Traveling Again!

It seems that the hubby and I have a bit of wanderlust these days.  Actually, I think things

have been so intense for him with upcoming plans for a 30th year teaching kungfu anniversary that he needs to clear out of town each chance he gets.  This time, we escaped to a favorite spot in the mountains ...good ol' Asheville!  My pockets were kind of empty and so I did almost no hunting for precious bits to add into jewelry, but I couldn't resist a table that was set up in the town park square by the local mineral society.  ...Imagine rough Australian opals in deep purples and turquoises and magenta winking seductively, begging to come home with me.  How could I resist?  Then, imagine me early Sunday morning, wading in ankle deep water, foraging for shiny pebbles in a local creek!  Of course I filled my pockets!  I am so excited about all the raw stones I brought home with me.

My Sweetie scored too, as he made a connection with a long-time acquaintance that lives up there and they are planning to meet frequently and do some training together.  LOL!!!  ...Next time we go, I bring my mesh beach shoes and some more money!


I just finished another piece that was done as a commission.  Another stone lover wanted to wear one in a necklace and impress her grand-babies.  Her beautifully colored stone has a pattern in it that resembles a face.

Traveling!

After 7 years, my Sweetie and I were finally able to get away on a real vacation.  We headed out to the San Francisco Bay area for a week and a half of R&R to include shopping Chinatown, eating lots of great Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and bistro food.  My hubby teaches kung fu, and he met with his teacher each day for training.  I so wish I could say that it was our greatest trip ever, but I fell victim to a seriously bad head cold (I get one EVERY time I fly to California!!!) I coined a new descriptive as I lay drowning in post-nasal drip on the hotel bed:  "Fly-squash."   Yup, I felt like fly-squash. 

We did manage to do Chinatown one time, but neither of us had a heart for it.  It is high tourist time there, and prices were high and products were very junkie.  Most of our favorite shops have disappeared, with the exception of Vital Leaf Tea.  We stocked up on lots of Puer, a very earthy, aged tea, green and ginseng teas.  It has always been our delight to pause there for tea tasting and enjoy the knowledge and showmanship of the sales personnel.  I found some really good quality old Chinese coins to incorporate into "lucky  coin" jewelry.  I wanted to go back and get more goodies, but fly-squash doesn't fly.

We were happy to see that Sunnyvale downtown has been in a huge revival and is quite the interesting place to find many delicious restaurants with sidewalk seating.  Here I am after a hard day of being touristy at the Winchester Mystery House taking the "Behind the Scenes" and gardens tour, while we wait for a pizza....