Enjoy Cupcakes: That was part of it...

Inspired by Tracy and Matt's recent visit to Enjoy Cupcakes in Los Olivos, Lynn got the hankering... So she, Papa Bill, Serafina, Matteo, and Jamie headed south for a Sunday drive. And we took the backroad, that is, Foxen Canyon Road. We pointed out stuff we found interesting, stopped where we wanted to, and eventually took a little tour of Los Olivos. The photos include Rancho Sisquoc Winery and gravel art, the Chapel of San Ramon and cemetery (and a little math subtraction), Enjoy Cupcakes (fantastic!), and Los Olivos and its fountains, buildings, parks, boci ball, missing railroad bridges, and more...

Photos: http://jf2.com/120122/

They grow 'em big in Nipomo...

And how about that brother and sister-in-law providing The World's Largest Gummy Worm that Tracy ended up using as a birthday candle holder?! Wow.

All done!

Papa Bill entered the kitchen declaring, "We're done, where do I put him?"

t.h.i.r.t.y.

 Thirty

30

Three Zero

Trente

Treinta

dreißig

dertig

No matter how you put it today January 18th, 2012  I turn thirty.

I just keep singing Tim Mcgraw's song "In my Next Thirty Years" probably because I am a die hard country music fan and I really like the song.





"Hey my next thirty years I'm going to have some fun.
Try to forget about all the crazy things I've done.
Maybe now I've conquered all my adolescence fears
Figure out just what I'm doing here
In my next thirty years."












Yeah.

I am 30.

Back in the Engineer's Seat Again

Finally!... Matteo got to run trains with Papa Bill. The poor kid was nearly beside himself waiting for the railroad to get cleaned up, equipment to get fixed up, batteries to charge, and everything else Papa Bill has been doing to reinvigorate the railroad this past week.

But, today; it was train-running day!

Photos: http://jf2.com/pbjrr/120115.html

Trippin' the Light Fantastic

Every once in a while, Robob will get a hankering to take the kids to Madonna Inn. There's probably no pinker, fancier eatin' joint in these here parts, but that's not the point. It's the dancing. Robob loves to see the kids enjoying the live "big band" music and ballroom dancing.

All the photos: http://JF2.com/120114/

In the Raw – Really

by Nana

When Tracy and her brother, Trevor, were babes in grade school, a group of us "moms” started a cookie group.  Every Christmas for over twenty years we have met and exchanged homemade cookies and recipes specially wrapped for the holidays. Each year when I get home from the party, the family swarms the cookies to “taste” all of them. This year I decided to share with the cookie group my new passion – raw cooking (not cooking in the raw).  I am still cringing as I think of my friends’ families and husbands “tasting” the raw cookies I brought to the exchange – were they wondering if I finally went off the deep end? For the first time, I am actually afraid that I may not be invited back to the cookie group!  

Why raw?

Tracy and I are trying to develop healthy eating habits for our family.  The kids have a shelf in the fridge that they have “free range” to graze from 24/7.  You guessed it - it is full of fruits and veggies.  We are trying to practice what we preach so we are “attempting” to keep the kitchen free of sugary, empty-calorie foods for the health of us all.  (Okay, usually, this has not been true during the holiday season).

The problem creeps up in the evenings.  After the kids are tucked in bed the “boys” usually retire to the deck to discuss whatever guys talk about when they are free of “women folk” on dark starry nights.  Tracy and I end up in the living room with “chick shows” on the TV, working on our projects, sharing our own conversations.  Often it seems like the only thing needed to round out the evening would be something sweet to eat.  Get the picture?

Enter a favorite website – mynewroots.blogspot.com.  Here I began this journey into a world of creating delicious, nutritious dishes that fed both the body and the soul.  Often when someone mentions “raw food” we think of carrots, lettuce, radishes – rabbit food.  Yes, that is a part of it, but it is the “raw” desserts that won me over.  When I want a sweet treat in the evening I grab a raw peanut butter cookie from the refrigerator.  It more than satisfies my sweet craving, I feel full, and the calories are not empty. What have I eaten? Mixed nuts, peanuts, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla.  That’s it – no refined flour, sugar, or other ingredients one is used to seeing in baked goods.  These raw ingredients are dropped in a food processor, shaped into cookies, and are ready to eat – no need to bake!  Yumm!

Part of living at the compound is having a constant stream of folks from all ages and stages coming and going – sharing ideas, recipes, and habits, good and bad – so we learn from everyone; we try to embrace the good ideas and grow from the others.  Currently – “going raw” seems like one of the good ideas!

Here is a great peanutbutter cookie recipe:

I just used the nuts that I had. It doesn't matter which type, just 2 cups in all.

1/2 c. pecans

1 c. cashews

1/2 c. almonds

1 c. dates

3/4 c. peanut butter (with no sugar; ingredients should be peanuts and salt)

1/4 c. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend all in food processor, then mold/place into single servings. No baking, just refrigerate or freeze.