbie

All Things Sweet

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Of all the fruit trees in the backyard, guess what we picked for our sweet tooth last evening?

If you guessed the chocolate, you’re hot, very hot.

This was an amazing turtle.  It’s huge!  I didn’t finish mine and sent the leftovers to work with hubby this morning.  I’m in trouble when these kind of sweet things are left hanging out with me.

Nothing draws my attention faster than the most fragrant sweet goodness in the air from the many blossoms. The sweet fragrance is hard to describe, but it’s amazing and everywhere.

There’s something magical when it comes to picking a fresh orange off the tree.

Peeling and eating it before I make it back into the house.  That’s how fast these guys draw my attention.  The sweet juicy goodness inside these guys get me every time.

This was my sweet treat this morning.

My attention is still drawn to the sweet aroma from the wisteria vine. The blossoms are dropping and few are left.  I’ll be in awe ’til the last one falls.

And last but not least, Friday, how sweet that today is FRIDAY!

While hubby was not able to take the day off with his crazy busy schedule, I’m looking forward to the weekend.

Blessings – Debbie

Something Kicked My Tush

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So yesterday’s hike could have contributed to part of my tush kicking.  And the night before last could have contributed to the other part.  Either way, I was in bed for a nap last evening at 7 PM and ended up sleeping a full 12 hours.  I have no idea the last time I felt that exhausted, but the rest was just what I needed.

My hike yesterday went on for exactly 4.5 miles.

I included a few more streets in the neighborhood and was delighted with the new scenery.

These African Daisy’s will always have me at hello.

The path along the way was so inviting.

I’m a lover of mailboxes.  This one has to be my favorite in all the land.

The winding paths going up and down and all around make for a killer workout.

My elevation gain yesterday morning was a whopping 1,897′ and I’m feeling every bit of it today.

It kicked my butt, but I want more where it came from.

Just for today, I’m taking a little breather from hiking.  My feet are none too happy with the shoes I’ve been wearing and my hiking shoes are nowhere to be found.  I think hubby packed them and he insists we find that box this weekend.  Knowing him, he will find them for me.

These paths are beautifully lodged on the front burner as I don’t want to stay away too long.

I’ll be back soon!

Today I need to play catch up on food shopping, laundry and get the place ready for the weekend.  Hubby mentioned taking off tomorrow, fingers crossed for a nice three-day weekend with him!

Blessings – Debbie

An Evening To Remember

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What a treat to meet hubby’s friend (Christy from HS) and family.  It’s been over 30 years since they’ve seen each other and what a joy to have them vacationing in our neck of the woods.  Thanks to FB, hubby learned they were in town and the rest is history.

There was a lot of catching up on the balcony…

…while enjoying these amazing views.  The ambience at their resort was over the top amazing!

It was a fun evening, a night we will never forget.

Later in the evening, we headed downstairs to sit in the rocking chairs that circled around the open fire pit.  Terrible pic but the best one I have of the best rocking chair experience.

The view from our rocking chairs.

Sweet daughter Lara – LOVED her!  And she let me take tons of pix.  How fun!  While evening photography is not my forte, we had a blast!

Posing in front of the open fire pit, too cute!

If only I had been on time but I still like this one, so I’m posting it too.

Lara already knows where she wants to get married.  Yup, this is the spot and her dad is in the know.

C.U.T.E

I rescued a shot of Lara.  I think I like this one best in B and W.  Boo that I’m having such a difficult time with my camera.  Further evidence that I need to hop on another class to learn about night photography!

Lara and the waiter seemed to hit it off.

I may or may not have asked her to sit on (this perfect stranger’s) “JP’s” lap for this shot.  *Big Grin*

And Lara may or may not have given JP her phone number.

What a fun evening to remember…

Blessings – Debbie

I've Been Thinking

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I’ve been thinking a lot about some of the ways I’ve been slipping on my health.

While I’m thrilled with the progress, I don’t want all the bad habits that slipped in to take center stage.

A big area was the non-existent water intake.  The slippery slope started this winter when I picked up some Diet Dr Pepper, just for a little treat around the house.  And it ended in full-blown Diet soda consumption All. Day. Long. for the last several months.  Water is a bad word when I get into this habit, shame on me!

So last week, while food shopping, I made a point not to purchase another box of diet soda for myself.  When my soda stash ended was the moment I would quit cold turkey.

That moment occurred yesterday afternoon.  And I celebrated that very last soda with a bowl of 100 calorie butter popcorn.  And just like that, it is out of the house.

It seems I’ve taken a liking to water now that the other stuff is no longer at my dispense.

Note: I have my coffee every single morning and I will have Diet Coke each and every time hubby and I have a date.  Just wanted to clear that up.

Another area I’ve given a lot of thought to is the lack of exercise. It completely fell to the side during the move.  Good excuse, ay?  I know, I tend to get myself worked into a frenzy when I have a lot going on at once.  And things seem to fall off my priority list.  Something I did not intend to let go for so long.

