Bindings 02-03-22

 I am working at binding some pieces made a long time ago.  This one is 5 1/2" X 9" and from a Sue Benner class on landscapes, maybe six years ago. 

 

The scene is from an island in Puget Sound, Washington.  So calm, showing Mt. Baker with a clear sky until a large black cloud rolls in.  I am not happy with the cloud, it looks a little like a submarine, but that is what I could find in the fabrics on hand.  I have tried to lighten it with some white pencil.

Anyway, the finish on the edge is what I think of as blended, overcast binding.  Using the widest zigzag on my machine and changing the thread color to match the color of the fabric.  It is a time consuming process with all the thread ends to bury.  But I do like the look.

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A year ago KoKo and I were on our way home from Mt. Vernon, WA, and the Sue Benner class at Coupeville, WA.  It seems like longer than a year and I do wish I had been able to make the drive up there again this May.  Hoping for maybe October, but not holding my breath!  

KoKo stayed with Mabel and Mac while I took a class at the Pacific Northwest Art School in Coupeville, WA.   Mabel discovered that it is hard to do anything much with a dog in your lap.  

And Mac had the same problem.  As you can see, KoKo just took over.   Is that a relaxed dog?

I had a hard time leaving this fabulous view of their backyard. 

But the views along I-5 are pretty wonderful, too.  

More revisiting tomorrow.  

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I survived the 9 hours behind the wheel 07-20-19

Such a trip!  I've driven I-5 (and US-99 before I-5 existed) dozens of times, maybe even forty times before, but the traffic this time was just astounding.  I'm glad we are here at Mabel and Mac's peaceful house with the fabulous woodland to enjoy out the large windows on the back of the house.  They seat me at the table so I can look out and relax.

KoKo seems to be acclimating okay.  He will take Froggie to Mac or Mabel to throw for him and he doesn't seem to have any desire to run outside.  He had his two walks up the street and around the curve and did his business just like usual.  And we walked out back in the woods a bit in the afternoon.  All with his harness and leash, of course.  

Washington rabbits are not very skittish.  We passed this one when we were walking downhill and it was still sitting there when we came back.  Didn't seem to mind KoKo until we were within about five feet, then it took off.  And KoKo was only mildly interested in the rabbit. 

I cropped this picture, much lighter color than Placentia rabbits. 

KoKo waiting patiently along the road while I take pictures.  Douglas Fir trees and Cedars in the background fill the lots around the houses.  

And now it is time to sleep again (the vet told me that is the dog's job).  Froggie is on the bed also, but he is very tired because he had more extensive surgery this evening.  Poor guy there is almost nothing left to sew to, he now requires under "skin" to  close up the holes.  

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Oh, the silence! 07-19-19

"We are going where?"

I don't think KoKo has ever been on a Road Trip and he is not sure he ever wants to go again.  After all the days of getting ready we were finally ready to go and he gives me this look.  Instead of leaving on Monday as originally planned we left on Tuesday since I couldn't get ready to go.  And then we hit the road and stopped on the 210 east of Pasadena to crawl along for two hours in an enormous traffic jam - a true SigAlert.  Some poor motorcyclist lost his life at Lake Street and all the lanes were closed for a while.  It was blocked for miles.  Our about 6 hour drive turned into more like 9 hours.  NOT a good start. 

We spent the night with friend Mary in San Juan Bautista and Wednesday morning we joined the millions of other people driving north on I-5.  The traffic was very heavy most of the way to the Oregon border with lots of construction to slow us all down.  That night in Ashland, Oregon, at a HIE that accommodates dogs, but it was another nine hours driving and I was too tired to blog.  

Last night were in Vancouver, WA, at a La Quinta, that always takes dogs.  However, it was another nine hour day due to horrendous traffic north on I-5, and an absolute crawl around Portland on the 205.  I even called a friend in Portland and invited her to come over and walk along the car so we could have a visit.  It wouldn't be too much exercise because we were stopped more than we were crawling.   But when at last we were in our motel room I thought I should just post some sort of short note so  you all wouldn't be worrying, not hearing from me all those days.  Then I discovered that I had left my mousie behind in Placentia.  Can't switch back to the keypad without a mouse, too late at night to go out and buy one.  Besides, I was soooooo tired.  

