SFO to SJD

Mexico, here we come. Specifically, San Jose del Cabo. I always consider it a great year if it includes a trip out of the country. I've managed to do that every year since 1995, and I think it would be a find tradition to continue.

We will be spending 10 days in Mexico. I am looking forward to: catching up on a stack of books, some good cat naps, and reflecting on 2010/planning for 2011 by completing some of the Reverb10 prompts. Being 100% unplugged from work won't be so bad either. As I sit typing this, the rain is coming down it buckets and the temperatures are in the mid 50's. The 80 degree weather in Baja will be a bonus.

I wish all of you the best of the holiday season. Depending on internet access, I may do some blog updates. However, if not, I'll be back in full swing in a few weeks. Safe travels all!

Photo credit: monalisa

Day Trip: Timber Cove

We were married on October 12th, so the 12th of each month we try to plan a special breakfast. Sometimes it's a nice breakfast at home, or we might go out. This month, the 12th fell on a Sunday, so we decided to make it a day trip. We headed down the coast to the Timber Cove Inn. The inn sits on a dramatic rock outcrop and provides 270 degree ocean views, depending where you are on the property.

One of the more outstanding feature at the inn is the 93-foot tall statue/totem called Peace by artist Benny Bufano. It has paintings on both sides and kind of looms about where ever you are on the property. One things I learned about the artist is that he was very outspoken about war. Considered an outspoken radical at the time, he actually chopped off his trigger finger and sent it to President Woodrow Wilson at the onset of World War I as a protest against the war. Ouch!

I had a veggie omelet for breakfast and Bob had the Belgian waffle. The dining room has a cozy fireplace and floor to ceiling windows which provide dramatic coastline views. After breakfast we walked along the bluff top trail, enjoying the ocean breezes and nice vistas. There were seal lounging on rocks below us and it was really relaxing. The inn even has cute little red chairs scattered around the property for lounging and reading. Wouldn't it be nice to sit here and write in your journal or enjoy a glass of wine?

A Network of over 1.2 Million

On Friday, I was inducted into the Gualala Rotary chapter. I attended some meetings as a visitor when we arrived up here and I was delighted when they extended an invitation to me to become a full member. Rotary has a long history of national and international service. In fact, their motto is Service Above Self. When we were in San Diego, I had considered joining a service organization. My father-in-law enjoys his Kiwanis club and I had a friend who was involved in Rotary and another in the Thursday Club. However, about the time I got serious in searching out the right organization, we had already planned our move up north. I figured I would wait until we were up here to make a commitment. Here is a photo of me after I was inducted and "pinned". I am getting a congratulations kiss on the cheek from the charming Mr. Fisher.

The Gualala Rotary group has a strong emphasis on supporting the local schools. The provide a fully-illustrated dictionary to all 3rd graders in the local elementary schools and they do a student scholars luncheon to recognize outstanding local students. In addition to supporting the local schools, they participate in "Project Santa" during the holidays and support other community activities as an ongoing basis. There are probably more activities that I am forgetting or not even aware of yet! Aside from the local activities, there is all the good work that the national Rotary does on global polio eradication and clean water projects. Needless to say, I am excited to be part of this great local group and the larger global Rotary network of over 1.2 million people. We are going to Mexico later this month, and there is actually a "Club Rotario" in the town we are visiting. Might be fun to check out a Rotary meeting in another country.

#31 - Make a Dutch Baby Pancake

Ever since I saw a photo of my friend Carol and her daughter holding this huge puffy breakfast pancake thing in a photo, I said "I've got to make one of those." It was called a dutch baby pancake (sometimes referred to as a German pancake). Heck, the name alone holds so much cuteness, how could you not want to make one?

I figured it had to be complicated ... since it puffed to such incredible heights.  Well, it ended up being pretty much the opposite ... it was easy! I decided to make a small one in a pie plate, and it turned out just fine! Just takes some flour, egg, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and butter. You finish it off with a little lemon and powdered sugar. I used this recipe (2 to 4 serving size).

We topped it with a warm apple/butter/sugar/cinnamon mixture. Yum. Next time we have visitors, I plan to up the ante and make one that is larger. However, in the mean time, I will say I have successfully made a Dutch Baby pancake. For now, I am crossing it off the list!