progress report

My vacation getaway is winding up with 2 nights in San Francisco, a wonderful city that I always love to visit.  Having my sister here is the best part!  This morning we had a chance to do some window shopping and some actual shopping.  Even made a stop in the nearby Daiso shop, the Japanese $1.50 store, according to their advertising!  I am always fascinated by all of the little containers and boxes that they have, something different than what I usually find back at home.

During our movie-watching time last night, I was able to stitch together another little hexagon block--

I love the little bug in the middle!

And I have had my knitting along, finding minutes here and there to make a few more rows.  I am at 2.5 inches--yay!  I'm aiming for 6" and then will decide if that is enough.  This is about 5 feet long, and these rows do take a bit to complete.  Tomorrow I will be occupying my waiting and flying time with some more rows!

And a parting shop of the grounds at Asilomar--

Thank you, California, for a great visit!

video time

I found this interesting video about San Francisco which is so fun to watch because I have had family living in this lovely city for a long time. They probably have seen it, but it is new to me. As I listened, I realized that so many of the places highlighted in the video are places that I have been able to visit. If you have never visited San Francisco, you really should go.

Then, a little video that I prepared and posted on the Bear Patch blog:

a stonehenge moment

I know it's been too long between posts when my own son calls and tells me to put up something new! I think I have been kind of out of sorts about blogging because I am without my camera yet. I have concluded it must have been stolen from the duffel bag that was checked, and that is my own fault. I have never left it in a checked bag before, and now I know why. It was a slip-up on my part, so time to move on--I'm shopping around for a new one! So the pictures here today are leftovers from San Francisco--

The wineries we visited all had such beautiful buildings and grounds. Makes me wish I could be a gardener there! I was amazed at this huge rhubarb plant in front of the Korbel Champagne-making place (not sure what to call it if it's not a winery? Champagnery?)

Bob has a grudge against rhubarb, I think he sabotages my plant at home so they never grow very well, and I think he had it on his mind to pull this one when no one was looking. I got him out of there fast!

We had a great dinner out at North Beach Italian Restaurant, and I discovered that their napkins have a buttonhole in one corner so they can be kept in place--what a nifty idea!

In the sculpture garden on top of the Museum of Modern Art, we observed this very large sheet of metal standing upright. Very tall and wide.

Then we noticed the shadow it cast--

barely there! The sun was in just the right spot to cast almost no shadow from this very large work of art. We thought it must be something like a Stonehenge effect and maybe kind of mysterious. This was just before we went to the movie "Inception" which was also kind of mysterious. I would be hard pressed to explain that movie to you, you will have to see it for yourself.

Are you familiar with the Stieg Larsson books? This is a trilogy with 2 main characters, based on mystery and mayhem, set in Sweden in present day (or nearly present, the author died in 2004 after completing the series).

It is best to read them in order, starting with The Dragon Tatoo, then Played with Fire, then Hornet's Nest. The movies for the first two are out, I'm not sure about the 3rd. I have finished reading/listening to the first 2, and waiting on the library to get me the 3rd. It's hard to wait, the ending of Played with Fire was a real cliff-hanger, so there is a lot to be straightened out for "The Girl", Lisbeth. It has been fun to read them and see the movie, which was in Swedish with English sub-titles. I was understanding more and more of the Swedish by the end of the movie, I might have to go a few times! The reader on the CD's did a very good job of pronouncing all the names of the Swedish towns, streets, people, etc., in an authentic way, at least to my ears!

A parting thought--

"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything." --Win Borden

the city by the bay

We are spending a few days in the lovely city of San Francisco, visiting family here. This city has been the home of my sister, Jan, with her husband, Dennis and children Serra and Scott. And they are part of the reason my own kids have migrated to California, but that is a long story, won't bore you with the details. Jan and Dennis spend part of their time in their home right in the heart of the city, since they need too be close to their Giants during baseball season. So we are bunking with them, and spending time together with our offspring. Getting ready to cheer on Brita, Ben and Molly in the SanFrancisco Marathon tomorrow AM, and sightseeing. The picture above was taken in Sausalito. Then we went to a beautiful resort/lodge, Cavallo Point, near the base of the bridge for a beverage stop. We had not been in this area on the north side of the Golden Gate before.

Molly, Brita, Jan and I spent some time in Golden Gate Park, admiring this great urban green space.

Bob, Dan and I hung out in Union Square for awhile, one of the best places to people watch that you will ever find.

Bob and I walked over to the Ferry Building this morning to browse the farmer's market there, it was very hard to resist the temptation of buying a bunch of beautiful fresh produce. Don't these colorful peppers look great?

Went to the Museum of Modern Art this was one of the paintings that both Jan and I saw separately and concluded would make a good quilt idea, it is all squares, kind of pixellated, to construct a portrait. It is by Chuck Close.

Now taking it easy for a bit, working on a few little hand sewing project. I have completed 3 of those hexagons, a picture will be coming soon. This is such a fun city to visit, especially with family here that know how to get around. Tomorrow will be an exciting and fun day, we are so amazed by the training and discipline that these runners have! We have scoped out some areas to follow the runners and cheer our team on. And, of course, stand in awe at the finish line!

on a break

I've been away for a few days without adequate time nor consistent internet to be able to post much here. But tonight I am going to sneak in a little note and a couple pictures to show what has been happening. Spent the weekend in San Francisco for nephew Scott's wedding to Katie, it was a wonderful event for all of us. Most of our immediate family was there, although we badly missed Nora, but she was busy saving lives so we had to struggle along without her. Plus since several of us are/have been nurses we all understand the joys and crap of the schedule! Anyway, here are the cousins at the wedding reception:

Also missing from the picture is Serra, who was a bridesmaid but sick in bed most of the time, we all felt badly for her. Her precious little Aurora was the flower girl, being held in the picture by daddy Nathan. Katie was seated in this photo because she had an ice pack on her wounded big toe, a nasty cut from a freak accidental encounter with a chair, but it didn't slow her down for long at all. Did get blood all over her beautiful shoes which was the worst tragedy of the night!

The floral centerpieces were a wonderful collection of deep red flowers and berries. I loved all the shades and tones, would make a wonderful quilt!

Bob and I are making a road trip to get back home, tonight we are in Rawlins, WY, and had dinner at a very good restaurant called the Aspen House, if you ever find yourself near here you must go there. Tomorrow takes us into Nebraska and I have a couple quilt shop stops planned!