tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54130124898330694442011-11-21T20:53:10.448-08:00An altered lifeLynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.comBlogger14921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-47518923384794742902011-09-09T21:48:00.000-07:002011-09-09T21:48:40.632-07:00

Note, ten years later: When it happened, we who were far away from the event were primarily numbed. It shocked, angered, and saddened us, but it hadn't at that point touched us personally, not yet. But time has passed, and now that the whole scenario is being replayed on the news, it brings a rush of tears to my eyes, a sense of deep mourning that I did not experience in this way ten years ago.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-36100911617179288352011-07-23T06:44:00.000-07:002011-07-23T06:44:32.644-07:00

Naming a pet has always been difficult for me. There are so many options, none of them sounding exactly right. I received dozens of suggestions for names for my puppy, most of them very good. I liked Gracie, I liked Indigo, I liked Rolly (and I am just now disgruntled with my laptop for somehow automatically disabling my touchpad, so I had to go in and re-enable it, fumbling around since this has

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-30711582008876685232011-07-22T18:22:00.000-07:002011-07-22T18:22:25.135-07:00

The to-be-named-by-midnight-puppy succumbs to a nap attack during a strenuous evening of supervising the Guilty Quilty Girls Quilting Guild & Stitch and Itch Club

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-59662557983992437872011-07-20T15:43:00.000-07:002011-07-20T15:44:59.900-07:00

My adopted puppy needs a name. She is mix: Malamute-Wolf-Mastiff. Some great names have already been suggested. I will probably have to put the ones I like into a hat and do a drawing. All I really wanted to do was to hold and pet some cute puppies. I should have known better than to make the visit -- I came home with one. Mine is the cute little silver girl standing next to the one dressed in

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-15609556275256188542011-07-02T17:52:00.001-07:002011-07-02T18:00:53.343-07:00

Here's a shortie: Heat and cold have an influence on accents, I am convinced. The slow-drawled vowels of the hot and humid US south have a purpose, releasing heat from the lungs and cooling the body - a kind of built-in swamp cooler. Canadians, on the other hand, chop out their words, clipping their vowels as short as possible. In this way they prevent frost-bite of the larynx and other vital

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-36564623050915044792011-06-23T22:42:00.000-07:002011-06-23T22:42:27.040-07:00

Every so often, the generosity of complete strangers astounds me. As I drove into the grocery store parking lot today, I noticed six Mexican ladies, all wearing flowery aprons, getting out of a van carrying small cardboard boxes of various sizes, each heaped with dark red cherries.  "Where did they get those cherries?" I asked aloud. "I want to ask them!" I was about to drive by, when my

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-15762790195375786732011-06-21T11:19:00.000-07:002011-06-21T11:29:33.759-07:00

In the winter I have a variety of indoor activities that I do in order to avoid the cold and wet. Likewise in summer - to avoid the heat. The rest of the time I would really rather be outdoors -- or in my studio without having to run the heat or air conditioning in that large space just for the comfort of one person, me. One of the upcoming activities, perhaps during today's heat, will be to

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-56340354702660643952011-06-18T18:49:00.000-07:002011-06-21T10:53:42.190-07:00

One of the blessings of my father is Mom - and his great love for her. My experience with my father may be somewhat rare these days. I thought of this today, when our pastor talked about the blessing that Jacob gave to the sons of Joseph, saying that our culture has lost something in our family life, in our omission of the opportunity to bless to our children. But I was blessed, very much as

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-27533752978843896532011-04-19T10:51:00.000-07:002011-04-19T10:51:33.116-07:00

As beautiful as my California poppies are this time of year, underneath hides an awful secret: gophers. Gophers have always been a problem in my garden. The first year here they tunneled through my row of soybeans and demolished every single plant. Soybean roots must be irresistible to them; they do it every time. Last year they discovered my red onions. I can't tell you how many times I went

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-84482805178238621862011-04-14T20:05:00.000-07:002011-04-14T20:05:24.266-07:00

"Want to go out on the lake?" asked my friend with the boat. Um, yeah!  The day looks sunny and warm, but it was actually about 60 degrees, so quite cold when we were going fast, but most of the day we sat and enjoyed the water - higher than usual - and the grass - greener than usual. I watched my companions skewer worms onto hooks and try to catch fish, but it was either too late or too early

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-34024662734548604242011-04-05T07:40:00.001-07:002011-04-05T07:40:17.013-07:00

A short weekend away from home, a dropped phone which resulted in its demise before the end of my contract -- and a replacement phone, have all combined to make blogging via phone easier. Yes, indeedy, I found an app. This is intro. Time for breakfast. More later!Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.8

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-16099077612379541532010-12-17T09:59:00.000-08:002010-12-17T09:59:15.389-08:00

Yesterday, in an effort to revive my long-unused phone message machine, I determined the microcassettes in the machine were not functional, and therefore decided to replace them with other microcassettes I had in storage.  Those didn't work either (I think the machine must be dead), but in the process I noticed they were not blank tapes.  I wondered what was on them. I replaced the batteries in

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-15368614699892462702010-12-14T20:18:00.000-08:002010-12-14T20:18:56.232-08:00

