Avocados, avocados, avocados

   Every April for the last gazillion years or so Fallbrook has hosted  the Fallbrook Avocado Festival. It is held on Sunday only. Last year we missed it so this year I was determined to experience it!  As many of you may know, Fallbrook is " the avocado capital of the world"  It is quite an honor to actually reside in THE AVOCADO CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!  Dave and I do our best to consume multiple avocados every week.  Dave likes his best all mushed up in guacamole. The festival involved some competitions like cars built out of avocados and the best guacamole. Sadly we missed these stellar events because we had a more important place to be on Sunday morning :) Apparently thousands of people clog the streets of downtown Fallbrook for the event. Main Street and the side arteries are crowded with tents/booths selling everything imaginable- junk and treasures alike. And food, food, food!  I wanted you all to get a taste of the festival so I snapped a few photos…..

Posing with the proteas

Mounds and mounds of fruit

Manila mangos are the BEST

Avocados anyone?

One of Fallbrook's building murals

This guacamole has won many competions and it was delicious!

Check out the guy to the left in the tight pink leopard capris….pretty sure he doesn't live in Fallbrook

The Avocado Growers were displaying the 100 varieties of avocados

Saw this at a booth- not tempted to apply!

Walking

     Walking has become my mission!  One month ago I had an eye opening appointment with an amazing doctor. She pieced together the whole picture of what has been going on and I am grateful! I won't bore you with all the details but I was very excited when she told me my thyroid had given up the ghost! It sure explained a lot and it sure is an easy fix- for less than $2 per month I can take a tiny pill. There are other things going on also but nothing that can't be fixed.  And you know doctors they think lifestyle changes should go along with the little tiny pills.  That being said….. I did some major dietary changes and am committed to exercising.  I detest the gym and with our AMAZING weather ( 80's today) there is no reason not to walk outside every day.  So I now put in between 3.5-7 miles a day and most of that is hills.  The weight loss is slow but the inches are dropping off and I feel so much better.  I try to mix it up so I don't get bored- the plan is to walk the beach tomorrow if this stupid newly acquired cold abates.  Here are some photos from recent walks.

The bloom from a passion fruit vine. 

Yes that is bamboo! Although I am not sure why anyone would plant this unless they had a pet panda.  It is a grass and it takes over.

Our friend Bill showing how huge this cactus is- not too beautiful in my eyes.

Sherry and Jim examining a gigantic geranium.

A close up.

Amaryllis in April? A friend of mine gave me several bulbs which I plopped in my beds in Dec.  Well lookey lookey here one is blooming!

My best walking buddies Julie and Jane.  My 7 mile walk day is with these ladies and it involves Starbucks for breakfast :) I am so sad that my cold made me miss this walk today. Guess I better go bake it out of me by sitting out in the warm sunshine!

From Desert to Ocean

    Last Saturday found us in the desert…. helping out at a place that will be special to us next year when we spend 4 wisdom filled days. It definitely is the desert- sandy, windy and dry.  It makes you desire a shower and to pour water into your nostrils!  I know the desert has it's own beauty but…. I don't plan to move there! So the snakes and scorpions better prepare for an invasion of people in about 13 months!
    This special young woman spends her life telling the gospel story. Her brother is married to my cousin and I last saw her at their wedding in WI. Her 3 nephews were out at Christmas time to visit us (with their parents).
  This place is a full fledged campground so we will be renting a motorhome next year. It looks like the wild west minus the cattle rustlers and the saloons!

Beautiful hand carved doors

Homeless Depot- a very inventive portable tool shed 

Cute little quarters for 2

More bunk space

Yesterday Dave made some cute kids very happy when he fixed a bike tire! His 4th "assistant" was napping at the time but "helped" when he returned later.

And this is what I do all day-NOT!  I did plead for an outside couch which Dave seemed to think wasn't a high priority. It is an amazing place to relax and some day I know I will get fried when I fall asleep on it minus sunscreen. And the reading material-well that is a story in itself that I will tell another day.

