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Nov 5th- All ready for the Bay Area Bead Extravaganza this weekend. My table #221. As always many beautiful beads affordable even in this economy. Be sure to make that beeline for those special beads...Two recent hikes that were challenging, interesting and fun! We went back again to Pt. Reyes and tried one of their popular hikes 8.2mi from Bear Visitors Center to Arch Rock. It has an easy grade with pretty views.

This is the view from Arch Rock looking north to the tip of Point Reyes.

The next hike we did was up in Napa at a redwood forest. Yes, wine country and redwood forest. It is the most eastern grove of redwoods. The hike climbed up to Coyote Peak with a view of the valleys, then traveled through the forest along a creek.

Here I am happily resting in the shade.

Then we went to the nearby historic site of the Bale Grist Mill built in 1846. It has been restored and is still in operation. We stopped at a couple wineries on the way home and ate a restaurant that I remembered eating at many years ago. The food was still great! A fabulous day in the wine country.

Here is a pic of the water wheel that powers the mill.

Oct 16th, 2008 - We did make it to the new Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park last weekend. We got there before they opened and the lines were HUGE. Although I wanted to see the new building and exhibits I wasn't sure I wanted to see them that bad. After walking around a bit and watching the lines get longer and longer we started to leave. Then we spotted outdoor machines on the sidewalk were you can buy your tickets and only have to stand in the fast moving line to get in. So yes, it was incredibly crowded inside with screaming kids (whatever happened to "inside voices"??), and more sniffling, sneezing, coughing people than I care to remember. But it is a truly amazing and beautiful place.  Starting with a green building with a "living roof", the largest indoor coral reef display in the world, and a multilevel rainforest where the birds and butterflies fly around you.  But if you think the lines are over once inside, think again. You need to stand in line for shows, the planetarium and the rainforest.  First we headed to the aquarium and a stop to see the albino alligator Claude.

We wandered through the aquarium exhibit and saw more fabulous fish, coral, shrimp, eels and stuff than I can possibly remember.

The building exhibit spaces have some "flow" problems in their design. Probably not an issue if you are there on a  uncrowded weekday afternoon, but not being able to get up the stairs easily because too many people are coming down both sides...well, that's a problem. After an hour or so under the sea we headed to the cafe for lunch. I had vegetarian spring rolls and french fries. Mmmmmm, best french fries I've had in a long time! After lunch we went up to the living roof top, over to see the penquins, through the african hall, and who knows what else. But this time I'm fading but want to see the rainforest exhibit. When we first came in the line was long and decided we would come back later when it was shorter??. Ha, ha. Now the line stretched for blocks. Jerry went out to move the truck and I stood in the line. Here's the good news, although long it moved pretty quickly and in no time (or about twenty minutes) we were entering the rainforest. About ten years ago I visted the rainforest in the Amazon and stayed in one of those eco hotels. I went caiman viewing at night, fished for piranha, had a mother monkey sit beside me as her baby climbed down from her back to curl up in my lap. Flocks of parrots, bugs galore, tree frogs, tarantulas the size of salad plates were a few of the natural sights around the hotel. But hey, I'm happy every time I see a hummingbird, heron or pretty duck. So this indoor rainforest was a treat. Especially the butterflies! Blue Morphos swirling around you and if you were lucky even landing on you. If you go be prepared, it is really hot and humid in there...it is the rainforest after all.

After the rainforest we headed out the door. We will need to make another trip for the planetarium and many other things that only got a quick glance. Are we done yet? No, we decide that once out in the fresh cool air we will be revived by a drive to the ocean and do the bridge loop home.  From Bay Bridge to Golden Gate to San Rafael...except I want to get out at the Golden Gate and see the Blue Angels who just happen to be flying around at the same time. I'm not a big fan of noise and traffic, but what the heck. From natures pretty flyers to mans flyers seemed sort of appropriate.

Quite the adventurous day around the bay for us! Maybe this weekend something a little more low key..

Oct 7th- A hike recently down the coast along the ocean bluffs. A visit to an interesting historical site Wilder Ranch...or Rancho Refugio depending on who was doing the naming. My batteries ran out in my camera (a good metaphor for how I have been feeling lately) but I was able to get some wonderful pictures of a little patient sitter in a tree by the visitors center. I'm looking forward to visiting the new Academy of Sciences in SF. Maybe this weekend. I'll make sure my batteries are all charged by then...

Sept 10th-  Not too long ago we took a hike up Sweeney Ridge (750'). Great views even though it was not a really clear day.

Looking behind us we got a good view of the planes landing and taking off from SFO. After the hike we headed down the coast and walked on the piers and had lunch. This guy was hanging around one of the places that was selling fresh fish.

