A war in the park!! 06-24-23

When KoKo went out for his afternoon piddle I saw all these barrel shaped things in the park.  They moved a little so I think they must be filled with air.  Then along came a hoard of boys (maybe aged 9 to 12) running from the other end of the park carrying pretend long guns.  They divided up and took up positions behind the "barrels".  Then their adult "director" blew his whistle and the boys moved toward each other, shielding behind the "barrels" and firing away.  They must be using those foam rubber bullets that I see laying around in yards and on the sidewalk, especially after a holiday, as they went around picking them up after the battle was over.  I don't know how they keep score, I didn't see anyone fall and play dead.  They attacked each other three times before the "director" called them off to drink some water and they trooped back the way they came.  

The blue rectangle looks like a large gym mat is leaning against the 25' flood light post, can't tell the purpose or what the blue thing on the other side might be.  

I didn't catch them in the heat of the battle. 

The other end of the park.  See the blue patch in the center?

The headquarters with blue awning to provide some shade, the high today was 77F. The black square is the usual trash can that is there all the time.  

I don't know how long they were out there playing war.  KoKo was ready to come inside and what KoKo wants, KoKo gets!!  

When there were more and larger trees there was much more surreptitious activity, including some fornication, but the trees became infected with something and died so they had to be removed.  A variety of long needle pine trees were planted and are slowly growing. They have done well this year with all the rain.  The very large trees you see are outside of the park.  

Lots of excitement in my neighborhood!! 

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Miscellaneous stuff 01-23-23

 

And I really don't have anything to say.  We did our two walks, I drove to the X-Ray "store" for a CAT scan of my kidneys to check on the stones or to see that they are gone!  Read some, did a bit of mending, threw Froggy for KoKo, didn't even talk on the phone.  It was a plain day.

High winds were predicted, like these ten years ago on January 14, 2013.

Then the palms were nearly turned inside out.  The picture is blurred because my cell couldn't take the picture fast enough. 

But no wind today and just a few clouds drifting around calmly.  Temp was up to 64F, but down to 39F overnight, supposed to be a repeat tomorrow.  

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Beach Views 08-26-22

I have received complaints!  Well, just a few.  But I have wondered if anyone is still reading this blog which I haven't posted since the 5th!  I will post for a few days and see if anyone comments or otherwise indicates they are checking in.

About a week ago I went to Dana Point for the Surfside QGuild board meeting.  It is about 10am until Noon and I need some sustenance before the hour plus drive home.  I swung through the nearby Starbucks,  parked in the first row handicap parking at Doheny Beach and watched the beach goers while I ate.  So interesting to see the loads of paraphernalia those beach lovers carried down to the sand.  Lots of surfers in the water and on the beach.  I know that there are teachers with student surfers, but also singles and pairs, families, old people and even a few dogs on leashes. 

  

There is a lifeguard station and just to the left a volleyball net.

The grassy area at lower left is marsh grass and a small pond.  Egrets flew in and out, but I wasn't fast enough with my cell phone to catch any of them.  The dark area at lower right is my sideview mirror. 

They have set up their umbrellas and even small tents, coolers, picnic baskets, and beach chairs.  The bird in the sky is a brown pelican. 

A guy (left) and a gal haul their surfboards down to the water. 

The sandy path goes down a little slope and then up again to the actual beach. The guy is loaded down with beach chairs strapped on his back and totes in either hand.  She carries the umbrella and has a tote bag in front of her.  Whew! 

I am parked in the shade under the eucalyptus trees and there is just a gentle breeze off the ocean.  Lovely day. 

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Sewing 06-30-21

I was on a roll with the background ready to go and decided to add a tree.  Also decided to keep going to finish a piece for the SAQA auction.  The deadline was today!  So, I added the tree, quilted that, put in some birds, zigzagged the edge, put on a label and two rings for hanging.  Finally shipped it late yesterday via FedEx.  I hope someone likes it and buys it on October at the online auction.  

I don't know how to make pictures the correct color.  The pink here is rather washed out while in actuality it is mostly very bright pink.  

"Pink Tree"  Del Thomas (California) 2021  12" X 12"  

Cotton Fabric Scraps, Cotton thread, Poly thread, Cotton batting

Fused, machine quilted.  

There are three birds because there is always at least one bird on each of my quilts. 

In-a-hurry label.  There are two plastic rings on back for hanging.   Somehow I forgot to take a picture of the back, something I usually do.  Sorry. 

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There is always something blooming in SCalifornia, mostly imports from foreign lands.  This month there are bright pink trees popping out in the sunshine.  They are spectacular against the blue sky.  This one is next to a Starbuck's drive thru in Orange, CA. 

