Traveling 02-04-24

 

Drove to San Diego this afternoon/evening to take a fabric printing class with Pat Pauly. 

We are sharing my Air B&B until next Monday, the 12th  There wasn't  much traffic and only a few rain showers.  All the freeway  alert signs warned people not to drive Sunday - Tuesday.

I hope to  post some pictures, but will have to check with Pat and fellow students.

#   #   #

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.  

#   #   #

And it is still raining!! 03-21-23

Yep, we are having one of the wettest winter/spring in a very long time.  This morning  when it was time to drive down to Dana Point for the meeting I just couldn't face it and called to let them know I wasn't coming.   I hate  to miss a  Board Meeting because I am so nosy and want to know what is going on.   I think it was a wise decision to stay home and make some progress on getting ready to leave on Thursday.  Not that I accomplished a lot, but some anyway.  It rained off and on all day.  A clearing spot about 10am so we did our walk and again around 7pm for the evening walk.  Had a few drops, but the wind was cold and pushed us along to get home and get warm.  

Water collects in this area adjacent to the front porch  even though we put in special drainage when we first moved in over 30 years ago.   This is at 10am.

 

When we went out to walk about 7pm it was almost lapping onto the porch, which is only a couple inches high.  The soil is so saturated it can't absorb very quickly.  

This is KoKo's favorite position, I think.  I had done some surgery on Froggy and KoKo was protecting him from me.  He always licks Froggy extensively after I have been sewing on him.  Right now Froggy is in the washer so he will be all bright and clean to go to the KoKo keeper.  And KoKo will have a bath in the morning so he won't be a stinky dog.  

#   #   #

Iris blooming - it must be SPRING 03-13-23

Oh, dear!  I am in panic mode because ten days from now I go to Empty Spools Seminar in Pacific Grove, CA.  and I have done very little to get ready.  Unfortunately I have a heavy schedule between now and then with four different meetings and multiple tasks to do before I go.  It isn't like I haven't known about this since last May!  I am just a champion procrastinator.  I do have a KoKo  Keeper lined up, but also need to pack for him.  Froggy needs to go with him and needs the foot surgery, so  that  will take time.  I have an old washcloth with a very short nap and will make four "mittens" to slip over Froggy's feet and hand stitch down.  Now when am I going to get that done.  Woe is me!   

Some neighbors have iris blooming and there are daffodils here and there.  But most of us are growing lots of bright green weeds!  I haven't located a gardner yet.  Guess I should also do that before I go.  I will be gone for seven days.  

#   #   #

Went down to San Diego 01-08-23

Had a great trip to San Diego and a very successful meeting of the art quilt group.  But I over-did everything and am really dragging my tail.  Napped several times today and have things to do tomorrow.  However, I hope to settle at the computer for some updating and will try to blog earlier in the day/evening.  

We have enjoyed several good rains and the hills are now GREEN instead of tawny.  Traffic was light both ways, I suppose because school is still out for a lot of districts.  It was almost like driving in the 60s, but that was before the I-5 was thorough all the way.  Pacific Coast Highway (101) could be a rough drive back then.  It is still 100 miles or so and about two hours unless you are one of those that drive 90 - 100 mph.  Gotta watch out for those drivers!!

#   #   #

Will skip a day~ 01-05-23

KoKo and I went to an open house in San Clemente on Sunday.  This is the old fashioned "open house" which is a get-together with friends for the purpose of visiting and eating and having a good time.  NOT the real estate open house to show a house that is for sale.  I explain this because when I used the term two different people said "Are you looking for a house?"   So, depending, I suppose, on one's age the term has a different meaning. 

This was the annual event hosted by Nancy Ota and family.  It is partially a potluck, but Nancy provides quite a few dishes herself.  I always take a box of See's, but this year I also took an assortment of olives from Whole Foods "Mediterranean Bar".  There are offerings other than olives and I bought some tiny red peppers with a vinegar/sweet flavor.  I thought they would be festive with the various greens of the olives, but they were also delicious!  They are at the center of this picture between the salmon and the spare ribs.  

