Fun Weekend, but Summer's over!

This weekend we went to the lake - something we always love. The original plan was to buy an insert for the fireplace and to take the boat out on the water, espcially since it just came back from the shop. We did get the insert, or at least ordered it to be installed next month. It was an odd thing to buy on a day that was 99 degrees, but they had a good deal going and you know how that goes. We never got the boat out on the water because the weather threatened rain and lightening everyday. Actually there wasn't much rain, but there was enough lightening to start several fires in the area. We noticed evidence of one after leaving the canyon on our way home. The hills were black down to the back of the orange groves along the road.

Here's a picture I took Friday night when we walked in Riverside Park at sunset. The sunset was beautiful and the temperature was perfect.

Another thing we did on our way home was to go to Fort Tejon State Historic Park. We pass it all the time and have never been there. We heard that it is one of the state parks that will be closed due to budget cuts and decided that we should check it out while we have the chance.

This fort was in a great tree-lined meadow in the 1800s,

but today you see the freeway from the porch of the Captain's house.

It's the building in the back.

The barracks is the original building,

with a little restoration.

 Inside the barracks you can see what it was like for the soldiers.

No beds, just these rolled mattresses.

 I loved this handmade sewing kit.

And of course I noticed the quilts,

but I'm not sure the patterns fit the timeline of 1854-1864.

 We've decided that we should look at that list of state parks closures and see if there are any other parks we can visit before they close (like Palomar), especially if they are close enough for a day trip. Maybe even take the Harley!

The weekend is over! Summer is over!

Tomorrow it's time to get back on track with my weight loss. I've (we've) put on a few pounds this summer - I wanted to lose more, not gain it back! So, summer's over and no more messing around. 

More pictures of the cruise still to come and after that I should be finished going through the pictures from New York and New England. It was such a great trip and there are quite a few I want to share. I think I've learned my lesson about not waiting so long to get through the photos that I take. It becomes such a chore when it piles up.

Later,

Sherry

Thinking of 9/11

With the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11 in just a few days I am remembering our recent visit to New York City. I remember seeing Ground Zero and I was surprised there is still construction at the site and in the surrounding area.

Since we're going to the lake for the weekend (& internet is iffy there) I thought I would post a couple of pictures I took on that visit before we leave.

Ground Zero

If you look close you can see a banner on a building in the back.

This ship, being welcomed by Lady Liberty, was bringing in the team that took down Bin Ladden. Later we saw the guys at the top of the Empire State Building when they pointed to the ship and said it was theirs. We told them we saw them come into the harbor that morning. They said they weren't actually on the ship that morning, they were being interviewed when it came in.



Love to all "my fellow Americans"  (and the rest of you too) as we remember those who lost their lives that day.



Crusin' On

Continuing on with photos of Nassau, the first port, and then on to the second port, St. Thomas. 

The day in between was a sewing day and we all got started on our 'Mai-Tais in Paradise' quilt. (No Marcy it doesn't look like a MaiTai - it's a scrap quilt, but you gotta admit it's a fun name.) I won't be posting any pictures of it because we don't ruin the fun for the November cruise that will be making the same quilt, but I'm sure I'll post a picture later on (maybe even finished).

It was so beautiful and calm and  good to have nice weather after Hurricane Irene. And even though it was very humid - we lucked out!

Here's the lighthouse in Nassau.

Everything is so blue here.

 The view from our window at dinner.

Grace is dancing with our waiter Kissy.

There were many nights that we danced around the dinning room. Fun!

 Here is Bonnie's Hexagon Quilt in progress.

The one I'm making is very different, but just as fun.

 Our ship. I took this while shopping on St. Thomas Virgin Island.

 The bay at St. Thomas.

From the boat that took us to St. John Island - the pirate cruise.

 

This bird flew in front of the boat looking for fish, would dive for them and then get back in front looking for more. 

I think I want this house.

Check out the steps and ladder into the ocean.

St. John's National Park 

I took the tour of the park and Grace went snorkeling in Trunk Bay.

I don't remember the names of these bays, but I want to share them.

We stopped here to check out the water.

We also got a few misquito bites from where we parked in the jungle.

 Yes, I did get in the water - kinda.

Check out this cool piece of coral Sue found.

It looks like an elephant.

Further into the jungle Kevin, our guide, shows us a termite nest.

He also passed around a can of Off so we could fend off the misquitos. 

Views from the boat ride back.



