Miscellaneous 07-21-23

I have recovered from my three week coughing cold.  Two doctor visits, a Z-pack, an inhaler, lots of water and two boxes of Fisherman's Friend cough drops.  It wasn't bronchitis,  "just a cold".  Doc says to take it easy  for another week or so.  Actually, I can't do much of anything because I have no energy, she says it will come back.  Soon, I hope. 

No matter what, we do our two walks a day.  Sometimes it is just  around  the cul de sacs,which is probably less that half a full loop. Here we  are out one morning rather early.  Our evening walks  are now usually after 7pm and sometimes after 8pm.   Walking when the temp is over about 82 is  more than I can manage.  

The first picture was taken across the street from this towering ghost gum  where it appeared the tree trimmers were getting ready to climb.  I asked them if I should say goodbye to this lovely tree, but they said no, just trimming. 

Later in the day when I drove past they had finished their work!  I wonder if the tree can survive this butchering.  I had talked to the lady of the house recently and she was  talking about taking it out because it drops leaves!  I told  her what a beautiful tree it is and since it grows on the "point" as everyone enters the neighborhood it is a landmark, planted about 50 years ago in front of the model home where she now lives.    The other two trees are an olive on the right and a Chinese elm.  Both of which I am allergic to, but I wouldn't have them removed. 

My gifted day lily is blooming.  Nice color, but still wish it were the solid yellow variety.  There are several bulbs planted close to each other, but I suspect they are all this color. 

We are having hot weather, but not as bad as some parts of the world.  Yesterday  was 102F, but today didn't hit 90F..  And it does cool down at night  - 65F or so. 

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Rosalie Dace quilt in Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 07-16-23

I have not posted this Rosalie Dace quilt since 2008!  It is nice to see it again and I must unroll  the quilt and enjoy it on my wall for a couple months.  The problem with having so  many quilts is that it is  hard to display them all at once! So, I have to pick and choose.  Right now I only have three quilts  hung because I've had help with rolling and covering all the large quilts.  Soon my friend Anna will help me inventory and organize the 12X12 pieces in their special acid free boxes.  

Another quilt from TCQC 12-14-08

If you see a quilt you would like to buy and it doesn't have a "for sale" sign or a price, just track down the artist and ask. She can say yes or no - you don't know until you ask. She also might offer other similar quilts that are not currently on display and you might like one of those better!

"Durban Dreams" Rosalie Dace 2006 33" square

I saw this quilt in a special exhibit of Rosalie's work at Pacific International Quilt Festival 2006 in Santa Clara. Rosalie was teaching that year, so I went to her classroom during lunch break and asked about this quilt. Fortunately, it was available and I could afford it. She had already promised it for another exhibit, so I had to wait until it was available and she shipped it to me. Her work is unlike that of any artist I know and reminds me of the Hmong applique work, only much richer because Rosalie uses silks and adds beads, rings and other doodads. Interesting quilting.

Here is a detail of the center of the quilt. The square with the pastel 'log cabin' outlined in rose/violet is a loose flap hanging down over the half circle of yellow.

Rosalie's website: www.rosaliedace.net

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Friday Food 07-14-23

I don't eat out much and I never order delivery.  Can't really explain why not, just  seems easier to go out, although sometimes  I pick  up  something and bring it home.  I won't show  a pizza because everyone knows what a pizza looks like!

Other  than Starbucks twice a week I do  drive  thru, especially at In-N-Out.  We go about every  6 or 7 weeks and bring home a cheese burger, fries, and a chocolate milk shake.  I especially enjoy the fries because they make them from scratch.  I am allergic to sulfites and  most places serve  precut fries that  come in a large plastic bag with  water and sulfites to keep them "fresh".  KoKo doesn't eat people food, he just goes along for the ride.

Salmon salad at Fitness  Grill in Yorba Linda. My frequent order.  Just enough and I do love salmon.   Growing up in Oregon salmon was readily available fresh, but we  also ate canned salmon, frequently home-canned.