But this is the week it all changed.  Today I got right out there even tho it looked like rain.

I loved the cool 54 degrees with a little breeze.

I was concerned (when we were looking for a place to call home) I wouldn’t be able to replace the paths like our old home had.

But I’m pleasantly pleased that I’m able to achieve all of that and more right here from our doorstep.  Today’s hike took me 3.53 miles with an elevation gain of 1,134′. That = a mountain and makes me happy.

I feel blessed to have this opportunity. Now is the time to turn these new adjustments into daily habits.

Blessings – Debbie

Finding My Routine

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Happiness is, finding my way back to a routine after our move.  There were days that a routine looked for packing more boxes, staring at more and more packed boxes and wondering if we would ever get moved.

These days, we are beginning to look at fewer boxes and the house is beginning to take shape.  But with every move, we still long for day in and day out routine.

Today I was delighted with my brand new hiking path/aka our new neighborhood.

It’s fresh and new…

…with so many wonderful things yet to discover.

And as I sit here putting this post together, I long to be right back out there.

I’m thankful for beautiful places to hike and double thankful I don’t have to get in my car and drive to a gym.  I just don’t stick to gyms very well and I much prefer the great outdoors.

I wish I knew the names of every single flowering plant, bush, shrub and tree in this area.  But I’m learning.

Learning, like this morning.  A gardener noticed my enthusiasm for photography.  He stopped in his tracks and officially introduced me to these amazing African Daisy’s.  We had them at our old place, I just didn’t know what they were called.

 

I met a wonderful neighbor.  She would have had me in for tea but she had to scoot to the Dr.  She said, “Next time, we’ll have tea”.

I just finished an amazing lunch date with my dearest.  And next on the agenda, we could be meeting hubby’s friend (who is in town) for drinks.  Should be a fun afternoon!

Blessings – Debbie

What A Weekend Is Made Of

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Good evening friends!  I can’t express the amount of joy coming from my being, but know it is there.  The reason?  The blog silence has lifted!

I hate it when I get behind, behind on anything.  When things begin to snowball, I’m left feeling a bit overwhelmed.  And I don’t know why that is and doubt I ever will.  Just know I’m happy to be back!

  • We made progress in the house.
  • I caught up on the blog – 2 months worth of information crammed into approximately 6 posts.
  • We enjoyed the most amazing BBQ brisket ever.  Love those kind of dates with hubby.
  • We indulged with a little sweet serving at Cold Stone, Friday evening.
  • All that and I managed to lose 2.2 pounds this past week!
  • And the icing on the cake – As of this morning, I’m down exactly 50 pounds!
  • Today was relaxing and peaceful around the house.
  • I enjoyed a nice visit with my mom over the phone while sitting out by the pool.  I love that we have such a great connection.  I just wish we didn’t live worlds apart, or so it seems.

Now if I could only attach another day or so to this weekend.  Then again, I’m thankful and blessed for the weekend we were given.

Blessings – Debbie

Change Is Awesome

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So far this year, we’ve managed to go thru so many changes all at once.  And we’ve managed to continue to lose weight thru it all.

During our move, we did eat out a lot.  I did make unhealthy choices.  I did gain a couple of pounds.  I did take them off faster than I put them on.  And I have come to grips that there will be times in life when weight gain will happen.  I’ve also come to grips that taking it off is easy when I jump back to my healthy eating habits.

It was just the other day when I was out picking oranges from our fruit trees that I snapped a few pictures with my cell phone.

While it’s clear I’ve lost a lot of weight around my hips, I’ve also noticed that I’ve completely lost a chin.

Sometimes change comes rapidly while other times it creeps up on us.  Either way, I’m a fan.

Early on this year, hubby and I embraced change by saying to each other “change is awesome” yes it is.

Blessings – Debbie

February Came and Went

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This year seems to be moving along at record speeds.  I blinked and February was G.O.N.E.

But we did in fact move into our new home sweet home!  We got the keys on the 15th and the movers arrived and delivered all of our things on 17th.  And we got to spend our very first night here at the new place on Friday the 17th.

That weekend went by so fast and before I knew it, hubby was off on a business trip the following week.

While hubby was gone, I took the time to chill with my girlfriend in Seaport Village, Downtown San Diego.  We enjoyed the best coffee and breakfast.  And we strolled the streets and visited along the harbor.

We even had the trill of watching a couple of ships come in.

That week I came to the realization (after unpacking all of the kitchen boxes) that I was missing the box with the coffee pot.  I made the most of it one morning with a Diet Coke and lime pool side.

Hubby insisted I get my fill of Starbucks each day and also insisted I just go out and replace my old pot.  I did indeed take him up on replacing my pot.  And enjoyed my cup of coffee under this amazing wisteria vine as it sprawls all over the top of the pergola.

While hubby was away, I also went to work on unpacking more boxes and fluffing our new nest.

It’s good to find and be home sweet home!

Blessings – Debbie