Thanks, Norway!

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway

As a gift to the world, Norway has built and now maintains a seed vault that contains millions of seeds of thousands of varieties of plants and food crops. The purpose of this vault is to preserve and protect the diversity of plant and crop life on earth. Experts fear that civil unrest or a climate catastrophe could wipe out certain strains of important food crops, thus jeopardizing the global food supply. Paid for by the Norweigians, this vault is built into the permafrost of an island near the Norway coast. Even without electricity, the seeds will remain frozen and preserved. The underground vault was completed in 2008 and had been receiving new deposits since it opened. So what's in your freezer?

Cozy Cabin in the Snow

My cabin in Running Springs, California

Welcome to my cozy cabin in the snow. A wonderful place to read, nap, watch movies, take a walk, and enjoy a glass of wine. The charming covered porch has a swing for two. The ceiling of the porch is painted sky blue to match the color of the mountain sky. This photo was taken during a suprise snow storm on Memorial Day in 2008.

Sycamore in Winter

Don't you love the white bark of this sycamore tree? The bark is always white, but the wintertime really shows off the gnarly twists and turns of this California Sycamore tree. This is a true California native Sycamore tree (Platanus racemosa), not the upright standard variety that is installed by landscapers. I love the way the lower branches come all the way to the ground, almost like it is leaning on its own elbows. I have watched this particular tree for a few years, and it gets twistier every year. This spectacular tree can be seen along the footpath at Riley Park in South Orange County, California.

My Favorite Porch

For the past 22 summers, this porch on Long Island has been a place of wonderful memories for me. Family card games, quiet reading, busy craft tables, and feasts with friends all happen on the porch. Whether it is hot, breezy or rainy, everyone seems to end up on the porch. I look forward to returning to the porch again this July when the tomatoes are ripe and the basil is abundant. Thinking of this porch makes me smile and I can't wait to see it again.

Gratuitous Purse Photo

The Butler BagYou cannot claim to be a serious blogger unless you post a photo of a purse. The purse can be on your wish list or a fond memory of days gone by. In my case, I'm test driving this sensible model. The Butler Bag by Jen Groover comes in lots of colors of buttery soft leather. According to the Skymall catalog, any serious traveller must have this bag. The cool feature of this bag is the rigid sectional divider inside, similar to a cutlery rack inside of a dishwasher. All of your articles stand on end inside of the bag. For now, I am trying out the less expensive vinyl version. If I feel like this relationship is developing, then I'll commit to the leather version. We are still in the honeymoon stage, so stay tuned for updates.

A Moment in Time

Two days before the presidential election of 2008, I accompanied my sister Stacee on a business trip to our nation's capital. The air was clear and the changing leaves were glorious. We took turns standing at the front of the US Capital, wondering which candidate would be looking towards the Washington Monument as he delivered his innugural address. Our trip is a happy memory and a moment in time that I will not soon forget.

Spectacular California

Tuolumne River in Yosemite High Country

Keawah River near Sequoia

Salad Days

Spring in Bakersfield, California

The dire predictions of the media and our leaders are leading me to believe that these are truly my salad days. The health of my family is great, my husband's job is secure (for now), my children are thriving, and Spring is around the corner. It is a great day to be alive.