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Welcome to our family's journal. We write here each first and third Sundays of the month so our families & friends can keep up to date with what's
happening here in America. Monica writes on the first and David on the third.
As always, our call to you will be on your Sunday mornings. Love to all!
David, Monica and Dominic
Sun Jun 21, 2009
Father's Day, Mid June 2009
Happy June everyone! It’s Father’s Day here in the US, Monica’s taking me on a little drive to a town nearby for a stroll downtown, a bite to eat and plenty of martini’s for my special Day. Since we receive emails requesting details of a typical life here in the US, I thought I would describe a usual morning in this months post, as well as post some related pictures. I’ll write of a typical day and evening in my next post as well.
Around 4:30 every morning, my eyes open to greet another day. Dawn has broken over the eastern horizon and those living in the high desert have long seen the suns rays while I pour my morning coffee. Cup in hand, I head to my favorite spot on the patio. The spot with the best view of our yards and gardens and the first to feel the suns eventual warmth, I have only moments before the show begins. Although many miles away, the shadow of our Tehachapi mountains shrouds the valley but I watch as it instantly disappears like a curtain going up announcing to all, let the show begin.
Our first actors are the Blackbirds. Iridescent, almost purple breasted, they flitter down from the trees to walk methodically, pecking the grass to gulp the tiny worms and moths that emerge for a morning breath of air. The yard, still partially obscured in shadow, lends up its dew as the lawn warms and gnats by the hundreds huddle in swarms just a few feet from the ground. Dragonflies and hummingbirds arrive from both sides and begin their morning feast. Hummingbirds hover within the swarms picking gnats by the dozens from mid air as Dragonflies swoop from left to right, traversing the whole expanse of grass with their basket formed front legs, netting the gnats and feasting as they fly.
Songbirds arrive next, first on the walls edge to survey the stage and eventually, one by one they flutter onto the garden’s border to survey the scene as if deciding on a morning entrée. Then Grackles, Red and Rust Colored something-or-others and the bullies of the bunch, Starlings. Someone always angers another and a chase begins joined by others wanting a piece of the action. Onto the fence, over to a bush and down to an apple tree branch only to be scared off by the prism tape I’ve hung from the branches deterring them from pecking at all our fruits. Eventually they remember why they came and resume pecking at breakfast in the lawns. The sun now shines on the small solar panel that runs the patio waterfall, it begins to trickle as I swat at a fly on my knee and suddenly the stage clears. Sorry everyone, I’ll behave if you come back.
They do. I sit motionless as a hummingbird hovers just feet away dipping in and out of Monica’s flowers potted along the patios edge, all the while keeping a watchful eye on me as he refuels for more flights into the swarms. My cigarette burns in the ashtray just inches away, I’d sure love a sip of coffee and my ankle has an itch yet I don’t dare stir. As if sensing my desires, the hummingbird swoops onto the fence top as if giving permission for me to move. I do, a drag off the cigarette, a sip of coffee and I finally get to that itch. As I scoot back in my chair out of the now bright sun that’s focused its rays directly into my eyes, the hummingbird returns. A different pot of flowers this time, farther away and out of danger from the daily human he should be accustomed to. Just as the show begins to dull, a trio of butterfly’s zoom past like grand prix racers, the female must be out front as gals do, taking pleasure in playing hard to get.
I can’t believe it’s been almost an hour now, I return to the house for another cup as a dove far hidden in the trees gives me that three syllable “coo,” unmistakable of a dove as if to say “come back soon.” Doves were Papa’s favorite bird and every coo reminds me of his chastising as I neglected my gardens in the past. I don’t anymore, We miss Papa. We miss him every moment of every day.
Later, I emerge from the shed with my hoe to begin my usual counter clockwise weeding. South along the fence, then along the back garden and return along the eastern fence. I return to the same pattern with a gentle watering taking care to soak the newly emerging pomegranate seedlings brought from Papa’s trees in our yards down south. The patio flowers are watered last just as Monica comes to greet me around seven o’clock. Sleepyhead! Our morning hug and kiss welcomes each other to another day and cements the fact that neither of us could exist without the other. We survey our yard with a proud smile and Monica gathers up the day’s vegetables, careful to pick only the ones she knows are ready. We did the same yesterday, we’ll do the same tomorrow. Good morning Papa, we’re going to start our day now.
Enjoy life everyone, enjoy each other and those you find you can’t live without. Take each morning as a gift and each other as a cherishment. Good bye for now, stay well, all our love!
Sun Jun 07, 2009
1st June Sunday 2009
Hello on Sunday family our friends too! First is some little bit sad, well Amanda has a bunny Kobe is a pet? He got die last week. Kobe is what bunny I love to play with him in the back yard Amanda Billy has a party there, remember in some pictures you see he is white? We all love him and now is going to be sad missing him. That’s the how, come and go just have to keep good memories.
