Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Ode to Walnut Grove

Walnut Grove is a beautiful small community south of Sacramento. This place is special to me because it houses a good bunch of people I love. Also, it was my home for a couple of years after I graduated high school.
 Walnut Grove is a farming area. The Sacramento River runs along the main road. On Thanksgiving weekend (2013), I decided to take a walk through this little town. This here sign is right by where I used to live. I wonder who painted this sign. It is hand painted. Just like the town, it is one of a kind!



My brothers painted this house in the mid 1990s. 



This is Walnut Grove's Presbyterian Church. Gustavo and Judy were married here. We had the best party here the evening of their wedding. We had "birria" and lots of other delicious foods. Judy's mom made the most beautiful wedding cake. The reception was both indoors and outdoors. The outdoors was decorated with white little lights. It was very elegant. I love this church!



 This is the Catholic Church: Saint Anthony's. This place is very symbolic in my Spiritual life. The building is very rustic and beautiful. I went into the building and it was quiet and peaceful. On a Saturday morning, there were about 5 people scattered throughout the serene chapel, just sitting and taking in the peace. some were praying, some just sitting there quietly. A very calm place of meditation.



This house is cool looking. It's a lighthouse house. There are calalillies on their yard. Very California-y.




History froze in my brother's backyard. I love this truck!








 This good looking guy is a loud goat. Charlie the goat is having himself a nice Thanksgiving hay dinner.


I had a great time in Walnut Grove. The weather was heavenly while we were there. My family there is very loving. A very excellent visit to Walnut Grove!









 

Friday, December 6, 2013

Family Road-Trip 2013

We have been visited my Mr. Jack Frost this week. Good thing he came to us when we are home and not on the road. 

For the week of Thanksgiving, I decided to invite myself and my little family to my brother's house in California. Them being the amazing people they are, they said "Sure!" and off we went for a whole week. 

The drive down went by so fast, I believe my excitement made the drive very enjoyable. SW Idaho and SE Oregon are pretty flat and dry and empty.

We drove for what seemed not so long when we came upon a funny named town: Winnemucca. After stretching our limbs and eating a little subway sandwich, we carried on to our southern journey. For many many miles we drove as we listened to music and told the children to quit fighting over whatever they were fighting over, then we saw hints of civilization again. A small city called Sparks came into focus. We thought it was Reno because we could see a few skyscrapers with flashy lights luring people to leave their money on their gambling tables. Sparks is kind of the Jamaica Plains of Boston, the West Valley of Salt Lake or the Meridian of Boise. 

Clowning around

Airborne


He can Fly!
One of the entrances

 










Reno was fun. We stayed in a place called Circus Circus. It was very interesting how people walked around with their little families inside the building with cigarettes in hand. Circus Circus was like a Chuck-E-Cheese with smokers but with lots more lights. My kids had fun for about the 1st 20 minutes. We went up to our room to watch Mrs. Doubtfire and jump on the beds. Shh, don't tell anyone!

Bright Lights in the City

Friday, June 7, 2013

Mi Granuja

This morning, before I drove to work, I went in my boy's room to check on him. I found him sleeping like Michael J. Fox slept in the Back to the Future movies. It was so adorable to see him sleeping so peaceful. I took a picture of this to remember. This scene reminded me of a poem my mom used to hear over and over in her old "consola" in Mexico. It was a vynil record, the big one, it was a series of beautiful spanish poems read by Manuel Bernal. Here is the text of this masterpiece created by Vicente Neira:

