Did we skip winter? 02-06-09

When we drove down to Corky's house on Wednesday I was amazed to see that in the five days since I had picked him up all of the flowering pear trees had burst into bloom.

The sky was so blue and the blossoms unbelievable white.

Each blossom has a tuft of 'hairs', some with pink 'beads' on the ends, which lend a faint pinkish cast to the blooming trees.

Today when we walked in the park behind the house I spotted this blossoming tree in a backyard. This pink variety has many different common names - Saucer Magnolia, Japanese Magnolia, Tulip Tree, Pink Magnolia - but they are all Magnolia X soulangeana. The unique characteristic of this tree is that all the blooms come on at once. When they fade and fall off, the tree puts out soft green shoots, equally as lovely.

For everyone in cold country here is a little Spring time to tide you over: http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

Profile Picture 02-05-09

"Calm in Chaos" Del Thomas 2005 24"W x 32"L

I finally posted a picture on my profile. It has taken a long time because I just don't have that many pictures of myself. I am always the one taking pictures. I used to insist that my late husband take at least one picture of me when we were on a road trip. Just to prove that I was actually there.

This quilt was created in answer to a challenge, there was a size limitation but no other rules. I wanted to do an image that could be identified as Del Thomas, but not be realistic. I am calm in chaos, don't know why, but a lot of stuff can be going on around me and I can be a 'rock'. Of course, when everything calms down I fall apart - isn't that always the way. Someone might also pick up on the scraps that stand for 'chaos' and the fact that I hate to throw scraps away. Last summer when Liz was helping me organize, I think she was most astounded at how many boxes, bags, baskets and Baggies we found full of scraps - from tiny snippets to quite large pieces (but short of 'yardage'). I donated a 50+ gallon plastic bin/lid full of scraps to the Beach Cities Quilt Guild for their Christmas sale, auction, boutique. Presumably it sold because they didn't send it back to me. I hope the quilt maker who bought it is happy with what she found inside the box. I put in so many scraps that I had to use packaging tape to keep the lid on.

I still have enough scraps to last the rest of my life!!

Wordless Wednesday 02-04-09 National Bison Reserve, Montana 2005

Trees w/berries 02-03-09

Here in SCalifornia it seems there is always some variety of tree w/berries at almost every time of year. These pictures are all of red berries, but different seasons have different berries or different colors.

This is a Brazilian Pepper which in the 1960s was widely planted as a street tree - I can't imagine why because they are very messy trees, always dropping something on the sidewalks. In front of the brand new house we had in Huntington Beach there was one directly in the way of the pathway we wanted to put in. So, one morning we were out there bright and early to dig a large hole about five feet away and move the scrawny thing out of our way. We must have done something right because it grew taller and faster than any other on the block. I should drive down and see what it looks like 45 years later - or if someone chopped it down in frustration.

I couldn't resist being 'arty' and including the moon in this shot. It was about 4:30pm and 72F.

These are the berries on a California Pepper tree. The picture was taken in September 2008.

This is the Pyracantha which grows in the corner of the patio home development behind our house. The fence is eight feet high, so I think this qualifies as a tree. Sometimes we have cedar waxwings visit in the winter, but I haven't seen any this year.

I've noticed the wild elderberry trees are in flower, so they will probably be the next berries we see here - dark blue-black. Unfortunately, the climate here is too dry to put any 'meat' on the berries - inside we find just seeds and 'gristle'.

Bird segregation 02-02-09

I picked up the Poodle Prince on Saturday evening and he will stay with me until next Saturday while his parents are away. Such a good dog and such good company - and seven days in a row. Today was glorious with temps in the high 70s and we walked in the 'big park' (Tri-Cities). Something I've noticed before seemed to be even more evident today. The waterfowl all seem to have their own section of the park. There were about a hundred Canadian geese on the grassy slope on the south side of the lake.

A gaggle of white geese had staked out a patch of water by the northeast corner.

The poopy coots were doing their thing by the picnic grounds on the east shore.

And this fellow was just letting everyone mingle together - white geese, coots, pintails, mallards, and maybe even a Egyptian goose. Though how he could stand to lay down where they have all been doing their business is beyond me. Guess maybe he is desperate for company.

A quilt from TCQC 02-01-09

"Baron Von Ruffhausen" Ruth B. McDowell 2004 35"W x 45"L Commercial fabrics. Machine pieced and quilted.

This Bernese Mountain Dog belongs to Leah McDowell Lofgren, Ruth's daughter. His every day name is "Harvey" and in this image he was just a puppy of about seven months old. Loving, intelligent, polite and a confirmed pacifist, Harvey is also a giant - a Clydesdale of the dog world.

Ruth has surrounded Harvey with bright, playful colors (including a few Marimekko fabrics), defining his lovely toes with machine stitching. http://www.ruthbmcdowell.com/

Yearning for Spring? Spend a few minutes here: http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf