Stone Heat

WOW~ Want relief from tight muscles or arthritis pain?
The secret is out...

Stone Heat AND at home ...the idea was from "The Doctors" TV show when they had a demo of the benefits of Stone Heat.

The treatments are done at a Spa and are expensive and time consuming. Then, on the show, they gave away a secret...
At the very end of the demo, the therapist simple stated "You can do these at home with a stone from your garden...just heat a nice smooth flat stone in your small oven."

Having a tight muscle pain in my hip, this caught my attention.
WHY NOT??
GREAT IDEA!!!

There are many smooth flat stones around the garden and I selected a flat one, the size of a saucer and about half inch thick with mostly smooth sides. Cleaned it and put it in the toaster oven to heat through which took no time...
Then, being very careful to use care as with any object from the oven, transferred to a hand towel to absorb the excess heat and carefully applied to the painful aching muscle and hip while on the computer.

The results were amazing. The stone apparently sends heat deeper into an area than a heating pad. It's been 3 days and the pain has not returned.

Let us know if you try it.Naturally, be very careful as the stone can get really hot.

Millennium Theatre, Lancaster Pennsylvania

The day after Thanksgiving, we took off on a nice day trip to

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster is one of my favorite places to go~ it is the Amish farms and houses that make one yearn for yesteryear.
Large simple white square houses are a pretty site. The old fashion farm houses have tall windows which continue around the house.

At dark, a candle is seen in each and every window.

So simple, so sweet.

From tours of their homes, we know they are furnished with hand made furniture and home sewn quilts, etc.

They mostly cling to their modest traditions.

The purpose of the trip was to attend the "Miracle of Christmas" at the stately Millennium Theatre there~

We attended with friends and neighbors.

We had an early dinner at the "Good and Plenty" Amish Farmhouse restaurant. We feasted on simple home cooked food, served family style.

Was a perfect Thanksgiving weekend~We LOVE our family friends who are our neighbors. They are as glamorous as any celebrities, right?

.

Thanksgiving Day

Our gift from Heaven for which we are so THANKFUL this year.

Preparing appetizers ~

Table set for a feast~

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!

John Marshall Chapter of American Wine Society

Port 101 presentation was a nice event.
Six Ports were coupled with ripe cheeses on bread and chocolates made for a very nice evening.

This photos is taken in the barrel room of nearby LaGrange Winery where our group meets once a month.

Photos of trip to Northern Portugal were the back-drop behind the Presenter.

If you have yet to visit Northern Portugal and tour the Quintas along the River Duro~ and travel into the Duro Valley, make sure it's on your "Places to See Before You Die" list. We found that area to be a fabulous experience. I would love to rent a Villa and live a few months of my life there.

Southern Portugal~which reminded me of Northern California~just didn't stir this emotion for me.

What is a Quinta? Quinta in Portuguese means "farm." The grapes are grown on picturesque mountain slopes, harvested and processed on "Quintas."

Fall Photos ~ Beautiful Virginia

These photos taken late October from our deck.

The trellis at the bottom of photo is the arbor built over the patio below.

The pathway you see is the Cart Path as it hugs the fairway along the golf course below ~fun ~ until the balls come flying this way~

One day I picked up 9 beautiful balls in the backyard. Usually there are only 2 or 3 each day.

I used to play golf, but found I prefer to walk the course and nearby woods to look for lost balls. It is like looking for Easter eggs. One day~ found 53.

This is one view from a kitchen window~

Here we are standing on the upper deck to survey the glorious Fall colors which are intensified against the backdrop of green fairways.

Life Faster Than Blog

Zip~ events crowd the weeks. We tread to keep up. Throw in an emergencyand my calendar goes on hold. We handle them in stride and with thankfulness we can do for others and are wanted to be "there."

Returning home the night before Thanksgiving was so, so sweet. A warm, beautiful day with family was over the top. The next morning, we were off to Pennsylvania with friends to
attend
the Miracle of Christmas, a sound and light show in Lancaster.

Now, to catch up...
My favorite TV shows all waiting patiently to be seen...
I do want to know which Desperate Housewives is written off~
I do want to know who is taking "Griff's" place on CSI Las Vegas
and Survivor is really getting down to the nitty gritty~
Can't leave out
Judge Judy. She is my alter ego...she straightens out the world.

AHHHHHHHHH, today
cold rain is coming down ~
maybe I can catch up ~
Don't you love a day like this?
June