Up and out this morning and slogged through the traffic from Vancouver, WA,, through the Seattle creep and arrive at my friends' house about 2pm, I think.  KoKo was so thrilled to be out of the car and in a real house, he ran through every room and jumped on every one's lap and was "over the moon".  He just made himself at home.  Such a good dog.  

I will be here until Sunday afternoon when I drive to Coupeville on Whidby Island where I have a cabin reservation and then start Sue Benner's dyeing class on Monday.  Meanwhile, KoKo will stay with Mabel and Mac and I'm sure he will be happy and comfortable.  After the class ends on Friday KoKo and I will stay a few days with Mabel and Mac and then head home with sincere hopes that southbound traffic will be easier.  Dream on, I could see the heavy traffic on that side of the highway.  

I will try to blog over the next few days and every night after class.  But no promises, I am feeling my age on this trip and will probably need to go to bed early every night.  I am excited to be in the class and hope I have all the material and equipment I need.  Naturally, as is my ilk, I brought too much of everything, but it is better to bring it than to need it and not have it with me.  Right? 

KoKo sleep with Froggie's support - half in his carrier and half out.  He mostly just sleeps and doesn't give a bean about what is going on outside.  

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Preparing for a dyeing class with Sue Benner 07-15-19

To be honest, if I had realized how much work was involved just getting ready for the class I might have taken a pass on it!!  All that fabric to scour and then soda ash, all the odds and ends of equipment almost overcame me.  I think I am ready and have almost everything, guess I will have to do some more shopping after I get up to Washinton state.  We had planned to leave today, but since I always leave too many things for the last minute, we just werent' ready.  So, tomorrow morning we will be on our way.  KoKo has never been on a Road Trip, I hope he enjoys it.  Since we are leaving a day late our driving hours will be longer each day.  I think back to when I was 19 or 20 and would drive from Arcadia to Portland to see my mother and it only took 24 hours.  It was at that time not an Interstate Highway most of the way and the distance was exactly 1000 miles from portal to portal.  As the years have passed I have gotten slower and cannot drive as long in a stretch as I once did.  More breaks along the way are necessary also.   Now each long Road Trip I take I think it may be my last.  My late husband and I talked often of driving the perimeter of the lower 48 states, but never could schedule the time.  I'd still like to do it, but don't think I could go alone.  It would take months to do it, it is something over 12,000 miles.  

Placentia, CA to Mt Vernon, WA. is 1,225.6 miles - total driving time is estimated at 19 hours and 48 minutes.  That doesn't count gas stops, pit stops, eating, or sleeping.  And it is all on Interstate 5.   

I'll try to keep you posted along the way. 

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Friday Food 07-12-19

KoKo and I are going on a road trip to Washington state.  I haven't figured out how I will eat since restaurants don't usually allow dogs and I can't leave him in the car if it is hot.  But I can always find a drive-thru take out if I am very, very hungry and run out of cheese, crackers, and fruit.  

Before we go I need to get down to H-2-O, my favorite pokey bowl spot in Irvine.  I have tried many others, but I particularly enjoy this one spot. 

While in Washington I will be in Coupeville on Whidbey Island for a class with Sue Benner.  When I was there in 2013 I had this wonder salmon salad at Christopher's.  I hope they are still open and still offer this great salad.  Some places are so good that they stay in my mind forever! 

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A heavenly view 06-19-18

Visiting my friends in Mt Vernon, WA, has an additional thrill, other then the primary one of seeing them and have some time to visit.  Their house is surrounded by huge trees.  Mostly Western Cedar, I think.   I doubt if I would ever get any work done because I would be gazing out the windows all the time.  They do have visits from deer, squirrels, rabbits, and birds.  But just looking at the trees is a huge treat for someone from suburban Orange County, California.   I'm sure that some of you have enormous trees on your property, or nearby, but there aren't any where I live.  Although I may post a picture one of these days of the pine trees in my neighborhood.  Not many left from when we moved in thirty years ago because new people move in and the first thing they do is cut down the trees.  Don't understand why.  

