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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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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Lovely Rain Thursday, Feb 6, 2025

The most rain I have seen in almost a year - I hear it drumming on the metal patio cover.   So welcome here, if not too heavy to create mud slides in the burn areas.

I went to the new Primary doctor today, Lila Kim.  She listened well, asked good questons, gave me some assurance that I can survive RSV, and sent me home to  rest-in-bed, drink plenty of (especially warm/hot) liquids, take my meds accurately,....and I'll  be well soon - maybe 3-4 days!  Although she didn't phrase it this way she seems to think I am doing  okay for an old widow lady.  We did not spend much time on all my other issues, but they aren't going away and we can get into those later.

I have such caring friends and neighbors.  Anna and her daughter Barb walked KoKo twice and brought me an slice of pizza for an afternoon snack. The boys in the cul-de-sac brought dinner prepared by their mother, Mariam:  chicken, couscous, plantain, and a yummy side of hot, grated beets.  

Sick I may be, but blessed.  

Spring Weather 03-15-24

Spring weather can be rather surprising here - maybe everywhere.  We started on our evening walk about 6pm and had light sprinkles.  But in half a block they stopped so we went on walking.  Then the sky straight up was a lovely clear blue.  Temp about 60F. 

 Off to the east was this huge fluffy mass of clouds reflecting the sunset.  

But looking to the west was a threating cloud.

Notice the redbud tree just in bloom just to  the left of center. 

Just a few more steps to the north and looking back at the menacing cloud to the west. 

We had a terrific wind yesterday with limbs down and things blown around on my patio.  Outside our kitchen window is the ficus tree in my neighbor's yard.  It needs to be pruned but with the unsettled weather we have been having the tree trimmer has not been scheduling much.  I took thie following picture as a video, but try as I migh I cannot  figure out  how to post it as a video.  So you cannot see the wild gyrations in the  wind. 

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More Rain. 03-06-24

Pretty boring when all I can think to talk about is the weather.   However, I look back at blogs from previous March postings and guess this is just not an interesting time  of year.   In my life it  has been a time of loss as so many people I love have died in the first few months of the year. The dreary weather doesn't bring joy and happiness. 

This long, ominous cloud held off until we were just a few houses from home.

But no walk tonight due to continuous downpour.  KoKo had a quick whiz in the backyard and a thorough toweling when he came in.  

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Last day in San Diego 02-12-24

I don't know why  I  cannot upload pictures that I  have taken in San Diego.  It was okay the first day, but now it tells me I need to be online!  But the settings show that I am and I can send and receive  email.   Too busy in class to take time off to find  some place local to get help.   The Help guy in some  foreign country couldn't help. So pictures will have to wait until later this week when I am home. 

I leave here tomorrow morning about 7:30am to pick up KoKo and take him with me to the Surfside Quilters  Guild meeting in Dana Point.    Then  home  about 2pm.

This picture shows what the sky looked  like here today, but was taken about 10 days ago in Placentia.  

KoKo helping Nancy quilt.

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Weather 01-16-24

The  camellias are starting to bloom.

I have one Calla Lily blossom. 

But, of course, we always have roses blooming.

Well, this isn't really about weather, I will just mention it.  Hearing frightening reports from friends in different parts of the county -  cold, snow, ice, wind, falling trees and branches.  I almost feel guilty living in  SCalifornia.   It has been cold with morning temps down to 40F  and we are not  accustomed to much  cold.  I try to waiting until it makes 50F before taking KoKo for his morning walk.  The cold doesn't seem to bother him, but 50F is almost too cold for me.   Gloves  for  my  arthritic  hands and a  vest  under my jacket.   I can't even imagine anything below 40F.

I am still trying to talk to someone in the orthopedic department to see if there are any post-op restrictions on dog walking  or driving.   Guess they are too busy to call me back.  Gotta get  some answers TOMORROW!  

I went  to the Surfside QGuild Board Meeting in Dana Point  this morning and took KoKo in his stroller.  Everyone is always surprised at how good he is and how obedient. He either sleeps in my lap or in his stroller.  Somehow I just needed his company on the 1 1/2  hour drive in  the morning traffic, which seemed extra bad today.   

