The Coy Pond

Tap Tap Tap

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:29:00 +0000

...Is this thing on?

Sorry we've been so quiet at the Coy Pond lately! Bruce has been crazy-busy, and I have been in pregnancy sickness haze. It has happened both times I've been pregnant -- when I'm in the throes of misery, I just don't feel like doing anything, especially anything creative. I just sit on the couch and whine, and have no energy to do anything at all. I'm coming out of it and have a lot to share, but first things first: we're changing our blog format soon! We have some really great free blog software on our web server, and I have a little time now, so I think I want to customize it to make the Coy Pond a more unique place. So, I am hoping to move this blogger-blog to a different location on our server, so it can still be accessed as an 'archive'.

Just a quick update: My pregnancy is progressing satisfactorily, although I've been sick a lot more (and for a lot longer) than I was when I was pregnant with Jarrod. My doctor has put in her bet; she is 75% sure we are having a girl this time. I'll be OK with whatever, though it would be fun to have a girl. We'll hopefully find out for sure on Monday, May 4, at our "big" ultrasound. I'll be sure to post those pictures, whatever blog I have running by then... I promise!

We also have TONS of pictures to post: Jarrod's birthday, Easter, trips to parks, etc. We promise to try to be better about keeping up! Back soon! :)

I Hate Technical Terms

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Even though I'm pretty sure everything is OK, I'm still a little nervous. I can't help it.

I'm pregnant.

According to how things get dated based on my cycle, I should be around 9 weeks right now. So, I was scheduled for my first ultrasound yesterday. We've had a fairly crappy week here in the Coy household, I was looking forward to some good, positive news to turn things around. While I didn't get bad news, I didn't get what I wanted, either.

I took a pregnancy test on 1/16, before we went to Oregon, and it was negative. I figured that, according to dates and my cycle, that must have meant I didn't get pregnant this time around. I would have been about 4.5 weeks at that point, if I was pregnant, I should have been positive by then. But I kept "feeling" pregnant, and took another test the morning after we got home, 1/22. That one was positive.

When I had my ultrasound yesterday, everything was where it should be. Things were developing, but only measured 7 weeks. I am pretty sure I saw a heartbeat, and the nurse said she saw it too, but she said at that stage, she cannot determine definitely that it was the baby's heartbeat and not my own. Honestly, I saw the heartbeat from a couple different angles, I am pretty sure it was the baby's... but she wouldn't say for sure, and she must know, right? She said she could not be sure at this stage (7 weeks). It was too early. So she scheduled me for another ultrasound in 2 weeks, to "confirm the viability of my pregnancy".

I really hate that. I mean I really, really hate those words. I didn't want technical terms, I wanted warm fuzzy solid good news.

Considering everything logically, it actually completely makes sense that I might only be 7 weeks pregnant. My first positive test was just over 3 weeks ago, and I tested positive with Jarrod at 4 weeks. 4 + 3 = 7. Also, I thought I was totally getting away with a milder case of pregnancy sickness, because as I told Bruce earlier this week, "I was way worse by week 9 when I was pregnant with Jarrod!" I probably wasn't any worse than I am now by week 7 with Jarrod, especially when I think about it and remember it getting bad by week 8. Sigh.

I was nursing when I got pregnant, so it is entirely likely that my ovulation was delayed. Sorry if this is TMI for my male readers, but that's just the way it goes. I'm having a catharsis post. I need it. Anyway, my cycles had returned several months before we got pregnant, but they were not at all regular. So ovulating 2 weeks later than I thought is not out of the range of possibility -- in fact, it's likely.

It is completely possible that I am 7 weeks, not 9.

Here are the reasons I am on edge about this whole thing:

I thought the heartbeat could be seen earlier than 7 weeks. I guess the nurse wouldn't have said otherwise if that was always the case.
If I am only 7 weeks pregnant, that adds 2 weeks more pregnancy sickness to my future, and I do not like pregnancy sickness even a little tiny bit.
I hate, absolutely hate the fact that the nurse could not "confirm the viability of my pregnancy" -- even though I am pretty sure everything is OK, how can I feel totally comfortable until I know for sure?

Should everything not be OK, I'll live, and we'll try again. I'm sure we'd have no problem, as both times we've tried to get pregnant, it's taken all of one month. I just really hope this one works out. I want to be pregnant now. I am pregnant now, of course -- I just want it to stick. I want my next ultrasound to be tomorrow, not 2/26, which seems like an eternity from now. I just want to know, ya know??

Although signs point to everything being OK, I am still nervous. I would appreciate prayer, for the health of my baby-to-be, and for the strength to deal with whatever comes my way.

Is This Thing On?

