MY Bi-weekly "Walk"

Before I got picked up by Debbie, Obie and Kyle for my walk this morning, I decided that I needed to show the beautiful roses next to our driveway. There are 9 healthy bushes of tea roses and the first bloom of the year is always the best. This light pink one is huge and fragrant, but the orange behind it is really what makes the olfactory nerve go nuts. In bloom citrus is heavenly.
After dropping Kyle off at school, we went to the parking lot off College Ave. (where we aren't supposed to park,) and met Carolyn and Laurie. We headed up the hill, through the neighborhood, and to the Jones Creek trail head.
Manzanita trees are so cool.
...and the California Coastal Oaks are amazing.  

No, but they really are. AMAZING !!!

So is Lexington Reservoir. Don't you agree?

But the reason that I brought my camera along on this beautiful morning is because when be were here at the beginning of the week, this hill was ablaze with little, bright, purple lupine.

It looks better in person. I'm getting a little more knowledgeable about this fabulous camera that my husbando gave me when I bought him a new one for Christmas, but not so good as he is. I am still definitely a novice.

From the top of St. Joseph Hill looking out toward a smoggy San Jose. (it is a "spare the air" day because it's been so warm and windless)

California Poppies aren't too shabby either. Such a bright fun color. (My favorite crayon was orange-yellow when I was in 1st and 2nd grade.) 

More huge Coastal Oaks, and then a good drink of water for Obie in the neighborhood on the way back to the cars.
I love LOS GATOS. Aren't I lucky to be able to do this so often? Thanks HUN!

BF Scarf

This scarf is one I have worked on for the past 2 months. It seems like forever that it has been laying around my house.

I guess I  do better with starting and finishing one project at a time and I have been working on sewing and other projects.

I finally decided to get it out of my room and I am very happy to move on to something else.

It did turn out nice.

I got the pattern free from a "Ravelry" download.

You can read more about it here.

www.ravelry.com/projects/hodgknit/best-friend-scarf

(It is blocked with straight pins and drying in this picture.)

South Bay

We hiked a couple of trails at the Almaden Quicksilver County Park yesterday. Carolyn, Debbie and I went for about 7 miles.

Beautiful views, flora and an interesting mining education were enjoyed by all.

Wild turkeys next to the parking lot and I didn't take their picture until we were a quarter of a mile into it. Can you see them down there? Live and learn.

Obie dog loved rolling in some sweet smelling manure so when we saw this trough with a hose attached we thought we might help him get rid of some of the odor. 

The hose didn't work and Obie didn't really want a bath anyway.

Indian paint brush.

Many valleys and deep ravines throughout the park.

We took a small trail only for pedestrians at one point. All uphill for about half a mile, and then back onto a graveled road trail that's fit for bicycles, horses and peds alike.

A little larger flower and leaf on this lupine than we see on our normal trail up to St. Joseph's Hill by Lexington Reservoir.

....and some cute little "Bachelor Buttons."

A tiny humming bird spotted by Carolyn on a nearby bush.

Michael Michael

Cute eh?

Three to the Power of 3

David turned 27 last week.  Wow 33.                                          

 

We combined the celebration with a little Easter egg hunt and I'll also show you my wisteria while I'm at it.  

David is taking masters classes in the field of Geography, and continues to work at Men's Wearhouse Tux while he makes his way through school. I'm proud of his tenaciousness and the goals their family has set for completion of the goals. Go David!!  Have a great 28th year.

"In Your Easter Bonnet"

LEXY GRACE

  3 years old

ELLERY RENEE

   3 months

LENA KATE

   14 months

What wonderful daughter and daughter-in-law I have. Kathryn and Kara took their children to get a great picture taken for me. 

I have been working on Easter dresses for the 3 adorable granddaughters in the last couple of months, and today they all came to church with us for the big holiday. They were all dressed in their cotton pastel smocked dresses, and I had no batteries in my camera. The lousy batteries were being charged on the counter next to my computer and didn't do me any good at all.

Ellery's dress was made before I started a blog, so I failed to take photos while under construction. It has a little smocked bonnet, and short diaper cover. The dress is in a bishop yoke style, which means it is gathered all the way around the neckline/sleeves in one big circle. It is Robins Egg Blue (light green), Swiss Nelona cotton and is quite the beautiful fabric. I smocked it in the same greenish thread with peach colored bullion roses. I gave it to Kathryn for her baby shower several months ago and just had to add a couple of touches this month.

This little pink dress is for 1 year old Lena and was smocked in a honeycomb pattern with bullion roses and granito dots in the design. This dress also has a lot of french val cotton lace in the sleeves, neckline and hemline. The pink Sea Isle cotton feels like butter, has a beautiful sheen. I hope it's not too much of a pain to iron for Kara because I'm thinking David isn't going to do that anytime soon.

This yellow cotton batiste is Lexy's dress and it has quite puffy short smocked sleeves and a big bow in the back.

I smocked them all with light pastels in tone on tone to keep them dressy instead of casual.

I loved making these for my sweet Lexy, Lena, and Ellery.

Redone Front Rooms

I found some old photos of the living room that don't really show it off well.

Here is Stephanie taking gift notes for Kathryn and Austin's wedding while sitting on the stone fireplace.

You can see the half wall's behind my Dad and the happy couple here.

The place is torn up here with a glimpse into the new room from the new entryway and doors.

I do like the tan, brown and sea blue colors of the rooms. 

We took out the old half walls and fake ceiling  header between the two rooms, and the poorly constructed, dirty, stone fireplace has been replaced with a poured cast limestone that is off white and beautiful.

Very nice and more open and livable.

I should be in there reading a book right now!!!

Or relearning how to play the piano. 

Psyanky

I have been making Ukrainian Easter eggs for about 28 years  now.  

This particular egg is a goose egg and has symbols of rebirth (resurrection), love of God, abundance, productivity, eternal life, and Mary's tears.

I learned all about this art when I was looking for a meaningful decoration surrounding this very important holiday  when our family was in its first years. 

All of the symbols and colors on the eggs represent something of Deity, values, or good wishes for the recipient, and it has always been my pleasure to share this with those I care about and want to share my beliefs with.

Here are Kathryn and I decorating a few eggs on this Palm Sunday while we listen to our church's semi-annual "General Conference."

She hasn't tried making these for at least 10 years, because I think she was discouraged the last time she tried. (a bit of a perfectionist) 

Her eggs looked beautiful this year as she has a little more time and patience. 

Making Psyanky has been a delicate yet enjoyable part of our families Easter season.

My young children have been cried upon when they broke an egg, and I have broken a few myself. After spending hours on a particularly fancy egg, it is pretty traumatic if it breaks. It is, however, just an egg.

  

Here are a few more examples of some of my creations. 

My mother even has some that I made the first year I tried it in 1981. 

I, however, lost those to breakage or friends many years ago.

Cool Vinyl

Vinyl is not as easy to work with as the other upholstery fabrics I've toyed with in the past. I think I even wanted to scream a couple of times as the stiff, unforgiving fabric passed under my machine surprisingly breaking the size 16 needle only once. But Kathryn and Austin finally have their dining room chairs covered and ready to sit on, spill on, and just generally use. They are 3 different colors of blue, yellow and green and look great together around K & A's table (even though some of the top stitching around the corners isn't so EVEN.)  I helped do this along with painting a cute nursery, moving boxes, photo manipulating, and a few other little sewing projects. Kathryn is working hard to make their new little home just right for her cute growing family.