Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Midweek Movie Talk

GR&DF we are once again on the pinnacle of the week looking forward to the weekend!! No too much going on - we still have our house guest and she leaves at the "crack of jack " on Friday and then no more guests for a while.

There have been a few flickers that I wanted to mention - starting with last nights feature - "Year of the Dog" - 2007 - starring Molly Shannon, Laura Dern and Regina King. This was not a typical movie for me by any stretch of the imagination, but I found it quite charming in a disarming kind of way. The story revolves around Peggy (the Molly Shannon character) and the passing of her pet beagle, Pencil. It is her journey through the aftermath of this that brings her around to her finding her bliss in life. It is a film that is not for everyone and is quite odd at times. I specifically got it because I am enjoying Molly and the interesting parts she has been choosing over the past few years. Often she plays very small roles, but in YotD she carries the entire film, and does a rather good job of it.

Another DVD I got from NetFlix was the Season One, Disc One - of the Showtime "The Tudors" - 2007 - this has been recommended to me over and over again by so many people I just can't count them all. I popped the disc in and was expecting something wonderful and found something less than good. I guess if you dress up history in a sexy soap opera type setting and bodice ripping scenes then you have Showtime's "The Tudors" - I found this so hard to watch that I could only get through the first episode - feeling that if the rest of them where like this, and they probably where, I certainly wasn't going to waste the time. It seems to be a popular show and bravo for that, but for me it needs to be a little closer to historical fact than just a nod in that direction.

There was another bodice ripper DVD I received called "Frenchman's Creek" - 1998 - a BBC Masterpiece Theater version of Daphne Du Maurier's book. I should have know better but silly me I ordered it and then actually tried to watch it. Again a romantic silliness that was very predictable and highly fictionalized love story of a rich, but lonely wife and a evil, but big hearted pirate thrown together on the wind blown Cornish Coast. You can fill in the rest of the story.

A shortish post today as there is really not much else to talk about.
Do stop by again!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Some Super Mail .... and New Pidges

GR&DF thank again for the kind words about my snaps and adventures in Baghdad By the Bay. It is fun to do things out of our routine - I think it is just the getting up the gumption to do them that is half the battle -

Yesterday brought mail surprises..... where to start... I won a give away over on Sherry's Blog and the chart arrived yesterday - as you may have figured out I have a real weakness for samplers!!

It is a very traditional pattern that will be fun to do!! Thank you so much Sherry!!

The mail also brought my HOE Fall Needle Roll from Laurence.
It is a real darling and so delicate -

The chart is from Bent Creek - and the stitching is 1/1. Laurence also included a beautiful pottery French heart. She mailed this while on vacation in Germany and the PC included is from Oberammergau - a small village in the mountains that is famous for the Passion Play they have performed every decade since 1634. I have been to this little place and remember it fondly as very picturesque as are all the hamlets tucked into the Alps. Thank you so much Laurence!!

I also got a couple of charts to add to my SABLE stash pile...

I'm telling you I just cant resist them!! Now with all the new things coming out they are just wrecking me as I know I will have to have some of that also!!! I am just weak - weak I tell ya!!!!! My own stitching last night was on exchanges and RR things so no snaps.

We have some new Pidges - jeez does that Mama Stink Eye ever quit!! Here is a snap since the MSE hadn't moved off of them since they popped out of the egg -

Once again these cuties are just as vulture like as the other Chickie's.....

There you go sports fans - short and sweet - Remember that there are only 4 more days to sign up for the Birthday Drawing - to sign up click over to this POST. Have a great One!!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, September 28, 2009

We had a Busy Weekend...

GR&DF the title says it all!! We had a house full and it was a busy, busy weekend!! Rico's cousin from Kansas City (not St Louis as I had originally thought) flew into SF on Saturday evening and will be with us the whole week. She is really a great person and yesterday we spent running around the city.

Let me back track a bit - on Friday afternoon Rico's mom and nieces and great niece drove up from the Valley for a shortish visit and to see the cousin. On Saturday they all went to Pier 39 and Dale and I ran around to the garage/estate sales - There was very little out there and I only picked up a couple books. But they had better luck shopping on the Pier and here is the baby in a fairy costume from the fairy store on the Pier....


Standing is not one of the things she can do yet - but rolling over and trying to crawl she can do very well!!

