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Archive for the ‘Maggie’ Category

It’s All About Willfredo

Wednesday, December 26th, 2007

On Christmas Eve day, Lisa arrived from San Francisco bearing gifts and her new pup, Willfredo, who has stolen the show since his arrival. Needless to say, Mia is totally smitten with him.

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Here is a close-up with Lisa:

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Willifredo is about 6 months old. He is at least part Chihuahua, but probably is a mix of something else. He is such a calm little soul. He an Maggie are tolerating each other quite well, but we have had a number of poops an pees. If Willfredo leaves a deposit, then Maggie seems to have to reciprocate – argh!!

He is so skinny and so Lisa keeps him dressed in cute sweaters. Here they are dressed for Christmas eve at our house.

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We had a nice supper of tortellini soup and cheeses and meats, crudites and spinach dip, champagne and Christmas cookies.

It is our tradition to open gifts on Christmas eve. This comes from Mr C’s family. Here is Milo looking so adorable as he opens a gift.

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On Christmas morning, we had a fabulous breakfast at Stephanie’s. She made big fat yummy cinnamon buns, eggs, turkey bacon, sausage and mimosas. Oh look, a mod log cabin table runner!!

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On the way back to our house, we received the Christmas gift of a dusting of snow.

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We had a Christmas dinner of pork medallions with port wine and dried cherries, polenta and butternut squash, green beans, butter lettuce, pear and pecans and more Christmas cookies.

This morning I dutifully went to WW to weigh in. there were not many brave souls there. I only gained a half pound. I am happy with that since I have continued to struggle with the head cold and so I have not been walking as much in the cold, rainy weather.

Lisa is out visiting with her Portland friends and I am babysitting Willfredo. Steve took this photo of me and the pups. Everyone say, “Awh!”

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I am sitting with my computer and list of things to do and my shopping list as we are getting ready to open our house to friends and neighbors on Saturday. Let the cooking begin!!

Something Creative, finally!

Monday, June 4th, 2007

I have been participating in a Round Robin Collage. Most of the work has been a single piece with a build up of techniques and stuff as it moves around the group. A coupe of participants have chosen to do books and so you get to do your own completed collage on the pages. I worked on one this week-end and used my new Joss papers, some cut up kimono fabrics, some coins, some stamps and an envelope with fortune cookie sayings inserted.

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Here is a close-up of the envelope with the fortune cookie sayings. An Asian coin is attached to the envelope with glossy gel medium.

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Here are two other close-ups:

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I had lots of fun doing this, and it has inspired me to get back to doing more collage works with my antique Kimono fabrics.

I just received a phone call from the dermatology office with sort of good news. I have basal cell skin cancer – the slow growing type, but it is not melanoma – yeah. I go in next Tuesday to have it removed.

I had a very busy week-end. On Saturday night, our Sojourner’s group met for the last time for dinner. We had it at our home, but did not have to do the main course. It was nice enough to have cocktails on the deck. We served margaritas. I also made marinated mushrooms, coconut shrimp with curried apricot sauce and caramelized onion hummus with pita chips. Look how pretty this pot is that I planted for the deck — dahlias and coleus.

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I was so exhausted after everyone left. I was about to hit the sack, when the fireworks started. It was alumni week at Reed College, and they often end a big event with fireworks. I ran out in my nightgown to watch and tried to get some photos:

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Yesterday, M and M came over to play in the afternoon and then the whole family was here for my famous focaccia sandwich and some salads on the deck. M and M did some chalk drawing on my studio patio.

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Mia said that this is a pond with fish.

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There are some new photos up on the Virtual Iraq War Protest Flickr site. There is an especially good one of Sonji! Just click on the Endless/End This War bumper sticker in my sidebar.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig!

Friday, April 20th, 2007

I am back in Portland and I brought some spectacular California weather with me. At least that is my story!

I was without convenient Internet access since Tuesday and my friend, Janet, kept me so busy, I didn’t have time, anyway! My friend, Judy, who gave me the ride to Santa Rosa, told me that her group, The Gilded Lilies, was having an art quilt show at the Rochioli Vineyard and the Pointless Sister’s had a show at the Rincon Library, so we headed out on Wednesday morning, to see both of the shows.

I was so thrilled to see this piece hanging in the library. It was the first project for the Pointless Sisters. I took a photo of a water lily and cut it into sections and each of the members created a section in fabric.