A LARGE WEATHER SYSTEM DROPPING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA WILL BRING RAIN... WIND AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF MOUNTAIN SNOW TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO NEXT WEEK The creek will be up five feet on Saturday (woohoo!), so the National Weather Service site predicts. It's good to have water in the creek again, after all these months of the dry creek bed serving as a highway

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-79846083157169657632010-12-13T17:03:00.000-08:002010-12-13T17:10:53.483-08:00

Nevada City, for those who can't guess by the name, is located in California.  Surprise!  Beautiful weather beckoned crowds to enjoy strolling the streets of the town, many in period dress.  Food and crafts were available in many booths, and bathroom facilities were available for those willing to stand in line for awhile.  Otherwise, you had to stand in line unwillingly. Nevada City is a

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-42346581404606410662010-12-09T08:35:00.000-08:002010-12-09T09:05:42.428-08:00

I've probably mentioned this before, but "gloovy" is a term invented by my dad, the word inventor, for describing things that are icky sticky. So there I was yesterday, shopping in Fair Oaks, dodging the town roosters that strut the streets as if they own the place, which they do.  The only available parking spot I found was under a tree, so I took it and went into the quilt shop, my mission a

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-7536015459497655632010-11-16T08:45:00.000-08:002010-12-07T09:10:48.543-08:00

I have lived in this area of California for 30 years and had never taken the opportunity to visit Sutter's Mill, the site of the discovery of gold in California leading to the 1849 Gold Rush.  The actual spot where gold was found is now a mucky puddle alongside the river, surrounded by willows, reached by following a muddy path and understated signs. The arrastre was horse or mule-driven, used

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-53691324444880273062010-11-15T08:32:00.000-08:002010-12-07T08:45:17.277-08:00

Someday I will take the time to research why there are National Parks and National Monuments, and what the difference is.  I get the feeling that National Parks have more funding, because the National Monuments I know are wilder and more natural, with fewer visitors.  Pinnacles is about 45 minutes from Hollister, not on a main road to anywhere else.  A few rock climbers were practicing climbing

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-72940788914273436792010-11-15T07:54:00.000-08:002010-12-07T08:21:46.752-08:00

Apparently my camera lens needed cleaning before I visited Henry Cowell State Park, not far from Santa Cruz on the Monterey Bay.  Photos never do justice to the giant redwoods, the incredible feeling of calm and smallness among the huge trees.  Many of the trees in this park had been harvested years previously, with a circle of large trees growing up around the original stump. The Santa Cruz

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-85181134750767817632010-10-22T21:00:00.000-07:002010-12-07T07:10:23.045-08:00

Standing atop the Hoover Dam provided a view of the scary-looking bridge, opened October 20, the day before this picture was taken. How about a little golfing in the desert?  Rabbits and road runners, wild residents of Bullhead City, are quiet onlookers, and balls flying off the course are guarded by cactus. A storm approaches from the west, darkening the sky, with shafts of sunlight

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-4914404896929918492010-10-21T20:47:00.000-07:002010-12-07T07:05:08.428-08:00

This is the Eiffel Tower.  Really.  It's in Las Vegas.  It's worth shelling out a few $$ to ride the elevator to the 460-foot-high observation deck to get a panoramic view of the city. Caesar's Palace is worth going into, even if you don't plan on gambling.  With no expense spared, it is a lush city until itself. The interior gardens and fountains were decorated in an autumn theme, with

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-43984511067278414322010-10-08T15:19:00.000-07:002010-12-07T07:04:22.965-08:00

On the return from adventuring along the coast and in Oregon, Shasta Dam beckoned. Did I say "beckoned?"  In reality, this sign is for boaters on the lake to stay away from the dam.  One houseboat broke through the 1000 line, and was firmly scolded by loudspeaker until they finally figured out they were the ones being yelled at.  Safety precautions (for the bridge), I am sure.  The staff in the

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-49938574223464240632010-10-05T14:42:00.000-07:002010-12-07T07:03:40.180-08:00

Come October, there was time to go on the road again for a couple days.  A trio of us had planned to go, but one good friend, on his way to come west to join us, suffered a stroke while driving to the airport and later died.  It is so strange to imagine he is gone.  So sad.  The remaining two of us thought briefly of canceling the road trip, but instead decided it would be a good getaway.  

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-670377542835807702010-09-15T21:59:00.000-07:002010-12-07T07:02:46.248-08:00

Dad's 83rd birthday was in September, and I was able to be there for the celebration this time.  I always enjoy the dramatic beauty of the state of Colorado.  The Grand Junction area has drama in every direction.  To the north are the Bookcliffs, named after the vertical portion at the very top of the mesa, vertical cracks making it look like a very long row of tightly packed books. To the

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-74300226536481242372010-09-06T20:47:00.000-07:002010-12-07T07:01:50.783-08:00

It was great, in September, to visit a favorite haunt of mine, Yosemite.  I don't think there was a drip of water coming over the mighty Yosemite falls, but Bridal Veil and the others were doing their best for end-of-summer flow. Visalia and loved ones were nearby, so we stopped for a lovely night's rest and visit, and took off for Sequoia.  Say hello to General Sherman (the tree).  All the

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-40673827116004625052010-08-20T20:06:00.000-07:002010-12-07T06:58:05.047-08:00

