Hope for the New Year 12-31-20

Since I don't do much of anything and don't go anywhere except for the walks and an occasional short trip to the market, I don't have much to say.  I've thought about telling stories from my past and may yet resort to that!  Today we dropped some things at the PO drive-by box, took some money out of the ATM at the credit union, and visited the drive though at Starbuck's down by the 91 Fwy, just to go some place different.  It is about a mile further than the Starbuck's we usually frequent.  While in line there we have a view of Anaheim Lakes where the white pelicans are moving in for the winter.  It is a distant view, but still nice to see.  Home to do a few household chores, throw Froggy for KoKo to chase, and read my current book, Barack Obama's memoir, "A Promised Land".  I do find it riveting and am surprised at some of the "characters" who are still around today; McConnell, Pelosi, Feinstein, both Clintons, and others.  I guess my memory is really failing me because I don't remember some of the really serious problems that existed in our country in 2009.   The high point of the day was a ZOOM meeting with the art quilt group in San Diego.  Always interesting sharing and conversation.  

So, here we go into a new year.  Along with everyone I know I am hoping for a MUCH better year ahead for the entire world.   Need to get those vaccinations rolling!

Some of you might remember how much I enjoy snowman cartoons!

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Wordless Wednesday 12-30-20

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Rain!! 12-28-20

The weathermen were right, we had RAIN!  I can't find a website that says how much rain there was in the last 24 hours, but it really came down.  It started last night about 1am with violent thunder that seemed to shake the house.  The thunder rolled and bumped and thumped for at least half an hour.  VERY unusual for this area.  I doubt that KoKo has heard thunder but a few times in his six years and he was terrified.  Shaking and barking and running around.  I caught him and held him close and stroked him and talked softly, explaining just what was going on.   He finally settled somewhat, but every little thunker rumble would start him up again.  Poor guy.  If we had more of this sort of thing I would buy him a "thunder shirt", but it is so rare I doubt it is worth it.  

We didn't walk the loop until about 10:30am and timed it correctly to be in between rain storms.  Tonight we went out in the backyard quickly, not because of rain, but it was only 43F!  The coldest it has been this year.  I took the picture below about 3pm when the rain was fierce, thinking the sparkling silver drops might show.  The neighbor's house does not have gutters/downspouts so you can see the water fall to the right.  And against the dark trees the white lines are the falling raindrops.  It was quite lovely.  As far as I can tell our last rain that amounted to anything was early April.  

So, what does KoKo do on a rainy day?  The same as he usually does.....

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Flowers in winter 12-27-20

The camellias are starting to bloom.  This one in a neighbor's yard is always one of the first.  It is against a west facing brick wall and protected by a shallow overhang high above.  I think everything in this yard in on drip lines, so the extended drought hasn't much effect.  We are supposed to have rain tomorrow, but the prediction has changed so much in the past few days I sort of doubt that rain will be forthcoming.  We need it so badly.  

I am trying to do the PTherapy twice a week, but the holidays sort of mess that up.  I should do the exercises every day at home, but don't often manage that.  It isn't that I have so much to do, I just have never been good at exercising.  KoKo and I do the loop twice most days, so that is two miles (more or less).  So I am not a complete couch potato! 

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Christmas decorations 12-23-20

As some of you may know, I don't do Christmas any more.  I do hang a wreath on my front door and usually a couple quilts in the house.  But this year I just hung one.  It was made by Jan Hirth, who donated it to the Surfside Quilters Guild November Fest live auction in 2016.  She does very precise work, but it is not her original design.  Don't know what company published it.  It is 29"W X 21.5"L.  Fused, Machine pieced and quilted.  Neither Jan or I have any idea why there are frogs!  

Hope you have the best Christmas you can manage in this dreadful year.  

Be safe.  Keep well. Love, Del and KoKo  

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Flowers of winter 12-22-20

As much as I admire the gorgeous pictures of snow covered trees and icy lakes, I am truly a California girl.  Although I spent most of my early years in Oregon where there was snow, but not huge amounts.   Here are some plants that are blooming now in my Orange County, CA, neighborhood.

