A Month of Love
February Love
Lasts the entire month through
Hugs and kisses too
Cheers to wine and rose for you
Happy Valentines
Anniversary
Sixty-four years of kisses
Feeling very blessed
Love, JanBeek
Posts tagged ‘wine’
Cheers to wine and rose for you
Memorable Road Trip
Think back on your most memorable road trip.
I don’t have to think back
My most memorable road trip was in January this year 2024 … but now in Nov. 2024 is hard to beat!
Back in January, our son and daughter-in-law
loaned us their car for this trip.
We were so happy to be in
sunny California instead of home
In Montana right then … and the same is true now! We are happy to be in Switzerland on this Election Day ‘24 in the USA. It is so contentious there!
Back in January:
It was -23 and felt even colder with the windchill factor back home today. We were in Paso Robles, CA then with the sunny skies that were perfect for enjoyable wine tasting opportunities. The same is true now. Time with friends is what made that and this road trip so memorable, so special, so much fun!!
Wish you could have joined us!
Sculpterra Winery
was filled with amazing sculptures.
You would have oogled and ogled
just as I did!!
Bruce, our wine guide,
poured some delicious tastings for us.
This was one of my favorites.
As a retired beekeeper,
Bob was especially interested
in their display of honeybee products.
Meantime, back in Montana,
the cold spell continues …
and we’re grateful our road trip
doesn’t involve driving there right now.
If you’re in the pattern
of this Arctic storm
with its sun-zero temps,
Escape now!!
Come join us!
We didn’t mind the 80’s plus folks…
And we’re loving the 70’s weather here in Switzerland 🇨🇭
We’re young at heart!!
Love,
JanBeek
Optimizer!
New word! I love it!!
You are an optimizer
Can you count the ways?
You make things perfect
You make things more effective
Increase their function
You keep places neat
And make them more beautiful
Optimize your space
How do I do that?
Make a positive impact?
Read this fine scripture:
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers,
Yes, JUST DO IT!!
whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence,
if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Today’s prompt was this:
“What things will improve with age?”
I do! And fine wine!
Do you optimize
The world that is around you?
Make it more lovely?
An Optimizer
Smiles and laughs and spreads sheer joy
You do that daily!
I thank you for visiting JanBeek today.
May I ask a favor of you?
My blood pressure was through the roof this week
and we can’t figure out why! 204/84 … “Stroke City!”
Please pray with me that we (the doctors and I)
figure out what’s causing it, OK?
We’ve optimized by blood pressure medicine…
Dear Lord, help it to “improve with age” – OK?
Amen!
Amador Winetasting
What fun we had yesterday!
Bob & I went wine tasting with our son, Ty & daughter-in-law, Monika.
Winderotter Winery in Plymouth, Amador County, California has a wonderful selection of wines.
We tasted both reds and whites ended up taking some of each home with us.
Our visit to Runquist Winery, in that same area, was a delight, too.
Later, we returned to Placerville and had dinner at a delicious Thai Restaurant. Our grandson, Jordan, joined us.
If you’re ever fortunate enough to visit Amador County, I hope you will make it a point to visit those two wineries and enjoy a meal at the Tasty Thai. I know you’ll be as delighted as we were.
Now, I gotta get off my computer and join the fun. My family gives me a bad time when I am on the internet instead of interfacing with them!!
Enjoy the moment!
Have a very Merry Christmas!
Love,
JanBeek
Fairytale Wedding
Have you missed me? We’ve had a whirlwind four days here in Switzerland. Each day from eye opening early mornings to collapsing in bed at night has been phenomenal. If you’ve been following me, you know it was the weekend of my oldest grandson’s wedding.
Let me take you to the church and two fairytale receptions. Sit back and enjoy!
The wedding was full of music, fun, smiles, tears, promises, family & friends. A choir sang, our daughter, De, and Chrissy (our youngest grandson) sang a duet with Nick ( the middle brother) accompanying on guitar. I even had a role by reading a message ( in English, thank God) that they prepared for me – a message if forever love and devotion. Then we all headed to the outdoor reception nearby where wine, hors d’oeuvres and music flowed. Mike played in his alpenhorn group.
Look carefully! I’m holding Mike’s hand. The group just played “Amazing Grace” and dedicated it to me!!!!
