Past Projects: Cards and Little Foil Tape Houses

Just after Christmas, Rem and I went up to Sea Ranch with my mom. Although I planned a marathon of crafting and bought a bunch of supplies, the actual crafting that took place was more modest in scope. Sitting and gazing out the window interrupted by the occasional nap seemed to be the best use of my time.

I did manage to create a batch of cards, making sets of similar cards with variations in the paper and stamps.

I make cards for my mom that she can use whenever the occasion calls for it. I try to give her some cards that will work for guys – with a color scheme or designs that aren’t too frilly or feminine.

Several of the cards had illustrations from a vintage style alphabet poster, printed on scrapbook paper. The picture below was for “W – wave.”

This “Wish” card is one of my favorites.

I made these cards before the end of last year and it has taken me a month to post them! Since I’m catching up, here’s another project from last year.

These little houses were primarily made as Christmas ornaments, but with a pin-back glued on the back, they were also very cute on a lapel. Made from thin cardboard recycled from cereal and cookie boxes, they’re covered with aluminum foil duct tape and copper tape (used to repel snails in the garden) – two great craft supplies from the hardware store.

These ones were made at a holiday party on the campus where I work, that included a few craft tables. I brought the supplies and gave a hand if needed.  A little something layered under the foil tape, or covered with the copper tape and glued to the front of the houses adds interest.  I also like to press tape over corrugated cardboard for the roof.  The tip of your finger is a great tool to start, but for getting all the details, I used a bone folder.

You can find directions here at Mich L. in L.A.

They are also quite similar to these projects: Pumpkins, Charms, and Leaves.

Thank you for your visit.

 

 

Autumn Walk: San Anselmo & Ross

I love this time of year! I took a walk in San Anselmo and a bit of Ross on Saturday, and it was so beautiful. This is on Crescent Road looking towards Mt. Tamalpais.

At the corner of Sunnyside and Austin Avenues – tiny white flowers on a huge green hedge. It made me think of a friend who lived there.

From Glenwood looking toward Mt. Baldy.

I turned on Fernwood and walked past Branson School, than passed St. Anselm Church on Shady Lane.

Susan’s Store Room on San Anselmo Avenue is ready for Thanksgiving. This little window display includes pilgrim candles just like the one’s on our Thanksgiving Table when we were growing up (and mom still has them).

An old eagle icon high on the wall outside Comforts Cafe, the former site of the post office.

There are several signs downtown that show the high water line from flooding. They are situated so you can see the same buildings shown on the sign. this one is just before Pine Street, across from the Wells Fargo Bank.

Sugarfoot, the cast iron deer on the lawn by the City Hall/Police Department and the Library buildings.

Another flood sign near City Hall.

Barton’s Bagels – although these looked delicious, I picked up Asiago bagels for the egg-bagels sandwiches my mom and I enjoyed for breakfast.

The elegant Siren Salon was once the home of Toy Circus, THE place for birthday gift shopping. You knew if one of the packages had been wrapped in the store because they had their one big roll of wrapping paper.

I saw another flood sign by the fire station. Molly waits patiently when I drop her leash to take photos. The beautiful mosaic obelisk in the background shows scenes from the history of the community.

Beautiful walkway of yellow leaves on San Rafael Avenue.

Cutting through Robson-Harrington Park I noticed this decorative plaque on a wall. Maybe it was a fountain years ago.

I’m getting close to the end of the walk – more beautiful foliage on Crescent Road.

You can just make out part of the San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS) through the leaves.

I let Molly off the leash at the bottom of the driveway to my mom’s house.  She trots right up and I trudge behind her. She’s waiting on the front porch when I make it up the hill.

Even though I veered off her familiar route, she was happy to come along (or to let me join her).

“Thanks for the walk, now let’s have breakfast!” (I imagine she might be saying)

Thanks for the visit!

After breakfast, a final picture from the front yard: the seminary and Mt. Tam.

 

 

Vacation Album: Ft. Bragg to Sea Ranch

Looking at the mouth of the Noyo River just south of Ft. Bragg on my morning walk. State Route 1 crosses over above the river.

Businesses along the wharf have beautiful (and often humorous) signs.

