Mendocino Memories Wrap up 2010

As this year screeches to an end I want to fit the rest of my photos from our "vacation get away to the coast" into my 2010 blog so they will be preserved in my blog book for the year! I recommend clicking on the collages to see the photos large and clear.

It's just typical Mendocino...walking on our favorite streets past our favorite haunts...

a balance of majestic nature and a quaint town

finding art at every turn

in awe of how big everything grows there

Seeing a friendly albatross in Point Arena was an unexpected surprise, however he had gotten written up in the local paper.

and the discovery of the Gualala Art Gallery where we took in this show...

and inquired about putting art in their February show

memories and being silly

and laughing so hard

until

we cried

and our ribs ached

I hope I never come down to earth!

Looking forward to 2011!

And bringing you all along with me!!

The only photo missing is one me sitting in my recliner

reading a good book

with Henry 5th on my chest

and sometimes falling asleep

&

my dear husband

sitting in his chair next to mine

singing his heart out

and

playing his guitar. Sweet end to two thousand and ten

Book Review: My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult & More

If you missed my good news announcement go back one post! And HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE...AND THANKS FOR BEING MY BLOG FRIEND THIS YEAR. I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND VISITS. LET'S HEAR IT FOR ANOTHER VERY VERY GOOD YEAR! AND NOW ON TO THOSE BOOK REVIEWS:My sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult: This was a really hard book for me to read, as the story focuses around a family whose oldest daughter is struggling with leukemia. I am very squeamish about blood; and when she describes blood pouring out of eye sockets and every other opening in this child's body I am amazed I did not pass out reading it. But the book is also about her younger sister who the parents had in order for her to be a medical donor to her sister and all the legal ramifications that involves.

I know now after reading at least six of Picoult's novels that they all follow a certain formula. I don't have a problem with that as I always enjoy the "love angle"; the law aspect is here again; and other things that each book seems to offer. But I was NOT expecting the ending to this book and it seemed to whack me upside the head! I am still reeling from it and wiping tears from my cheeks. It's a good author who makes you care so deeply about her characters.

This was the sixth book I read during this vacation of mine. (So far) I've talked I think about The Book Thief by Zusak; and House Rules also by Picoult her most recent. I was a little disappointed in Anita Shreve's Rescue. I generally like her books a lot. But maybe having it follow too exceptionally well written books with powerful stories, this one just fell short for me as too quick, too easy brushing over a hot topic, Alcoholism, in a way that left me feeling cheated at the end.

I hadn't read Anita Diamant since reading The Red Tent years ago. I really liked that book a lot. So I was curious what her next novel would be like, Good Habor. It's in present time, not biblical. The two main characters who become friends in this novel are both Jewish. One a convert the other born. And the disease du jour is breast cancer. So a theme for me in several of these books is death, disease, aging, struggling to survive. What am I to make of that? I know I enjoyed reading the book well enough, but as I write this nothing is shouting out to me in a big way making it particularly memorable.

I found the next book at the thrift store: Memories of Anne Frank Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Leslie Gold. Written I think for older kids in mind, I found it provocative. I felt I learned much more about Anne Frank and her life prior to her hiding from the Nazi's in Amsterdam. And of those times. Told from the prospective of her close girlhood friend, Hannali. This was a good read after reading The Book Thief. It filled in more gaps. It's hard to say you LIKE a book about the holocaust, but it's important to me that they are written and are a part of always remembering and not forgetting that it happened in hopes that it never happens again. I recommend it. Published by Scholastic.

So now you are up to date on my reading marathon. Next book? Not sure. I have a huge pile as we went to a lot of thrift stores on our trip and I got a lot of books. I will let you know. And if perchance you have read any of these or do in the future I'd love to hear your take on them.

Good Happy News! Announcement! Happy New Year

I just got off the phone with my son, my first born child. You may recall I went t0 his wedding a few summers ago, purple dress, much excitement?

Well, I get to share with you today, and what a way to end this new year, and bring in the new one:

They are pregnant with TWINS!!!

It's very very early in the pregnancy so if you are in the praying mode or want to send sweet, loving, thoughts for healthy babies to Jackie and Dan please feel free to do so. But the doctor told them today that the heart rates that had started slower than they liked have pretty much caught up to where they like to see them be at this stage of the game!

And me? Another set of Grand Twins?

OHMIGOD!

I am So far over the moon you can't even find me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Happy New Year!

