Fabric from Back Porch Fabrics 07-21-12

I didn't have the time on Thursday to get into serious trouble at Back Porch Fabrics, but I did find a few additions to my fabric library.

 
The fabric on the left was on the sale table and I like it for the texture - oddly it is directional.  The black on white is one more lettering piece that I will never figure out what to do with.  The two on the right (see selvedge below) reminds me very much of the quilts of Deborah Boschert (one of the Twelves) and I like it a lot, but have no plans for it.

 
This is apparently a new designer for P&B, certainly an unusual style for the company. It will be interesting to see what is yet to come from this designer.  

On the Road Again 07-20-12

I took a short trip up to San Juan Bautista this week to see my friends Mary and Joe.  Joe has been very ill and I was glad to see that he was looking good, considering.  He is able to drive now and go into his office for part of the day.  Mary needed some social time, so we went shopping at the outlet mall in Gilroy one day and had a great day in Pacific Grove yesterday -   fabric feeling/buying at Back Porch Fabrics, lunch at The Red House and a meeting of the Art Quilt Group Mary belongs to.  And the weather was simply gorgeous.

The radio commentator was talking about how more than 50% of the fresh produce in the USA comes from the central valley of California.  I-5 goes right through some of the richest farmland in the area.  Although we have drought conditions this year, the past two years have given us enough water to fill the reservoirs and the state has an extensive system of canals that distribute water into the valley.   Without rain and snow in the mountains next winter we will be in trouble again.
 
This picture was taken along Hwy 156 - the fields stretching out to the foothills are beautiful.  But I was enchanted by the wild oats growing along the roadside.

 

The wind blows them like lace - beautiful.
 
Going over the Ridge Route these two motorcycles - a guy and a gal - were riding sanely in heavy traffic. 
 

I was trying to get close enough so you could read the sign on the back of her helmet, but even with the telephoto I didn't think it was safe to get closer.
It says, "Put some excitement between your legs."
I guess anything goes these days, eh?
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Stylish plant 07-19-12

 
This a Dusty Miller plant and may be the variety called Silver Dust.  It is growing in a weedy patch between the sidewalk and a fence. 

 
The flowers grow in a cluster and are a very bright yellow before they dry out.

I wish I had more of the background of dried grasses and weeds.  The great contrast between their brown/beige color and the white/grey of the dusty miller is what caught my eye. 

Wordless Wednesday - parking lot 07-18-12

 

Monday Browsing 07-16-12

Monday Browsing  07-16-12


Daisies blooming in Big Fork, Montana, Jul 12, 2012

Rouge Art Quilters in Ashland, Oregon is an active group with nice challenge quilts shown on their website. . Check it out at: http://rogueartquilters.wordpress.com/

Everyone seems to be buying ipads and iphones. Here are some security ideas: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/stolen-iphone-leads-cops-_n_1630830.html?1340811400&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D173727#slide=1154142

Nothing to do with quilts but an innovative idea:

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/06/27/homeless-man-hired-to-guard-cemetery-in-exchange-for-home/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl11%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D173646

Studio Art Quilt Associates is an organization serving quilters who are interesting in exhibiting and selling their work.  However, they have many members who are active quilters, but not interested in selling thie work.  I belong because of my interest as a collector.  You might find a "home" with this international group.  Check out their site:

https://www.saqa.com/index.php

Or go directly to the registration page!  https://www.saqa.com/registration-new.php

Picture Mix Up 07-15-12

It appears that my pictures are still in Picasa, but they are mixed up and most of the captions are missing.  I need to talk to Picasa and see what might be done about this.  Meanwhile I am limited to using the most recent images. 



Usually the refreshment table at Surfside Quilters Guild meetings are adorned with a lovely bouquet of flowers from some member's garden.  We have a drawing from all the names of those who brought refreshments to the meeting and that person takes the flowers home.   It is a nice tradition.

Another Food post 07-14-12

A couple years ago I discovered Chronic Tacos in Seal Beach, right across the parking lot from Whole Foods on PCH just southeast of 2nd Street.  I cannot vouch for anything on the menu except the Grilled Shrimp Tacos - Baja Style.  This is because I never eat anything else!  They are the best I have ever eaten.  I know, some say that unless the fish is fried the tacos aren't really Baja style - don't care, I love 'em grilled.

 
Early this year I found a Chronic Tacos in Yorba Linda (302 YLinda Blvd at Imperial Blvd), so it is much easier for me to enjoy one of my favorite "fast foods". 

 
I figure that I actual have four tacos because each serving has two corn (or you could have flour) tortillas, which I carefully separate and divide the filling between them - three shrimp on one and two on the other.  I cannot get my mouth around an undivided taco.

 
The server puts the white sauce (which makes it Baja style) right on the shrimp, so after he has done that and piled on the other ingredients I ask for more sauce on top of the cabbage.  That way my division of the insides provides sauce in both parts.

The reason the color is so strange in these pictures is that they were taken under a red umbrella, guess I was too hungry to pay attention.

Today when I went to have my hair cut I discovered that the vacant (and greatly mourned) Starbuck's on the corner has been opened as a new restaurant  http://livegreen2go.com/    The girls in at Super Cuts said the food was okay, but too expensive - I know that they frequent the McDonald's, Burger King and Arby's in the shopping area.  I read the menu in the Green to Go  window and it looks good, but it wasn't on my agenda for today - I'll go back some other time.
http://livegreen2go.com/storage/pdfs/green2go%20menu%20sd1%20and%20sd2%20copy.pdf

My computer appears to be back in business.  I have a few problems with AOL and Picasa, but they will have to be dealt with later.  Tonight I have the Poodle Prince and he wants me to go to bed.  Nag, nag, nag!