Friend Carol  and  I had lunch  at a crepe restaurant  run  by a husband/wife team (we think) where he is the waiter and she makes the crepes where everyone can watch.  We should go again, the crepes were  very  tasty.  And not expensive. 

I  am very fond of  Japanese food and eat it out more often than any other choice. This lovely tray of Sushi was at a private party.  A nice variety, each one delicious. 

I  do enjoy breakfast out and don't take it home.  Toast in Brea has the most fabulous benedicts with a choice of sides.  These are their very crispy potatoes (no sulfites) but the other sides are just as tasty.  

Because I take the boys to school the family brings me Indian food every now and then.  This is tilapia, curry "stew", rice, and green beans.  Not just the usual green beans, but very skinny ones about 1/4" diameter cut into 1/4" bits and cooked with spices and onion.  My favorite.  They are very generous, so I have two meals  each time.  Oh, so good. 

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Wordless Wednesday 07-12-23

 

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The first really hot day.

Today was the first really hot day this summer - 97F.  I realize that other parts of the country have bee excessively hot, but our temps have only been in the low 80s.  I  have  the whole house fan on to draw in some of the cooler night air.  I have  rarely seen the heat carry into the night hours, it always cools off 20 degrees or more. 

Cheesecake with whipped cream, chocolate, and  strawberries.

Green tea ice cream with chocolate drizzle at Ikiru.

Peach Ice Cream with black berries. 

I wish I had something cold and wicked like these, but I have to settle for....

Talenti Coffee Chocolate Chip Gelato

Which is pretty wonderful and what I have in the freezer.

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Summer Flowers 07-10-23

 

A really bright lantana hedge.

The smell of lantana immediately brings to mind my grandparents house in Highland  Park/ Los Angeles during WWII when my sister and I lived with them.

Their house was about 30 steps up from the street with one terrace that was filled with lantana bushes.  It was my secret hiding place when I wanted to just read  undisturbed.  So the fragrance is a somewhat comforting one. 

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I love the true blue of Lily of the Nile (agapanthus)But they do come in different values.  Mine have  not produced  many blossoms this year, perhaps the lingering cold and the shade they now receive. 

So delicate, the tiny lowers gathered in globes which delight the hummers. 

Star Jasmine hedge abundant with blossoms.  The fragrance is intoxicating.
  

Artificial fragrance, such as perfumes and laundry products just kill me, but natural fragrances are a delight. 

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Miscellaneous 07-08023

I finally went to the doctor on Thursday and she prescribed a Z-Pack and a chest X-ray.  Also gave me an inhaler unlike any I have used before.  It isn't a rescue inhaler, but one that you suck up once a day.  Something is working because I don't have the coughing spasms  and just a normal sort of cough.  I don't have much energy, which could be my age, lack of activity, or a result of whatever I have  - "The coughing sickness".  It may be bronchitis, but it is not like the bronchitis  I have   pretty regularly  every January!   Anyway, I AM better.

Caiden across the street had a birthday this past week and he always wants a  water slide to celebrate.  In this picture he is on his way up the stairs on  the right and his friend is in the pool at the center left.  They have SUCH a good time and there are always lots of girls and boys later in the day.  I think Caiden is now 10. 

The newest gardener came last week and cleared all the weeds from front and back yards.  We had agreed on once a week on Friday, but he didn't show up.  Not much growing in either yard.  There are several Feverfew plants in bloom, I guess he recognized they are not weeds, and the day lily given two years ago by friend  Verna when she thinned her flower beds has three blossom stalks with buds.  I don't know what color it is.  I do love the pure yellow ones. 

Meanwhile, KoKo and I go for our walk twice a day.  A few times we have only gone up to the corner and back around the two cul de sacs, when I am struggling to make it out the door.  But we both need the walks and the full loop is a bit less than a mile.  There are three low walls along the way that I can sit on for a few minutes if I need to.  Our goal is to walk the distance without sitting. 

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