It never rains in California....it pours!

 So today started off just the same as any other hot August day...sunny and hot...we went for our morning walk and then Don went off to help a friend finish a covered porch...I went off to the post office and grocery store...then started my sewing...too hot to garden...then what happened..the room started getting dark...the TV flickered a lot...I listen to the news or Pandora when I sew...then I heard loud noises on the roof...

 I went out on the front porch to this craziness!! It was pouring...

 Yet when I looked to the west...I saw this!

 When I went to the back yard...I saw this!

 Can we say flash flood...

The good thing is... I don't have to water for a few days...the bad thing is...I called Don to warn him about the rain...had it started there yet?? He got soaked...and the framing job...all tarped over for now. And the flag pole you saw in the previous picture of the blue sky...I heard a bang and pop...its on the ground now...bent over from the middle...maybe the lightening hit it...not sure...I called my neighbor...no one home...I hope that's all the damage they had...or anyone else for that matter. 

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Gardening thoughts....

 When I'm out in the garden alone in the morning...I have time to think and reflect on my life....

 how lucky I really am...

 I forget that at times during my day to day life...we all struggle...

 some more than others...

 Things have never come easy for me...

 or my sons....

 but we plug along...

 never giving up...

 always keeping the faith...

 and realizing...

 that we are loved...

 and needed...

 we all have gifts...

 and we are blessed...

 One of the gifts I was blessed with was patience...

 and sometimes it took a lot to complete this back pack! I have changed the pattern many times...but I think I'm finally happy with the results now!

 It's been hot here the last week...106 yesterday...not really too bad for my neck of the woods this time of year...but I thought my gals could use a cool loose dress...

And a hat to shade their necks!

It is back to school time here as well...I have no idea why school seems to be starting earlier and earlier...and getting out earlier...this is the hottest time of year here...well at least I can wear shorts to class! Although the air conditioning is so cold in class that I nearly froze yesterday! I'm learning more each day...and I can't wait until next semester because that when all the basics will be done and I can start on desk top publishing and computer graphics!! I just hope this old brain can retain all the knowledge!

Not much else happening around here...I garden, I sew, I go to school...and we are getting  ready for a couple craft fairs next month and October...I am looking forward to Fall...when the front door can be opened all day...and the breezes turn from hot to cool...and I can enjoy sitting out on the back porch during the afternoon instead of inside with the a/c on...but enough of me...I hope your days are full of wonder...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Been playing with dolls...

 I have been having a great time here this week playing with these gals...

 Making all sorts of outfits...

 It has been so much fun!

I added them all to my Etsy shop...I hope they get noticed...there's lots of American Girl clothes in there...but it has been a lot of fun...so I think I'll make some more and see how it goes...funny thing is...I have found myself talking to these gals...asking them what they think...crazy...huh! They just seem to be happy all the time. I hope you enjoy my creations...and if you know anyone in the market for doll clothes...I hope you recommend my shop...

In other news...I think Summer has found us...we've had a mostly mild Summer...but things are starting to heat up...I knew it couldn't last! We start back to school on Monday at 8AM...looking forward to that...Don and I will be in the same class...but not taking the same course...but it will be nice to ride with him again...he even carries my book! I know what you're thinking...gee...she's a lucky gal! I agree!!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Saturday morning ramblings...

 Does anyone know what type of bird this is? I showed them on an earlier post...I thought they were gnat catchers...but this morning this one was on the lavender again...I git a better look at it...for some reason it let me get a lot closer this morning...its bill is too short...

 He's really tiny...about half...maybe even a thrd the size of a finch...almost the size of a large humming bird...

 I have looked through my bird book...I can't figure it out...he's not from around here I guess...I think I should send an email off to the local Audubon Society...maybe then I'd find out...but until then...he's welcome to all the lavender he can eat! I have plenty to share!!

 Here's another visitor...this may be a moth for all I know...but he's pretty! We get tons of monarchs and swallowtails...but they are so hard to get a picture of...he was too...he just kept flying around...finally I was quick enough!

 This is where I was all morning...trimming and cleaning in my side flower bed...

 It gets pretty thick in there...everybody wanting more space...

 These are one of my favorites in the yard...we call them Summer Snap Dragons here...don't know the real name...I'm lousy about that...

 Here you can see how small that little butterfly is...there were quite a few in here...along with a carpenter bee that just wouldn't sit still for his picture...I must have tried for 10 minutes...no picture...just a bunch of misses...

 For a while I have been thinking of adding American Girl Doll clothes to my Etsy shop...I started my shop about 3 years ago with mostly tote bags and such...I love making them...but after my doll carriers came into the shop...and have been so successful...I thought maybe doll clothes would be fun to design and make....

 This is my first attempt...the fabric is sort of like a seer sucker...all bumpy and light...I put a velcro closure on the back....I looked at the clothes that came with the dolls...and that's what they have. I just wish I had a surger...I had to pink all of the seams and press them open and it isn't easy with this small of a dress...but it needs to be neat on the inside too!

I also made a little tie for her hair...it can be used as a head band, but since I wanted to show the dress...I tied her hair into a pony tail...I made this flower pin...I thought it looked cute in her hair...but it is nice on the front of the dress too...what do you think? I am going to try some more before I decide whether to add these to my shop...Don thinks its cute...but he thinks everything I do is wonderful...gotta love him for that!!

I would love your input...it means a great deal to me...

I've got to admit...playing with dolls is pretty fun...many of you know...I had two sons...and I have played with dolls in a very long time!

The weather has been pretty darn wonderful of late...I have been gardening a lot...walking a lot...and just enjoying life...we keep really busy here...even though I may not leave home...except for my walks...for several days at a time...I am a homebody though...so it suits me. I'm lucky to have neighbors who are also my friends...so there's always someone around to talk to if needed. I do wish, however, that my sons  were closer...its hard having them 150 miles away...well...its back to the yard for me...the back flower bed is beckoning...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!! 

Making Fall mats...

 I can't believe I am posting 2 days in a row! I haven't been blogging as much as I want to...or reading your posts near as often as I should, but I wanted to show you what I have been working on today...I am making more little mats...these are quite simple...but fun and fast! These will be for Fall. I had all sorts of 2 1/2 inch strips that my sister gave me a couple years ago...I'm thinking it must be left over from a jelly roll...I never turn anything down when it comes to fabric...so...I have enough to make these two and a ton more!

I just noticed this is a lousy close up...I blurred it somehow...oh well...a photographer...I'm not! Now that everything is sewn together I'm getting ready to quilt them...I'm just doing a plain yellow backing...I couldn't find anything in my stash that matched...the yellow blends...and it doesn't show anyway...I'll show more later...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!! 

To the quilt fair....

 I went to the Long Beach International Quilt show...so sad...its the last time they will be here in Long Beach...but I had fun...met some interesting people...actually...we planned to meet...this is Paulette...the first time I met her and my sisters, Cindy and Debbie...

 I saw lots of awesome quilts....

I was a bit disappointed in the small amount of vendors there...I save for this and Road to California...I cam home with most of my money! I did buy an awesome book...but I'll have to show you that later...I haven't taken a picture yet...anyway...it was nice to go...spend time with the girls...see lots of pretty quilts.

August has started out pretty nice here...the weather has been amazing for this time of year...cool mornings...great for our daily walks and gardening and not such hot afternoons...back to cool evenings. Now if the rest of Summer stays like this........well..............it would be perfect!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!