Now second? Last weekend oh so wonderful time I have, we went to our coast last weekend. ( 안녕하세요 어머니 ) First was Paso Robles, my favorite Meridian and stops by Donatoni too. Only quick we can stay because I want to see the show for Massage business, all the new news and things I can buy! We have a favorite restaurant is Café Roma everybody meets there (데이비드 만들 수 많은 돈을 올해 ) and Alex and Rylee old friends come see us so many years we didn’t see them, and then all everybody we have so good a dinner. I say Scampi ( 새우 ) is my favorite and David loves his steaks. Everybody this is so good a place, can you go there? You will love it I tell you! One thing is the camera doesn working? Well we finally fix it in Morro Bay, was that the charge was bad David take it apart, now it can work. I miss have some pictures in the wineries and eating, oh well next time. You can see Café Roma here… www.caferomaslo.com/
Then Morro Bay. Now we are happy people see our favorite Blue Sail Inn, always stay there almost like our home we know it all got used to it. Mary is the manager comes on her days off have some drinks and little dinner with us. Always saying we have to drive 200 miles get a hug from Cutie Curly Blondie! Ha so funny! Good to have so nice a friends in our heart. So after we went to the farmers market, always buy our olives and cheese and vegetables just pick it freshey! You know all of this is that they make it in the farms right near here? Yes, not like a store but even make a cheese in small barns and then come sell it here like in Kumil! I remember this from being little girl go shopping with mother and father. (기억 나는 어머니와 아버지와 함께 쇼핑을했다 시장 ) Resting two days romantic, look to the ocean and relaxing. Only that Amanda and Billy doesn come this time like our traditions? Usual yes but they are so a busy on business. David sits to the balcony and looks at a property we can see it and he want to buy it bad! Keeps saying some day – some day. Good to see my man happy I tell you! Monday is a sad, we get up early five o’clock have our coffee to the balcony and get home, but it was so nice get away just us.
Everybody is good healthy Nana & Dominic, the gardens too. All vegetables are coming for us to eat so good taste! Also our Dominic is gets best grades in college still. Loves studying his medical going to get a really good education. David say he can be his doctor someday because he has a trust in his son.
Oh well this is what I can say today, we don’t traveling in the world anymore, not necessary just close so there is not too much I can talk. I love you family David love too and say hello everybody. I will go pick vegetables to the garden again, so many we are give em away. Bye we love you we miss you. See you take a safe life, bye bye!
Sun May 17, 2009
Mid May, 2009
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Anyung haseo dahamkea, Hello everyone! Yes, I’m still practicing my Korean. Hangul is proving to be difficult but then again, I’m lucky I can read and speak decent English. Learning the grammar and alphabet is my hardest part but Monica says I’ve got the pronunciation down just right. The pictures above were taken on our way home during our last trip to LA and Huntington Beach, just shows the Springtime colors in our area of California and the oil fields north of us.
April and May have to be my favorite months. It seems that our world comes alive with all our vegetables, flowers and fruit trees. What started out as seedlings and individual seeds planted in our mini greenhouses are now flourishing as flowering and fruiting veggies. All in all, we now have seventy two tomato plants, twelve eggplants and sixty two bell pepper plants as well as countless zucchinis, peaches, apples, watermelons and cantaloupes all flowering with a promise of great dinners and gifts to friends ahead. Now if I could only propagate T-Bone steak and hundred dollar bill trees! It’s also the time of year that we all miss Papa. His guidance in growing gardens is sorely missed yet it seems that I may have picked up his interests and talents. We sit and watch the dragonflies and birds each morning as they go about their morning tasks and by the way, does anyone know how long a grasshopper can live without its head? I stomp them whenever I see them, then throw them onto the grass to watch the birds fight over such tasty meals. I tossed a headless one out there one evening and the next morning it was still trying to hop. A spray of water startled it enough to attempt flight but its activity caught a birds attention and…gulp. But twelve hours later? Wow!
We had a bit of an emergency last week, a fall in the wet driveway caused a disk in my low back to protrude into my spine and the pain was enough to send me to the hospital. It wasn’t until the next day I saw our Chiropractor and began “Disk Decompression Therapy.” So far it’s providing a small bit of relief and since the vertebrae in my neck could be life threatening in the near future, we’re going to begin the therapy on the cervical spine as well. When you’re in writhing pain, you’ll try anything so I’ll keep you informed, wish me luck.
Bella Sol’s business is increasing a bit, something to count as a blessing in such tough times. The onset of a bad economy usually frighten consumers into holding their money but as time goes by, purse strings loosen. We’re in good enough shape to weather the storm if it doesn’t last more that a couple years but we’ve held off plans to look for a beach house a while longer. If real estate prices continue to fall and business continues to rise, holding off a home purchase might just be the right thing to do. Monica’s back to two employees, this has brought the books out of the red for now and we’re sure thankful for them both!
I’ve got business in Paso Robles next week so if my back is better, Monica and I will drive over for the weekend, then stay in Morro Bay Saturday through Monday. We’ve both been frazzled lately so the relaxation will do us good. We’ve neglected several friends on the coast including Mary, “The Curly Blond” over at Blue Sail Inn, and I’ve been thinking of the Lobster at Dorn’s and the sushi at Harada’s lately …mmmm, I can’t wait. We plan to remain for Dinner with clients in San Luis Obispo Friday night, Café Roma has become a definite favorite of ours. The Filetto al Pinot Nero is a definite for me and Monica adores the Scampi. Since I had a meeting there a few years ago we’ve gone back every chance we get! Thinking of our usual haunts at the bay reminds me of our late friend Lance Leage who’s family owns Harbor Hut. Of course we’ll spend a few hours in our favorite barstools but always with remembrances of Lance’s happy face and goofy humor as he never let our glasses go dry. A damned good friend and favorite bartender. As we said in a prior post, go with God Lance, you’ll be sorely missed.
Bye for now, I’m sure Monica will fill you all in about our weekend at the coast in her next writing. Our love to all and as always, everyone please stay safe. We value everyone we know as heartfelt friends and although we don’t express it much in person sometimes, we put great significance in knowing you all, where ever in this world you are. Love to all, God bless!
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