Sitting on my porch, sipping my steaming masala chai (Indian spices infused in my tea), I felt the first of the many sprinkles of rain. I closed my eyes and drifted back to God’s Own Country – Kerala. Instantaneously, I was transported to Coconut Lagoon, CGH Earth, a Heritage 5 star resort nestled in the heart of Kerala’s serene backwaters in a sheltered and enchanting cove in Kumarakon.

Pearls without boundaries for designs without limits.”

Pearls, past and present

There was a time when pearls were white, cream, pink, golden, black off round or baroque. They were stored in boxes and brought out for special occasions. Today, lifestyles are less formal where pearls are integrated into everyday life.

You may remember that I did a piece about the stunning sunsets on the Peninsula a few months ago, so today I am taking on an early morning walk on the other side of the hill, for some views of the sunrise.

During this time in our organization, Love On 4 Paws has suspended regular visits to the hospitals, senior facilities and schools we serve in the greater Los Angeles area.

As a result, our 4 legged volunteers have also had to adjust to this time of pause.

We checked in with a few and found they all have different ways of spending their free time.

The gray fox whose range goes from southern Ontario south to northern parts of Venezuela and Columbia can climb trees. They are the only canine in North America that have such an ability. How do they do it?

Porte-Couteaux, Coq Au Vin and Chèvre Salad

Porte-Couteaux is the French name for a knife rest or, more literally, a "knife carrier".
During the Victorian era, knife rests were made of many different materials including gold, silver, mother of pearl and ivory. There are many unique knife rests for sale, from cut crystal, sterling silver, and coral to simple bamboo

June is known for Father’s Day, graduations, weddings, and even “busting out all over”!

Hence my first thought for the month was about films featuring fathers in various postures as the pivotal theme, significant to the story, honoring paternity in many different guises and touching on all the sentiments of “dear old dad.” My own darling Father was a “gentleman for all seasons”; smart, suave, stellar athlete, movie star handsome, kind, compassionate, and a Navy veteran of WWII. Am I prejudice, you bet! Even so he was human, not perfect and I miss him every day; and appreciate the fine values he and our equally elegant Mother imparted. Cherish your own parents in life and honor their memories by worthy action.