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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A visit to a park 02-05-22

It was a perfectly gorgeous day - blue sky, no wind, 76F.  Too nice to stay inside.  Recently a neighbor was telling me about flying his model airplanes at Irvine Regional Park on La Palma Ave.  The park is long and narrow and is bounded on the south side by a biking trail, the Santa Ana River, and the 91 Fwy.  To the north is all residential in Anaheim. The park was established in 1897, but It has been greatly modernized since then!  However, the large sycamore trees could easily be more than a 100 years old, as could some of the other trees.  Today we took our first visit and plan to visit again.  

We  did not get out of the car, but KoKo stood in my lap and hung out of the window.  I think he was amazed at all the people, dogs, and ducks/geese.

This group of at least seven families came in separate cars and unloaded everything one could possible want on a picnic in the park - babies, chairs, coolers, food, games, blankets, a lovely lab who walked freely dragging his leash.  

They looked like they were settling into a spot they had used previously and everyone pitched in to get everything set up. 

There are many of these covered "pavilions" and all were occupied, it was a Saturday after all.  And some were celebrating something with balloons and games and even a bounce house set up next to the pavilion.  

There is quite a good sized lake... 

..with flotillas of ducks, white pelicans and...

...rented swan boats.  I couldn't tell how they were propelled, but I could see that everyone was wearing a vest.  And noticed at the checkout place that vests were hanging on racks, I suppose to be rented, but maybe they come with the boats. Notice the gnarled old tree on the right.   

The swans were all carrying a good load of people. 

 This little girl in yellow was so dramatic.  Two ladies nearby were watching her and two smaller children, who were having fun on the play equipment.  I think lady-in-yellow was just off in her own fantasy world and not in distress.  I have always been inclined to go off on my own, so I sympathized with her.  KoKo just stared and followed her rambling.  Guess we both enjoy people watching!

On the way home we stopped at a Starbuck's for a latte and a lunch sandwich.  And when we were home we had to have a little nap due to the excitement of the day. 

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Last day in Pacific Grove, CA 10-16-21

And it was a busy day.  

 

Had this hearty breakfast at Toastie's - 2 eggs over easy, five enormous strips of excellent bacon, six 3" pancakes with syrup, 3 cups of coffee and lots of people watching.  Something I have certainly missed during the pandemic.  I do love to observe people and make up stories about them.

I saved half the bacon and ate it for dinner tonight with my left over broccoli and a hard boiled egg from home.  Tasty!

Then another browse at Back Porch.  It is the BEST quilt shop ever.  And the ladies are so friendly and helpful.  I was specifically looking for a background for the Canyon Quilters Challenge and bought a piece of greenish-greyish Scrunge.  Thought I might get going on that 14" quilt today, but ran out of time. 

As you see, a fabulous day and there were people all along the road that follows Monterey Bay to the end of Hwy 68 at the entrance to Asilomar.  There were people setting up their spots to relax.

 

And people watching the birds, like this long line of brown pelicans flying along. 

And people running.  This one gave me a pang as he resembles my late husband was a daily runner, a habit he formed in college and he ran wherever we were in the world. 

 

And some people hauled their home in and parked, apparently for the day since they have their bump-out set up.  I thought there was a limit to how large a vehicle one could park and how long one could stay.  

There were also walkers, dog walkers, baby strollers, electric bikes, non-electric bikes,couples, families, singles, hand-holders.   It seemed that everyone was out and about in the sunshine.  I just drove along at 15-20 mph enjoying the sights.  Wonder when I will be back here again.  Hopefully before Empty Spools in the spring.  

Back in my motel room I set up for the ZOOM workshop with Brenda Gael Smith in Australia.  It was her three hour circles/curves and was an excellent little class.  I had all the materials and equipment with me and found her to be a good teacher.  It would be better to have her in person, but under the circumstances it was great.  The last time I saw Brenda was at PIQF  few years ago.  Hope she will be able to come to the States again one day.  

And here is a little quiz for you.  Which side is up?  The very light color is actually a pale yellow on yellow print, not quite as pale as in the images.  I'll try for better color when I decide which is the top and which is the bottom. 

Back to PIQF in the morning to look at the quilts until they close and I can pick up our six quilts and head home.  I'll stay some place along I-5 and finish the drive on Monday.  Don't expect I will get very far tomorrow evening.  

