OH CANADA, GLORIOUS AND FREE!!

Yes, it just makes me want to break into,
"O beautiful, for spacious skies. . . . " even though that song was inspired by Pikes Peak in Colorado.
My annual blog for "beautiful BC" is way over due. Maybe it was cause I couldn't decide what pictures to post. But probably cause I have just been procrastinating. Why blog today, when I can wait till tomorrow, or even next week or in this case next month! I look forward to this trip every year and it seems that the time there fly's by much too fast.

So where do I begin to describe the beauty of this north land above us? I think I will just let the pictures speak for themselves!

It explains why I migrate there each summer. As I said when I started my blog 2009--"from the center of my life came a great fountain" still holds true today. BC is a great escape from the drama of family life and job. There is also plenty of help from my wild and crazy cousins. Great food and libations and reconnecting with my summer friends!

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread,
places to play in and pray in,
where nature may heal
and give strength to body and soul.

~John Muir

NO HIGH HEELS

"THE CLIMB IS NEVER EASY,BUT THE VIEW IS WORTH EVERY STEP"

If you follow "Cowgirltales" blog, you will notice that she blogged "WORTH IT!" This was referring to climbing Pulpit Rock across from the town of Nelson,BC. It is a short (about 1 mile or 1.6k) but steep (300 meter elevation gain) hike that rewards you with a fantastic view of the city of Nelson.
I really never had a great desire to climb it.. "Because it's there" is one of the most ludicrous quotes I have ever heard. However, those of you that are acquainted with Ms.Gina know that she has her form of "encouragement" which borders on nagging, pushing, prodding a person to get out of their comfort zone. In other words, "get off your ass!"

So it was with some reluctance that I found myself at the base of the Pulpit Rock Trail. It was raining and after I went a few meters, I was ready to turn back. I even had a story with all the excuses why I didn't reach the top. Rain! Slipping and sliding, etc. But there was also this voice in my head telling me to just do it, otherwise I would never hear the end of it from the Gina-donna. Yes, it was slippery and wet, but just kept one foot in from of the other. Not to mention all the seasoned hikers that were practically jogging up the hill around me.

The view was just incredible!

So perhaps that helps exclaims why people like to climb mountains. . . .

"BECAUSE IT'S THERE"
George Mallory

THE GUARDIAN

I am up here in the far north. . . the land of 16 hour days! I'm house-sitting for some English folk, and this magnificent beast is part of the deal. My new pal, Bailey. He's 7 mo old and just a sweet heart. The mellowest puppy I have ever met! As you might notice, he is part wolf. Timber, Arctic,Gray and then has some malamute thrown in.When instructed on the feeding of Bailey, I was told that he liked brekkie and tea. I was nonplussed that a wolf liked tea and curious how I was to fix him tea. Large pot brewing special English tea or was he more of the herbal type? So I asked exactly how would I do that? Answer: "Just give him half a can of dog food and a scoop of biscuits(kibble)!"

I had no idea that it is customary in England where "tea" refers to an evening meal.
Guess it is "tea time" for the cats,fish and birds as well!
Bon Appétit!

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME

I am writing this blog to squelch any rumors that I have disappeared off the face of the earth! I am also writing this blog under great duress. I am currently being held hostage in an undisclosed location in Nelson, BC. All the leaves are green,but the sky is grey (mamas & papas, blah, blah,blah) and it feels like a winter day!! My captivators, whom, of course I regard with much kindness and empathy, and also feel like I am falling deeply and passionately in love, have threatened to remove all my privileges, including shower, shave, and eating, etc, but HAVE promised to take me for a ride in the trunk of their car (the true Sicilian way) if I will only make some sort of effort to blog.
(that last sentence has exhausted me but I am so excited about the ride!!)
So here I am in the far north. . . Spectacular scenery along the way. And because I traveled alone, I could actually stop and take a few pics.

My captor is waiting. . . she has the collar and leash . . .
. . .OK, that is for Pony Girl.
I was worried there for a moment.

NURSES CALL THE SHOTS!!!!

