Part II

         A Scotsman and a French Canadian walked into a bar…….

We were very fortunate for part of this trip to have been travelling in the company of some of the members of the Canadian Air Force and their families.  It was lovely to have shared in their time,  friendships, conversations over dinner and drinks and to have listened to their stories and opinions and thoughts.  For me, it is always refreshing when people have something of worth and interest to say and it seems especially so when from another country.   And should you ever happen to run into a Canadian (who on the whole seem quite an agreeable bunch – they actually have an ‘Apology Act’), then here are a couple of things you may find handy to know:

1.  Don’t ever refer to them as yanks (otherwise they may beat you stupid with an ice hockey stick).

2.  They have a disturbingly odd addiction to maple syrup (and ice hockey)……….oh, and they don’t marry their relatives (kin) either.

Now for something a little different.  A yoga class on an old San Antonio railway bridge…..located in the somewhat sketchier side of town.   Outdoors became a beautiful yoga studio and even in the midst of city noise, local vagrants, drifters and train disturbance (a long goods train did thunder underneath the bridge at one stage) I was able to momentarily quiet my mind.  I have an immense respect of yoga simply because it challenges me and it is often that small mindful prompt I sometimes need.  Occasionally, its those little things that do the most good and how could yoga on a bridge in a city not be a lovely way to flood a little gentle kindness and goodwill over a community…….and of course I also happen to like a little urban independence as well.

Yoga with a view

Maggie and Ethan (part of the Canadian contingent).  We spent pockets of time together exploring the San Antonio Zoo, some missions and of course the hotel pool. 

Ethan – an official ‘Junior Park Ranger’

4th of July (Independence Day) also fell during our time in San Antonio.  4th of July in the States commemorates the Declaration of Independence – the United States declaring its independence from Great Britain on July 4th 1776.  We had front row seats on our hotel balcony and as I looked skyward to a fireworks display more beautiful and heart rendering than I ever expected, I could not help but wonder of the ever eternal journey being sought for courage and personal freedom.

A national festivity involving gunpowder, explosions and lots of smoke…what could possible be wrong with that!

ghost signs……

I have a love of random writings found on toilet walls…..

Sometimes its the smallest things that can bring the most joy.  Here is a snapshot of some of the lovely things experienced this past week……..

Sweet little ducklings in our estate

‘Our’ Canadian geese

Baby Canadian geese – growing up so quickly and yet endearingly beautiful

Flowering Hydrangea in our back yard – so pretty, they always remind me of butterflies

A Catbird enjoying one of my ‘birdbaths’

 Beautiful Magnolia 

 Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying something lovely today and everyday xx

Today marks the first official day of summer here in the states and it also marks the height of the peach season in Georgia.  Georgia is known as the ‘peach state’ and has a reputation for growing the sweetest and juiciest peaches in the country.  The peach season here usually runs from mid May to mid August and Georgia peaches are (so I am told) legendary.  Their intense sweetness – a result of a searing summer heat, high humidity and sultry nights which produce ‘suGeorgia’ (sweet Georgia sugar) – sanctions reverence of this lovely fruit.

Peaches can be very fickle and I am fickle in my choice of them.  Too early and the peaches are hard and exhibit little of their sweet flavour.  Over ripe and they are unpleasant with soft mushy flesh.  At their peak however peaches are rosy gold, delicately fuzzed, sweet smelling and even sweeter tasting.  On these generously warm Georgia days, I can be found bent over the sink peach in hand with the cold tap running.  It reminds me of eating mangoes in Queensland (my home state in Australia).  You need a small child’s wading pool, your togs and beautiful Bowen mangoes.  Its not pretty and not for the faint hearted (or those with genteel manners) but it really is one of the best ways to devour a mango.

Today I have decided to skulk about in my kitchen with perfectly pretty yellow-red blushed peaches for company…..all of which I am making into jam.  It is beastly hot out but the air conditioner is working overtime and the kitchen is cool and welcoming.

Sweetened by the sun they are a beautiful sight…..

My peach jam recipe:

*  Sterilize your jars

*  2 pounds of peaches, 1 pound of sugar, the juice of 1 lemon (I don’t use the normal jam ration of one to one as I like my jams on the less sweeter side).

*  Pit and coarsely chop the peaches….I like to leave the skin on.  Toss the cut peaches in the sugar and lemon juice and allow to sit for at least 2 hours (although I find overnight is better).  In a heavy based pan gently simmer the mixture over a low heat – this will take quite a while so don’t pencil too much in for the remainder of the day.  Stir the mix frequently and as the jam ‘foams’ skim the froth from the pan. I find if you leave the foam in the mix your jam becomes a little cloudy.  Don’t discard the ‘foam’ though.  I like it stirred through plain Greek yogurt and for a southern touch top with chopped pecans.