La Guaja


Ven acá granuja
¿Dónde andas so guaja?
Hoy te mondo los huesos a palos,
no llores ni huyas por que no te escapas,
yo no sé lo que hacer ya contigo me tienes muy harta,
a ti ya no te valen palabras, a ti ya no te valen razones,
ni riñas, ni encierros, ni golpes, ni nada.
Te dije al marcharme:
levántate pronto y estira esos huesos
y dobla las mantas y enciende la lumbre
y arrima el puchero y enjuaga las ollas
y barra la casa.Y vengo y me encuentro grandísimo pillo,
la lumbre sin brazas,
la puchera sin caldo ni prigue,
la vivienda peor que una cuadra,
la burra sin pienso,
las pilas sin agua.¿Segaste la hierva?
¿Trajiste la paja?
¿Regaste los tiestos?
¿Cerniste la harina?
¿Clavaste la estaca?
¿Comió la cordera?
¿Bebió la lechona?
¿Cogiste los huevos?
¿Mudaste la cabra?¡Hum!
¿Y a ti qué te importa?
¿para qué quieres cansarte?
Si aquí está la burra que todo te lo haga.Te piensas granuja
que al estar tu madre hechita una negra
quemándose el alma,
mientras tu me malgastas el tiempo que da más que lástima,
hecho un ropa suelta...
hecho un rajamantas...
por esas callejas detrás de los perros,
por esos regatos tirando a las ranas,
o cogiendo nidos en las zarzamoras,
que así estás de lindo grandísimo guaja.¿Y ese siete tan guapo en la blusa?
¿Y esos pantalones tan llenos de manchas?
¡Hum!
¡Qué gorra más limpia!
¡qué medias tan majas!
¡qué pelos tan lindos!
qué cuello, qué puños, qué codos, ¡quémangas!
Yo no sé lo que hacer ya contigo, me tienes muy harta.De sobra conoces que somos solitos...
que ya no tenemos quien nos lo ganaba...
que la vida de toditos los pobres es vida de lágrimas...
¡pero ni por esas!
a ti que te dejen roncando en la cama
y te pongan la mesa tres veces
y rueden los días y viva la holganza
¡súbete esos calzones so pillo!
¡Ã¡tate esos zapatos so randa!
límpiate esos mocos, lávate esa cara
y vete ahora mismo donde no te vea
que me tienes, me tienes muy harta.Te aseguro chiquitín,
te aseguro que esto te se acaba.
Endende mañana ¡a la cola del burro!
Conmigo a la plaza, conmigo al molino,
conmigo a la haza,
a sudar fatigas, a mojarte el alma,
ya verás las penitas que cuesta...
ya verás con que ahogo se gana este pan que tan cómodamentea lo bobo,
¡a lo bobo te zampas!
y ahora ¡a la cama!, ¡a la cama!La aurora se acerca espléndida, diáfana,
lentamente despliegan las nubes su manto de escarcha,
la madre afanosa se tira del lecho
y sus toscos aperos prepara,
que ya espera más ruda que nunca la brega diaria,
cariñosa y tierna se acerca hasta el lecho donde el niñocándido,
tranquilo descansa,
un instante contempla amorosa su faz sonrosada
y después...
con cariño ferviente dando un beso en sus labios exclama:
¿Yo turbar este sueño tan dulce?
no fuera quien soy ni tubiera entrañas...
juega, brinca y destroza hijo mío...
¡tu madre lo gana!


I read this poem this morning and I was overcome with emotion. I love that my mom loved poetry and this poem reminds me a bit of her. I am grateful that I got to see my boy sleeping ever so peaceful this morning to set me on search of this Spanish literary gem.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Zucchini Quesadillas

There is nothing like eating a nice, home cooked meal. If you are really hungry, you can cook a bunch and eat 'til your belly says "that's good, I'm happy now".  If you go to a restaurant, say, a certain burger place that sells things for $1...cheap, but, satisfying? not so much, at least not for me. I eat one of those cheesy burgers and I still feel hungry and weighed down. My mouth feels like it has been lined with a thick film of grease, mmmm, mmmm, I'm not loving it!

So today after work I reheated yesterday's dinner. And also I made some simple quesadillas. (At church yesterday a lovely person shared the bounties of their garden with us. They shared a good bunch of zucchinis. So I took one. Thank you for sharing!)

