Lest we forget - think RAIN!

Before the drought started (they say four years ago) we had several very wet years- 2009 -10. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, I have fond memories of rain and I miss it when years go by with hardly a drop.  Today was a day of a thousand drops - more or less.  When I was walking with KoKo we were hit by two or three of those thousand.  I opened the door and I could smell it - that damp, dusty smell when it first starts to rain.  I thought about postponing the walk, but I figured that KoKo, who is only a year and half old, had never seen or felt rain, so we went.  He didn't notice!  The drops were too few and far between. 

 

But I remembered past rains and looked up some pictures.

 

This was taken from my porch in 2009 - looking into the cul-de-sac where the rain was really coming down.

Here are some very healthy rose leaves enjoying the rain in 2010. Aren't the colors nice?

A reflecting puddle in San Diego in 2010.

 

 

This is from the motel window in Joplin, MO, when I holed up for two nights in 2013, hoping to avoid the rampant tornadoes all around.  I spend about 45 minutes in the tornado shelter (a reinforced room behind the reception desk) when there was a tornado warning.  The rest of the time it just rained and the wind blew.

 

So, I am thinking RAIN in the hope that I can conjure up a sprinkle or two. It will take a monsoon to get us off of water restrictions.  We can water two days a week, before 8am and after 7pm.  Addresses ending in even numbers may water on Sunday and Wednesday

and address ending in odd numbers may water on Tuesday and Saturday.  No watering allowed on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

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Friday Feet 09-11-15

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Another KoKo day 09-10-15

Here he is with most of his toys.  My favorite is Ducky, but I think KoKo prefers Froggy.

 

Froggy, Snakey,Ducky (on top of Snakey), Monkey, and KoKo.

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Wordless Wednesday 09-09-15

 

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Rami Kim at Surfside Quilters Guild 09-08-15

Rami Kim was the speaker at the Surfside Quilters Guild meeting today in San Clemente, CA.  Rami has a number of books out and has had something like 18 Best of Show awards for her fabulous outfits with folded, smocked, tucked, etc., embellishment.  Here are pictures of the backs of two of her WOW quality sleeveless coats.  The garments are all accessorized with matching blouses, handbags, vests, whatever.  They need to be seen "in the fabric" to appreciate the intricacy of her work. 

 

She gave a nice program that went a little long for our timing, but she was quite humorous and sharing of her ideas and techniques. 

 

 

 

After the meeting I joined other members for our monthly lunch and then went to Nancy Ota's house to pick up that sweet little KoKo doggie who will be with me for a week.  I don't know how many walks he will get as it is very hot again.  When we arrived home it was 103F on my patio.  I just can't tolerate heat like that, so we walked around the backyard for twenty minutes or so after it started to cool off.  It is almost 10pm and still 87F with 36% humidity and wind at 2-3mph.  September is one of our hottest months in the normal course of things, but this year is hardly normal, so who knows what the weather will be for the month.

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Monday Browsing 09-07-15

Fond of wisteria?  Here is the ultimate:

https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/DisplayMessage?ws_popup=true&ws_suite=true

What kids don’t learn today:
http://www.aol.com/article/2015/07/20/what-adults-learned-in-school-that-kids-wont/21211359/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl33%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D503894565

Ann Fahl’s folding technique to ship quilts:

http://annfahl.blogspot.com/2013/07/folding-quilts-storing-and-shipping.html

Here is a Japanese method for making children behave:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3C2Q7OIyPY
Someone pointed out that they resemble the creatures in “Where the Wild Things Are”.

This is a video of many different ways to set log cabin blocks.  Watch it just for the movement:

http://quiltstudy.blogspot.com/2015/05/little-log-cabin.html#comment-form  (changing log cabin)

Here are pictures of the exhibit “Getting To Know You” at the Quilt Study Center in Nebraska.  Includes quilts from other countries and one by Ruth McDowell:

http://www.quiltstudy.org/exhibitions/nowshowing/gtky/gallery.html

Maps that tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the population of the world:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/09/03/how-so-many-of-the-worlds-people-live-in-so-little-of-its-space/

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New Ruth B. McDowell quilt in TCQC 09-06-15

This quilt by Ruth McDowell is currently being shown at Visions Art Museum in San Diego as part of the exhibit "Collector's Showcase".  I added it to TCQC earlier this year.

 

I love the way Ruth incorporates traditional designs into some of her quilts - that was the first thing that attracted my attention, since Goose In The Pond is one of my favorite traditional block designs.  But only Ruth could come up with a combination like this. 

 

 

Ruth has the ability to make her pieced animals and people look realistic whether she uses straight or curved piecing.

She invents her quilting design as she works.

Her signature is on the front....

...and on the label on the back.  She gives the necessary information: Title, name of maker, date, and a way to contact her.

She always has interesting backs - this one is elegant.

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