Floating Candles to illuminate the "Winter Feast" table...

On Saturday night we shared one final Winter Holiday celebration with five of our friends who'd been with us on Christmas Day. With our favorite wintry pine-cone tree and luminaires decorating the pass through window, poinsettias still on display, and the color of Christmas on the table, it was truly a fond farewell to the season. And, it was an opportunity for all of us to continue to enjoy the ham that had been served in December. A large meaty bone had been tucked away in our freezer since then, just waiting to become the star of a huge pot of Bean Soup. (And a recently found recipe for corn muffins, complete with hand whipped honey butter was a real crowd pleaser!) With one couple bringing a tasty green salad, another bringing pie and ice cream for dessert, and our pal Marti in charge of libations, our meal was complete. As always, there was lots of great conversation and laughter. We decided as a group to make these gatherings a bi-monthly affair, and chose St. Patrick's Day as the next theme. (In case you wonder why there are no people in these "party reports"... Let's just say that our friends are tired of having a camera stuck in their faces.) You'll just have to take our word for it that some of our dearest friends filled our home and hearts last Saturday night :-)

We're off to LaVerne...

...to take part in another activity neither of us had done before - picking oranges! At only $5.00 per five pound bag, it was quite a bargain! Driving north east into the far reaches of Los Angeles County, we had a fantastic view of the snow in the local mountains.

The LaVerne Heritage Foundation...

...is dedicated to the preservation of LaVerne's rich past. The Foundation was created to rescue an historic building, the Weber House, from destruction, and move it to it's current sight in Heritage Park, where it is now open to the public as a museum. The Foundation also maintains the surrounding buildings and the 1 1/2 acre ranch, much of which is planted in orange trees. From January through early March the public is welcome every Saturday to come and pick oranges from this grove. Later in the year the organization sponsors an antique car rally, concerts in the park, a pumpkin patch, a Christmas tree lot, and more.

Relics from the past...

For some reason, we are both fascinated by, and love to photograph, old farm machinery. There was plenty of old pieces there today.

A tree lined street of shops and restaurants...

...is what we found when we let our GPS lead us to the obligatory small town "Village Inn" for brunch. While chatting with another couple in the dining room, we were quickly assured that we'd come to the right place for a good meal, and the weren't wrong! When we finished our meal we strolled a couple blocks and peeked into the interesting shops, even buying a medium sized glass relish dish to use with small groups of guests. (We also got a whiff of steaks grilling at a place that seems like it might be worth driving back!) The interesting staircase lead to offices above an inside "courtyard" in one old building. And we loved the mural that pays tribute to LaVerne's orange producing past.

Last sight of the snow capped mountains...

...before heading home. En route we made a short detour to Steamers and got to say a quick hello to our great friend, Terence - hard at work as always. It was a nice way to finish off another great adventure.

Our newest four-legged neighbor...

... Meet Isabella, a three month old Shih Tzu/Terrier (of some kind) mix, who has come to live with our friend Kari across the community. (Doesn't she have just the best face???) She was just adopted on Sunday, is already getting a grip on her potty training, loves all people, and thought Sassy and Nica were two great new playmates! She especially enjoyed taking their toys out of the dog bed where we store them and decorating the floor with them! She even figured out how to line up in front of "Uncle Larry" for treats! Anyway, they spent a fun-filled hour together; they wore her out and she wore them out - it was the perfect scenario for a first visit. We look forward to seeing lots more of her and watching her grow up.

The Gentle Barn...

...is an animal rescue facility located in Santa Clarita, in the foothills north of Los Angeles - about eighty miles from us. Throughout the week "at risk" youths are brought to the farm in groups to interact with the animals - many of whom have suffered abuse or abandonment prior to their rescue. On Sundays, from 10:00 - 2:00, the organization opens its doors to the public, asking a small per person donation, which goes to the animals veterinary care. Visitors can stroll the grounds, feed carrots to horses, speak with knowledgeable volunteers about the kinds of animals there, and pet and pamper the more docile of the residents. On Sunday, we met Heather and her kids there, spending a couple of hours watching our grandkids get a taste of farmlife and time to spend with animals they've not already had the opportunity to meet.

The faces of a few of the rescued...