“No phone, no TV, No WIFI. No problem. You are on vacation.”

I thought of you, Ariel.

Hiking up the hill to our motel I looked down at the wharf and harbor it was very peaceful.

After a bit of sunny weather in the Ft. Bragg area, going south to Sea Ranch we found it grey and foggy.

Nearly every day for the rest of our vacation was cool and grey.  Here are some pictures from Sea Ranch where we were joined by first my mom and Molly, and then my sister Kathleen.

Abalone divers getting ready to go into the water.

Low Tide on Walk On Beach.

Gooseneck barnacles and mussels on the rocks.

Rem and I made a cake to continue his birthday celebration: Double Chocolate Layer Cake from Smitten Kitchen.

The cake pans were a little smaller than called for, so we made a few cupcakes too.

I decorated the cake with nasturtiums.

The sun came out on the day we were leaving.  My mom, Kathleen, Molly and I walked at Gualala Point and down on the beach.

There was still a little finger of fog over Gualala.

It was time to pack up and get ready for our drive home after a wonderful vacation.

Thanks for your visit.

Thinking About My Dad

Saturday, May 24 will be two years from the day my dad died.  I’ve  been thinking about him.  The other day I saw something that made me smile and I immediately thought of telling  him about it.  A vendor at the Farmer’s Market was munching contentedly; a carrot in one hand, a bottle of hot sauce in the other. I imagined telling my dad the story and knew he’d think it was funny but in less time then it takes to read this sentence, I remembered he was gone.  With an ache in my chest, I knew I couldn’t tell him about it.

I haven’t been going to his grave as often as I did the first year after he died.  It’s been a few months at least, and it’s been on my mind to get down there.

This weekend I had the opportunity.  Rem and I were house-sitting for my mom and on Sunday morning, he needed an early-morning ride to the ferry.  He was heading into San Francisco to take photos at the annual Bay to Breakers footrace.  After dropping him off at 5:40 a.m., Molly and I went down to Fernwood.

The sky was just growing light.  A thin, grey comforter of fog was draped along the upper slopes of Mt. Tam.  Molly was delighted to be out of the car and went up the path ahead of me.

The hillside is covered with rattlesnake grass, wildflowers and eucalyptus trees.  Oh, and some poison oak too.

It is only as I got closer that the stone marker was visible.

I laid some flowers and cried some tears.  I told him that Caitlin was graduating at Chico and that was where Mom was.  I talked about how sick Beau has been but that we’re so relieved he’s improving.  I sang two songs and watched some hawks circling up high above the trees.

As I walked carefully back across the hillside to the path, I searched for feathers but didn’t see any.

Molly was full of energy and I had plenty of time to wander around the cemetery, something I kept thinking about doing and never taking the time in my many visits down there.  Molly romped ahead, sniffing around and happy as could be.  I was thinking about my dad and how much I miss him.  I thought about how many lives were represented by the stones around me.

One message caught my eye and made me smile.

It all comes out in the wash and a little chocolate never hurts

I think I would have liked this woman!

The positive attitude that came up with those words lifted my spirits and made me try to re-frame my sadness. I focused on all the wonderful years I lived with my dad in my life instead of the last three; the year of struggling with cancer and the two years since he died.

It made me think that although these gravestones represented loss and grief they also represented peoples lives.  Many stones have a name and two dates and little else, yet whole lives are lived in the space between those two dates.

As I followed a trail, I found a section of older graves and stones that were cracked and broken.  Some gravestones only show one date or a very short span of days.  Others list the age of the deceased and many lived short lives.  The oldest year I noted was 1907.

On their website, Fernwood states the cemetery has existed since the late 1800’s.  Again, instead of thinking of all of those people dying, I walked around and thought of all those people living.

I saw this fragment of stone that just showed a single date.  I don’t know if Valentine’s Day was remembered as the birthday of a loved one, or the date someone lost a loved one.

Walking around, exploring the cemetery, was very peaceful.  I looked through the trees at the view of Richardson Bay.

Looking down the hill I see the pyramid skylight on the Fernwood Funeral Home, reminding me of the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Some things I had glimpsed while driving past and now I had I time for a closer look.

Like the Buddha statue in a tree.

