Butcher, Baker... Where's the Candlestick Maker?

More stores need fresh butcher shops! I'll put my request in now! Something about them that  I find so fresh, yet so old-school. I think I've spoken of this place : el Salchichero in Santa Cruz? It's a small but finely stocked charcuterie. I adore the owner and his fellow-choppers - they're dynamic, informative, and tattooed! Tiny place, big + for a perfect food field trip with the Organic Chef!
{Cousin Rick}

Hubby kissing the ceramic pork

Meat was bought! Cousin was happy. Butcher ... then Baker... in the same courtyard is Kelly's French Bakery! Yuuuummmmy  decadence...

this little starling had his "sweet" spot staked-out

 Next?  other California scenery - especially while in the Santa Cruz area. One must visit the beach - of course !!

Pleasure seeking, food indulging, and completely seizing the day - we truly DID!!

Taking In-Land'ers To The Shore

Our upstate New York family has paid us a summer visit. Their usual down-time on our West Coast generally happens in the wintry months. But, when the vacation coincides with June, July or August - let the Summer SHENANIGANS begin!!

We're packed into a few vehicles, loaded to the brim with myriad beach essentials. The lush, cool of the Redwood forest is awaiting us. Our mini home for 3 nights is a mountain cottage of 80 years {or so}. The sweetest spot, dear to our hearts. An enclave at the end of a dirt path, with a creek running below it.

This first night the youngsters get to come and trawl the grounds of Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Well, I'll for sure be joining them too. It's a must to ride the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster!!

Hubby's favorite "ride" - if you want to call it one - is this aerial tram ^  BOOHHRRR-ing!! hhaa

The youngest cousin keeps asking about palm trees. "I thought there'd be more".. so we'll have to indulge his need

Some may ride the railroad around the forest. I will go one day to a family function, back inland for a bit. Two of my brother and SIL's adult children are graduating college. Proud moment for us all.

Mostly we will sit upon our relaxed beach chairs, light up a BBQ, read and breath fresh air. Yes, inhale the clean, cool forest dampness and be glad that we're together. Overjoyed that we have TIME to spend. There've been some blips in our road-of-life, again. Happens, I guess...
More than ever, the need to be joyful and able to enjoy these places of beauty is a gift!

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Picture-a-day yesterday was TEXTURE....

Guess what I was doing to obtain that texture photo??  ^ shhhh - be quiet about it.... trespassing, again
I found this door, and layers of pain, rust and dirt so interesting...
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Today is Friday the 13th.... {no spookiness, please}. Picture-a-day is OPEN :

This picture for OPEN ^ was very nostalgic for me to get. I happened to be in the town where just a short part of my childhood was spent. This is the room where I went to Kindergarten. The school - to my surprise - is still OPEN!

No Foundation

New years begin shiny and new with hope of the possibilities. In January I wrote a post about my cousin who resides in a home with no foundation. It was the start of this year - yet not so bright and shiny for him. The back story sits there on January 6th.

My cousins new story resides in today's post. Our bond is simple, rarely identified and infrequently embraced. Since that home without a foundation is in actuality the streets, we don't connect often. I haven't known his whereabouts, nor his status in many months. Was he still in the camp near the creek, not far from downtown? I had thought of him when all had been wacky with my Dad - how might I reach him? My Mom had phoned his half sibling. She too was unaware of any contact possibilities.

Jimmy made that rare connection a week ago. His voice was light as he said he had news. First we got through the usual suspects of conversation. Well, probably - the UNUSUAL topics since his life does not follow any civilized norm. Are you still living in the same place? says I. He mentions he is calling from the hospital. Are you sick again? I dread. His response nearly floors me. Jimmy is not the patient, he is accompanying a girlfriend. They are getting county help in order to see an OB/GYN. Girlfriend is 4 months pregnant. They are having
TWINS!!

Baby boys will come into Jimmy's life at the age of 51. They will arrive to a nontraditional home. That home doesn't have windows so that they might view the world in all of it's glory. The walls are fabric panels and may not keep the cold out. The foundation is rocky, slippery and prone to giving way under poor conditions(literally and figuratively). Not much of a start for infants.

What can I say?

Concerned Congratulations.....

Big In Numbers and In Heart...

A few of my many cousins at our last Family Reunion:


Should not be up for public viewing! It's all in fun though...

 The subject of the day today is: COUSINS. All day long, in one form or another my cousins were in my thoughts. One cousin I hoped to see find and offer a small bit of aid. Four cousins are about to receive a tiny gesture of love from my home and heart. From afar another cousin has been trying to connect with me. And a cousin who lives in town just happened to be along my route and played into my list of Things To Do.

Maybe I'll place the story of the cousin I hoped to find at the end of this blog. It's sad.

Packages of pictures were mailed this morning to four beautiful cousins. I'm excited for them to receive their envelopes of happiness!! These four are my first cousins on my father's side. This Fall we gathered in my home and garden and celebrated our connection. When I came up with the idea of a weekend camp out for just the girls, all of us were thrilled. I used the theme of dahlias for the invitations. Our Grandmother, a woman born and raised in Mexico, was a gardener that had big colorful dahlia blooms in her yard. It was such fun. Here are a couple memories of that time ~

One of these same Dahlias has a son that has been trying to contact us about a warm place to rest for a few days. Story has it that he'll be here in the Bay Area in a few weeks for school. Trying to come up with some solution. Seeing how our cottage is very tiny, it does pose dilemmas for sleep-overs. Were it summer we could utilize a tent! HA!

While running around today I stopped in at a salon owned and run by my cousin. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to offer Happy New Year greetings and give her a big ol' hug and kiss. She is a beautiful woman with a wild sense of humor and a mind for business. The salon she established has got her name all over it.... classy and current.

Okay - the sad story of the cousin. The reason I hoped to FIND him rather than SEE him is that I don't have his address. In fact, as far as I know he doesn't have an address. He is a fifty year old homeless man. I believe him to be somewhere near the area that I live. His life and circumstances are of his own doing. He does as much as tell you this is true. Not so many years ago he still had a home with his Mother. My Aunt passed a few years ago and cousin's story goes downhill from there. My husband and I have helped when we could. I've gone to get his truck when he's been jailed. I've visited in hospitals when he's feeling poorly enough that he finds a way to contact us. I've kept in touch with him in the times he's had a brief job and enough change to have a pay-as-you-go phone. Hubby and I have tromped through fenced off areas alongside creeks in order to bring him camping gear and food. Rides and cash have happened on occasion. Once, alone, I parked and searched the creek area that he frequents. That was far too frightening to attempt again. Today he was on my mind. My Mother nor I had heard from him at Christmas, and usually we do. I went, again, today to see if HIS corner at the busy freeway intersection had a man, that I would hope to recognize sitting on a box with his hand out. Cousin was not there. Instead of money - hope, love and a bit of dread were left on that corner.


You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them.
Desmond Tutu