Having been in and out a lot, and increasingly frustrated with my dial-up computer, I am now at home for the present, enjoying a new broadband connection and a new computer.  When I think back over the summer and fall, it is hard to remember what I did when.  Fortunately, I have a photo record that reminds me. In July I spent two weeks in beautiful Virginia, visiting my sister-in-law and her

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-37070178440626706642010-07-08T19:03:00.000-07:002010-07-08T19:04:22.152-07:00

I was fixing myself breakfast this morning when my ears focused on a TV ad for American cheese. Now I realize I may be stepping on some toes here, but my not-so-private opinion is that if "American cheese" is the best example of what our nation can produce cheesewise, we should apologize to the world. Millions disagree with me, obviously, and you are entitled to your taste and to your cheese;

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-38209112779826344772010-07-03T21:40:00.000-07:002011-04-14T21:48:37.669-07:00

The safflower field is in bloom.  I had never seen safflower growing before coming to this part of California, but they grow a lot of it around here, rotating it with crops such as tomatoes, sunflowers, and wheat.  The plants are about four feet high, with little sharp spikes on the tips of the leaves, so you cannot comfortably walk through the field. This evening has cooled off nicely, and I

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-50323521043485032422010-06-16T11:06:00.000-07:002010-06-16T11:06:36.417-07:00

Isaac, the olive picker, came by this morning with a 5 gallon paint bucket full of bing cherries from the Stockton area.  I thought he was selling them, but no, he was giving them!  I brought out the smaller bowl and said, "Thank you!"  He insisted I take more - "Mucho mas!  Otra bolsa!"  Isaac has about as many words in English, maybe less, as I do in Spanish.  So I brought the bigger bowl,

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-87436508771534711482010-05-27T11:24:00.000-07:002010-05-27T11:24:51.835-07:00

I have set for myself what is turning out to be a bigger task than I thought.  I used to be able to sit at the computer for hours and not feel the effects, but now, in just two hours, my shoulders and neck want to be doing something else, digging ditches, perhaps, or quilting.  How could sewing be so much easier than typing?  I know - I am frequently out of my chair while sewing.  It's much

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-10127057663284900602010-05-16T16:43:00.000-07:002010-05-16T16:43:18.926-07:00

A spur-of-the-moment trip to a beautiful area near Bend, Oregon, provided some visual treats. The rippling water of the Deschutes River, singing birds, cool air, warm sun - an almost perfect day for me, but for Renae who was stung by a bee, not so much.  I gave her a little river moss to pack on the sting on her neck, and she said it helped. A pair of swans swam in a calmer part of the river

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-84011998755423011912010-05-15T18:32:00.000-07:002010-05-15T18:32:00.592-07:00

May started out unseasonably cold, but it didn't hurt the crop in the field. The safflower rows are green and lush. I took my third walk of the season around the two plus miles of the UC Davis Arboretum pathway.  Two weeks later my biggest blister is just about healed. A beautiful Mother's Day surprise was delivered to my front door.  I have such sweet girls!

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-27306854152540520872010-05-15T18:11:00.000-07:002010-05-15T18:11:55.146-07:00

Busy-ness has kept me from updating here.  Here are pieces of a few adventures in April: A visit with my good friend, Bonnie, included a little trip over the Altamont with all its windmills to Mountain View for the day. Grasses grew and trees bloomed along my morning-walk pathway.  I have since needed to mow the road to enable easier walking. Poppies bloomed in my front yard. Dear

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-51232961348552776262010-05-05T07:38:00.001-07:002010-05-05T07:38:34.342-07:00

Here's a piece of the correspondence I wrote to my quilting group this morning. Can someone confirm or deny insanity regarding these plans?Hi Crazy Friends!If we're really going to do Space Balls and pizza next week instead of quilting, it strikes me that I should see at least one episode of Star Wars first. Which do you recommend, and do any of you own a copy I could borrow? If so, let me

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-51766138723652105972010-04-06T09:41:00.000-07:002010-04-06T09:41:45.846-07:00

The good news is that family from Colorado visited all last week.  We had a great time, and the weather, while cold, was not too wet for some outdoor activities.  My sister and her husband joined me for a lovely walk on Sabbath. Here is an unposed shot. The bad news is that my tax documents have been prepared, and I OWE MONEY!  This is most disconcerting.  Plans for travel in May have been

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-58285092733024479202010-03-25T21:49:00.000-07:002010-03-28T21:37:33.067-07:00

"Haven't I seen this picture before?" Someone asks. "Sure you have, Sherlock," I say, "but that was a few weeks ago, before the leaves and berries got this big." Notice those little caterpillary-looking things hanging down from all the branches?  This year the mulberry tree will be loaded with finger-long mulberries.  The birds can have all they want so long as they don't fly over my car, or

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-88055959684203239172010-03-22T17:30:00.000-07:002010-03-22T17:30:56.052-07:00

This little train takes a 4.5 mile circuit around the meadow and through the forest.  One must be patient, because while top speed is 12 mph, the average speed is 7-8 mph. Here we stopped to inspect the traditional golden spike that was driven upon the completion of the tracks.  This weather station has a higher rate of accuracy than most. It looks like someone is getting serious about growing