Animals who have been rescued by The Gentle Barn include dogs, numerous horses, pigs, chickens, turkeys, goats, cows and calves, a couple of lhamas, an emu, and a peacock who just moved in one day! Some may go on to "forever homes" - many have been there for years and will live out their lives there. We were especially taken by the twin Belgium geldings, Magic, the three year old Paint horse who took to Jonathan, and Budda, the astonishingly patient Hereford, who will curl up in the straw for hours and allow a parade of kids to brush and pet her.

A relaxing place to visit...

The grounds around the facility are rustic and lovely, and even include a pic-nic area (not pictured) where families can enjoy a lunch or even hold a child's birthday part.

Let's all pet a pig...

Staging a family picture is hard work...

Joshua throws with both arms...

Could it be that Joshua will be ambidextrous?

A grand old lady named Budda...

A lovely little side trip...

Just a couple miles away from The Gentle Barn we saw a sign on the freeway announcing a California Historic landmark - The Oak of the Golden Dream - using the next exit. Since we've enjoyed some great sights at the recommendation of those signs, we decided see what was there. What we found was the Placerita Canyon Natural Area, a nature preserve with numerous hiking and biking paths and an information center. We learned a twenty minute hike was required to actually see the above mentioned Oak. It was hot, and we were over-dressed and improperly shod. But, we did take a few pictures of the area surrounding the parking lot. Margaret had not seen a Blue Jay in all her years in California. We think this must be a cousin of the ones she grew up with in Michigan.

A meal worth a long drive for...

We'd made up our minds on the drive to Santa Clarita that we would have a late lunch on the way home at Versailles, a Cuban restaurant Margaret first experienced many years ago, but that Larry had never been too. It was around two when we made it there and we were starved. The food was every bit as good as remembered! We can't seem to find a decent Cuban restaurant near us, so now that Larry's has sampled the menu, no doubt we'll be looking for excuses to be back in that neighborhood again!

A beautiful day to visit the Aquarium...

Ever since the Long Beach Aquarium has been advertising the re-opening of its Sea Otter habitat, we've been anxious to go back and spend some time watching the antics of these graceful, playful sea animals. The weather here yesterday was Chamber of Commerce perfect - bright and sunny, with temps in the high 60's even right on the water. When we got inside, we thought at first that we'd only get to see the three otters in residence wrestling and playing in a pile of ice at the back of their enclosure. Fun to watch, but not so easy to photograph!

As playful as a puppy...

Finally, one of them jumped into the pool, and we were able to shoot a little video of the one we assume to be the "kid" of this family. (Overheard someone who seemed to be in the know call her Maggie!) They are such fun to watch!

Larry and the Bat Ray...

If Larry can't be feeding an animal, then petting one is just fine, too! The Bat Rays are really very friendly - some come to the side of the tank and seem to beg for attention.

So big and soooo ugly...

We always say we've taken more than enough pictures at the Aquarium, but still the camera searches for new and different sights! The Giant Sea Bass and these enormous crabs must deserve another look.

An underwater rainbow of colors...

... and beautiful, delicate shapes.

More beautiful Southern California sunsets...

Despite recuperating from a terrible dog-bite on her ankle(!), our friend Mary continues to chronicle the beautiful sunsets just outside her window. Enjoy - some are really breath-taking.

A long talked about visit to Bowers Museum...

We've been talking about going to Bowers Museum for longer than either of us could remember. Yesterday, as part of a New Year's resolution to keep finding new adventures in our own back yard, we finally made it there. It's an incredible place with a huge permanent collection of pieces, in addition to space for at least three touring exhibits as well. The grounds around the Spanish style museum complex are beautiful; as we came up the front walk-way and into the main entry courtyard, we felt we were entering one of the many missions we've visited. A long row of identical fountains filled one wall of another courtyard, the Statue Garden.

When we purchased our tickets we discovered that for just a few dollars more we could get a year's membership, so we joined on the spot, and look forward to attending members events later in the year. After a couple of hours of wandering through the many exhibits, we even had a tasty lunch at the on-site restaurant. It was a perfect first "day-trip" in 2011!

Two Centuries of American Quilting...

..."Traditions and Techniques"

Beautiful pieces that speak for themselves.

Gemstone Carvings...

...by Harold Van Pelt.

There were stunningly beautiful pieces in this collection. We were only able to capture a couple of them very well inside their glass enclosures.

Ancient China...

A fabulous collection that fills several small inter-connected rooms.

Art from the Pacific Islands...

These photos do little justice to an amazing collection of Pacific Island jewelry, masks, weapons and other incredible artifacts.

Bits and pieces...

...from various collections throughout the museum.