My dear friend (and faux little sister) Andrea Weir has accomplished a life-long dream . . . and I am still smiling over her accomplishment! What is it? The publication of her first novel, "A Foolish Consistency."

According to the back jacket, it is a "passionate love story, a statement on the power of hope, the importance of forgiveness, and ultimately, the joy of redemption." Though the book is dedicated to her two daughters, who are also my late husband's and my god-daughters, the first acknowledgement amazingly is to me — for which I am totally touched.

Andrea has also raised the bar for me . . . no longer can I make excuses to her for not having finished the books I've begun. Thank you, I think!

Summertime is party time . . . entertaining time. So, here is a recipe that sounds yummy and simple to make that I received today from Avant Tapas & Wine, along with a bottle of Longoria 2012 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir.

ARTICHOKE BRUSCHETTA

INGREDIENTS

• Loaf of French Bread
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Marinated Artichoke Hearts
• Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
• Minced Garlic
• Fresh Basil
• Fresh Oregano
• Salt & Pepper

INGREDIENTS

1. Cut bread into 1/2" thick slices.
2. Drizzle bread with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and grill (or broil) until golden brown.
3. Cut Heirloom cherry tomatoes into quarters.
4. Combine marinated artichoke hearts, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, minced garlic, fresh basil chiffanade*, and fresh oregano.
5. Add salt, pepper and more Extra Virgin Olive Oil to taste
6. Spoon on top of grilled or broiled bread.

* To make basil chiffanade, stack clean, de-stemmed leaves of basil in piles of three to six leaves; tightly roll the stacked leaves lengthwise; using a very sharp knife, cut thin strips. NOTE: If your knife isn't really sharp, it will bruise the leaves and discolor the outer edges.

Some friends and I saw this really fun and thought-provoking one-woman play last night . . . Manchester Girl. 

It is a mostly biographical piece about escaping life in Northern England via the Tokyo modeling world in the 80s . . . taking you on "a vivid journey of hilarious culture clashes, discos, drugs, and heartbreak. Manchester Girl received a Fringe First Award in Edinburgh and will be opening in New York in September as part of the United Solo theatre festival.

By the way, Sue and her musician husband Robert Cray live in our fabulous Santa Ynez Valley!

I love to fly . . . looking down at the earth's contours . . . the subtle colors . . . and patterns made by nature and by man. Here are just a very few I took while flying back home today . . .

Coming to Montana from the Santa Ynez Valley it is hard to sometimes imagine that other parts of the country have rivers that flow and waterfalls that do more than trickle this time of year.

Having had a very successful board meeting, Robin, Nick, their dog, Jane, and I head off today for a hike to Morrell Falls — just north of Seely Lake — in the Lolo National Forest and at the base of the Swan Mountain Range. It is an easy 4.5 mile roundtrip hike that passes through Lodgepole Pine forest. The falls are beautiful and the sound is thunderous as huge amounts of water cascade down the 90' double drop. It is hard, actually, to photograph as the banks are swollen and the spray is like a cold shower!

Just over a month since returning from Morocco, and I am off again . . . this time to Montana for a Cinnabar Foundation board meeting. A favorite time, as this is when we decide which organizations and projects will receive funding.

I flew into Missoula, Montana last night and spent the night with board president Robin Tawney Nichols and her husband Nick. Today, Robin and I visited the newly renovated Montana Natural History Museum and the Clark Fork Coalition — two of our grantees who share space in a rehabilitated building that once was a dairy and then a brewery. After lunch, we headed north to Big Sky Lake where the board meeting will be held this weekend at the Nichol's lake house. A gorgeous and quiet spot!

A quick trip, I will fly home on Tuesday morning. Too bad . . . since it is the best weather I've had in Montana in several years!

Today I discovered that one of my oldest friends, Cyndi Toth, passed away earlier this year. Since returning from Morocco last week, I've been thinking a lot about her because every year on or around our birthdays we would send a birthday card or call each other. This year, while I was in Morocco, there was no birthday email, or upon my return a card.

I fell Sunday . . . yes, it's true. While taking "the boys" — Simba and Peetie — for their weekly walk with friends to Nojoqui Falls. Per usual, they are infatuated with the pigs that live in a wooded glen. Peetie can stand absolutely still watching them. Simba, on the other hand, is not so patient . . . he wants to incite them to chase him without care or concern that their is an electric fence between.

The problem was that after about 5 minutes of my doing my best imitation of a "K-Mart mom" — yelling and yanking on their leads to come away so we could finish our walk — Simba actually listened and moved towards me.The break in tension caused me (who was clearly not being present with the situation) to loose my balance and fall hard on my right knee onto the road.

For the past couple of days I'd been soaking my knees with epsom salt and slathering it with Arnica cream. However, this morning running late to meet some friends for coffee, I quickly reached into a bathroom drawer to rub the Arnica cream into my knees. Hobbling off I noticed that they felt stiffer, and made a mental note if they didn't feel better later on I would go get an x-ray. After coffee (hot chocolate, really), while sitting in the hair salon, I caught out of the corner of my eye a familiar looking tube. In that instant a flicker of understanding rose to my consciousness — the tube I reached for this morning without having my eyeglasses on and slathered all over my knees was the same one. No wonder my knees felt stiffer all day . . . I had gelled them!

Leaving today for Morocco . . . follow along as I travel with three friends — on my adventure travel blog: www.travelingnuestas.weebly.com. 

I'll be back on May 3!

Simba (and Peetie) are keeping close vigil . . . On me and our guest room where I am unsuccessfully attempting to surreptitiously pack for Morocco.