Wild Radish/Thistle 06-26-09

Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum - Mustard Family: Brassicaceae)
This common weed is found all over the world and in some countries is considered a damaging invasive species. Growing mostly in disturbed ground it can cover entire fields if they are left fallow. The tiny flowers (15-20mm) can be violet, white, yellow and variations of all of those. They grow on a stalk from 1' to 3' tall and are an important source of pollen and nectar for honey bees in the early spring. We also find the plant in suburban and urban environments where disturbed, untended ground is found along roads and fences. It easily invades flower and vegetable gardens.

These are the darkest flowers I have seen - this picture was taken outside of San Juan Bautista and was part of the overall image above.

The seed pods point upward, growing profusely along the stems of the plant. This is the part that can be harvested when they are young and used in place of cultivated radishes- the larger they grow, the more pithy they become. The plant has a long tap root, but it is not as thick or crisp as the cultivated varieties.

This Wild Artichoke (cynara cardunculus) gone to flower is so much the same color as the radish flowers above that I had to include it here. Much smaller than the cultivated kinds, these are also good to eat, but only before they start to flower. The tiny heart or choke doesn't make much of a taste, but if you can collect enough of them you can use them in recipes written for store bought artichokes. They taste about the same, but I think it is too much work and too prickly to get enough to actually use in cooking.

A Gift Quilt 06-25-09

When I discovered that I could not go to the SAQA conference I called my friend Ruth Powers and with regret told her. We had been planning this for two years and it was the day before I was to leave for a road trip to Kansas and on to Ohio. Too late to back out of the conference, so Ruth and I started looking for someone who would take my place. Several people contacted Ruth and checked their schedules, ultimately deciding that they could not work the conference into their lives on such short notice. Ruth finally connected with Robin Robboy of Georgia, a quiltmaker who neither of us knew, but she could spare three days at the end of the week and slip away from her everyday life. They met in Athens, roomed together, shared the experience of being there with all those like-minded people and attended the opening of Quilt National -2009. It sounds like they had a lovely time. Although I was unhappy about not being there, it was gratifying to know that someone was having the experience in my place. Robin says that she learned so much, met so many people and was blown away by the QN quilts. That was even more gratifying. She doesn't owe me anything, but she made this One-foot square quilt, just for me, as a thank-you. It will fit right in with my expanding collection of 12" x 12" quilts - maybe I will soon have enough to go around a room, all at the same level - bet they would look great in a gallery.
So, here is an online Thank You to Robin, I will enjoy her quilt for the rest of my days, while she only had three days at the conference - hardly seems fair!

There are now quilts named "Walk in the Woods", "Walks in the Woods" and "A Walk in the Forest" quilts in the TCQC. I suppose everyone knows I love trees and there are many tree quilts in the Collection. And bound to be many more.

Buckeye tree 06-24-09

The Buckeye trees were blooming when I was at Mary's the first weekend in June.
There are about 13 trees and shrubs belonging to the genus Aesculus in the soapberry family. They are all native to North America.

The blossoms look like horse chestnut blossoms because horse chestnuts are also from the soapberry family. As a child I always heard them referred to as chestnut candles and they do grow upright like candles.

The blooms are blunt on the end. An picture of the end makes an interesting image with the stamens sticking out of each small flower the length of the bloom.

The dying flowers aren't found at one end or the other, but are scattered throughout the length of the 'candle'. Buckeyes are the first trees to set leaves in the Spring and the first to drop their leaves in the Fall. After the leaves have fallen the pearshaped buckeye 'fruit' hangs on the tree well into the fall. The nuts are poisonous unless leached and they pose a threat to wildlife and cattle. Squirrels seem to be immune to the poison.

On June 4 I was in San Juan Bautista, CA 06-23-09

When I took my quick trip up to Philomath, Oregon, (June 4 - 8) I stopped along the way to take pictures of plants and flowers, as usual. But I couldn't get them on my blog because there was so much else going on. Here is a look back at a few of them - in two posts because I still haven't figured out how to add extras to the first four. Maybe I should try it on my old desktop. I discovered that it will automatically make hyperlinks, whereas this laptop will not. Something is set wrong, I guess, I just can't figure out what. I suppose I could call the Geek Squad and see if one of those smart geeks has an answer.

Among the crops grown in the area around Gilroy, San Juan Bautista and Hollister are plants grown for seed. We think that is why this field of garlic is left to go to seed.

It was really quite beautiful with the grey-green foliage and the round seed heads sticking up above those strap like leaves. The bit of mustard in the foreground is a nice touch.

