Tag Archives: list of 100

So, I’m 40! I’m not too surprised that I’m embracing it with love, I have been working towards this acceptance after all. I wanted to ring in this next decade in a BIG way, so off to Northern Cali I went. My first three days were spent alone in the Redwoods between Carmel and Big Sur California, one of my favorite places. Landing in San Francisco around 12:30 my first stop was Baja Fresh for lunch. I can’t help it, ever since PFMan and I lived in Vegas, years ago, I have loved BF and don’t miss a chance to eat the veggie burrito. Then down the coast I go. HWY 17 is spectacular, a curvy, tree-lined drive, just breathtaking. I arrive in Carmel to do some shopping for my stay. I’m determined to go veggie while I’m here so I stock my cart with organic produce, strawberries, asparagus, & pistachios. I’ve brought my herbal teas from home as well, oh and chocolate with sea salt:-). I turn down Palo Colorado Rd. to head to Don Loui’s. This image above is the point where Palo Colorado Rd. meets the Pacific Coast Hwy. Turning off down Palo Colorado was magical. See I’m a dreamer in the sense that I love environments that transport me, and when you turn onto this road you are placed immediately into towering redwoods, like a land of fairies. You twist and wind amongst the quiet giants, houses placed into the sides of the mountains like they’ve been there forever, all blending in with the trees, completely part of the forest.

Here I have my bag of goodies, camera & backpack (which was packed in my luggage and now used to haul only the few items I’d need for this portion of my trip), and up the mountain I go. Not too bad, about five steep switchbacks, with little treasures at every corner. Then the Dragon House appears, unbelievable! I’m through the Dragon house tunnel and onto the Rainbow House where I’m staying. Don, the innkeeper, is an eccentric. He’s been on this property since 1983. Then it was him, the land and a tent. The Rainbow house he built first. Yes, him and his son. Previously he was a contractor and landscaper by trade and it shows. Today there are 4 buildings, The Rainbow & Dragon House (rentals), his own home and an octagon above the rest with windows looking out over the mountain and Pacific Ocean, used for yoga and/or meditation. Beautiful, peaceful! He’s created many trails all around the property as well.

Though I highly recommend staying here alone, as a couple or small family, this is not for everyone. Forget a warm shower and none at all in the Rainbow House. Luckily I like going rough and dirty, ha. There is no oven and only a propane burner for stove top, and it’s QUIET (aside from the very loud frogs and owls at night:-). I like to think of the house like a tree house on crack, seriously! And since I like being transported, it was perfect for me, like a kid again.

So what’s a girl to do all alone in the mountains? Hike, hike, eat at her favorite restaurant in Big Sur, play words with friends, ha, take lots of pictures and hike some more. To my chagrin there was no big AHA moment or anything, just time with myself which in itself is a BIG deal for me. In my past being along has been very difficult. A good friend of mine text-ed me while there questioning how I was doing alone. He said he talks to himself a lot when alone, lol. Me too:-). And I did, much of it in my head, some out loud. But I was comfortable with it, the oneness, and that’s a BIG deal!

Please enjoy some of the many photos I took while on this part of my trip and look for a post on me joining the girls in Wine Country soon:-)!

Peace!

Previous trip to Big Sur with my honey:-)!

I posted my Perfectly Flawed List last July, so I thought it was time to revisit it, see how the check marks are stacking up. NOT WELL. However, I will be checking off several things here in the next couple of months. If you’re reading this, I’m in Wine Country right now with three of my best-est girl friends. On our itinerary, Sonoma, Coppola, the Coast, San Fransisco. I’m sure I’m having a wonderful time right now, taking crazy amounts of pictures to share with you soon!

In March, PFman, PFkids and I are flying to Ireland for a week. PFman does a live broadcast over St. Patties Day every year and I wasn’t letting him go alone for the third year in a row. NO Way. We are booked at the Kilcullen House in Galway our first four nights. Plan on seeing the Cliffs of Mohar, Aran Islands, Connemara and then heading to Dublin for the Big Day. Oh yes, Guinness Storehouse here we come. Oh poo, this is going to set the diet back again, lol.

The List!

I find myself thinking of the mountains often. I love being outside amongst the trees, listening to them talk in the wind, seeing the flickering Aspens, looking up to see the glowing rays of the sun shining through the limbs. The Peace. This year our family has focused a bit more on getting into the mountains. Living in Florida, the mountains are something we experience rarely, and yet crave so often. At the beginning of summer we stayed in a primitive campground near the Ocoee River in Tennessee called Tumbling Creek. The campsites are right on the creek where the sounds of water running over the rocks are so soothing. Then getting up in the morning to splash your face with the stinging cool water is incredibly rejuvenating…it’s truly a spiritual experience!

We recently returned home from a weeks vacation in Colorado, a state we have wanted to visit for a long time. The mountains seen here are like I’ve never witnessed before. This must be where the term Majestic comes from. The air up there is cool and crisp with little to no humidity – you just feel Alive! We didn’t want to come home and are already planning our return. Last night I photographed an event for the Alpha House of Pinellas County where I bid and won a week stay at a lovely home in Murphy, NC. This is right outside where we stayed in Tennessee and I’m so excited to have this next trip to the mountains to look forward to.

I do see us living in the mountains someday, I don’t know when, just someday. And then, of course, I’ll crave the ocean, ha.

…

Me in Oahu.

A few weeks ago I came across a blog, “How to write your Life List”. So I set-out to begin my list of 100 things. I must say, this is not as easy as I thought it would be. Honestly I began to struggle around #20, Really? This is supposed to be a breeze, putting down on paper the 100 things you must do before, well you know. I had to remind myself that this is more than a list, this is an exercise. For me, its putting it out there, keeping it top of mind, good intentions and positive thinking to fill my life with things that make me happy and fulfilled. I definitely took the guidance of several other blog posts on the subject. They reminded me not to forget about things that are everyday, not just Big ticket items, also to dream big and not worry about the ‘how’ of making these things happen. I will continue to add ‘to do’s’ to my life list as I think of them and hopefully one day, sooner than later, I’ll near 100. For now…

Here is my list of 50ish.