watching paint dry

That's the current pasttime. Getting a fresh coat of paint - "chamois" which is definitely yellow; and pearberry, which is a rich salmon color. after 20 years of "eggshell" it's definitely an adjustment! Two rooms are painted; next, must decide on a buttery yellow for the living room. After seeing the bathroom yellow, I will definitely not use that color - too intense.

Early/Late Epiphany

It's early, calendar-wise for an epiphany, but it had to happen some day! For many years I've been humming a tune. I don't know what it is. My family doesn't know what it is. But the tune persists. Then I found a cool website, Midomi Song Wizard, which has put my brain to rest! Aaaahhhhh, what a relief! See this website: http://www.midomi.com/index.php?action=main.mic_check&from=landing

And what a song it is! "A Woman in Love" -- I'm sure it's the Barbra Streisand-Bee Gee's rendition! That means I've been wondering what song this is for over 10 years - maybe closer to 15!

Forbidden Fruit

I planted a second bush this summer . . . and now I have egg-sized feijoas on the big plant! I looked up some recipes - looks like some pulp in muffins, cakes are possibilities, and eating them raw. An LA times article says they sell for $1.99 apiece at Whole Paycheck - I mean whole foods.

All of the recipe suggestions I found were from people in New Zealand and Australia.

I think I'll try the muffin recipe tomorrow...will report on progress! Here's a recipe I'll try -- Apple and Feijoa Cake125g butter
1.5 cups grated apple
1.5 cups feijoa pulp
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Melt butter and let cool. Add apple and feijoa and mix well, then sugar and egg and mix. Sift dry ingredients and stir in sultanas and nuts. Add to fruit mixture and mix until combined. Bake in 25cm cake tin at 180 degrees C for 45-60 mins.Yummy with yoghurt or whipped cream especially when straight from the oven. Mmmmmm!!

cool, rainy autumn weather

Once autumn arrives, it's time to make clam or corn chowder! Here's a recipe that's pretty close to the one Auntie Frances gave me:

INGREDIENTS:
2 to 3 slices bacon (mine: a whole package)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice
2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) minced clams
2 cups diced potatoes
1 quart water
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (13 ounces) evaporated milk
1 can (approximately 8 ounces) cream-style corn
(mine: one package frozen lima beans)
PREPARATION:
Brown bacon in a heavy skillet. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon; crumble and set aside. To the hot bacon grease, add onion, clam juice, minced clams, potatoes, and water; simmer until potatoes are tender.

Add butter, milk, cream style corn, lima beans and salt and pepper to taste; heat almost to boiling point. Sprinkle crumbled bacon over each serving. If thicker soup is desired, make a flour paste by combining 2 tablespoons flour with a little cold water and add to the soup.Clam chowder recipe makes 6 servings.

signs of autumn

With the wind and a teensy bit of rain upon us, we're inevitably moving into autumn!! Yaaaaayyyyy!!! and I couldn't be happier, as I tie my hair up off my *hot* neck!

The best sign of autumn . . . a gaggle of sandhill cranes, about 30, flying over the house. They usually arrive in Sacramento area around November!

whatta week!

Susan's business visit last weekend was a big highlight! And we topped it off with a tasty lunch at Chez Panisse. The big epiphany was finding a pattern to make a tote bag out of a recycled wool sweater! You can check out one for sale at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6420589 Very cool!!





Another website, with instructions: http://www.canadianliving.com/CanadianLiving/client/en/Crafts/DetailNews.asp?idNews=233920&idSm=306


Check out the "crafts" Tab.


Just google "recycled wool sweater tote"to get a bunch of ideas!!! can you say "cell phone cozy?"





Okay, this post is all about kraftmania and belongs on my other blog, but hey, that was our weekend!

hot town, muggy summer in the city

Lovely visit to Manhattan. Metropolitan Museum of Art has an exhibition of Poiret couture. Breakout styles from France in the early 20th century, with lovely Asian influences. So, did Art Deco start in France before Poiret's time - or did he bring it? One dress exhibited had a definite art deco flair! Beautiful use of planes, as described at the museum.

