Giant Bird of Paradise 06-25-11

I've always thought this is one of the weirdest plants used in landscaping here in SCalifornia.  Many people think it is a banana plant, but it is the giant Bird of Paradise and this is the time of year it blooms.  I think it would make a great quilt. 

Strelitzia nicolai  (stre-LITZ-ee-uh) (NIK-oh-ly)

More Internet "stuff" 06-24-11

Quite a puppeteer:  http://www.youtube.com/embed/kPvciIdDZAE

If you need some inspiration a good Blog to check out is http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com/  which has just finished a series on quilts made of silk and silk ties.  Many free patterns and tutorials are offered.

Valerie Hearder is using her talent and her enthusiasm to aid women in her native country: http://stylesubstancesoul.com/2011/06/african-threads-and-the-grandmothers-to-grandmothers-campaign-by-valerie-hearder/

I'm still unable to locate some Blogs that I regularly read, if I am a follower on your Blog and you haven't recently sent your Blog address I would appreciate it if you did.  Thanks, Del-at-home.

Wordless Wednesday 06-22-11

Out to Dinner 06-20-11

I do love salmon and could eat it every day if it were available and not too expensive.  My favorite, and that of thousands, is Copper River Salmon from the cold clear waters of Alaska.  It is sooo verrry tasty grilled and adorned with a gentle squeeze of lemon (Meyer Lemon, of course).  
The Poodle Parents took me out to "The Original Fish Company" on Los Alamitos Blvd in Los Alamitos (which abuts Long Beach on the east).  Of course, I dove right in and most of my salmon was gone by the time I thought to take a picture, but Sherry had hardly touched hers, so I took a picture of her plate.  All three of us had the Copper River Salmon and I brought home Sherry's leftovers for lunch tomorrow - I can hardly wait!





Here is the URL for the Copper River Salmon organization.  Not a lot of info, but if you Google it you will find dozens of sites that talk about this delicacy.
http://www.copperriversalmon.org/

I made an error yesterday.  Charlotte Patera's quilt is both hand and machine quilted. 

Charlotte Patera quilt in TCQC 06-19-11

This quilt "spoke to me" at Pacific International Quilt Festival in 2008.  I have been attracted to Charlotte's work since I purchased her book "The Applique Book" in 1974 and even more so after the 1984 publication of "Mola Making" which I read almost like a novel.  Great book!  She made this quilt in the tradition of the Kuna ladies using a motif from her everyday life, just as they did.  And it happens to also be something in my everyday life since I also do Jigzone puzzles and find the llizard cut one of the most challenging.   

"Lizard Lock"  Charlotte Patera - Grass Valley, CA  2008  29"W x 25.5"L

Cotton fabrics, hand appliqued and quilted.
I especially appreciate that Charlotte's used the ombre fabrics with the dark portion of the applique laid on the dark portion of the background - very subtle.  I'm sorry that the color in this image is not true to the quilt which doesn't have as much of a blue cast. 

 

This is the sign at PIQF that accompanied the quilt which was shown as part of the special exhibit "New Quilts of Northern California" (an annual juried exhibit).    

Trip Report 06-18-11

 
Here is the "Gold Standard" (as I have dubbed my vehicle) at the pump near Cave Fort, Utah, about two miles north of the junction of I-15 and I-70.  This is the station that I visited in memory of running on fumes the last time I drove this route.   It is the only station for some miles around and not very busy when I have been there.  Gas was high ($4.109) but not the highest - that was at my local Arco station when I tanked up on my way out of town at the start of the trip ($4.199).   The cheapest gas I bought was $3.599 at both Jamestown, NM, and at Lake Havasu City, AZ.  I read just recently that Californians currently pay sixty-five cents in state and federal taxes on each gallon of gas we buy.

The Road Trip was 3843 miles from start to finish and took me through ten states:  CA, NV, UT, CO, NE, KS, OK, TX, NM, AZ.  The highway just nicks the northwest corners of OK and TX, so they almost don't count.  Most of the driving was on the Interstate Highways - I-15, I-70, I-25, I-80 and I-40.  But there were a fair number of miles on "blue highways" in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.   Except for the snow in the Rockies and the wind in southern Kansas, the weather was moderate - the rain at times was heavy, but not enough to drive me off the road.  I manage to avoid all tornadoes!

I haven't added up the motel costs.   I prefer to stay at Holiday Inn Express because I seem to feel safer and I find the rooms spacious and comfortable.  The SAQA conference was at the Comfort Inn in Denver - the room was comfortable but a little snug for two people.  We had to ask for another chair and a refrigerator.   The dried up salmon at the Holiday Inn (NOT an Express) in Grand Island, NE, was the very worst meal I had.  Probably the best was Charlie Powers Beer Can Chicken at their house in Carbondale, KS.  When I travel alone I tend to eat our of my "food bag" and ice chest.  Cheese and crackers, carrots and celery, applesauce cups, little 3 oz. cans of chicken, etc..  And Starbucks, of course! 

It was a great trip.  The conference was a "rush" with lots of like-minded ladies.  Traveling with Ruth Powers was, as always, comfortable and fun.  If I hadn't had obligations at home I might still be traveling.  I did so want to go to the opening of Quilt National in Athens, Ohio, but I have to learn to accept that I can't do everything I want to do.  Who of us can?   I'm glad so many of the readers of this Blog came along with me and enjoyed the trip.  I'll be going to Washington state in August for the Pacific West Quilt Show in Tacoma.  Another Road Trip, probably around 3200 miles.  I can hardly wait!