Colors of California

We "slipped the surly bonds" of Washington and flew to L.A. this week to visit family and find sun. Actually, it was sunny when we left, and Mt. Rainier (above) was bright with snow as seen from the plane.

When we landed we headed straight to Whole Foods, where these palm trees towered over the parking lot. Such an exotic sight after all the moss and cedar trees of the Northwest!

Midweek, we drove down to San Diego to visit my brother and revisit the site of our marriage 32 years ago. We said our vows in Torrey Pines State Park on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, shown in the photo above. Below are some more photos of the breathtaking views at Torrey Pines.

Pelicans glided silently over the bluffs.

A few things were different at the park from when we married, including the "No Drone Zone" sign at the entrance. Also, Dave's hair is now grey.

All too soon it was time for us to fly back, which meant gluing my camera to the window of the plane for more shots.

Clouds over the shining Pacific.

Leaving Los Angeles.

Back in the watery Northwest.

The last photo shows the bay where we live in the Puget Sound. It's just to the right of center and down a little! The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is in the bottom right -- click to enlarge for a better view. Last night a rain system moved in and now it's pouring, with nothing but rain forecast for the next 10 days. Good weather for sewing.

We live to the right of center in this photo.

 

Have a colorful day

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pot holder by Carolynn.

 

Good Thanksgiving Morning!

We did most of the Thanksgiving cooking, prep and cleaning yesterday, so this glorious, sunny morning I get to relax. Table is set, Buddha is calm. Coffee is strong.

Julia is home with my grandbunny Bailey. I'm grateful.

I usually don't make it up for sunrises, but I caught this one earlier in the week. Grateful again. Hope you all have a wonderful day.

Have a colorful Thanksgiving

Table runner is done

I poured a cup of coffee and settled in yesterday to finish sewing down the binding on my fall table runner. Soon it was done and stretched out under a pumpkin, just in time for Thanksgiving. I may do a Christmas one next with the same pattern, since it went together so quickly.

 
I've also been enjoying these yellow roses that I got Monday from Trader Joe's ... two dozen for $9.99!

Have a colorful day

Storm

Our STITCH meeting was canceled today because of a massive storm moving through with torrential rain, howling wind, power outages and downed tree limbs. I pulled out some warm, earthy fabric to put some color into the gray day.

A finger of the Puget Sound lies behind our house, and it was full of white caps and waves crashing on the bulkheads. Our buffalo skull guardian on the back deck is growing lichen from all the moisture.

I finished piecing the charm pack into a table runner, but I still have to quilt it. If the power doesn't go out maybe I'll finish it by tonight.

Bunners seems okay with the storm. She still had her appetite for baby kale and banana, despite the rain pelting her window.

Have a colorful day

Wool bird buddies at Sew Day

My unfinished block, left, and Linda's finished block on right.

My Sue Spargo wool birds found some kindred friends on Sunday at Sew Day. Linda P. -- who took Sue's bird class at Sisters last summer -- brought her blocks to work on. I paired up our matching blocks so you can see what a difference color and embroidery stitches can make.

Linda's bird blocks are the ones with eyes. I didn't get that far on mine.

Some other color from Sew Day:

Nancy's wool applique.

Linda P.'s quilt.

Carolynn's coiled bowl.

Artichoke quiche, pumpkin bread, and fruit.

 

 Have a colorful day

 

Quilt retreat at Seabeck, WA

I just got back from my quilt guild's first overnight retreat -- two nights and three days at the Seabeck Conference Center on a beautiful, woodsy campus in the Northwest. The top photo shows the building where the 13 of us were housed in spacious guest rooms, each with its own very nice bathroom.

These two photos show the building where we sewed. We were on the upper floor, with sweeping views of nature.

As soon as we set up our machines, Carol and I started making microwave bowl cozies. Mine, on the left, uses a square template and deeper darts. Carol's has rounded edges and shallower darts. They must be made with 100% cotton fabric, batting and thread otherwise they might blow up the microwave and wouldn't make such good gifts.

Meanwhile, our fearless guild president Barbara got started with these strips making a Jelly Roll 1600 quilt. She finished it the next day, including mitered borders with a striped fabric that looks like it was made to go with the jelly roll packet.

Then Carol started production of cordage, running seven different colored yarn strands through her a cording foot to produce one thicker cord. She sewed back over it a second time to make it stiffer, then sewed it into a coiled bowl.



Carol's bowl still attached to the cordage used to make it.

Later on that night, I was engrossed in my wool birds and Delaine was engulfed in a cloud of tulle.

 
Judy, above, worked on a beautiful, soft flannel quilt. Marie completed an intricate Jinny Beyer paper-pieced medallion, below.

 
More creativity and joking was going on across the aisle, but I didn't get pictures of everything. And somehow, unbelievably, I didn't get photos of the food! We had mountains of decadent snacks that we brought as well as huge meals in the dining hall served family style.
 

 
I'll leave you with two parting shots from a walk I took on Day 2 before the rain set in.

Have a colorful day