From the living room. 

The same view taken outdoors.   Notice the clothesline on the left, this is the only place that gets afternoon sun.  

And a closeup of this GREAT tree. 

There are also trees between the street and the house. 

I put this picture in so you can see the size of the trees in front of the house. 

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Washington Rhodies 06-04-18

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Road Trip to WA - Last Day 05-30-18

I left from friends Mary/Joe in San Juan Bautista at 8am with the hope I would make it through Pasadena on the 210 Freeway before the traffic was too clogged up.  And I made it!  Although it had already started slowing it was not the parking lot it is most of the time after about 3pm.  I drove into my garage at exactly 3pm after a 355 mile day.  Glad to be home, but loved the journey.  My longest day was 431 miles from Reno to Bend, followed closely by the Memorial Day total of 417 miles from Yreka to San Juan Bautista.   In all, the trip was 2850 miles.  I was gone for 13 days, five were non-driving days.   I do have some pictures I haven't posted, but will try to get to them this week.  Here are just a few from today.

From the bottom of the "mountain" up the canyon to Mary and Joe's house is between 2 and 3 miles and my top speed is 30 mph in short stretches - mostly more like 20.  It is a winding, ascending road and there are animals along the way.  Always cattle, but also horses, goats, alpacas, etc.  I could see a distance in both directions so I just stopped on the roadway and snapped this picture of a young steer.  He was curious and came closer.

For a better shot.  I saw mostly black cows on the trip. 

Where the mountainous road comes to a stop sign at the bottom of the canyon there is a house with sheep, goats, chickens, and maybe some other critters.  They are fenced and the fence is almost at the edge of the road.  There are three goats and a black rooster here.  

This is the first time I have seen flowers in the fields along Hwy 156 and there were two large plantings.  There was a sign announcing Burpee Ferry-Morris, so I suppose these mixed flowers are for seed.   I love the blue mountains!

I could not tell what flowers they are and there is no place to stop to examine them. 

06-01-18 Update:  Friend Mary says they are sweet peas and adds "A couple weeks ago you could roll down your car windows and smell the wonderful perfume of the flowers. "

There has recently been a large grass fire along the I-5, I could smell it.

I always think these fires so close to the pavement are caused by thrown cigarettes. 

A wild sky.  Clouds and contrails whipped by the strong, gusty winds. 

A long lonely looking road, very light traffic today, seems to go on forever. 

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Road Trip - Mt. Vernon to Portland 05-26-18

Back on I-5 for the long drive to SCalifornia.  You are probably tired of hearing about the traffic, but today was the worst if one was traveling north, it looked like one long parking lot.  Fortunately, I was going south, but there were still stretches of bumper to bumper traffic and frequent dead stops.  One thing about the drivers here, they don't do the kamikaze stuff that is so common on the freeways in SCalifornia.  Nobody zipped in and out of lanes, trying to get ahead of everyone else.  And nobody passed on the shoulder that I saw.  The day was gloomy and clouds low, but not a drop of rain. However, the pictures are not very clear - I'm already missing those bright blue skies along Hwy 395.  I stopped for gas at Arlington and for a Starbuck's at Tumwater.  Just accidentally on the same block as Ruby Street Quiltworks, a VERY nice quilt shop, that I visited on a trip about eight years ago, with a large and varied inventory.  I spent an hour and I'm not going to tell you what the "toll" was.  I did get carried away.  But mostly I drove at speeds from 20mph to 75mph for about six hours to stay at Comfort Inn near the Portland airport.  I've a date for breakfast with two Portland friends I haven't seen for too long.  

The rhododendrons are just at their peak and are loaded.  These pictures are all in Mabel's neighborhood.  

I don't remember the bright red ones from my childhood, but I guess they were there. 