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:03:00 +0000

Sorry for the extended silence!!

A lot has happened in the Coy household recently, and we'll share all that with you soon, I promise. I just wanted to make sure you know we didn't forget about the blog. :)

A more interesting post is forthcoming within a day or two.

You're All In Trouble...

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:29:00 +0000

I just learned my 3-year-old point and shoot camera has video capabilities. Not the highest quality to be sure, but... good enough!! :)

Beware this and future posts in which I will post videos of Jarrod doing very normal stuff, just because I can. Because he completely cracks me up all the time. Please excuse my PJs. Yes, they are the flannel teddy bear pair I mentioned a couple months ago. I haven't posted anything about them because I need to remake them in a smaller size first. (Hard to believe, I overestimated my size?!)

Anyway, behold Jarrod, playing with toys, then noticing me!

Winter Afternoon at the Park

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:13:00 +0000

Well since the park is only 5 minutes from home, why wouldn't I go take some photos on a late winter afternoon, when nature deficit disorder is calling me. The light was pretty dark on this afternoon and my lenses weren't fast enough most of the time, but it was still a lot of fun.

But I heard all sorts of great stories on the trail. One man told me that he had seen a juvenile bald eagle earlier in the week. Another family told me that they had been in the nature center and there was a photo there of an albatross lifting a fish out of the lake, with a bald eagle below him, about to steal his fish. I did not pick the right moment to see the bald eagle, but I was looking really hard for him. I was fortunate enough to see an albatross though, perched at the top of a tree just before sunset (Wow! They are a really big bird, almost intimidatingly big)

Anyway the fall color (which in Long Beach turns out to be Winter Color) was pretty nice and made a nice reflection. And of course the ducks were out in force and putting on a bit of a show. These ducks are quite the tame variety, the kind that will come right up to you almost on your foot wondering if you are going to feed him. Even if this isn't the wildest sort of park, it is still really nice and only a few minutes from. Hope you enjoy the photos.

When Bruce Says Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:51:00 +0000

When Bruce and I have our dinner, Jarrod sits in his Exersaucer. It's a perfect arrangement; Jarrod is happy and somewhat entertained, so we don't have to constantly pick him up and pass him back and forth. We pull him up to the table so sits between us.

Recently, Jarrod developed an interesting behavior.

Every night, when Bruce starts saying grace, Jarrod gets really excited. I mean really, really excited! He jumps up and down and starts actually yelling, absolutely bursting with joy. He makes so much happy noise, Bruce often has to stop talking and let him calm down. Then Bruce starts talking again, and Jarrod resumes shouting with glee. This continues until Bruce eventually gives up on talking over him, and quickly ends the prayer. Jarrod expresses extreme joy for several minutes after the prayer ends, but it tapers off eventually and normal noise levels return.

I'm very entertained by this. I'm also very intrigued. Why is he yelling? Does he understand what Bruce is doing?

My fun theory: Jarrod is still young enough to know God (whether by instinct or memory or direct knowledge). Maybe a prayer opens a direct "active" connection with God. When the connection opens, Jarrod sees God and just gets too excited to contain himself. I like this theory, though of course I have no idea if it's true. :) It's fun to imagine, though.

Anyone else have any theories? :)

Icicles and Heart Rock Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:48:00 +0000

So this weekend Christy, Jarrod and I decided it would be fun to have a snow day. We just had a bunch of local rain and snow in the mountains. And with the mountains only an hour and a half away I could hear them beckoning to me. Having decided on our destination being the town of Crestline and a 1 mile hike to a small waterfall with a heart shaped rock, we were set. The only problem was the local temperature was hovering about 30 degrees. This is of course was too cold for both Jarrod and Christy. Having dropped them off in town, I headed off for my trailhead. When I reached the trail I discovered was covered in about a foot of snow. In fact the only way that I found the trailhead is that some trailblazing people had already made the hike and I could see their footprints (6 inches deep) in the snow.

But it was a joy trudging through the snow on a crisp morning. And surprisingly I was still singing after I slipped into the creek, trying feverishly to protect my camera. Maybe it was the scent of the Incense Cedars or the vanilla scent of the Jeffery Pine. The tree cover though made the canyon pretty dark, so the light wasn't great for photos, but it was still fun. And the icicles were way cool.

The rest of the trip which was to go to the local ski resort at Wrightwood and check out the shops, build a snowman and get lunch, was pretty much unsuccessful. It seems that snow is such a yearly novelty that everyone in LA wants to bring the kids up to the mountains and try it out. So the traffic was a mess, and after an hour and a half of wading through this, and it was still 5 miles away we turned back and went home. But it was still fun. A nice day trip. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Jarrod's First Christmas -- The Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:29:00 +0000

We had no idea how Jarrod would do with his presents, but he did great! He really enjoyed the paper, and I helped him a lot less than I thought I would. He didn't really understand the concept of putting down an unwrapped gift in order to open another one, but thankfully he was easily distracted. :)

"YES!! I have always wanted one of these!!
Thanks Mommy and Daddy!"