There were Japanese foods and Anglo foods.  

Sashimi  on ice. 

Many kinds of sushi.

And much, much more.  I ate a little of everything - so delicious. 

Will not write tomorrow night when I am in San Diego.  Trying to travel a little lighter and won't take my laptop.  

#   #   #

Looking back ten years to May 2012 Part Five 05-31-22

It was amazing how much some of the students accomplished in class, some completed the top of their quilt.  I never do well in class.  Can't concentrate, have to keep up with what everyone else is doing, taking pictures, shopping for more fabric, just can't settle down.  I did not even cut any fabric, just worked on the design for a large quilt of fuchsias.  The design is rolled up in a plastic bin with lots of other designs I have never completed.  

The shop was large and had a fabulous selection of every possible cotton print, so we all took home additions to our fabric libraries.   Ruth lived in a rural section of Massachusetts where it was miles to a quilt shop, so she always stocked up when she visited Kallispell.  Here are the fabrics she purchased on this trip. 

I guess I also bought the orangey stripe in the middle.  I used it in a quilt I made during the pandemic.  I'm sure I have others in my extensive fabric library.  

The day after the class ended four of us did a tour of Glacier National Park enjoying the local knowledge of the shop owner who also did the driving.  It was a great day, I'm sure we would not have seen as much if we had been on our own.  Bears, sheep, loons, and unbelievable views of the soaring mountains and deep lush valleys.  I'd like to go back again someday. 

Loon carrying chick on back. 

What a wonderful week, but over too soon. My friend flew back to the mid-west and I hit the road for SCalifornia.  

#   #   #

Looking back ten years to May 2012 Part Three 05-27-22

Still en route to Kalispell.  We didn't want to eat fast food, so we drove on until we found a nice restaurant that I had enjoyed before.  It was completely different, but the food was good.  We were ready to start our Ruth B. McDowell class the next day.  

It was spring in upper Montana so there were lots of wildflowers blooming and later in town beautiful flower gardens in the green, green yards.   I had to photograph many of the flowers.

Prairie Smoke  (Geum triflorum)

Lupine (the blue flower) and I don't know the name of the white.

Bluebells (Hyacinthoides)

Common Flax (Linum)  A garden flower

Horse Chestnut tree in blossom. 

A very blue bearded iris growing beside a garage in Kalispell. 

Catmint (Nepeta)

Columbine (Aquilegia) with Catmint.   Columbine is the state flower of Colorado.

 

We finally made it to Kalispell, a lovely green town, at least it is in the summer.  We stayed in what would now be called an AirB&B.  The door on the bottom floor at the left was our room.  It was clean and comfortable, but we didn't spend much time there since we were in class all day. 

Tomorrow I will show some pictures from Ruth's class.  

#   #   # 

Looking back ten years to May 2012 Part Two 05-24-22

We had allowed enough time to do some sightseeing and not drive too long in one day.  One problem we had though was finding places to eat.  There is a lot of open highway and not many towns or even service islands.  One really needs to plan ahead.

We saw a lot of wildlife and spent a day driving through the National Bison Sanctuary.  I had driven it before, but saw a lot more bison and other animals this time.  

These sheep were not in the sanctuary, but up on a hillside behind a rest stop.  They had two attendant dogs, but didn't see any sheepherders. 

In the Bison Sanctuary there were a lot of bison - bulls, cows, and calves. 

Ruth McDowell taught in Kalisplett for quite a few years and visited the Sanctuary.  She made this very large quilt (over 100" each side) showing the bison in the pond. 

Many pronghorn antelope all along the way.

                            

Their bright white butts make them stand out on the rolling grey/green prairie. 

 Quite a few deer, but they are more difficult to spot without the bright white backside. 

I believe this is the first wild swan I have every spotted. 

To be continued.....

#   #   #