After the sales and a quickie lunch Dale and I ran out to the Spirit Store at the Mall. The Spirit Store is a temporary store space for the Hallowe'en Season that is just jammed packed with some of the most ghoulish and outrageous things you could ever imagine. Here in the SF area there are a few of them that pop up this time of year. The reason for the visit was for Dale. He has a big party on Hallowe'en every year so he needed to pick up a few things. We also stopped on at Party City to check out their scary stuff.

Now back to Sunday - after Mom and the nieces took off for home - we took off for downtown and the Civic Center Farmers Market. I of course can't go any where without my camera and so I took some snaps. Here is one from in front of City Hall -

and here are some beautiful greens at the market....

and here is someone looking for a hand out....

This little guy leads me onto the next part of Sunday's adventure. I often forget that we are so close to the ocean and never visit - I will see it from different places running around but just never make the effort to get down to the beach. Well, yesterday was so nice and the cousin wanted to see the sea so we trotted on over and it was certainly worth the visit - just a gorgeous bright blue sky and a warm breezy breeze..... and here are some snaps......

Looking north towards the Marin Headlands - the white building is the famous Cliff House.

We didn't take our hounds but there where plenty of others frolicking in the freezing cold surf.

and if you look very close you can see a surfer on that wave, there were lots and lots of surfers trying to catch any wave they could.

There were the sandcastles being washed out to sea as fast as they could be built it up. The tide had turned and was coming in so it was melting very fast.

The last snap will be Rico - he braved the freezing water and waded out into the briny murk!!

I stitched about 2 mins all weekend so no snaps of any cross stitching!!
Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments!!

Take care,
edgar

Friday, September 25, 2009

Comments and Flickers

GR&DF it is once again Friday and our weekend will be full of visiting family from out of Town.
It should be very interesting to say the least!!

Last night I finished up the stitching on another exchange piece - I will need to have some sort of finishing marathon soon!! I think I will focus on Sail Away this weekend as I miss the piece and have fallen way behind on the SAL.

I do enjoy all the comments so very much - sometimes I do wonder if what I am typing and putting out there is clear and makes any sense to anyone but me and my befuddled brain! I did want to answer a couple of comments....

Evelyn asked about the Farmers Market and did it go year round - I am pretty sure that the Civic Center on goes year round, but the little one over in the Western Addition that we get to on Sunday's will close the second week of December - or around that time and re-open in May. There are a number of Farmers Markets around the city, but I only get to these two.

Sharlotte said some sweet things about my picture taking- it is by shear luck and taking about a bazillion snaps to get the one or two acceptable ones to put on the blog. For every snap you see here there are a minimum of 10 I throw away as just to sucky to see the light of day!!

...... and in my very poor French...... Chère Myriam, merci tellement de visiter le blog et descommentaires gentils!!

I wanted to remind those that haven't thrown their names into the Birthday Drawing - to go post a comment HERE - remember you can't win unless you comment!! The big day approaches with only a week left to sign up. Drawing on the 4th with the winner being announced on the 5th!!

Last night the flicker was an interesting DVD from Netflix called "Pompeii - the last day" - 2003 - a live action hour by hour account of the devastation of the city and the Bay of Naples in 79 AD. When I visited Pompeii a few years ago it was a fascinating and quite moving experience. I just loved Italy and this area was beautiful.

With Mt Vesuvius still looming over the Bay - it is just a matter of time before this volcano erupts again. The film is a short hour long but what is packed into that hour is just great.

Thank you again for stopping by, have a great weekend!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, September 24, 2009

A Post with a Bunch of snaps



GR&DF I am glad you enjoyed the snaps of my past - I "borrowed" them from the Internet and when I posted them they cropped oddly and I am sorry about that. Addie - what a good idea about a sampler using the Blount-Bridgers House. I so enjoyed working in that space. Our offices where downstairs in the raised English Basement so it was always cool and comfortable. The House proper was both an Historic Home and Art Gallery. As Director and then Curator my main focus was art and art history which I really enjoyed.

Yesterday was Farmers Market Wednesday and it was blustery, cold and bright at the market. Walking over to the Civic Center I pass a lovely old theater called the Orpheum, 1926. It is a lovely old building in a pseudo French style - right now they are playing "Wicked." Here is a snap of the front -

I also thought the side advertising was quite interesting and here is a snap of that -

I loved how the shadows look against the wall.
At the Farmers market was a bounty of Autumnal goodies....... like....