"I think it will be easiest to open this one
if I climb on top of it first!"

"Yay! Different paper! Thanks Grammy!"

"Please don't take my Christmas paper away from me.
It's my favorite present of the whole bunch!"

"I was totally right, climbing on this one
was the best idea ever! I love this present!

...You mean there's something inside it too? SWEET!"

"Why are you staring? Is there something on my face?"

"Mmmm... donuts!"

"Awesome! Books are always my favorite presents!"

****

Some recent Jarrod stats, from/since his 9-month appointment:
30 inches (that was actually our measurement)
23.6 pounds (that was more than two weeks ago, so I'm thinking we're closer to 24 by now)
19 inches around his gigantic noggin

He's a healthy, happy, sweet baby who just got his first tooth today! He's pulling himself up to stand all the time, and has been cruising for awhile but really got the hang of it tonight. All of a sudden he took off and was zooming around at top speed, giggling all the while.

He is such a joy, we just love him so much!! What a special gift we have received!

We hope you all had a great Christmas!

Scarves

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:16:00 +0000

As usual, I've been very busy lately! The weather has finally turned chilly, so I'm glad to have a new warm scarf to wear...

Pattern: Palindrome Scarf
Yarn: Southwest Trading Company Karaoke in the Black Rose Colorway
50% soysilk - 50% wool

I like the pattern a lot, it is a very nice-looking scarf. I absolutely love that the cable is reversible -- it looks exactly the same on both sides. I got a little bored while knitting it, but I powered through. It's been a long time since I've finished a knitting project, I was absolutely determined to do it! The yarn is interesting. In the ball, the black sections are not visible -- just various (very pretty) shades of red. Imagine my surprise when I was knitting along and WHOAH! That's really, really black! I think I would have preferred it to be all different shades of red, maybe a dark red instead of black, but I like it well enough as it is.

I probably wouldn't use the yarn again, however, because it's really pretty itchy. I can wear this scarf easily over clothes, but I don't really like it directly against my neck. So obviously I would never wear it as I was in the picture above. :)

That scarf is for me.

The other two are Christmas presents. They are much, much different than my warm wooly knit scarf! They are light cotton with beaded trim at each end. Notsomuch for taking the chill off these extra-cold Southern California winter nights. These are fashion accessories!

Pattern: Sash with Beaded Trim from Amy Butler's book In Stitches
(also available as a free pattern here)
fabric and trim purchased at Jo-Ann for one, M&L Discount Fabric for the other

I've heard that a lot of people are giving handmade gifts this Christmas. It is apparently due to the poor economy, it's just more frugal to make gifts than it is to buy them. I would like to say that I am 100% completely in favor of this trend, and hope it continues even if the economy improves! Handmade gifts are so great... And I'm not just saying that because I like to make things, honest! :)

I'm really feeling the Christmas spirit now, though the season is going way too fast. Oh well, there are still several days left to savor. I hope you are all having wonderful Christmas seasons!

Jarrod's First Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:08:00 +0000

"Um... mom? Am I expecting a flood?

And why is this man wearing fuzzy red pajamas?"

I have been feeling like the season is getting away from me. I'm not sure whether it's the time-sucking abilities of taking care of a 9-month-old, or the 75-degree weather; I've had a hard time feeling the Christmas Spirit this year.

I'm rectifying that situation every way I can. You see, I love Christmas. I do not want it to fly by without me even noticing! I've decided to make plans to do a bunch of Christmas-related stuff. I'm seriously going to pack it in! Parties, fairs, festivals, music, decorations, lights -- you name it, I'm doing it.

Today, Jarrod met Santa for the first time. He was nervous at first, but then warmed up and did just fine! If only I had put on the 18-month pants I'd just bought for him prior to taking the picture.

Merry 15 days before Christmas, everyone!

Bishop Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:23:00 +0000

So this Thanksgiving we spent with my family in my parents new house in Bishop. It is an amazingly beautiful place. We had a nice time there despite both Jarrod and I fighting off colds and Christy having a gimpy back. It was a definite time of feasting, relaxing, and watching the kids play. We were both a little sorry to leave.

