Highly Recommended Movie

I highly recommend the movie "Temple Grandin", an HBO movie.  It is a true story, which are my favorite.  It is inspiring.

Isabella - the love of our life (of course all grandparents say that about their grandchildren)

Isabella with her Papa

Isabella, Margie and Papap

Boys Lake Dedication

Calming and Beautiful

source - paolettlac tumbler

From Goggle.com

San Francisco Photos - Not Exactly in Order

Mt. Shasta in California

Ship in harbor in San Francisco - apparently several movies were filmed here

 A cable car of course

 Golden Gate Bridge (it was a beautiful and clear day - not always the case, as most photos you see show the bridge in the fog)

Zebras eating - seen on a wildlife reserve

Exciting that we were able to get so close



Myself sitting by a Coastal Redwood

My sister and I within a redwood

I snapped this photo while we were driving along Highway 1 and found it calming

Antelope at the wildlife preserve

My sister took this photo and I thought it was beautiful

This was outside where we stayed one night

These are wild elk that we saw along the highway as we were heading out of the redwoods



My Sister and I in San Francisco
It was extremely windy and cold but a beautiful site

Ideas of Landscape When I Retire

Found at Filoli Gardens
Photo from Flickr

Great Idea for Presentation of Cheese Plate at Christmas

Source:  Cabot Cheese.com

Monkey Business Cupcake

Source of Recipe - Parents.com
I might make these for my grandaughter's birthday (she likes monkeys)

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 large
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup chocolate chips (mini chips ideal)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
18 gingersnap cookies
18 mini Oreos
1 4 1/4 ounce tube white decorating frosting
36 mini brown M&M's

Make It
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 18 muffin cups. Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl, blend bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat in oil and sugar. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 2/3 cup chocolate chips.

2. Fill cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

3. To Decorate: Heat cream and corn syrup in a saucepan until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat; add 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Glaze cupcakes with chocolate. Spoon extra into a plastic bag and refrigerate.

4. Cut gingersnaps to make a mouth. For ears, separate Oreo tops and bottoms and remove filling. Pipe on white frosting for eyes and top with M&M's. Snip a small corner from bag of chocolate; pipe on hair and nostrils.

This photo make me want to jump on and ride into the sunset