Fort Bragg Day Three; Shops and Art Gallery, Restaurants

Fort Bragg is a quaint town too, also on the coast, has Glass Beach, some good restaurants, and lots of funky shops, a great stationary store, art supply store, bookstores new and used, and art galleries. Fred got art and teaching supplies at Racine's the day after Christmas. I was saving myself/ie pocketbook for the art supply store on the way out of town where I stocked up on silk transfer papers; wool fabrics for felting; and assorted pens. And where I enjoyed looking at their fabrics and buttons, and quilting books.

Across the street from Racine's I happened into this

Partner's Co-op Art Gallery and met Karen Fenley acting docent. Karen introduced me to many pieces in this show including this mixed media by Rachel Binah about the oil spills called

"Huston, We Have A Problem". Done with wire mesh over paper and paint. Very striking!

Kristin Otwell created this "Hanging Leaves" piece that wowed me. I really thought the leaves were real, but Karen explained that they were scanned and painted. It made a beautiful delicate wall hanging. My photos don't do the wonderful gradations in color justice.

Karen was the artist responsible for this mixed media piece. I enjoy talking to her and hearing her say how she picks things up on her walks (like I do, perhaps like all mixed media artists do) to use in her art and the bird skull in this piece was one such find. You'll need to click and enlarge the photo to see it more clearly.

Here is Karen next to another of her pieces paint on canvas covered in two layers of plexi-glass. Quite striking. It was fun to learn that she had gone to the same university as my husband and had lived in our area for many years. She said she and the other artists in the gallery had all been making art for 30 or more years. An artist by the name of Mina Cohen (no relation) made these wonderful woven pieces. And I popped this purple painting on a purple wall in for Robin who loves shades of lavender and purple! I was quite taken by this woven fabric piece, as it looked like something that would have fit perfectly into the show I have two pieces in now in Suisun, Quilts of a Different Matter. I was sorry to learn that the artist who had made it had recently died. She was a year younger than me. That always comes as a bit of a shock whether I know the person personally or not. Her name was Gail Chamberlain.

Karen and I chatted about both of our art works and after I described my "Stop Bullying" piece to her she felt that it might be fitting for an up coming show in a gallery in Gualala.

So we planned to stop in there on our way home.

I'll tell you more about that in a next post.

*****

We had dinner that night at Cafe Beaujolais, in Mendocino, an excellent chef on staff prepared our gourmet meals. But I have to be honest with you and myself, and say that rich food (not just the price, but the fancy sauces, etc.) are probably not something we will seek out in the future. Neither of us were bowled over and we wound up going back to Frankie's later for desert of plain homemade ice cream. (more our style truth be told).

And then back to our B & B a block away, where we made a fire in the fire place and read until we were falling to sleep. I really love this kind of a vacation!

Second Day Fort Bragg and Mendocino

On Saturday, Dec 25th it rained, but this did not stop us from enjoying the beautiful surroundings at the coast. We actually love it this time of year as the town is not swarming with tourists and we kind of feel like we own the place! In Fort Bragg we always drive by this Town Hall building as it is where we were married by the judge April 1, 1985.

Misty and wet out finds this shack a perfect picture between two trees. And gulls lined up on the lawn overlooking the fierce waves of the Pacific ocean.

The highlight of our day was walking the town and stopping in one of the few places open to eat lunch...Frankie's, with it's huge menorah in the window.

I had their organic felafel's with baked chick peas and we took home hot homemade matzo ball soup for dinner

which we heated up later in our B & B and ate in front of a roaring fire.

More from our trip in days to come, stay tuned.

First of Four Days Away: Willits, CA

click on collage to see details

We went away for four days, Friday through Monday! Our first stop was in Willits, CA...en route to the coast but about 40 minutes from it. We stayed at a rustic Western Inn (the old west/cowboy rustic). In the collage you can see DH looking out a window next to our bed made from twisted tree limbs. It was rainy off and on...we enjoyed walking the streets and stopping in shops. We had fun in the toy store where this young woman with the frog in her hair was our welcomer and cashier. I bought some cool stamps that look like typewriter letters and numbers and punctuation! Can't wait to start using them. I also got a stamp in Hebrew letters saying Shabat Shalom! And two little wooden dradils for my grand kids. DH got some knights on horseback for his classroom.

Keep tuned in to see our time on the coast in Mendocino next.

