Some April Photos

I played golf on Wednesday at Monarch Dunes, a relatively new course down in the south part of San Luis Obispo County (near Nipomo). It's a beautiful links type course - very difficult. Lots of water, dunes, blind shots, tricky greens. But we had a great time. It's only a mile or so from the ocean, so there's usually a lot of wind. In fact, you can see the Guadalupe-Nipomo dunes area and the ocean from a couple of spots. A pastoral scene close to Paso Robles. You can see how the hills are beginning to lose their green and take on that California summer look! I think these are some of those "Happy California Cows." It's nice to have such bucolic scenes so close to town.

We Played!

Yesterday we drove up to Carmel to play golf at Rancho Canada Golf Course. The day before had been a scorcher...100 degree temps up and down the coast, but yesterday was foggy and cool, actually not bad weather for golf. The course is beautiful, laid out along the Carmel River, which we crossed several times. The cottonwoods were "cottoning" and it looked like snow on some of the greens and the Pride of Madera and rhoddies were in bloom. After golf, we drove "up valley" to the very small community of Carmel Valley Village and had dinner at a great little cafe. Then the 2 hour drive home. A very nice day. That's such a beautiful area.

A beautiful pink rododendron

A par three over the river... I made it over!

From the 1st hole




Pride of Madera

DAnna and Tom at #18

A Strange Visitor

While enjoying a beautiful sunset as we ate dinner tonight on the patio, we noticed several very large flying insects flitting around the verbena. After doing a little research on the internet, I think they might be "hummingbird moths". They are almost as big as hummingbirds.
Here is the photo I took of this insect.

And here is a photo from the internet.

ATC's

I made my first ATC's (Artist Trading Card) for a trade. They are small 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" cards. The theme was "Spring Recycled" We couldn't buy anything new, but had to use what we already had. So I recycled some dryer sheets by fusing them together, stitching with metallic thread and coloring them with water color paints. Then I added some "stuff" that I had hanging around (beads, flowers, ribbon, tulle, glitter paint, etc.). It was a fun assignment and a good way to use up bits and pieces of stuff. I'll trade these six, and get back six others! Click on the photo to get a close-up look.

Kitty Massage

Breakfast Guests

The Ladies visited us this morning for breakfast!

Spring Cleaning

Doesn't your screen need a good cleaning? Click here

www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf

Guess What?

We may be going to China this fall. The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a 9-day trip in October. I think we're going to do it! I went to China in 1983.....but Tom has never been, and this will be the first trip out of the country that we've ever taken together (not counting Mexico).

Golf Tuesday

Today was our ladies day at the golf course. It started out sunny, but became increasily cloudy and by the 10th hole it started to rain. We toughed it out and finished our round surviving wind, rain and a very slow foursome in front of us. My golf bag blew over twice and I lost my cute kitty head cover, but we finished! (I went back for the headcover....kitty is soggy, but safe!) Did I mention that only 2 of us finished!! I guess the rest of the gals had better sense! :-)

DAnna and Linda

Miss Kitty doesn't like being wet!

Things I Like About Morro Bay

Pretty Flowers

The "Rock"

Lunch at Giovanni's - shrimp tacos today!

The Wildlife......a loonAnd sea lions.

Kayaking on the Bay

And looking at all the boats.

I love going to Morro Bay!

Golf Tournament

Yesterday and today I played in a golf tournament - my partner, Marjorie and I won 3rd place in the 1st flight! Just braggin' ! DAnna and Marjorie

Would you believe I stayed up late last night and painted this picture? I didn't think so. Another example of what you can do with a photo and Adobe Photoshop. What fun!

We Didn't Start The Fire

You'll be singing along with this one!

http://home.uchicago.edu/~yli5/Flash/Fire.html =

Photo Fun

I've been playing with my photos on Adobe Photoshop Elements. The first photo is the original. This photo had the cutout effect applied. Palette Knife applied to this one.


Stained glass effect applied to this one.

And watercolor effect applied to this one.

And three more effects

Spring Wildflowers

The lupine and poppies always look so pretty together - guess it's the contrasting purples and oranges that play off of each other. Along Highway 41 going to Morro Bay there are several nice patches of lupine and poppies.

A Hillside of Lupine

Pink Ice Plant found near the ocean.


Sailboats on Morro Bay

Spring Storm in Oklahoma

This doesn't happen too often! This is a photo of my cousin Bill's yard in Henryetta, Oklahoma. Just the day before the redbud were blooming! The little car that's buried is a little Nash Rambler. And here is a picture of my friend Jane in Tulsa - looks like she's digging the snow!

And how are you spending your Saturday morning?

This is what we're doing. Or rather, the plumber guys are out there installing our brand new water heater, to replace the old one (only 5 years old) that sprang a leak last night!

Fabric Postcards

Here are some of the fabric postcards I've received.

The Bluebirds Have Returned

For the third year in a row, a pair of beautiful bluebirds have chosen our birdhouse in which to raise a family. They didn't choose the "real" bluebird house which was purchased at Wild Birds and is specifically designed for bluebirds....oh,no!They chose instead the "ornamental" birdhouse that we thought was for decoration only. Maybe they like it because it matches their feathers!
Anyway, they have been busy bringing twigs and grasses to make their home more comfortable. Once the babies have hatched, we help them out a bit by supplying freeze dried worms (yum).

Are you about finished there?

What a beautiful house - I love the color!

I think this one will do.

Where do you want this, honey?