This is a good plant to memorize. Three leaves together w/scalloped edges and this lovely burgundy color - POISON OAK. It does turn lovely autumn colors when the temperatures go down in the fall. Unfortunately, some people unknowing collect the branches for indoor arrangements. Even the slightest exposure can make some people very ill, in addition to the horrible itching.

Here is a closer look at those nice shining leaves and a few of the berries in the background. If someone is burning a field and there is poison oak in the fire, the smoke can make some people terribly ill when they just breath the smoke. Don't ask how I know!

Miscellaneous stuff 06-22-09

Yes, it is Corky, the Poodle Prince again. I haven't posted any pictures of him lately, so I thought some of you might enjoy this one. He is trying out a carpet sample that Holly Lester brought to Rayna's class for us to use as pads for screening or stamping. This was the last one and four times the size of the others. I asked her if I could take it to see if Corky would enjoy it on the tiled floor. I think sometimes his arthritis bothers him more when he lays on a cold floor. I have throw rugs and beds for him, but they are not always in exactly the right place - like the middle of the floor.

I think of this image as "Oklahoma Bodywork". Notice how they tore off a piece so the above window stop light would show. And there is that nice rear view opening so they can see what is behind them. Like a CHP officer ready to give them a "fix-it ticket".

Sometimes images appear on my camera that I don't have any idea where they came from. I can usually identify the inside of my purse or the ceiling of the car. But I don't own anything like this and can't remember sitting in a chair like this. Maybe in addition to computer gremlins there are digital camera gremlins. Odd, I think.

I have been trying to figure a time that I can go back to this restaurant (quite a nice one for breakfast - great muffins) to take a picture without the reflections. It is a window that is covered on the inside with either paint or film and then backed with wallboard (so it isn't seen from the inside). The sun hits it a large part of the day and the heat has shrunk whatever the black stuff is. If I could get an image w/o the reflections I think it would make an interesting screen. Especially the 'rooty' part on the bottom.

I thought some of you might be interested in this article from the New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/tny/2009/05/jorge-colombo-iphone-cover.html
I will warn you that there is an embedded video ad for a car which isn't very long - just very annoying.

Does anyone have an idea why my blog won't show hyperlinks since I changed computers? They show if I compose on AOL but not when I compose on Firefox.

Need contact 06-22-09

One of the regular readers of this blog is Beverly in Spanish Fork, Utah, but I have no contact for her. Beverly, please contact me via my e-mail address. DELQLTS@aol.com

Nothing exciting! I just want to say thank you for your comments. Del

Elizabeth Barton Quilt in TCQC 06-21-09

"The Gatehouse" Elizabeth Barton 2004 37.5"W x 24.5"L

This quilt was on Elizabeth's website and it 'spoke' to me loud and clear. The colors are so very appealing - red-orange, golden yellow, several greens and teal. And that wonderful slatted fence, which I think must be a silk screen as I have seen it in other quilts she has made.

She told me that it was a larger quilt that didn't work, so she trimmed huge strips off the sides - until it satisfied her. They also satisfied lucky me. Later, perhaps when I was in Georgia to take a class with her, she gave me one of the strips she cut off. When I show the quilt to a group I think it is educational to also show the 'discard'. We sometimes think that the entire quilt that we make must stay that way, however, I know of at least half a dozen quilt makers who have reduced the size of quilts, even after they are quilted. And in every case, I agree with the artist - a little judicious trimming has improved the quilt.

I have shown you three of Elizabeth's quilts from the Collection and there is one left that I will present some other week. I surely do covet several that are on her website, but in this down economy I just can't buy any of them. A sad situation.

California Giraffe 06-20-09

I wonder how many times I have driven by this herd of giraffe? They are on the east (or south) side of Santa Ana Canyon Road in Anaheim. I don't go that way often lately, but had to go to the Auto Club of SCalifornia to see about switching license plates. I'll put the "DELQLTS" plates on the Lexus - guess that means I am going to keep it - and I have new plates for the Caravan.

Here is a closer view of the two giraffes on the right. All of them are made from metal which is rusting different colors. It is too bad the power cables are where they are, but perhaps they came after the animals. I could not see a way to take a picture without the cables - perhaps if I stood in the middle of this very busy street?

There is also a moose, not nearly as wonderful as the Butterfly Moose in Pacific Grove. See http://delquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/moose

Some years ago I read the non-fiction book "Zarafa: A Giraffe's True Story, from Deep in Africa to the Heart of Paris" by Michael Allin (c1998 Walker & Co.) and found it fascinating. It is indeed about the first giraffe in Europe in 1827. I recommend it.