......these beautiful grapes - how can you beat the colour on these lovelies!!!
And there were lots of Nopale fruit -

I really like the name "Cactus Figs" so descriptive.
Here is another stall with some fruit of the vine -

One of my favorite grapes to get are champagne grapes - so very small and tender sweet!!
"And they swan, and they swam , right over the dam" kept running through my head - as I got this snap.........

I knew eventually I would get one - and no yelling, nothing was said to me when I snapped this. The odd colouring is from the tarp they have that covers the large double stall the fish people set up in.

Last night we ran out to the Mall for birthday presents for my niece and nephew - and stopped into the Hallmark Store. They have most of their Christmas stuff up and it is truly a festive place!!! I took this snap of the ornament wall -

Sorry about the crappy snap - but my little camera just can not compensate for the low nasty mall lighting and it looks like the store is a cave, it really wasn't!! Now, I do prefer home made ornies, but some of the super cute ornies that Hallmark has put this year are just amazing!! We also stopped into Borders and I picked up two mags - Cross-Stitch and Needlework and the JCS Hallowe'en Issue.

I had no intention of getting either of these but after seeing the Sampler on the CSN issue and the Primitive Needle piece in JCS I knew I had to have both. On the sampler in CSN I will need to rechart the quote because I do not care for the lettering. The JCS Hallowe'en issue has the seasonal ornaments - which I could live without - I do like the La D Da one but that was no reason to get the issue, it was the article about Lisa of "Primitive Needle" and the chart for Halloween Revelry that sold it for me!!

After we got home and settled in I picked up on my Exchange stitching. I also watched a really delightful movie - "Miss Potter" - 2006 - starring Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson. I am not a big fan of Renee, but this movie couldn't have been any more charming and well done. Wonderfully shot and acted I thought it was completely enchanting!! It is a bio pic of Beatrix Potter's life. The first half of the film moves back and forth from the 1870's to 1902 in Beatrix's life and all she went through getting her books published. The second half is her life after publication of Tale of Peter Rabbit and the 20 or so books she eventually wrote. The film fleshed out the Peter Rabbit and company with bits of animation that added so much to the film - I can't say enough good things and would HIGHLY recommend this film!! I have read many reviews saying that Renee was wrong for this part but I disagree - she really did a wonderful job bringing Miss Potter and her world to life.

There you go sports fans!! I do thank you for the kind comments and for just stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Remembering the Past

GR&DF I did want to thank you all for the very kind comments about my snaps of the fog. I really enjoy watching this stuff roll into and over the city even after all these years of living here. Yesterday didn't disappoint with the fog and it was a carbon copy of the day before with the only difference being the fog rolled in a little later than usual.

I had an email from a reader asking about things I had done before SF - My first real job after graduating from East Carolina University - I worked as Director of Education for the Edgecombe County Cultural Arts Council that operates the Blount-Bridgers House - c 1808.
Here is a snap of the House -


Although this facade faces the Town of Tarboro, NC - it was actually the back of the house. Looking to the left you can see in the background another Farm house - more typical of the small farmers of the period in Eastern NC - called the Pender Museum (Everitt House c. 1810) - this building was moved to the property and restored in the early 1980's.




From this experience I moved on to Ocala, Florida where I became the Curator of Education at the Appleton Museum of Art. -
Both of these facilities are really wonderful - so if you are ever in Tarboro NC or Ocala FL - I would highly recommend visiting either venue, you will not be disappointed!!

I was stitching away last night on exchange stuff so no snap - It remember last Fall the same thing - tons of stitching but not so many snaps!!

Still watching Duchess of Duke Street - I am almost finished with the first series - only a single installment left, then it is on to the Second Series - I still cant say too many good things about this BBC series. The DVD quality is off at times but the production values and acting are superior.

There you go sports fans!! Today is Farmers Market Day so I will have some snaps of that upcoming adventure tomorrow. Don't Forget to sign up for the Birthday Drawing on this Post.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Blanketed in Fall Fog - and a bit o' stash

GR&DF I know it was mean yesterday of me to post that snap of those pastries but what a gorgeous picture they made!! From that mountain of goodies we only took a few pieces - an apricot tartlette, and apple turnover thingie, an almond croissant and a pain au chocolate - I just love that chocolate bread!! I am not really a chocolate person - not like my dad was - as he said "he loved any flavour out there so long as it was chocolate!!" A true chocoholic if there ever was one. Especially milk chocolate - where I can take it or leave it - I do enjoy that dark chocolate - so bitter and sweet at the same time!! The POC that the Bakers of Paris make has the bits of dark chocolate rolled into the layers of buttery deliciousness!

