Miscellaneous 08-31-21

I seem to be spending a lot of time looking back through my photo files and rediscovering things I vaguely remember or completely forgot.   For tonight's post I looked to see where I was ten years ago on August 31st, it seems much longer somehow.  I had been up to Washington State to see my friends Mabel and Mac, went to a quilt show, and visited friends along the way.  

On Sep 1st, my 73rd birthday, I was in San Juan Bautista, CA, enjoying Mary's lovely yard with flower boxes overflowing.  

Instead of cake we had a marionberry pie, which we all preferred. 

Of course, one day we drove over to Pacific Grove and had lunch at the Red House.  My favorite there is the Portobello sandwich.  

Followed by a visit to Back Porch Fabrics where Wendy cut lots of fabric for us.  

I drove home on September 3rd and stopped along I-5 to photograph in a cotton field covered with the lovely white flowers. 

Now, ten years later I will turn 83.  Amazing.  Who could have expected what those ten years would bring with the politics and the pandemic and my ageing body!  Hope the next ten will find us in a better situation.  

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An explanation of Wordless Wednesday 05-01-20

First, Happy May Day!  When I was a child just outside of Portland, Oregon, May Day was the day we went around to our neighbor's and left paper cones of spring flowers hanging on their doorknobs.   I sometimes think I will do that in my current neighborhood, but fear that everyone would think I had just gone over the edge and call the guys in the white jackets to take me away.   Times and traditions change. 

I feel the need to explain this week's Wordless Wednesday.  On Tuesday KoKo and I drove up to San Juan Bautista to spend a few days with our friend Mary.  Mary also lives alone, and doesn't even have a doggy for company, so a houseguest is a treat for her.  We didn't leave Placentia until 4pm and made an amazing trip in 5 1/2 hours and that included two half hour stops for potty and gas.  So, the actual driving time was 4 1/2 hours.  There was almost no traffic except for the big trucks and, to my surprise, people were driving the usual 70 to 80 mph.  I expected some speed demons to be hitting the 100 mark, just because they could.  None of those.  So, it was a very pleasant drive except for the last hour over the Pacheco Pass in the dark.  Usually there are a lot of other cars and trucks to sort of light the way, but not this time.  Some of the time mine were the only lights on the road.  Weird and creepy.  Anyway we arrived about 9:30pm and we all went to bed pretty soon after that.  

The first picture on Wednesday was the wildflowers on the hills around Gorman, CA, at the top of the Ridge Route.  Only poppies and some short yellow flowers I can't think of the name of right now.  No lupine in sight.  The middle two pictures are of Mary and KoKo and Froggy.  Mary didn't want me to post her face, but I couldn't resist her gorgeous white hair.  Like most people in the world she is yearning for a haircut.   The last picture was taken from the end of her road where her new house is in a new development on the edge of San Juan Bautista.  Right now the hills are a bright green and so lush and beautiful.  The old barn is part of the original farm the development is built on.  I'm not seeing many people as KoKo and I do our walks - two or three other dog walkers in the morning.  Many of the houses here have a gold colored card in their window with OK written on it.  These are distributed by the town and the fire department drives around to check that none of the signs have been changed to a red sign, which I suppose says NOT OK.  Nice to know that people are watching out for the residents.  

We will drive home on Sunday in isolation in our car with only one potty stop and then get gas after we are back in Placentia.  Social distancing by car.  

While here I have been working on the Little Houses. 

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Wordless Wednesday 04-29-20

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Hanging Quilts 02-20-20

Today my friend Mary and I helped hang the quilts from the Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection (TCQC) at Back Porch Fabrics in Pacific Grove.  The shop owner Gail Abeloe has a great eye for what goes with what so she does the layout.  Mary and I and the two ladies working in the shop helped to hold, align, held quilts up for Gail, stapled up the labels and generally made ourselves useful.  It is such a thrill for me to see so many of the quilts hung together and they do look spectacular.  After they were all hung we took a lunch break at Peppers restaurant and had wonderful salmon tacos, chicken enchilada, mushroom/artichoke enchilada, and the accompanying rice and beans.  Great lunch. 

