03-05-25

Here are some views of "our" park where we walk almost every morning.  The "elephant" sculpture is in the middle of the image.  Our house is on the left edge about in the middle, beyond the chain link fence and the flood control channel.  You can see the cider block wall on the right along the east side of the park. 

 

Still lots of California Sycamore leaves left for the wind to blow around.

Looking the other way (south) toward the only entrance/exit.  This is the zip line  which has two lines, each with a round "seat" hanging from the rail.  I can't  pick the  seats out in this picture, some day I'll take a photo of someone zipping.

 

We did most of our steps this morning due to the threat of rain and we did have a few sprinkles.   But the rain started seriously about 2pm while I was  driving to see  the orthopedist and it has continued the rest of the day and into the night.  So, no walking for KoKo this evening, but I did the cul de sacs alone  to fill out the two miles.    Rain predicted for tomorrow, so we may not be able to walk at all.

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From TCQC 03-04-25

 Guess I am not going to be able to post as regularly as I once did.  Of course, my life is a lot less busy and, therefore, a lot less interesting - even to me!  This post is a make up for the one I didn't post on Sunday and shows some quilts from the past. 

 
Red Wave 1 - 4   Diane Firth - Australia  2005  44"L X57"W

Cotton Fabric, Machine Pieced and Quilted.

Detail

"Into the Deep"  Diane Firth - Australia  2024   12"X 12"

Black netting on front, cotton layer, white netting on back. 

You can see the light shining through between the cotton strips.  

Diane Firth does some experimental work using unusual materials. I enjoy all of her work and added these two to the Collection years apart.  I have been tempted by many of her creations, but, alas, money and storage space have prevented many more  additions to TCQC.  

I wanted to add a website for Diane, but there are several with good pictures of her pieces and even an museum docent giving comments on a particular piece. Google "Diane Firth, textile artist" to find the websites.

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Food - Again! 03-01-25

 

I am still trying to gain some energy, so we are back to walking twice a day, today we managed 6541 steps (2.79 miles).  But I don't seem to do much of interest.   That is why I am posting my current favorite meal.

I have become addicted to this salad and have posted it previously.  It is lunch or dinner several times a week.  Starting  with two scoops of lactose free cottage cheese, I add an assortment of fruit.   Usually I cut up a small apple, half a large  banana, part of an orange or a mandarin, some blueberries and a handful of chopped toasted pecans.   I might add half an avocado, some chopped celery, a pear, a peach, or any fruit that is available. I stir in some Brianna's poppy seed dressing and maybe a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.  

It is so delicious and, I guess, healthy.  

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Friday Food 02-28-25

 

When Kathy hosted our Book Group in October she presented our dessert in this special way..

She got out all of her fancy stemware, made several different pudding like desserts, divided them into the goblets, and sprinkled to tops with "sprinkles". We could choose several different treats or find two that we favored. FUN!

For decades we met in the evening, but now that everyone has retired we meet in the middle of the day and we each bring our own lunch.  The hostess, as always,  serves a dessert.  

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February almost gone! 02-26-25

Rhaphiolepis (Indian Hawthorn)

 I have essentially lost 22 days of this month!   The RSV has stolen it, leaving me with just a few days to try to catch up.  I need to have some lab tests, an X-ray, and a haircut!  Usually do that early in the month, I am feeling pretty shaggy.  

Thanks to Dottie, I have Amazoned two possible solutions to my cane problem.   One is a sort of large tie-tie that twists around the cane and forms a hook. The other is the "glue" Sugru that can be shaped and glues to many different kinds of surfaces.  Interestingly the name comes from the Irish for "play".   I'm sure this is the product I  remember reading about several years ago, but I didn't think to look for a glue.  I was thinking and searching for plastic clay.   I never know how to word a search.

Today was 81F here and tomorrow 86F is predicted.  I said awhile back that it looked as if we would not have a winter this year, seems like I guess correctly.  We have had some cold temps, but never down even to 40F at night. Sure hope some rain falls soon.  

Lots of illness going around all over the country.  Wear a mask, wash your hands, avoid crowds.  Be safe. Stay well. 

