I'm sturggling like almost everyone is. 03-28-20

One saving grace for me is taking KoKo for his walks twice a day.  We go in the morning sometime between 7 and 9 and in the evening at 7pm.  These evenings while we are out, the sun goes down and sometimes there is a glowing sunset.  But then the sky darkens and there is the moon and Venus in the western sky.  

I can't hold the camera perfectly still and leaned it against a car to take this shot.  But it still distorts the glowing planets.  

Tomorrow we will walk again and I will try to discipline myself to actually accomplish something.   The Black Beast looms and I must get myself in a different mood.  I try to not read anything about the Orange One or much about the Virus.  And I have sought out some funny videos.  Wish I had a solution for myself.  And everyone else who is in trouble over this crisis.  I'll keep working on it. 

Here is some helpful information on the neighborhood sidewalk. 

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Thursday Thoughts 03-26-20

Another old thing that I treasure and use several times a week.  This was my mother's grater, the only one I think she ever had.  I took it as part of my inheritence once she died.  It is still sharp enough for whatever I need it to cut, which is amazing since it must be over 75 years old.  It takes up almost no room in the front of the knife drawer.  I sent my old box grater to the second hand store for someone else to struggle with.  

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Wordless Wednesday 03-25-20

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Memories of Asilomar 03-24-20

When I first went to Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove about four decades ago, it was very rustic and seemed removed from the surrounding town; just quietly existing on the shore of Monterey Bay.  Then I started going to the Empty Spools Seminars there in 1991 and it became one of my most favorite places in the world.  Since then it has changed, providing more accommodations and smoothing out the rustic flavor.  Now the dirt paths are paved with bricks, the stairs all have railings, there is a small café in the building where guests register, and many other "improvements".  It is in the California State Parks jurisdiction and one requirement is that the plants need to be natives.  But during the many years since it was built many non-native species had been planted, by people or birds, and those plants had to be removed.  The ice plant on the sand dunes was taken out and replaced by natives.  Other areas were cleared and replanted according to the new rules.  One of the most missed plants is the Calla Lily.  They grew everywhere, increasing their clumps each year and they were so lovely in the shade of the trees and in the "swamp' near the entrance. When they were being pulled up the park rangers gave away starts to anyone who wanted them.  I took three, but only one has survived.  This year it has huge flowers that make me nostalgic for those old Asilomar views.  Of course, the tree blight has taken most of the trees and the disease resistant trees are still small and guarded by wire cylinders to keep the deer away.  It is sad to see every year.  This year all but the first session of the Empty Spools Seminars were canceled due to the Virus, so I won't be seeing any of it, after yearly visits for all these years.  However, I cherish the Calla Lilies and the memories of all those years at Asilomar. 

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Sun and rain and spring flowers 03-23-20

And isolationitis!  This is hard, isn't it?  But we are all in the same boat - all over the world, but not everyone is in isolation.  There are those who just don't believe it is true and those that, I suppose, just don't care.  Things here in Placentia are really quiet.  We did not go out today, I am aiming for every other day excursions - just to get out of the house.  Not far and not getting out of the car.   Of course, we did go on our two daily walks, between rain showers.  The prettiest spring flowers are these magnificent white bearded iris down the street.  She does have a lovely yard and the iris multiply every year.  

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A morning excursion 03-22-20

We went on our usual walks, but this morning we needed to get out of the house for a bit.  I feel that my car is safe from the virus because KoKo and I are the only ones who have been in it for several weeks.  So, we went "out", but not out of the car!  First we delivered some of our overstock of lemons to Carol and Dick and put some books in Carol's little curbside library.  I wonder if people are using these little gems since the official libraries are closed.  I have a stack of books I haven't yet read and there are always the authors whose books I collect and re-read periodically.  But I put books in Carol's library so others can have a selection. 

Then we went to Starbucks and found the local spot closed.  So we drove up to Imperial Hwy to our favorite site and it was also closed.  Both inside and the drive-thru.  Then down Rose Drive almost to the 91 Fwy and that location was open to drive-thru only.  We were at least the 15th car in line, but, heck, we didn't have any place to go anyway.  It was worth the 20 minute wait to get to the window.  Ahhh, good latte. 

 

There were very few cars out and about, this was around 9:30am, and Valencia Street was nearly deserted.  Sort of eerie and very quiet.  

We came home and I sewed on the yellow strip quilt which is now just one long 2-1/2" wide piece.  And, of course, we took a nap.  This afternoon there were crowds of parents and children about - keeping their distance from each family group.  All were looking for the shamrocks and teddy bears in the windows.  I had read the flyers taped up asking us to show shamrocks and I also read the post on Next Door about putting a teddy bear in the window.  All to give the kids something to do, a sort of scavenger hunt.  Poor kids, I'm sure most of them don't really understand why their normal lives have been interrupted.  

Who knows what tomorrow will bring!  

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