We were supposed to have been in the middle of some sort of heat wave over the last few days - and yesterday was to be the hottest of the bunch - well it was a total bust - now I'm not complaining at all - it only got into the mid 60's and my little space heater at work stayed on most of the day. When I got home I took some snaps of the city from our balcony.... this one looking west towards Twin Peaks -


I love this view of the fog coming over the Peaks from the ocean - within 1/2 hour of this snap all of Noe Valley was wrapped up in fog and you couldn't see a thing. The other snap from the balcony was looking east towards downtown -

Looking out across Noe Valley and the Mission towards downtown with the other fog arm coming up through the Golden Gate is really very pretty. Today is supposed to be a carbon copy of yesterday - I just love SF's weather!! Now you can go just 10 mins outside of the city and the temps skyrocket into the 90's and up!! I will not be going there!!

I had some stash arrive in the mail yesterday -

I just love these little stockings that BBD is putting out. If you look over at Vonna's Tutorial Blog she has posted a super tutorial on how to complete them into ornaments once the stitching is done!

I think I will end today's post on a fall flower snap.
We picked these up on Sunday at the farmers market -

It is a great mix of marigolds and sunflowers in really vibrant fall colours.

Thanks you for stopping by and commenting - I do appreciate them!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, September 21, 2009

Shifting the Junque

GR&DF our sale on Saturday went much better without the rain, but there was tons of fog. Now on Friday it was bright and sunny and then again yesterday bright and sunny..... the day we need it to be B&S it was foggy and craptastique!!! By the middle of the afternoon the fog had drifted on and it was nice but that was after about 6 hours of it not being so nice!! Like I told Rico and Dale it will be a good long while before I am on the sales end of a sidewalk sale. Overall it was a really good sale IMHO as we moved just about all our junque into other folks hands/car/trucks and made a tidy little bit of cash. The residue of the sale we packed into our car and Dales Jeep and took it all to the Salvation Army for them to deal with.

Yesterday was a nice day so we went on over to Eddies for breakfast and then on to the little Farmers market - picking up some nice vegetables. We also stopped a Bakers of Paris both again and got some bakery things for later in the day. Here is a snap of some of the goodies they had -


After getting home I did 6 loads of laundry - and vacuumed and shampooed the carpets - Such an exciting day. Finishing up all that excitement I sat an watched 6 parts of the 31 part "The Duchess of Duke Street" - 1976 - starring Gemma Jones. This is one of my favorite series to come from the BBC. I first saw it on Masterpiece Theatre. There is a Series one and a Series two both excellent and if you have never seen it I would highly recommend it. I also watched and flicker from Netfilx called "South Sea Woman" - 1953 - starring Burt Lancaster, Virginia Mayo and Chuck Connors. A WWII action comedy that was pretty entertaining - a silly premise but worth a look.

I didn't pick up a needle all weekend - just didn't feel it so no stitching.

Do remember to throw in your name for the birthday drawing HERE.
Thank you for stopping by!

Take care,
edgar

Friday, September 18, 2009

Friday is here....

GR&DF thank you for the kind comments about my photos - I do enjoy taking and sharing them. I think the little things that we all pass on a daily basis have a beauty and structure that can enrich us all. It is difficult for me to take a moment and enjoy what is just beautiful and lovely. As we all move through life so quickly it is hard to just stop and enjoy - so I use photography to force me to stand a moment and just look and appreciate the moment, the object, the scene - whatever. There is a reason that "Stop and Smell the Roses" rings so true - move slower and appreciate more - I know I have to try hard not to just steamroll head first with a "get 'er done" mentality. Words from the edgar soap box.

I had a question about a piece I made a while back from Sharon - the silk was Belle Soie and the colours I used where - Rose of Sharon - for the flowers, Attic Tea - for the stems and leaves, Babbling Brook - for the Bird and Cinnamon Stick - for the letters and horn. The one thing to remember about BS silk is that the color lots are very different from skein to skein - and when I say very different I mean like night and day almost two very distinct colours with the same name kind of different - how I chose them was to get out all the Belle Soie colours and just shuffled them around until I had a combo that worked for me. That is often how I choose colours or floss for a project - I get whatever I want to use out and just pick what I like and what I think goes together - especially if I don't particularly like the colours or floss that the designer has chosen - or I am shifting from DMC to silk or over dyed cotton. I am working on a conversion for the Hetty Child project that is waiting until the rush of exchanges is over. I am shifting the colours from DMC to Belle Soie and I have run up against a couple of difficult bits in the sampler but this to shall pass and I will be satisfied with my final decision - or at least I hope I will!!

