Xmas lights and a shocking image 12-19-09

Not a great picture - which endorses the need for a new digital camera. This is the first house on the right as residents enter the Spinnaker Bay neighborhood and every holiday the decorations are very elaborate. They go all out for Christmas especially and I have wondered where they put everything off season, there isn't a lot of storage in these houses. However, someone pointed out to me the abundance of 'self storage' in the area - Duh! Notice the light in the sky - the picture was taken about 6pm looking due west so there was still some "twilight".

Corky's parents went to the Naples Xmas Boat Parade this evening - along with what seemed like a million other people. I hadn't realized that the boats gather at the south end of Marine Stadium to line up for their meandering path through the canals. Hard to take a good image with all the reflections, but the lights are bright and festive, accompanied by much song, laughter and conversation which carries over the water. It was quite warm today (over 80F) and into the evening and I imagine there was a huge turnout - I have attended in previous years when my bones hurt from the cold. Nothing like the east coast is currently having, but cold for this coast.

In this guest room the small table/desk faces a mirror. I don't usually pay much attention, but today I was seeing (again) if I could get the flash to work when I looked up and saw this creature gazing back at me. How did I get to look this way? I'm amazed how much I resemble my Aunt Dorothy and also my mother. The yellow hat is a "bed hat" made for me by my friend Mabel Huseby of Mt. Vernon, WA. The brightly colored bag is the cover I made for my camera all those years ago. I take it off and wash it occasionally and I think the time has come around again. I used to make covers for all sorts of things - my sewing machines, hair hot curlers, cameras, waterpick, electric toothbrush, and on and on. Don't know how I got away from that.

I am feeling better - between the medications, the kind administration of care by the Poodle Prince and his parents and napping for part of every hour. I don't know if I want to get well too quickly - it is nice to be fussed over sometimes, isn't it?

Goodbye "eggplant" & more coughing 12-18-09

I sold the "eggplant" yesterday - saying goodbye to a friend of long duration. I bought the Dodge Caravan in January 1998 after driving my Chevy Citation for 18 years . The transmission on the Chevy went and there was no replacement part - not even in a junkyard. Corky's daddy named it the "eggplant" after he found in the market an actual eggplant that was the same color and shape. It is still a good car in good condition, but with 217,000+ miles, I am just not comfortable driving it on some of the lonely highways I take on Road Trips. The buyer said it probably wouldn't ever be driven out of the Los Angeles basin again - he needs a getting-about-town vehicle..

On an off ramp of I-40 in November 2008 en route to Thanksgiving in Lake Havasu City. .

Off I-90 in Kellogg, Idaho, I stopped to admire this 'quaint' building in July, 2005.

I went back to see Dr. Debin this morning about my cold. Actually, all I have left is the cough, but it is a racking cough and sometimes I wake up at night coughing and unable to get my breath. Scarey stuff. She diagnosed "bronchial spasm", said the treatment is to hit it hard with everything we can and then she sent me on my way with five prescriptions! I had them filled at CVS and packed some necessities to stay with Corky and his parents over the weekend. I sometimes have strange and serious reactions to medications and didn't want to be alone. So far, no reactions, except sleepiness. The vaporizer is bubbling and I've had a few hits of codeine cough potion, so I think I will go back to bed. The PParents have a number of Xmas social engagements in the next few days, so Corky and I will get in some unconditional lovin' - that is also good for what ails me.

Before the rain 12-05-09 Posted 12-17-09

These three pictures were taken on December 5th as I was driving on Hwy 152 west from I-5 toward San Juan Bautista. I do love these bleached hillsides so common in this area at the end of the dry season. I had not seen any rain the entire trip to Portland and back this far. But later in the weekend the rains came and I raced the storm south on Monday to get over the mountains before I was caught in snow.

Almost like sand dunes the way the hills interlock and curve. The firebreaks are carved by graders and other equipment along the tops of the ridges to stop wildfires from going over the top and down the other side. If you click on the picture it will enlarge and you can see that this is old cattle country by the horizontal ridges created by years of cows finding the easiest way to the other side.

On the left in the distance you can see a double fire break and in the foreground on the right a clump of brush and live oak that has survived fires in the past. Sometimes I can imagine these barren looking hills as the flanks of giant lions resting in the sun. Shades of "Out of Africa".

Miscellaneous Stuff 12-16-09

I was astounded to learn a couple months ago that some bloggers don't read comments on their blog or that of anyone else! To me that is one of the wonders of blogging - the sharing that goes on around the world. In the beginning I thought I could respond to every comment, but find that that could become a full time job. So, periodically, I send a general thank you to all the comments I have received since the last time I said Thank You. Sometimes the information I receive back in the comments could be of interest to everyone - here are a few of those comments.

