Spokane Christmas trip canceled

I was supposed to be visiting my daughter in her cozy house in Spokane right now, but I had to cancel because she got sick with what sounds like the flu (even though she was vaccinated). I'm super bummed because the last time I tried to visit her, in June, I had to cancel because she had Covid! (The only two times she's been sick all year.) So I haven't seen her in 1 1/2 years. And her fiancé graduates today from nursing school and I promised a year ago that I would be there to help celebrate.

The day before I was to leave I baked sugar cookies for them, something I haven't done since my kids were little. I was so bummed that I dug them out of my suitcase and started eating them. Then I got a grip and packed all their presents up and took them to the post office.

Then I was looking at an empty calendar for the next week, so I sewed three spirit dolls for a friend who ordered them for Christmas.

The first one is for a woman who helps immigrants and refugees who arrive in Tacoma, which is why I used an ethnic print and "helping hand" charm.

The flowery one is for a watercolor artist with a whimsical style.

The last one is for a hiker and nature lover, so of course I had to make her green!

If you want to order any, they're $25 plus $5 for shipping. Email me: sherriequilt@yahoo.com

Then I made a set of four bowl cozies because the other day a friend was over for soup and I only had one bowl cozy. Now I'll be prepared.

(To see what other fabric artists have been doing this past week, hop over to: /)

It's been too nippy to go hiking -- look at the snow on Mt. Lemmon! We didn't have snow at my elevation, but I've had to cover my potted flowers the last two nights because we had a hard freeze. Which brings me to the next picture ...

Since I'm saving $900 by not having to stay at a hotel in Spokane for a week (I can't sleep at my daughter's because I'm terribly allergic to her cat), I decided to finally get one of those puff jackets that stuffs into a little pouch on the inside. It will be great for hiking. I got this Patagonia one at REI for half off yesterday, which is the cost of one night at the hotel. And I love the color!

And my daughter's advent chest that she gave me revealed this little disco ball ornament the other day -- plus chocolates, of course.

This would be my dream house in Tucson. I've always wanted an adobe with a turquoise door and soft curves. But for now I'm happy where I am.

Have a colorful day

Lighting up the night at Tohono Chul

 

Tohono Chul Park spends most of the year putting up lights for the holidays, and I went last week with friends to take it all in. Besides the lights, there was music, free hot chocolate and sugar cookies, and holiday vendors.

It was a magical night under a full moon and not nearly as cold as last year.

It was spectacular, but my very favorite was the eyeglasses they give you that create rainbow multiples of every single light!

I brought mine home to entertain myself! The top photo is my living room looking through the glasses and the bottom photo is without. Perfect for parties!

 

And a toast ended the evening with eggnog, whipped cream and cherries on top!

Have a colorful night

"Book" club

We call it Book Club, but it's really an Eating/Drinking Club. About four hours of eating, drinking and socializing and maybe 10 minutes of the month's book discussion!

 

Barb (right) and her sister, Karen, who was visiting from Montana.

And Barb's adorable elderly dog, Boo, who shuffled around to always be close to us.

Beth always bakes a cake for whoever has a birthday that month and the birthday girl gets to pick the flavor. But there are three of us born in December and we asked for carrot cake, chocolate and lemon. So Beth made a carrot cake, lemon meringue pie and brownies!!!

Here are the birthday girls. I'm chocolate, in the middle, born on Dec. 20.

I made my sweet potato salad, which has pecans, dried cranberries and an orange-maple-ginger dressing. And there was so much more that we could hardly move when we finished.

Oh, the book was The Rosie Effect by Australian Graeme Simsion, the second of three hilarious but touching books about Don and Rosie and how Don's autism affects life. We all loved it. The blurb on the back cover sums it up: 

"Until recently, genetics professor Don Tillman had never had a second date. Then he got serious about finding a life partner, creating a sixteen-page questionnaire (see The Rosie Project) to identify the perfect match. Instead, he fell in love with Rosie Jarman ("the world's most incompatible woman"). Now they have survived ten months and ten days of marriage. 

"Though the fiery Rosie has taught him the joys of unscheduled sex and spontaneous meal planning, Don is still learning the principles of optimal cohabitation. He is certainly not prepared for the mother of all surprises: Rosie is unexpectedly expecting!"

Have a colorful day

Fun with Dawn and Barbara

 

My Gig Harbor friend Dawn, left, and her friend Barbara stayed with me a few days this week. When they weren't golfing (they were here for a ladies ProAm tournament), we had a blast, including a crazy golf cart ride where we got lost on the Ventana Canyon golf course as it was getting dark and had to be rescued. They lent us the cart so we could rush down to the pro shop minutes before it closed for Dawn to get a hat.

On their last morning here, we shopped at the Happy Saguaro, above, where they fell in love with the colorful Talavera pottery. Then we hit the Village Bake House for some sweets.

Dawn and I also got in an early hike that morning at Catalina State Park. She loved this mosaic at the main trail head.

The shot of the saguaros above is from our Catalina hike, and the ones below are some wild ones that Dawn found on a golf course.

We had a late lunch/early dinner two days in a row at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort because we liked it so much. Great food and very friendly staff. (They golfed there one day.) Here we are on the patio with nachos and fish tacos looking out over water.

We also found an observation deck there with this amazing view.

The observation window is behind the greenery in the tower (below). The vines are trimmed to leave a circular opening for the window. We could see the tower from our lunch table, so I asked our waiter what was behind the circle window and he told us about the observation station.

On the way up to the observation tower, we posed in front of a blazing fire in the lobby. The resort is beautiful, inside and out. The saguaros outside were all lit up for the holidays.

These are some of the houses tucked into the mountain behind the resort, in the Catalina Mountain foothills.

And we had lots of cozy time in the evenings in my house with its Christmas lights and fire in the fire place, tired but in a good way. Come back soon, you two!!!

Have a colorful day

Presents

So here's what was in my daughter's present from the last post -- an advent calendar chest that she painted in her very cute style! Each of the 24 drawers contains goodies, and it was hard not to peek into each one.

Day 1 included chocolates, which I ate before I took the picture, a Starbucks gift card, nail polish and a memo pad. Day 2 was more chocolates. Today was this pair of saguaro cactus socks! She said she worked on this wonderful gift all year.

Another present was a visit last night from Dawn and her friend, Barbara, who flew down here from the rainy Northwest yesterday for a few days of golfing in the sun. But it's been pouring rain all day and more is forecast for tomorrow. However, we had fun last night at Guadalahara's Mexican restaurant, where they prepare salsa and guacamole at your table.

Nature's presents include blooms in every color of the rainbow, even though it's December. These are from my neighborhood walk this week.

Today I wrote out 63 holiday cards to get in the mail on Monday. Here's one of the cards I selected, featuring the beautiful colors of the Sonoran Desert. (If there are saguaro cactuses, you know it's the Sonoran Desert.) These cards are as much a gift to myself as to those who receive them. When I write each note, I'm flooded with happy memories of that particular person or family. When people tell me they no longer do cards, I feel a little sorry for them.

Have a colorful day