*  When you think it may be ready you need to ‘test’ your jam.  Remove the pot from the heat and drop a small amount of jam onto a small cool plate.  Let the dollop stand for a moment then push it slightly.  The jam should ‘ripple’ to the touch.  If it is still a little ‘runny’, place the jam back onto the heat and cook further.

*  Pour into your sterilized jars and seal.

Later in the year I will take from the pantry a stored jar of peach jam and remember fondly this day.  I will recall the heat of my first summer in Georgia, the immense scorched pale sky, the two blue jays in the bird bath and the little family of wood ducks seeking relief from the heat under the shade of the pecan tree in our back yard.  It all makes for happy days x

We are between seasons at present here in Georgia.  The very late of a June spring and the impending summer of which I am told will be very, very hot with soaring temperatures and extreme humidity.  With much warmer days around, ‘day-lilies’  have begun appearing in some neighbouring gardens.  Our garden sadly lacks these beautiful flowering perennials however having said that, we are custodians of two lovely mature pecan trees.  The estate we live in is built among an old pecan orchard so wisely the developers kept many of these trees.  Almost every yard here has a pecan and these stunning trees also line the winding streets and avenues of our estate.

Today was another forecast of humidity and high temperatures with evening thunderstorms so I began my day in the garden early.  I have dug, pruned and weeded. I am trying to improve the garden with lots of organic matter and pelletised manure…the neighbours will be happy! and I planted out some herbs and small punnets of colour.  I have ordered mulch too as the garden has not been mulched since it was first planted over nine years ago and as you know gardens, as in the case with most things, do not respond well to neglect or lack of nurturing care.

I find gardening addictive and relaxing and a garden has always had much significance in any home I have lived in be it rented or owned.  It is a place where I seem, apart from the ocean, to do some of my best thinking and where I also feel much contentment.

Although I am dreaming of a garden of abundance I know this will be a work in progress.  There is still much to do and accomplish.  The heavy clay soil is nutrient poor and many of the established shrubs are stunted and lacking vigorous new growth.  All that aside though, it has been a lovely day and I am beginning to enjoy this garden more as I am seeing less of the faults and flaws and more of its potential.  Yes I miss my garden in Gawler but I am missing it much less as today I also planted food in the form of raspberries and a summer salad green leaf crop amongst the shrubs.

It is almost the end of the day and yet the sun is still shining hard and usually does so until around 8.45pm unless we have an early evening thunderstorm.  I am sitting near the window as I type this blog watching the birds and squirrels, two small native ducks and a pair of wild Canadian geese and their beautiful goslings who have begun to visit our unfenced yard on a regular basis.

Essentially, I have planted hope.  Hope that all will thrive and grow here in my garden in my tiny little part of the world, just as my new life here in the United States is also beginning to flourish and bloom x

The Memorial Day long weekend has just passed here in the states.  Memorial Day is a national holiday and marks the remembrance of those men and women who have died in service.  And not to confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day:  ‘Memorial Day’ is a day of remembering and honouring those who have died during service and ‘Veterans Day’ is to celebrate the service of all US military veterans.  We remember and we thank you.

On Memorial Day many hundreds of volunteers place the American flag on each grave site in national cemeteries

So, its a long weekend and what better way to celebrate than to hit Las Vegas for a few days!  And sure, Vegas is glitz and glamour and tack and trash all rolled in to one slightly tatty yet fabulous package, so what’s not to love.

Just over 39.7 million people visit Vegas each year.  And why?  Well Las Vegas is home to Fremont Street, casinos, lights, dancing fountains, the Vegas strip, neon’s, shows, Red Rock Canyon, showgirls, Elvis impersonators, The Golden Nugget, roller coaster, Hoover Dam, The Grand Canyon, The Neon Museum (the boneyard for over 450 pieces of old Vegas signage), did I mention Elvis!, Wayne Newton, bail bonds, eye traumatising sights and the Mob.

You can get hitched at the Little White Chapel where Sinatra married Mia Farrow. You can declare your ‘hunk-a-hunk (of undying) burning-love’ in front of an Elvis impersonator. You can have a drive-thru-wedding.  You can be married almost anywhere, anytime day or night (most run 24 hours a day – no blood test required) and a licence will set you back around $55.  The average cost for a divorce however is around $450 unless you scoot over the border to Mexico and have it all annulled there.

You can visit places such as Venice or Paris and not even leave the state of Nevada.  You can ride the roller coaster in New York (and we did!).  You can see the brightest lights anywhere in the world as there is around 15,000 miles of neon tubing on the strip and downtown alone.  And if all that’s not enough, then the ‘people watching’ entertainment alone will be well worth the trip.