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Waiting for Dave 02-25-25

This is a ritual at our house.   When Dave parks his truck KoKo comes to tell me, but Dave goes across the street to start his deliveries around the two cul-d-sacs and down to Palm (the through street),  then up the east side of the street to our house, the last on the route.  It takes 15 to 20 minutes before he arrives at our door. KoKo usually sits on his box at the window, but sometimes I open the door about the time Dave comes up the walk, so KoKo can be right there.  In this picture you can see Dave's shadow as he comes around the garage.  

Sometimes Dave surprises us and dresses up for a holiday.  

Here he is for Christmas one year.  KoKo wasn't too sure it was really Dave. 

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Fixing things 02-24-25

After 25 Years I still miss my late husband, Floyd, in many ways.  And one big lack is his handiness.   His degrees were in Mechanical Engineering,  but he had a natural curiosity and ability to figure out how to make or fix just about anything.  Based on our years together, I can sometimes come up with a fix for something, but don't have the skill or dexterity to carry it out.  I bought a collapsible cane to always carry in my car, but it doesn't have enough of a hook to hang it on anything.  I need some kind of material to form a lump on the long side of the handle.  I know there must be something on the market that would be formable and permanently stick to the plastic.   Any Ideas?  

                                     

I am FINALLY recovering from the RSV virus.  Today we did 5511 steps/2.35 miles walking in the park and around the neighborhood.  I also went to my Fitness appointment and felt energized when I walked out.  Good progress. 

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Quilt by Del Thomas 02-23-25

 I made this quilt in 2005 using a Ruth B. McDowell pattern from her Pieced Flowers book.  I titled it "Iris for Mom", although my mother died in 1972 this is the colors of her favorite iris.  It is usually hanging somewhere in the house because I like to be reminded of her love of flowers, iris especially. 

"Iris for Mom"  Del Thomas  2005   20" L X 22"W

Cotton fabric, thread, batting. Machine pieced and quilted.

Detail of quilting on domestic machine.

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Going to the park 02-22-25

Parque Del Arroyo Verde is the park I look into from the back of our house. It is long and narrow with one way in and out at the narrow end.  It is about two house lots wide and fifteen house lots long - about 130 acres I read somewhere.  In the 38 years we have lived here it has undergone two major renovations, the latest just last year. It is now more suited to middle school kids and dog walkers.  No swings, jungle bars, slides, but several climbing structures (one that somewhat resembles an elephant) and even a zip line.  There is a large covered picnic area with two Bar-B-Q grills and nearby a restroom building for women and men - very clean.  KoKo and I walk there several times a week. It is a little less than a mile from our house to the back of the park where we can took up at the  back of our house.  I like the smooth, unbroken paving that I won't trip on and KoKo enjoys the bushes, trees, and open lawn areas. We now run into some of the same people and he likes to see the little children who carefully pet him.  He protects me from the big dogs, but accepts advances from small, friendly pups.

On the far side of the park is a gated community of "patio homes". 

Looking the length of the park with the wide paved path.The tallest trees are in the patio homes community.

The elephant that I can see from my backyard.  These boys were so good at helping their little sister climb up and down.

On weekends there are always mixed groups trying to outdo each other. 

There is our house with the big ficus tree in myneighbor's yard. The flood control channel runs between the two chainlink fences.  The beige wall is the end of the park abutting the patio homes.

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Friday Food 02-21-25

In the last 35 years I have pretty much lost all my cooking skills and barely manage to meet the nutritional needs for my age.   Cooking is just not interesting, so I depend more on simple meals or occasionally on prepared foods.  Never sure exactly what I might be eating with prepackaged things and they are always higher in salt than I prefer.   However, I do experiment sometimes.   At the market I was looking in the refrigerated case for cheese when I saw a bargain on fresh packaged meals, buy one get one (BOGO), that are things I have enjoyed. 

 
In fact, Carbonara is my favorite Italian offering. 

And Chicken Marsala is a close second.  

Both are easy to make at home, but require more cooking time than I usually want to give.    $7.99 for two is a deal.  The plastic bowl is filled with soft pasta and there is a plastic pouch of sauce.  Pour the sauce and mix with pasta, cover and zap for five minutes.   I took it out, stirred, and zapped for another 1-1/2 minutes so it  would still be hot when I had zapped a serving of fresh broccoli. Not as tasty as  my favorite Italian restaurant, it was a satisfactory meal and would be cheap enough at $7.99.    I will probably purchase again one day. 