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Working on the new year. 01-09-24

How do you see time? I've always been curious because I imagine that most people just don't have a mental image of time,  I see time in the reverse of a clock.  Although I do see the daily  passage of time as an analog clock.   I find that my brain translates a digital clock into analog clock!  I discussed this with one friend and she decided that she sees time as a ladder -  January at the top.

Here in Southern California I think of winter as Nov thru mid-March.  Spring goes through March, April, May.  Summer is June through September.. Autumn is just October and a little bit of  November. I grew up in Western Oregon and Southern California, so I have never experienced a "real" winter.

It is definitely winter here now.  Early morning temps have dropped into the 30s so KoKo and I wait until it warms up to 50F and we walk faster!  He will wear his sweater and I wear layers and cashmere socks.  I've looked at down jackets, but it seems impractical to spend over $100 on a garment I would wear only infrequently during maybe a few weeks of the year. Sometimes I am Ms. Pinchpenny.

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Epiphany 01-06-24

I was surprised to run across this image online.  Seems odd to me to use Happy and Epiphany in this juxtaposition. Is Epiphany something to be happy about?  I'm completely out of the loop on this, but for some strange reason the word has come up more frequently this season, this year.

The temperature has gotten more like winter this past week and morning temps are in the 40F range. I try to  wait until it gets to 50F, but KoKo needs to go out.

Our pastel sunset tonight. It looked like rain but the clouds moved on,

We have had a bit of rain, but mostly at night. One morning last week we got soaked on our morning walk, so I just put KoKo in the sink  and gave him a bath since he was very wet and a bit muddy.

If we lived in Tucson, Arizona this is the sunsets they have been having!

Photo by Sherrie Spanger -Tucson, Arizona

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Miscellaneous 11-11-23

I think I may have  to start posting  stories from my past.  I just don't seem to accomplish much  these days.  Lots of naps, two walks a day with KoKo,  keeping  up with bills, and keeping up with Facebook, SAQA, Surfside QGuild, etc.  Since I have a few days without outside obligations I went to CVS  this morning for a flu shot.  My arm has started to  swell  and itch - as it usually does with any vaccine - so I have been putting an ice  pack on part of the  time.  Interested to see how it  will be in the morning.    After  another  week  I'll  have another  few  days free  and  I  will go for the "biggy", a Covid booster.   In the past they  have put me  off my feet for a few days.  Maybe this  one won't  be  so bad.  

A few days/weeks? ago I posted a picture of the local bird bath and said I would try  for a better image.   Didn't see many birds this morning, but we walked earlier and the shadows were  better.  All the  darker spots are holes  the birds made  with their feet  and wings  as  they  bathed in the dry, sandy soil.

I  have managed some sewing.  Mostly mending, but  here are six recorder covers for music students at a south county school.   They needed   over  200!   A small group of SQG members got together to  cut out the two  layers (cotton  outside  and  flannel inside). They made up kits with instructions and Velcro  for members to take  home  and  sew together. I thought it would be an easy project, but I have  lost  some  of my sewing skills and it took me a long time.

They are 16" long X 3"wide and hopefully sturdy enough to last a few years.

Autumn is sort of here in  SCalifornia.  We have  mild  daytime temps and a few nights down in the  high 40s.    Not low enough for a rush  of  fall color, but there is some color. This Nandina (known also  as Heavenly Bamboo) grows along the drive-thru line at Starbuck's.  KoKo is not smelling it, just sticking his head out the window.

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It was a gorgeous day. 10-28-23

The temps have been in the 70s for  a few days with night temps in mid 50s.  I know it will get hot again, it  always does this time of  year.  We could still  have 100 in November, plus wind.  Of course, we do still have blooms and one long blooming plant is the Plumeria.  I think  it must have been an "in" plant when these  houses were landscaped so many decades ago,  because there are a great many plumeria trees around. 

Most are white, like this one, and some are, again like this one, actual trees.  It grows on the south facing side of a one story stucco house. There are actually two along with a nice sized Jacaranda tree.  Such a nice fragrance when we walk by. 

They bloom in clusters of up to 10 - 20 flowers.  I have  heard that the red variety has a stronger fragrance, but there are few red ones around and I  can't tell  the difference. 