Oh, and if you happen to go and shoot your neighbours barking dog while residing in Vegas then be warned.  Your neighbour can legally hang you for it!  I prefer their other law.  It is illegal to ‘drive’ a camel on the highway.  The punishment for that crime appears less harsh – you are required to sit through an excruciatingly painful Justin Bieber concert!  Actually no, that is a far more punishing sentence.

You knew this would be coming.  Vegas is the perfect place to indulge my passion obsession for Elvis impersonators!  Is ‘Elvi’ plural for more than one Elvis?

Uncanny isn’t it!

*  Food of Vegas –  There is everything here from Michelin-Star restaurants to celebrity chefs, from cheap to expensive to the quintessential culinary delight of Vegas.  The all-you-can-eat buffets!  Do a buffet just for the experience alone.  In fact, it should be compulsory for all visitors to do one while in Vegas.

You know I had one!

*  Fashions of Vegas – I think almost anything goes here with regard to fashion.  In sin city you can actually turn up to a casino in your togs! (swim suit for those not from Queensland).  And anyone and everyone wears a swim suit here.  Be they big or small or huge, the two piece appears to be part of the mandatory dress code in Vegas (and strangely worn with high heels).  Others include:  A lady of unknown age (but lets say she could have been well over 70) wearing an outfit constructed entirely of varying lengths of string.  String!!!  I saw more old fake-tanned wrinkly flesh in two minutes than I will ever need to see again in my life time.  And may I just say, my ideal use for string would be for trussing up little Cornish hens or for wrapping brown paper packages.  Not for clothing!  The velour tracky pant also seems to be making a resurgence here too or perhaps it has just never gone out of style.  The said track suit pant more often than not, have something obscure emblazoned on the back of them too such as ‘juicy’, ‘butt’, ‘daddy’, ‘slutty’ or ‘phat’.  Why they had to advertise these facts I do not know when it was completely obvious!  Then there are the outfits which looked like lingerie.  No, actually they were lingerie!  And shorts.  The ladies like their shorts here and they like them very, very short and very, very tight! Did I feel a tad over-dressed at times?  Most certainly!

*  Getting around – You know the answer to that.  On foot (if you have the stamina)!  Vegas is a pretty good city to do on foot but it is tiring.  There is so much to see and do and the notorious strip is just over 4 miles in length.  That mileage doesn’t seem much but remember, its hot!  And it is even hotter when caught in a crush of people (which is often).  RTC Transit is another good way to get around.  It’s the bus service for the strip.  They run double-decker buses which are air-conditioned and clean.  A two hour pass is $6 but get the 24 hour pass for $8.  It is well worth the outlay.  From the airport to the hotels you can grab a cab for around $35 however there are some shuttle buses which cost around $11 per person.  We took the latter option and its good because you get a tour of Vegas as the shuttle goes to each hotel/casino to drop off other passengers.

*  Climate – Las Vegas is located in the Mojave Desert so even during the end of spring it was HOT.  Most of the days we were there, the temperatures were in triple digits and it gets hotter.  It is a dry heat but its still hot so do bring a hat and sunscreen (among other things drink plenty of water).  The temps at the Grand Canyon were much cooler though given it is approximately 7,000 feet above sea level.

During our trip to Vegas we took a small plane to the northern rim of the Grand Canyon.  The northern rim is more remote, less accessible and has much less tourist activity than the south rim.  Once there, we took a helicopter ride over the Canyon.  The Grand Canyon is stunningly breathtaking, vast and magnificent.  There is little to say of the Grand Canyon which has not been said before so I will let the photographs speak its eternal beauty.

 Las Vegas isn’t for everyone but to be honest, they just don’t make places like this anymore.  Go with an open mind and don’t try to make sense of anything there because you just won’t.  And its definitely not a town for rest and relaxation.  For me however, Las Vegas has been brilliant.  It is one place that I can now happily scratched off my list of ‘all time fabo places to see and do’.

Vegas.  The place where aging rock stars go to…..

It doesn’t get any better than this!

The amazing Tyler James who performs on the stage in Fremont Street

Leaving Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one hell of a wild ride but I guarantee you of one thing.  You can have the absolute glitteriest time of your life xx

 Random photographs from our road trip……..

Less than zero percent interest in American politics?  Well it doesn’t matter when visiting Washington DC.  A trip to the nation’s glorious capital will be a truly unforgettable experience.

Washington is an impressively beautiful and vibrant city bursting at the seams with magnificent museums, amazing monuments, art collections, stately avenues, beautiful parklands and gardens, cherry blossom, lovely homes, great restaurants and history.  And best of all….almost everything you will ever need to see and do is free.

During the time we spent in Washington (the very end of April to the beginning of May) the spring weather was somewhat unpredictable – a little like the weather of Melbourne, Australia.  It varied between very cold with heavy rain and thunderstorms to very, very warm and muggy (and I actually got sunburnt).   We spent almost seven days in Washington and barely scratched the surface of this wonderful city. And Washington is also one of the best cities to do on foot so do take a pair or two of your best walking shoes.

