Bucket List Fall Fun Getaway......Newport Beach California...October 5-7,2018

To celabrate my daughter doing great in High School and 

starting college life we took a weekend get away to Newport Beach California.

Doing that Southwest weekend get away.  One thing I know is next trip

I will be looking at the cost of flights more, because from what I have 

heard I paid too much.  We had so much fun though that we have decided it was ok.

We got in and caught the sun setting. Then went out to 

eat at Mama D's italian restraunt.  You know you are 

in for good food when there is a huge line.  It was totally worth the wait.

I got up a 6am and headed up to the beach.  I was going to get the most out of 

my mini vacation.  This is a flock of pelicans.  They just go too fast to get a good photo.

My husband loves the ocean. This was our first time 

going to the ocean on the west coast.  This was our first vacation that was not

going to a place where we used to live.

My sister in law, daughter and I sat and watched all the young and old surfer boys. 

It was fun.

You know that verse in the Beach Boy song "Busy blonde hairdo" well 

I know what a bushy blonde hairdo is like, my hair got really curly on this

trip.

We rented a beach house through Happy Travels, a few blocks from the beach.  I loved it.

It was clean, it was beautifully decorated. If you decide you want to 

go here this is a good place to rent from.  We really felt the beach house 

was beautiful and well kept.

Her dream vacation.  

Of course I brought my favorite magazine to read while soaking in the 

sun. 

The Old Men and the Sea.  

I thought this birds way of eating was interesting.

What is it eating??

We took some really long walks.  I loved all the beach houses.

We went to the "WEDGE".  My husband was so thrilled as 

from his New Jersey Surfing days this was a place he always read about.

He even met one of the original body surfers and got a DVD, which he watches often.

Make memories that take your breath away. 

That is my new goal in life.

This bird wanted me to take it's photo.

I could see my self becoming a crazy cactus lady

if I lived here.  This house had tons of cactus plants in pots all around it.

My husband with Lance "Skeeter" an 

original WEDGE body surfer.

The car of my dreams.

Of course I have to take some flower photos.

A bird of paradise.

Waiting for our plane home at the John Wayne airport.

What a wonderful weekend get away. 

Have you done any cool traveling?

G.G.

My Weekly Garden Walks. The Goose Family Grows up.

The Gardens are closed for the winter and I am missing my weekly walks.

I have been looking through my photos and trying organize things. 

So here is the "Martin family" (The goose family) Growing up.

I think this first photo was taken week two or three of my weekly walking.

It's amazing how fast these birds grow up. 

6 Weeks old.

This is about 8 weeks and the last time I saw them at the gardens.

One week this flock of geese was flying over the pond and I thought

maybe that's the Martin family flying by. I don't really know if it is them or not.

It was fun to watch this goose family grow up can't wait for spring.

G.G.

My Family History....20 years of resarch and I still have more work to do.

This is my favorite family history picture.  I think I found it in a magazine long ago.  I like to believe that our ancestors are watching over us and helping us in our lives.  I realized that I have been doing family history research for 20 years.   The amazing thing is that I still have more work to do.  You would think that I would be finnished by now, but family history seems to be one never ending puzzle.

In October as I was wondering through the branches of my family tree I found that many of my ancestors lived in Salem Massachusetts.  I thought it was interesting that I would be learning about family members from Salem Massachusetts around Halloween.  My ancestors that I was learning about were not part of the Salem Witch trials, but I do know that some in another family line were.
Many times when I hear people talk about family history they think that the main goal is to find new people to add to their family tree.  While this is fun, I have found that many times what I am doing is cleaning up duplicate entries ( this is in the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints family history website "Family Search.org.) and adding sources, and making sure all the little details about a person is correct.  I am blessed still to find new ancestor names, but really most of the time I feel I'm making my family tree as correct as it can be.

Something I love about doing family history is that it connects me with history.  When I realize that someone I'm related to was part of a historical event it makes me want to learn more about that event.  I tried to read this book a few years ago, but never got through it.  Maybe it was just a bad time in my life to read this book, perhaps I'll read it some day.  People who are just learning to do family history now are so blessed.  There are so many new websites and so much is on line.  I remember 20 years ago trying to find information and having to send out letters and wait weeks to get information on an ancestor.  Now there are so many documents on the family history website that you don't have to wait weeks to find out about your ancestors.  I love all the sharing that happens and being in contact with distant cousins.

Most of my ancestors come from New England.  I found this old cook book and have been enjoying reading about the food they might have eaten.  I may try to cook something from this.  We will see.

Here is a book I read this summer that has a family history type theme.  It is about a little girl who is dealing with the death of her grandfather and how he talks to her from the spirit world.  It is probably a middle school age book, but I enjoyed it.  I wouldn't mind having the ability to talk with my ancestors.
Do you like doing family history?  Have you read any good family history mystery books?
G.G.
One of my goals in the coming months is to be more consistent with my family history research.  I kind of took a break from a lot of things the past two years and I'm trying to get myself back into this  again. 

Summer Bucket List, Day Date 14....The Young Living Farm Fall Festival.

Here is my husband with some of his car friends.

They have been trying to get this car finished and

running for our friend who is dying of cancer.

He has been working on this car for 20 years.

It's a beautiful car. 

We went to the Young Living Fall Festival and 

draft horse show.  It was great! 

I haven't been to a horse show in years.  It was fun to watch.

The horses are just beautiful.

Next year we will know to go on Saturday too, so we can 

see the jousting.

There was a pretty little garden. I want to 

go during their lavender days.

There was a concert and it was Sarah Evans.

What a great surprise for us we love Sarah Evans.

We stayed for most of the Rodeo.  I certainly would not get 

on a horse that is bucking.  Ouch.

If you haven't gone to the Young Living Fall Festival, 

you should check it out next year.  We had a great time.

G.G.