Friday Field Trip... Giverny

In 1883 Monet fell in love with a little village in Normandy that would later become his haven. Giverny is a charming town and home to Claude Monet's famous gardens. As I entered the garden I immediately felt like I had stepped inside one of Monet's paintings. The flowers, Japanese bridge, water lilies and pond were breath taking. It was also fun to see the boat Monet puttered around in. Just like his paintings, the beauty he created in his garden still lives on. If your a gardener, fan of Claude Monet or just like beautiful things you won't want to miss a visit to Giverny. The gardens are open April-October.

Octo-Mom & a Rockette...

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN...

{Vintage Halloween Postcard}

Hope you have a Spooktacular Halloween! I'll be dressing up as Octo-Mom.

{autumn in utah}

Normandy and a World War II Survivor...

One of the things I love about being a flight attendant is meeting people and learning more about them.

I was on a layover in Austin this past weekend and met a cute 80 year old women named Micheline. After talking for a few minutes I learned that she grew up in Normandy, France. During World War II her family fled the bombings in Normandy to find safety in Paris. Just two weeks after moving to Paris their home was bombed. Her family waited 6 hours under the rubble for help to arrive but sadly two of her siblings didn't survive. Micheline was in the hospital for 6 months while her mom spent the year recuperating. Towards the end of our conversation Micheline said that living through World War II made her "strong as a bull".

Micheline was in Paris when the soldiers came a shore on the D-Day Beaches. A few years ago I visited the Beaches and Cemetery in Normandy.

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. Over 9000 soldiers that lost their lives in Normandy were buried there. The families of the deceased had the choice to have the remains buried in Normandy or flown home. About 60% chose to have the bodies flown home while the rest stayed in Normandy.

Sometimes we take our freedom for granted. I know I do but when you visit the D-Day Beaches and Cemetery you are grateful for the freedoms gained on June 6, 1944 on the Western coast of France. I think every American, Brit and Canadian should visit Normandy if given the chance. It's just a 2-3 hour drive from Paris. In upcoming post I'll write about things to see near Normandy.

POSTCARD HEAVEN...

Just back from a 3-day trip. I was in Buffalo, NY all bundled up...Hard to imagine it's cold anywhere else when you live in the Desert. Can you believe they're already deicing planes in Denver?

After spending some time in Buffalo I just want to curl up with this Knitted Postcard! Seriously, who comes up with this stuff? If you go to Etsy they'll show you how to knit your very own postcard.

Sand Sport Super Show: Past & Present...

PAST

Old Geezer, Stacy & me at a car show with dad.

PRESENT

Still going to car shows with dad... We flew to Orange Country to check out the 2009 Sand Sport Super Show.

I don't really know a "good" Sandrail when I see one. To me a "good" Rail is the one with the best paint job. I liked this S&S Sand Car (nice paint job). My husband say's this is one of the fastest rails around. He's raced it at the drags and can't seem to beat it.

Yep... we'll be hanging out with "Big Ned" (dad) this season at the Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis).

Luau Dessert: Hawaiian Pineapple Bars...

I recently hosted a really fun Hawaiian Luau. We made Hawaiian Pineapple Bars for dessert. They were a hit! {I was flattered when a Tongan women came up to me afterwards wanting the recipe.}

Hope you enjoy...

HAWAIIAN PINEAPPLE BARS

1 c. butter

2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

Mix well and pat in 9 x 13 pan. Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

FILLING:

2 (8 oz.) cream cheese

1/4 c. milk

2 c. well drained crushed pineapple

1/3 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all but pineapple, then fold in pineapple. Pour over cooled crust.

TOPPING:

Mix 2 tablespoons of butter melted with 3 cups of coconut. Spread on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until toasted at 350 degrees.

(If you have a large number of guest make sure you refrigerate the bars for a few hours before you cut them.)

Early Morning Flights...

Friday Field Trip... Yangtze River

While planning my trip to China I knew I didn't want to miss a cruise down the Yangtze River. The Yangtze is the longest river in Asia, third longest in the world after the Nile and Amazon and one of the busiest waterways. We stopped and visited a few cities along the way including a visit to the Three Gorges Dam.

One of the most interesting things I saw along the Yangtze River was suspended coffins. Click on the picture to get a better view. The local Ba people burried respected ones, warriors and the leaders of tribes on sheer cliffs. It's still a mystery as to how coffins were placed so high without modern day technology.

Shennong Stream (Tributary)

Before the invention of engines Trackers helped maneuver heavy cargo up the Yangtze. The Trackers life was very difficult, often not even having clothes to wear. Today you'll only find Trackers on the Tributes of the Yangtze with improved working conditions.

Seeing monkeys, feeling the boat glide over pebbles in shallow areas added to the primitiveness of the ride and of course I enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the river. If you click on the picture you'll get a better view of the Trackers. This was a pretty cool experience going up stream but it seemed a little funny to be in these old peapod boats while wearing our modern life vest. I also felt a little bad for the Trackers having to push a bunch of tourist up parts of the stream... Seemed a little wrong but maybe worth the tips?

Trackers shoes... made in China!