Last night I was once again exchange stitching so no snpperoos from that quarter.

I did watch a couple of good flickers - the first up was "Run Silent Run Deep" - 1958 starring Burt Lancaster and Clark Gable. A WWII submarine story that I really enjoyed. I did laugh out loud a couple of times at some of the models that were photographed and where supposed to be the subs - In one shot you could see the wire pulling the sub across the screen - overall a pretty good film - just don't look too close!! The second feature was one I had seen before - "Bertie and Elizabeth" - 2002 - a TV feature that is a very shortish overview of the lives of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

There you go sports fans!! Don't forget to throw in for my Birthday Present Drawing on this POST - Have a super weekend - and hope with me that it is sunny and that we sell all my junque!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, September 17, 2009

A Marketing I did go and some fun Mail

GR&DF once again I am overwhelmed by your kindness and sweet words!!! I am so happy that my Birthday Gift-a-way is going over so well. Don't be shy you lurkers out there just comment on yesterday's post HERE that you want to be a part of the drawing - only 17 days - tick, tick, tick......

I have so many people that are close to me that have Birthdays in October - both family and friends - and it is All Hallow's Eve - or Hallowe'en------ oh so spooky!! I think that having such good times and memories surrounding October that it must be where my love of the fall comes from. These special months at the end of our year move so quickly and then its Christmas!! That special high point is now ONLY 99 Days away!!! I just can't believe it! The older I get the quicker the years seem to slip by - I can still remember when I couldn't wait to be "grown up" and living my own life!! Now I look back and see the decades that have passed since I graduated from High School - has it really been that long??? Oh well - all you can do is remember.... to stop and smell the roses!

The mail brought two super things I had been waiting with baited breath for -

My copies of JCS 2009 Ornie's and the BBD Hallwe'en Booklet!! How great are these - so much inspiration and fun stitchity things!!! The JCS issue as always has some things I want to stitch and some things I wouldn't stitch if a gun was held to my head!!! :) There is a great reindeer ornie I think I will need to stitch for myself for sure!! The BBD Booklet has some really cute stockings - especially the candy corn and the house one now how cute are they!!

Yesterday was a Wednesday Farmers Market Day - and since we were there on Sunday the shopping was on the lite side - but as always I had to get a bag of Kettle "Krack" Korn. I think I have a bad addiction with this stuff!! I got some fallish type shots .....

The flower guy had these lovely marigolds and other fall coloured flowers - marigolds are one of my favorite flowers and I love all the different variations - I know they are not to every ones taste but to mine little eye they are just gorgeous!!


I just loved the way these apple pears looked and the golden autumn colouring was super.


The pomegranates were the first I had seen at the market and the little apples - or at least they looked like little apples - made a nice shot. Those apple things where really small - almost the size of lady apples but not the right colour, there was no signage so I am not sure what they are, but they looked mighty like apples to me.


Now, this snap looks very fall to me - all pumpkiny and potato filled. I did pick up some of those lovely little red ones - and will mix them with some fingerling we got on Sunday - they will do a nice roasty potato thing in the next day or so.

There you go sports fans - thanks for stopping by!! I thank you once again for commenting and do appreciate them all!!

Take care,
edgar

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hump Day Happiness and the 2nd Annual Hobbit Birthday Drawing

GR&DF I bask in your wonderful comments and feel all warm and fuzzy!!!!! I really do appreciate them and it is such an ego boost to the stitching mojo. If you followed the VoHRH progress off and on you will remember that it disappeared for long periods of time - sometimes I just couldn't even pick it up - I think we all get to that point with some pieces - big or small. The framing for this piece will not happen soon as I really have no idea how I want it framed. I do like the flat faux bois painted frames and think that might be nice, but wonder if that will be too busy- or do I want just plain black?? I have it rolled up in the "finished" bag of tricks waiting for inspiration. I am totally wanting to start up SoHRH but at the moment I have quite a few exchange commitments that need to get done first - The linen choice for Shores is still bubbling away on the back burner that is my brain - gold or no gold........ Last night the stitching was on an exchange piece so no snaps.

