Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Sweet and Stormy at Heart and Home

Hey there everyone! It's another wet and windy day here under the Redwoods.   I've been spending a lot of time inside nursing my poor head and drinking a lot of green tea, staying dry and trying to stay warm!

It still looks like this around here:




I hope you've all been having a good week - I've been checking out so many great blogs and getting a ton of inspiration for new projects!

Before I show you what the girls and I did this weekend, I want to let you know that there were some problems with the link for email subscriptions... I apologize - if you previously signed up to follow via e-mail you will have to resubmit your address on my new e-mail feed at the top of the side bar. So sorry, I hope it works this time! If you experience any problems, please let me know! Thanks.

Now, on to more interesting things, mainly: Chocolate! This weekend our town held the annual Chocolate Festival, which is a fund raiser for scholarships for re-entry women at the University. We went last year, and to say we were very excited to attend again this year is an understatement! I had the date marked in RED on the calendar! We were not going to miss the opportunity to indulge in delicious samples of wonderful chocolate treats offered by 36 different vendors.

 First we started with these, and believe me they tasted as good as they looked:




and we ended with these - strawberries in chocolate mint fondue,
and fruit dipped in coconut-ginger-curry fondue:



In between we tried so many other delightful things that for a moment I felt I couldn't face chocolate again.  (That feeling wore off pretty quickly - I'll always love chocolate!)
We indulged in 30 tastes (!) between us, including ice cream, truffles, cookies, chocolate bars, mousse cakes, and even chocolate covered bacon. (Okay, that one is a little weird!)  Because we ate it all in the name of charity I never felt guilty once. We all did feel a little giddy afterwards, though, and headed outside to get some air and clear our heads!



The ocean was stirred up from the storm, there were some great waves - in fact we just missed the surfing contest which took place while we were inside stuffing our faces with sweets.


The fresh air was bracing and felt so good after all that chocolate!



We managed a short walk before it started raining again.



When we returned home, we followed Miss Maggie's lead, and got cozy for the rest of the afternoon.



She's got quite a good life, this dog of ours! That's the down comforter I put on the sofa for humans to snuggle under, but Maggie thinks it's for her exclusive use! She does look very comfortable!
Thank goodness dogs can't eat chocolate, or we would have to share that with her, too!

See you later! Thanks for stopping by, I'd love to hear from you, so leave me a comment! And if you subscribe my e-mail, let me know! I will be monitoring for any problems.

Until next time,
XO
Heidi

Thank you, Susan!

22 comments:

Jeanette said...

Heidi,
When you eat chocolate in the name of charity has no calories! Everyone knows that. LOL

Blondie's Journal said...

What a scrumptious weekend you had!! Chocolate covered bacon?? There has to be something better to cover with chocolate!!

I thoroughly enjoyed your pictures of the ocean. It looks cold...but it is still the ocean!!

Stay warm and dry and snuggled up! :-)

xoxo
Jane

Anonymous said...

What lovely pictures, I'm talking about the desserts of course! And Miss Maggie makes me want to jump under some blankets and blog!
Michelle

vignette design said...

Maggie is adorable! I am home with the flu, snuggled in with my dog Dexter, and watching it rain, rain, rain! Your pictures of chocolate look delicious. Love the ocean shots. --Delore

vignette design said...

Heidi, I'm so delirious, that I didn't even sign me name right! --Delores

James said...

This is my kind of post. I love the ocean and chocolate and I really like rain and redwoods.
More please! :)

Monkey Mommy said...

I love the picture of the ocean i love chocolate and i wish it was raining here we are getting a lot of snow and its very cold.

Ebie said...

I live in the Southern part, and it was pouring after lunch!

Maggie looks so cute and cozy.

Take care and keep dry!

Shirley said...

Beautiful scenery but Oh My, that chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!

Chubskulit Rose said...

Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos!

Frosty Outdoors

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Stopping by for the first time and had to say Little Miss Maggie stole my heart! Such a cutie all snuggled under the comforter!

Kindly, ldh

Kathy said...

Hello Heidi, Beautiful water shots, yummy chocolate and cute little doggie. sorry about all the rain and your poor head, hope you are feeling better soon :-).

Kelee Katillac said...

Hi Heidi!

Love Maggie! TOOOOOOOOOO cute! That chocolate looks Divine!
What a great getaway!

I would love to feature you as a shackster! E-mail me and we will figure out a great post!

love, kelee

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

Now that is my kind of day, chocolates and the sea! Fabulous! Wonderful pictures (of both!)
Janell

Light and Voices said...

My husband's doctor advised him to eat dark chocolate and drink red wine for his heart. This has to be my all time favorite post. Where else can I see the waves of the ocean and eat chocolate. I'm in heaven!
Joyce M

Kat said...

I'm with the majority here, this was a great post! Chocolate, the ocean and a furry friend to snuggle with at day's end. Sounds like the perfect day to me. Kathy

From the Old InkWell said...

What a wonderful and varied weekend! Thanks for sharing your great photos!

June said...

Oh Maggie is such a doll!
The chocolate all looks soooo gooood! Drat, now my sweet tooth is going to bug me all day.
Thank you for your lovely message on my post today.
hugs

My name is Riet said...

Hi Heidi. What a great day that must have been and I heard that chocolate eaten for charity it has no calories. ROTFLOL I love that one. Have a nice day

Jane said...

Chocolate, ocean, waves, rain (when I am inside and cozy)...perfection! Except for the chocolate covered bacon...that seems a bit weird! Lovely photos!
Jane (artfully graced)

Crystal said...

First you get to start off with all of that great chocolate, MY FAVORITE. Then you get to take in that marvelous view and a walk. Not fair I tell you, not fair :) Glad you had a great time. By the way, my puppy is the same way with the covers.
Have a blessed week.

Kathy said...

Gorgeous pictures, Heidi! You live in a beautiful place.
xoxo...Kathy