I am going to share with you guys what I made for dinner tonight. Super easy, and very filling. I called my creation:                   Zucchini Quesadillas

I like corn tortillas, you can use flour if you like
them more.
get some good quality cheese


meet the stars of my garden
garlic=flavor...dont worry about
garlic breath, there's always gum or
mouthwash for that
sautee your zucchinis with a bit of olive
oil or butter.

 

Get a skillet and place it over medium heat. Warm up your tortillas until they are nice and bendy. Place a nice slice of cheese, add your already sauteed zuchinnis (I threw in chopped red peppers while I sauteed because I happen to be addicted to peppers, don't judge me please!) Close up your tortilla and let it heat up until cheese is melted.

quesadillas must be made in 2's so they dont get
lonely in the plate.


 
                                                                                          

Get a nice cold soda, or water or whatever drink you like and then.....

 



make them disappear!

enjoy your quick easy zucchini quesadillas!

                                                                                    

Sunday, August 19, 2012

3rd Grade, now and then

who is happy to start school? This girl is!
Tomorrow is going to be the first day of the academic school year for my girl. She is going to start 3rd grade. She is very happy to go to school again. She has all her school supplies in her backpack and she is ready to tackle another year of school. I can remember vaguely my 3rd grade of grade school. My teacher's name was 'Maestra Filomena' something like that... She had an ugly first name and she was an ugly teacher in the way of treating us kids. During that time,my mom would comb my hair and would make 2 beyond- tight braids which she securely set in place with lime juice directly from the lime fruit

 Those braids were set for a long time. I mean my hair felt more like a helmet than hair...I write with detail about my hair because this witch of a teacher (FILOMENAAAA) would yank on my braids if I even blinked the wrong way. She also liked to sport her yard stick on my hands, WHACK!!!...dang! I hated school in Mexico..teachers were always mean and I was always hungry...not much has changed with the hunger issue. It was in the 3rd grade also that I got into a fist fight with a young boy named Carlos. I did this to defend my little brother from his bullying. I won that battle pretty  good. Anyhow..I am happy my girl will not have to deal with craziness like i did at her age. FILOMENAAAA! (say in whisper for a more dramatic effect)

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

long overdue



On March 30th my beautiful niece had a lovely wedding. This was a great opportunity for me to get away and enjoy my family down in Arizona. My kids got to meet their cousins and get some serious sunshine. When we left home, we left a soggy, rainy ID. We had an overnight layover in SLC with my awesome little brother. From there we continued on our journey south to the land of sunrays. Following I will post some family pictures. My camera went MIA for the wedding so I have none for that special event. Karo, my niece looked absolutely stunning, she looked like a real live princess. I am so happy for her and wish her and Jerry the best of life as they start off their journey together! And now, la familia mia.



Franklin and Latif

Daniela, Isabella and Andrea after some awesome kareoke....yes they are cool chicks!

beautiful Daniela

Luis and Julio chilling

mi mama y yo....she is so petite I look extra grande next too her

Martin & Franklin watching Puss 'N Boots for the 7th time

on our way to some gorgeous canyon to hike a desert paradise

parecen Japonesitas las primas

goofy face time.....my kids are experts at this.

the Rock where we can rest our burdens

I just had to have a picture by a majestic sahuaro...check out the background...gorgeous....the weather perfect! Thanks Adam!

they came, they hiked, they conquered!!! las 2 mosqueteras.

splashy mcsplasher

Adan, y las 2 mujeres mas importantes de su vida

Julio knows how to relax.


traveling Sonora style, but not for long!

Adan, the Artist

mi changuito con tia Mari!
brincando en el mar....cosa mas linda, el mar y mi niño


A big ROCK in the middle of the water.

ay si, muy turistas las primitas
los nietos mas chiquitos de mi mama Irene: Luis, Franklin, Latif, Julio y Nicolas

boys rock!

abuelita con sus nietecitas, las mas chiquitas de todo el monton

This is Christopher. He is the coolest person ever. Although he has never spoke a word in his life, he has a smile pure enough to melt any heart in the planet. I love you Christopher!!!

a midnight meal with hot cocoa! mmmmm, cocoa!

somewhere in North Arizona