Drum fest

This is at Siesta Beach.  Seista Beach is rated as the #2 beach in the world. The sand is made from granite that moved during an ice age from Canada.  It doesn't get hot.

The young fellow with the tiedyed shirt and baseball cap is David.

The fifty or so drummers draw a circle in the sand.  They sit or stand just outside the circle and dancers and children with hula hoops dance in the circle.

This guy apparently is the leader, but anyone with a drum can join in each Sunday night . I didn't get a picture of his wife. She dressed as a belly dancer and looked like a hippy from years gone by, but I heard she is a medical doctor.

This is David's mother, Norma, She and her husband live full time in the park I am in. She is Peurto Rician.( I know that's not spelled right).  Her husband is white.  The MD bellydancer passed around the hybiscus she has in her hair.  I'm trying to freeze dry mine

We stayed for three hours and then left before the crowd. Police officers on horses patrolled the area.  The whole evening was very magical, but the beat is still in my head.

Cousins

Three grown women in their sixties playing at the beach.  It was a beautiful day and the water was warm.  The waves were quite high and there was no undertow. So these fools played like children with a blow up chair that tipped over with every wave. Strangers walking by said, "You girls are having too much fun."

We ended the day with a barbecue at Linda and Lloyd's and even more laughs and fun.  If I had known that being old was this much fun, I would have done it first.

Rose

My firend, Rose, died tonight.
I am sad.

Basking in the Sunshine

This was a beautiful day at the beach.  The sand is soooo white and feels like cornstarch.  The water was a little cool, about like July at Parlee.

Blue Jays vs Pirates

Blue Jays won 5/3.  It was a great day with Linda and Lloyd.  Seats only cost $5 each.  The sun was shining and there was a little breeze everyonce in awhile.  We cheered loudly for the BJ's

St Pat's Day Parade.

At least part of it.  IT wasn't a big parade around the park, but fun was had by all.  The guy with the big hat is from Nova Scotia and spent the rest of the afternoon singing songs. Some were even Irish.

A Quilty Week

This week I feel I am on overload with all the quilt events and things I have seen.  I am going to put a few web addresses in here so you can see some of the great things that I have seen.

The first is Fraser Smith.  http://www.gofraser.com/  This fine  looking man started carving clothing out of wood.  He carves items that people would want to remember.  After awhile he graduated into quilts.  His wooden quilts weigh about 70 lbs and have to be hung on a special hanger to support the weight.  He has sold over 50 of them and they are hanging in private homes of wealthy people and businesses and even in the conference room in Paducah.  They are spectaular.  He spent over an hour at the Patchwork Quilt Guild showing us slides of his work and explaining how he does it.  Ladies, quilts are here to stay  and they ARE appeciated.

The second was Lisa Bongean  http://primitivegatherings.us/shop/  .  Lisa gave a lecture at the Feather Princesses Quilt Guild.  I can't say I have been a fan or wool work or primitve work before.  I was enthralled. I bought a kit to do a minature (of course) and can't wait to get at it.  Her work is also above and beyond.

And lastly was of course Jo Morton Club.. I have learned so much from this group and I enjoy the girls so much.  This years club seems to be based on half square triangles, but our next project is Courthouse Steps done with one inch strips.  Here is the website.  But the pictures at these websites do not do the work the justice they deserve  http://www.jomortonquilts.com/index.php

Everyone stay high and dry this week and as far away from the Pacific as possible.  Take care

New Home

Here are some pictures of my new place.

John Smith

"Yes," he said, "My name really is John Smith.  Actually it's junior as my father was a John Smith too.  And my son is John Smith the Third."

A man about early or mid forties has a roadside second hand store.  I don't know what else to call it.  There is a building, but everything is stacked outside and at night he covers it with a tarp.  I stopped there one day looking for a fridge.  He showed me one. It was dented and quite dirty, not mildew just stuff from trees.  I think it had been outdoors for awhile.  After looking around a bit and going to other places, I decided I could clean it and get it in ok shape.  So I went back to John and asked about delivery.  John has a bad back, but thought he could manage with the young fellow he had there with him and his hand truck.  So I bought a huge TV, a step ladder and he threw in a pail.  He delievered them that evening. Teased me about my lack of furniture and brought in my stuff.

I have been back a few times looking for other things I think I need and one day there was a huge new tractor trailor in the yard.  It was opened and full of boxes and other stuffed jammed to the  limits. 

I said, "John. Where do you get all this stuff?"

He looked at me and as quick as a flash replied,  "You haven't been home for awhile have you?"

Do I have a sign written on my forehead saying I have a lot of junk and am a lousy housekeeper.

This wasn't what I was going to write about today, but    it's raining out and I have to go out and take pictures to write my next story.  So this is a subsitution.  Enjoy.