Pink Roses 12-18-10

This rose bush was already growing in the backyard when we moved to this house in 1986, however, the seven foot wall is only about five years old . The blossoms have almost no fragrance, but the bush makes up for it by blooming like crazy all year. Usually I prune the roses between Xmas and New Years - except for the years I don't get around to it until Valentines. So, soon all these blossoms will go in the garden recycle - sad. I will pick some and take them to someone who will appreciate them for a few days.

The buds start out a deep pinky red.

As they open they reveal the bluey pink of the interior petals.

And finally, full open, only the very outer petals are the darker color.

SCalifornia is in the midst of a series of storms, so it has been raining lightly since yesterday and the TV weather guy tells us it will continue through the weekend and most of next week. It is an Oregon rain - drizzle, drizzle, drizzle - however, the guy says it will get heavier. I pity the people in the burn areas since the hills have not had time to grow much vegetation since the last round of fires. All those folks are just holding their breath, hoping that the other shoe doesn't drop. If we have any gully washers there could be more homeless people in the foothills. But, the good news is that the snow pack in the mountains is now at 110% - meaning that we will probably not have any water rationing next July/August.

License plates 12-17-10

Before there were vanity plates I enjoyed checking for out-of-state plates, when I traveled across the USA I would do a checklist as I saw each additional state on a license. Of course, vanity plates are more of a challenge. Sometimes they are easily read and sometimes they are mysteries. Some years ago I was driving on I-5 and kept passing and being passed by a car with a plate I couldn't figure out. When I stopped for gas that car had also stopped. I jumped at the chance and asked the fellow, "What does your license plate mean?" He looked down his nose at me and said with a sneer, "It's my name." I have rarely asked anyone about the meaning of what is on their license plate.

I saw this one on Kraemer Blvd, a main north-south street here in Placentia. I wonder if the owner works at Calico House not far away. I think I'll check around in the lot next time I visit.

This isn't about the license plate, but the footprints in the rear window. I wonder what the halo means, hovering over the fourth set of prints. I'd hate to think that one of the children died and is now wearing a halo for real. Maybe it has something to do with autism. Does anyone know?

Book Group Christmas 12-16-10

Clockwise: Marlita, Carol, Nancy, Verna, Del, Teresa, Kathy (Ann was out-of-town)

At the December meeting every year the Book Group (to which I have belonged since 1977) has a Christmas celebration. Carol has hosted for several years and the menu that has worked for us is appetizers, salad, soup, bread, wine and dessert. Carol supplied two different soups and each other member brought a contribution. I took the wine - since I don't remember how to cook these days.

Carol opening gifts - and a peek at her beautiful Christmas tree. We exchange gifts - not very expensive - and some put more into it than others. Nancy made everyone a fabric purse, Teresa and Verna canned pickles during the summer and gave us each a jar, for the last five or so years I have given everyone a Borders gift card - we can all use a good book, right? There were notepads, a bag of soup mix, tea bags, a pin in the shape of a house, a tea bag holder (or it could be a ring holder!), a bag of snack mix, a shopping bag that folds/rolls up very small to fit in a purse, and, of course, a bookmark! Marlita wrapped each gift in a Santa hat - so everyone has a hat now!

We had another guest who declined to be photographed with the group. This is Sammy, one of Carol's two cats; Max stayed hidden for the evening.

It was fun to get together with these long time friends - I have missed two meetings in a row and I have missed seeing them.

Wordless Wednesday 12-15-10

Quilts with Bird images 12-13-10

Several readers have pointed out that there are a number of bird quilts in the Collection. I recognize that - but considering that I am a bird lover it seems there should be more. There are several crow quilts, an imaginary bird, a yellow-headed blackbird, a junco, a flock of hens and a rooster, some ducks and, the largest of them all, three robins from Ruth Powers of Kansas.

I talked about this quilt previously at:

http://delquilts.blogspot.com/2009/09/prize-winning-quilt-by-ruth-powers-09.html

"Early Birds" Ruth Powers - Carbondale, KS 2005 48"W x 39"L

Best of Show at Celebrate Spring - Chicago, April 2006

I don't look for any certain design or motif, I buy the quilts that speak to me - and that I can afford and find a place to store!

Parrots on the TCQC 12-12-10

Here is another purchase from the SAQA online 2010 auction. It caught my eye immediately - the images are so crisp and the color is perfectly 'parrot-y'. Sherry likes to watch the large flock of parrots that live in her area, as I like to watch those that live in the city of Orange.

"Treetop Parrots of the Palisades" Sherry Kleinman 2010 12" x 12"

Painted, machine pieced, machine quilted.

Sherry says about her piece: "Treetop Parrots of the Palisades" was inspired by the many free flying parrots (former pets) flying around my neighborhood here in Pacific Palisades. My piece is painted with water-soluble media (crayons and pencils) on raw canvas and then machine stitched."

The tiny red buttons add texture and color.

But I'm not so sure about the lady bug and bee buttons. I find them distracting.

Sherry has done dense quilting over the entire design and the piece is very flat.

The backing fabric appears to be a handdye, but it might be a batik - I can't tell for sure.

This is a great addition to the Collection. I am a bird lover and have made a number of bird quilts in the past. However, I haven't found a lot of bird quilts to add to the Collection, I hope this is the first of many.

Christmas Lights 12-11-10

This is the first house when I turn into Corky's neighborhood. Every possible spot has something. They seem to love holidays, I sometimes wonder if they don't really live here but just use it to store decorations for all the holidays in the year!

Here are two palms wrapped in orange lights and topped with green - looks like a coupla' giant carrots, eh? Gathered around the bottom are bright red poinsettias.

I think of these three as Papa, Momma, Toddler snow carolers - but I'm not sure, they are all wearing top hats, so maybe they are all guy carolers.

Corky is here for the weekend, but we drove back to his house in LBeach to give his parents a lift to the Boat Parade. It is a real mob scene every year. This afternoon they (like other people who want to see the parade) drove over to park their car somewhere near the location of the party they would attend after the parade. About 5pm Corky and I gave them a ride to near the start of the parade and then headed home in bumper to bumper traffic - doubled the time of the normal drive. Fortunately, Corky is the perfect traveling dog - he just curls up and goes to sleep! I just poke along listening to the radio. Gorgeous evening - daytime temp was 85F.