But I do remember these trees with the bright yellow leaves, but not their name.

This is the dogwood I am familiar with, the petals have a rounded edge with a little dip in the center of each petal.   A later image will show one that is new to me. 

The Skagit Valley, famous for growing tulips also grows veggies and forage crops.  It is a very flat countryside with stands of dark conifers for contrast. 

Dark sky, dark forest, a farm house tucked into the edge of the trees. 

Ah-h-h, here is Seattle from the southbound lanes of I-5, with the Space Needle on the right. 

 Overpasses, some under construction.  But look at the backed up traffic in the northbound lanes, curving up around the hill. 

This one is out of order, I think it was near Tacoma.  The back up on the northbound lanes extends to the right side of the picture. 

Boxcars, flatcars, RR overpasses seem to be the prime graffiti locations. 

 This old Rainier beer facility has been re-invented as something else - an entertainment center, maybe.  It is right against I-5.

Miles and miles of this view, creeping along.  The "motto" is:

 "Your Hometown, National Carrier".  

The southbound view of Tacoma Dome.

This type of dogwood is new to me.  Very pointed petals. 

Those I saw were more a bush than a tree. 

Down the route of the Columbia River which is to the right behind the trees. 

Near Kalama it is very close to the highway and currently very full of water from mountain snow melt. 

Too much traffic for picture taking going over the river and into Oregon where the road construction starts on the south side of the river.  So glad to be off the road tonight.   But I am going to have to wear my earplugs. 

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Road Trip to WA 05-25-18

Back to May 22nd. After spending the night at Holiday Inn Express in north Vancouver, WA.   I didn't remember that it was going to take so long to drive north to Mt. Vernon, and I had not anticipated such heavy traffic until I got to Seattle.  But the traffic was very heavy all the way up.  And then there is road construction. 

My luck, the first thing I came to was another "cone zone".  They are everywhere.

Rolling hills, lots of trees, and traffic.

Once very common on highways in the Pacific Northwest, I only saw these two logging trucks on this entire trip. 

And the logs are skinnier and shorter.  When I was growing up we would see logging trucks with just one tree taking up the entire load.  Those trees are long gone. 

If you look at a map of Oregon you will see a lump sticking up into Washington right on the coast.  This is because the state borders follow the Columbia River which suddenly changes directions flows north just beyond Portland.  This allows ocean going ships to travel way inland (this is at Kalama) and they can be seen from the I-5 all the way up to Longview, WA. 

It is startling to see these big ships so close.  The hills you see in the background are in Oregon.  

I stopped for gas at the first Arco station I saw and then stopped in Napavine, WA, where I saw a Starbuck's sign.  Guess I am just a Starbuck's junkie!   

The area around Tacoma was particularly slow due to road construction. 

Going under an overpass and seeing the Tacoma Dome off to the left. 

First sight of Seattle. 

And the speed restriction zones. 

...Slower..

...Slower....

Sometimes the traffic opens up and you never know why.

Then the Express lanes peel off to the left and the roadway goes down.

And down, under the city of Seattle. 

And comes our on a high bridge over some body of water.  At the time I came through there were only a few cars and mostly big trucks. 

Further north I can see another snow capped mountain.  I tried looking it up on the road map, but the print is so small I can't read it!

And then the traffic picked up.

They do have an advanced public transportation system up here.  Double decker buses are not something I see much in SCalifornia.   Have I talked too much about traffic on this day's travel?  That is what was most prominent and I needed to keep my eyes on the road so couldn't do much photography off to the sides.  The journey was twice as long and, I think, the traffic was at least twice as bad as driving from Placentia to San Diego.  On a Friday afternoon! 

I love this old tree that is found in a rest stop just before reaching Mt. Vernon.  You can read its story below.  I enjoy stopping to see it when I drive up here.  

It came to this location in 1971. 

This map shows its journey. 

A roof was added to protect it from the weather. 

I asked this guy's wife to take my picture to demonstrate just how large the tree stump is. 

One awesome remnant from the forest that once covered this country. 

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