I also found some time to go and have a little fun taking photos. The first picture is my first experience trying a star trail photo. Since I wasn't really set up to do a really long exposure, I did about as long as I felt like my battery would last (30 minutes). It actually could have gone longer, but I didn't want to lose the photo. When I took the photo it was really pitch dark outside if you can imagine, so the photo isn't exactly how the scene looked to the naked eye. That is one of the reasons that I like it so much since it is a scene that you couldn't really see. I actually painted the car into the photo by using a flashlight for about 10 seconds during the exposure, lighting it up. If I could retake it, I think that I would try another 10 minutes on the exposure and move the car over slightly to the right so it doesn't obscure the mountain. Anyway I thought it was pretty fun to do.

The other photos are from the road (395) taking time to set up a field (which we nicknamed Christy Field) with fresh snow on the peaks in the background. The other photo of the field in front of the large peak is from an area just outside of Bishop called the Buttermilks, which is climber's paradise, with tons of granite boulders to scale to your heart's content. Since I was taking care of Jarrod while Christy was busy painting I was in no position to go climbing. Ah but next time that would be fun. Instead I was drinking in the late afternoon light and the amazing peaks. I found a shallow field of tall grass that was just adjacent to one of the rock formations and it worked pretty well for my shot. I loved taking pictures, but next time I want to try rock scaling as well.

The lake is Convict Lake, which was named after some escaped convicts who fled from the law and hung out around the lake before they got caught. Christy and I went here about 2-3 years ago during the fall and took some great fall foliage photos here. The place is a bit of a resort, but I counted no more than 2-3 people there in late November. Maybe I should publish some PR photos for them for the winter travel season?

And of course Jarrod's first experience in the snow was a little rocky, but he warmed up to it after we took a shopping excursion up in Mammoth. He didn't really like having a cold butt. (Who could blame him?)

Anyway hope you all enjoy!

Jarrod's First Trip to Bishop

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:16:00 +0000

Earlier this year, Bruce's parents retired to Bishop, CA. For those of you who don't know where that is, it's in the Owens Valley on the east side of the Sierras, about 40 or so miles south of Mammoth. It's breathtaking scenery in every direction, with the Sierras on one side and the White Mountains on the other.

We were there for Thanksgiving. Bruce's brother and his family made the trip from Northern California, so Jarrod got to hang out with his twin cousins for a few days.

It was interesting seeing how big the milestones are between our almost-9-month-old and their almost-1-year-olds. Jarrod is a funny baby; when he's alone, he is very bouncy and loud, and likes being the center of attention. However, if there are other children around, he is often quite calm. He grabs a toy and plays quietly while he constantly observes the action around him. He watches other babies and soaks it all in.

When we first got to Bishop, Jarrod was just getting pretty good at commando crawling. Now he has absolutely mastered it and is starting to do some actual real crawling, too! Not only that, but today (for the first time ever), Jarrod pulled himself up to a stand. Now he's done it a few times, although he has fallen a few times as well. :)

In a short period of time with his cousins, he learned so much! It is just so very cool watching these changes and developments taking place right before my eyes!

We went to Mammoth on Friday, mostly to let Jarrod see snow for the first time.

"Seriously, mom! I'm warm enough!"

He was not totally loving the snow.

Jarrod also got some quality time with a dog. He absolutely loves animals, so this was quite special.

"I have a cool blue block!"

"Here, doggy! You can have my blue block!"

"I don't get it, daddy. She doesn't want the block. Oh well!"

It was a fun trip, despite the fact that Jarrod slept very poorly (and of course that means we also slept poorly), and despite the fact that I completely tweaked my back. We had a lovely Thanksgiving with family. We hope you all did as well!

Project Previews

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:48:00 +0000

As I said in my last post, we're very busy at Casa de Coy, working on many different projects! I've decided to tempt you with tantalizing photos! After seeing these, you will be absolutely dying to know what we're up to!

This may or may not be a reversable cable scarf knit out of a really cool yarn that gradually self-stripes in varying shades of red (and one shade of black).

This bear-print flannel just might be pajama pants. Not for Jarrod, for me! Because I am totally hip with the latest fashions!

This home decorating fabric may or may not be covering the cushions on half of our dining room chairs as we speak. You'll need to tune in later to find out!

Don't lie and say I haven't grabbed your attention! Stay tuned for future updates!

I Can Make A Choice

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:02:00 +0000

We were all home this morning, because we are all sick! Jarrod has a very mild case of croup, Bruce and I both have colds. I was working anyway, because well, why not? I work on my couch!

Anyway, we were all here when the doorbell rang twice. We looked at each other, wondering if we were expecting anyone at 9:30am on a Friday morning. (We weren't!)

Bruce answered the door and there was a woman who apologized profusely for bothering us. She explained that she was a neighbor from down the street. None of her nearer neighbors were home, and she had a very serious emergency. She said that her husband had injured himself at his construction worksite in San Bernadino. In tears, she told us she was desperately worried because he lost three fingers in an accident.