The Mall (not to be confused with shopping) is the boulevard which stretches approximately 1 mile in DC and is the virtual heart of the city.  This is the area where you will find many of Washington’s museums.   You can (and I did) spend an entire day in just one museum and you still may not get to see everything in it!  The National Museum of American History is a must for any traveller to Washington.  It is a five story showcase of America’s fascinating history.  And a tip – get to the museums (or any site such as a memorial or monument) early.  Most museums open at 10am and close around 5:30pm.

The National Museum of  American History and Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz

The extremely harrowing, thought provoking yet very moving Holocaust Memorial Museum

We ate some pretty great food in Washington and there are plenty of places to choose from.  My two favourites of the trip are listed below:

* Old Ebbitt Grill – Do I love this place?  Absolutely!  Its a bit of a step-back in Washington time and is just around the corner from the White House.  Old world, dark and moody with lots of polished wood.  Modern cuisine and great drinks list too.  If you can, grab a stool at the bar.  At the bar is where you meet the most interesting people plus you can eat and drink while having a birds eye view which is especially great if like me you love to people watch.  The staff are wonderful too which is always a bonus.

*  The Capital Grille –  This is FAB!!!  Great food and wine and conversation with the local suit wearing powerbrokers of Washington.  The Grille is located on Pennsylvania Ave just near the Capitol Building and once again a seat at their lovely bar is essential.  Do try their dry aged steaks along with the Washington State wines from the Grille’s award winning list.   This was well worth the money and more.

When out and about keep your energy levels up………. with an ‘ice cream taco’ 

The public transport system in DC is great.  Especially their rail system.  I am a bit of a train buff so I did ride the rail on a couple of occasions.  It is all very user friendly too.

The underground rail system in DC – its a little grainy as the shot was taken on my phone

On one particular day I actually walked so much and so far that I decided to grab a cab home to the hotel.  The ride was relatively quick, cheap and very entertaining.  The following photos were taken in that cab.

The first photo is the inside roof of the cab (yes, they are shoe prints) and tucked beside the driver was a dog-eared and page marked copy of ‘The Joy of Sex’.  Needless to say our conversation was an interesting one!

During the weekend, the ‘wannabe’s’ of Washington head to a little place called Georgetown but don’t be put off by that fact.  This was a lovely little community to visit for a day trip as was the suburb of Foggy Bottom.  Both are in very easy reach of the city by bus or rail or if like me, on foot (therein requiring a cab ride home).

Okay, a big finale for the Washington trip.  To commemorate our trip to Washington (this trip also encompassed attending the RAAF Washington Ball) we had the opportunity to fly ‘our flag’ at the Washington Capitol Building.  We flew the American flag (as we were unable to fly an Australian one) as part of the Capitol Flag Program.  On a set day (you nominate the date), your flag will fly at the Capitol Building.  Once flown, it is then taken down at the end of the day and given to you as a keepsake along with a certificate.  All you need do is contact your local member of Congress.

‘Our flag’ – flying at The Washington Capitol Building

The White House – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is probably the best known address in the US.  Every president except George Washington has lived here.

In the front yard of a home in Washington DC

The Washington Monument – an obelisk visible from almost everywhere in Washington

A great farmers markets I happened upon one day in the heart of Washington

Moi and FB xx

I have to say, one of the best things about road tripping are the unique and unexpected experiences you just happen upon.  Like watching a beautiful wild black bear in the hardwood forests of the Shenandoah, seeing an Amish buggy on the road alongside a massive 18 wheeler, walking in the footsteps of civil war soldiers, spying wood-chucks during a long drive, finding covered bridges or just simply sitting next to a complete stranger and engaging in enlightened conversation.

This was a big trip so I won’t go into great detail listing every single State, city or town we passed through or visited.  What I will do is post, over the coming few days/weeks, a snap shot of the trip and some of the highlights.

We travelled from Georgia toward the Atlantic coast then traversed coastal en route to Washington.  After DC we headed further north to Pennsylvania then back-tracked inland following the Appalachian and Civil War Battlefield trails back home to Georgia.

Beautiful black bear in the wild

Stevens reaction to my dinner order one evening!   The below photograph is what I ordered and very happily ate.  

Underneath the crab were clams and shrimp.  BTW, Steve’s meal is to left of the photo.

One of the many diners we stopped at and no, her name wasn’t Alice or Flo.

‘Dairy Queen’

The traffic light system in most American towns…which can be a tad confusing.

One of the many covered bridges

The simplistic and gentle Amish

Another road side stop was ‘Mr Sticky’s Sticky Buns’. Before baking and after and for the record – they were very, very sticky!