Reading 02-22-23

Mostly I read instead of doing anything I SHOULD do or am SUPPOSED to do.  I decided at some point in the last 10 years that I wasn't going to do anything I didn't really want to do.   That was a mistake and I have been fighting that attitude ever since.  Covid didn't help because there was so much I couldn't do, although the first year I quilted up a storm.  Then along came sciatica which limited (and still limits) what I am physically able to do.   What I can do is read and so it goes!   I do enjoy actual paper books, even hard covers, but occasionally read with Kindle on my cell phone.  Lots of resources - books from friends, books from little street libraries, books from Amazon - and I tend to read different categories: anything but Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance, Manga or Anime.  There is always a book to read for the Book Group (of 40+ years) and now I have been invited to another group of long standing - the Lit Group (for literary).  They have lost members and need to find some new readers.  I went to their meeting last Friday and will give it a try.  I fear that they are too "literary" for me.  And the structure of their meetings is the opposite of my regular group.  The Lit Group has the hostess prepare a bio of the author and present a review of the book at the meeting.  In the Book Group we all read the book beforehand and then discuss it at the meeting.  Less formal, I think.  For March the selection for the Lit Group is "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus.   The Book Group is reading "The Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.

                                        

             

I have been seeing ads for Beach Town Books in San Clemente, so while I was down in Dana Point for a meeting I took a box of used books and drove down to find the store.  It is very, very small and sells mostly used books, but also some current popular new volumes.  They had a copy of "Lessons in Chemistry" and I found a few other favorite author's books I haven't read.  So, I came home with about half the number of books I took down there.  Their system is like the other used book stores, they start an account and give credit for the books you take in and you draw on that credit for what you buy.  Some exceptions apply, new books are full price.  I am down in that area a couple times a month so I will keep taking books down and swing by to trade them in. 

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Weather 09-10-21

The annual monsoon moisture that comes up from Mexico has lingered this year.  Last tnight about 11:30pm it struck with furious lightning, thunder, and RAIN!  The rain was quite heavy at times, but I'm sure we had under an inch.  Poor KoKo was terrified, so I kept him on my lap.  Just stroking and talking and hugging and trying to keep him somewhat calm.  Poor guy.    This morning when we walked all the grass clippings and dead flowers and everything was washed into the gutter and the air was so fresh.  But the 93F temp dried everything out by the end of the day. 

Photo taken on the beach in San Clemente by Matt Larmand who posted it on Next Door. 

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Drive to San Diego 06-26-20

The 100 mile drive to San Diego from Placentia seems to get longer every time I do it!  Since the Virus came along the traffic has been light, but when I drove down yesterday it was moderate to heavy.  Of course, it was a Friday and I arrived home about 4pm, so some of the traffic was people commuting home, or away, for the weekend.   But I never know exactly how long it will take to drive down or back.  It has taken one hour and forty-five minutes and it has taken over three hours.  Depends on traffic, accidents, weather, the stage of the moon for all I know!   Yesterday we had the low clouds that we call June Glooms, so I never did get a glimpse of the ocean.  

Just below the town of San Clemente I-5 goes into San Diego County, passing San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant and into Camp Pendleton Marine Air Station which stretches to Oceanside.  

Looking out to the west one usually gets glimpses of the ocean and occasionally an Amtrak train will go by (the tracks switch from one side of the highway to the other, so it could be on either side of the roadway).  

There is quite a stretch of land between the highway and the ocean, although in some places it seems that there is just a drop off to the surf.  But that isn't ever the way it is. The ocean is out there, way beyond the higway guardrail.

But on a clear day, like this one on March 12, 2020, the sky is bright blue and the blue Pacific stretches to the horizon.   In this image there is a rare bank of clouds over the water. 

The San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant is no longer in operation, but the wires still stretch over the highway and the domes still reflect the light.  I haven't read anything for a long time about dismantling it. 

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Ocean Views 04-05-18

Only for a few years in the early 1960s have I lived near the ocean.  But living in SCalifornia and driving I-5 to San Clemente and San Diego regularly, I see the Pacific in all its moods.  I have a few pictures in the rain, but not many, because one must pay attention when driving in the rain - especially in SCalifornia.  People here are not accustomed to wet pavements and many drive much too fast.  So, I am only showing rain-less images tonight.  

Catalina Island  from the hills of San Clemente, CA. 

From the church parking lot, San Clemente, CA. - Sunset. 

From the church parking lot, San Clemente, CA.  Catalina under the clouds. 

On I-5 south to San Diego - overcast

On I-5 south to San Diego - sunshine. That darker blue line is the ocean!

Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA  04-30-14

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Out for lunch today 07-19-16

Lunch today in San Clemente  - a new restaurant for me called South of Nick's  at 110 North El Camino Real.  It is a little pricey, but they serve lots of food for the money.  It was a bit noisy, try to get in the front dining area if you want to converse.  But I loved it.
 

I had the taco salad, which is rectangular instead of round and had a lot of chicken (although you can choose beef or pork) and all the other things one finds in a taco salad.  It was delicious, but I had to bring home half of it for breakfast tomorrow.

 

My lunch partner had a combination plate with chili rellano.

From the left a taco, rice, corn, rellano.

She enjoyed her choice also and ate most of it.

 

We noticed two ladies at the bar who were splitting a taco salad - sounds good to me.   My breakfast will be a little soggy,  I think.