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Still in Pacific Grove, CA 10-15-21

It is actually Saturday morning, I don't know that I have ever written a morning post!  But last night I just crashed about 9:30pm, don't think I did anything to make me so tired, but I was. 

I took pictures specifically for Friday Food post, so here they are on Saturday morning. . 

Breakfast at The Red House with a view across Lighthouse Street showing the yellow B&B that has been there forever.  You can just see the corner of the "shelter" in front of the restaurant, taking up all the parking spaces on that side of the street.  There are at least a half a dozen of these structures on the street in front of cafes.  This one was fully occupied with happy breakfast diners, but there seemed to be only one extra waiter.  Still a little chilly for me to eat outdoors.

I have always enjoyed the "homeiness" of Red House.  The hand made sign says "We love you a Latte" which amused me, although surely I have seen this expression before. 

Directly in my view was this couple who are happily expected, seemingly any moment!  They were so loving and I think I even saw the baby give a giant kick.  Babies during Covid, seems scary to me.  Anyway, I enjoyed watching them enjoying each other and their baby. 

The same waiter who served me in May 2020.  He has worked here for quite a few years I think. Nice guy.  He was a little taken aback when I just ordered coffee and a slice of Olallieberry pie with ice cream - for breakfast!!!  When it came it had whipped cream and I told him I wanted ice cream.  He said they didn't have ice cream.  "What? You always have ice cream!"   "Not today.  Sorry."  But the pie was delicious, if not a very large slice.  

And for dinner my very favorite at Il Vecchio.  Carbonara, broccoli, bread w/oil/balsamic.  I ate every bite with murmurs of love.  Asked for more oil/balsamic and pour all of it over the broccoli which I will eat for lunch today.  I wished for all of you to be there to enjoy this special place and evening.  

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Normal like - or normal ish? 04-15-21

Morning walk, load of laundry, out to lunch,  KoKo bath, ZOOM meeting of the SDiego art quilt group (only five of us this time), afternoon nap, towels into washer/dryer, fold clothes, evening walk, soon to bed!

Carol and I had lunch at Lazy Dog in Brea.  Soup/salad for her (tortelli/chicken) and a bison burger for me.   Tastes just like a hamburger, but maybe juicer and lower in calories.  We HAD to have dessert - banana puddng for her and apple/huckleberry tart for me.  It was huge!  I brought half of it home and had it for dinner along with a cheese stick.  Eating a big lunch makes me not hungry for dinner.   I didn't take any food pictures, but was tempted to snap some of our fellow diners.  I hadn't realized how much I miss people watching!  A lovely assortment of ladies-who-lunch, older couples (happy or crabby), business men in suits, and a family of about nine with three or four small children - cute!  It was just fascinating.  I think I need more people watching opportunities.  It made me feel alive!!

I have another scrap piece in the works.  It is laid out on the cutting table, so every time I go by I want to stop and look and move things around.  

This is a partial pile of scraps, mostly long or short stripes from evening up fabric edges.  They lend themselves to landscape.  

This piece is a horizontal orientation, but it shows better vertically on my blog.  So the left side is the sky and I am working my way down to the beach and the greenery at the bottom.  Maybe I will put an appliqued bird on it.  I am enjoying "messing" with fabric after a long desert of not wanting to do anything.  Might even get to some UFOs before too long.   

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More PIQF - People 10-22-10

It seems that every art quilter turns eventually to depicting people or animals. Here are a few people quilts that were on display at PIQF 2010. By-the-way, anytime there is a country flag on a sign it indicates that the quilt represents that country in the World Quilt Competition.

Quilts that are displayed in the special exhibit New Quilts of Northern California may also be entered in the competition part of the show. So, they have two labels - I include both because the information is slightly different.

I imagine any grandmother would be thrilled with this quilt. The shadows are especially nice.

Wonderful whimsical display of the people who could live on my block, or yours!

Isn't the "Vote for Big Void for Governor" a hoot? This being "the year" for California it seems so appropriate.

There is always someone who cannot have enough pets.

Pamela Allen is one of my favorite quiltmakers and there are several of her quilts in the TCQG. I also found her class at Asilomar very instructive and fun - I accomplished a lot that week. Always good to have a teacher who gets you going and shares all of her methods and secrets.

I'm not sure that the Hilton would actually allow these ladies in their lounge. Spools into boobies is one of Pamela's extra touches.

I can't figure out what this lady's hair is made of. It looks like a row of little mice - with feet!