Siri-ously!

We've come a long way from my childhood days of playing telephone with tin cans, and walkie talkie conversations.

Today we can do so much with our smart phones. And now with the iPhone 4S, we can have our own personal assistants. Siri voice recognition is like a virtual secretary. The only thing missing is the short skirts and high heels. Of course, there probably will be an app for that soon. We will be able to create our own virtual secretary complete with a wardrobe and sexy voice!

But today's version can take dictation, check your calendar, schedule appointments, read text messages, check stock quotes, and even find a nearby restaurant.

You can talk to Siri with your own voice. You don't have to use simple commands.  This is a highly educated, right out of Silicon Valley, secretary!

I wonder what will be next.  Will the phone be able to react to the tone of our voice? Will it be able to suggest a massage when it hears tension in our voice? Will it suggest a trip to the casino when it hears confidence and a winning attitude? Will it tell us to go to bed when it hears pure exhaustion?

The possibilities seem endless.

I'm going to go practice my Siri voices.

Sylvia

It's a hard life being a dog!

Today I did something I haven't done in all my fifty years!  I walked a dog! 

hmm wonder what I can sniff over here!

 Actually, I think the dog walked me.  I only took it around my block. But, we stopped at least nine times, and six of those were for marking purposes!

Or here

or even over here!

Dogs certainly are territorial!  This one is especially cute!  It sounds like a Seal.  When my neighbors arrive home, we get the "Seal" welcome.  I wasn't sure the dog would do this for me, but I was also greeted with a loud "Arr,  Arr......"

The dog's name is Tucker. 

Let me roll around and play for a bit!

 I'm not even sure if it's a boy or girl. I forgot to look. I have no idea what kind of dog it is.  But, none of that matters.  Within minutes you become a dog lover!

I'm ready for my closeup!

The dog days of summer!

Sylvia

A positive affirmation at a steal of a price!

Today while walking home from Erik's Deli with a "Natural High" in my tummy, I came upon a discount store called "Junk Drawer."  With time on my hands I decided to check it out. There was a rack outside the door with a $2.00 sign.  I found a jacket, with no size, but a saying that caught my eye; "I like my life."

I went inside the store, checked out the goodies which the store manager told me were mostly from estate sales, and then decided to buy the positive affirmation. It was only going to be $2.00, so I thought, "why not?"

When he rang me up he only charged me $1.09. Even better!

So I came on home, tried on the jacket and decided I didn't like the fit. But, I couldn't put the saying away.  I decided to give new life to an old jacket. I cut out the portion that had the saying and put if over a trivet.  I now have a new decoration in my kitchen window that I can look at every time I wash dishes.

After all, when you are in the middle of a chore is the perfect time to say, "I like my life!"



Today was a good day! I got some exercise, ate my favorite sandwich, and got a positive message.

I like my life!

Sylvia

What a nice way to spend a day!



View from Lookout Point


Today Mitch and I took off for a stroll around Montalvo. I haven't been there for years, and I've never hiked the trails.  It was a glorious day for a hike. I don't believe it hit 80, at least until we reached the top of lookout trail. That trail is definitely worth hiking. It's a bit steep at times, but the panoramic view of the valley is well worth the trek.
Montalvo has beautiful grounds and some very interesting art installations. The trees have even become part of the artistic mosaic!



Bird houses adorn this tree



Glass pieces shine on this tree

 I found the sculptures interesting and I've decided you must always do a 360 around them. Sometimes the back side is even more interesting than the front side.


The back is even more interesting than the front!



This is called Head of Man

    

This piece is called Haywire

This is called Broken Wing



We strolled in the formal gardens which didn't have too much in the way of flowering plants, but did have some unique cactus plants.



After our hike/stroll through Montalvo, it was off to quench our thirst. The Chevy's $3.00 Midori Margarita and $3.00 table side guacamole did the trick. 

Montalvo is free to enter, and with our 3:00p.m. Happy Hour the day was quite affordable, and priceless! You can't put a monetary value on time spent with your loved one.






Egyptian relaxation!



We are just a small part of nature!

Spectacular views!



I just liked this lantern!



Floating flowers in the fountain!

From the paths that poets take,
memories I did make!

Poet's Walk


Sylvia

I found the Secret!