The exhibit will hang until the Empty Spools Seminars are over, so until April 30th.  If you are anywhere near Pacific Grove do go and enjoy these amazing quilts made by some of the most creative quilt makers of the last 30+ years.  Here are some general views of the classroom where the quilts are showing. 

Charlotte Bird, Valerie Goodwin, Sherry Boram, Deborah Lacariva, Dena Dale Crain, Ruth B. McDowell.

Linda Colsh, Deidra Adams, Marianne Burr. 

Kathleen Probst, Ruth B. McDowell, Alison Livesley, Susan Else, Janet Steadman, Elizabeth Busch, Libby Lehman, Rosalie Dace, Sue Benner, Judith Content

Ann Johnston, Melody Johnson, Patricia Klem, Diane Firth, Ruth B. McDowell, Caryl Bryer Fallert Gentry, Freddy Moran. 

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Time to go home 01-31-20

How could tomorrow be the first of February?  Where did January go?  All the elders I know say the same thing - we all think time goes much faster each year.  Toward the end of her life my little grandmother would say it seemed that she would go to sleep on New Year's Day and when she woke up it would be almost Christmas.  

I'll be on the road home tomorrow and expect to be there about 4 or 5pm.  Since it will be Saturday I am hoping the traffic won't be too bad.  Especially the stretch of the 210 Fwy through Pasadena.  Cross your fingers for me! 

I made out the list of quilts for display at Back Porch Fabrics during the Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar in Pacific Grove.  I'll drive up here again in a little more than two weeks to help hang them and have another visit with Mary in her lovely new house. 

Remember to go to Visions Art Museum in San Diego to see 27 of Ruth B. McDowell's spectacular quilts.  They will be there through April 5th.  Tell your friends!  

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Visited Pacific Grove, CA

Mary and I drove to Pacific Grove this morning to shop at Back Porch Fabric Shop, the best shop anywhere, and have lunch at The Red House.  The offereings at Back Porch were, as always, soooo tempting, it is hard to control myself.  

Such color!  Such pattern! Such texture!  I want it all.  But I settled for just seven cuts - it was very hard - and a book with animal designs for children's quilts, called Zootropolis.  The creatures are delightful. 

Lunch at The Red House included carrot-ginger soup (fabulous) and, for me, the grilled cheese sandwich, which I always love.  We skipped dessert because we have See's candy at home!  

It was a beautiful sunny day and we drove around Asilomar, just so Mary could see the changes that have been made since she was there last quite a few years ago.  We drove back to Monterey via the road along the Bay and the surf was UP.  Higher than I have ever seen it; it covered Asilomar Beach and splashed high on all the rocks along the shore. 

Waves rolling in. 

A thin slice of Asilomar Beach at far left. 

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Traveling a bit. 01-27-20

Haven't been up to see Mary in San Juan Bautista, CA, for six months!  That is surely a record.  KoKo will stay with a doggy caretaker for the few days I will be gone.  Hope to get into Pacific Grove to visit friends, shop at Back Porch (of course I don't need any fabric!), and have lunch at the Red House.  But mostly I will loaf around in Mary's new house and, hopefully, get some computer work done.  

One thing for sure, the landscape will be a lush winter green.

But it might be too early for almond trees in bloom.  Pretty aren't they?

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We are home! 08-05-19

It was a 490 mile day, leaving from Mary's in San Juan Bautista at 9:15am and arriving at our house at 7:11pm.  I had some things from Mabel to deliver to her daughter in Tehachapi in the high desert, which is a loop east from I-5.  I trusted the GPS and didn't go where I intended to go, so Karen, Mabel's daughter, met me in Mojave and we transferred from our car to hers.  It was 106F and I found the sole spot of shade from a skinny tree in the McDonald's parking lot.  Too hot for KoKo to walk on the asphalt so he had to wait until I found another shady spot for him.  Then we headed east on highway 58 to where it meets I-15 just south of Barstow.  Had a pit stop at Lenwood, which is all fast food places, gas stations, an outlet mall, and a few motels.  We used to stop there on our way to Lake Havasu City when I took care of Corky, the Poodle Prince.  It has grown a lot and now spreads on both sides of the highway.  It was 108F there.  South in heavy traffic on I-15 to the 91 Freeway and then just two miles home.  KoKo had to immediately take a walk.  Poor guy being cooped up in the car all day with just a few rest areas to have a little walk and a piddle.  I don't think he really enjoyed the road trip.  Now he is passed out in his chair and I am about to pass out in my chair.  Emptied the ice chest and brought in the necessary things for both of us, but the car is still packed - all that workshop stuff and clothes (mostly clean since Mabel let me do a load at her house) and my Featherweight which Mabel serviced for me and taught me how to do it, and...  well, the stuff I seem to take on a road trip.  Tomorrow, or even Wednesday, is soon enough to unpack.  