A rustic gate open to a path curving around the hillside.

A beautifully carved wooden Buddha sits atop a rough base created from a tree stump. In spite of missing a finger, he was very serene.

Little talismans have been left in his hands: a bit of shell, a rhinestone rabbit  with a wreath of rhinestone flowers, and a sweet little green clay cat. with a pink neck scarf.

Dia de los Muertos figures dangle on a cord around his neck, holding a dried orchid in place.

Molly and I have had a nice hike and I was in much better emotional shape than when we’d arrived.

Time has softened the blow of losing my dad.  The grief and sadness aren’t gone but they aren’t here all the time either.

Our family will be gathering to celebrate my brother Beau’s birthday on Sunday.  I imagine there will be lots of good food and laughter. We’ll probably share stories about Papa, and catch up with each others lives.  If we think of something that he would have found funny, I believe it will honor his memory if we share it and enjoy a good laugh.

Here is a link to the post I wrote last year at this time.  That post includes links to other posts written about my dad.

Thank you for your visit.

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Walk

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my sister Kathleen and I take a walk together every Saturday.  I bring my mom’s dog Molly along and Kathleen has her dog, Ruby.  Since Ruby is almost 15 years old we have been going more slowly and Kathleen has a “pup pack” to carry Ruby when she tires out.

The weather was clear and fairly warm, and Kathleen suggested a beach walk.  This is actually a hike that starts by Rodeo Beach in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and loops up into the hills overlooking the beach.

With our brother so ill, the last month has been very stressful.  I’m spending a lot of time at the hospital and this was a lovely respite.

I’ve always found salt air to be very restorative.  The views and the wildflowers were beautiful.

California Golden Poppies and what I always knew as sour grass, but I think is more properly called Yellow Woodsorrel, cover the hillside.

As we walked up the trail, we saw a group of people taking part in a Search and Rescue exercise.

The woman in the blue hard hat on the lower left was rapeling down a cliff.  We learned she was to playing the part of the victim who would be “rescued.”

This is the view looking down from the rocks she was climbing.

I don’t think I would be a very good volunteer for this exercise!  This team was going to climb down after her and carry her back up in the basket.

We continued up the trail towards Battery Townsley, a World War II concrete gun emplacement, overlooking the San Francisco Bay.  You can see the edge of the battery just above this rocky hillside.

I thought of Beau because he is a real WWII geek.  He would say he is a “military historian” but it’s all the same to me.  In fact, I wrote part of this post while at the hospital and asked Beau about Battery Townsley.  He started rattling off facts and figures about the size of the guns, the fact that they were only shot in practice, that it was a casemate (I had to look it up: a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired), that volunteers were working to restore the battery to it’s 1940’s condition, etc.

Here’s the view looking towards the beach.  The hills in the background are in San Francisco.

You can see the Search and Rescue exercise was still going on.

We saw Morning Glories, Blue Eyed Grass and Silver Bush Lupine.

Ruby got slower and slower as we went up the hill, so Kathleen let her ride until we headed back downhill.  Molly was full of energy and enjoyed every minute of the walk.

As we followed the loop around, we caught a glimpse of one of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Lacy white Cow Parsnip was surrounded by Horsetail Ferns.

The combination of exercise, conversation, salt air, beautiful views and wildflowers all worked together to nourish me and help me feel in better shape to face the days and weeks ahead.  I know I need to take care of myself and this was one way to do that.

Thank you for your visit.

 

Canine Closeups

I thought it was tricky getting pictures of hummingbirds last weekend until I tried to get a picture of four dogs today.

But first…

This is Wedge, tightrope walking on the railing of the desk at my mom’s house.  I don’t know if anyone has told him that most dogs don’t walk on deck railings.

My sisters, one sister-in-law and mom were having lunch. Mom has Molly and we were at their house.  Sarah brought Wedge, the new dog in their family.  Victoria came with 9 month old Patsy, who was playing shy.

Kathleen had 14-year-old Ruby along.

I brought my camera.

I think Kathleen wondered if we could get all the dogs in one picture and Sarah was the one that decided to try.

Three dogs, Wedge  looking the other way.  Fail.

Snacks are offered.