I cannot remember the name of this large bush and have spent quite a bit of time looking for it online.  I thought I would recognize the name, but unfortunately my brain doesn't retain like it once did.  

This is the common white landscape rose.  They bloom pretty much all year and do not have to be deadheaded.  The blooms just dry up and fall off

The narcissus usually start blooming before Christmas.  They are a little scraggly this years which I think is due to the drought.  I don't know when we last had rain.  Perhaps May.

The camellias in protected corners against a masonry wall are started to come out, just a few now, but in another couple weeks the bushes will be covered with flowers. 

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Christmas lights 12-18-20

 

There are lots of light decorated houses around here.  Some are amazing and I wonder where they store all this stuff when the holidays are over.  Public Storage, maybe?  This house is near the lighted palm trees I posted a few weeks ago.  Some displays have music playing.  I don't know what I would do if I lived near one of those - eeeeeeek.   Anyway they are fun to look at.   I read today that although light at Christmas time has been around since pagan days, electric light strings came about in 1882 when a vice president of the Edison Electric Light Company had 80 special made blue lights to wrap around his Christmas tree instead of the traditional candles.  Needless to say the idea caught on.  

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Southern California Contemporary Quilts Part 3 12-17-20

 Nelda is a member of Art Stream, a small art quilt group in San Diego that I also belong to.  It was so interesting to watch this quilt come together and to see how she solve any problems she ran into.  It is 29" L X 31.5"W

Another recognition of the SCalifornia fire hazard was created by Pam Palmer-Lowe.  It acknowledges the women from prison fire crews who put their lives on the line despite their incarceration.  Their colorful identifying uniforms are in stark contrast to the blacken forest. 

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Southern California Comtemporary Quilts Part 2 12-16-20

Charlotte Bird's multi-panel work is in the center of the large gallery.  It is fascinating and deserves extra time to look at all the details.  She covers the scenes of SCalifornia with great artistry.  18" high X 22" wide for each panel X a total length of 102"

I always admire the work of Kathleen McCabe and there are several of her quilts in TCQC.  This one is soooo California.  48"L X 32"wide

This detail of the flowers in the foreground shows her fine control of her quilting. 

See the people and the light poles out on the pier - just shadows. Color isn't very good in this photo, it is much  brighter. 

Nancy Lemke's quilt is another salute to the coast.  21"L X 32"W

Notice the crocheted doily representing a sea star and there are hand embroidered sea urchins scattered throughout.

And tiny white fish flowing across the tidepool. I like the borders only top and bottom, leaving the water to flow out on each side.  

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Time off 12-14-20

I didn't mean to take a week off and I am sorry I caused some of you to worry, but  I have been struggling with keeping on my feet and trying to get back to "normal".   Couldn't do PTherapy because I was running a temp.  Seems to have been the UTI that has been haunting me off and on for the last few months.  Just generally feeling rotten on top of my sciatica problems.  I did see the orthopedist again last Friday and he thinks I should have another epidural.  I doubt that will happen until after the first of the new year.  I am waiting for a call back from the injection doc.  If I continue to feel better each day I will probably pass on that.    KoKo and I continue to walk twice a day and sometimes, like today, we do the loop both times.  I do think it makes an improvement in my aches and pains, but sometimes I don't have the energy.  I continue to do the exercises at home.  

I have been driving locally, to the market, the drugstore, takeout food, Starbuck's, but last Thursday I drove to Oceanside to have lunch with my friend Beth.  Oceanside is about halfway between us, an hour from San Diego and an hour from Placentia.  We each take our own lunch, park next to each other in the OMA lot,  roll down our windows and have a lovely visit while we eat.  Not the same as sitting in a restaurant and hugging on arrival/departure, but better than not seeing each other at all.  The traffic was mostly light, but I was whipped when I got home.  KoKo had stayed with Cherie and Jim overnight and I picked him up on the way home.  Needless to say I needed a nap and he joined me, as usual.  

