Mid-October Already?

I'm not sure exactly where the month has gone but I am enjoying early morning, cool weather hikes. We celebrated on the 13th when my goddaughter/baby cousin Marin was baptized in Malibu in a precious gown my sister Kristen made 15 years ago for my daughter's baptism!

It's been a creative week!  After drying a bumper crop of cayenne peppers from a late summer's harvest, I ground them up and now have gorgeous red pepper in a pretty jar on my counter. I've already used it to flavor two delicious soups and a shrimp stir fry and it packs a punch.

I had wall and desk calendars made from the coastal themed paintings I did last month and they came out even better than I envisioned. I used the painting "Harbor Patrol" below as the cover and they are available at www.seashop.bigcartel.com. I also painted a flag on a discarded wood flooring sample and gave it as a gift. After I sanded the finish a bit, it looked vintage so now I plan on making one for our home too. I've always loved painting on one of a kind pieces of wood.

I made a double batch of chewy almond biscotti from a recipe my friend Christina shared years ago. However, I replaced the white sugar with organic coconut palm sugar and the white flour with a whole grain version and they are just as delicious. I may try adding a bit of pumpkin next time.

My husband and I went on a spectacular drive up to Los Olivos over the weekend and enjoyed lunch, exploring the town, and then biking around the Santa Ynez valley, ending up at a lovely winery called Kalyra. Sitting on their massive porch enjoying the view and a wine tasting just made me want to paint, so I took some terrific photos to use in my studio. Not ready to end the fun we stopped in Carpinteria for a sunset supper and a beach stroll. Getting out to see or do something new is just what we all need to recharge our batteries and get inspired!

CARPINTERIA SUNSET STCC (c) 2013

"HARBOR PATROL" STCC (c) 2013