The second reception was a sit-down dinner after more wine, beer, and socializing in this gorgeous outdoor setting:
We woke this morning back in Vissoie. Ready to go on another adventure. See ya later! Thanks for sharing and visiting with me.
Love , JanBeek
The Hills Are Alive!
The hills are alive with the sounds of family!
Yesterday our daughter, DeAna, drove us down into the Rhône River Valley, through Sierre, and up into the Alps on the other side to an area called Crans-Montana. It is where she & André lived 30 years ago when they first moved here. On the hillside e hind the restaurant André managed way back then are a few chalets. One of them, built in 1772, is owned by ZuZu & Célia. They invited us to spend the day there with them.
ZuZu (Christian Zufferey) was our AFS son in 1980-81. He is André’s first cousin. He and Célia prepared an amazing meal for us! The first plate was an outstanding eggplant quiche. The second plate was lamb (my favorite) and a ratatouille. All the vegetables they grew in their gardens here in this gorgeous high Alpine place.
The opportunity to be together again with ZuZu was so very special. After the meal we shared various liqueurs – also made by them using various fruits, etc. that they grew.
After our time there, De took us back down into Sierre where we had a nice visit with our friend, Christiane Rielle.
Then (as if day was not already blessed enough), we were treated by our DeDe and our grandson, Nick, to a wonderful dinner at Capri Restaurant in Sierre before returning to Vissoie for the night.
Then today we went on a guided tour of Sierre. Our grandson, Mike’s new bride, Tania, provided the tour. At the Sierre Tourisma Office, my buddy Terry found a hat for a souvenir… and I found a terrific pair of funky glasses that I could not resist!
Now you can see why I didn’t bring a pair of sunglasses with me on this trip. I needed THIS pair!!
Bob, Jim & Terry Groshong, our MT/CA best friends, learned all about the history of Sierre. There is the town hall behind the 4 of us. If you saw my post about Mike & Tania’s civil ceremony, it’s the same place where they were married last weekend.
Then Tania guided us to an old (1700s) chalet. Look at they key Jim is holding. It opened the cellar door where we did some wine tasting.
Next Tania drove us to Chateau Mercier where she explained the history and we tasted more fine Swiss wines.
Lovely Chateau Mercier has beautiful gardens, too. We walked around and admired them before going to Chateau Villa for Raclette dinner. Mike joined us there.
Jim & Terry will leave tomorrow – so you can say farewell to them for now nit’s been wonderful to have them with us this week!
I can never tire of these beautiful Swiss Alpine views! Come back tomorrow. We’re going to take the bus down to stay with André’s mom. I’ll share those views with you, too..
Thanks for traveling vicariously with us! Bee 🐝 well, dear friends! See you tomorrow (God willing).
Love, JanBeek (and Bob)
Bloganuary#20 – Favorite Photo
Click on the link above.
By the way, I love that photo of Bob back in his beekeeper days when he permed his hair. Don’t you? It was taken in our house in Modesto, CA with our Boston, Jacques. He had funny buck teeth (the dog, not Bob).
Do you know why Bob curled his hair? He hates to wear hats. As a beekeeper with naturally oily hair, bees loved to buzz in there and sting his scalp. The curls lifted the hair off the scalp and dried out the oiliness. The bees left his head alone. Interesting, huh?
I hope you enjoy the collection of photos I put on the Bloganuary site today.
Tell me, can you choose a favorite photo that you have taken?
Thanks for visiting JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Embrace Mi Familia
Mi Familia is such a blessing
We’re so glad we are here
The trip was long and arduous
But we traveled without fear
We knew God was with us
Your prayers were felt for sure
Thank you, God, for safety
With You our trip was secure
God bless “Mi Familia!” It is so good to be with them! Monika, our daughter-in-law, is taking the picture. That’s Ruthie & Darrell, her parents, on the left. Our son, Ty, is at the head of the table there… and of course, Bob & me. We’ll be joined on Christmas day by our grandson, Jordan, and his family – – – and our granddaughter, Faith, and her husband. They are expecting their first child (a baby girl) in April. We are so excited for them!
Monika and Ruthie fixed a wonderful dinner last night:
salmon and veggies and potatoes.
Yum!
We spent time talking
about our heritage
and remarking about
how much Ty looks like my dad,
his Grandpa Sal.
