You would think we were busy ..

As I haven't been posting with any regularity.  I am not sure why that is, other than we have been in Desert Hot Springs since November, and not 'on the road'.  There are other RV bloggers who are so punctual and great at their daily postings, but alas, not I. Of course, we have been busy - touring around with Barrie and Louise, as Don's other sister has flown back to Edmonton. 

  Let's see, we went into Palm Springs last Saturday to experience a wicked wind storm with blasts of 90 mph winds. Elizabeth was still here, with some " ooooohs!" from the back seat as debris was flying. Cost of that experience? $159.00 for a back driver side window. Ouch!
  Kim went to a lunch with the Clubhouse Quilters for a birthday party ( lady in white jacket ) and one of them had a purse made of seatbelts! Cool!

A visit on Tuesday to The Living Desert with Barrie and Louise, to see the show in the Amphitheatre and have a tour of the hospital there, neither of which we have done.  We think we may look into how much a membership is there for next year, as we really enjoy it and would go more often, except for the cost of the daily entrance. Thoughts!
   Wednesday was quilting day for Kim, so the gang took off for a very long day to Quartzsite, and the big RV Show. They met up with friends Bob and Jake, toured the Big Tent and experienced some of the crowds. Louise managed to get her polaroid picture taken at the Saskatchewan Travel booth with a mountie in serge. She says she looks like a 'shrimp/chihuahua'( her words, folks!) next to the tall handsome man in red. Beauty!

Hey Bob, do you think I could climb that tree?

Thursday saw us out on a mid morning hike to Morongo Canyon Preserve, just taking it easy on the boardwalk marsh area route.  The weather was warm ( 80F ) so not as many birds as there would have been early in the day. A great place to go hiking/walking and will go again. I was amazed that all the boardwalk was made of Trex ( recycled plastic/wood ) decking materials. At home, prices are not even advertised except for " see in store, or at market prices". 

Where are the snakes? The sign said watch out for snakes!

That was thirsty work, so off to Pappy and Harriet's saloon near Pioneertown for a margarita to cool off. Then, dance Thursday night... laundry and chore day on Friday with a BBQ dinner, then today we are off to Pancake Breakfast at the hall, then the Southwest Arts Festival in Indio with Al and Linda at the Empire Polo Grounds.

Louise has a 'list'. Of course, the list is in her head, and then she lets us know what she may be thinking about.  The 'margarita' can be crossed off now. Even if it was in a jam jar. In a biker bar. In the middle of nowhere. Maybe that crosses off more things.

One on The Road, others on the road

More beautiful days in the Coachella Valley... I was off early to The Road to California - a car show? an RV show? no - a mammoth quilt show at the Ontario Convention Centre.  A couple of vehicles, 2 great drivers, a crazy group of Clubhouse Quilters and we were off! It was a wonderful day of looking at vendors and gawking at amazing quilts.  I didn't take my camera as the literature said no cameras, no wheeled carts, no strollers.....only to find out that cameras were allowed in certain areas. Dang. One of the winning quilts featured over 4500 Swavorski crystals sewn into it. The picture of that quilt is now only in my head, and that's not the greatest place to store it..... guess I won't be trying to use some of that design in my own quilts! ( yeah right, in my dreams )

Back at the ranch, Don and his family took off on another adventure, finding some agricultural fields past Indio growing artichokes, and visiting The Oasis Date Palm Farm, Store and Shop.  They felt they learned some interesting facts about the growing of date palms and the types. On the way back, they toured Paseo Drive, looking at the designer shops.  I asked Louise if she went into Armani there and perhaps tried on or purchased a dress there. No. Well, I tell you, when do I get to carry this Armani bag - the opportunities are there! ( see prior blog posting ).

Today, another adventure awaits as the sisters and SIL are off to see The Follies in Palm Springs. Fun.

Seventy Five Cents????