I was asked about the movies I am usually yapping about - I have totally been watching flickers but nothing is popping out to talk about - over the last few days I watched a mini series called "Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy" - 1986 - starring Nico Williamson and Janet Suzman - a very long multi part mini series about the last days of the British Empire in India. I enjoyed this tremendously but if you are not a history buff I would not recommend watching.
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Once again as my Birthday draws near I am wanting to do something special. So I am again doing a Hobbit Styled Birthday Gift-a-way - not in the true Hobbit since - I just can't stitch that much stuff - but I am going to put together a gift package for some lucky winner out there in Blogland. How it works in the LOTR books is on a Hobbits birthday at the party all the guests get gifts - How this Gift-a-way will work is that if you would like to receive the gift package from me for my birthday just leave a comment on this post and then on my birthday - in 18 Days on October 4th - I will draw a name of the winner of the 2nd Annual Hobbit Gift-a-way - how easy is that!! Anyone out there no matter where you are can enter - so don't be shy. The drawing will close on Friday, October 2, 2009 at 3pm - PST so just comment here before then. I will announce the winner on Monday - October 5th.
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There you go sports fans!! - Thank you again for you kind words and super encouragement!!!!

Take care -
edgar

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Whoopi-dee-damn-doo!!!!!!! Village is Finis!!!!

I am doing my little happy dance or I should say a big old happy dance - because I finished up VoHRH -

For the last two years - working on and off on this piece has really been a fun. Although I spent way more time off than on It always sat patiently for me to come back and throw some silk into a square. I even went back into the Blog posts and found out that I started this on September 5 2007 how odd is that. I also was way off my "one block a month" goal. Here is a full snap of my Village.....

Village of Hawk Run Hollow
9/5/07 - 9/14/09 at 10:04 pm to be exact!
Lambswool 32 ct Linen
rec. NPI Silk

With the approaching release of Christmas at HRH I wanted to have this one done.
The next HRH piece will be Shores....... One reason is that CaHRH has a "black" square - and I just can not do another one of those anytime soon!

Another reason for going on to Shores is that I have all the silk and the chart - now I need to trot over to NIAH and get me my linen - it will be 36ct - but will it be the Autumn gold??? I will have to decide when I get there.

That's all I got for today Sports Fans!!!!! Thank you all for commiserating about about our "No Sale" rainy Saturday!!! Your the Best!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Monday, September 14, 2009

Sucky Weather Bites!!!!!!

GR&DF as you know we where having a yard/garage sale on Saturday. As you may or may not know here in San Francisco it never rains until December and then it can keep raining for about 3 months - that hasn't happened for a few years and we have had very dry winters - BUT winter is our Rainy Season!!!! Not September!!!! We have had week after week after week of dry sunny/foggy weather for months and months - and on the one Saturday it needs to be sunny or at the very least dry it rains like monsoon here!!!!! Not only was it raining in the morning but for hours before hand!! it started at around 3 or so in the morning with a big old fashioned thunder and lighting - rainy - hailing - night from hell!! It also never thunders/lightning here BTW. I grew up in the deep south and am very used to big electrical thunderstorms and do enjoy them - but here you never get any sky issues - We still tried to have the sale and did sell a few things but after a couple of hours of covering up and uncovering every time it started to pour we called it a day and pulled everything back into Dale's apartment. We will give is another shot this Saturday as it is supposed to be dry and hot - or at least hot for out here - the low 80's.

After the "no sale" garage sale clean up we went back home. I sat around feeling all pissed off and stitching a little and just watching the rain come and go!! I was not a happy camper by any stretch of the imagination!!!!!

Sunday morning came with and overcast sky - and more rain. In fact it was only supposed to rain on Sunday. We went out to breakfast to Eddies - the high point of the weekend... pancakes and link sausage...yummy!!!!! Then on to the Farmers Market in the Civic Center. This is the same farmers market that I get to on Wednesdays.
I took some snaps.... here is a one of City Hall -

- notice the grey sky...... and here are some random shots of the market......

- don't these look grand and I love the way that the carrots are all tied up in the back - and.....


these lovelies - I am not too sure what they are - bitter melon? or what you would do with them - boil, fry, poach, serve cold, shred - who knows.... If you know please let me know as I would love to try them!!