 

Entrance to the House

Today I found the SECRET!
It was nestled in the Rose Garden at Filoli Gardens along with Marco Polo, Michelangelo, and Queen Elizabeth! Yes, the Secret is a rose!

But, the best part of the day wasn't the Rose Garden, it was the little treasures I found tucked away behind garden gates and  hidden pathways.


Sunken Gardens. Note that the Olive trees are shaped like Goblets!



I had never been to Filoli Gardens, but I have been to Versailles. I have to say I liked this just as much. I found the walk through the home interesting and the gardens magnificent! 

I went by myself and actually enjoyed that. I could walk in silence and take in all of nature. I never once felt lonely.  Sometimes it is nice to just slow down and, o.k. I have to say it, "Stop and Smell the Roses!"
 

This is Marco Polo!



This is Secret!



I'm not much of an expert when it comes to botanical and garden varietals. But, I do know a pretty flower when I see one. And I saw a lot of them. I'm surprised I only have 39 photos. I could have been out there all day snapping photographs.  My treasures were taken with my iPhone. You don't even need to have that great of a camera to appreciate all the beauty that Filoli offers. 

Even small places can have life!

 

I just liked the moss growing on this piece!




 


 

Beautiful Doves!
















  


Makes me think of Monet with the waterlilies!


  


Not sure which way the sun dial was pointing!


  


I wish this was my backyard!



Another charming Gate!




I learned that the name Filoli comes from combining the first two letters from the key words of Mr Bourn's credo: Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.




  

Rich lavender hues!

 

Old door charm!

 

Another tucked away bench!




  

This is Spartacus!



After the Bourn's died, the house was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. William P. Roth. Mrs. Roth donated the house and formal garden and surrounding acreage to the National Trust for Historic Preservation so that future generations could enjoy its timeless beauty.

I know I did today!


Sylvia
P.S. They compost at Filoli!


They compost paper towels from the bathrooms! Great idea!








Find a penny, pick it up, and all the day......

I remember being a little kid and picking up pennies when I found them. It was suppose to bring good luck. According to Wikipedia, "Finding a penny is sometimes considered lucky and gives rise to the saying, "Find a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck." This may be a corruption of "See a pin and pick it up, all the day you'll have good luck" and similar verses, as quoted in The Frank C. Brown collection of North Carolina folklore and other places.
It is also believed that one may get rid of bad luck by dropping a penny on the ground. The bad luck will go with the coin and be acquired by the next person to pick it up."

So, today I went for a walk and didn't find a penny. I found a dime! Wow! Does that mean I get 10 times the luck?  Probably not. With the rise of inflation, I'm not even sure that my dime is worth what a penny was back in my childhood.

I actually walked past the dime and then made a u-turn to go pick it up. Call me superstitious, but I didn't want to pass up any luck if there was any to be had.

I already feel like a lucky person. So, I'm sure I don't need the dime. But, it's shiny and relatively new. The date is 2006.  I guess I will put it in my coin purse and that will be that!

But, wait a minute, CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 2006 D Roosevelt Dime Value at a minimum of 15 cents, one in great shape can be worth $1 or more.

Maybe my dime won't bring me luck, but it could bring me more cents!

Richly,
Sylvia

Edible delights (and low calorie too!)

Is it possible to have an edible delight that is low calorie too? Why yes it is. And, the recipes are so easy, which just gets them bonus points.

I didn't start this blog to become a food critic, or even a food creator. In fact, most of my blogs are not about food. Although a few are about alcohol!

Anyway, maybe it's the hot weather we are having, but my grocery shopping today included a lot more fruits and vegetables than I usually get.  I have Bing cherries, blackberries,  blueberries, strawberries, red and green peppers, zucchini, and fresh basil.  A plethora of goodness.

Today I found two new recipes to try.  Both were really easy and, most importantly, quite tasty.
The first was Watermelon Stacks. They are basically a mound of watermelon covered with yellow tomatoes, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, and red onion.  I think the recipe calls for some balsamic vinegar and salt, but I left those off and it was still a hit.

The second delight was zucchini rolls. You grill zucchini and then spread a mixture of goat cheese and herbs and some fresh basil on one end and then roll them up.  My husband sort of burned the zucchini, which in my book made them perfect. I love a good char!

So bon appetit!
May you enjoy your summer harvest of food delights.

Summer lovin, had me some food..........

Sylvia