I said, "What can we do to help?"

She said she wasn't looking for handouts, she just needed to get some gas in her car so she could get to San Bernadino. She swore she was good for it and insisted on paying us back double. We told her not to worry about that at all, she didn't even have to pay us back single. She said again that she wasn't looking for handouts. I explained that it wasn't a handout, it was love.

As it turned out, neither of us had any cash on us. Bruce offered to go with her to the gas station and fill her tank. She thanked us profusely and said she'd be right back, she just had to go lock up her house first.

She never came back.

Our first thought, unfortunately, was that she was actually just looking for cash. When we offered something other than cash, she considered her mission failed and never returned.

What a sad, cynical way to think!

I don't know why she didn't come back. We were both a little disappointed, as it was kind of nice to think that our Friday would be brightened by the chance to help someone so desperately in need. But do we have to believe she didn't come back because she never needed gas in the first place? Is there some reason we need to believe the worst here? I mean, maybe a closer neighbor came home. Maybe a relative returned a desperate phone call while she was here. Maybe someone offered to drive her to her husband.

There are a lot of 'maybes' that are positive. I get to choose which 'maybe' I'll believe. Maybe it's naive of me, but I am making this decision in full awareness of that possibility. I've decided she didn't come back because someone else could help her, not because she never actually needed our help. My day is ultimately going to be much better if I don't waste my time thinking the worst of someone I don't even know.

It's unfortunate that I have to keep reminding myself about the choice I made.

***

In blog news: We switched hosting locations recently, and due to a bunch of stupid hosting mishaps, we've had a LOT of coypond down time. We aren't thrilled about it. Truthfully, the down time is such a bummer that we've barely had the desire to blog. The fun is seriously hampered when the site works 10% of the times we try to hit it. We isolated the problem, I called the new hosting company, and they said something along the lines of, "Oh, our bad, we'll fix it now."

Nice.

So anyway, this means our blog will once again be running as expected. We have a lot of projects going on here, including a semi-major upholstery project, so I have lots of future posts planned. We also have several updates to make about Jarrod, who is now so close to crawling, he almost doesn't need to crawl. He gets anywhere he wants at top speed, mostly by rolling and scooting and turning. He goes from his stomach to sitting and back to his stomach in a blink. He loves his toys, he really loves the cat, and he's pretty much completely done with his size 12-month clothes.

More updates soon! :)

A Real Farmer's Market and Flash Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:13:00 +0000

Well you could say that I'm more than a little bummed that our photos are lost from the blog. We will probably be reposting some of these photos soon.

Anyway on a lighter note, several weeks ago, Christy was really interested in some subjects for a new pastel painting, and she really wanted for us to go to the Farmer's Market to take some photos for a still life painting. We went there and I took some pretty interesting photos, but often times the light was not quite right, and I have posted some of them here. I think they were pretty cool, but none of them really tempted Christy to make a painting. I have video by Don Gale who is a professional photographer and he always goes to take photos at the farmers market with a flash that can be detatched and hand held. Well of course I don't have one of these so the light is only so good. We of course thought we might have better luck at the LA Farmer's Market, but as stated in the earlier post there are no farmers at the LA Farmers Market...and this was a big disappointment

In a different note our friend came over earlier this week for Christy to give a tutorial on photoshop and he brought over some of his strobes/flashes. I have never really had much experience with this, being mostly involved and tempted by outdoor and nature photos that use mostly available light. He has done some amazing things though by using different flashes that add a lot to portraits and still life photos, and it is amazingly cool. He was kind enough to give me a lesson and let me play with his strobes a little. And I arranged the fruit bowl shots while he adjusted the intensity of the flash. Anyway I love the way the shots turned out. Christy is now saying that we have to get a strobe and a light stand so that I can take more photos so that she can make paintings of them. I, of course don't have a problem getting more photo equipment, though it may have to wait til Christmas. Anyway I hope you enjoy the photos.

Resolution

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:46:00 +0000

Who needs January 1st? I'm making my resolution now. I'm tired of being out of shape.

I'm getting back in shape!

Exactly how is yet to be determined. I'm going to start with pilates and long walks, and eat less dessert (and fried stuff) (and bread).

I just thought I'd share. :)

Back Online...

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:29:00 +0000

We were down for a few days, but now we're back. You may notice however that none of our images are online. The server went BOOM! and is still in surgery. Once it's fixed, things will once again look complete.

Technology. It's a wonderful, terrible thing.

