Ruth McDowell's class (#2)04-03-08

Ruth McDowell's class at Asilomar Day 4- 1/2

Once the students have started cutting fabrics for their designs the work seems to go very fast. Working until 11pm is allowed and some students work every night. I am not a night person this week.

This is Lia Batris' Pelican - it looks a lot different than the pictures I posted of it last evening. She still has her auditioned fabrics pinned to the board in their proposed locations.

Carolyn Tickner has posted her photo of a rooster at the bottom of her board. This handsome fellow is going have a very colorful background.

Traci Lee is adding more pieces to the face of her Australian Shepherd. I wonder if she misses him as much as I miss the Poodle Prince?

This is my yellow bell pepper from Ruth's "Pieced Vegetables" book. The two sides are pieced together and I have ironed the freezer paper template to the back of the fabric for the final piece. I will cut it out and sew it to the others and the block will be complete.

Tomorrow is the last half day of class and we will be headed home by 2pm. I need to get to bed soon so I will be all perky and ready to drive!!

Ruth McDowell's class (#1) 04-02-08

In Ruth McDowell's "Designing from Nature" class at Empty Spools Seminars held at Asilomar, Pacific Grove, CA. Day 3-1/2

Wednesday is the day many students finish their final design drawing and start auditioning fabrics. The board on the right shows the original photo of Tracy Lee's Australian Shepherd, her design drawing and a few of the fabrics she is considering.

Jane Barnes is at the sewing machine, Kathy Shaker looking on.

Lynn Marquard's design is Foxglove Fairies - the foxglove flowers form the skirt of each fairy. So, her color palette is predominately pinks.

I imagine this board is just a muddle to most of you, but these fabrics are being auditioned for a pelican quilt.

Linda Lawrence is in the center of the photo, Patty Bergkamp has her back to the camera.

Although the Monterey pines are disappearing, the cypress seem to be unaffected by the borers.

Asilomar 03-31-08

I drove Sunset Blvd along the beach when I returned to Back Porch Fabric Shop. Since I didn't even have a chance to look at fabric on Sunday, I had to go first thing on Monday! And, of course, I will have to go again this week because there are new bolts of fabric coming in every single day!! And such wonderful choices!

That is a pointy black rock out in the water - not a giant shark!

I waited until this couple walked into the frame to give a sense of scale. Beautiful day!

Just a roof and some trees under an awesome blue sky with horsetails and a jet contrail. Every year there are fewer tall, old trees - a borer accidently imported from some other country is killing the tall, old trees. It is very sad to see.

Beyond the live oak tree is the classroom where Ruth McDowell is teaching this session. Named "Nautilus", it is my favorite classroom on the campus. My sleeping room is just next door, but it is a hike to get to the dining hall and Merrill Hall where the programs are held in the evening.

Back Porch reception 03-30-08

It was a lovely reception with lots of visitors. Unfortunately there is always one person in every group picture who has their eyes closed or their mouth open or ....something. Sorry, Gail!

Gail Abeloe (owner of Back Porch), Ruth McDowell (super artist), Del Thomas (collector), Sue Broenkow (friend), Joan Hughes (friend).

Gail Abeloe, shop owner, with Dorothy Abeloe, her mother, who always takes care of the refreshments for the receptions.

And in the background Ruth's fabulous quilts. Asilomar students keep telling me how much they are enjoying such a great exhibit. Who knows? I may recruit some new collectors!

Paso Robles - Asilomar 03-30-08

Just a couple pictures of the cloaks of wildflowers along Hwy 101 on Sunday. We truly did not have time to stop for picture taking, but I did take a few 'on the go'. The lupine was spectacular and I wish I could show you a picture of a completely violet slope from the roadway to the crest. Perhaps on the way home along a different route we will find a nice display.

At Asilomar 03-30-08

I'm not 'with it' tonight. I came all the way down here to the Administration Building to post some pictures here and say something that might be of interest - but I left my camera with card in my room. Duh!

The reception for the Ruth McDowell quilts from the TCQC went very well. There were a lot of visitors and they spent a chunk of money on Ruth's books and everything else in the shop. Great fun for everyone. Immediately following the new Empty Spools session started and we all had to be in class. Ruth has four new quilts (which are all up on her website http://www.ruthbmcdowell.com/clients/rbm/catalog.cfm)
to share with the class. Oh, dear - what temptation! But I am truly not in the market for new quilts for the Collection right now.

I will bring the camera with me when I come down to check my e-mail tomorrow evening and I will post some pictures then.

Overnight - Paso Robles 03-30-08

I was too tired last evening to do anything but hit the hay! It was a very nice drive up Hwy 101 with lots of wildflowers, especially the lupine which looks like big layers of sky have fallen down on the oh-so-green hillsides. And lots of mustard, gold fields, oxalis and other yellow/gold flowers. We turned off the highway and drove out to the end of the road that branches off to the Diablo power plant, near Avila Beach. Every time I go down there it looks more ...civilized?... with fresh paint and tidy lots. Maybe they do that every spring, it is usually this time of year that I see it. The ocean was gorgeous shades of blue, setting off the very white boats moored in the bay and, of course, the white, white gulls swooping above.

We stayed the night at the Adelaide Inn in Pas Robles and it is just as pleasant as it has been previously. Not as many flowers, but the grounds are so nicely kept. And it is always quiet! We are off for breakfast at Wilson's, a good breakfast spot here.

No pictures along the way, except for these taken in Simi Valley not far from the Reagan Library. I thought at first they were Kangaroo Paws, but the flowers are twice as large as those I am familiar with. It is such a striking plant and widely used by landscapers in the last few years. The flower stalks are about three feet tall. [Yes, they are a hybrid Kangaroo Paw plant - lovely.]