TiogaCruiser

Interesting. Several years ago I was on my mountain bike, on a fairly well traveled dirt fire road that goes through a local state park. The road winds up a canyon- with tall hills ( maybe 800 feet above SL) on both sides. ( I won’t ride there during Santa Anas, as the only way out is up or down that road.) There was a loud machine sound, then a small plane suddenly appeared making its way down the canyon- below both ridges. ( I estimate he was about 4-5 stories off the trail level). He just missed a very large oak tree. I was sure he was going to crash, but he just continued on down the canyon.

When did soup and salad become an appetizer? A starter, yes. But an appetizer? And in an upscale restaurant, I would expect appetizer, soup, salad, then the dessert. And I would expect small portions of each. Agree about PG not being the place it was. Our last 2 meals there (Prinsendam and Zuidie) were not worth it. And DH has made it known he would be quite happy to never return. He likes Canaletto.

Good Morning All, We’re in the second day of a heat wave that is supposed to start to break Wednesday. 😏 Maybe I should look on the bright side and get out the vinegar mix and go after the bind weed. *************** Fresobaldi Pater Sangiovese, Italy Today’s red hales from Tuscany, made from Sangiovese grapes, with an average price of $30.99. I’m not finding it available in the US, (but it was available in Australia for $21.13). Am also not finding “professional” reviews, but here are a few from Vivino’s comment section: Tasting a italian red. Strawberry, vanilla, coffee on the nose. Medium body, medium tannines and medium acidity. Pretty well balanced. Some tastes of chery and oaky notes of coffee and chocolate. Not much more, unfortunately._ Carl This was my go to red wine on a Holland America cruise. The wine is a smooth, cherry flavored red. A good all around, medium-bodied, value priced Italian red that is well worth a try.- Kevin Rounded soft wine, does not work well with peppery food._ Johan Have a great day everyone!

I’m thinking the wine will improve our painting. My worst painting session was some years ago when I kicked over a quart on the shag carpet in my condo. I was able to wash it down pretty well and rinse with lots of water. There was no crunchiness left. 😮 Typically when I touch up paint in our house I have to go back and cut a few drops that dried on the carpet.🤭

Count me in the sloppy painters club with @dfish and @Cruising-along My credentials include paint under the drop cloth, under my nails ( wearing gloves), on my clothes, on my painting partner’s clothes- basically a walking disaster. I might just as well get down and roll in the paint and use my body as a human roller. @rafinmd What is an auto train? ( I’m thinking is not whit conjures up in my head.)

Good Morning All, Have to be out of here in a few minutes for a haircut and then lots of errands. Will check back later. Today’s Wine: *************** Fess Parker 2019 Rodney's Vineyard Dry Riesling (Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, California And another white. We might even give this one a try. I found it online for $25 Winemaker Notes This Dry Riesling is a beautiful wine aromatically showing notes of white flowers, ginger, and Meyer lemon. On the palate, you will find flavors of lemon and Key lime as well as a light mineral character, backed by a lively, crisp, sleek texture. Wilfred Wong of Wine.com COMMENTARY: The 2019 Fess Parker Rodney's Vineyard Dry Riesling is fresh, pleasing, dry, and easy on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of flowers, apples, and peach. Enjoy it with a grilled chicken salad in a toss with fresh garden-picked lettuces. (Tasted: April 14, 2021, San Francisco, CA) 90 points. Wine Enthusiast Chiseled granite and crushed gravel aromas make for a very stony entry to the brilliant nose of this bottling, which also offers tight apple-peel scents. The palate sizzles with acidity and grips with mineral-driven tension, allowing struck stone, lemon-pith and lime-peel flavors to compete for deserved attention. Drink now through 2039. 92 points

Good Morning All, Another hot day planned by our local weatherman, and it’s starting without the cloud cover. 🥴 Would love to celebrate Beach Day by going to my favorite secluded spot, but will put it off until I’m out of the Boot my doc has me wearing. Gotta go. His Nibs is calling, and if it’s hot, he’ll do a sit down strike. *************** Domaine Bourillon d'Orléans 2019 L'Indigène Sec We have a white today- Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley in France. Prices range from $65. Ranked #86 in the Top 100 Cellar Selection for 2021 Wine Enthusiast, rating 94 points. This structured wine is tight, with a strong mineral texture to match the concentrated acidity and rich potential of the fruits. Almonds and layers of fruit and acidity indicate how this impressive wine will age. Drink from 2023. ROGER VOSS Have a great day everyone!

Very carefully, I hear they can be a tough bunch!