Book Review: House Rules by Jodi Picoult

I finished reading this book last Thursday, Dec. 23rd. But I had already posted for the day and I was determined that that be my last post until after the holidays. I have read several books by this author, Jodi Picoult, and I have liked them all for various reasons. This one I found most interesting as the main character is a young man with Asperger's syndrome. I've actually had two young boys in my counseling practice in the past with this diagnosis, well one was diagnosed and the other had the symptoms, but had not yet been diagnosed. I was not anywhere near an expert regarding this disorder and eventually when it became more clear I had to send them on to other counselors for treatment. I found the descriptions quite informative in this novel. However, I did not concur with the author's pointing the finger at vaccinations as a cause of Asperger's syndrome. Everything I have read in scientific medical findings is that that is NOT true.

But as a novel, and a murder mystery the book is good, well written, and kept me on my toes. Even though I was pretty darn sure I had it figured out long before the author let us know for sure, I was happy to know I was RIGHT! ;-)) You'll have to read it yourself to find out what I mean about that!

WHITE Stuff: But No Snow Here

My friends from across the states and across the oceans write and post about the snow they are living in, shoveling, enjoying (some), dealing with. We have no snow here...but rain in abundance these past several days and more to come. But thought I'd look for white stuff in my store of photos to share with you...pictures captured throughout this past year and maybe even years past.

I am still in lazy vacation days at home...this is so different from winters past when DH would be done with school and we'd hop in the car and drive cross country to SNOW in MN to his family there. DH says he misses the snow. I can honestly say I do not.

Instead we are at home...and I keep reading books...and I actually did a tiny bit of sewing today on a page for an Artshine book (Cat's); but mostly sat curled up in the green leather recliner with a book on my lap, sometimes the cat, soaking in words, a story, that has me mesmerised. I wonder how long I can keep this up?

I am grateful here on Grateful Thursday for this peace and quiet time. I may take a rest from posting for several days ahead...and catch you up sometime next week on me and mine; and looking forward to hearing about you and yours.

In the meantime, I know many of you are getting your homes in festive mode and are ready to gather in or venture out to be with friends and folks to celebrate the holidays and new year!

I send you all my very best wishes for a fun and festive time.

Animal Wednesday and NOT Feeling Like Creating!

I'm on a two week vacation from work. I have time to do WHATEVER I WANT. I could be sewing, I could be drawing, I could be painting, I could be making mixed media or dabbling in wax. But all I want to do is READ books. So Henry is thinking about all those neckties I de-constructed... and started to iron open... and today he started pulling them off tables, and batting at the ones hanging over the ironing board...

and then he gave up trying to get my attention away from my books...because he finally realized

that all I wanted to do was read...so he curled up on my lap and chest and nuzzled the book of the moment and finally settled down to spread his lengthy body over mine and fell asleep.

And I continued to READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Animal Wednesday!

A GIGGLE with the GOATS Jingle Bells Holiday Performance

Okay, so this and my lower post do not exactly go together...so what? Different moods, tones, each to be appreciated in it's own way. You might want to read the book review below first and then watch the video to lighten your mood. I know it helped me. LOL enjoy!

with wet cheeks I review...The Book Thief

Let me tell you while the tears are still wet on my cheeks after finishing the last pages of this book, The Book Thief, how moved I am and how much I recommend the reading of this beautiful piece of written art. I have read many books about the Holocaust from Anne Frank on...but this one is different. The focus is on the German people, non Jewish Germans who live on a poor street in a small town in Germany during WWII at the on set of the war and through the time of the bombings by Allied forces. And the narrator of this story is DEATH himself. Bravo to Mr. Markus Zusak for his brilliant slant on his story, this story of a young German Girl, Liesel. And oh yes, on one Jewish man, Max who her foster family hides in their basement.

This book was lent to me by a woman who was born in Germany and came here with her parents as a young girl. (Not Jewish).

I am married to a man who was born in Germany at the end of WWII to an American soldier and his war bride mother. (Not Jewish)

Although I got close to his mother during her lifetime here (the past 30 yrs) until her death recently; I have shied away from wanting to meet the rest of his family who still reside in Germany. I just do not know what their roles were during those war years and that not knowing makes me uncomfortable. This book perhaps helped me to understand more of how some people behaved and why; some good, admirable, some not so good nor admirable. But it makes me think and wonder what I would have done, how I would have acted having been in their shoes. What words I would have believed or rebelled against. And how I might have handled myself in those hard times. There is a lot of bravery in this story. I loved reading this book. I may even read it again. I hope you find it intriguing enough to consider reading yourself. But if you are anything like me it will make you cry.

Art won at Auction; Neckties on Parade!