Can you see the resemblance?
Then we had fun
giving Bob a bad time
about his “honker!”
See how he inherited his nose
from his paternal great-grandfather Davis?
That’s his dad’s mother’s father.
Prior to dinner
we took time to toast “Cheers!”
to all the family and friends
who prayed us safely here –
and gave thanks to God
for answered prayers.
Outside the weather was chilly,
rainy, and then foggy …
but the spirit of Christmas
was alive and well,
warm and inviting.
Across the continent – and over the Atlantic to Switzerland,
our crazy, fun-loving grandson, Nick
(and his sweetheart Celine)
celebrated the birthday of the King
in their own way with a milkshake
from the Burger King!
Don’t you love the way the internet
shrinks the world and brings
“Familia” into our lives
from around the world?
Merry Christmas to you,
my dear blogging friends.
I pray that you have a meaningful,
love-filled holiday
with your family gathered round.
Remember the Reason for the Season…
and bring that Christ Child into your family circle.
God bless you.
Let me know what your Christmas plans are, okay?
I look forward to hearing from you…
and I thank you so much
for following my blog.
I post with you in my heart and prayers.
Bee Well!
I send my love and hugs.
Have a wonderful time with your family!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek
Embrace Delight
What delights you?
When you think of that word,
what comes to mind?
Here are a few things that delight me:
Unlike that chuckler,
I actually delight in shopping
in the mall with my husband.
I delight in a glass of wine
with my dinner each evening.
Just one…
It is delightful
to return home –
especially after being gone awhile.
No, I don’t delight in
the prospect of being “old,”
but I delight in friends who have
a great sense of humor.
I embrace the delight of laughter!
I delight in flowers…
Every time of the year.
Fresh flowers cheer me.
I love having them near me.
I delight in prayer.
I delight in the Lord.
I delight in Susan Boyle
singing this prayer of
St. Francis of Assisi.
I delight in music.
I delight in family.
Time together is so precious.
That’s “Mi Familia” on our son’s side up there.
Below is our daughter with her hubby & mother-in-law.
We delighted in our recent trip to Switzerland to be with them.
What delights you, my friend?
Here’s that music I mentioned.
Some things that delight me …
but not in order of importance are:
- Shopping with Bob
- A glass of wine a day
- A lovely home to return to
- Friends and humor
- Flowers
- Prayer, the Lord & music
- Family time
Tell me what delights you.
Embrace Delight!
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Love,
JanBeek
Embrace Your Daughter
Are you blessed with a daughter
who is your DollyWolly?
We are!
Today is her 54th birthday.
Happy Birthday, DeAna Laura Beekman Solioz!
Born August 29, 1967, DeAna was given her name
because it was as close as we could come to
having the DeAngeles (my maiden name) carried on.
Just drop the tail on the g and that’s how the spelling
of DeAna came to be.
at about one month of age…
always sticking er tongue out!
What a cute little button nose, huh?
with Santa and brother Ty
Sparkly eyes… healthy new front teeth…
and perky pony tails.
So cute!!
DeDe with her Grandma Beekman <3
– to show DeDe’s perky smile –
about 8th grade, I think.
Time flies!
she was getting married –
and would soon move to Switzerland
to live her life there as DeAna Solioz.
put a bottle of our favorite
Runquist wine in our suitcase,
hop a plane, and
spend time in Switzerland with her
every other year
(until COVID)!
and watching Mike, Nick & Chris grow up
has been a wondrous opportunity…
(as they came here every other year
during the first decade of their lives).
from her days at Downey High in Modesto, CA
(and we have claimed her as or Daughter #2)…
We treasure the times De returns to the states
and we are able to celebrate happy times
together with De and Laina.
(That picture was 2019 before COVID)
.
Recently DeAna had surgery…
and it was hard being a mom
with a daughter so far away
at a time like that.
But I sent her encouragement
and love – like this meme:
that she was doing OK.
Thank God for the internet, huh?
and (God willing and the Delta variant doesn’t go crazy)
we are going to be able to go there
in October to see them and their place in person.
We are so grateful to God for
giving us such a wonderful daughter!
If you have the blessing of a daughter
who is a DollyWolly in your life,
embrace her once for me, wouldja?
And have a good night.
See ya tomorrow (God willing)
Hugs,
JanBeek