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-63883387044439250072010-03-22T17:12:00.000-07:002010-03-22T17:12:43.254-07:00

I've always loved the mountains, and was happy to drive up to the Sierra with a couple of friends last Friday.  The event was a weekend prayer conference with speaker Derek Morris, author of The Radical Prayer. I've marked the inspiration of the meetings, music, and surroundings in my memory.  I am trying to forget the thin vinyl-covered foam mattress on the plywood shelf ("bunk") in the cabin,

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-91027357243988729132010-03-12T09:24:00.000-08:002010-03-14T10:28:16.468-07:00

I ran across an old post of mine from 2002, and am reposting it now since it has relevance to current household management requirements. A left sock and a right sock are quite similar in nature to the opposite poles of a magnet. They can be forced into an uncomfortable partnership, but, given their natural inclination, will tend each to avoid the other. If one is in the hamper, the other

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-64979733921071608682010-03-11T12:08:00.000-08:002010-03-11T12:08:00.376-08:00

Even though I wasn't around to encourage growth during the past week, things were happening in my garden.  The volunteer chard, inhabiting the spot formerly occupied by lawn clippings, has grown to about ten inches high.  I have a sinkful of clean chard in the Hideaway, awaiting consumption.  One must be careful of eating too much of this stuff, though.  I shall refrain from describing why. The

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-79383682789932626592010-03-11T10:54:00.000-08:002010-03-11T12:11:48.694-08:00

Sabbath was a "Fun Day at Sea," as the ship cruised back towards Long Beach.  The sun shown in the morning, but the farther north we traveled, the more clouds filled the sky.  We found a quiet corner in the small library and had a devotional together, reading from a book about the attributes of Jesus.  Much of the remainder of discussion and prayer had to do with Weimar Institute, since a couple

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-33850238926724453292010-03-11T10:30:00.000-08:002010-03-11T10:30:59.444-08:00

One of the tenders, loaded with passengers, leaves the Carnival Splendor for the dock. In the evening, no towel creature adorned either of the beds, and we thought we might have already enjoyed the last one of our cruise, when we suddenly noticed this mummy looming above us.  I think it is supposed to be a monkey.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-35298558934712645992010-03-11T10:16:00.000-08:002010-03-11T10:16:39.343-08:00

This one could be called the Glass Bottom Boat adventure.  Instead of docking at shore where we could just walk out of the ship, here we had to take tenders to get to shore.  I'll share a photo of a tender in a later post.  For the first time, the four of us decided to do an adventure together, but after getting ashore, it took nearly an hour for us all to find each other.  It turns out one had

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-45848247521117621732010-03-09T12:38:00.000-08:002010-03-09T12:38:14.315-08:00

From the deck of the ship, looking at the opposite site of the bay from where the town was located, a very colorful community was visible. About this time, I started thinking about nail polish remover.  None was to be had on board ship, the ship's stores all being closed, and it was probably unlikely that they would carry anything quite so practical, tending more toward the souvenir, T-shirt, and

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-15716471547032295782010-03-09T12:18:00.000-08:002010-03-09T12:18:48.197-08:00

We could have spent several days in old Mazatlan, touring more of the old sites in the area, but we were ready to return to the ship for lunch.  While on our walk back, we took note of the colorful houses along the way. Back inside the area reserved for cruise tourists, I made a sudden decision to have my nails done in a tiny shop in the bright yellow building, to the left above. She asked

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-14729242303329477902010-03-09T11:42:00.000-08:002010-03-11T16:19:59.901-08:00

This morning, Thursday, we decided to forgo the buffet breakfast and eat in the Gold Pearl restaurant on board ship, hoping for a menu that varied from the daily breakfast buffet fare.  Though the meat options might vary a bit from day to day, that didn't help our vegetarian palates, and the vegetarian options were always the same.  In the Gold Pearl, we enjoyed pleasant company at our table, but

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-54554390710464158432010-03-08T21:20:00.000-08:002010-03-08T21:20:24.628-08:00

At day's end, after safely having been returned to the dock area in a real bus, we walked along the beach and took this shot of the ship as day turned to dusk.  Our room was located on the verandah deck, which is where the balcony rooms are located.  Our room was one of the inner rooms, without window or verandah, but perfect for our trip. This time our chocolates were delivered by an elephant

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-73970158734867592602010-03-08T21:10:00.000-08:002010-03-12T09:05:14.813-08:00

I have already written about our zip line adventure.  Here is photo proof, as much as could be managed.  Because we were not allowed to take our cameras - both a safety and photo marketing issue, I believe - I don't have any actual photos of me on a zip line, but here I am in my gear, below the cable on which our guides demonstrated what we would be doing.  We had four young men working with us,

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-4996890481665134762010-03-08T20:46:00.000-08:002010-03-12T09:46:26.459-08:00

The ship is vibrating as I write this from my pillow, and I believe it must be docking in Puerto Vallarta. I will get up and see it I can take some pictures. A view of Puerto Vallarta from the ship. Kathie was still sleeping, so I went to the upper deck to get a glimpse of the surroundings in the morning sun.  The port at Puerto Vallarta is mostly surrounded by American- looking buildings,

