You know there has to be a Foodie post!!!

The perfect accompaniment to my Birthday Weekend...
A Menu Beyond Compare...
and I didn't lift a finger.

Breakfast...Saturday Morning, Cheffed up by Yolanda, The Breakfast Queen. Cinnamon French Toast, sweet sweet blueberries, and Chicken apple sausage

Later in the day, Lucy started buzzing in the kitchen, chopping, slicing, dicing...and more!

Eh voila, the first course, a spectacular visual and taste treat. Cara and Blood oranges with olive oil, sprinkled with deep fried kalamata olives and rosemary. Supreme.

Second Course: A Roasted Carrot Soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt, and a wonderful garnish of chopped pistachios, cumin, caraway seeds, and several other travel worthy spices. Truly Yummy

Third course: Pappardelle pasta, with a vibrant mix in of Zucchini, Tomatoes, Basil, Mint, Sugar Peas, Red Onion, and Corn, topped with a wave of Parmesan. Served on well traveled sunshine yellow melamine plates from Minnesota :)

The crew...Cheers!  Not pictured...probably because the glass was continually in motion, were the beverages...cocktails: a concoction of Bourbon, Lemon, Mint, & simple syrup... all muddled up with crushed ice, followed by a beautiful French Rose. Oh so tasty!  As Julia would have said "Bon Appetit"

One of the Best Birthdays EVER!

An escape up to Marshall, on the eastern shore of Tomales Bay, proved to be the perfect way to highlight the transition to 53.
Accompanied by the most excellent friends, Lucy and Yolanda, truly sisters in the non-same-mother-way, and Miss Ingrid, who rounded out the group with her jewel like self...
Our little cottage was perched on substantial posts over the waves of the bay, which provided us with a soundtrack that many attempt to recreate via relaxation tapes.
The activities were minimal, the food was sumptuous, and we all just unplugged ... a very very perfect weekend!

View from the Bay side door

Our cottage is on the left

Playing in the front yard...

Definitely cocktail time

You could hear the far off roar of the Pacific from the other side of Point Reyes

Sunday Morning... My Birthday Morning. What a great start to a new year.

The Milk Man...

Save a glass, jug friendly drinking...and yes, that is his personal gallon.

...note the fine concentration skills

testing

and here he is ...the Milk Man ;)

"Glamping"... well sort of

A little camping weekend with my intrepid friends, Lucy and Janet @ Pinnacles Nat'l Monument. Ours was a haven situated amongst the Church group, the Boys scout group, the Techie-not-sure-who-they-are group...and here we were...the group of 3 moms...

The second night, all the groups departed,and I soloed it. It was then that I found the true Native  groups come out... when the dust had subsided... the quail methodically inspected the sites for tasty debris that was too small for the rambunctious crows.  The Turkeys strutted past, airing their domestic disputes... for all to see (Quails...not impressed...said "go to counseling").  The deer bounded over the fences... with an impressive disdain for barriers.   And way way way up high, keeping an eye on all, were the Condors. make sure you click on 'read more' for more pics.

My feet and my view

Hike...to the Bat Caves...Pinnacles

There they are...what's left of the volcanoes...the Pinnacles

Sweet trail winding up amongst the boulders

ahhhh...follow the white arrow? And gosh darn it, should have brought a flash light....hmmmm guess maybe not following the arrow today. Gonna leave those caves to Batman

Robin's escape hatch...when Batman becomes too crazed about that white arrow

Sphinx at Pinnacles...tell me you can see it too...

Inspiration everywhere...colors and patterns from the weekend

Heading south on 101, a quick turn onto route 25...eh voila...a veritable feast for the eyes...

Now I have a new found appreciation for those vibrant little lettuce leaves that just breathe nutrients onto my plate

This gorgeous swath of natural colors was found on my hike to see the caves at Pinnacles.Mixed with the grey green of the lichen, a supreme palette

texture texture texture

Pattern pattern pattern

Guess who came to town!

Bobo and Bobette