Snow on the mountains 12-27-08

It is rather early for much snow in SCalifornia, but the skiers and boarders are happy, along with the resort owners. At one time this past week the snow level was down to 1800 feet, but we have had sunshine since, so some of it has melted on the lower slopes.

First, here is a view of downtown Los Angeles taken from Bastanchury hill in Fullerton It is about 35 miles away, due west.

This is Mt. San Gorgonio about 70 miles due east as the crow flies. Taken from the Anaheim Lakes area.

San Bernardino Mountains from Fullerton's Bastanchury Hill. From here the crow would have to fly 50 miles north by northeast.

North by northwest maybe 40 miles are the San Gabriel Mtns. They overlap the San Bernardinos, so the two together appear to be one mountain range.

Hints & Dogs & Cats 12-26-08

Every now and then I run across something I'd like to share with other bloggers but am in doubt, so I set it aside to consider later. Here are a few of those items.

First, a great helpful hint from Linda Palaisy

Another idea to avoid losing pieces when adjusting that tiny screw on the bobbin tension is to work inside a clear plastic bag that is large enough
for you to work with your two hands, the screw driver and the bobbin case. That way, should the screw fall out or even go flying, it will be in the bag and not on it's way to the floor and most likely lost.

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Second, a video clip of one really happy dog who is surely at least part Jack Russell Terrier.

http://videos.komando.com/2008/12/23/bailey-the-unknown-reindeer/

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And thirdly, one of my favorite websites to just make me smile and sometimes LOL - this is for cat lovers. The images are randomized so they don't come up in the same order every time.
http://catsinsinks.com/

Here are a few of my favorites w/my comments.

These people need a larger bowl or a smaller cat.

Here is a 'flasher' who is really obscenely fat - El Gordo!

These people need a smaller bowl or a bigger cat!

I've never had a cat that slept in the sinks, but I did have a Siamese who didn't like to be left at home. When I would return she would wait until I went in the bathroom, then she would jump in the bathtub and poop! She never did it unless I was in the room. Smart cat, but annoying.

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Now, I have that file cleaned out for the coming New Year!

Decorations/Cookies 12-25-08

Here are the final Christmas pictures for this year.There are many of this snowman trio around the neighborhood.

This is the wreath on my door, my only decoration, I do it for my neighbors and my wonderful postal carrier.

There always seem to be palms wrapped in lights. This is a palm that doesn't grow more than about ten feet - easier to decorate than the towering palms that are so common. The wind was blowing pretty good this evening as I walked and this tree was just twinkling away. Very pretty.

When I celebrated Christmas one of my favorite parts was baking goodies to give to friends and neighbors.... and for my husband and I to eat. I don't do any baking, but maybe one day I will get the urge to do it again. Fortunately, I have several friends who like to fatten me up every year.

Liz always makes fudge, peanut brittle, gingersnaps and some kind of drop cookie. I don't know why I didn't get any fudge this year - boohoo.

Teresa, a member of the Book Group, also bakes for the Holidays. This shows one of everything she brought me on a large Christmas plate. As always, everything is very tasty - although I haven't tried the little loaf yet. I am going to slice some for breakfast in the morning and then hide it from myself.

Liz also makes stollen which is delicious when sliced, toasted and slathered with real butter! I have put half of this huge loaf in the freezer lest I eat it all in one day!

I had a very quiet Christmas Day. The rain started about one in the morning and was on and off all day, but our local total was only about three-fourths of an inch which didn't cause problems in the burn areas. The sky was clear to the west by five-thirty so I could watch the bright white light of Venus as I walked. There may be sprinkles tomorrow, but not much and then clear and warm until after January first. I don't regret not going to the desert, although the giant storm didn't materialize. Even with a little bit of rain the pavement is slick and most drivers don't understand SLOW DOWN, so there are lots of fender benders and some very serious accidents. Corky's parents will drop him off with me on Saturday when they drive back to LBeach and then I will return him there on Monday.

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Take a tip from Santa 12-25-08

I hope your Christmas is everything you want it to be.

Love, Del-at-home

Christmas Eve 12-24-08

My apology for not posting yesterday, but I won't take the blame - I kept getting cut off and finally just gave up. I'll use that post later!

Shopping finished? Presents wrapped? Now, see how far you can Sling Santa!

http://upchucky.com/games/sling-santa.html

Click the carrier to start it forward, pull back on the 'spoon' and let go in time to sling Santa over the chasm, but keep the elves from also going in. Better set a timer or you will be doing this all day! Love, Del

Corky and Del at Corky's house in Long Beach Xmas 2006

We were both two years younger, but we pretty much look the same. And we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a healthy, prosperous New Year.

Dreaming of Summer 12-22-08

I am sorry so many of my friends and readers across the country are enduring terrible winter storms w/snow, ice and subzero weather. I don't know if this is going to make things better or worse, but I decided I would send you all flowers today. I haven't shown pink flowers on my blog previously and I found more in my photo files than I thought I would.

Wild Roses grow all over the country, but this one was in Idaho in the summer of 2005. I was on a road trip and, as is my habit, stopped along the highway to photograph flowers. To see the rest of this "bouquet" go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/DELQLTS/PinkFlowersCreated121308?authkey=hi98kgFkavw#

Quilt from TCQC

The Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection started out with just medium to large quilts, but as artists made smaller works I added some of those. Finally, as the Collection grew larger I divided my files into quilts greater than 24" in any direction and those less than 24". It makes storage and record keeping easier and helps when I am putting together a trunk show. Quilt auctions have become more common (there were three online quilt auctions at the same time this in Oct/Nov) and the quilts made for these auctions are usually medium to small sizes. So, it is a great place for new or aspiring collectors to find quilts that they like.

"Haiku" Karen Stiehl Osborn 2003 9"W x 17"L

This quilt was part of the 2005 Fiberarts For A Cause online auction. I was attracted by the depth Karen has achieved and the density of the blue color. She creates her own cloth to use in her quilts and also does paper for her wonderful paper collages. The three rectangles represent the three lines of a haiku, making it a 'visual haiku'. www.KarenStiehlOsborn.com

A funny story about this piece - when I bought it I knew I would be out of town for several weeks, so I ask that it be sent to a friend. While I was gone I called to ask her if it had arrived and she said yes. She thought it was very nice, but she said, "I guess I need new glasses, I can't read a single word". We had a laugh when I told her that nobody can, they aren't real words, they just resemble them.

Information on the 2009 Fiberarts For A Cause auction at:

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/ReverseAuctionInformation2009.html

Just a tiny bit of snow 12-20-08

Saddleback Mountain is composed of several peaks, the tallest is about 5,700 feet, grouped together on the eastern side of Orange County, CA. Most years it gets a little sprinkle of snow on the very top, but on Wednesday, Dec 17th it really got dumped on. This picture was taken by my friend Patty Mayer who lives in Laguna Niguel, which is south of Saddleback, so she gets a better view than I do from the NW.

There is also snow on the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains, which can be seen from my area, but I have not been out anywhere since Wednesday. Thus - no pictures. But I suppose a lot of you are just tired of snow anyway!

I was out on Wednesday to see the hand therapist who turned out to be a budding quilt maker and a new member of Beach Cities QGuild. Quilters are EVERYWHERE. And then I drove in the pounding rain to LBeach to see the PPrince and his family. But the time I drove home in the evening it was merely sprinkling. More rain promised for Monday.

Here is an unbelievable UK sunset:

http://tinyurl.com/9vpxhe
Borrowed from: http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/viewimages.html