August in Canada

Returning to Fresno after a week spent in the rolling green hills of Saskatchewan is always a tough thing. Don’t get me wrong, I like Fresno. I really do. But home is where the heart is, and my first home will always be Saskatchewan. Each visit is guaranteed to leave me feeling refreshed and relaxed. The prairies are one of my favorite places on earth. The expansive, deep blue sky stretches endlessly, making it feel as though you’re living inside a giant snow globe. The horizons are so clear and crisp, you can literally see for miles across the fields of crops and trees. The pace is slower, everyone waves to you while driving on the gravel roads (even strangers), there’s always a familiar face at the local cafe, friendly conversations are had while filling up at the gas pump, a fresh, homemade cookie is offered at the shoe repair store, every summer meal is sure to include a bounty from the garden and is enjoyed outside....it may sound like some Norman Rockwell painting, but it’s the small place on earth where I was privileged to grow up and where I love to return.

Anniversary Retreat

On July 20, Jeremy & I celebrated our 9th anniversary. Yes, nine years. I know, we’re an old married couple, minus the old part! To properly ring in our years of wedded bliss, we ventured to the Central Coast for a weekend away. Pacific Grove was the destination, the Gosby House Inn was our quaint bed and breakfast, low-60s were the promised temperatures, and relaxation was on the menu. After driving through the Pacheco Pass, the temperature reading in our car made a dramatic drop from the 99 degree heat of Fresno to the cool breath of fresh Pacific air. As we pulled in to Pacific Grove that evening, the sky was overcast, and it was 58 F. It felt like winter. We loved it.

Our time was spent walking, reading and eating. We excelled at all three. The seaside pathway that winds from Pacific Grove into Monterey affords expansive views of the ocean to the west and the quaint coastal houses to the east. On Saturday morning we headed out for a long walk and brought our books along, just in case we felt like stopping for a read. On our way back we found a quiet bench just off the path, perfect for reading, that looked over the rocky shoreline and dark waves below. I ended up reading an entire book in 24 hours and Jeremy made a sizable dent in his novel over the course of the weekend. It was perfection. Sprinkled in between our walking and reading, we ate amazing fish tacos at Peppers for lunch, and I savored a delicious plate of homemade lobster ravioli for dinner that night. We concluded our time away on Sunday with more walking and, of course, a tasty lunch to send us on our way home. The Red House Cafe served up unusual sandwiches that did not disappoint. My grilled cheese was a heavenly combination of Fontina cheese, roasted red peppers and artichokes on fresh bread with an olive aioli sauce. Yum.

I realize this may sound like a holiday fit for a 90-year-old, but we loved every minute of our lazy weekend away. It’s always such a wonderful feeling to escape the summer heat and retreat to the coast for a time.