Snow Again??!! Really?

Why is it, wherever I visit, it snows?! I'm talkin' places where it normally doesn't. Like in Atlanta. Remember that?!

Family in California tells me, that when I get back, it's supposed to snow there!

Southern California?! Seriously?! Is it me?

If a state isn't used to snow, it means no school, right off the bat! And what could be more fun than that?!

What shall we do?! So many possibilities! They chose to go to a nice, warm restaurant first. (No argument from me!)

Here's my 13 year old granddaughter and her friend. My girl can say things that make you laugh so hard, that the beverage you're drinking shoots out of your nose.

And it begins. Lips are moving, hands are flying.

(Easy there, girlfriend, you're gonna poke an eye out.)

This is my oldest granddaughter, who will be 18 tomorrow. Whaaat?!!

How can that be - when I'm only 49 (and holding)?!

I didn't hear much of the story being told, but it seems to have touched everyone's funny-bone.

More laughter.

Please stop! I can't breathe!!

And then... and then... !!

Stooooop!!!!

Here comes the waitress with our grub.

I don't know what it is about going to a restaurant -

All of our good eating habits fly right out the window.

By the wink, I take it she doesn't mind.

Order something 'healthy'? Seriously?! You must be kidding.

Not to be outdone.

Lemonade, with sugar on the rim of the glass. Yum.

(A new, slooow way to put the salt on a Margarita.)

Waitress! Waitress! There's a nose in my drink!

What do kids wanna do when it's windy, snowing and freezing cold?

Go shopping, of course!!

My oldest girl opted for a warm movie theater. And I didn't go... why?

Not these two. The more snow, the better!

At least they didn't stick their tongues on the metal pole.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the snow...

From the inside looking out!

"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... somewhere else."

"How does the person who drives the snow-plow, get to work in the morning?"

"Skiing is the only sport where you spend an arm and a leg, to break an arm and a leg."

"Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face."

- Dave Barry

"I do not participate in any sport with ambulances at the bottom of the hill."

- Erma Bombeck

There are SO many things to love!

I love "Followers" and comments too!

(Thank you.)

Signing off for now,

gabriele

Frey Wines, Brad's Raw Chips - And A Road Trip To San Francisco

At the end of last year, my nephew, Brad Gruno, and I took a little road-trip to San Francisco and Redwood Valley - 'wine country'. Ohhh yeahhh.

First stop was Starbucks, so Brad could get some healthy, green tea.

We're both raw foodists, so healthy eating is really important to us!

As a matter of fact, he's the one that got me started on raw food.

Thanks, Brad!!

"On the road again." Sing it Willie Nelson!

We stopped along the way for some healthy, organic fruit to nibble on.

(We eat healthy you know.)

We went to a place that had a dehydrator that could eat Chicago!

Brad's expanding his business and is considering buying this big ol' honkin' thing in the near future.

And to think I was so proud to show him my nine-tray dehydrator, before we left. What a dufus.

Since they were packaging food at that company, everyone had to wear a hair-net.

"Heeere sheee iiis, Miiiss Ameeeriiicaaa."

Ohhhh... I am not a fan of bridges, high places, or deep water!!

After I took the picture, I slammed my eyes shut until we were on the other side!

Did I mention that Brad likes to talk on the phone? A lot.

It puts a smile on his face.

San Francisco, here we come!

By then we were hungry again, so we stopped at one of the restaurants on the pier.

We were going to have 'a salad', since we are so good about what we eat.

I had fish & chips and Brad had shrimp, oysters and chips.

So much for being good. (Ya gotta love a man that wears a bib.)

Here we are mingling with the crowd. (Who's watching that kid?)

I was hoping the stranger that was nice enough to take our picture,

would also be nice enough not to take off with my expensive camera!

One of the locals, giving us an earful. Sorry dude, no left-overs.

Brad and a pretty girl - nothing new there.

Alcatraz and the Cat in the Hat together in one picture. That's just wrong.

Wheeeeeeeee! Boing, boing, boing.

Oh, good grief! Here we go again!!

Yikes!!

Almost there?!! Please!!

Yes!!

Heading to Redwood Valley -

And there it is - what we all want, "the light at the end of the tunnel".

Whoops.

Hello? Hello? Can you hear me now?

So pretty.

Wine country!

Our final destination - the beautiful Frey Vineyards.

This is a painting, waiting to happen! I may have to give it a shot.

(Before we left, Katrina Frey, invited me to come down for a few days and be

"the artist in residence"! Be still my heart!!!! Thank you, Katrina!!)

Here is Katrina Frey, Executive Director, and our new friend - a kindred spirit.

Here she is, giving Brad a tour of the warehouse, where the wine is stored.

I suddenly wished that I could drink wine. (Allergic to grapes.)

The wine is kept in these 'things'. (A technical term.)

After the tour, they had a little party - Frey Wine and "Brad's Raw Chips".

A delicious combination!

As some of you know, Brad is the owner of "Brad's Raw Chips".

Please check out his website & blog for store locations and other great info. His chips are the best!!

Please also check out "Frey Vineyards", makers of organic and biodynamic wines.

The first ones in America to do so. Look at the variety!

Brad wanted to meet the Frey's, because he's considering going into the wine business and they have the best organic and biodynamic wines.

The story and history of the Frey family is fascinating.

Katrina's dad joined the party!

He was delightful - a family tradition it seems.

It was almost time to go, but before we left, there was something Brad wanted to do -

Let's put some of those cases of wine in the car!!

(He was probably wishing he'd rented a van.)

And off we went. More driving... more phone calls.

Leaving the wine country and heading home.

After awhile, we both got hungry again. Really hungry.

We joked that we would stop at the first restaurant we found, near the highway,

even if it was an IHop! We found a Denny's.

Brad said he could probably eat there if he had 'a salad'. I said, I could too.

The waiter came, and without hesitation, I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and fries.

He ordered chicken fried steak, fries, and topped it off with pumpkin pie and whipped cream.

Two raw foodists on the road. (Willpower anyone?!)

That's some goood stuff!!

Ohhh yeahhh!!

Unfortunately, my stomach didn't agree. And then I got a headache!

(I'm such a delicate petal.)

Heading out once more.

Seriously?!

I love how the landscape changes from area to area.

(And that we're finally done with the bridges!!)

Brad, stretching his legs - and arms. Ready for take-off.

Nice!

He remembered to stop for gas this time... and to make a call.

We got to my house, he dropped me off and went on his merry way.

To make another call, I'm sure.

Bye-bye, Brad. It was great fun! Hope to see you soon!!

Call me.

"Once, during prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water."

- W. C. Fields

"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four, unless there were three other people."

- Orson Welles

"I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but she uses a smoke alarm as a timer."

- Bob Monkhouse

"The food here is terrible and the portions are too small."

- Woody Allen

Here's more info about Brad, raw food and my artwork.

There are SO many things to love!

I love "Followers" and comments too!

(Thank you.)

Signing off for now,

gabriele