A sailboat made of plastic bottles...

Last year I heard mention of a large garbage patch out in the Pacific Ocean. After recovering from the shock and bewilderment, I did some internet research and found that most major oceans contain such a patch. Apparently these patches are formed by the vortexes caused by the swirling ocean currents catching up the floatsom and jetsom.

Just days after finding out about this garbage patch, while sitting in a Chinese restaurant waiting for my take-out and flipping through a magazine, I ran across an article about David de Rothschild and the plastic bottle sailboat he was building and planning to sail across the Pacific ocean from San Francisco to Sydney Austrailia and along the way passing the garbage patch.

Check out the Plastiki's journey here.






Tree Hugger's website photos of the giant Pacific garbage patch.

Grape stompin' fun...

at Becker Vineyards. just north (?) of Fredricksburg, Texas.

Adventures in the yard...

The new La Bella Vita Gourmet Logo

This logo was designed by Karla! She is quite the creative lady. She gave me a drawing of what she wanted it to be like and then I drew it out in Illustrator. So really all the creative credit should go to her!

The lion and the banner are purchased from iStock then reshaped a little here and there. The coffee plant branches and beans were drawn by me.

So this was truly a group effort this time!

You'll be able to find La Bella Vita Gourmet's website here.

This little guy...

was hanging out over a little pond at Rainbow Gardens, in San Antonio. Talk about a big plant nursery! Holy cow... I wish I could take this place home with me. It had extensive paved paths leading to ponds, fountains and arbors. If I get to go back again, I'll be sure to take more pictures.

Here are the other pictures I took there:




Banana flower?





Banana Trees





Koi pond with a two foot white koi.



Raisins to raisins, grapes to grapes...



The ever creative Karla, saving the top of her homegrown pineapple to start a new plant for next years crop of pineapple.



Here are the two story cowboy boots I promised last time.



This guy is usually just a flash of green out of the corner of my eye. This time however, he sat still for a picture.

And out near Tom's mom's house in the "country", there is this pasture full of sheep. Quite photogenic.

La Bella Vita Update!

The proud new owner of a deli case, Tom.



Wood paneling to go on front of bar.



Beautiful wood barrel to house bottled drinks in ice for display, compliments of Karla.



Granite bar top, freshly installed.




Bar in progress, with fancy roaster on right.



Installation of La Bella Vita sign.