Puzzle Ball, and a Trip to the LA Farmers Market

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:51:00 +0000

I have been having so much fun sewing lately! I love my new machine, and I feel like I am getting the hang of some of the basics. I don't even have to look in the manual to wind the bobbin or thread the machine!

I've wanted to make the Puzzle Ball since I bought Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts nearly a year ago. I finally bought some fabric for it last week, then waited for the right time to get started. That time came yesterday, when Bruce took Jarrod out for a couple hours. It was so much fun to make, I can't wait to make another one! Except I have so many things I want to make, another Puzzle Ball is probably not next on my list. Next time someone I love has a baby, that kid is getting a Puzzle Ball! :)

Jarrod totally loves it, which is obviously very gratifying. It's plump and soft, and each 'piece' is the perfect size for his baby hands to grab. It's light, so he can easily throw it around. It's so squishy, I don't have to worry about him hitting himself with it or poking himself in the eye. It is a great toy, and I'm super thrilled with myself for making it. I'm 2-for-2 when it comes to projects from this book (we use the coasters I made a few weeks ago pretty much exclusively now), and given how much of a sewing beginner I am, I'd say that bodes very well for the book in general.

***

Can one get the flu from a flu shot? I got the shot on Sunday and have been wiped-out-sick since Wednesday. I'm sure it's probably a coincidence... right?

So, this weekend we were supposed to head to Northern California for a couple days. Unfortunately, we all got sick, so we had to reschedule. We decided to try to do something interesting and local, to make up for the fact that we weren't doing something interesting and away. One of the places I wanted to go on our trip was the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, so instead of that, I thought we should try the LA Farmers Market! Believe it or not, I've never been there. I've heard great things about it, I've even tasted donuts from the famous "Bob's" before, but that's it.

Now, if you were going to a place with Farmers Market in the name, you would kind of expect a Farmers Market... right? Ya know, like oh maybe some produce or something? From what I could see, there were only two stalls with produce. The only one that sort of resembled a Farmers Market Produce Stand had grocery store produce. They had Chiquita bananas and Dole pineapples! What's up with that?? The other stand with produce was actually I think a juice/smoothie stand where you could buy some mildly interesting fruits.

It was an interesting experience and might have been more fun had we not felt like crap while we were wandering through the shops/stalls. I just can't figure out why it's called a Farmers Market. Next time I am willing to drive 30 miles to buy produce, I'll go to Santa Monica, where I know they actually have produce that isn't from the same companies that grow fruit for my local grocery store. I don't even need to go that far; Long Beach has an absolutely respectable Farmers Market circuit, which sets up every Sunday in Alamitos Bay, not five miles from where I sit.

The verdict: LA Farmers Market was a big disappointment, and I don't really need to go back. We did, however, enjoy our donuts from Bob's! :)

Compiling Trips

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:08:00 +0000

I am compiling trips now, not from choice, I actually just forgot to put in the photos from the palm fronds and the red flowers to my post about the Fullerton Arboretum. The others of the Birds of Paradise and the leaves with palm fronds in the back are from my front yard.

There are times that I really get inspired to take nature photos, and get a little frustrated that we live in the middle of the city. I kid Christy that I have Nature Deficit Disorder, and have to get away, far away to take photos and go for long hikes. Well on the day that I took the photos of my front yard, I had Nature Deficit Disorder, but I couldn't get away. So we have Birds of Paradise instead of rocky slopes of Half-Dome. Well sometimes you just make do. Anyway I thought that the Birds of Paradise really look like birds, and that this was pretty cool. Also the leaves with palm fronds in the background look almost like modern art, or some trendy company's logo. I couldn't decide which, but it looked interesting. Hope you all enjoy!

It's Election Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:46:00 +0000

Here's how Jarrod weighed in on the important issues:

YES on Sweet Potatoes
NO on Green Beans (pending another try...)
YES on Toys
NO on Naptime
***

I am so glad Political Season is almost over. It will be so nice to have a day free of election propaganda!

I'm not the biggest fan of politics in general, but there is one thing that really, really bothers me about Political Season: I don't like Political Activist Celebrities. I mean I really don't like them. As far as I know, they are not political experts. They are not economists. They are not experts on foreign policy. They aren't even normal you-and-me type people! Matt Damon does not know more about the candidates than I do! Stop sending me links to him soapboxing it up on YouTube!

With that said, I am obviously interested in today's election (as it seems just about everyone is), and am looking forward to watching the results come in tonight.

Now to a lighter topic... More pictures of Jarrod!

"I'm ready for my Close-Up!"

"Yes! I'm under the table at last! Now how do I get out?"

"Rolling and semi-crawling all over the place is really tiring."