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Miscellaneous February 20, 2025

I  looked back a few years and find that I generally blog about the same things every year!  In February I write about what is blooming, the weather, and what I have been reading.  With being sick most of the month and unable to do much other than doctor myself and take care of KoKo, I have been reading with Kindle on my cell phone.   

One recent Book Group read was "The Kitchen Front" by Jennifer Ryan, which takes place in England during WWII and covers food rationing and food preparation.  Of course,  it has a romance and personality clashes, but I found the food part fascinating. Another Book Group selection was "The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife"  by Anna Johnston.   It is a fantastical tale of two men who look very much alike, one dead and the man who accidently takes his place in an elder care home.  Also in England.  I enjoyed this one a lot, although hard to believe the coincidences. 

On my own I have read several books about the late Queen Elizabeth II.  "The Other Side of the Coin:The Queen, The Dresser, and The Wardrobe"  Angela Kelly.  Interesting look into the Queen's closet by her long-time "dresser"  who manages all clothing and designs dresses  for special  occasions.  I followed that up with an autobiography by Elizabeth's cousin, Margaret Rhodes, "The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir".  Born between the wars she experienced the diminishing of the aristocracy, but led an exotic life.  Candid pictures of the Royal Family.  

I enjoyed "Doc" by R.E. Losee, a doctor starting in WWII and his continuing practice in a tiny town in Montana.  Very much an informal sort of ramble.  "Sisters in Science" by Olivia Campbell covers the troubles of European female scientists during and after the rule of the Nazies. 

Currently I am into "Life After Manzanar" by Heather C. Lindquist and  Naomi Hirahara.  Researches what happened to the Japanese detainees at Manzanar concentration camp in California's Owens Valley after they were released at the end of WWII.

I have read a lot of books since I stopped blogging last June.  Since I don't have TV my "down time" is usually reading time, although I do spend an excessive amount of time on Facebook, Instagram, and e-mail.  Hard to keep up with the news these days, it is confusing and oh-so-depressing. Where are we headed?

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What's Blooming 02-19-25

I have been able to walk KoKo several times this week, getting out in the sunshine and enjoying the flowers feels so good. The rain last week has washed off the dust and erased the sidewalk art work, making everything look new and clean.  The landscape roses, almost all are white, are always blooming in some density, rather sparse right now.  Regular roses were pruned in the last few months and are just leafing out.  But there are always perennials and succulents in bloom. 

 

Osteospermum  Also known as Cape Daisy, African Daisy, Cape Margarita. 

It has several color variations.

Delosperma. Trailing iceplant.

And a sneaky dandelion!

Coral Aloe

Bougainvillea

Almost always blooming in abundance. The flower is the small white blob deep in the red brackets.  No fragrance.

I am still not over the RSV, the cough is worse at night.  I managed three hours sound sleep this afternoon, which I hope to add to tonight. Still sleeping sitting mostly upright, otherwise the draining starts the cough. KoKo on my lap, of course.

 

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From TCQC 02-17-25

"Early Birds" Ruth Powers - Carbondale, KS 2005 49"W x 38"L

Cotton fabrics, thread, batting.  Machine pieced and quilted.

Here is an older quilt from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection added in 2007. This is "Early Birds" (40"W x 38"L) a quilt made by Ruth Powers of Carbondale, KS. It is entirely machine pieced and quilted and won the Best of Show in the "Think Spring" catagory at IQA in Chicago in 2006.It is now part of the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection and is shown here on a grey wall. 

I first saw a Ruth Powers quilt in 1998 at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles and asked about availability, but they had no information. No pictures were allowed, but I stored the image of "Vireya" in my brain somewhere and didn't forget it. In early 2010 a friend heard about a new group "Kansas Art Quilters" and sent me the URL for their website. I was so impressed that they had a great website up so soon after they formed that I sent a query about membership. They replied that I could be a member, so I sent my check. When I looked at the membership list I found that Ruth Powers was a member and we exchanged the first of years of e-mails. I was so glad that I could purchase this quilt in 2006, although it is hard to choose a favorite among Ruth's many masterpiece quilts this one in particular 'spoke to me'. KAQ was a group that I enjoyed very much, even though I live so many miles away.

