Autumn 12-09-23

We do have seasons in SCalifornia,, but they are not as spectacular as more northerly locations.   We need  the  temp to drop  to 40F for  some plants to turn color, whereas  some just turn brown and quickly fall.   The thermometer has only dropped to about 45F, so not  much  color. 

This block wall is covered with  Virginia Creeper (I think).  The NW facing side is pretty much still green.

I've  fiddled  with this image trying to show the redness, but this is the best I can do.

KoKo gets impatient when I spend too much of his walk taking pictures.  

The Nandina along the drive-thru at Starbuck's becomes more red each time we go there.

There will be a lot of leaves and twigs on the ground tomorrow morning. The wind has been strong all day and is still howling tonight at 10pm.

The palms lose huge dry fronds if the homeowner doesn't have them trimmed. 

Did you know that outdoor Sanseveria grows berries?  This poor plant is still recovering from the yard cleanup in early summer, but it is gutsy enough to put  out a few berries.

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Camera Jiggling 12-08-23

To  explain Wordless Wednesday...   Way back  in 2008 I discovered camera jiggling and experimented doing it several times.  On a SLR you click the button to take a picture at the same time you toss the camera which you have on a string.  The picture is taken as the camera  moves, giving interesting patterns - sometimes. The picture below is my favorite.  Alas, with the advent of phone cameras this doesn't work, at least I cannot do it.  No longer a  playtime possibility.

https://delquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/what-was-happening-ten-years-ago-10-25.html

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Wordless Wednesday 12-06-23

 

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12-04-23 - Raspberries

You may remember how crazy I am about raspberries.  We grew them in our  backyard when I was growing up  in Portland and we participated in the picking crews that were bussed to the fields outside of town.  I would eat as well as pick. 

This photo is of berries I bought at a roadside stand in Oregon, maybe 15 years ago.  I took a box to breakfast at the motel the next morning and thought I would cause a riot because everyone wanted their share.  The berries were  huge, just four fit in my palm. 

I  do buy them  at  the market when they are in season and sometimes off-season, but they aren't as tasty and  the  price is painful.  

Recently I  was at the market when they had a sale and I wanted to stock up on Bonne Mamon brand, which I think is the best raspberry jam.  A young man was also shopping jams and pointed out that St. Dalfour jam was also on sale and that was much better by far.  "You should try it."  So,I picked up a jar.  And he may be right!    St. Dalfour is VERY rich in raspberry flavor, seedless, and a good consistency.  Also, because it is so rich I need to use less to achieve the same  flavor as Bonne Mamon.   Guess I will need to keep both in my pantry so I will be supplied for any usage. 

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Sadness 12-03-23

This has been a sad autumn for me. Four friends have died,  And now my sister in Oregon has died.   She turned 88 on November 12th and died on November 30th.  She had four boys and a  girl and the second son called to tell me.  Ellamarie had not spoken to me in several decades, would not take my phone calls and I suppose she did not open any cards or letters I sent. I don't know why she took against me.  I moved to California when I was 18, while she was married and started her family.  Before our mother died in 1972 I went up about every other year,  but  ultimately she would take the children and go to eastern Oregon until I left!   She never came down to see me.  She lived in our childhood house in Portland and, as  far as I know never traveled.   She has been widowed for about ten years.  I am sad,  but we have  been  estranged for decades now and the connection we had growing up was broken  long ago.  She  passed  that  break on to her children who I do not know and have  random contacts with only two.  

These are the only pictures I have on the computer of us together.

Ellamarie and Del In Portland, Oregon,  August  2004

Ellamarie and Del - Portland, Oregon    About 1951?

We were both sick, but a door-to-door photographer came by and our mother thought we should  have a picture taken.  Ellamarie had  naturally curly hair which could be dampened and twisted  around a finger.  I,  on the other hand, had perfectly straight hair and wore it in pigtails.  And this is what happens when they are brushed out.   

Del and Ellamarie  - Portland, Oregon. About 1941

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