Windy day at Havasu Lake 04-19-08

Nothing unusual about wind in Havasu, most afternoons the breeze picks up and sometimes turns into a gale. Not too bad today, but lots of stuff in the air to make the pictures hazy.

That is "Muffin Mountain" in the background. Between the mountains and the houses in the foreground is Lake Havasu, created by damming the Colorado River.

This view is looking the other direction - WNW - and the mountains shown are in California. The Colorado forms part of the boundary between CA and AZ. As you can see the wind is whipping the palms.

This new mirror was hung today in the entryway. I have hung a quilt there in the past, but when there is no quilt the walls look very bare. The advantage of hanging quilts is that it mutes the echoes a bit. No drapes on the windows and the marble floor seem to amplify the sounds. When Corky's parents built the house they named it "Casa del Lago" and engraved it over the door.

He sleeps! Corky's favorite viewing point here is on the window seat in the guest room. Although he is sound asleep he can still pick up the noise of a dog walking down the street. Amazing how dogs do that.

And I have also been sleeping. The last few weeks have been so full that I am really tired - so two naps today and early to bed!

Writing from Lake Havasu 04-18-08

Yes, I am on the road again!! After only fifteen hours at home I left at 6:30am today to drive out here to Corky's house in Lake Havasu City, AZ. His parents have a meeting on Sunday and they can't take the Poodle Prince, so I will have him Sunday to Wednesday when the two of us will drive back to Placentia and Long Beach. I thought this would be a great place to relax and try to catch up with myself. And it may be, but even after a two hour nap today I am just wiped out tonight.

Along I-40 the landscape becomes more dry and barren with each mile. The foreground here is the strip between the two directions of traffic.

Several small mountain ranges are crossed by I-40, which stretches out mostly straight - mile after mile. Notice the plants on the verge, they are larger and healthier than those even ten feet away, because the soil was irrigated when the road was built. And because they have the benefit of the water that runs off the roadway - they drink it all before it gets to other, smaller plants.

Lots of plants blooming - here is a Palo Verde tree (Cercidium microphyllum) in full flower.

This is the Colorado River just east of Needles, CA., bending south to form Lake Havasu. I love these spiky mountains and many others with strange shapes. There is one called Cupcake Mountain, but I think it looks more like a muffin. "Muffin Mountain" has a certain ring, I think!

Spring along I-5 SJB to LA 04-17-08

When I drove north on April 9th I took this photo of hollyhocks growing at Harris Ranch. Lots of leaves but no flowers.

Because I was curious what changes would occur in eight days, I stopped on my way south today to see. Lovely pink blossoms and lots of them.

And going over the Ridge Route the hills above Gorman are a paintbox of colors. Eight days ago I saw only a few golden California poppies, but today there are huge patches of them in full bloom.

I especially like this view with commerce (Gorman, CA) in the foreground and glorious nature in the hills behind.

Click on photos for enlarged views.

Quilts going home 04-16-08

Here are the sixteen Ruth McDowell quilts we took down at Back Porch Fabric Shop today. They are all rolled around "stuffies" or pool noodles, which I never use for storage, but only for traveling. When I get home I will lay the quilts flat for a week or so before rolling them individually around 'stuffies', covering them with fabric and labeling each one for storage. I had planned to take pictures while Gail Abeloe, Mary Leakey and I took the quilts down, but, just as when they went up, I didn't take a single picture - sorry! I have enjoyed sharing the quilts and talking about them with people who visited the exhibit. Special thanks to Gail for providing the opportunity to share.

Gauntlets 04-15-08

A couple weeks ago I was eating in the Asilomar dining hall and when I stood up to lift a pitcher from the center of the table one of the women asked why I stood up. I told her I have arthritis and my hands are not strong enough to lift heavy things when I am sitting. She asked, "Do you have carpal tunnel?" I answered, "No, just arthritis." This started a discussion among the diners and they were almost unanimous that I should check with my doctor because it sounded like CT to them. So, when I saw my doctor a week ago Monday I explained about the pains and she gave me some tests (hold your hands this way, lift them up this way, etc.) and said my dining companions were right. I felt terrible that I had not explained my hand/wrist/arm pains better in the past. She prescribed wrist splints. So.....

.....here I am in my splints. It is amazing how much difference they made in just a few days. I wear them at night and no longer wake up with numb hands. And I wear them when I am driving and my hands don't hurt so much. I haven't figured out how to wear them when I am going to the bathroom or eating with a fork (a spoon is okay), but I've worked out everything else. I don't know how long I need to wear them, but I will see Dr. Debin in another few weeks and guess she will tell me what I need to do. The moral of this tale is that I should tell my doctor exactly how I hurt and not assume that I know what my problem is. And so should you!

An early night 04-14-08

Mary and I went into Monterey today, she had a checkup with her doctor and I needed a Starbucks fix. I had a power nap while she was in the doctor's office and then we drove down Alvarado where I had been going to Starbucks for several years. We drove down again and I couldn't find it, but I had just been there a year ago. So she parked and I walked around the block to discover that the entire building is gone - replaced by a wooden wall painted a neutral beige. Turns out the building burned sometime in the past year and was too badly damaged to be restored. So, we swung by Del Norte Center and I had my fix. It is a terribly expensive addiction and I have been trying to cut back. So, you see, not a very exciting day and still I am extra tired and am going to get to bed after I post this. Tomorrow I will do better.

Spring green 04-13-08

Breakfast at Mimi's in Gilroy this morning. Such a clear blue sky on a lovely Spring day.

The hills are still lush and green, but starting to show signs of the dry, beige hills of summer.

This unused barn is on CA Hwy 156 just west of San Juan Bautista. I always wonder why such buildings are abandoned.

This wide roadway goes to a new housing area west of SJB. The houses are probably very nice, but the neighbors are cattle!