KJ has a charity she is raising money for...one of her clients in need of financial support. Annie Coe held an auction to raise money for KJ's charity. I entered the auction and won this delightful painting by Annie Coe! Thank you Annie. And if you'd like to contribute to KJ's charity go here. See KJ's side bar for place to DONATE. ******************

I have collected 31 neckties and will soon start to turn these beautiful silks and cotton ties into

something quiltable!

I found them at thrift stores and paid from $1-$2 a piece for them.

A real deal! Let the wild rumpus begin! Looking for last minute gifts? Check out my ETSY on my sidebar. All prices have been reduced for better buys in the spirit of the season! ;-)

Quiet Saturday, Showing More of Friday & More Art Sold!

You are not allowed to take photos in the museum gift shop (either) but I snuck this one before I got "caught!" I loved these necklaces and bracelets by a local woman using hand painted buttons and yarn/strings. Enlarge to see details. They are so pretty! It was a quiet Saturday for us. I only went out to do some banking and to get groceries. The rest of the day I sat and read (The Book Thief) and dozed. It was a wonderful lazy daisy day. Oh I ate some low-fat coffee ice cream too. So I will probably be up all night reading!

So I made another collage of more photos from our day in the city yesterday. I like that window INSIDE the museum (upper left corner); The rain on the window crossing the bridge; the sea gull watching the choppy water; red and white and green flowers in balls looking like Christmas decorations on display inside the museum; the button jewelry; a tall building that gave a wonderful pattern of windows;two more paintings; and Henry hanging out at home in a box DH used to bring home gifts from his students. They must be hell bent on our gaining weight with boxes of home made cookies and candies! But oh so good. He lets me open the gifts, as he knows I enjoy that. ;-)))

I've taken two weeks off from work...now the challenge is what to accomplish in that time?!

**************

Sweet mail came today in the form of a small check from the Pence Art Gallery in Davis! I sold something in November it says. They don't say what! They take a percentage so I haven't figured it out yet, but am thrilled to have a sale! It's such a compliment when I sell a piece of art.

Remember I lowered my prices in my ETSY shop so if you are still looking for something for someone take a gander...I'll do my best to ship it to you quickly! ;-) [click on ETSY shop highlighted here or see it on my side bar]

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San Francisco and The Impressionists!

It was a rainy day, a foggy day, but that did not stand in our way of going out into it and having a good time. The promised storms were not so bad. The drive to San Francisco was pleasant enough. We picked up my brother on our way and ventured into the City.

click on photos to enlarge Arriving at the de Young Museum (the tall tower at the left top) having parked but a block away...where we visited the gift shops, looking for Robin, not finding her, and waiting for our turn at 10:30 a.m. to go into the exhibit. (Unfortunately, Robin and I did not firm up our meeting times well enough to make it happen this time, perhaps at a later date we will get to meet in person). And finally to go inside. I cannot express my feelings well enough to share how it felt to stand in a room full of Van Gogh's paintings; or to stand in front of Gauguin's Tahitian Women that towered over me in size with it's vibrant colors exploding off the wall. It felt like I was eavesdropping on a quiet moment between these two women...It was so much to take in. I thought Starry Night would have more swirls around it's stars...silly me. So many of the paintings were large and almost overwhelming in color and brush strokes. It made you want to go right home and draw and paint.

We were not allowed to take photos inside the exhibit so these are pictures from a magazine I brought home with me...poor quality paper, but at least gives you an idea of some of the paintings we did see.

Afterwards we stopped at the warming hut under the Golden Gate Bridge (seen in the top collage from a window) where I had hot/spicy chili, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a big round oatmeal cookie! We warmed up and found this to be a good celebration of my dear husband's birthday!

TGIF!!!!! And the beginning of our vacation time!

and happy birthday DH!!!!

Rose Ann And Downtown Xmas

I made a new hat and scarf this week. The scarf is knit in a drop stitch style and the hat is crocheted like the others I have made, but I finished it off to drape down on two sides like a hood. Both are made from very soft thin yarns. I knew it would look good on my petite hair dresser, Rose Ann, so at noon I went to the salon where she performs her magic to give them to her. I told her I wanted to photograph her modeling them. Isn't she a doll?

Needless to say she loved both the hat and scarf, which she knew how to drape just beautifully. This top tree is in my neighbors' yard and looked so pretty against the gray sky. Downtown the huge Christmas tree towers above the park where it stands flanked by the flags of California and the United States! *** I liked this sign in the salon window:

That fit so well with the menorah that represents a miracle

in the next door "naughty lady" shop window! LOL

~ Happy Holidays~ on

Grateful Thursday