Two special cards in the mail today.  I have always been fascinated by the 3-D folding cards and this is a very nice Snowman.  Also a quilled bluebird (of happiness) which was accompanied by a nice long letter HANDWRITTEN!  Haven't had one of those in years.  I will respond, but it will have to be typed as I can not even read my own cursive anymore.  

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Southern California Contemporary Quilts 12-07-20

Just before the Sciatica struck me I had driven down to Oceanside Museum of Art to see the exhibit of quilts by Southern California artists.  And I did take pictures, but was not able to sit at the computer to post any of them.  So, I am going to start posting them so you can see at least part of the exhibit.  The museum is closed again due to the Virus and who knows when it will re-open.  If you are in the area you could stop by to shop in the museum store which is currently featuring "Tiny Art" - five inch square pieces donated by artists of every ilk and ready to use for stocking stuffers or just a regular tiny gift.  Lots of high quality jewelry, bowls, scarves, cards, etc. for your gift selection. 

This measures 58"L X 38"W.  The background is a solid piece of hand-dye (I think) that has been in my fabric library for years.  I knew it would find the proper place one day.  All of the quilts I make have a bird in them somewhere - as part of the design, in the quilting, on the back, on the label, wherever I can squeeze one in.  There are several birds in the trunks of the trees.

This measures 38.5L X 27.5W.  What an appropriate subject for this hot year. 

This measures 20"L X 29 3/4"W.  SOOO Southern California! 

More to come in future posts. 

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Special Dinner Treat 12-05-20

 

I don't remember when I last had an In-N-Out burger.  Months, for sure.  But tonight was the night for a "double-double", fries, and a chocolate shake.  It was delicious.  I love the fries because I don't usually eat them anywhere else since I know that they peel and cut the potatoes on site, so there are no sulfites added.   I didn't think about it being Saturday night, so the line of cars was out to the street.  But I had KoKo to keep me company and the wait was worth it.  It is my favorite burger of all time!

I continue to gain strength every day and we have done the one mile loop every morning.  Ptherapy helps, but I must do the exercises at home to keep building up the muscles.  Still have pain in my left leg, especially the knee.  Guess it is a little bit at a time when one gets old and I sure feel old these days.  Tomorrow, I keep telling myself, I will feel better.  Will tomorrow every come!!! 

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Froggy has a hard life. 12-03-20

Poor Froggy. Someday KoKo is going to love him to death.  Two feet were about to come off and I found half a dozen other places that needed a stitch or two.  As you see, KoKo watches attentively as I carry out the surgery.  

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Wordless Wednesday 12-02-20

 

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Treats for KoKo 12-01-20

Advent calendars were not a part of my childhood and I had no children to buy them for.  So when Cherie, who cared for KoKo and Froggy all those weeks, came to the door with a doggy Advent calendar for KoKo, I had to do some research on Google.  So, this morning after our walk I opened the first "door" and gave KoKo his treat.  This was also a special morning because we walked all the way around the loop this morning.  First time since September.  Years ago I measured the loop and thought it was a bit less than a mile.  But one of my walking neighbors told me it is a little more than a mile.  Whew!  I'll have to measure again.  I did have to sit down on walls that abut the sidewalk - three times!  And I was really wobbly when we go home.  But it felt good to be out and about in the sunshine.  Quite a few flowers blooming and the poinsettias that people have planted in their yards are started to bloom.  And there are lots of Christmas decorations up.  We didn't do the loop tonight, but maybe tomorrow night we will go after dark to see the lights.

I had to see if all the treats were the same, so I looked at the one for tomorrow.  It is sort of a lozenge shape, so maybe there are other shapes.  KoKo gobbled the treat right down and I haven't noticed any ill effects yet.  I don't understand what all the illustrations are on the cover, but they are cute.  

