El Torito

El Torito - a favorite place to eat and always colorful. I get a little ribbing about the camera being out all the time but I actually don't mind because I love the memories and the pictures that accidentally turn out better than expected. As anyone who has seen much of this blog knows I love vivid colors so El Torito is my kind of place.


Sunset from the parking lot was magnificent and though I didn't notice it the castle in the bay was in the picture to the right of the palm.


Another view of the front of the El Torito.


I lightened up this sunset picture a little.


I love the combinations of colors in this shot of the window.


And of the other decorative window.


Even this plain window was worth putting on the blog.


Inside the El Torito we sat in the bar area for Happy Hour and some great snack food (Tamales and Tacos) everything during Happy Hour was very cost effective so we splurged and even got some desert (flan) and some guacamole.


We had hoped Steven and Martha & Family could have joined us but Steven is working some long hours so they couldn't come. But we had Bruce and his friend (and ours as well) Diane, and Matt and Diana with us. Even the waiter got into the act taking a picture of us at the table.


After dinner I took a few night shots outside. This one is of the plain glass paned window...


...and this one of the shuttered window with a little post shot editing.


No Scrabble

Quote of the Day

"He, only, in a general honest thought
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world,
This was a man!"
~ William Shakespeare, from Julius Caesar Greatest English dramatist and poet (1564 - 1616)

Meanwhile back at the ranch...

We all posed for a family picture at Rancho Takach otherwise known as "Little Texas Ranch" located in Valley Center.
Top Row George, Ed, Diana, Matt
Bottom Row The Contender, Scrabble Queen, Lil' Sis and Wendy


Matt and Diana went down to the feeding of the herd and Willie was glad to see them until he realized they didn't have any food.

Willie is a Watusi Bull. Particularly remarkable are these Watusi cattle found in Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. In Uganda, the Nkole tribe's Sanga variety is known as the Ankole. In Rwanda and Burundi, the Tutsi tribe's Sanga variety is called the Watusi.


Any Texan worth their salt who listens to Willie (Nelson not Willie Watusi) knows about Lukenbach.

These days Luckenbach Texas is, to paraphrase John Steinbeck, a state of mind – A Texas state of mind, where you can kick back, relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life—like a step back in time.

This tiny hill country hamlet where “Everybody’s Somebody” was established as a Trading Post in 1849 making it one of the oldest settlements in Gillespie County.


Like any ranch the chores are divided between the ranch hands. Every day on a ranch the animals are fed and given the attention all of us domesticated animals need. George and Jill are good caretakers of Willie, Teddy, Wendy and the boarders who drop in from time to time and good caretakers of their spread.


Teddy hides behind the fence as George helps with the feeding and does a little stall mucking.


The Ranch House sits about halfway up this boulder covered hill. Notice the boulder just above and a little to the left of the flag, it will be prominant later.


Jill, Matt and Diana gave Teddy a little attention and oats in his stall.


Jill's smile is infectious as is her sense of humor. Notice the sign on Teddy's stall.


Ok so I like the John Ford "Stagecoach" shot through the door image and try to emulate it every chance I get.


George built these stairs from the house to the barn. They make for a nice picture.


Horses behind bars? I wonder what Teddy's offense was to get locked up.


Remember the boulder above the flag. Well Matt and Diana climbed to the top of that boulder for some exercise and took this picture. I'm a white dot on the back porch.....


Taking a picture of them.


At the top of the boulder they took pictures of each other. A beautiful couple of humans we love to bits.



No Scrabble

Quote of the Day

"There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos." ~ Jim Hightower

Bird Rock and the Giant Dipper

I have to mention these are all pictures Matt took this morning on an early morning drive with Diana. So my only part in this post is my thoughts about the pictures and guesses where they were taken - so I will review the blog with Matt tomorrow to make any mistaken comments.

I believe this was taken in LaJolla but I could be wrong - it's a glimpse of how the other side of town lives.


I am positive what this spot is. It used to be called children's beach. It was originally a protected area (from the waves) where children could dip in with relative safety. At some point the seals started coming and for awhile the children and seals co-existed . I think the children we eventually booted from the beach so the seals could rest in peace without stress. I don't see anyone on the jetty but you used to be able to walk to the end.