  This Saturday (today) found us leaving our bed much too early to be down in SD by 8 am. I dropped Dave off so he could do a 35 mile bike ride. The route was named "3 hills" which means much more to you if you have been in SD. These are serious hills! I then headed to La Jolla do walk along the ocean for my exercise. And of course treat myself to Starbucks and a little window shopping. It was overcast and the Harbor seals and Sea lions were all sleeping in.  I was feeling envious!

  It was a purple day…. the colors really pop against the greyness.

Loved the rowboat/canoe sculpture.

Beautiful Calla lilies surrounded by African daisies

    After I picked up Dave we headed to Coronado.  And we biked! We rented some beach cruiser bikes and toured the island. That is my kind of bike- like sitting in a chair! Since Dave was already worn out we were a perfect match for biking. I even slowed down for him( don't tell him). We were here last year and it was overcast then also. This is looking back at the SD skyline.

More purple blooms. I look chunkier than usual due to several layers. We are now complete wimps if the sun isn't out. Hey 60 degrees is cold for us CA folks if the sun isn't shining! I don't have many photos since I was on a bike. The flower beds and gardens are stunning on Coronado. It must be a perfect climate for roses because they are amazing.

Coronado Boat House

A very unusual roof- some sort of wood shingles.

Time to cheat! Had ice cream here at Moo Time.  

Forever Friends

    Forever friends….. are those people who are in your past, present and future. Jamie and Meredith are some of those friends. Meredith is my cousin that I really got to know well in our later teens. Jamie became friends with Dave in their teens. When Dave and I were dating J & M met through us and were married 3 months before us. Our first children were born 10 days apart and the second ones were 6 months apart in age. We traveled back and forth on weekends to visit each other. We never lived closer than 2 hours away and sometimes further away. Now we are 2 flights away and 2 time zones.  Our oldest son and wife live 20 minutes from them and spend a lot of time with them. J&M spent 4 nights with us this past weekend. We had a glorious time and laughed pretty much non stop! So this is an account of our time together although the conversations and bonding just can't be described in photos.

Saturday- Meredith and Jamie at the flower fields in Carlsbad

Saw this poor little fellow at Torrey Pines. He seemed quite lost. Further down the beach we saw and adult  who appeared to be dying:( We were fairly certain that was this one's mother.

Not sure what to do or where to go.

We took them on our favorite hike- Torrey Pines.

Another perfect day in sunny CA

This was our view for our picnic lunch.

Supper on the patio. Dave was present but he took all the group photos so seems absent!

 Sunday began with a 3 mile hike at Monserate Mountain followed by our meeting. Then off to the Fish Market in Solana Beach for lunch. Next we walked Crystal Pier and Pacific Beach. Many sights since it is a happening place during spring break! Perfect day with an ocean breeze.

Love the contrast between these two beach homes.

Then on to Carlsbad for a supper of Knockout Pizza while sitting on the beach waiting for the sun to set.

Natural amazing beauty

Jamie never seemed to feel the cool air. Dave and I on the other hand are total wimps after living here 15 months.

Monday we spent the day in Carlsbad on the beach while Dave worked.  Toby and Kale ( formerly from the cold states of WI and MN ) joined us for lunch. Can you tell which one of these guys lives in San Diego and which one is the tourist that hasn't seen summer in forever?! The same someone who thought Banana Boat #4 OIL was a good idea??

Kale needed a towel. I was perfectly comfortable in my cover up and a light fleece!

Cousins- Kale and Toby ( with his freshly shaven head protected form the cool breeze and the hot sun)

On the way home we stocked up on fresh strawberries again.

The plants are raised so that you hardly have to stoop down.

Lusciousness!

Only in California ( my apologies to the natives), would you have to pay MORE to pick your own berries!

Still smiling as they "glow" a painful shade of red! Not sure which is more red-them or the wall.  Thanks for coming to see us- see you in May!