With the wind that kicked up in the Valley for a couple of days, we were looking for an activity indoors. Indoors? Seems a shame with the warm sun, compared to the -50C at home! Louise suggested we go to a matinee movie, and she found a terrific one at a bargain price of 75 cents per person! On Mondays at the multi-theatre complex on Date Palm, if you have three or more persons in your party, you can see a movie for under a dollar.  If you choose to go any other time, and are a senior, it is $1.25.  Hard to beat! We enjoyed " Tower Heist ".  Great movie.

Yesterday Donald and I went golfing with our friends from the north land.  I didn't bring my ladies, beautiful graphite clubs down south with me, so had to rent some clubs. No ladies clubs available, only men's. Ok. I can deal with that. Well, I should have checked the bag when I picked it up, as there were left and right handed clubs, junior clubs.. you name it. So, that's what I blame my poor game on - ha! Oh no, I think rather it was on the fact that I haven't played in a couple of years. We did have fun and the weather was perfect - sun, great temperature and no wind.

In the afternoon, we headed out to the Premium Outlet Mall in Cabazon with the family.  Louise tried on an Armani dress, but decided that the length was too short. I think for $29, I could have sewn something on the bottom for her. Ok, ok, all I wanted to do was to help her by carrying her Armani bag around the mall. Would she humour me? No.

Clubhouse Quilters Day for me, and who knows what the gang will get up to. Tomorrow I am off to Ontario, CA for a day of wonder.

The flight of the Caudron

On Friday, we didn't have any plans, but decided quickly that we could make an afternoon trip out to see a friend, Bob, staying at the Salton Sea.  He was at Salt Creek, an area of the State Park.  The rates were $8 a night for seafront accomodation, if you can take the noise of the trains, the military jets and the smell of the lake.  Actually, it was perfectly fine by our standards as we are used to boondocking.  Well, maybe not for the whole winter, that's for sure. While we were there, we were delighted? to have a military jet fly extremely close ( understatement ) over our heads. There were 2 jets, but due to our surprise and ducking our heads, most of us only saw one! Keeping in that spirit, we decided to enjoy some more flight related times the next day....

After a delightful Blueberry Pancake breakfast at the Oasis Hall, Saturday saw us at the Palm Springs Air Museum for one of their Saturday Commemorative Programs, and this was one included a flight exhibition.  During the depression period between the World Wars, the Golden Age of Air Racing was huge, both in Europe and the US, akin to today's Nascar, only bigger! People were living vicariously through racing characters like Roscoe Turner - there was even a gentlemen posing as Mr. Turner at the museum.

Roscoe Turner apparently raced with a real lion cub in the cockpit!

In 1934 Europe, Marcel Riffard designed a very fast air racer to compete, winning most European races, and won the US National Air Race ( all classes! ) in 1936. The plans for this plane were destroyed so that enemy hands could not build on its' technology in WW2.  Some inventive Americans from southern California, led by Mark Lightsey who presented the program at the museum, built the plane from photographs and early films.  Mr. Lightsey also flew the plane in a demonstration, after his program.  It was all very entertaining, and we learned so much about that era! Was it fast? You bet!!! He made 3 passes before the museum field, and it seemed as fast as the T-33 jet that we saw demonstrated last spring. Mr. Lightsey has clocked his C-460 at 270 mph, and the original was clocked close to 400 mph.  That is one fast wooden plane!

Not a very big cockpit to squeeze into!

Today we are off back to the College of the Desert Street Fair to meet Bob, enjoy some time together and maybe pick up a thing or 2.

Dancin' the Night away

Thursday was a chore day for me, you know, laundry, grocery shopping, RV cleaning ah, it's all so boring.  What wasn't boring was at the end of the day, we all took in the bi-weekly Dance at the Oasis Hall.  On Wednesday Happy hour, the 'quilter' group booked a couple of tables for our clan and the husbands.  The big treat was that the music man, Matt, was joined by a sax player that he plays with at the Roadhouse.  It was fabulous! 

Louise and Barrie ( sister and BIL ) won a CD of Matt's in the 50/50 draw, and I managed to talk the three other quilter ladies up onto the dance floor for a line dance to hip hop music.

Lest you think this was a late night, nope.... dances are from  7pm to 9 pm.

There be dinosaurs .....

