Goodbye 2021 12-31-21

Hope you are all enjoying New Years Eve in your own way.  KoKo and I are being quiet and peaceful - until the fireworks start.  So far only a few and not close by.  I just hold him and pet him and talk softly and he survives, shaking and growling.  

I did have to go to the pharmacy this morning, but masked up and distanced.  Nothing else on my calendar for more than a week.  I did have the booster on Dec 22nd.  I had waited until there was nothing on my calendar for a few days because I reacted so strongly to the number two shot.  It was a wise move as I spent about three and a half days with headache, temperature, ache all over, wiped out.  But I'd rather do that than have full blown Covid.   I certainly know people who have it or have it in their family, but no hospitalizations so far.  Scary stuff.  

Here is to better luck with 2022.  

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Wordless Wednesday 12-29-21

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Quilt from TCQC 12-26-21

 

"Sap Buckets"  Ruth B. McDowell  2011  54"W X 40"L
Machine pieced and quilted. 

We have been having cold (for us) wet weather and I sought out this quilt to hang for a few months.  The shadows are so wonderful and Ruth's fabric selections for the trees are intriguing - as usual!  Notice how the trees continue through the top border. 

Other than when I have shown it as ;part of a program, I don't think this quilt of Ruth's has been shown anywhere.  And I don't think it appeared in any of her books.  

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Well, Santa is done for another year.  I hung a wreath on my door and that was it for Christmas at this house.  Fortunately my friends and neighbors are caring and thought of me.  Best of all, friend Liz brought me some of their prime rib dinner and it was delicious.  The friends in the cul de sac brought me some of their Indian meal which I will have tomorrow.  I talked and text-ed with other friends and, of course, KoKo and I went for our two walks, which we managed between rain showers.  I think it was a lovely day.

We have had heavy rain, wind, and cold over the past week and trees are now almost bare.  The leaves make a gorgeous covering - these are mostly from the crape myrtle trees.

KoKo usually stops to see if the two big dogs that live at this house are out .  They rarely are, especially not when it is wet. 

Then it is "come on, I wanna go, stop with the pictures, already." 

He is a good walker, but gets impatient when I stop to visit or take pictures. 

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Last roses 12-24-21

Late in the afternoon on Wednesday I read the weather prediction which said RAIN, and heavy rain at that.  So, I cut the last almost full blown Brandy roses and brought them in to enjoy.  In a couple weeks it will be time to prune the roses for the year and no new flowers for at least a month.

Such a soft and lovely color with just a slight spicy scent.  In the background is a new quilt I bought at the November Surfside Quilters Guild auction, made by Sue Butsko and quilted by Cahtie Opila.  It is 42"W X 48"L.

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Wordless Wednesday 12-22-21

 

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And an Xmas cartoon 12-21-21

 

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Books 12-21-21

What is Christmas without new books?  In Iceland they celebrate "Jolabokaflod" or "Christmas Book Flood",  the tradition of giving and unwrapping new books on Christmas Eve, cozying up with family, and reading into the night.  (Google)   Not something I have ever experienced, but it sounds wonderful! As a child I could always expect a book or two from my paternal grandmother Ella.  I have two new books this year.  One I bought for myself:

Sue Benner has posted her photographs from walks along White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas.  Many of her followers have encouraged her to publish a book of these enchanting images and now she has done so.  It is very calming and inspiring and covers every season of the year.  I'm loving it and so is KoKo.

The other book came in the mail today, a gift from a San Diego friend.

It is about 500 pages and 9" X 11" and has the most fabulous photography I have seen in a long time.  Whereas Sue's book has great images of out-of-doors, this book has unbelievable images of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, along with some history, small essays about many plants, recipes, planting instructions, and, of course, seeds for sale.  Just look at this  picture of Chinese String Eggplant.  WOW!  I'd like to try it and I am not all that crazy about eggplant!

So, I have a lot of "eye candy" to cherish over the holidays and all days beyond. 

In 2004 I copied this flower image from the Internet and never knew what it was.  Now I know it is the flower of the Chinese Python Snake Bean plant.  The beans look like giant green beans and can grow 60 inches long!  And isn't the flower amazing, I wonder if it has a fragrance.  

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Checking in with Santa 12-20-21

KoKo had a visit with Santa yesterday.   Santa wasn't available last year, but this is the same Santa that has been at PetSmart in the past.  He is such a nice guy and serves as one of their best trainers the rest of the year.  The top image is from my camera and the bottom is the one they sent via e-mail.  I think it is funny that the pompom on Santa's hat looks like it is on KoKo's head.  And KoKo looks so tiny - his 12 pounds against Santa's 200+.  

Guess I am just getting silly in my old age, but KoKo is always happy to sit in any guy's lap.  

Christmas 12-18-21

I have enjoyed this big guy and with beard and hat he is now complete.  I think.  