A Day at the Fullerton Arboretum

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:25:00 +0000

Well, it has been quite awhile since I posted on this blog. So I realized that I probably have two or three blogs worth of stuff to post about. I have been pretty inspired lately about taking photos. A couple of things recently have inspired me more. One of our friends has made a recent foray into professional photography that has inspired me to be a little more serious about my photos. Also a friend of my father-in-law has invited me to the local Los Alamitos photography club meeting and I am hoping that this might help me to improve my technique/composition.

Anyway a few weeks ago I had a weekday off, for working on the coming Saturday. I decided that I would try taking some photos of a place I had never explored before. I have had a bit of writer's block (photography style) about subjects for my photos. I decided then to go to the local camera shop and rent a macro lens. For those of you non-photo people, this is a lens that you can take extreme closeup shots, and get really close to your subject. So I signed my life away and rented a $900 100mm macro lens for about $18. It is an awesome lens, and better than anything that I currently have. So I went in the 95 degree heat (quite the balmy Southern California day) to the Fullerton Arboretum and took a bunch of photos. Christy and I went there once when we were considering having an outdoor wedding (and came to our senses after we saw just how expensive this was going to be). The photos above are some of the photos I took. I really love the macro lens for details and textures, but it is kind of tricky if there is any wind, and the shallow depth of field also gave me some fits. This meant it was hard to get the whole subject in focus if there was any depth at all to it.

Anyway the end result was a fun day at the park with my camera and tripod. Hope you all enjoy!

Our Little Bug

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:24:00 +0000

Our little bug is a SPIDER! EEK!

(hopefully, we'll get a better picture on Friday!)

Alpaugh and Other Things

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:22:00 +0000

A couple weeks ago, Jarrod made his first trip to Alpaugh. You may be asking yourself, "Where's Alpaugh?" Well, to get there you take Highway 99 north, and about an hour past Bakersfield, you exit and drive 12 miles west. When you reach the tiny patch of run-down, boarded-up houses, you're there.

The history of Alpaugh is mildly interesting, and was a bit of a surprise to me. Apparently, more than 100 years ago, there was a big lake in the San Joaquin Valley. It was called Tulare Lake. (Who knew?) It was a freshwater lake, and Alpaugh was known as "Pig Island" (or it might have been "Hog Island"... I can't remember) -- interesting, no? I don't remember the rest of the history, I just like that it was once an island famous for its pigs.

I also think it's cool that there was once a giant lake up there, and now there isn't. It's amazing how dramatically topography can change in such a short period of time! I wonder how much our current news media would completely freak out if such a change occurred today. It would most certainly be a life-changing disaster. There would probably be "Save Tulare Lake" bumper stickers on every third car. The thought is kind of amusing! :)

We went to Alpaugh because they were having a reunion for pretty much everyone who has ever lived there, except I guess not so much for the people who live there now. My dad is from Alpaugh. They made the trip from Oregon, so we met them there.

Grandma Holding Jarrod

I'm not sure what made us think that giving Jarrod a piece of paper to play with was a good idea, but there he is. This picture was taken by Bruce less than half a second before I nearly knocked over the table to grab that piece of paper out of his mouth. No more paper for Jarrod!

(Even when he's eating paper, he's just so cute!)

In other news...

Yesterday, I went to the Art Learning and Product Expo in Pasadena. It was lots of fun, I bought a lot of stuff I really didn't need (but it was so cheap, how could I pass it up?)... and then I took a pastel landscape/seascape workshop. It was so fun!

Here is the painting I produced in the class:

Sunset Over Water
11 x 14 Unison Soft Pastels on Jack Richeson Pastel Gatorboard

The color in the photograph isn't quite as vivid as the color in the actual painting. It is close, but not exact. (The painting is better!) It was really fun working with a group, even though it was small.

Note: I do not know the source of the photo I used to make this painting. I do know the blog world is quite vast, so if you happen to know the person who took this photo, don't worry. I'm not going to sell the painting. It's not my own design. Don't sue me!

I have also been doing a lot of sewing lately! I absolutely love my new machine!

My New Machine (and the first two projects I made with it)

I love my new machine! So far, I've made a bag that is cute but really too small to be useful (pattern from Sew Everything Workshop), and coasters that I absolutely LOVE (pattern from Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts). We use the coasters almost exclusively now! They don't stick to glasses and do a great job of absorbing condensation.

Here is a close-up of the coasters:

I have a lot more sewing planned for my future! Of course, progress depends on precious free time, of which there isn't much these days. I'm not complaining. :)

Have a nice Sunday, everyone!