Still only three dogs.  No Patsy.  Fail.

Well…there ARE four dogs in the photo.

But with Ruby searching for biscuits and Patsy keeping her distance…Fail.

All the dogs are interested in the snacks my mom is offering, just off camera.  Patsy gets a little closer, but she’s still playing it safe.

Come on over, Patsy!

Four dogs in motion.

http://picasion.com/i/1VNXi/

Here’s a nice shot with Wedge and Ruby.

And one of Wedge who was wonderful on his own.  No distractions, just sit and look handsome

I never really did get one perfect shot of all four dogs together.  But I had fun trying.

Thank you for the visit.

Long Sea Ranch Weekend

Although we had a few days of really gorgeous weather when we went to Sea Ranch for the long Fourth of July weekend, I kept forgetting my camera when we went on walks.  I only remembered once the weather turned grey.

This mosaic is on a low wall by a gas station in the town of Gualala, just north of Sea Ranch.

Here are some pictures from our weekend… with seals, Molly and Ariel.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sea Ranch in the Summer

It’s been over a year since my last trip to Sea Ranch.  My mom and I went up to the vacation home neither of us had been back to since my dad had been diagnosed with cancer last May.  It was an emotional trip but also comforting to be in this soothing, familiar place that is another home.  Mom wanted to return for her first time up there without Dad but she didn’t want to go alone.  My sister would be arriving a day after my mom  and I suggested I go along, following in my own car.  We would provide company for each other and I could help with Molly who, though she loves being at Sea Ranch, hates the ride up the twisty parts of Route 1.

We went through fog in Bodega Bay.   I usually visit in the early spring when the hills are green and dotted with cows, sheep and lambs and wild iris and other wild flowers are coming into bloom.  As we neared Sea Ranch, the fog cleared to a warm, sunny afternoon.  The summer landscape is tawny with golden-yellow meadows of dry grasses. Once we get to the house, we take a walk down the path to the bluff and beach.  On closer look I started to notice the different colors.

Soft purple flowers grow almost hidden in the edges of the meadow, lower than the surrounding grass.

These large, lacy clusters remind me of cauliflower but prettier with white and pale purple blossoms.

A wild rose is a spot of pink.

Thistle bloom in a rich magenta.

Unripe blackberries are an eye-catching red.

Deep-orange nasturtium grow up a fence.

A cluster of yellow flowers have a toe-hold in the rocky face of the bluffs.

A large group of harbor seals are resting on a beach. If you look carefully (or click on the photo for a closer look) , you can see a pelican is hanging out with them. This link has some great close-up shots of harbor seals at Sea Ranch.

It’s lovely being by the ocean and breathing in the salt air.

In our walks that afternoon and the following morning we saw several driftwood structures.

Playhouses for kids enjoying the Fourth of July holiday.

Or architectural artwork created by adults.

Seaweed marked the tide line.

Walk On Beach was wide and welcoming.

Molly found a rope of kelp to chew on.

Mom and Molly – a poignant reminder of my dad walking on the beach with Molly.

I love the variety of beautiful if subtle textures and colors the beach offers.

Although the sun is out and we’ve shed our sweatshirts, neither of us is interested in a dip in the ocean but this woman and her dog seemed to be enjoying themselves.

We climb the three flights of stairs from the beach to the bluff trail and head back to the house.  We catch our breath and look back at the beautiful beach and ocean.

A flock of pelicans is going the other direction.

Back at the house, Mom gave Molly a quick rinse and towel dry to get off the sand and salt water.

That afternoon I was back on the road, heading south and home.  I varied the route slightly by going up Meyers Grade – when I pulled off to take this picture of the fog coming off the ocean.  I’m looking down the coast towards the mouth of the Russian River  and Bodega Bay.

Across the road I saw my first ever Pirate Cow. Aaarrr! Moo.

One last shot of the road twisting down the hillside back to Highway One and then I turned my attention to my drive home after a short but satisfying visit to Sea Ranch.

Thanks for coming along.

Day 17: Chocolate Bowl – Fail!