This is the back of one flower from the tree shown above!   The tiny yellow dot is the stem end sticking up.  So amazing that the back is so much different than the front.

I do enjoy seeing the changes in the plants  along our way, even if my memory loses the name at least  half the time.  Maybe the next time I  walk by I will remember!

Here is that great little KoKo cuddled up with his BFF.

I am still having trouble with my spaces.  Guess I need a trip to the Geek Squad. 

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Another Miscellaneous 10-01-23

On Saturday I dropped KoKo off with Nancy Ota in San Clemente and drove to San  Diego for the meeting of the Art Stream group.  We had the  meeting in the classroom at Rosie's Quilt  Shop which also gave us an opportunity to shop.  It is the largest quilt shop remaining in Southern  California,  but it is more than a two hour drive for me, so I don't go  there very often.  Great place for a meeting  - lots of tables and pin-able walls, with a good Mexican restaurant next door.  We are only six members now, which is a nice size for most homes and makes for more cohesive conversations.   We do have Show and Tell, but I don't have  permission to post that  part  on my blog.  

It was rather a surprise there was rain both going and returning.  Not a steady rain, but periods of misting and periods of really coming down.  Slowed traffic, but the traffic was light for a Saturday so it sort of evened the timing out. 

There were Nelda and Deb and Andrea and Judy and me (no picture).

Ellen is vacationing. 

After enjoying lunch at the restaurant next door we honored all the fall birthdays with a delicious chocolate cake topped with fruit on little clouds of icing.  Delicious. 

By the time the meeting was over I was too tired to do much shopping, but I looked for a bit and only purchased a yard of each of these fabrics.  The bottom piece is actually a much brighter green, but you all have probably seen it in many different shades.  

I stopped in San Clemente to collect KoKo, who always enjoys a day with Nancy. When we got home we took a little nap (KoKo and Froggy on my lap) and then  went to bed early.  That two-plus hours each way really wipes me out these days, but being with such compatible friends is worth it!

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Miscellaneous 08-12-23

I have not been posting because my life is so dull there isn't much to post about!   I previously mentioned backing into my garage door which requires a complete replacement.   That was a week ago and I am still waiting for the installation.  With all the auto thefts and break ins I hate leaving my car parked in the driveway, but there is no guarantee that if I close it in the garage I can open the door to get it out!  On Monday I had to have a handyman replace my garbage disposal which was leaking water under the sink.  The joys of homeownership!  

Tuesday was the Surfside Quilters Guild meeting where the Challenge quilts were revealed.  It was a good year with 40 entries with the theme of "How Sweet It Is", all very original and interesting.  There  is always a viewers choice and the winner was Michelle Howe's "Candyland". Her work is very good and she researched Candyland, finally finding a1950s version of the game on Etsy.  It was her favorite  game as a child and she added a few personal favorite treats. The Viewers Choice prize is always $100.

"Childhood Memories"  Michelle Howe  21" X 21.5"
Collage, Machine pieced, Machine quilted,

KoKo and I are still walking twice a day which adds up to about 5000 steps.  It sounds boring but we pretty much walk the same loop each time.  KoKo finds new smells and new potty spots, I look at the flowers, birds, house renovations, and greet neighbors along  the way.   It is a very quiet neighborhood and sometimes we don't see anyone else.  But usually in the morning there are dog walkers and people leaving for work.  We have had typical August weather with a few monsoon sprinkles and not too hot.  Supposed to be mid 90s this coming week.  

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Friday Food - On a Saturday 08-05-23

Friends are still gifting tomatoes and I am loving it!  This was Friday's dinner. 

A  large  slice  of sourdough bread (current favorite is San Luis Sourdough),  mayo, a small smear of Dijon, one large tomato sliced, black pepper, sharp cheddar and a quick melt in the toaster oven.  It was delicious and I was tempted to make another one, but I have been cutting down on food.  Eating one cookie instead of five!  And one toasted tomato/cheese sandwich.

I have  been in bit of a funk and haven't been posting.  But we are  still walking twice a day trying to overcome my aching legs and butt.  Paying attention seems to be more difficult and this caused me to back into my garage door!!  I always back into the garage and I always open it with the clicker - until this time.  Have no real idea how it happened, but it requires a replacement door!  It will be twice the cost of the ruined door which we installed about 35 years ago.  Same specifications. 

