Dear Jackie & Lisa Book #4 & 5

I am very behind on sharing about my reading. I actually have finished 2 books though in the last month or so.  One that we read as a church and at Sitigroup called "Walking into Walls" by Steve Arterburn.  It was pretty good although to be quite honest it was not the type of book I like to read it was very self-helpish and I didn't find myself that interested in it although I stuck with it and finished it off and I'm working on trying to "break down" those walls. 

I also finished "Object of Beauty" by Steve Martin (yes the actor), which is quite the opposite of the other book.  It's fiction and kind of raunchy at times.  This is also not the type of book I like to read but I was suckered in by the font on the cover in an airport last year and I only just now finished it.  This book does talk about art a lot in detail and street at as well and I can't help but wonder if the street artist mentioned in it is real although I have yet to look it up.  

Anyhow that's that! I'm way behind on reading and I think unless the book is really fantastic and worth talking about in the future I'm only going to make a list here on the blog and save my time from telling you about books that I just don't LOVE.

Happy Reading I hope you girls are further along than me.  - Katie

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Favs on Friday - Yellow

Today my favorite thing is Yellow.  I got in early today - heck yes! And then they gave me this ridiculous yellow car - which I'm totally loving and then I saw my yellow tulips which did not grow last year but did this year.  Yellow is just so spring!  See more favorites here. 
PS- Fun stuff happening this weekend (as usual) however pending ridiculous work I'm hoping to blog more regularly this week.

Happy St. Patrick's Weekend!

I was home this weekend and it was GORGEOUS.   Lita came to town to hang out with us and we got together with some friends.  The whole weekend the weather was literally like summer in March.  So we spent a good deal of the weekend outside and it was AWESOME - my sunburn didn't even last.  We played ladderball down by the river, ate dinner outside on the patio, we wore green, went to the st. patty's day festival, there was soccer and football in the war memorial mall, we walked to the yogurt shop.  I was reminded that any coordination/athleticism I have has gone out the window with my 20's.  It didn't last nearly long enough before I had to catch a flight out of town but it was - Good times. 
(all photos were taken on either mine or Jono's iPhone - thank goodness for the instagram app).  

Never Say Never and/or Yes That's Right

When I wrapped up my last assignment in Massachusetts - I didn't exactly say Mass and I were thru but it felt like it was the end of an era.  I said my goodbyes I made plans to not return but rendezvous with my friends outside of New England.   I left knowing my next big assignment would take me elsewhere - it was a done deal.  Well hah! Sometimes that's not how it works.  And sure enough I am back although it's a different project,  different tool, different faces, a different experience.  When I first found out I was disappointed (I'm not really sure why) but I'm not anymore - it's supposed to be a short stay here  and I've already made 10 new friends and seen another 10+ of my old friends.   So it's been good. 

As much as I was fighting it I think this assignment is exactly what God wanted for me.  I wasn't supposed to take that other job.  This is exactly the right amount of challenge, with exactly the right amount of fun.  My passion for being on the road is renewed and I look forward to enjoying the next few weeks in the Boston Area.  
(PS the photos were all taken on my iPhone the last two weeks I took a handful of others that I might have accidentally deleted although all my photos are sorted funny so maybe not).

The Chandler Travis Philharmonic

 Sometimes you plan to have dinner in a diner and you find a gem like the The Chandler Travis Philharmonic. I must admit I was a little confused when we walked in and found a crew of people in their pajamas hanging out in the diner.   And then they started playing and doing their thing and I was impressed.    It was a great way to return to Boston.   If I am still having 1/2 as much fun as they are when I'm in my 60's then I will have had a blessed and awesome life.   If you are interested you can check out some of there music here.

Goodbye Silicon Valley

I'm a little behind on blogging.  But I have left the silicon valley and am in New England with a "smidge" of the midwest mixed in for the next few weeks.  

 I had a great time with the Wagner's in their full house.  It wasn't a vacation but rather just working from a different location.  Everyday I worked, I kept right on running and found interesting things in the neighborhood.  I did a lot of shopping although I bought very little.  Thea and I quilted.  And I watched more television than I have in years - American Idol at that - I still have to say it's not really my thing JLo is just goofy and Steven Tyler weirds me out a bit - but the Wagner's love it so I enjoyed watching with them.  Also notable at the end of the trip Grandpa, Thea and I took a trip to Cirque du Soleil's Totem show which was fun it was very interesting those performers are  crazy strong - it was a fun adventure.  I recommend it to anyone who has not gone before.