I'll have some more pictures from the road, but too tired tonight.

KoKo observing the people parking at McDonald's.

 This scrawy tree cast the only shade in the parking lot.  I parked on the line, taking up two parking spots, but KoKo deserved it!!

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A hard day's travel 08-03-19

We were up bright and early, waving goodbye to Phyllis and her husband while we were on our morning walk. On the road at 8:30am we had mostly moderate traffic and lots of construction.  KoKo with Agapanthus.

Into the slot for several miles. 

In several places I-5 was one lane in each direction.  I seemed to always be the last of the pack.  At least this time I wasn't right behind a semi. 

 One lane traffic each direction.  Each in a "slot" with minimal shoulder.

In the middle of this picture is the "Ag station" into California.  Every car must stop and declare any fresh fruits or veggies they have from outside the state.  Mostly they are looking for homegrown items that might carry bugs or diseases we'd like to keep out of California.  I've often wondered how effective this operation is. 

 And in the middle of this picture is Mt Shasta.  She sort of just appears out of the haze in what previously looked like empty sky.

This is in the "State of Jefferson" and those of you have traveled I-5 know the metal cow and her calf in a field along the north bound highway.  She has been graffitied over the years, but still stands proud.  Pickup is heading north on the Interstate.
(The white smear is a reflection on the side window.) 

There she is, out in the open.  Shasta is the only mountain I saw on this trip, all the rest were hiding behind the clouds despite the lovely (and very hot) weather we have enjoyed on this trip. 

And then we had this view for about 2 1/2 hours after we hit something on the roadway and had an almost instantaneous flat right front tire.  

Fortunately there is a very wide shoulder at this section of road and we could pull way off the traffic lanes.  We were almost at Abrams Lake Road north of Shasta City.  

This was the view out the right side of the car - up very steep slope. 

There was almost a whole lane between our car and the traffic, but it was still nervous making when large vehicles zipped by. 

(I've never posted a video - hope it works)

Of course I called AAA to take advantage of my 62 year membership.  They were very nice, but we had a hard time telling them exactly where we were stuck.  A CHP stopped and told me the name of the exit ahead and I advised AAA.  And we waited.  It was hot, but I couldn't run the A/C continuously because then it wouldn't work at all.  So, 20 minutes off and 10 minutes on.  After a while another CHP stopped and was going to get in touch with AAA to see what the problem was.  At that moment the tow truck pulled up.  

Calm and patient?  Not happy. 

Hot and patient.  Also not happy.  He is blue due to the light coming through the very top of the windshield which is tinted.   We had lots of water and a supply of cookies and cheese slices and crackers and..... etc. 

I agreed that we would stay in our car and be pulled up onto the flatbed.  It was very interesting and not scary at all.  One reason I agreed to this is that I doubted I could climb up into the seat of the truck!   He took the next road off (Abrams Lake Road) and went along a surface road to the tire shop in Shasta City.  Where they were very nice and helpful . 

Since we had such good seats I took one more picture of Shasta!

KoKo rarely meets a stranger and will sit on just about any lap that is available.  This fellow was waiting for his tires to be rotated.  

They were able to plug the tire and about 2:30pm we were on I-5 again.  A five hour delay in our day.  We REALLY wanted to stay with Mary in San Juan Bautista, so we drove and drove and arrived at her house at 9pm.  I was on my last leg and so was KoKo. After a bite to eat we hit the bed, got up about 7:30am, went for a potty walk, he wouldn't eat his breakfast, and I didn't want any.  So, we went back to bed until noon.  Oh, how I needed that extra sleep.   We are prepared to leave in the morning to drive home.  KoKo will be happy, I think, this road trip was boring for him.   I had a great time.  