The heat has not been so bad, mostly in the low 90s, The A/C is set at 79F and doesn't come on until mid afternoon.   But the sun shines on the front of the house  and it starts heating up.  We walk in the morning about 7:30am before it gets hot  and wait until 7:30pm or 8pm when the temp drops to 80F or so to take our evening walk.  

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The first really hot day.

Today was the first really hot day this summer - 97F.  I realize that other parts of the country have bee excessively hot, but our temps have only been in the low 80s.  I  have  the whole house fan on to draw in some of the cooler night air.  I have  rarely seen the heat carry into the night hours, it always cools off 20 degrees or more. 

Cheesecake with whipped cream, chocolate, and  strawberries.

Green tea ice cream with chocolate drizzle at Ikiru.

Peach Ice Cream with black berries. 

I wish I had something cold and wicked like these, but I have to settle for....

Talenti Coffee Chocolate Chip Gelato

Which is pretty wonderful and what I have in the freezer.

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Guild Meeting 04-11-23

The April meeting of Surfside Quilters Guild today - an easy hour drive to San Clemente in SUNSHINE with a little fog along the water.  And hillsides of flowers on backgrounds of bright spring greens.  There was good attendance with about 90 members and guests to enjoy the presentation by Lauretta Crites.   https://laurettacrites.com  Lots of Show and Tell and a number of donated Philanthropy quilts.   I am a little amazed at the hundreds of quilts made and donated by members to support non-profits in our area.  Not just quilts, but also pillowcases, placemats, and other items given freely and from the heart.  Today there were 17 donated quilts in the "quilt parade" that  were  walked a round  the perimeter of the room.  

Some are large and complex. 

Some were more organized.

And some were very basic, but will keep someone warm. 

A good resource if you need pattern  ideas for quilts,  especially scrap quilts, is on the website:   https://www.surfsidequiltersguild.org/philanthropy.html

Here is a photo going down the hill from the meeting place to get back on the I-5.  All the wild mustard turns the hills to gold.  

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Home again. 03-30-23

Class was over yesterday, Wednesday, at noon.  I had a little car problem so looked up a mechanic in PGrove and got an okay to drive home.  Stopped at Back Porch in their new location.  The fabric selection is just as wonderful, but miss the gallery and the spaciousness of the old place.  Then I made one more cruise of Sunset Street that goes along the Bay, quite a few walkers and rock climbers and dog walkers and bicycles - just the usual crowd.  But it was chilly and somewhat windy. Then on the road toward home.  Some showers and construction, but made it to Harris Ranch before dark.  Settled into my room, took a shower and collapsed about 8:30pm!!  Coupla' pit stops during the night, but up and ready do go at 8am.  I had thought to have steak and eggs for breakfast, the HRanch beef is the best, but the menu prices dissuaded  me,  $35  - $53 for breakfast is beyond my ken!  Settled for prime rib benedict at $20+.   Ate half and had  the other half for dinner tonight  - but ate both eggs this morning.  Leftover eggs don't appeal to me! \

On the road again.  Weather was moving clouds, some peeks of blue sky, a few showers, and a little gusty wind.  Light traffic.  There was a deluge going over the Ridge Route/Grapevine, but the temp was 41F so no snow.  Everyone slowed down and drove carefully and soon we were all safely on the south side.  Cloudy, but no more rain.    Home at last about 2pm.  Emptied the car, but  didn't put anything away.  Arranged to pick KoKo up tomorrow morning and then collapsed again.  I have NO stamina these days along with the sciatica pain and now a pulled shoulder.   Ain't easy getting old, eh?  So, I slept for about three hours and then started putting everything away.  It will take a long time, I think.  

On Sunset there are a number of places to pull out and watch the waves.  And the people, dogs, birds, ground squirels.  The other side of the bay is just a sketch of medium blue. 

Dark clouds with just a tiny patch of blue.  Fields of yellow flowers - which I cannot think of the name of at the moment.  Not poppies or mustard - very low growing like a carpet of gold.  

Not a lot of traffic!  The clouds hide the north side of the mountains.  

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