Thanks much to Thea and Paul for having me I miss you already!

Bird Quilt for Sara quilt #3

Over a year ago my Aunt Thea and I decided we needed to make my cousin Sara a quilt.  Sara and her family opened her house and life up to us for several months back in 2010 and several times since then.  Well we finally did!  Better late than never.  I hope Sara loves it.

I wanted to use a fabric I had from grandma's stash and I found this awesome bird print it's the "brown".  We mixed it with several other bird prints and found a "pattern" to hack from pinterest.  And away we went.  I rather like how it turned out even though these weren't exactly my colors.  I do however love how the Ikea orange print worked with the other prints.  Anyhow I love how it turned out and quilt #3 of 2012 is done.

This is the quilt that was "hacked" it's from the house that stash built.  We reversed the prints and the white.

More photos found on Thea's blog.

To the Beach

Thea and I went to the beach the other day.  It was a lovely day a bit too cold for swimming but this is northern California if it had been about 15 degrees warmer outside and I had my suit I would have gone in though - seeing as it's no different than Maine or UP water.  We went to a Pescadero Beach which is just along Rt 1 and we too some road thru the mountains to get there which was a beautiful drive.   It was nice to just put my toes in the sand and water on the Pacific especially since I know I'll see the Atlantic soon.  We saw TONs of jelly fish which really just looked like clear jello - I almost didn't really think they were jelly fish but I wasn't going to touch it and see.

 The water was also kind of sudsy in areas although I'm not sure why.

 The shoreline reminded me a bit of Rhode Island or Dover but not really the same except for the cliffs.

Two Months Down

Not to check February off like a to do item but it's done. It was even busier and flew by faster than January. 

In February... 

I did new things

I perfected old things

I ran

I smiled a lot 

I stayed up way too late talking on the phone with friends

I cried 

I laughed 

I missed my MA people

I cherished my IN people

I bought new running shoes

I documented life

I went to coffee shops 

I still don't drink coffee

I had girlfriend time x 10

I worked a lot

I made time for not working

I was content 

I was fidgety
I enjoyed the super bowl

I loved my super city

I spent over half the month at home 

I spent the other half in the Silicon Valley

I went to the beach

I saw quilts

I hung out with the Wagners

I loved February

That was February it's over and done time to "March On". 

Anyhow here's a quick Da List update:

I only completed 1 item officially:

• #12 Visit Thea and Paul 

In Progress:

• #2 Study the Bible More
• #11 Run 366 Miles - Today was 95 for the year (INSANE)
• #22 Monthly Hikes with Momo
• #35 Spring Break Montreal - Dates picked
• #44 10 Crafty Projects
• #47 Document Life
• #50 Read a Book a Week
• #51 Monthly Videos

(Photos are random snaps from February)

San Jose Quilt and Textile Museum

One of the places I have visited while here in the Silicon Valley is the San Jose Quilt and Textile Museum.  It's not a very large museum but it was worth a trip to check it out at least once.   

The main exhibit was from Quilt National I think and it featured many modern quilts which I was happy to see.   Also featured were quilts made by the local women's shelter and and some artsy quilts.    I found it interesting most of the quilts in the main exhibit featured solid fabric, hand dyed, or painted.  There was very few actual print.   Anyhow here are some of the photos...

I am not a fan of hand dying but I did like the quilting and piecing in this one.

 This one was white on white but check out this intense quilting.  I wish the photo was better so you could get the full effect.

 I loved this little skinny striped pieces to this gridlike design.

 This quilting was also awesome. 

 This one the fabrics are all hand painted.  I'm not really into painting fabric but I to like the use of improv piecing here.

 This one isn't actually half square triangles but the design could be achieved in the same manner.

 Rachael this reminds me of your tiny triangle project. 

 More interesting improv piecing the quilting on this was also insane every like 1/3" - which defeats the purpose of using this as a blanket but whatever.

Anyhow if you live in the area or are traveling here you might check it out but as a TIP it's $8 to get in or free the first Friday of every month.