Darlings of Fast Food ? Our Family Chef Would Perish the Thought..

Taco trucks seem to be the hamburger stand de rigeuer. At least that's how I've come to see them. A hip way to get authentic food quickly. While our cousin hasn't lived in the U.S. in years, his craving for this simple dining experience had not wavered. Rick requested we hit a taco truck on his first day here.

Scrumptious street-style tacos!! soooo yummy...

The interior (^ where we did not eat) was wildly colorful and displayed vintage posters that I found oh so photographable!


No pictures of the food - but I did get the cousins sitting together ~

Did I mention that our days revolved around where to take Rick to eat?

 No, we didn't eat the chickens!

Again - no capturing of the organic food take-out excursion, just a glimpse into where we dined....
our BACKYARD...

Here's the part where there was no way in hell I was going to have a professional chef try to slice&dice with my unsharpened cutlery, nor try to find a pan that would suit his needs. Let alone attempt a meal prep in a kitchen the size of some closets......  uh uh

lamb was a fave pick

We happily chose our own customized pleasure cartons of edibles from Whole Foods. Then, I did supplement and served a homemade galette from plums off of our trees. (the least I could do)
And, believe me - I don't think I impressed the cousin!

We listened to stories of Japan...

and opted for ~ a la mode~  just to top off the evening with more goodness ! ....

Feathered Friend

You know you've got a smart, kind, inquisitive bird when he is sweet enough to ask -
"What?" and chortle at me...

When all I was doing was talking out loud - to MYSELF! hhhaa
Surefire way to make me start laughing (out loud to self, again)....

You oughta hear him chuckle - funniest thing ever!


Great way to start the day!! xoxoxoxox Greystoke - you're a fine feathered friend!!

Organic Man Visiting from Japan ~ AKA Rick was in Cali

We know an organic chef, he cooks Italian, he's American, and he lives in Japan. Pretty wild, huh? Rick is Hubby's cousin {by marriage}... we hadn't seen him in three years, or so. Wouldn't one think that having a chef visit your home means instant dinner party without all the work? WRONG!! My tiny cottage kitchen is not - repeat NOT an equipped spot for a pro! Instead, we shopped with the man-from-Japan.  We spent a sunny Sunday at an organic farmer's market. We bought take-out at Whole Foods (organic) hot deli-smorgy and then we felt comfortable hosting cousin in our back yard garden for dinner.

Take in the color and magnificence of the market....

This is Chef Rick ~

 

 

 

Yeah, alright.... we ate, and ate, and shopped for food, and ate some more  - seems the story of my life! hhhaaa


Cousin Chef asked for a taco truck visit! We indulged him - see that on the next post...

In a Nutshell

Here's a glimpse into the life of a harried-gardener-essentially-summer-goodtime-gal, non-blog-posting writer at Abundant Picnic....

Where have I been? Where HAVEN'T I been?....



Trawling fish shops in beach towns...

Hanging in hen houses...

Wine tasting... thus the blurriness (nah, not really)...

 

 

Photo shooting in hot & humid towns with girlfriends....  (isn't she cute?)

 

 

 

 

Picking fruit anywhere and everywhere - at home and the nearest Mexican market too...

 

 

 

Slurping 7-11 Slurpees on July 11th (7-11) because they were free for the corporation's Anniversary -

AND!! also because that was a special date in our family too - our Great Niece Madison was born!

 

 

Traipsing through the fields along oceanside bluffs....

 

 

 

Brushing coats of primer to our new outdoor shed - attempts at making it MORE THAN just a shed..

still in the works...

In a nutshell - this summer has been fast paced, filled with goodness, over punctuated with PARTY-TIME and is still on a roll. Family camping coming up. An unexpected and welcome visitor from Japan filling some days. An all-girls annual event just over. My Goat Hill work with fun & challenges too.

My, my stories to tell.....    wide open writing spaces, and beauty as far as the eye can see... camera in tow and beaches aplenty; sunshine sparkling and an abundant picnic spread before me - I will be back to share it all....

Intriguing

I sometimes ponder the meaning of  "it all"....

What more can I do?

Have I accomplished much? ... {i.e: what in the world would someone say at my funeral?} hhhaaa

Simplicity might be key ~ a garden plot, a tiny old cottage, not a grand life but, a good one ~

                       


This quote and the beauty of the artwork where it's placed are a vision!

I ponder again! hmmmmmm what will I do? The answer today, and the one I might give tomorrow could be much different. All I know is this one wild and precious life that I've been given has been a

uuuhh - yes, with speed bumps - nonetheless a fascinating, filled-to-the-brim, abundant picnic type life! The sweet Sunday drive sort of joyride.....

Mornings with the Mournings...

First thing each morning, I go to the kitchen to brew some tea. Always,  an open window is my ritual {Hubby is kind to help}... or I struggle with that 70 year old monster myself if he hasn't had the chance. This window looks out into our backyard garden. On each side of the pane are old twisted-wire plant hangers. We've had some visitors claim these planters as their home! A feathered couple of mourning doves, that I believe are hoping to start a family!

A couple of days after this portrait of Mr. Mourning, the pair left my window...

my pie-bird seems to be crowing at the dove

See the Missus - she's lying down - her black eyes following my lens, mid-picture...

Was so wishing to witness the birth of the babes....
Surely seemed that they might stay with this nest. They definitely weren't frightened by our close proximity, or the camera clicking away!

Maybe next time, Mr. & Mrs. Mourning.... our garden is your garden!



* go visit all of the fabulous blogs that are linked at My Romantic Home!! I'll be there.

Play Bocce and Mangia!!

Time was, that I'd put together a schedule and have friends meet once a week to play bocce ball in a public park. Everyone bring their own picnic and gather for fun! That stopped a couple of years ago - just too hard to get enough people out to the park to play. That's sad commentary, huh?... too difficult to put play-time in our lives...... geeesh ..


I surprised Hubby and gathered some family & friends on a Saturday morn, brought along the goods for an afternoon repast and toted the bocce set inside my wheelbarrow to the local neighborhood park.

food galore!

Very few games of bocce. The picnic table was the place to congregate. No one even won the mini-trophy I brought along for tourney champ!

No matter if bocce was priority, or eating... we had fun nonetheless!!