Notice KoKo at his feet - all 12 pounds of him! 

And a Christmas cartoon......

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Friday Food 12-17-21

Yes, it is a glass of orange juice!   This evening about 6pm someone knocked at my door, not something that happens very often.  When I answered there was a young woman and two children greeting me.  The woman had this glass of orange juice in her hand.  She explained that she is a neighbor in the next cul de sac and she had squeezed a lot of oranges from their backyard tree and added a little honey.  She was just bringing it as a gift, would I like to have it?   I was speechless.  The little boy explained that they live in the house with the gingerbread couple and the most fantastic lights anywhere.  I recovered enough to say thank you and tried to remember if I had ever even seen this lady before.  She went on to say that KoKo and I walk by their house all the time, she lives next to Pam.  Ah-ha, now I knew who she is.  We talked for just a few minutes and she left with the children.  I'm not sure how gracious I was because I was so dumbfounded I couldn't think.  I will have to write a little note and maybe find a couple small gifts for the children.   

The orange juice is very good.  Kindness is alive and well in my neighborhood!

And my all time favorite Christmas cartoon.

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California Weather 12-16-21

Tuesday was the member's showcase at Surfside Quilters Guild, which is my favorite meeting of the year.  This year our member Cathie Opila and her sister Sue Carroll (from Minnesota) shared the quilts they make for their family of eleven siblings and their offspring..  Cathie is a prolific and adventurous quiltmaker who collaborates with Sue across the country.  It was a good program and worth the trouble to get there.   It was the day that SCalifornia had the first major rainfall since last winter and it was a doozy.  I left early in the wind and rain and heavy morning rush hour traffic.  Sometimes I could hardly see out of the car, which rocked in the wind and the blow-by from the big trucks.  It took a little more than an hour and a half and I arrived just five minutes before the meeting started.  I am the official photographer and like to be there to take pictures before everyone gets settled.   It is so satisfying and "warm" to be back to meeting in person.  I have missed all the quilting ladies over the last almost two years.  Before I left to drive home I sat in the parking lot for about 20 minutes, watching the wind whip the trees and the wipers whip the heavy rain.  But the drive home was not so harrowing, although it rained a lot it wasn't as violent as earlier in the morning and there was less traffic. .  

I was going to add a video of the wind and rain, but can't figure out how to do it.  Another time, maybe.  Here is one of Cathie Opila's quilts that I especially admire. 

And I have missed doing the twelve days of Christmas cartoons, some of which are new this year, but I will try to post on each evening until the BIG day.  

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Wordless Wednesday 12-15-21

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Birds in nest box 12-13-21

A friend who is not a bird watcher sent me this after I told her about Western Bluebirds using only boxes with a certain size entrance.  It is an amazing video, but very long - about 50 minutes. These are Japanese Tits which are about the size of the bluebirds or house finches.  There is sound by the narration is text. .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7S0j0qnsTg

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Three quilts in TCQC 12-12-21

It is Sunday so I am posting quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection.  I previously posted this on July 29, 2018.  These little 12" square quilts are interesting to collect as they show so many of the techniques and design ideas currently popular in the quilting world.  There are about one hundred in the Collection, by dozens of diferent artists. All of the artists are listed individually in the right side bar. 

These three quilts by Catherine Kleeman of Maryland were all purchased from the online SAQA auction, in different years.   They are all 12X12 and, I believe made with all cotton fabrics and all machine pieced and quilted.   They have some hand embellishment. 

I like to hang them together like this as they perfectly fit a space in my family room. 

"No Way Out" - Catherine Kleeman - Maryland  2011

Scribble 18  Catherine Kleeman - Maryland  2013 

 Round the Bend  Catherine Kleeman - Maryland   2014

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Quilt in progress 12-11-21

I am still TRYING to create something, but it goes sooo slowly.  Lack of concentration, ennui, needing a nap almost every day.  I don't know what is the cause - pandemic syndrome?  old age?  need more vitamins?   Whatever.  I know it would help if I did exercises every single day and maybe even twice a day!  But I don't seem to be able to force myself to do that.  Self control is not one of my strong points!  However, I have been working on several projects, switching off when I can't continue on one.  This is a small (18"W X 40"L) wall quilt composed of 1-1/2" squares that I have cut over the last 40 years or so.  I have a box of light and a box of dark that I paw through when needed.  I posted about this piece on 11-16-21 when I was still selecting squares.  Now I am machine quilting it and wish I had been more precise about lining up the little squares.  Oh, well - it isn't going to be a masterpiece!  

I have quilted vertically about 1/8th inch from the edges of the squares and will also do the horizontal.   I couldn't find a thread I thought would look good with all the different fabrics, so I am using mono-filament as the top thread and a lime green cotton on the back.  So far it is looking okay. 