Aren't these squashes just gorgeous all tumbled together. We took home a ton of veggies and some beautiful brown organic eggs and of course some Kettle Korn - god knows I needed a treat after Saturday. We also stopped off at the Antique Mall we like to go to - didn't buy anything but we love to just look around. The rest of the day was spent watching movies and finishing off an exchange I will be getting into the mail tomorrow.

There you go - our less than perfect weekend - as I said before we are going to try again next Saturday... never say die!!! We will be watching the weather all week.......

Take care,
edgar

Friday, September 11, 2009

What to do when it gets warm in SF

GR&DF yesterday we had another sweltering day in the low 80's - so that prompted us to make a detour on the way home and head on over Mitchell's for some high fat deliciousness!!!!! The flavour we picked was....

White Pistachio - and is it ever the taste treat of the moment!! Not only is the ice cream super creamy but with all the pistachio nuts you get a crunch fest in every bite!!! You know I am kidding about the weather - for the few warm/hot days we get the majority of the time it is cool and wonderful. I heard on the news this morning that today will be another scorcher - anywhere from 80 to 90 degrees depending on where you are in the city, but like last evening it cooled off really quickly. Then this Sunday they are predicting rain - and it is way too early for the rainy days to begin!!

I did want to thank you for the kind comments about Blogging - I am in total agreement - this should be treated as online journalling for the writer and the friends that read them.

I have been working on some exchange pieces this past week and not making too much headway on them - I have also picked up an olde but goodie WIP/UFO that I have been trying to put a few pieces of floss in every night - no snaps - but it is coming along.

Has everyone been following the Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow Block postings that are going on over at Karen's Blog - I am just quivering in anticipation over this sucker!!!! When block nine posted yesterday I just about lost it - I love that block and I love that barn Block.... The only questionable one is Block 8 - the Carolers. I don't know what to think as IMHO it does not seem to go or fit with the other Blocks. Oh well - it may fall into place for me once I see the entire piece.

Tomorrow is the big Yard/Garage Sale over at Dale's - we at dragging over most of the stuff tonight so that it will be waiting there in the morning. It will be one long day I think!! I am just looking forward to getting rid of a ton of stuff and having a few extras bucks in my pocket!!

That's about all Sports Fans!! Have a Great Weekend!! I did want to say a big Welcome to the new readers and commenter's - I do appreciate the time a trouble it takes to comment.
Thank you one and all!!!!

Take care,
edgar

Thursday, September 10, 2009

A Christmas Ornament Arrives

GR&DF thank you all so much for the wonderful heartwarming comments. They do make my morning!! I am sorry not to have posted yesterday but I didn't get in until after 8am and was just so behind I didn't even get to open sweet Blog all day much less post anything. The reason I was so late is I had to stop off at the lab at Davies (a hospital) to have some vampire drain three tubes of blood and.... putting it delicately - "wet in the well" (an expression of my Dads) or I should say "cup" - I have physical coming up next week and this has to be done a week in advance so that the Dr. has something to look at. So I guess it was a good thing I had a really long post the day before.

Talking about Blogs.... recently I have been seeing and reading more frequently on different boards and places about blogging - and there are both positive and negative reactions out there - but I am just amazed at those that do not care for blogging or think it silly or presumptuous of the writer to write a blog - I so enjoy Blogging and treat this space as a sort of ongoing life diary. I enjoy meeting new Friends through this space and doing all the exchanges we all do - and seeing the stitching we are all working hard on - It is amazing how many people are such downers out there!!! My answer for those people is.... if you don't like them then don't read them - and don't rip on those that enjoy them!!!

I think I will just move on to a nicer topic - Yesterday when I finally got in - On my desk was a package from Shay. She was my partner in the Christmas Ornament Swap. When I opened up the package I was just blown away - here is a snap -


This stitched over one lovely is just beautiful. The linen Shay used glistens and is shiny gold but you can''t really tell in the snap. You all know how the Noah Bible Story is a favorite of mine and she has not only included him but some of my favorite animals - red birds, sheep, deer AND a Quakery swan - It is simple beautiful - Thank you so much Shay!!!

