Winter in Palm Springs

My sister and I spent the afternoon in Palm Springs. It was sunny and not too cold eventhough there was snow in the nearby mountains.

A man offered to take our picture with a statue of Sonny Bono. Sonny was the mayor of Palm Springs until he died tragically in a skiing accident in 1998.


We stopped on our way home to get a couple of pictures of the snow capped mountains just as the sun was going down.

"A Stones Throw"

This past Sunday we went to my sister's art reception that was held at The Brewery Annex Art Complex in Los Angeles. She was one of the artists juried into the show by The Los Angeles Printmaking Society of which she is an active member. She is a talented artist, and I am very proud of her.

The Brewery Art Complex is a large artists colony located in the Los Angeles Lincoln Heights neighborhood and is home to about 500 artists or art-related businesses. The complex itself is made up of more than 20 former industrial buildings, including a former Pabst brewery and Edison power plant. Pamela's art show was in the Edison building.

Help Me Name This Woman

As I was saying in my last post, I like to buy photographs of people I don't know. I bought this little tin type today because I thought it would be perfect for a project. It measures 1.75" x 3". It isn't in the best shape, but the price was right. From what I understand, tin types were used from the 1850s until the early 1900s. Taking ones photo was certainly a planned event - no digital snap shots there!

I want to include a name for her in my project and thought perhaps 'Sarah' would fit. She probably is wearing her best polka dot dress. I wonder, did she make it, or was it 'store bought'? She looks groomed without fuss, and her hands look as if they were used to doing work. Was she married with children, and where did she live? What is 'Sarah's' story? Can you help me name her?

A Game of Tag

I was tagged by Cindy at Mixed Grill Favorites. I enjoy following Cindy's blog, and it turns out we live only 25 miles apart, so maybe we will meet someday soon.

The Tag rules are a simple few so lets get started:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag two of your other online art friends

Six quirky things about me:

1. When I was a little girl, I thought I could grow up to be an Indian or Annie Oakley.
2. I have four brothers and three sisters all younger than me.
3. I love black licorice and eat way too much of it.
4. I buy photographs of people I don't know when I am shopping in antique stores.
5. I have collected enough vintage fabric, lace, buttons and photographs to last a lifetime.
6. My husband, John, and I share our home with two cats - Licorice and Tiger Lily (Lily).

Tag You're It - I choose two talented ladies, Skye and Stacy.

Road to California

We have been home for over two weeks now, but I haven't done any posts during that time. I thought I would share some of the photos we took on the trip from KY to CA. We like to see different things each year that we make the trip.

The first morning on the trip we were surprised to see the Weiner Mobile. Sure brings back memories for me. Do any of you remember it? It had a message about voting written in tape.

In Memphis, TN we spent the day at Graceland, Elvis Presley's home.

The front and back of Graceland.

The living room, dining room and the bedroom on the first floor were the only 'normal' looking rooms we toured. His parents used the bedroom when they stayed with him.

Bedroom where Elvis' parents stayed




















Elvis' gold suit and a sample of the suits he wore in his Las Vegas shows in the late 1960s and 1970s. I was fortunate enough to see Elvis three times in Las Vegas over the years he performed there. He was an excellent showman and he could really sing!






















Little Rock, AK is the home to the Clinton Presidential Center and School of Public Service. It is a wonderful place to visit.

The Clinton Library building is very modern.

The School of Public Service building is the renovated train station.

Replica of the Oval Office during the Clinton Presidency

There were numerous display cases, but I liked these items that belonged to Hillary Clinton when she was a little girl. She must have worn those little shoes often.

In Old Towne Albequerque, NM we spent a lilttle time looking around this beautiful old church that has been an active church since 1706.

The grounds and courtyard were beautiful as well.

Also in NM near Grants, is a small town of yesteryear named McCartys. On a buff above the decaying houses is a still active church - "Santa Maria Mission". The church wasn't open, but I was able to take a picture through the window.

In McCartys these old house are rock and adobe plastered.

Santa Maria Mission in McCartys

The last photo I have to share is taken of me standing on a street corner in Winslow Arizona. It was already dark when we found the corner so it is not a very good shot, but you can get the idea. The corner was created to honor the lyrics about a Winslow, Arizona street corner in the Eagle's song "Take It Easy". That is a mural, including the windows, painted on the side of a building. I'm standing next to Jackson Browne who wrote the song.

My Kitties are Ready to Go

I put a few boxes out to pack up items I want to take back to California, and Lily promptly packed herself! This is a big trip for my two kitties twice a year, but I think they do pretty well. They seem to like both houses and adapt right away when we return to each one.

Lily is posing on the wicker chair that she thinks I fixed just for her.

Licorice likes to sit on the little TV in my sewing room to sun herself.

Kentucky Log Cabins

Here are a few more pictures that I want to share with you. This group is log cabins that are built from hand hewn logs. The first three cabins are located at Saunders Springs in Radcliff, KY. They are cabins that have been relocated log by log. The third cabin is currently being reassembled and each log is tagged with a code to help ensure that it is done correctly. I will take another photograph next year if it is finished.

The last cabin is the Lincoln Heritage cabin at Freeman Lake in Elizabethtown, KY.

Aren't they beautiful?

Abandoned Charm

I took a few pictures over the past few days that I thought I would share with everyone. This group features abandoned buildings - commercial buildings, homes and barns. I am always struck by how beautiful they are, and how nice it is that they are still standing. Everyone may not share this idea. But, after looking at these pictures, you may just change your mind. Enjoy!

Flagstone Walkway &

Boardwalk in front of hotel.



I understand that this was a hotel at one time. Big Springs, KY

Side view of hotel

Tiny yellow house on creek

building with creek running behind

Various barns and houses -