The theme for today’s 30 Days of Creativity project was “Pop”.  I’d originally planned to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Pops over two days but the weather was too hot for baking a cake, the first step.  I looked at my list of possible creations and saw the chocolate bowls made from dipping small balloons into melted chocolate.  That sounded good and would fit the theme well enough since you use balloons and pop them after making the bowls.

After my Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce wasn’t so magical, I don’t know why I still wanted some kind of chocolate shell, but this looked pretty straightforward…and I do love chocolate.  Which is how I ended up with chocolate in my hair.

The idea is to blow up small, round balloons, spray them with non-stick spray, dip them in melted candy melts and let the chocolate set.  Pop the balloon and gently peel it away from the resulting chocolate bowl.  I saw it on Can’t Stop Making Things and marked it for a future attempt.  Attempt Failed!

Maybe my balloons were of poor quality.  I coated them with nonstick spray after blowing up.  Mine were more pear shaped but I was only going to dip the bottom.  The chocolate candy melts were melted and I’d cooled them off before dipping.  I dipped and pop!

It looked slightly gruesome.  Chocolate splattered across the kitchen, up on the walls, down on the floor.  It was a mess.

Rem and I agreed I was done with my creation for the day.  I had failed at my chocolate bowl making attempt but succeeded at defining the word pop!

He helped me scrape and wipe and sponge chocolate off of the stove, the sink, the floor, the walls, the cupboard doors and off of me.  I changed clothes.  And ate a bowl of mint chip ice cream.  I drizzled some of the remaining melted chocolate over it.

Last year on Day 17 I did a photo montage in San Francisco’s North Beach.

Another definition for the word pop is dad or father.  Today was my first Father’s Day without my dad.  A friend suggested doing something he enjoyed.  I went to Rodeo Beach with Molly.

Now I have to scrub the chocolate off of my clothes and take a shower.

Thank you for your visit.

Hiking with Molly

My sister and I hike together just about every Saturday.  A few weeks ago she had a headache so I set out on my own.  Well, I wasn’t alone because every Saturday I pick up Molly, my parents Tibetan Terrier, and she comes along.  Usually it is Kathleen with her long-haired Dachshund, Ruby, and me with Molly. Molly is a wonderful hiking companion and in the picture above, is anxious to get out of the car and get going.

The morning was foggy so I decided to take a trail that we don’t usually hike in the summer as it doesn’t have much shade  and can be pretty sunny and warm.  Hidden Meadows trail, on the flanks of Mt. Baldy, offers a nice hike with beautiful views of Mt. Tam and not much traffic.

I started to notice flowers I don’t usually see.  Maybe it was because I don’t usually hike the Hidden Meadows trail during this season or maybe I was more observant with my camera in hand.

The hillsides had gone from green to gold which also highlighted different flora.  Bright yellow wildflowers caught my eye and I stopped again for another photo.

Molly seemed to wonder why I kept stopping to take pictures.

The fog had burned off but a cool, marine breeze kept us comfortable.  A whole hillside of the yellow flowers had me stopping for photos again.

Soon after taking this picture we passed two large groups of hikers as we moved uphill on the trail and they hiked down.  About two dozen people – more than we would typically pass if we hiked this trail every Saturday for a month.  As their conversation faded I was content to return to my own thoughts and Molly’s company.

Molly scrambles easily up and over or down and under the various rocks, branches and other obstacles on the path and I do my best to keep up.

As the trail loops around hillsides Mt. Tam comes into view and then is hidden again behind a curve.   It makes me happy every time I see it.

I don’t know what these green fruits are but I liked how they looked.

Hiking without conversation I think of many things: the peeling bark on this Madrone made me glad I am diligent about wearing sunscreen.  I also thought about my family, work (this was before the start of a new semester at College of Marin), and of blog posts (Cool Tools  – about some of my favorite kitchen or crafting tools, for example) I may write some day.

Near the end of the Hidden Meadows trail, we veered off the route we knew onto a branch-less-traveled.  I could see a glimpse of Phoenix Lake as we continued on this new-to-us path and knew about where we were, but it felt like a mini adventure.  Hiking an unfamiliar path made me focus more on my surroundings and got me out of my thoughts.

Molly and I returned to the car, tired  from our hike but I know that I was also rejuvenated and relaxed from the experience.