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I didn’t get any photos at the winery, but we did taste some good wine and I bought a bottle of pinot noir for Judy and her husband as a thank you for the ride.

Next, we met Diane Hock in Healdsburg for lunch at Zin. A highlight were the tempura green beans with mango dipping sauce.

Then, Janet and I stopped by my friend Pat’s house so that I could see her latest work. Pat has an incredible color and design sensibility. I always love seeing her work, of course, I did not take photos.

We barely had time to run home and have a bite to eat before going to the Moonlight Quilter’s meeting to here Tracy Brookshier talk about Japanese quilts. She was in Tokyo in January for their big show and had a wonderful slide show.

On Thursday, we went to the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild meeting — my old guild. One of the mini groups did a presentation of their first and current quilts. They are traditional quilters who do wonderful work and they have a great sense of humor. Then they had the drawings for the two opportunity quilts. One of the guild members won the traditional quilt. I pulled the ticket for the art quilt. It was won by a lovely lady from Healdsburg. So after lunch, Janet and Pam, president of the guild, and I drove to Healdsburg to present her with the quilt. Here are Pam, Janet and the winner with the quilt.

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Then it was off to drop in on Diane Hock, again. I got to see some of her latest work hanging in her house — the topography piece and the Eucalyptus leaves that started as piece of plain muslin. I was going to link to them on her blog, but I don’t have time to find them. She also has the new art quilt opportunity quilt at her house as she is doing the binding. This year, the Pointless Sisters did a whole cloth painting of a farmer’s market and it is spectacular.

This morning I had to get up early to take a bus to the Oakland airport for my flight home. My flight was not until 12:20, but I had to take the 7:15 bus which got me in at 9:30. So I had a nice long wait in the terminal.

Here are some photos of the farmland that I took as we neared Portland.

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Look at what I found in my kitchen! Mr C ordered this for me. We have been talking for a year about getting this and now it is here and so functional. Mr C said he loved seeing it with food on it tonight! He missed me! (Or my cooking.)

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Look at who else missed me. She is attached to my hip.

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I had such a good time on my trip — meeting Rayna, taking her class, connecting with old friends, but it is good to be home again.

Spring Break with M & M

Thursday, March 29th, 2007

Yesterday was an exhausting and exhilarating day. M & M arrived home from their camping trip on Tuesday. I called Steph and asked if they could come and spend the day with us. They arrived fairly early. We packed up a snack and headed for the Rhododendron Garden. We fed the ducks and took in the beauty of the spring colors, especially the pink snow.pinksnow.jpg

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Then we got in the car and headed for Burgerville for lunch.

Back at the ranch, after sharing some Girl Scout shortbread cookies, we settled down to do some work. Miles and Mr C played a rousing game of Slap Jack and then went to the basement to make a tugboat. Miles had brought the directions with him.

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Mia read all of the comics that she could find in our house and then played on the Pollypocket.com website. I folded two loads of laundry and made some discharge samples.

The sun had come out in earnest by 2 pm so we mixed up some homemade bubble mix and headed to the front yard. We made our own wands out of pipe cleaners and plastic lids. Maggie just loves shiny bubbles. She ceases to act like a 12 year old dog when bubbles are in the air.

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And, look! M & M were both wearing Crocs!

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You can see all of the Spring Break photos here.

I have appreciated all of your comments on my work from Tuesday. I am taking it all to heart and hope to get back in the studio, today.

An Eclectic Day

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005

This morning I had to see my oncologist. He is having me take Femera, the drug that has replaced Timoxifin, to inhibit any future cancer. I also had to have several tubes of blood drawn – a really joyful occasion. This afternoon Stevie and I took a ride down to Petaluma to the Silver Penny Ranch so that I could retrieve a favorite Chico’s jacket that I had left over the week-end. Then we went to a lighting store to pick up new trac lighting for my studio. Here is the pathetic lights I have now – they are mismatched and keep burning out.

So tomorrow while I am presiding at the guild board meeting, Steve will install them.

Here is a photo of Maggie who hangs out in the studio with me. She is very quiet except when she hears a UPS or Fed Ex truck! She loves to get packages as much as I do!! She is 10 years old. We acquired her when we lived in North Carolina. She is a Jack Russell Terrier named after Margaret Thatcher because she is a British female who can stand up to the good ole boys.

Now I am going to work on the guild newsletter and watch the Project Runway finale.