Friday Feet 09-27-13

I know, I said I was going to give up on Friday Feet, but it seems to be a habit.  It will be a periodic Friday post. 


This young woman came into Starbuck's about 8:30am.  Where do you suppose she was going at that hour, dressed like this?  These "draggy" hems seem to be popular this summer.  Why?

What a contrast - one in jeans, tank top and tennies.  The other in dress up shoes, afternoon party dress and a formal jacket. What is the world coming to?

MORE fabric for my Fabric Library 09-26-13

On my quick trip up to San Juan Bautista to see Mary and Joe, I stopped at The Creation Station Quilt Shop in Buellton, off of Hwy 101.  They are now also open on Tuesdays, in case you are driving that way.  It is a fascinating shop with all kinds of gifts and gadgets, don't miss the bathroom.  Not a lot of fabric on the bolt because their primary business is vending at quilt shows, so they precut their fabric before going to the shows. 

 
The green fat quarter that is second from the right came from there. The rest of the fabrics came from my most favorite quilt shop - Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove.  I find it hard to control myself when I am there.  Sooo many gorgeous fabrics.  On the far left is a shrimp fabric for a friend who likes wilder fabric.  The two greens are just additions to my green boxes.  The center fabric was on the sales table, so, of course, I bought the rest of the bolt.  The red/white on black reminds me so much of one of my favorite teachers, Sylvia Einstein of Massachusetts.  I understand she is not making quilts these days -sad. And the fat cats on the right end are just too wonderful to leave in the shop.  I could make another JACK quilt using this as the background, eh? 
 

This panel from P&B is from the line "Always Blooming" designed by Susy Pilgrim Waters.  I know I will never cut it up.  It will probably become the exotic backing on some serene quilt front.  Right now it is hanging on my family room wall so I can admire it for a few weeks - or months.
 

Here is the little house in the bottom right corner.  I won't even have to add a bird if I use this in a quilt.  Two uncaged birds visiting a caged bird.  But maybe the caged bird was injured and is just confined until she can fly again.  I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Wordless Wednesday 09-25-13

 

More Road Trip - 09-24-13

I guess I have my days backward.  These pictures are from the trip up to San Luis Obispo on Friday.  And I already posted images from the trip home.  Sorry.

 
I've noticed many more cars carrying advertising, such as this one that I didn't get the side view so I would know what the ad is.  I wonder if it is economic or just a fad.  As I look at the photo I notice something I didn't notice at the time.  Look at the "Curve 35mph" signs - three of them.  Are they making a point?  Guess they are needed, because I didn't see them when I pointed my camera.
 

This one is new to me.  It is different than the Merge signs I have seen in the past.
 

WOW!  Pretty fancy shoulders on this highway.  The only other place I have noticed this type of work is in Albuquerque, NM. 
 

I was on the road earlier than I usually am.  The mist over the ocean was somewhat heavy, but I could still see the numerous oil platforms off the coast.
 

Still celebrating my birthday with my fancy birthday dice hanging on the rearview mirror.  This barn is still functioning, though it is a little battered.  Maybe my dice could be one of those traveling items that are shown in various places in the world - like the stolen gnomes. 

Monday Browsing 09-23-13

Article on “status” of art quilts: 

http://www.artandantiquesmag.com/2013/09/quilts-fabric-artworks/

12x12 group blog about their 12”X20” quilts  shown in Portland: http://twelveby12.blogspot.com

Have a cow?  This might be of interest:    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/18/cow-waterbeds-advanced-comfort-technology_n_3429706.html?utm_hp_ref=small-business&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D378788

The Studio Art Quilt Associates  (SAQA) are into the last week of their annual quilt auction.  Check out the site, there may be something you can’t live without! 

http://www.saqa.com/gallery-mini-detail.php?ID=2416

 Visit Luana Rubin's photo pages to see quilts all over the world.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/sets/

Monterey Bay  09-21-13

Harris Ranch, some "firsts" and home 09-22-13

This was a very fast trip up to San Juan Bautista to see my friends Mary and Joe.  I haven't been up there for months and I have missed them.  Joe is going in for surgery in the morning and I had to give him a hug..  or two!

I slept well at Harris Ranch.  Generally it is very quiet there and it is far enough off I-5 that the traffic noise does not disturb.  It was a little more than 4 hours home and the traffic was very light until I was in the LA Basin.  Unusual for me, I was on the road at 8am and it is Sunday, so I sailed along trying to keep it under 90mph.    The speed limit is 70mph and, although I am known to have a heavy foot, I try to keep it about 75mph - I know from experience that 80 is a ticket!

This is a first.......

I wasn't quite sure what this installation is in the far corner of the parking lot.  In fact, I thought at first it might be some far out art installation - why would refrigerators be out in the parking lot?  Of course, they aren't refrigerators at all and the U shaped openings are not for cows.  This is a Tesla recharging station, about half way between civilization in LA and civilization in San Jose/Oakland.  So, it is entirely practical. 
 

There are those four stations and then three more along the edge of the lot.  I supposed that eventually six stations might be needed at one time to recharge all the electric vehicles on the road.  They aren't just for Tesla motor cars.
 

Nice shot - beside the downward loops, I love the shadows on the ground. 

'

Another first - the first time I have seen a fat, old trucker in cutoff overalls.  Wasn't a pretty sight!
 

  
I still have my fancy birthday dice on the rear view mirror and think I will leave them there until next weekend.  A month of celebration - how did I get so old?   Anything hanging on the mirror that obstructs the driver's view is illegal - and a ticket, but the dice are so fun and colorful. I figure for my birthday I might be able to talk the cop out of ticketing me.  Worth a try.   This picture is somewhere near Buttonwillow, CA, on I-5.
 

 
Quite heavy monsoon clouds over the mountains.  I-5 goes over the top and is variously referred to as the "Ridge Route", the "Grapevine", "Tejon Pass".  The minute one arrives at the bottom of the grade on the other side there is traffic. 
 

Almost to the top.

One more first for the day - for the first time I paid over $4/gallon for the cheapest gas.  Most stations were $4.30 (and up), but way off the highway in Kettleman City is a Valero selling it for $4.07.   When the price went over $2 we wondered how high it could go.

Latte "painting" for lunch. 09-21-13

I left home yesterday and drove up Hwy 101 along the coast to San Luis Obispo  colloquially known as SLO.   On the way I stopped at a favorite restaurant that I seldom visit  - Jeannine's in Montecito.  There is a sister restaurant in Santa Barbara, but I have never tried it - Montecito comes before Santa Barbara and I am usually starving, just from thinking about the food.  It is a tiny place and very popular with the locals.  There has always been a charming plant nursery next door and I was sad to see that it is gone and construction has started on a building in its place. 

One of the joys of Jeannine's is the fabulous lattes (Peet's coffee) which are also amazing art.  Isn't this bear a delight?  He is the most complicated "latte painting" I have seen.  I still don't understand how the baristas make them.

 
This angle shows the thick top layer which has to be part of the "trick" to make the image last so long.

Notice that the handle of the cup is lined up with the image in such a way that when one drinks they are eye to eye with the bear and also lip to lip. 

 

 My drinking distorted the bear and ultimately turned it into a......
 

 
..... PIG!

Just as eating this huge omelet filled with fresh tomatoes and cheese and topped with a perfect avocado, along with fried white and blue potatoes, turned me into a PIG! 

 

After I waddled back to the car I continued north and spent the night at HIE in SLO.  The residents seem to have a sense of humor about the name - this morning I saw them setting up for the "SLO Turtle and Reptile Club" show at the Veteran's Hall.   How many towns have such an organization - fast or SLO? 

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