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-34445202582808677932010-03-08T11:48:00.000-08:002010-03-08T11:48:14.460-08:00

I was awake long before our breakfast, and wished I had downloaded some podcasts to listen to. Eventually we were both awake, went for warm water, and walked the jogging track on level 14 until we decided we should eat breakfast at 9:30 in order to fit lunch in before the Lido buffet closed at 2:30. We ate on deck 10 in order to sit by a window, but since it also overlooks the Lido stage and

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-90716214270247075392010-03-08T10:25:00.000-08:002010-03-08T10:25:47.593-08:00

Monday and Tuesday were both scheduled as Fun Days at Sea. On Monday I woke up earlyish, feeling nauseated by the rolling of the ship, though I had enjoyed the motion while in bed.  I showered, considering whether lying down on the floor would take away the feeling of vertigo.  Kathie and I drank some warm water with lemon on the Lido deck, and took our exercise walked back and forth on the

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-90359361102656751712010-03-08T09:27:00.000-08:002010-03-08T10:09:09.320-08:00

After boarding the Splendor, Kathie and I went to the Lido deck and sat by a table at the window, and eventually the others in our little group found us.  We tried to arrange to have our scheduled dinner time at 6:00 instead of the 8:15 time given us, but were unable to make the switch due to the popularity of the early dining time. Dinner concluded about 10 pm, which Kathie didn't attend

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-47201070871159865702010-03-08T08:56:00.000-08:002011-04-14T21:58:39.877-07:00

For those who need a picture of ziplining, here is one of the locations where we had our zipline adventure - though if it had been a photo of me, you'd see a much more relaxed person having fun!  I think I swallowed a bug during one of my exuberant whoops.  These lines are really fast, with the zipline crew having a foam braking system to stop you short of running into a tree at the end of the

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-48287554004713081292010-03-05T09:37:00.000-08:002010-03-08T09:30:29.536-08:00

One of my friends, in consideration of the fact that I was an English major in college, wrote to ask me the rules on the usage of commas, semicolons, and colons. Most everyone has a general idea about when to use periods, commas, and question marks. Anything beyond that is what I think of as "exotic" punctuation. My rules on basic punctuation: 1. Use it. 2. Not too much. 3. Not too little.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-1727446606818818342010-03-05T09:22:00.000-08:002010-03-08T09:04:24.490-08:00

Please forgive me if my Spanish is faulty, which I am sure it is. We are wandering through El Viejo Mazatlan without benefit of guides, fellow Americans, or much Spanish, on a quest to repair my shoes.  Found el zapatero with the help of many locals along the way, each giving different directions - all because there are many zapateros, I think, and found a little shop where the broken sole of

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-44462675590364455632010-03-05T04:57:00.000-08:002010-03-08T09:05:19.967-08:00

I have been sending variations of this particular adventure to family and friends, and to save on further emails will conclude with posting it here. Kathie and I had a great time on the zipline yesterday. The tour was 12 ziplines, zigzagging back and forth across a deep jungly river chasm (dusty under the undergrowth), the longest line being 650 meters. This zipline "canopy tour" is advertised

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-26723621346877716432010-02-28T14:56:00.001-08:002010-03-08T10:04:37.099-08:00

This was my first experience at Long Beach airport, and it would qualify as almost tiny. They are doing everything they can to accommodate more passengers than the terminals were originally designed to handle, so much of the place has a temporary, makeshift aspect. Inside, the terminals were occupied to capacity with humans, and since it was cool and breezy outside, people were lining the floors

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-10006923671994003052010-02-23T22:31:00.000-08:002010-02-23T22:31:28.015-08:00

 Daffodils are beautiful, need no care at all to speak of, and show up in my yard early every spring. When not pressed into farm duties, the old Massey Ferguson lounges under the oak and almond trees.  The trailer has been in the family since early Loma Linda days when it was new and its yellow was a perfect match for our yellow and white '57 Ford Fairlane.  It has crossed more state lines than

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-57449837258425902892010-02-23T22:01:00.000-08:002010-02-23T22:01:51.522-08:00

A couple weeks ago, buds on the almond trees were ready to burst open. On Valentine's Day, right on schedule, many of the trees were in full flower. Pink ones, too!

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-49009502904816755892010-02-23T09:38:00.000-08:002010-02-23T09:38:14.840-08:00

When I was a child, Americans still dressed up to go places.  I was thinking about that as I worked with my citrus trees on Sunday.  I'd looked at my fifteen sadly naked citrus trees, leafless due to the heavy freeze earlier this year, two of the smaller ones probably dead.  Citrus tree bark, more of a thin skin, is sensitive to sun scald.  This is one reason why citrus trees in orchards are

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-29617427189861646432010-02-17T20:05:00.000-08:002010-02-17T20:05:19.027-08:00

No matter what Phil said this year, the daffodils are blooming -- I will post my traditional photo soon -- as are the almonds, following their usual tradition or bursting into bloom about Valentine's Day.  The grass is green and thigh-high where it grows wild along the roadside, and the temperatures have been in the 70s. I have been so involved with projects that I haven't had much time to write

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-10375436172707989462010-02-05T12:10:00.000-08:002010-02-05T21:05:21.790-08:00