Stayed 'til 5 for the chamber music session - lovely time, excellent quartet.

Exercised at the West Side YMCA - so many rooms, with so many exercise options! Machines, free weights, stretching, swimming, etc, etc.

Independence Day 07

Happy 4th of July Independence Day! How 'bout we develop a holiday about reducing dependence on oil? hmmmm ....

After a lovely day trip to Donner Lake, this 4th Holiday will be an opportunity to kick back and watch the flowers grow.

This looks like a good rental. Add to the "to do" list!

An Anna's Hummingbird made a nest right outside the back door. Two chicks hatched and she was feeding them all weekend.

more Spain

Bird banding - an excellent class, the guides set up nets and caught 6 birds; logged them and checked banding or, for new birds, banded them.

Next: Roman ruins on the beach!

Southern Spain for a Change

Southern Spain was beautiful. See just how beautiful. For instance, that's the "rock" of Gibraltar in the background! And the 12-year-old mosque built for I don't know how many Euros on a prime waterfront lot!! The 2 bodies of water: the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar.

The barbary apes on Gibraltar are an amazing experience...

Feet on holiday in the beautiful city of Ronda:

Reading while touring:

Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri

The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See

Highly recommended!!

Reading for growth

Well, growth and relaxation!
Growth:
1) "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?": A Psychologist Explains the Development of Racial Identity (Paperback) by Beverly Daniel Tatum
2) La Nueva California: Latinos in the Golden State (Paperback) by David Hayes-Bautista (Author) "THE NARRATIVE OF THIS BOOK BEGINS IN 1940, when Latinos were a small minority and lacked political representation or public voice in California.

Relaxation:
Just One Look by Harlen Coben

Which leads to . . .

Vacation:
http://www.ebd.csic.es/
Elderhostel Trip to southern España --
Here, where Europe greets Africa, nature and history have combined to create a land of great fascination and beauty. Andalucia’s coast is embraced by the Atlantic and Mediterrean -- separated from Morocco by the Straits of Gibralter -- with Portugal to the west, Castilla-LaMancha and Sierra Morena to the north, and Murcia to the east. As we walk, we discover the flora, fauna, and geology of natural parks with ecosystems that have been little altered by man. We also learn about the rich human heritage and art of this autonomous region at the southern tip of Spain. Distance/Time: 4-8 miles per day, 3-5 hours per day. Terrain: paths and mountain trails uphill and downhill over mixed terrain. Ascents/Descents: 500'-1,000' over two miles.

Birding in Andalucia May 07

Preparing for the May journey to southern Spain - walking and birding. nuff said!

Well, I can say more - or quote, as follows:

Itinerary: Arrivals Málaga, coach to Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park, 2 nights; coach to Alcornocales Nature Park, 2 nights; coach to Straits of Gibraltar, 4 nights; coach to Doñana National Park, 4 nights; coach to Seville, 1 night; departures Seville.

New Roommate

Meet Monchito - my new roomie!

Alex found Klaus, now renamed Moncho, at the Oakland SPCA yesterday -- what cutie!!

I'm out of town and just heard the good news -- can hardly wait to meet the new boy!

Betcha can't say "no" to Aunt Julia!

Aunt Julia had the force with her ... and brought the family together in Jan 2007.

Two new foster kittens!

2 cute new foster kittens! They're both black/white. Difference; one has a black mustache! so soft and affectionate!

New Year's Readings

In addition to constant knitting, have squeezed in some good reading over the holiday...you just HAVE to do something while riding BART, although so many folks are staring into space,well... Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Odichie is a must-read. Just finished her first novel, Purple Hibiscus. Excellent!!

Birds Galore!

The winter birding is wonderful along the Pacific Flyway.

December, 2007, at the Cosumnes River Preserve
black shouldered kite, meadowlark, black-neck stilt, say's phoebe, long-billed curlew, tundra swan, house finch, swallows, some kind of sandpipers, northern harrier, Great blue heron, Egret, American Coot, Hawk,Red-tail, Kestrel, Turkey vulture, Yellow warbler, Ducks, American white pelicans, Sandhill cranes, Crows, Red-winged blackbirds.