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! 

#   #   #

Wordless Wednesday 07-10-19

#   #   #

The summer of the lizards? 07-09-19

I know almost nothing about lizards, but I may learn this year as we seem to have an abundance.  KoKo loves the idea, but I won't let him off the lease to chase them.   Although I have seen them occasionally around the yard, this year I see them every day in my yard and everyone else's in the neighborhood.  I do wonder why there as so many this year - maybe because the drought is over.  But aren't lizard desert animals?  They should like the drought.  Anyone know? 

#   #   #

Sewing on little quilts 07-08-19

The Surfside Quilters Guild in San Clemente, CA. has a challenge every other year and this is the year.  The theme this time around is "Hang Ten" in keeping with our seaside location.  There was a packet of fabric and instructions, which are pretty standard for all challenges.  For this project one must include ten of something, or the numeral 10 or the word ten, etc.  I decided to do "Hang Ten Quilts", using the main fabric as the background - a sort of Quilt Show.   I had forgotten that making a tiny quilt takes a LOT of time including the finishing.  

This is my first quilt.  It is about 6" square and uses 1" "blocks".  I didn't do well on the quilting, but I rather like the rough look; it wasn't intententional .   Originally I thought I would make all the quilts the same size, but that doesn't represent a quilt show very well, so they are all different sizes, colors, techniques,  and either square or rectangular.  

I suppose some of my fellow guild members read this blog so I am spoiling the surprise at the unveiling at the August meeting.  However,  I haven't done much else but work on these little quilts, so haven't anything else to talk about.  The other nine little quilts will be the surprise.

#   #   # 

It is another KoKo picture 07-06-19

KoKo is not happy.  

Froggie is trapped again. 

He is caught in the recliner. 

And KoKo can't pull him out.  

Where is mom?  

#   #   #

Foods banned in US 07-05-19

Last week I posted about the Kinder Toy that I bought at Albertson's.  I was thinking it was the same as those that cannot be imported into the USA.  But I was mistaken.  I read this blurb from Facebook (or somewhere) and see that the problem with the Kinder Toy made in another country was that the toy was actually embedded in the candy.  Not so the one I bought - the candy was in one half of the egg shaped container and the toy in the other half.  Below is the URL where I read this.

https://travel.alot.com/Themes/15-Foreign-Foods-Banned-in-the-US--13891?utm_source=taboola&utm_campaign=154144&azs=taboola&azc=154144&azw=msn-msn&utm_term=msn-msn&isLong=1&camp_id=45342


There has been a lot of shaking going on in SCalifornia the last few days.  I felt the latest 7.2 quake this evening, another rolling version.  The location of the quake was about 130 miles to the north east of Placentia.   The experts predict more shakers to come.  Hope they aren't in the middle of the night - that is so disconcerting! 

"America From the Heart" 07-04-19

This afternoon I was looking for a book on my quilting bookshelves and came across the book "America From the Heart: Quilters Remember September 11, 2001".

It seems so sad on this day of saber rattling in Washington, DC. to page through those quilts made to help each of us endure the shock, horror, and pain of that terrible attack on our nation and the murder of so many innocent civilians.  

The quilts first appeared together at the Quilt Festival in Houston in October 2001.  The book originated there and was supported by Karey Bresenhan who wrote the foreword and published by C&T Publishers in 2002.  There were about 300 quilts and I am proud that mine was one of them.  It isn't my best work, I did a lot of crying at that time in my life and found it difficult to concentrate on anything.  

The book is full of flag images which seemed somehow reassuring to me on this rather frightening 4th of July with tanks rolling on the Mall in Washington.  We are, I think, skating on thin ice these days in our relations with other countries.  I fear what may be in our future and these quilt certain represent what could happen.  

If you have a copy on your shelf, take a look at these works of our hands and our hearts.  

"New Growth"  Del Thomas  2001  14"x14"

Commercial and hand-dyed cottons, cotton thread and batting.

Machine pieced and quilted.  Fusing.  

#   #   #