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Oh, the silence! 07-19-19

"We are going where?"

I don't think KoKo has ever been on a Road Trip and he is not sure he ever wants to go again.  After all the days of getting ready we were finally ready to go and he gives me this look.  Instead of leaving on Monday as originally planned we left on Tuesday since I couldn't get ready to go.  And then we hit the road and stopped on the 210 east of Pasadena to crawl along for two hours in an enormous traffic jam - a true SigAlert.  Some poor motorcyclist lost his life at Lake Street and all the lanes were closed for a while.  It was blocked for miles.  Our about 6 hour drive turned into more like 9 hours.  NOT a good start. 

We spent the night with friend Mary in San Juan Bautista and Wednesday morning we joined the millions of other people driving north on I-5.  The traffic was very heavy most of the way to the Oregon border with lots of construction to slow us all down.  That night in Ashland, Oregon, at a HIE that accommodates dogs, but it was another nine hours driving and I was too tired to blog.  

Last night were in Vancouver, WA, at a La Quinta, that always takes dogs.  However, it was another nine hour day due to horrendous traffic north on I-5, and an absolute crawl around Portland on the 205.  I even called a friend in Portland and invited her to come over and walk along the car so we could have a visit.  It wouldn't be too much exercise because we were stopped more than we were crawling.   But when at last we were in our motel room I thought I should just post some sort of short note so  you all wouldn't be worrying, not hearing from me all those days.  Then I discovered that I had left my mousie behind in Placentia.  Can't switch back to the keypad without a mouse, too late at night to go out and buy one.  Besides, I was soooooo tired.  

Up and out this morning and slogged through the traffic from Vancouver, WA,, through the Seattle creep and arrive at my friends' house about 2pm, I think.  KoKo was so thrilled to be out of the car and in a real house, he ran through every room and jumped on every one's lap and was "over the moon".  He just made himself at home.  Such a good dog.  

I will be here until Sunday afternoon when I drive to Coupeville on Whidby Island where I have a cabin reservation and then start Sue Benner's dyeing class on Monday.  Meanwhile, KoKo will stay with Mabel and Mac and I'm sure he will be happy and comfortable.  After the class ends on Friday KoKo and I will stay a few days with Mabel and Mac and then head home with sincere hopes that southbound traffic will be easier.  Dream on, I could see the heavy traffic on that side of the highway.  

I will try to blog over the next few days and every night after class.  But no promises, I am feeling my age on this trip and will probably need to go to bed early every night.  I am excited to be in the class and hope I have all the material and equipment I need.  Naturally, as is my ilk, I brought too much of everything, but it is better to bring it than to need it and not have it with me.  Right? 

KoKo sleep with Froggie's support - half in his carrier and half out.  He mostly just sleeps and doesn't give a bean about what is going on outside.  

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Working on Sue Benner class projects 05-06-19

And I'm going to try posting the KoKo video again at the bottom of the page.

I only need about half of Mary's very long table.  Nice light to work by.

The color is a bit dull in this image.  Do you see some that need moving?

If I use black sashing the blocks with dark borders will disappear.  Same for any of the colors in the borders.  

This is the latest on the cut collage project that I missed the cut part.  The weird little grey shapes are leaves and will have black veins to make them more leafy.  More twigs will be added and maybe some other stuff.  Collaging can go on forever.  

Here are two different ways of adding video.  Do either of them work?  When I click on the picture the word "RAW" appears.  Does that mean anything to any of you? 

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Went to Pacific Grove today 05-05-19

It was a lovely day, but Mary wanted to stay home, so I went to Pacific Grove by myself.  Visited Back Porch to take pictures of the exhibit with the room all set up with fabrics, books, quilts, etc., because Gail is going to clear the room on Wednesday afternoon to facilitate the taking down of the quilts on Thursday.   I will take pictures of just the quilts before we start taking them down.  

Then I drove to Asilomar to visit the Empty Spools ladies and see what was going on in Katie Pasquini-Masopust's class in Merrill Hall.  Every student had their machine going and was concentrating on their own wonky log cabin project.  Very colorful.  

Drove back to Pacific Grove and had lunch at the Red House.  My usual Portobello sandwich with green salad and a latte.  They were out of their special cookies, so no dessert - which I suppose was for the best. 