I belong to Canyon Quilters in San Diego, but find it hard to do the two hour drive home after the meetings end around 9pm.  ZOOM has been a big help and I do attend most meetings that way.  They also have a "Sit and Sew" twice a month and I have enjoyed that.  There are usually fewer than 20 members attending, and once there were only four of us!  But it is a chance to become acquainted with some of the members.  There is not a lot of visiting going on, most are intent on their own work, but someone will bring uo a subject and we can all chime in or just listen.  I enjoy it and today finished up the vertical quilting lines on this little quilt. 

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Friday Food 12-10-21

Marbles for dinner?   Well, round things, anyway.  I hadn't thought of shapes when I prepared this dinner the other night.  I had fresh Brussel sprouts and a bag of fresh tiny potatoes.  Dipped into a bag of Trader Joe's cocktail meatballs (always a handy protein in the freezer)  and I ended up with a pie plate of "marbles".  I added a scoop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dried chives.  It was all delicious.  As the years roll by I find I eat simple meals and don't do much menu planning.  I buy veggies that look fresh and good at the market, sometimes eating just one thing for a meal.  Just broccoli or just green beans or rice with braised celery.  I have been eating more fruit lately, I suppose because fuyus are in season and there are still good pears to be found.  But my sweet tooth demands something sweet after a meal. Cookies are usually my favorite.  But that carrot cake from Katella Deli was fantastic.  Only a couple times a year though, it is very rich, rather expensive, and requires a 30 mile drive to Los Alamitos.  

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Food - Fuyus 12-09-21

I do love Fuyu persimmons and have several friends that share with me when their trees are loaded.   One of Carol's neighbors has a tree in their front yard and I don't think they eat them.  So, every year I knock and ask if I can pick some and they always say "help yourself" and I do!  The smallish trees are rather nondescript, but have nice shiny oval leaves.  Fuyus are best eaten when they are crisp and hard, like an apple, but you can also let them riipen until they are soft like the hachiya persimmons and scoop the flesh out with a spoon.  This can be used in cookies and puddings, however the hachiyas are a better choice for that.  

Hachiya  vs  Fuyu

Fuyu cut lengthwise and horizontal.

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Wordless Wednesday December 8, 2021

 

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Art Quilt group in SDiego 12-07-21

Saturday I drove to SDiego for the in-person meeting of the art quilt group I belong to down there.  Everyone was able to attend and we had a great meeting.  There was Show & Tell, including some work from the past, before the group was formed.  It is always interesting to see these earlier pieces and recognize the growth the artist has made.  I had nothing new or in progress, so I took a set of small works purchased at silent auction at the SAQA 2015 conference in Portland, OR.  Including these three.

"Bird"  Kristin Shields 2015  Machine pieced, hand applique and embroidery, machine quilted.

" New Zealand: Pukeko"  Martha Wolfe - Davis, CA  2015

Machine pieced and appliqued, hand embroidery , machine quilted.

"At the Market"  Terry Grant - Beaverton, OR  2015

  Machine Embroidery and applique.  This is done from the back. 

The meeting was at Judy Warren-Tippet's home and I supplied the refreshments.  We had a large fruit plate (which I failed to photograph) with Fuyus, green grapes, oranges, raspberries, dates, and honeyed pecans.  And for dessert after our bring-your-own-lunch we had a fabulous carrot cake from Katella Deli in Los Alamitos, CA.  It is very moist and coarse textured with all the fruits and nuts and not too heavy on the spices.  And then there is the yummy cream cheese frosting.  

It is an eight inch round cake with three layers and it is very rich, so one doesn't need a huge piece.  I brought home enough to share with my neighbor Mark-to-the-South, who takes care of putting out and bringing in my trashcans every week.  What a good neighbor who deserves a large slice of his most favorite cake. 

The traffic wasn't bad either direction and it was easy to drop off KoKo with Nancy Ota and to pick him up on my way home.  She wore him out and he slept almost all the way home.  

Altogether a really enjoyable, memorable day. 

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Pain free! KoKo & Froggy 12-02-21

Here is KoKo with Froggy in his arms.  Left paw underneath his body and right holding on to his head.  Froggy needs to have another surgery, but minor.  Maybe I can do it tomorrow.  This picture is from a couple days ago, but he had a bath and trim today so he isn't this shaggy. 

I had another epidural today and now I have no pain!  Hope I am not celebrating recklessly.  I anticipate it will come back, hopefully not soon.  I do have a headache and some nausea, but suspect that is from the anesthesia.  When we walked this evening I stepped up on the curbs without wincing.  I was very tired when I got home from the surgery center(driven by my friend Dick, Carol's husband), so KoKo and I had a nice nap.  Tonight I am still tired and anticipate a good night's sleep without pain. 

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Wordless Wednesday 12-01-21

 

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