Diana Fiet sent this about the "Keep on Trucking" post of 12-12-09:
"About your truck photos. I know some first responders so I know where to look for info about what's aboard the truck with the rubber bladders of liquid. http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/3/erg-gmu/erg/idindex.aspx?page=40
The metal sign with the number on it identifies product as part of the group 3266 and the listing says it's 3266 154
Corrosive liquid, basic, inorganic, n.o.s. [possibly sodium or potassium hydroxide; Sodium Hypochlorite,]
and the emergency responder info page says this about it:
http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/3/erg-gmu/erg/guidepage.aspx?guide=154

Amazing what is out there on the highways with us." I am continually amazed by the things I see on the road and am always thankful for an explanation.

Terry Grant sent this URL for info about the "Benson Bubblers" in Portland - I posted a picture on 12-10-09.
http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.CFM?c=48918

Now that she reminds me and I read the item some of the information comes back to me. Fifty years away has eroded my memory, but I do remember that they existed when I was growing up there in the 40s and 50s.

I have put all the photos from Turtle Bay in Redding on a Picasa album. If you want to look at them go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/DELQLTS/ReddingCATurtleBayComplex113009?authkey=Gv1sRgCJy49vPj9ui0Uw# You can enlarge by clicking on the small magnifying glass at the top right or by clicking on the "Full Screen" icon on the top left. This will allow you to read the captions on the old photos (from the 40s) that are posted around the interior of the structure.

For those who have asked, or wondered, my Aunt Dorothy died on Saturday, December 12. She was asleep and just didn't wake up - a good way to go, I think. Thank you for caring. Del

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Driving break - Redding, CA 11-30-09 Post 12-15-09

As I have said several times, I cannot drive as long at a stretch as I once could. Now I try to stop every two hours and walk around a bit - sometimes I find something interesting which requires a longer driving break.

When I exited I-5 at Redding, CA., my intent was just to see the Sundial Bridge, but while I was looking for it I saw this old building, or part of a building, beyond the entrance signs and was intrigued. To the left you can see a pile of gravel and sand topped with a huge rusty "bucket" used to move the material as it was excavated.


By looking at the old pictures posted (see some on either side of the door) and the somewhat sketchy signage I learned that this is part of an old quarry that was used in the 1940s to acquire the necessary sand and gravel to build Shasta Dam. There is a museum nearby which is closed on Monday and Tuesday, so I wasn't able to find more info. However, the remains of the building are interesting just on their own.

I believe this is a sculpture (on the right) composed of hard hats like those used by heavy construction workers. The repeat on the left is a shadow on the concrete wall.

A closer view of the hard hats.

This roughly round hole in the wall is apparently where something was removed - a large pipe, perhaps.

Looking the other way through the same opening shows a pile of gravel/sand which has the huge old "bucket" on the other side which shows the size of the equipment used.

This is one cubic yard of concrete.

This is another side of the same cubic yard of concrete.

On the top of the cube are inlaid all the many different types of minerals found during the "dig".

The museum has changing exhibits along with the permanent ones and at the time one of the exhibits was "Poop" - showing the excrement of animals. I don't know how interesting such a display would be to anyone but guys with the mental view of a 10 year old. However, I was very curious and thought I would stop on my way south, but I was trying to out race the storm, so I didn't stop. I will undoubtedly regret it for the rest of my life - wouldn't you?

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Elizabeth Barton's "Red Gate" 12-13-09

"Red Gate" Elizabeth Barton 2003 39"W x 63"L

Cotton fabrics - hand dyed, screen printed - Machine and hand pieced, appliqued & stitched.

This is one of several quilts Elizabeth has based on her pictures taken in Whitby, an old fishing village in Yorkshire, UK. She says in one of her artist's statements, "I love the signs of age on old buildings and steps - the soft signs of the wear of many feet - the way the roof lines gently curve and the houses lean together." The photo she used as inspiration was taken many years ago and she felt it haunting her - it was 30 years before she made this quilt.

I had a thick folder on Elizabeth Barton's work before I ever saw one of her quilts "in-the-fabric". I had been looking at two different quilts on her website and knew I would buy one of them. Then in 2004 San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles featured Elizabeth in one of their exhibits and both quilts were included. I drove up to see my friend Mary and we visited the museum. I knew immediately which quilt I would choose. Elizabeth felt that since I had actually seen the quilt first in San Jose that the museum should have their profit, which I thought was an amazingly generous thing to do. Since then I have purchased three more E.Barton quilts directly from her and coveted quite a few more! I also count her among my quilt making friends around the world. A very special lady.

http://ebarton.myweb.uga.edu/index.html http://elizabethbarton.blogspot.com/