I was going to post some pictures, but tonight I cannot download them at all.  It has worked up until now.  Bummer. 

A few days ago KoKo's keeper sent me this video of KoKo trying to kill the squeaker in the new toy she bought him.  I hope it plays for you, I have never posted a video before. 

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A day of complete rest 05-04-19

Yes, I stayed in bed most of the day!   And I feel 100% better.   Bless my hostess Mary for putting up with me.  But we have known each other for over twenty years and she understands my peculiarities.  I have crashed at her house before after having a marathon drive or a hard week at Empty Spools.  I did eventually get up, get dressed and have a late brunch.  Then an afternoon lie down to read turned into another nap!  Old body, old age, old brain.  

I have my design board propped up in the living room where we can look at it and kibitz on the present state of the designs.  Maybe Mary will let me work on her dining room table tomorrow.  I can see a few things that won't take long to change or complete.  All those rectilinear blocks need attention.  

Here is Sue Benner's class sample of that project.  She has trimmed and overlapped the blocks to minimize bulk, but I intend to just abut the blocks and zig-zag the joins before quilting the whole piece. 

Notice the cross hatched quilting over the entire quilt surface. 

And, as a refresher, here are my unfinished blocks loosely pinned to the design board.   

I did a more jagged cut than Sue, and everyone else, what was I thinking?

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End of session at Empty Spools 05-03-19

Seems like a long day today!  Getting everything out of the sleeping room and out of the classroom and into the car is a big deal for me these days.  With my bad hand and elbow and shoulder I am hard pressed.  But with help from Suzanne and Katie I made it.  My portable design board, designed and made by Mabel Huseby, makes the task so much easier.  Just leave all the project pieces pinned to the board, fold it up, close the Velcro fasteners, carry with included handle, and stuff it into the car.  Great.  

I drove the road that follows the bay all the way to the aquarium, stopped for a Starbuck's latte fix and had the car washed (on the outside only) because the windshield was so buggy I could hardly see out.  And with my hand/elbow/shoulder problem I can't reach up to wash the window myself.  Besides, the car always runs better when it is clean, doesn't it?  

I had a three hour nap when I got to Mary's and am ready for another eight hours!

Sue Benner explaining her quilting process.  She is a thorough and sharing teacher. 

My table mate Carole Pirruccello.  Her board is set up like mine and those of a number of other students.  Clockwise from top left: Rectilinear Composition, Curvilinear Composition, Landscape (hers with curved strips), and Cut Composition.    

The drive all along the bay from Asilomar Beach to the Aquarium is slow and gorgeous.  I try do to it several times while I am in Pacific Grove. 

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Empty Spools check out 05-03-19

Checking out this morning and have only the critique of our class yet to do.  I packed up my classroom stuff last night and have everything in my sleeping room ready to go into my car.  Guess I'd better have breakfast first.  It has been a good session and a wonderful class with Sue Benner.  Of course, doing a different (small) project every day has been a challenge and has left me with four more unfinished projects.  The students who are speedier than I have some projects pinned for quilting already.  But my goal is not finished, but what I learn in the class, even if I never finish any of the individual projects. 

I'll be with Mary in San Juan Bautista for another five days, until Thursday when I take down the quilts at Back Porch and head home.   To see my little roommate, missed him terribly.  

Here are my four projects.

Day One - Rectilinear with 5-1/2" x 4- 1/2" units

and at the lower left my cut/collage from day 3.  But I missed the cut part!

Day 2 - Curvilinear  This is the background with a few blue trees pinned up and all the blue fabrics that I dug out of my fused scraps and the fabric that I brought with me.   Just auditioning possibilities.  The trees will all be straight although I considered different possibilities, this is the one I find most pleasing.  About 22" long and 18" wide.

Day 4 - Landscape done with strips of fabric.  I used straight strips laid horizontally, but there was a variety of horizontal, vertical, curved, a combination of all of these.  Of course, it isn't finished.  I'll add more sky above and fix the blue hole in the middle.  Also more bushes .  The yellowish strip across the center represents grass growing along the edge of the highway and is fringed on top..   About 22"wide and may end up 26" long.  

  Now 7:45am and I gotta get going.  

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