The squeamish will not want to view this photo. Oh, sorry. Too late. The CD is in the photo to give you an idea of size. Alek was rather noncommittal when he received my praise for having killed the rat, possibly the same critter that chewed through the hoses of the van.  His hunting success allayed my suspicions about his intelligence following his recent attempt to enter the kitchen

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-51712319265692741132010-02-02T11:59:00.000-08:002010-02-03T12:05:42.484-08:00

On leaving Ashland, OR, Monday morning, after a pleasant weekend visit with the kids, the highway south looked slick with rain and sleet, and by the time I reached the Shasta area, snow was falling.  Around Dunsmuir, the mountains looked mysterious in the mist.  This looks like a black and white photo, but it isn't.  It was just a gray kind of day.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-45452827992568350522010-01-31T12:06:00.000-08:002010-02-03T16:21:30.013-08:00

Sass's apartment is a cute little former garage and includes living room/kitchen, one bedroom, a sleeping loft, and a creative bathroom added on outside.  The shower is immediately next to the toilet (toilet gets a regular washing), and the sink, as you can see, gets its water from the flushing action of the toilet.  Quite convenient, as long as one doesn't mind cold water.  Not until seeing this

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-86934224396339331982010-01-25T23:27:00.000-08:002010-01-25T23:27:27.639-08:00

  I was so busy trying to wipe raindrops off my camera lens, in addition to holding the umbrella so that it wasn't in my photo, that I didn't discover until later that my panoramic shot didn't get the entire arc of the rainbow.  It was much more colorful in person, and the faint double rainbow slightly more vivid than in these shots.  It was great to see both ends of the rainbow sitting in my

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-54760935748322755192010-01-15T20:18:00.000-08:002010-01-15T20:18:27.869-08:00

It was going to be a simple, one-stop trip:  Run to the District Office, sign up again to do substitute teaching - in order to pay the vet bill, so I told my vet.  Last school year when I signed up, it was a simple one-page form, and I was done.  No one doubted my truthfulness or character.  The changes this year are profound; perhaps the TSA has moved into the school system, and next thing

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-6777428591285293982009-12-31T06:40:00.001-08:002009-12-31T06:40:32.193-08:00

Beautiful day skiing at Powderhorn yesterday. This tree by the Powderhorn lodge entrance has the same coat of snow as the runway here in Grand Junction, where I await my flight for home.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-68195322275853034462009-12-24T04:39:00.000-08:002009-12-24T05:24:42.311-08:00

The last time I looked at the thermometer, yesterday noon, it was 35 F, and the snow was melting faster than one would expect for that low temp. Already the beautiful accumulations on the tree branches were gone, and driving down the country roads was no longer the slippery slidey experience it had been earlier in the morning when we went to the airport in the 4WD to retrieve my temporarily lost

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-28779594538347824472009-12-23T08:49:00.000-08:002009-12-23T08:51:18.426-08:00

Here is the beautiful view outside my Grand Junction, CO window. And I'm here with my California wardrobe...

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-75052949414242347022009-12-21T13:35:00.000-08:002009-12-21T13:35:09.269-08:00

 This handsome pair showed up on my doorstep.  Perhaps someone can help me identify them. Invading viruses (probably a cold) have made it wiser for me not to kill myself making Christmas presents, so the nephews will each get an envelope with $ in it.  They will probably like the money better anyway.  Maybe I will make a little treasure hunt for each of them, to make it more fun.  *bing* (idea

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-32523761829703713832009-12-17T10:22:00.000-08:002009-12-17T10:22:44.902-08:00

Preparing for group to come over tomorrow night for eats and Christmas Carol Singalong.  Need to make sure there is room in the house for traffic flow.  Lessee... Take craft supplies back out to the Hideaway where they belong, and where the air has warmed considerably since our freezes.  Check. While doing above, noticed willow leaves on driveway as "slippery as snot" -- a phrase formerly used

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-69347189371005765712009-12-16T12:40:00.000-08:002009-12-16T15:51:40.924-08:00

I am reviving my morning walks, broken off when Mattie the dog died.  I miss my walking companion.  Winter is here, with its overcast and periodic drizzle.  Winter lasts about a month here, I think.  All that's needed to make this type of day delicious is a lovely fireplace to warm myself by.  Well, that's not all, but it's a beginning... I can't quite decide what is wrong with my shoe-sock

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-44841873765443234422009-12-11T11:17:00.000-08:002009-12-11T11:21:33.969-08:00

News reports earlier this week predicted loss of 80% of the mandarin crop by local growers. I picked all mine the day after the first deep freeze, when two additional nights with temps in the low 20s for hours were predicted. Predictions were correct. My mandarins are in the right wheelbarrow.  I also picked the 24 pomelos, also in right wheelbarrow, in addition to about half the navels, all

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-27562419294161863562009-12-04T07:08:00.001-08:002009-12-06T16:29:46.019-08:00

For months I have been needing to buy spray to reduce the coddling moth in my apple trees. I'd looked at OSH once, didn't find what was needed, and finally went again, thinking I'd just not looked hard enough. I was wrong. But there were other items that enticed me, which led to other items I purchased. I put a heavy bag of gypsum in my cart (for once I'd picked up a cart, though when you go