Pink Tabebuia Trumpet Tree  Tabebuia Heterophylla  

Deciduous, grows 20 - 30 feet tall.  Originates in the Philippines.

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Shadows 01-30-21

We went a little later for our walk today, so the sun was well up in the sky and very bright.  I have always been interested in shadows; they come in different colors and "thicknesses" depending on the light that is casting the shadow.  

This is a crape myrtle tree in the strip between street and sidewalk.  It is one of the few really healthy ones left from those that were originally planted some 50 years ago.  Many were taken out because they were in an inconvenient spot or the homeowner didn't like them.  Ours lost a limb that was ripped off by a big truck, so it is a little lopsided and anyway not as large as this one.  I love the bark, or lack thereof, and the soft lavendar blossoms in the summer.  It makes a lovely shadow, I think. 

Of course, KoKo and I also cast a shadow.  Not nearly as interesting as a tree, though!

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ill Struggling 08-06-20

Sorry, I still have not solved my picture problem.  I have two recommendations for guys that are supposed to be really good "computer gurus".  I'll have to call one of them and see if he can help.   Meanwhile, I just keep trying different things to see if I can just post something. 

Meanwhile, here is an image of my quilt that is in the California Quilts exhibit at Oceanside Museum of Art.  The museum is closed, but the quilts are shown on their website and there is a plan to have a virtual gallery tour sometime soon.  And it is to be hoped that the museum will be able to have reservations for people to visit the museum in limited numbers and at specific times.  I'll let you know if that happens.  

"Palms"  Del Thomas  2019  39"W X 58"L

Cotton fabrics, batting, and thread.

Fused applique.  

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Wordless Wednesday 03-25-20

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Drive from SJBautista to Placentia on Feb 22nd 03-02-20

I finally spent some time editing the pictures I took on I-5 coming home on the 22nd.  There are a LOT of almond trees; they line the highway and stretch to the rising hills for miles and miles.  In between there are fallow fields, open uncultivated land, other orchards, and, of course, off ramps that lead to gas stations, restaurants, etc.   It is harder to take pictures with a cell phone when I am driving and I plan to go back to a point and shoot camera.  I think the images are better using that method.  Here are some views from along the way.

  

Something that is pretty prominent are the billboards begging for more water for agriculture.  One of which questions: "Is it wasting water to grow food?"  I know that there are new methods for watering crops, very few farms along this route use overhead sprinklers now. 

I have no idea what the actual problem is, other than the continuing drought, but I do get tired of the signs.  

Almond blossoms.

Almond blossoms, bee hives, tumbleweeds. 

Almond blossoms and tumbleweeds. 

Almond blossoms and lowering clouds. 

NOT almonds, another nut or fruit, along with tumbleweeds. 

 More NOT almonds. 

And then it started to rain.  More almond blossoms and beehives. 

Well, you get the idea!  California grows 80% of the world's almonds and they are the #1 exported crop.  

There are other crops growing along I-5 in the valley.  Lots of grapes, both for wine making and produce.  I have seen the pickers packing the grapes directly in the boxes that are shipped to stores. 

Almonds in the distance, grapes in the foreground. 

And there are some orange and lemon orchards. I know these are oranges because I have driven the route when the fruit was still on the trees.  All picked and shipped now. 

Citrus trees have very dense foliage and the leaves are dark and glossy.  

Saw a lot of these low growing yellow wild flowers, but I don't know what it is.  This is uncultivated land.  But almonds in the background. 

A green crop in the background and plain old grass on the freeway verge. 

These are piles of dead almond trees.   It seems they cut down the old trees and let them dry out in the fields, then they are scraped into these huge piles. 

 And the piles are ground into mulch.

There are several facilities along the way to which the mulch is trucked and then processed for further mulching.  The trees have a life span of 20 -25 years and do not bear fruit the first 3 or 4 years.  Almonds are alternate bearing so that a large crop one year is often followed by a lighter crop the next year.  [Google]

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Flowers in bloom 02-10-20

One of the pleasures of living in Southern California is that there is always something in bloom to brighten even the gloomiest day.  Some trees flower here at the same time they would if they were in their native country - say Africa or Australia.  I find the following somewhat mystifying because Chrysanthemums usually bloom here in the fall.

It is a bit funny that these neighbors are using this half barrel of chrysanthemums as a weight on their free standing basketball hoop. 

  

The flowers are quite large - like football mums. 

And such a lovely blazing yellow. 

Two houses up the street is this "tulip tree", a magnolia, which always blooms this time of year.  

Lovely the way the sun shines through the petals making many shades of pink. 

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