Electricity Deprivation 04-28-23

Today was a serious lesson in how dependent I am on the electricity that comes into  my  house.  I don't think about it; I pay my monthly  bill  and the  power is just there.  I fondly remember Erma Bombeck's essay on her thought that the basement was just full of electricity and it came out those slots in the wall when she needed it.  Funny  bit.   About a week ago I (and presumably all my neighbors) received a notice in the mail saying that due to repairs power would be out on Friday, April 28th from 9am to 4pm.  I marked  my calendar  and stuck the notice in  an obvious  place  so I wouldn't forget.  This morning KoKo and I went for our walk, not needing any lights or anything electric before we started out, it was broad daylight and I suppose the power was still on since it was not yet 9am.  I wondered why so many of my neighbors had their car, or second car, parked in the driveway, but didn't make the connection.  I left my car in the garage.  When we returned home I thought I would have oatmeal for breakfast and I set up  the bowl to go in the microwave  Odd.  The microwave light did not go on.  The microwave did not respond to my command.  And then I remembered - no power today.  My life nearly stopped.  What doesn't work?   No recliner, reading lamp, garage door, toaster oven, microwave, microwave clock (all the others use  batteries), ignitors on the gas range top, iron, sewing machine, washer, dryer, dishwasher, garbage  disposal, bathroom heater, hot water heater, refrigerator (don't open)..... .  pretty  much  eliminating  anything I might  do with my time!  

I got  out a pan  and poured the oatmeal/water/salt  into  it and put it on the burner.  But no spark from the ignitor.  Where is a match?  I haven't used a match in at least a decade.  After  mulling it over for  what seemed  like a  very  long time, I remembered that there is a  small box of  restaurant  matches  in the guest bath with a scented candle (which has never been fired up)..  Ahhh, yes.   There  were three matches, might  put that on my grocery list.   Successfully cooked the oatmeal and ate it.  No toast.  What to do?  KoKo and I took a little nap for about an hour.  I sorted through some mail.  Then moved a chair closer to a window and read the new book group book, "Dinners with Ruth" (Bader Ginsburg) by Nina Totenberg.  The very beginning are Nina's comments of the value of friendship which I think I will send along to several of my friends.  Great thoughts.   But my eyes got tired so I thought I would take a shower.  Nope, no hot water.   I rolled a few small quilts for  storage.  I took KoKo out back three or four times, along with my coyote stick.  I noticed how quiet it was, although I don't usually play music or listen to the radio.  But the hum of the frig was missing.  Finally I hear it again!  Two o'clock and the frig was humming away.   I can now think of a few things I could have done with my day, but I guess my electric dependence stood in my way.  I do have flashlights for night time emergencies, but will now stock up on matches and some emergency candles.   Such an educational day

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A Visitor 04-27-23

The neighborhood likes to think this is the same great egret who visits every Spring, but I rather doubt it.  We aren't far from several lakes and reservoirs, along with flood control channels that have landscape runoff all year.  Could be any individual bird - always just one,  He wanders along the front yards gobbling up tasty bits, mostly lizards, I suspect.  I don't see into backyards, but imagine he checks out those as well.  

This yard is one of the more beautiful, flower filled and I have seen him there often. 

We have seen the egrets since we have lived here and I do photograph them.  Here is an image from 2009 with neck stretched out. 

They do stand very still for a long time, waiting for something to move.  Hard to spot them among the plants.  

KoKo is only midly interested.  I suspect he thinks they are just skinny white people.  While I photograph he usually plops down and rests a bit.  This is a lovely patch of pink ice plant that grows out onto the sidewalk.  

Sunny in the afternoon with temps about 80F.

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Wordless Wednesday 04-26-23

 

       

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Quilts from Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 04-24-23

In February 2012 Visions Museum in San Diego hung forty 12" X 12" quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection in the area across from the welcome desk.  The museum director, Beth Smith, and I laid out all the 12X12s I had at that time and selected these to hang.  It was a revelation to me to see so many of them hung together.  Since that time I have added many more from the SAQA online auction and other fund raisers, so now there are well over 100.  It would be fun to hang them all in a gallery - maybe in two rows all the way around.  

 Forty twelve-inch square quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection.

Top row: Judith Roderick, Kristin LaFlamme, Terry Grant, Sherry Kleinman, Nelda Warkentin, Els Vereycken, Bodil Gardner, Kirsten Duncan.

   2nd row:  K. Grace Howes, Sue Benner, Aileyn Renli Ecob, Karen Rips, C. Terry Meyer, Brenda Gael Smith, K.Velis Turan, Gerri Congdon.

  3rd row: Terry Grant, Mary Pal, Doria Anne Goocher, Linda Colsh, Polly Bech, Els Vereycken, Ruth Powers, Sue Dennis.

  4th row: Thom Atkins, Sandra Hart, Joan Sowada, Diane Perin Hock, Terri Stegmiller, Sally Sellers, Cynthia St. Charles, Chris Hanson. 

  5th row: Julia Zgliniec, Nanette Fleischman, Nikki Wheeler, Natalya Aikens, B.J. Adams, Nancy Morgan, Catherine Kleeman, Deborah Boschert.

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