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Light Wheels 11-30-20

 

KoKo and I have started walking after dark again.  I always enjoy seeing the Holiday lights and he doesn't seem to mind that it is dark.  Since we walked after dark last spring one of the neighbors has installed these solar walkway lights.  I think they are super cool.  The dark curved line is the edging on their walkway.  

He almost didn't have a walk tonight.  I went to PTherapy this morning and had to have a nap when I came home.  I'm super sore tonight, but he needs his walk and it actually made me less sore.  Exercise does that, doesn't it?  I only need the cane some of the time.  But I have been carrying it for protection from coyotes for several years, so it is sort of a habit anyway. 

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TCQC - Amidst the Fire - K. Grace Howes

This is a quilt from the SAQA online auction 2010.  Sometimes I find that that my attraction to the auction quilts is  not so much when I have them hanging on my wall.  But this one still "speaks" to me and I enjoy it whenever it is hanging.  

"Amidst the Fire"  K. Grace Howe - Huntersville, NC   2009  12"W x 13"L

Hand-dyed cottons, fusing, beading, machine appliqued and pieced and machine quilted.

The artist's statement was:  "There's a constant burning in my brain to produce, produce, produce. I can only do so much in the time given and yet, wonderfully, there is always another spark of creativity ready to be ignited. Much like an eternal flame, passion for the job never wanes."

 

A simple label giving the necessary details.  I removed the phone number because one artist asked me to go back and remove her number from the picture.  I hadn't thought of that causing a problem, but I can see that it might.  So, I TRY to remember to always do it.  If I don't, please let me know.  

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KoKo again 11-28-20

One of KoKo's bad habits is eating paper.  Specifically napkins, tissues, paper towels - preferable used!  I try to keep them out of his reach, but he does manage to find something and then he eats it.  Here he has found a napkin, I know not where, and ate about half of it before I could collect the pieces.  He has never thrown up any paper, so I suppose it just wipes up his insides as it works its way through.  He will also eat soft plastic like the ends off of my individual eye drop containers.  I have to keep a special sealable container to drop them in immediately upon use.   I can't imagine what they would do to his innards.   Otherwise he is quite a good dog. 

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The Friday after Thanksgiving

Just a picture of the neighborhood showing the blue sky.  I took another one with palm trees, but it disappeared.   It was a lovely Thanksgiving dinner yesterday with friends Carol and Dick Bednar. We ordered a traditional meal from Cedar Creek Inn in Brea.  It was quite tasty and we had lots of leftovers so we could have turkey sandwiches today.  The wind was blowing up a storm yesterday afternoon and when I went to get in the car to drive home it took off my hat and rolled it down the street.  Carol got in the back seat and we drove down to where the hat was fortunately laying in the street.  Carol got out and retrieved the hat.  Thank You, Carol.  It is the orange straw that I have worn for probably 25 years; orange hats are hard to find.

I am improving very slowly.  Doing the PTherapy exercises and except for this evening, walking around the neighborhood twice a day.  I just couldn't get up the energy this afternoon/evening.  KoKo went out back while I watched for coyotes and I told him I would do better tomorrow.  

Hope your Thanksgiving Day was happy and safe.  

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Wordless Wednesday 11-25-20

 

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Pushing for Christmas 11-24-20

Christmas lights and decorations all over the place!  I am surprised there are so many as usually people wait until after Thanksgiving.   I know several families whose tradition is to gather the weekend after Thanksgiving to share the work of  doing the outside decorating.  I don't remember seeing a lot of palms decorated this way, but there is an entire neighborhood that has already put up their palm tree lights.  Some are more successful than others. 

They look a bit like fireworks, don't they?

I suppose someone must have a "cherry picker" to get to the tips of the fronds. 

Wednesday is trash day and the cropped image was terrible, so here are the palm trees and the trash.  The basketball hoop and background are not lighted, it just reflects the light.  Now, if I had Picasa I could take that out.  Oh, how I miss the great easy-to-use program. 

By the way, I started  PTherapy again today.  Hope it helps. 

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