The seals are pretty cool, especially when they are swimming in the crests of the Pacific waves. On the beach however they lay so still they could easily be bean bag chairs.


It's pretty easy to see how the caves along the shore are formed in this shot. Harder sandstone stays and the softer is eroded.


Cormorants on the cliffs are a common sight on this part of the Pacific coast all the way up the coast. I've seen some in Oregon as well. The are definitely cliff dwellers.


In this more open view you can get some idea of their abundance in this area.


Diana walked along the shore near some pretty nice beach homes. I believe this and the pictures of the birds were shot at an area of La Jolla called "Bird Rock" one of Matt's favorite surfing spots.


Some people walk a little too close to the edge of the cliffs along the coast and injuries and rescues of people halfway down the cliffs are common and some deaths have resulted from one unlucky step.


I think this picture of Diana was taken on Mt. Solidad.


Finally this is the Belmont Park Roller Coaster in Mission Beach


It's called the Giant Dipper and has been here for years.


No Scrabble tonight

Quote of the Day ~

"If we kill everything in the ocean, and if we pollute the ocean to a point where it can't sustain life, we're committing suicide." ~ Peter Benchley author of Jaws, The Deep and other novels.

A Gift from the Sky

Driving to Lindbergh Field, the San Diego Airport, we came to the exit off of Interstate 5 and one of my favorite views in San Diego. The road drops to the harbor from a small rise and for residents that don't live west of I-5 this view meant you were at the whole reason for living in San Diego the beautiful San Diego Bay and the Harbor.


Now I've heard the term dropping anchor but this is ridiculous. Actually it's just another reminder that this city loves tourism and dubbed itself "America's Finest City."


So here we are again at the airport and this time we are taking a virtual tour and ready to welcome Matt and Diana to our heartfelt embrace as Charles Lindbergh looks on.


They were arriving at Terminal 2 so we found a parking space and waited outside for awhile since we were early.


This city loves to decorate and I always enjoy the sculptures. The two gulls are a fitting image for thiseaside city.


From the walkway up one level we walked over the drop-off/pick-up traffic and it was a good vantage for a picture of the front of Terminal 2.


The stained glass window inside was modern and reminded me of Frank Lloyd Wright.


I'm not sure what this sculpture was supposed to be and since it was beyond the security gates this was as close as I could get without a boarding pass. I guess it was a serious piece of art because they even had a sign that said "No Jokes Please" oh wait! I think that was about security measures and jokes about weapons, explosives and fingernail clippers. I'm sorry I wouldn't make light of terrorism it really is a horrific thing. I just hope they don't win by taking away our ability to see humor in even the most serious situations. M.A.S.H. was a good example of using humor to retain sanity in an insane environment.


Another view of the stained glass as the red-gold setting sun darkened the panes and created earth tone hues and allowed in the silhouettes of the trees outside.


As we went down the elevator I shot this picture of the spider web skylight.




These passenger's had waited so long they were petrified into statues... Oops they are statues.




Near the baggage claim where we were to meet Matt, and his bride to be Diana, there was a replica of the Spirit of St. Louis. The Spirit of St. Louis was built on this airport campus for Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic.



I stepped outside since the flight was slightly delayed (always happens going east to west) and got a picture using the "no flash - slow exposure" setting. Notice the building is sharp and anything moving is blurred. Obviously the people walking on the left of the picture were moving faster than the three stopped cars in the picture.


Then out of the blue came Matt and it was so good to see him again Sharyn and I miss him very much. It would be hard to find a more generous soul on this earth.



Matt brought a gift to us one I know we will cherish. Dear sweet Diana is a breath of fresh air in our lives for who she is and for the smile she puts in Matt's heart. Welcome dear lady and welcome to a family that loves you.


No scrabble tonight

Quote of the Day ~

"And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." ~ Kahlil Gibran from The Prophet, Lebanese artist & poet who moved to the United States (1883 - 1931) My mother's favorite book and writer.