Sunday, November 14, 2010

November

Together again!  For Alan's birthday. 

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Fall?

Before living outside of California I would get so annoyed when people claimed to love it here, but they missed the seasons.  At the time, I thought "that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard".  Sitting here in the backyard because the house is too hot I now think the dumbest thing is 90 degrees in November. Fall is supposed to be a time of moody reflection and layers.  Not sweating in bed, wishing for a Chill-o.  
But the pages of the calendar turn anyway and Halloween arrives on schedule.  This year I didn't have to make anything because Theron decided to be Iron Man.  
 
 We had a little talk with him because he's not a big trick or treater.  He goes two blocks, looks in the bag, says that's enough, and it's back home for him.  Uh - uh, I told him.  You're gonna get out there and get the candy.
"But people think all little kids like chocolate and we don't".
"But I DO"
So we actually went six blocks.  Oli tried to run inside every house with a dog. 
 Sunday afternoon we went to Hollywood to see The Nightmare Before Christmas in 4D which means the movie was in digital 3D and they had special effects in the theater.  There was also a live organ player before the show - very fun.
 The picture below was taken downtown.  I have no idea what this window display is supposed to be about.  There was no sign and the wolverine looks bleached out. 
 This next picture reminds me of my Grandma.
 I interviewed her about the War years for school once and she told me how they would put makeup on their legs and draw a line down the back.  This picture is from a site called Black and WTF featuring strange old photos. 
This is the picture that got me started.  Lots of very strange and/or delightful things.  Some have information but most do not.  Expect to see many pictures of animals in clothes, nudists, and a surprising number of babies with guns.  Some of the pictures link to the National Archives in the Netherlands
Where one could just spend hours getting lost in the beauty. 

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Catching Up

I don't really know why it took so long to get back to this - we've had a few things going on I guess.  Still there's time for fun.  Theron and I made cookies tonight, for instance.
 His team, the Blue Ninjas, are undefeated.  In this picture you can see the banner Ashley and I made.  I don't love it, but it'll do.  I was really hoping Theron's suggestions of Blue Sharks or Blue Serpents would have won, but it's a democracy and ninjas are big.  I really wish I could have done the banner for the Purple Cat Princesses - how fun would that be?  Anyway, no more for me unless they happen to name themselves something like the Red Wine Stains. 
 Ash and I both went to Portland to speak at a conference.  We were all going to go up together but Theron got an ear infection at the last minute - so - flights were changed.  I went Friday through Sunday, Ash went Monday through Thursday.  I was happy to have some unencumbered shopping time, but everywhere I went I just felt sad thinking how much Theron would have enjoyed it.  So I brought him home some joy in the form of Voodoo Doughnuts.
I had to stand in a long line and it was worth it.  I got him some voodoo dolls (raspberry filled chocolate eclair in a doll shape), one topped with Capt'n Crunch, and a maple bacon bar. 

 While it rained in LA the whole time I was gone, Portland was sunny and gorgeous light sweater weather.  Fallen leaves and acorns, long, long midday shadows, and green, green everything. 
It's a heavenly place.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Summer Travels

I haven't been posting for several reasons, one of them because I was in self-imposed soccer banner hell. I finished basting the last of it together as their first game started yesterday and I'll do the real finishing today. It's not as great as I wanted but that's IT. I think it's very sweet how Ashley, though completely opposed to extra crafting, accepts this and eventually ends up enabling the completion. I literally couldn't have done it without him. I should remember this. We're like one of those "Love Is..." comics with the little naked couple. Something like, Love Is... Knowing this will not be the last time - and not running away screaming.

One thing I did this summer was a courier trip to the Navajo Nation to take two textiles made by Juanita, the wife of chief Manuelito in the mid 1800's. A very nice man named Robert drove out on a Monday, and drove us back to Window Rock Tuesday. I asked how he ended up being the driver and he said he went on vacation for two weeks (Harley Davidson rally in Sturgis) and when he got back found out he was volunteered. But he seemed fine with it.
It was a very beautiful day with the big dramatic clouds of the Southwest. Here we are still in California. Up ahead, as if the train is driving right into it, you can see a storm. It's the kind of thing that makes the desert so magical. Even if you didn't know that's what you were looking at you would smell it as you approach.

We drove through it just as we entered Arizona. Robert said when something important comes home it's supposed to rain, so this was a good sign.

More beautiful clouds outside of the Nation. Sadly because it was a courier trip there was no stopping for souvenirs, like the dinosaur fossil, meterorite, petrified wood place. I really wanted to go there...



Entering Navajo Nation




The next day Robert took me on a little tour of the place. So we saw the actual Window Rock.



We installed on Thursday. Three generations of Juanita's descendants were there to greet the truck and for the installation.






Descendants and museum staff. It was an important event for them and I was really grateful to be part of it.







Sunday, August 15, 2010

Dog Days of Summer

We went with Kate and her family to the dog beach. Nothing's more fun than an outing the WHOLE family can enjoy.Penny and Oli run with the other lucky dogs

Theron tries to teach the ocean a lesson by pummeling it with rocks


Oli played very hard, fell asleep in the car, and was toast the rest of the day.


Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Taking Control of His Mental Health: Wristband-a-phobia

Theron's summer camp went to a place this week where they got to see Toy Story 3 in 3D and then play video games. When I got home from work he was on his bed, in his underwear with his computer in his lap. I asked him about his day and he told me, without looking up.
'Did you need money for the games?' I asked.
'No, we had wrist bands but I cut mine off when we got on the bus'
Then he told me that he also cut the wrist bands off a bunch of the other kids.
'Wait. How did you do that?'
'I had scissors in my backpack'
'You did?'
He looks up from the computer
'Yes Mom. I told you I'm always prepared'.

Friday, July 30, 2010

And now we are 9



9 years ago a fair-haired little baby was born in the West Village. Grandpa Flip, Grandma Mary and Grandpa Richard came to Brooklyn to meet him. He was 2 weeks early.

He had beautiful feet and he could hold his head up right away, all the better to look around at everything.




He has always loved to read.


And he has always loved to laugh. He used to laugh in his sleep long before we saw him do it awake. And he still laughs and makes us laugh. All the time.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Work Neighborhood

This palm with the bougenvilla is visible from all over the neighborhood. It is so out of control lovely.
Coming down the hill into Highland Park these balloons look like musical notes, the soundtrack to rolling down the slope.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Summer!

Theron's room at bedtime. He is standing on his bed and does a hand sweep as he says, "Welcome to Theron's Evil Lair. Would you rather die or be read to?"

Seems like things never calm down but they are good. Theron actually got a good citizenship award at school - so proud!Here he is with his aid who is an actual angel on earth. Thankfully she should be back with him next year, too.

I'm working on new products for IVS.The fun never ends...

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Wordsmith

Theron was reading me a Batman book yesterday and comes to a part where it says the Batmobile can only be driven by a person wearing the Batsuit. "That's a good failsafe", he says. "Wait, what? How do you know that word?"
"It's common word" he shrugs.

The following story is an assignment where he had to write a continuation of a fairy tale. It is my favorite story right now, I read it over and over. Someday I hope I can write as well as my 8 year old.

Monday, June 07, 2010

Misc

Oh, geez, this has been a busy week. My friend, Yadin, and I did a program at the museum Saturday on quilt care, focusing specifically on a silk quilt she treated for us from 1892. It was very well attended and very well received. Quilters are super enthusiastic about the topic.
I spent the rest of the weekend doing NOTHING. Nothing. Nothing.
This week I actually got caught up on the obligations I had in which someone was bound to yell at me. So as of NOW, as far as I know, no one wants to kill me. Other people may want to send me sad-faced emoticons, but I'll get to them, too.
Have you guys seen the video on the Sloth Orphanage? You must see this - you didn't know sloths were soooo adorable! I want to work there!!!!
Another super great time waster... "Young Me, Now Me" photo contest. If you don't see something that makes you LOL you are dead inside. LOVE it!!!
So now I'm planning for the summer. By the way, you can't REALLY complain about the weather out here, but I do have a thing or two to say about it going from gloomy to Hades. Gasping for air in your car like a skeleton in the desert.
That reminds me - Palm Springs!!!! Must go.
okay, Summer...
- Prepare for Theron's 9th birthday! since he's been 8 for a thousand years.
- Prepare for the conference presentations Ashley and I will hopefully be approved to do with our friends this spring.
- Bake Pies. Yum!
- Grow Tomatoes!
- Have a "Try a New Recipe on Your Friends" get together.
- Cast Iron! I read a tutorial on the net called "Yes, You can cast iron!" and it was only one page, so it must be easy!
- Make my own underwear! There's a reason I have a huge bag of fold-over elastic in rainbow colors.
- Organize the garage!
- Learn to make sophisticated Jello creations! (the Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn, via The Splendid Table).

Okay, that's probably enough for now...

Monday, May 31, 2010

'Remember lad, whatever doesn't kill you usually succeeds in a second attemp' , Mr, Krabs to Spongebob as told to me by Theron so it may not be exact

I've decided I always need at least 3 days off in a row. The first day is for sleeping. Hopefully everyone in the house has been briefed on the 'if the eyes are closed DO NOT TALK to the person on the bed' rule. The second day is for getting our stuff together. And the third day is for getting things done.
And oh, my was the weekend relaxing, napping and having conversations like, 'does the dog try to French you?' (my answer was no, why?). Our baby bird is in an apparent growth spurt which added a non-relaxing element to the holiday. We always want to get the food in him so it's a happy time, but busy. They say (wrongly, believe me!) that a mother can distinguish the sound of her baby's cry in a crowd. This is what my baby's cry sounds like: "MOM???!!!! I need FOOD!!! "
Then again an hour later. 'Didn't I just give you food?'
"Yes, but I'm STARVING!!!!"
All right, all right, since you asked so nice. Why can't you get your own food, how old are you???

Anyway, here are some pictures from work.
Feathered head bands from the Amazon

Sweet little doll
Pomo basket
Plains doll



Details from a muslin drawing