Oh my, I may need to change my ways and become one of the bloggers who post only once a week listing every day, for I am ' very tardy ' in my postings. The weather in Palm Springs continues to be beautiful, with hardly any wind.. now that I've said it that, we'll get a howler for sure. We seem to be avid weather report watchers ( aren't all Canadians? ) but we get a kick out of the extended forecasts for this area, as how do you describe each day differently when the weather is the same? So, you change the forecast slightly: brilliant sunshine, full sunshine, plenty of sun, sunshine and warm, sun with a few clouds and so on. Whatever way it is described, we'll take it and enjoy it.

Saturday we took a drive over to Temecula to have lunch, and perhaps a midweek day would have been better as the town was very busy.  Lots of bikers and some really neat cars.

The paint job would certainly not be what we would choose, but it is different! Sunday found us at the College of the Desert Street Fair, held every weekend.  Donald's sisters found some good licorice and a couple of items, and it looks like we may be going back with them before they leave for the frozen north. Speaking of which, is not very frozen this year.  Our nephew in Calgary was out painting trim on his house a couple of days ago.

Monday was a chores day, and yesterday found us off to a great adventure to Borrego Springs.  I had downloaded the map to the Galleta Meadows Sculptures before we went, so we were somewhat prepared.  First stop was a visit to the Information Centre at the State Park Office ( wonderful facility!) to take in a 15 minute movie, which was very well done, of the seasons in the Park.

Next back to Christmas Circle in town for a picnic lunch, and then we started touring the sculptures. Fun.

We were truly amazed at the amount of detail that the sculptor had put into each very individual piece throughout the valley.  There are no signs directing you to each of these, but there are maps available in town and of course online.  The Guide to Borrego Springs has an excellent map, with descriptions, although they are very brief.

My favorite was the serpent, who had parts on each side the road.  Louise thought that perhaps she could be the one to show how large the metal sculptures are. 

We all got in on the act!

We left Borrego on a different road ( S22 ) than we came in on, so we checked out a few boondocking spots and stopped at a great overlook point of the valley to take more pictures.  Back at the Sands, the gals had earlier prepared chicken enchiladas, so dinner was ready lickety split! Mucho delicious and a great end to the day.

Vinarterta Recipe

Last night we spoke to our youngest son, who was dismayed that his Aunts has brought Vinarterta to Desert Hot Springs..." send some here...pleeeezzz.....". For those who have requested, Donald has been using a combination of recipes: one that his sister uses, handed down from his mother and his Icelandic grandmother, and one from the Winnipeg Free Press.  Now, there is a debate whether a true Vinarterta should be iced or not, and it was always iced in his grandmothers house. We talked it over at lunch today, and his sisters felt that it is better to be iced to keep the cake from drying out.  Paulette noted that her family's recipe was not iced. All a matter of taste!


Six Layer Vinarterta ( from the Winnipeg Free Press )

Cookie/Torte Layers:
1 c butter
1 1/2 C. fine white sugar
2 large eggs
4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 TB almond extract
2 TB heavy cream

Prune Filling:
1 lb pitted prunes ( Costco has 2 lb bags of very fresh prunes )
2 C water
1 TB Cardamom ( traditional, a must )
1 C sugar
1TB cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

To make the torte or cookie layers: Cream butter and sugar, gradually adding eggs one at a time. Work in the dry ingredients to the first mixture. Add cream and almond extract. Mix well. Divide into 6 balls, and pat each ball into a round shape on the upside down,back of a round cake pan. Bake each for 10-12 minutes at 375F. They will become hard when cooled, sort of like a giant shortbread cookie.

To make prune filling: Simmer prunes in water for 15 minutes, then puree in a blender till a smooth paste. Return them to the pot, add sugar, cinnamon and bring to a boil. Take off the stove and add the vanilla. Let cool.

When the cookies are hard and the prune mix is cooled, spread and divide the prune mix between the layers, ending with a cookie layer on top.