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-18039176231085708532009-12-02T22:24:00.000-08:002009-12-02T22:59:48.218-08:00

Photo: Sassafras painted this tile when she was much younger.I often feel rushed in December, and this year have more reasons than last. I could delineate all the reasons, but won't. You should thank me. You're welcome.2008 has been an interesting year. Perhaps I should review it. Someday. Someone suggested using this last month of 2009 to get a jump on 2010. I'm not sure of the benefits

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-65488739882493576612009-11-30T14:06:00.000-08:002009-11-30T14:10:11.413-08:00

I haven't done much writing here because I've had a couple of weeks without a safe and reliable furnace (men working on it again today, fourth day of work, not all consecutive), and my fingers get frozen while keyboarding.By tomorrow I hope I will be warm and breathing good air - minus the carbon monoxide and nasty-smelling chemical fumes that have been haunting me for more than two weeks now.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-12590897642537430742009-11-24T08:38:00.000-08:002009-11-24T10:12:19.562-08:00

Since blogs are publicly viewed, writing here, for me, has great limitations when it comes to revealing my innermost thoughts. I know there are many out there who bare all, but I am not one of them. Instead of sharing my current pain of loss, I will share what I received via email from my dear sister-in-law (slightly edited):One day a woman's husband died, and on that

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-61740402863199468082009-11-23T10:44:00.000-08:002009-11-23T11:01:49.216-08:00

While waiting for my new furnace to be installed, the one that will replace the life-threatening carbon-monixide producer I currently have (on which, by the way, I am getting a second opinion), I am wearing extra layers and thinking, "This isn't so bad. I could keep my house at 63 degrees all the time." Yes, that's right, I am risking life and limb in the mornings by running the heater just

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-71414572978974618452009-11-12T12:52:00.000-08:002009-11-12T15:04:46.990-08:00

Maybe that's why he is so pale.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-9737630403317154722009-11-12T11:33:00.001-08:002009-11-12T11:33:52.767-08:00

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-39855382382898451632009-11-12T09:49:00.000-08:002009-11-12T10:54:09.586-08:00

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-38214724122334696962009-11-12T08:53:00.000-08:002009-11-12T08:54:05.391-08:00

Riding the ferry from the Mare Island boat terminal to San Francisco.

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-21435659888077919492009-11-02T21:52:00.000-08:002009-11-04T23:16:23.207-08:00

It's hard to believe I've lived in California's Central Valley for nearly 30 years, and this is the first time I'd heard of the Sikh parade that takes place in Yuba City. I had to look up some info on Wikipedia, the "quickie pedia," and this is what I found:Yuba City is known for its sizeable Sikh community. The Sikh population in the Yuba-Sutter Area has grown to be one of the largest in the

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-84299243478969319752009-10-31T15:33:00.000-07:002009-11-06T20:49:32.073-08:00

I have changed the template for this blog to a basic Blogger design, since "Template by ***" at the bottom of the previous design has always bothered me. Perhaps this template will be more comment friendly. One can only hope. I've always been puzzled as to why I can comment on some Blogger blogs and not on others, and why some people can comment on mine, but not very many.When I have time, I

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-69152824802032124162009-10-29T08:06:00.000-07:002009-10-29T09:43:34.042-07:00

If you are personally over the handshaking method of greeting (it's so last millennium), what do you do when someone smilingly sticks a possibly flu-ridden hand out, or even grabs yours? I'm beginning to feel a certain sympathy for Monk and his hand wipes. Which introduces another question: How effective are hand wipes?Some ways one might avoid shaking hands:Carry a purse in each handPark your

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-21807705719121901272009-10-24T18:43:00.000-07:002009-10-24T19:00:01.712-07:00

Here she is, looming over my head.And here she is, right after being spray polished. As I was sayin' last time, about the ongoing science experiment in the upper corner of my bathroom -- that spider about whose existence I forget until I'm brushing my teeth or doing my hair and am either too tired or too hurried to run out to the garage for some real spider killer -- anyway -- over several days I

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-4040365331580656922009-10-21T23:22:00.001-07:002009-10-21T23:22:11.872-07:00

* Suddenly realized today that my years spent alone in this house, in this place, are greater than my non-solitary years here. Not that I'm so solitary; I have lovely and loving family and friends.* Garage doors - one that wouldn't go up, and the other that wouldn't go down - both fixed yesterday.* Citrus trees mulched with wood chips.* Toilet in Hideaway bathroom leaking, possibly for days;

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-85162761815232854432009-10-11T08:56:00.000-07:002009-10-11T14:03:30.579-07:00

The sun couldn't quite beat out the overcast beach skies on Jenny's wedding day, though only a couple miles away the sun was shining brightly. We all gathered down on the sand, happy to be down at ocean level instead of up in the parking lot where the wind was raising goosebumps on everyone's skin. We waited by the crashing waves while the wedding party descended.Walking through the sand was

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-52327035057218148232009-10-05T11:41:00.001-07:002009-10-05T12:06:25.644-07:00

My apple peeler needs a new blade. I wonder if they're available. I should've taken a picture of the resulting pie. It was beautimous.Today I am canning apple pie filling. I can't use my slicer, because most of the apples are windfalls, and the peeler-slicer works well only on perfect apples.Today is Dump Day - It will take several trips to handle all unwanted junk of mine and neighbors',