I am loving it!! As a nurse, we use to just have nurses day in our honor. Now we get a whole week!! That's because we are such a integral part of life. What would we do without nurses!! We have come a long way since the days of Flo!! There were the days of flight nurses!! Can you just imagine that you could take a flight and and get your insulin monitored or make sure you took your lipitor or VIAGRA!!??


I was so thrilled when I graduated from nursing and got $5 per hour(no benefits). Even though I was basically a hand maid to the MD. Carried HIS (male dominated society) charts on rounds, held the suture string, brought coffee, always cleaned up the mess, etc. Don't miss those days. Now I work at all woman clinic and only make coffee for myself. And I did get a raise and have benefits!

But it has been a long and windy road!! It never seemed fair to me that the male dominated trades made way more money and had wonderful retirement. They would have never put up with all the crap (literally) that nurses took. Over the years, nurses finally have a voice. Fortunately, for the nurses that are turning out now, they will have better benefits, retirement, job satisfaction, improved safety and quality of patient care. Whoops, I am up on my soap box.

I was thrilled to hear this "thrive" ad on the radio for Kaiser celebrating nurses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg8mH9D-PVQ
"Nurses are nurses because their capacity to care is colossal.
May our 45,000 nurses all live long and thrive."

So on your birthday today, Florence, I want to celebrate the legacy you left and the vision you had for modern nursing over 166+ years ago.

Live your life while you have it. Life is a splendid gift.
There is nothing small about it.

As a Kaiser RN it is only fitting that I will part with:
"MAY YOU LIVE LONG AND THRIVE!"

"MOTHERS ARE A NATURAL FORCE. . .

. . . AND MAYBE AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF FUEL"

It is only appropriate that at this time of the year, I do a tribute to

MoTHeRS

After all, if it weren't for our mothers, we wouldn't be around!?!? There are so many wonderful qualities my mother had, but it seems a perfect time to talk about the traits of our moms’ we swore we’d never adopt but have — in spite of our best efforts. I remember when the words- “Because I said so, that's why” slipped out. I could not believe those words escaped my lips! I swore I would NEVER say things like that. Wasn't long into motherhood that I was eating lots of crow.

Here are just a few of those expressions. I am sure you can add a few of your own in the comments:

How many times do I have to tell you?
If I've told you once ... I've told you a thousand times.

"Tough cookies"

A little "birdy" told me!

Always wear clean underwear in case you get in an accident!
(Now I just keep a pair in the glovebox just in case!!??)

Someday your face will freeze like that!

Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Are you going out dressed like that?

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

Think of those poor starving children in . . .

"I love you!"

Mother's Day Card 1995

Mother's Day CARD 2011

"The hand that rocks the cradle usually is attached to someone who isn't getting enough sleep."

THE JOY OF THINKING ABOUT COOKING OR FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Is there such a thing as recipe hoarding? I seem to have a shameless obsession for collecting recipes. I tear out recipes from magazines and newspapers.I also love to peruse cookbooks and recipes. Especially the picture cookbooks. . . I drool over the gorgeous photos and imagine the delicious tastes. I have a box full of recipe clippings.

I love to cook, but I seldom use the recipes that I have so carefully saved. Where can I find therapy for this problem? Recipe hoarders anonymous?
I did finally try a new recipe this month and you may find it refreshing, too.

KALE-APPLE SMOOTHIE

BLEND:

• 2 cups chopped kale, ribs and thick stems removed
• 1-2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 apple
• 1 carrot
• 3 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbl lime juice

"BON APPETITE"

Now that leaves me only 3,429 more recipes to try from my stack.

MY NEW FAVORITE STORE!

Maybe you would have thought I would say TJMAX or Marshalls, which indeed would be on my list, but it is---

Rancho San Miguel.

After having so much fun in Lo de Marcos, I was missing some of the charm and flavors of Mexico. A tip from one of my patients led me to this store and unbelievably it was in my own back yard. I walked in and it just took my breath away. I felt like I was back in Mexico. From the "panaderia" to the salsa taco bar to the queso Oaxaca & panela fresco in the deli. After purchasing a "few of my favorite things", it won't surprise you that I came home and fixed myself a "Lohito" (my version of a mohito).

"favorite things"