The second bloom of a Christmas cactus:
Always great food. Today, potstickers and veggie bars, margaritas (yum!) and wine.
For dessert a tropical bread with pineapple, coconut and macadamias.
Great friends and conversation – the perfect way to start the new year!
Author Archives: arletelouise
From the Sewing Cave
This is for a friend’s KitchenAid mixer. She wanted burlap, but with the open weave, I had to get creative. Also, none of the free patterns available online would have fit the mixer, so I measured and made my own. I “quilted” the burlap with layers of batting and muslin underneath.
Pie Making Day was the lining and I finished the bottom edge with a blanket stitch.
New Year’s Day
The Christmas lights came down this morning, the roses were pruned midday … time to mow under the walnut trees.
And if there were more daylight hours available, he would have found something else to do.
New Year’s Eve
My favorite way to spend New Year’s Eve: spend the night at Dave and Phyl’s, have appetizers and drinks, and watch movies.
On the town with friends
The town being Rio Linda, the bar being the American Legion. Friends L-R: Hilda, Lucy, Jim.
Jimmy and Ed:
Walnut crop 2016
Once I felt I’d recovered enough from my bicycle crash, I had to get out to the walnut trees and get the absolute last of this year’s crop. The grass had grown quite a bit, I raked the leaves the best I could, but the best way to discover all the fallen gems was to step carefully. Lots of bending over!
I gathered about 55 pounds to make the grand total this year 560 pounds!
Happy Birthday Val
The second annual birthday party for Val at Maria’s.
Great conversation, champagne, a little dancing (as long as Alexa cooperated with verbal commands), and delicious food.
So much fun!
Pie Making Day
From the Sewing Cave: two sets of four open-wide zippered pouches from a collection of fabrics called Pie Making Day by Brenda Ratliff.
There were 11 different fabrics in the collection.
Once nested, they were reduced to this.
Christmas Day
We had brunch at Justin’s house.
A nativity scene to play with.
Going for a ride in Grandma’s new Walnut Wagon.
Another way to transport onesself.
Sophia read to her brother, Bill O’Reilly’s book Give Please a Chance.
While Mom and Uncle Justin discussed a landscape design plan,
Sophia and Avery investigated a dirt pile.
Christmas Eve
At Leah (Lenin’s sister) and Jeff’s. Cousins! Avery has his hand on Leo’s head, Sophia is open-mouthed, Cameron is wearing a hat, and Lauren and Jeffery are to the right.
Prime rib for dinner!
Cousins Jeffery and Christian check to see who’s taller.
arletelouise 