Wordless Wednesday 12-30-09

Xmas lights and a shocking image 12-19-09

Not a great picture - which endorses the need for a new digital camera. This is the first house on the right as residents enter the Spinnaker Bay neighborhood and every holiday the decorations are very elaborate. They go all out for Christmas especially and I have wondered where they put everything off season, there isn't a lot of storage in these houses. However, someone pointed out to me the abundance of 'self storage' in the area - Duh! Notice the light in the sky - the picture was taken about 6pm looking due west so there was still some "twilight".

Corky's parents went to the Naples Xmas Boat Parade this evening - along with what seemed like a million other people. I hadn't realized that the boats gather at the south end of Marine Stadium to line up for their meandering path through the canals. Hard to take a good image with all the reflections, but the lights are bright and festive, accompanied by much song, laughter and conversation which carries over the water. It was quite warm today (over 80F) and into the evening and I imagine there was a huge turnout - I have attended in previous years when my bones hurt from the cold. Nothing like the east coast is currently having, but cold for this coast.

In this guest room the small table/desk faces a mirror. I don't usually pay much attention, but today I was seeing (again) if I could get the flash to work when I looked up and saw this creature gazing back at me. How did I get to look this way? I'm amazed how much I resemble my Aunt Dorothy and also my mother. The yellow hat is a "bed hat" made for me by my friend Mabel Huseby of Mt. Vernon, WA. The brightly colored bag is the cover I made for my camera all those years ago. I take it off and wash it occasionally and I think the time has come around again. I used to make covers for all sorts of things - my sewing machines, hair hot curlers, cameras, waterpick, electric toothbrush, and on and on. Don't know how I got away from that.

I am feeling better - between the medications, the kind administration of care by the Poodle Prince and his parents and napping for part of every hour. I don't know if I want to get well too quickly - it is nice to be fussed over sometimes, isn't it?

Electric boat names 10-10-09

Since I spent the day in Long Beach with Corky, we went for a walk, of course. It was a gorgeous day with a temp around 71 at 4pm. We were gone for about 35 minutes, but some of that time was Corky doing his "business" and some was of the Poodle Nanny taking pictures! It seemed that a lot of electric boats were uncovered enabling me to read their names. I believe all of these are made by Duffy, a name that has come to mean electric boat in this area. It is a great challenge for the new owners to come up with something "electric" when they name their boat, although not all the names are in that category. This first one is named so because it is a Duffy.

I believe this one once belonged to Corky's parents. When a boat changes owners the name is usually not changed because the legend has it that a new name will bring bad luck to the boat.

Nice reflection in this picture.

These electric boats don't go very fast and they aren't for ocean cruising. But there are many channels around Long Beach, allowing a lazy , quiet cruise to see the houses and boats and people along the way. They are especially popular for decorating at Christmas time and riding in the Boat Parade.

Sunday at Spinnaker Bay 12-14-08

Corky was going to be alone yesterday whilst his parents had Xmas events to attend, so I went down to stay with him. We had a lovely walk about 4:30 pm when it was starting to get dark and the Xmas lights were on.

This is just a few streets down looking along one of the "U"s that stick out into the water. The houses here are all zero lot line so they only have a very small yard/patio on one side of the house and a patio in back on the water.

It was a spectacular sunset which disproved the old saying "Red sky at dawning, sailor take warning. Red sky at night, sailor's delight". In the foreground is a Duffy electric boat with a blue canopy - they don't go out in the ocean, just in the bays and canals. These boats are moored around one of the "U"s behind the houses.

When we finished our walk I looked out the back windows overlooking Marine Stadium and the sunset was different but still awesome. the lightest portion is out over the ocean beyond Belmont Shore.

In the last few weeks I have take over a dozen pictures of these light wrapped trees on the street that goes past the end of the Marine Stadium. They are beautiful and gaudy - not close together so there is space to "rest your eyes". But I still don't have the trick to taking night pictures. I've braced the camera a number of different ways, but guess I should dig out the tripod for my old 35mm. That will probably be steady enough. A neighbor down the street from me always wrapped their olive tree this way and my husband and I always called it the "Festive Broccoli", but they stopped doing it two years ago. I miss it!

It started raining about midnight last night and rained most of the day, both light and heavy. The closest reporting town to Placentia had 2 inches by 11pm. More rain promised for the rest of the week with a severe storm on Wednesday. Hope those sailors are listening to the TV weather and not looking at sunsets!

The Book Group had their Christmas meeting, dinner and gift giving this evening. One of the best we have had in our about 35 years. I'll write about it and show some pictures - maybe tomorrow.

Walks in the Park w/Corky 05-12-08

Corky and I walked in the park on Mother's Day and again today. Mother's Day brought out a lot of families - having picnics, playing ball, fishing - there were more people there than I have seen previously.

On Sunday I saw this family of ducks, but have no way of knowing if they are 'my' ducks. The ducklings are about the right size. There seem to be three duck families in the park at this time.

Today I saw this Momma duck and eight juveniles with a goose who apparently is their protector. The picture is blurred because I hied myself and Corky out of his reach since he was eyeing us and getting his dander up. Goose attacks can be painful.

I haven't seen small sailboats like these for quite a long while. They were radio controlled by two guys with an older woman and man sitting on a bench. How nice that they took their parents along to watch them sail their boats. The picnic area in the background was completely filled.

This picture is looking across the lake to the north. To the right there is a wooden bridge which gives access to an island which the fishing people favor. Nice reflections.

I tried to take a picture of three pre-teen girls riding these odd looking scooters. But they went by very fast and all I got was the head of one and the back of another. So, I trapped this image from Amazon, where they are for sale for $99.99. http://tinyurl.com/697adr They do look like great fun and they come in adult sizes! Dare I? Naaah! I'm so uncoordinated I'd surely fall off and break something - been there, done that!

A Gorgeous Day 05-03-08

I spent the day with Corky, the Poodle Prince, while his parents went to a convention at the Anaheim Convention Center - not that far, but they were gone all day. It was a gorgeous day with lots of sunshine, not too hot and not much wind. It is my practice to give presents when I find something someone needs or would enjoy, so I bought this new bed for Corky to keep out at the desert. He has a bed out there, but he really needs two - one for his parents room and one for the guest room, at opposite ends of the house. The bed came with a little pillow and a blanket that match - nothing is too good for a Prince, eh?

When we went for our walk we saw a lot of people out enjoying the sun and the water. Dozens of kayakers, groups of people visiting on boats and other people walking their dogs.

These Duffy Electric Boats are very popular in the bays, harbors and channels around Long Beach. Coming up with a great name is very important, I think. The best use 'electric' words!

Cute, huh?