Monday morning.....

I have written about Mondays on my other blog but this is about a summer Monday morning....or at least an early summer Monday morning.

I could not get myself out of bed before 9 this morning........
However, once done, and after DH headed out to his workout.....I grabbed a large coffee and the paper and sat out on the deck/patio for a while, read and absorbed the ambiance of a young garden, a robin picking at the strawberries and the cackle of the magpies. It was lovely, not too chilly or breezy....just perfect.

I then headed in to make up my breakfast bowl of strawberries from the garden (picked by DH before the robin has his share), French Vanilla thick yogurt, chia seeds,  a dusting of Kashi Go Lean and topped with a small spoonful or two of cashew butter. It was delish....and I read my book of the moment whilst eating.....The Strangeness of Beauty by Lydia Minatoya.... Reading while eating is supposedly a no-no, but it works for me!!

I then grabbed my second cup of coffee and headed down to sit at the computer for a while.

All in all....a good start to the week.....:-)

Slainte!!

Anniversary day....

It was our anniversary yesterday. We did our usual Saturday morning thing….well not really usual…we didn't go to the market, however, Chauncey got his walk.

We had decided that a road trip was in order, so we headed out to visit a new winery in the area….Celista Estate Winery on the north side of Shuswap Lake in the North Okanagan, just over an hour east of Kamloops.  It was quite lovely as were the owners of the winery, Margaret and Jake Ootes. The wine was excellent, we did some tasting and bought a few bottles and then Margaret  gave us a complimentary bottle of white wine (Cuvee) for our anniversary....... totally unexpected and a delightful surprise!
Some pictures of our excursion.....
                                                                                                                                                     

 

This is their living quarters (I think!) with the Tasting Room on the ground floor......with picnic and patio tables dotted around ......

 

...one of the many gorgeous views....

More view....

 

...the vineyard ....still early in the season.... with beautiful Shuswap Lake in the distance.

one of the many beautiful plants around

...closeup .....

.....their wine....delicious!!

 The drive there and back was interesting…so many changes in the area since we were last there. We then stopped to admire the loaded apricot and peach trees at my brother's home after which, happily for Chauncey, we headed home for a rest before going out to dinner.

In the evening we headed out to Storms restaurant in Kamloops for our anniversary dinner…..it's on the river and we had asked for a window table, although if we go later on in the summer I believe I would like to have a table on the patio overlooking the river. Tonight it was just a tad too breezy for me.  Some picture memories of the occasion.....sorry I have no pictures of actual food....it would have taken away from the ambience to be clicking over our plates.....so the pics are after the fact .....:-)

DH

Me

Together...

Our lovely waitress Haley....and the menus (she was so patient with us!)

Our appetizer....one shared...sooooo good!!!

DH's 9 oz and tasty...

My entree....excellent!!

We did have dessert....a Banofee Pie (Banana Toffee) for me and a Truffle Mousse Cake filled with chocolate for DH!! They were exquisite!!  Unfortunately the picture of the dessert menu was terribly blurred ....so you only have our word for it!! :-)
....and as for our wine..... Rigamarole from the Okanagan Valley's Artisan Wine Company....perfect compliment to the food!!

Dear DH and I have been together for 36 years and married for 34….and I wouldn't have it any other way.

To the love of my life….Happy Anniversary !!!

Slainte!!