I recommend this place - I'll go back!  http://nicksrestaurants.com/south-of-nicks/

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New Year's Day - Sunset 01-01-16

 I went to an annual Open House today, the same one I have gone to for a few years.   I'm glad they still invite me, it is a delightful relaxed gathering for friends and family with fabulous food.

I returned KoKo to his home and the grandkids and cousins quickly took him over and he went along with everything they did with him.  He was a happy dog, but I bet he sleeps well tonight.  I know I will! 

The sun was just setting when it was time for me to go and these shots were from several places in San Clemente.  Hope you all had a great New Year's Day and a happy, healthy 2016.

 

I admire this simple pelican weathervane on top of a house hidden by the giant Bird of Paradise. 

 

Hard to show Catalina Island at this distance - it is the darker rough line betwixt ocean and sky.

Here it is slightly enlarged.

 

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Down and back to San Diego on Wednesday 04-10-15

I drove to San Diego on Wednesday to deliver a quilt.  The traffic was terrible both ways - 2hrs/35min down and 2hrs/45min back home.  I thought that traffic would be less during Spring Break, so I wasn't mentally prepared for slogging along and it made me crabby.  Since I was alone I suffered in silence, although I do have some choice words for inadequate drivers and those crazy motorcyclists

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I was looking forward to a lovely sandwich at Con Pane, kitty-corner from Visions Art Museum, but it was closed, as it always is on Wednesdays - I just don't remember.  However, I was joined by museum volunteer Judy Warren-Tippets for a veggie sandwich at the little chocolate spot on the other corner.  It was good with an excellent latte and enhanced by the company I was keeping.  Such a nice person. 

 

On the way home I hoped to see the flower fields near Carlsbad and took the Palomar Airport Road off of I-5.  Lots of people, not many flowers.  I went around on the dirt road that accesses the student tours gate, but it appears that they didn't plant any flowers there this year, or they were already picked.  I suspect it was the former and the reason might be lack of water. 

 

Near the Student's gate you can look back toward the freeway and see the local landmark, a windmill on the roof of a restaurant.  I believe it was once an Anderson's Pea Soup place.  The sails are turned by electric power, not by the wind.

In the foreground is the unplanted/already picked area and far away on the top of the slope you can just see some of the ranunculas blooming.  There were people on the farm wagons being driven by tractor through the fields, so there are enough flowers to attract the public. 

Back on the road I enjoyed the wide open sky over the blue Pacific.  You notice that when I took this picture there were no cars near me - I am very cautious when I'm driving and photographing.  I don't look at what I am shooting - I just point and shoot as many frames as I can.  This was one of five, the others were not good.

This is the San Onofre nuclear power plant which is no longer in operation.  When it will be removed is anybody's guess. Perhaps the land will be added to Camp Pendleton adjoining it on the south.

I stopped at my favorite viewing spot, high on the ridge behind San Clemente.  That blue smudge just to the right of center on the horizon is Santa Catalina Island - it was an amazingly clear day.

Moving right to left down the coast - the views continue.

As you can tell there are no houses on the west side of this street so the view is unobstructed.

There is a huge house at the end of the road (behind me) - I'll bet I wouldn't accomplish much if I had the blue Pacific to look at most of the time. 

 

With the drought there aren't many flowers along the road and the trees are drooping and dropping leaves and even branches.  Our fire season is all year now, but mid-summer into the fall is the worst period and everything is already too dry.

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Using selvedges 11-20-14

In the Surfside Quilt Guild it is a tradttion for the outgoing president to give each of her board members a gift.  Sometimes these are handmade.  Jan Hirth, who was President in 2012-2013 made each officer a little quilt using selvedges that she saved.  I was surprised to see that the one she gave me is personalized.  Other than the section that has the guild masthead, my name and my job (done on her printer) she has included other words that refer to my interests: "On the Road", "Dogs Spotted Everywhere", and "Quilt Diva".  Pretty clever. 

On the back there is a rainbow stripe and a Dresden Plate rainbow with the logo in the middle. 

Our logo represents our location in San Clemente with the western sunset to the right of Catalina Island and palm trees waving on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.  

I save my selvedges for whoever wants them and have a small box full to give to Jan.  Thanks Jan for all you do. And again for the clever little quilt.   

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Lovely San Clemente 05-18-10

I drove down to San Clemente this morning for the Surfside Quilters Guild Board Meeting. We meet at the home of a member who lives in a very nice hillside development and right now the landscaping is at its best.

This house sits where one street Ts into another and it is always interesting. The Thumbergia alta, or Black-eyed Susan vine, has bright yellow flowers with chocolate brown throats. I didn't realize it grew so vigorously - if they don't trim it soon it will completely cover the house like Kudzu! But it is colorful and matches the truck.

They already must have a hard time getting into the front door!

Around the corner and a little further up the hill this walking path starts out with a severe warning - and walkers need to take it to heart. I don't suppose mountain lions would be this close to the houses, but it is always possible. I have had coyotes on my patio and I live a lot deeper in civilization than this.

Within a block there is an open space, like a tiny park, with a path and a bench to rest upon. Looking out over the open spaces spread with wild mustard I could see the hillsides covered with fairly new developments. Forty years ago people would say, "some day there will be solid houses from Los Angeles to the Mexican border." I now believe that is possible within my lifetime. The possible exception would be Camp Pendleton just to the south of San Clemente.