Butter Icing:

2 TB butter
1 C Icing Sugar
1 1/2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp almond extract


When you have finished the cake, you can let it sit in your fridge or freezer for a month( wrapped in plastic wrap )... you want the prune filling to soften the hard cookie layers and the spices to liven up!

We cut the cake by slicing into a 1 inch large cut across the cake, then by slicing the other way about a inch. It is very, very rich so these small pieces are all you need.

Cutting those small pieces should make this treat last, but, alas it never does.... when large family gatherings are happenings, the cake is hidden away and then doled out carefully!

Before we started on the road, Donald was making 3 of these cakes at Christmas, as parts were given as gifts and our sons looked forward to their 'slice of home'.

I think it's about time they learned to make it themselves...hmmmm boys?

Vinatarta and Bunny!

Sorry, missed yet another day in posting. Yesterday was quilting ( yahoo!) and Dona took his sisters and BIL grocery shopping to restock their pantry, and pick up a few things for dinner with Rick and Paulette.  We have borrowed a twin airbed for them for sister #1, and we are very grateful.  The highlight of the evening was an early birthday cake for Donald - it is not till the end of the month, but #1 managed to bake and bring a Vinatarta cake ( Icelandic cake ) to Desert Hot Springs.  It turns out that Paulette is also of Icelandic heritage ( both her parents ) and she has not had this special cake since many moons ago ( we won't say how long ).  It was very much enjoyed.  Donald also requested , pushy as he is, for his sisters to bring some 'bunny' as well. He likes to add Nestle's Quik to his coffee instead of sugar, and he cannot get it anywhere here.  No wonder they said their luggage was so heavy checking in! It was a grand surprise for him. 

After that busy night, we recovered today by hanging out around the park, taking in the pool this afternoon and visits to neighbours.  We made an early reservation for 5 pm to Las Casuelas Terrazo in Palm Springs, and it seemed like everyone else in Palm Springs had the same idea. Busy!! Then we took in the Street Fest, enjoying the booths, the people watching and the wonderful Boys and Girls Club Jazz Band.  Great night, except that I forgot my camera - darn!

Pictures mothers do not want their sons to see

The family gang were pretty tired after their flight from Edmonton, so after a day of kickin' back, we headed to Joshua Tree National Park.  I purchased an annual National Parks pass last year, and we used it enough all last year to pay it off, and now we are on the 'free' side of the coin!  Weird thing though, we had to show the pass to get out of the park.  Hmm.

we found the fault!

Hanging out at Keys View, up about 4500 feet more than our abodes!

Yesterday was the perfect day to travel to the park, as it was cooler than the valley, no wind and we had a great clear view at the top to see the Salton Sea and Mexico, as well as the San Andreas Fault.  BIL "B" was exceptional at spying things to look at, and he noticed some slacklining going on - how do they know? Our nephew, their son, has been to the Park climbing.  However, his mother did not want any pictures shown to him to encourage more of this behaviour - too late!

It was fun to watch the climbers, as they climbed up to this point and then the brave ones travelling back and forth on multiple lines strung across the high rocks. Some of us ( the mothers?) didn't think it was that much fun, as I think we all kept thinking that our sons should not know about this! And yet, all our boys have those little ballerina climbing shoes....

do you see them?

These guys were not using any safety lines...

Of course, no beautiful day is perfect without that pic -a - nic lunch.  Some areas, near bottles bins, had lots of wasps hanging about, but we managed to find an area with none of the pesky insects about and had a great break.

And on tap for today? Grocery shopping, dinner preparations and quilting for Kim. Fun. ( well, for me anyway ).

Whew! Good thing B brought shorts form the frozen north!

family visits....

After an extremely long morning of travel from Edmonton, Donald's sisters and BIL are here for a month to take in the sunshine and sights.  They have rented a park model down the street from us, and it is very handy.  Of course, they left the Edmonton abode very early to catch their flight, and booked a taxi to the airport long in advance, knowing that on New Years Eve, it would have been impossible otherwise. ( at 3 in the am! )

Today we might be off to see Thousand Palms, and enjoy some cooler temperatures under the big palm trees. Yep, it's warm...poor us.

ttyl