A Little Taste of Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:29:00 +0000

Last night, I had the pleasure of tasting Heaven on a Cracker. (Thanks, Greck!) I have thought about those amazing morsels periodically since waking up this morning. I've thought about how the leftovers are in my kitchen. I've wondered when it will be late enough in the morning to have a snack, so I can taste them once again. I'm also wondering if morning is just not serious enough, gastrically-speaking, for the rich symphony of flavor they provide. I'm looking forward to dinner, because then I can be absolutely sure it will be the right time to taste them once again.

No, I am not kidding.

As a result of thinking so obsessively about those Heaven Crackers, I have decided to compile a list of favorite tidbits. These are not officially in any kind of order, except the Heaven Crackers are pretty much the best thing ever.

1) Heaven on a Cracker: a rosemary cracker topped with a thin slice of drunken goat cheese, topped with a dab of fig spread. Oh sure, you say, that sounds good enough. Well let me tell you, it is not merely "good". It's an absolutely perfect combination -- the cheese is creamy and has a very mild bite. The spread is rich and sweet, virtually exploding with amazing flavor that only figs can provide. The cracker is crisp, with an assertive yet perfectly balanced herbal hit of rosemary. The simplicity of execution belies the complex, blissful flavor in each and every bite.

Again -- no, I am not kidding. OK, moving on...

2) Bacon Wrapped Dates: fresh dates, pit removed, stuffed with a chunk of parmesan and a smoked almond, wrapped in bacon, roasted until the bacon is crisp and the cheese is melted. Actually, the more I think about it, these are just as good as Heaven on a Cracker; they're just a bit more work. They take a little prep. But when they're done? They're creamy, chewy, crunchy, sweet, smoky, nutty, and salty all in one bite! Even people who think they don't like dates absolutely love Bacon Wrapped Dates. Delicious!

3) Prosciutto Wrapped Melon: a chunk of cantaloupe or honeydew melon wrapped with a thin slice of prosciutto (Italian cured ham). This is exactly as it says. The melon is juicy, sweet and refreshing, made even sweeter by the prosciutto's salty goodness. Perfect summer treat!

4) Stuffed and Wrapped Figs: fresh figs stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in prosciutto, roasted until the prosciutto is crisp, drizzled with honey. This is a must-have for fig lovers. Admittedly I don't make it often, but that is probably because fresh figs are available so infrequently. I really need a fig tree!!

5) Roasted Pears with Gorgonzola: any arrangement, really. I first tasted this combination in a delicious salad at Cafe TuTu Tango at the Block at Orange. The roasted pears take on a rich, sweet, complex flavor that is perfectly complemented by the salty-sharp flavor of gorgonzola. This combination is especially good when enhanced with a drizzle of honey. It is great in a salad, as mentioned, but it's also great on its own. It's surprisingly delicious in a sandwich! (Thinly-slice the pears, grill the sandwich a la panini.)

6) Brie with Fruit: many fruits, fresh and dried, work with this. Serve on a cracker. Simple and delicious, the perfect complement to a nice glass of dry red wine. Kick it up with smoked almonds to add a nice salty crunch.

Upon reviewing my list of favorite food combinations, it is clear that I have a thing for fruits + salty cheeses/meats/nuts.

I have always loved sweet mixed with salt, and have been known to eat some pretty wild foods together in the past. Here are a few -- some I still occasionally eat, and some I may never eat again:

1) Get a bucket of movie popcorn, NO BUTTER, pour in a box of goobers. YUMMY!

2) Fry up an egg, make some toast. Spread preserves on the toast, add egg, eat as a sandwich. I still do this often.

3) BBQ Lays + Chocolate Hostess Donette Gems -- this is one I'm not too likely to relive, but I ate it a lot when I was in high school. It's important to eat them at the same exact time... one bite, donette and chips. The donettes must be chocolate! (Full-sized hostess donuts -- chocolate only -- may be used in place of the gems.)

4) PB & J with potato chips directly on the sandwich: who doesn't love this?

5) Incidental Maple Syrup on Fried Chicken: must be enjoyed at Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles, and it is important that the syrup be incidental. Pouring syrup directly onto fried chicken is just weird.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can come up with right now. If you have a favorite unusual food combination, let me know. I'm always interested in trying new things, and who knows? Maybe it'll be the next Heaven on a Cracker!

Jarrod's First Playdate -- A Photo Essay

noreply@blogger.com (Christy) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:59:00 +0000

Jarrod: "Look how cool I am!"

Elaina: "Look how adorable I am!"

Jarrod: "Hey, Elaina! What's that behind your ear? Is that a quarter?"

Elaina: "I shall call you Pumpkin Head!"

Jarrod: "Whoah! What happened to my hand?"

Elaina: "Are you trying to hold my hand?"

Jarrod: "How awesome are my thigh rolls?"

Again I say, and I may be biased:

The cutest baby boy ever!