I love nature and I really love our National Parks. This one was "our" park because it was the US Virgin Islands. I spent the day in paradise, took lots and lots of pictures, managed to only have one misquito bite that welted up and didn't get sunburned.

I call that a great day.

Crumbs Anyone?

OK, so I know I really don't need something else to do, but this looks fun! And who has more scraps than I do??

Jo Kramer is hosting a Crumb Along and it sounds like fun and something that won't take lots of thought or measuring while Southern California is finally getting some hot weather! That's right, I had to turn on the a/c yesterday and can't wait to turn it on today too. (I'm waiting for Ray to get up, but if he doesn't get up soon he'll probably be awakened by the a/c kicking in.)

Jo's Country Junction

Look at this fun quilt she made!

Below is one of the Maverick Star blocks I made on the cruise. I made three in all and I think they (plus many more that I still want to make) will go great in a Crumbs Quilt.

There were just so many scraps overflowing the tables on the quilt cruise that Bonnie gave us a tutorial for these fun little blocks. Regan from Floating on a Quilted Cloud and I couldn't help ourselves, we started making these as soon as our top was together and I grabbed a few more scraps to make more now that I'm home (like I needed to bring home any scraps - but hey, they were different than my scraps at home).

If you want to make some of these fun little blocks here's the link to Bonnie's Maverick Stars Tutorial. I must warn you - they're addictive. But what a fun thing to do with your leftovers!

If anyone decides to do the blocks or the Crumb Along, let me know and show me pictures of what you do. I have some patriotic crumb blocks that I need to get out and put into a quilt. Maybe now is the time to do that too.

Plus I really should get the cruise quilt together and quilted!

Plus I have a few things that I need to get done for my friendship group!

Plus a quilt class that I take is starting again next week!

A quilters work is never done! Fun!

More later,

PS: More Crumbs here from Bonnie's site: Crumbs, Crumbs, Crumbs

Crusin' Day 1

Our first day out we stopped at Nassau in the Bahamas. The water is so blue here - very beautiful!

There were lots of tourists in town, because there were so many ships in port, all looking for treasures. We shopped around, but didn't really buy anything (I know - what's that all about!). I did like the Starbucks - it was really cool in there and it smelled great. Yes, I got an iced coffee.

This is our ship the Carnival Dream.

My first time on Carnival.

 Love that blue water! (Bluebird likes it too!)

 There are so many ships here that it's hard to count them.

I think it was six; there's a smaller one in there.

It was so soon in the trip that we didn't plan any shore excursion. I supposed we missed some good stuff, but it was just too soon to think of it all. We walked around the town and saw some of what  Hurricane Irene left in her wake. It was hot and very humid; especially to us from the West Coast.
Senior Frog's was closed for repairs and there was a sort of swap meet place that was wrecked.



I'm having a hard time downloading more pictures right now. (I still don't have the hang of it on this blogspot site.) I guess I'll just post more later.

It was a great trip and a good time was had by all!



Back from the Cruise

Back from the cruise (at about midnight last night) and am resting today. Hopefully I will get to the photos in the next couple of days. It was so beautiful and we all had a great time. Now to unpack and do laundry.
More later,

Quilt Cruise

In one week I set sail on this cruise. But I'm leaving early (Tuesday) to spend a little time with Julie, Keith and the girls. Skyler starts school on Monday so it will be fun to see her reaction to first grade close up.

Grace will be going with me. I met her years ago because she lived next door to my in-laws. After my mother-in-law passed it was my idea to give Grace her sewing machine. My husband only has one brother but Grace was like a daughter to her and since I have several nice machines already she was the perfect person to get Maude's well loved machine.
Last year Grace went to Quilt Camp in Cambria (California) with me to make one of Rob Appell's Endangered Species quilts and I think she's kinda hooked. Especially with the adventure! It's fun to be with a beginner. There are so many things that I just know and don't think about anymore.

On this cruise we're not only making a quilt and enjoying all a cruise has to offer, we're going to Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. I've never been to these places before and even though I'm going on another cruise with Ray in a few months, none of these places are stops on that cruise.


I know that I haven't posted pictures from our trip to New York and New England. It was a wonderful trip and I have lots of pictures. I've had a few issues with my computer, but I hope to get to them one of these days. It was a beautiful trip and I could go back again any time (well, except in the winter).

After my brother retired, my sister-in-law told me that they were so busy she didn't know how they ever had time to work. I didn't understand it at the time, but now that we are retired I get it!

Lovin' the retired life and glad our retirement plan was to travel!