I did want to mention how much your positive comments meant to me about the Quaker RR framing I did. The frame I found on Saturday - as you know - at a house sale. I am always on the look out for antique or older frames. It is amazing where you can find them - in piles in the garage in boxes or just piled in a corner - or like this one just hanging on the wall. I just walked over and snatched it off its hook paid the lady at the front and was on my way..... as most of the estate had been pretty well picked over or what was left was lovely but way out of my price range. I didn't have a clue it would fit anything I had in the TBF (to be framed) pile when I bought it. Even when I got home and cleaned it up a bit with some wax and Windex I still did not think it would fit anything. As it sat there I got to thinking about what pieces I had and thought I should just try the Quaker piece et viola it fit! I do buy frames just because they a pretty or think at some date I might have something to fit - right now I do have a few frames that are sitting in the closet waiting for pieces to be stitched for them.

I think that's about it for today Sports Fans!!
Thank you again for stopping by and your great comments!!

Take care,
edgar

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

It was a Fun 3 Day Weekend!!!!

GR&DFF the three day weekend is over - and now it is sad Tuesday. Well, maybe not that sad!! We had a great three days off - doing our usual thing with a twist on Saturday.

We ran around to many garage sales and a few Estate sales and I picked up only a few things. It is amazing how reticent I am and think twice before I buy any little old thing. The cleaning and sorting is still going on and our second spare room is full of boxes and bags and piles of stuff for the upcoming yard/garage sale... but let me get back to one of the things I picked up...

This great frame - and it fit my Quaker RR piece perfectly - I was so excited about it when I got it home. In this snap I have blown the colour and bright so you could see some of the frames detail. The frame had its original old picture in it with the old backing and judging from the clothes I would think it daates to the late 1880's. Here is a close up of the faux graining and the great band of gilt shamrocks -

Here is a shot of my big purchases....


This shows the frame as I bought it with the photo - I also bought an old souvenir plate from SF and a squirrel tea pot. I bought the tea pot for a friend who collects squirrel things. It was a pretty lite day for getting stuff - but like I said shifting through the piles of my crap I am thinking - do I need more crap??? I also tackled a bear by going through my four bookcases and sifting out the books I don't want. I now have three big boxes and two bags of books to sell. I am thinking of dragging them to a used book store first to see what I can move there before Saturday. We also tackled the storage area under the staircase - and I saw stuff come from out of there that I had totally forgotten about - what was I thinking!!! Keeping all that junk! Now all that is left is to got through the upstairs hall closet and the two closets in our bedroom - what a nightmare that will be!!!! The hall closet is packed so full that I haven't a clue what is lurking in there!

Now back to Saturday - for lunch we stopped on Geary at Kitaro. A sushi place - yummy!!! Dale and I love sushi - Rico is not the seafood fan that we are so he passed. Here is a snap of the Mexican and 49'er rolls I had -

Rico had chicken Teriyaki and so I took a snap of his also -

The vegetable tempura was really delectable!! We parked outside of a this bakery -

and stopped in on our way back to the car and I am so glad we did.
Everything was just great and I brought home these....

From l to r three large shortbread cookies two with chocolate and one with white icing. Three little pieces of short bread and a great mince filled scone!! That scone was just perfect and the mince was all holiday tasting. Rico and Dale do not like mince and I think it is not for everyone but I love it and loved this pastry!! We will go back!!

After lunch we where finished with second hand shopping but the day was so nice we decided to plat tourist and drove over to Pier 39. Being that the Bay Bridge was closed kept out of the city many who would have come over and the Pier was not as crowded as it could have been. I took quite a few snaps....
This is how pretty the weather was and you can see the east bay in the back. We stopped in a Christmas Shop and I couldn't resist taking some snaps there...

There was a large Jim Shore display - here are the Fall/Thanksgiving things...

Some really cute Santa's...

a few of the Disney pieces.... Also in this Christmas shop - or I should say Holiday Shop they had set up a super Halloween town...



As I was walking out I turned a corner and stumbled onto...

The Jim Shore Halloween stuff - who knew!! We also stopped into the "bulk candy shop" - and did some damage....

They have barrels of candy and the salt water taffy is just so pretty in all its pastel colours. On the way back to the car it was time far a snack and what better than fresh little donuts - hot out of the vat o'grease!
They are just a mouth full each and I popped one in and burned the crap out of my tongue!! Crossing over the pedestrian bridge back to the parking lot I took this snap of the less than packed pier -

It was a beautiful day on the pier but out on the Bay was another thing....

This is looking towards the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz -
the fog was pushing in and blotting out the sun.

There you go sports fans - a fun day and a great weekend!!
Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

Flowers and Fruit

 Gentle Friends, I wrapped up the centre square stitching... here's a snaperooo... ... I thought about straightening up the baskets and ...