"Early Birds"  Best Of Show at Celebrate Spring! IQF, Rosemont, IL 2006 and was in the Celebrate Spring! Special Exhibit at Houston in 2006. Published in Fons and Porter’s ”Love of Quilting” May/June 2007 and the SAQA Journal Vol. 17 - #2 Spring 2007" Ruth machine pieces EVERYTHING using commercial fabrics almost exclusively and FMQs her quilts on her home machine. She also does exquisite thread painting on some of her work. The texture of the fabrics she selected for this quilt give the illusion of depth and the one that shows the distant trees is an inspired choice. This quilt is one that requires many close viewings to see all the details. Ruth has a commercial pattern business, INNOVATIONS, where she sells designs that are just a little different than others on the market. http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/patterns.php 

Look at Ruth's work at: http://www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/ Her blog is www.ruthpowersartquilts.com/weblog

Quilts for Philanthropy 02-15-25

 One activity that is quite common to quilt guilds across the country is making quilts to give away to people in need anywhere in the world.  Surfside Quilters Guild's about 100 members create four or five hundred quilts each year that are distributed to various organizations.  Colorful cotton pillowcases are also produced and given to children's hospitals, Meals-on-Wheels, veterans organizations, and others.  Here is a selection from those many donations showing the variety of designs selected. Some are made from orphan blocks, some are incompleted projects donated to the Philanthropic groups, some are purposely made by one maker and others by friendship groups or just friends.  I am constantly amazed by the variety of pattern and the generosity of the makers.

A special "I Spy" quilt with a different motif in every block.

This is a quilt displayed at Road to California that I think would be a good pattern to  make for a Philanthropy  quilt  -  very scrappy.

I am feeling much better tonight.   KoKo walked me around the loop this morning, about 2000 steps, a bit less  than a mile.  I was tired, but not exhausted as I feared.   Tomorrow we may try for the park. The sunshine feels so good and with the rain we had this last  week everything is greening up, flowers are blooming.

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Friday Food 02-14-25

HOPE YOU HAD A TASTY VALENTINE'S DAY.

At first glance this looks edible, but it is really a glass box of hearts made of stone, wood, leather, and enamel.  Clutter collected over the years.

Here are some real chocolates gifted years ago. Good, but not See's.

The February meeting of Surfside Quilters Guild always  has lots of Valentine goodies on the refreshment table. 

These appared on my porch table this year.  From neighbors with no names!  Thank you!

I am feeling much better, still coughing, but no spasms today.  The four of our small group who were going to Phoenix for QuiltCon have canceled our trip.  Sickness, apprehension about viruses, and the death of a  husband.  It just wouldn't work. 

I do hope to be able to walk KoKo tomorrow.

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We need the rain. Thursday, Feb 13, 2025

 

This image of the rain pouring down the greenhouse window over the sink, is supposed to be a video.  I thought  I had finally figured out how to post a video, but it appears I have not. Let me know if it moves for you!

It has rained pretty much all day with various intensity.  Not much temperture range  (53F to 56F)  and the clouds don't seem very thick. So, bright  anyway. 

I spent another inactive day, still coughing, but generally feeling stronger.  The doctors office finally called and refilled the cough med I had used up.  5ml every four hours isn't much, but seems to help some.   Mostly I sit up silently, reclining and talking are the worst instigators of coughing.  I'm reading on Kindle, currently  

"Doc" an aurobiography of Dr.Losee of his medical practice postwar II in the wilds of Montana.

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Surfside Quilters Guild Feb 11, 2025

I was feeling well enough this morning  to drive south to Dana Point for the Surfside Quilters Guild  meeting.  I went to take the photos and because I wanted to meet with the member who may want to be my backup.  I don't miss many meetings as I do enjoy the group so much, but with increasing age and health problems, I must sometimes miss a meeting. 

The speaker today was Joanna Figueroa from Fig Tree Quilts.  She is a  pattern  designer and fabric designer for Moda.  Website: http://figtreeandcompany.com   Her blog: https://blog.figtreeandcompany.com

She has an interesting color theory which make her quilts soft and muted,  but not actually pastel.  The darkest color is what she calls "warm black"  and has a  small  patterning. 

The quilting is done by a cadre of long-arm quilters.

There were several quilts with dark backgroumds, the warm black or shades of warm grey.

Many of her blocks are repeated in different quilt patterns,  most  using the sew/flip method she prefers.  

Nice gentle quilts to curl up with to sip hot chocolate and read a good book.

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