Good Morning All, We’re going to heat up fast today. Need to do a big trimming of one of our passion fruit plants, that is currently invading the neighbor’s side yard. We seldom use salt here, preferring other herbs and seasonings ( not containing salt) and using high heat to sear things ( including vegetables) is how we add flavor. Adding one more item to yesterday’s discussion on lead in turmeric: ginger is also notorious for lead for the same reasons. That’s why Trader Joe’s has a lead warning on its packages that contain ginger. That puts them in compliance with California’s Prop 65, and it does not mean there IS lead in the product- only that ginger is known to the state to commonly contain some ( even very low levels) of lead. Will pass on today’s meal. Gnocchi isn’t my favorite, and I need to find a substitute for the pine nuts in pesto. ( They leave me with the taste of licked envelopes for hours to several days after eating them. Guess I’m weird.) **************(( Sandlands 2018 Mataro (San Benito County) Central Coast, California Today we have a red that is “rich and intense”. I might just consider this for a special occasion- like a special getaway with DH. Price range: $35. This wine scored 94 points in Wine Enthusiast. Hailing from the historic Enz Vineyard, this bottling begins with elegant aromas of lavender, plum and dried earth. The tannic tension is immediately apparent on the palate, both leathery and taut, giving long-living structure to the cranberry, sour cherry, crushed cement and tar flavors. Drink 2022–2038. MATT KETTMANN About the grapes: Mourvèdre - Also called Monastrell and Mataro, Mourvèdre is most famous for the ruby-hued wines of Provence's Bandol region, known for their spicy, gamey, blackberry character, though the grape is grown throughout Provence and the Southern Rhône. Thought to have originated in Spain, it is second only to Grenache in vine acres, with the best examples found in Rioja, Alicante and Penedès. Have a great day everyone!

LOVE that orange tablecloth. I’m going to “be inspired” by this and get one for use with our special dishes

Actually, even eating it in food can cause elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs). Especially if there is a large amount of lead in the spice (food), or a significant amount of the food/ spice is eaten ( e.g. cultures where spices are (almost) a “food group”. It’s a function of how much lead is in something.) Even if something has less than the allowed threshold of lead, if one consumes a lot, it can cause EBLLs. We had a situation where gramma made turmeric organically, and with lots of love, shipped it to her family in the US, and it had > 400 ppm Pb. It was absolutely beautiful in color, but full of lead. And all members of the family who tested were significantly elevated. FDA and other organizations maintain sites where recalls are published when out of compliance levels are found. I’m sure Canada has something similar. Adding: the jurisdiction I worked for would often not test samples of turmeric as it was so prevalent, and we pretty much expected to find it. We focused limited resources on items that were not necessarily known to have lead, as a means of screening and uncovering other sources.

Just can’t let it pass without adding that much of the turmeric available contains lead. Lead exposure is cumulative, so even small amounts can add up. The lead can get into the spice from grinding, other preparation, and possibly from soil ( as it is a root crop). And much of it is imported. One batch may be fine, the next not. So if one chooses to use it, it is important to be confident about its origins, and safest to stay with domestic, large brands. Where I worked, we found lots of children with elevated blood lead levels exposed to turmeric that was tainted. End of PSA.

Good Morning All, It’s really beginning to feel like fall here. We actually needed a light blanket in the early morning hours, and it’s dark now in the morning. We have several pooches who have crossed the rainbow bridge to remember today. Each was special, including my second wire hair fox terrier who was aggressive and grouchy. Will be working in the booth this morning at church. We had a last minute vacancy that needed filling. @dfish Oh my, I want a bowl of that for lunch. Bon voyage to @cat shepard, and may you have a safe trip and peaceful flights, so you don’t come back comparing your trip to this: As is fitting, we have a red wine to celebrate Red Wine Day. Today’s selection is a Tannat-Cabernet Franc red blend hailing from southwest France. ******************* Château Peyros 2017 Vieilles Vignes (Madiran) South West France Wine Enthusiast chooses this wine as it’s #81 Top 100 Selections 2021 and rates it at 93 points. I’m finding it for $23 a bottle This rich, wood-aged wine comes from 40- to 50-year-old vines on an estate at the southern limit of the Madiran appellation. It brings together dense tannins and old-vine concentration. The acidity, black-plum flavors and tannins will keep this wine developing for many years. Drink from 2023. ROGER VOSS From baronfrancois.com “TASTING NOTES Red cherry robe, intense and brilliant. The nose is now well opened with intense notes of fruits (cherry, rasperry, black-currant) with notes of vanilla and lightly toasted. The mouth is both powerful and elegant. Tannins are present and well coated. On the palate, fruit aromas are really dominating with a long finish. GOURMET INSTANT Will pair nicely with roasted meat, (lamb, beef), saucy meat, spicy beef tartar, duck breast.” Have a great day everyone!