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-23172893054879681652009-10-02T14:37:00.000-07:002009-10-02T14:57:03.494-07:00

A day after hearing on the news that there is a crisis in the dumped-off pet department, with people not being able to afford feeding their pets, a couple of stray half-grown pups appeared in my yard. The neighbor girls were thrilled, I not so much. I had to take a dozen pictures before any of the photos I took were not a plain blur of activity. These dogs are quite responsive to instruction,

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-50800024310969047562009-09-29T10:30:00.001-07:002009-09-29T10:38:50.715-07:00

I just discovered that I made a serious error when it came to reporting my grape jam making yesterday: I had used Ball Natural Gel pectin (not the liquid kind), not Sure Jell. This became obvious to me when I opened the package of Sure Jell pectin, and the directions were entirely different. I have now corrected that post.Now I must go to town and see if I can find any of the Ball kind of

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-77791270254225171012009-09-28T22:09:00.000-07:002009-09-29T10:41:41.293-07:00

This post has been corrected for brand of pectin used.This morning I made two batches of Concord grape jam, one with Ball Natural Gel No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin, and the other with MCP pectin, a brand I have used for years quite satisfactorily for pomegranate and plum jams. The Ball batch of Concord grape jam was perfectly delicious (I added one cup sugar per four cups juice). The other batch,

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-86878445028766374662009-09-25T21:51:00.000-07:002009-09-25T21:53:55.858-07:00

Sometimes I agree with the "Simple Inspirations" at the bottom of my blog.And sometimes I don't.-

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-63267164791660854852009-09-22T15:48:00.001-07:002009-09-22T15:59:51.861-07:00

This evaporative cooler allows you to work outside in comfort, even on 100-degree days. In addition, indoor cooling bills can be lowered, allowing user to participate in indoor activities with the thermostat set 5 to 10 degrees higher than usual.Supplies List:Hose attached to faucetHot body clothed in cottonPlastic or waterproof shoes (bare feet also acceptable)Hot, dry airInstructions:Take body

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-62184635515333933912009-09-17T21:54:00.000-07:002009-09-17T22:10:29.154-07:00

So there I was, needing a rest from moving tables, sweeping, mopping, and polishing the Hideaway floor. I go out to check emails in the hammock under the sycamore tree, the one whose peeling bark reminds me of a snake shedding its skin. The little neighbor girls are about 20 feet away, all their playhousehold goods set up for housekeeping.I sit on the hammock and rotate my body around in order

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-41492400664316489182009-09-17T13:35:00.000-07:002009-09-17T13:48:44.050-07:00

I can now stay logged in to Blogger. Hallelujah! I wonder if the comment glitches are also fixed, but I suspect comments are working now (hope hope). Click on comments below to test.Other suggestions for improvement on my wish list include:1. A page for blogger authors on which all comments from all posts were listed in the order the comments were made. If someone comments on an older post

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-60189432601337583602009-09-15T23:26:00.001-07:002009-09-17T21:53:59.105-07:00

During my evening's rare viewing of the Jay Leno show in which Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz were being interviewed (are they an item? Help me, I'm lost when it comes to celebrity news - maybe it's because I really don't much care) -- Leno asked Cameron what TV show she was embarrassed to admit watching. "The Real Housewives," she responded. "I like it because it's so real. You can't write that."My

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-71499353626105355072009-09-14T22:52:00.000-07:002009-09-14T23:33:55.396-07:00

What a perfect day! It's lovely to be able to leave the house open to the air day and night, with the air temperatures just exactly right.Saturday night I got a call from a friend, Maggie, who started off by asking, "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Now, that question is just fine coming from a female. Coming from a male, not so much. I guess the problem is that when a man asks, you hate

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-66334656304517914842009-09-11T20:36:00.000-07:002009-09-11T21:21:44.672-07:00

A lot of people thought we had a lion in camp last weekend, when friends brought their dog, Rowdy, a Golden Doodle (Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle). He weighs 110 pounds, bigger than either of his parents.After a bit of frolic in the mud, Rowdy looked like he was having a bad hair day. Rowdy, by the way, loves to water ski.I got to stay in a tent trailer for the first time. It was a good

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-52608178100851858832009-09-10T09:25:00.000-07:002009-09-10T18:42:31.020-07:00

Sunset view across the creek: I arrived home to find the sunset skies influenced by the southern California fires. In Colorado, smoke from those same fires had filled the air so thickly as to obscure the mountains only ten miles away, but here the smoke only influenced the colors of the evening sky.As you can see, the sunflowers were harvested in my absence, the land tilled and prepared for next

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5413012489833069444.post-83744040525235986012009-09-10T08:46:00.000-07:002009-09-10T18:43:07.791-07:00

Our Colorado adventures included a visit to Filoha, near Redstone, CO, owned by our friends, Barney and Dorothy Johnson, who were in Addis Ababa with us those many years past. It was about 20 years ago that we stayed at Filoha for our annual family vacation and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings for a week, biking, hiking, and four-wheeling. This time we again had a great visit, and when we

LynnDelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10768805817727296634noreply@blogger.com0