Good Morning All, The sun is just coming up here, and we have the early morning low clouds. I guess loosely in honor of today I’m playing a little joke on DH. He just went back to bad after serving His Nibs breakfast. Am playing Rain on a Tent through the house speakers…. Just discovered the myNoise app…. We’ll see if he notices. Am off to a club ride this morning. Will play “Den Mother” as my doctor wants me resting my foot for a few weeks.😏 @cat shepard Have a great trip. It sounds like lots of fun. I’ll give the wine report my best research. I’m just learning, and can only say “I like it or not”, so I hope I’ve found some good resources of information. Ya’ll feel free to chime in. Thank you all for the pictures of Mykonos. I’m thinking it’s going to cost me a trip there. One question- are those windmills just out of service, or are the sails furled? Have a great day everyone!

Good Morning All, of course we’re celebrating Dog Day. Squiggles* just routed DH out of bed, dancing around with his beloved football in his mouth and lots of teasing growls. His best canine friend is coming over later, and my task today is to clean the house. (With 2 very active dogs tracking dirt and mulch back inside). @grapau27 Love the video, @StLouisCruisers Sending prayers for Linda and family. How dreadful. And thank you for the “short trip” to Petra. Have a great day everyone! *Our one and only Golden has various nicknames that correspond to his current behavior set: Squiggles, when he’s being silly and doing his Golden Wiggles, Mr.Fidgetpants (borrowed from a CC poster) when he’s impatient, and the most common- His Nibs, when we know we’re his valets.

Good Morning All, Just a brief post as I have to be in the dentist’s chair in a little bit. 😞 @aliaschief Sorry to hear about your port today. Stavenger is such a lovely port. The story about the man wandering (pobresito) reminds me of a story @Copper10-8 told about an entertainer who was a bit sleepy….. @cat shepard I’m willing to hold the wine fort down for you. I can email you after the dentist and errands. Have a great day everyone!

Good Morning All, Not much on today’s agenda here. Just a few errands and have to figure out dinner. Spent much of yesterday making desserts: passion fruit pie and basil gelato (which comes to life when strawberries are added on top). It was a big turn off when it smelled like pesto while I was making it. Thought I’d add our now family recipe for margaritas. It came from a very popular family owned Mexican restaurant that closed some 30 years ago. I had worked there while in college. Los Portales Margaritas: 8 oz. Tequila (I use Casadores Repozado) 8oz. De Kuper Triple Sec 1 can frozen lime juice 1can water (refill the lime juice can) Freeze for several hours or overnight. Run through blender briefly before serving. Our passion fruit vines have been having regular visits from gulf fruitiaries also. Per a lecture by our local Master Gardeners, they use passion fruit vines for reproduction. Have a great day everyone!

Welcome to Cruise Critic and the HAL Daily, jphks! As Marshhawk said, the ships go from one cruise to the next, without downtime unless there is a drydock scheduled. Rich, (rchwmn) keeps lists and starts each day posting the location of all the HAL ships. For many of us, that’s of interest. Hope to see you back here. Are you planning a cruise on HAL?

Good Morning All, We again have cloud cover before the sun starts beating down. Will be doing some fun projects around the house today after our zoom Bible study. Was supposed to meet up with a friend from work and go to a summer festival, but her mother has reached a state that she cannot be by herself….😥 @dfish The meal looks good- I’m open to trying it soon. One question for those near San Diego: DH and I are going to a (train)convention there next month, and we’re planning the arrival day and looking for activity and restaurant suggestions. With the fishette gone, I’m stumped. We’ve been to Pt. Loma, the maritime museum and midway already, and Balboa Park. Our convention’s opening reception is at the Model Train Museum, so we will be in BP that afternoon/ evening. Suggestions please? About dogs on furniture- His Nibs has adapted quickly to our cushions being sent for replacement of the foam: Have a great day everyone!

Maybe I should sign up for French class……

So do we know if Sea Jets did anything to her, and did they operate her? When she and her sister were sold, there was the question whether they would be converted into condos….

My DH and I are going to San Diego for a conference and plan to drive in the day before. I had heard there is a beach that is good for snorkeling. It is a Wednesday. Does anyone have suggestions? We would want to rinse off sand and change somewhere afterwards.

Good Morning All, So good to hear Kazu’s news on Shadow. @aliaschief Nice pictures. There was still quite a bit of snow when we toured the upper areas in your pictures. That was the end of June. Thanks for sharing. Its house cleaning day here. Oh joy! Have a great day everyone!

@Quartzsite Cruiser Thank you for the recipe. I was just walking through Target doing Dad’s errands and getting the groceries we need that they carry, and the thought struck I should look for a recipe like this ( because I now have the ingredients, and it’s just too hot for heavy traditional shells with marinara.) And then I decided to just make the Daily’s infamous tomato pie. So later this week- veggie shells. (I took note to include a glass of wine😉. Just 1 small glass, as a regular pour takes me out.)

2013 A private tour through our rollcall that went to Ottway Sound for Penguins, lunch at Sotitos, the cemetery, plaza de armas, etc. 2018 we had a shorex set up ( I think with the same vendor, not sure) and they stood us up. So we got a cab and went to Nao Victoria, the cemetery and Shackletons Bar for lunch