The guys there said he had been hanging out for a couple of days. Obviously decided that a hand delivered hand out was a lot easier than fishing the old way. Some walks around the nearby lake and on the water kayaking too.

I know I said new beads after the last two shows...but things have been progressing a bit slowly around here. I'm reading a book on slow food, well think of it as slow bead. The best quality, beauty, and design...these things take time.

August 12th-  Thank you to all who bought beads this past Saturday and a special thanks to Chris for showing me her beautiful creations. Soon I'll begin the schedule for the Bay Area Bead Extravaganza show in November, but for now it's time to enjoy the summer weather and relax for a while.

August 6th- Thanks to everyone who bought my beads in Sonoma this past weekend! Well, if you were not able to make it to that show, or would already like more beads,  visit table #122 this Saturday during the ISGB Bazaar. See you soon. :)

July 29th- The final days before a show can feel a little like Christmas. After spending months preparing and making several styles of beads I'm surprised to reopen the trays and see what's inside! Yesterday when I was putting together a Big Rock Candy set and "found" a lovely group of detailed bicone treasure beads that I had forgotten I'd made early in the summer. All that's left now is to take some pictures, do the inventory and the layout. As always, be sure to make that beeline to my table this weekend at Sonoma to pick your bead treasures!

 We went to Point Reyes again recently and hiked to a couple more beaches. On the way to McClures we had great roadside viewing of the tule elk.

The path down to the beach.

We walked first to the right and kept noticing the lines of pelicans in the distance flying above the horizon.

Since it was low tide we were able to hike through a narrow rock section on the left end of the beach into a little cove. That's when a group of many, many pelicans flew from around the rock and right over our heads. A magical moment that happened so quickly. They were suddenly everywhere...then gone.

A couple of hours of kayaking this Saturday past, and it's about the new young birds out there now. LOTS of pretty ducks, a young osprey, and a young green heron were some of the birds that greeted us along the shoreline.

On Sunday we went into SF to see the ships here for Festival of the Sail. It would have been fun to have been able to go out on one of the sailing excursions into the Bay. Maybe next year, but Jerry enjoyed walking around the ships. Here is a shot of the HMS Bounty from the deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Eagle.

July 16th- Wow, it really has been a long time since updating here. As usual I have been busy making beads, day to day life, with a little bit of travel adventure thrown in. My apologies to those who love this page for it's pics...hopefully this post will make up for the long silence. But first lets say that I'm almost ready for the next two bead shows - first in Sonoma, then in Oakland in early August. The home page has the details and I hope to see you there! Well, way back when we did do that hike along the coast starting from Muir Beach and climbing up and up then down down then up up some more. All in all I think it was about 7 miles and one of the hardest hikes I've ever done. Here is a pic of Jerry at what was almost the high point about mid hike.

The towhee nest drama played out in an unexpected way. The new nest in the front was abandoned (??) and they decided to go back to the old location in the trees by the studio. One evening I'm in the bedroom and hear a strange noise from outside. I look out the window at the tree top and see a little grey form. It's a baby towhee that has come out the the nest and is sitting on top of the tree. For at least an hour I watched Mom towhee do what Jerry thinks was showing it how to fly. Up to the baby, down to the flower pot. Up to the baby, across to a low bush...I'm worried because I think no way is this baby ready to fly! Well sure enough once the lesson was over the little guy pushed back down through the leaves and into the nest.

Remember me talking about having plans for the holiday weekend past? It was a great trip over the 4th...to Big Sur. Well not Big Sur proper, but an area about thirty five miles south. The reservations had been made since February and when I talked to the Treebones (a yurtel - like a hotel only with yurts) they said the fire was well north and not impacting them. It was beautiful and amazing. Big Sur is unlike any other coastal region I've seen. Driving the extra miles (highway 1 was closed) was difficult, but we got to see Cambria, San Simeon, THE ELEPHANT SEALS, and a lot of other things we might not have experienced. I'm happy that the worst is over there and now Mother Nature will begin the rejuvenation process.

Impossible to give a sense of scale. I just kept saying over and over...look at that! It's so dramatic. BTW, that's fog not smoke. The air quality was much better than in the Bay Area during the heat wave.

Another sight that is difficult to give the scale on. These are elephant seals with the males typically reaching 16ft, 6000lbs, and the females a mere 10ft, 2000 lbs. The draw out we passed on the way up the coast had probably hundreds. From one vantage point we were about twenty feet away...

Those are scars on the neck from fighting, and the guy in the back is molting.

This would have been the short cut home up highway one...at least we were prepared. Jerry said he spoke with a Japanese couple who had driven up the coast headed for SF and didn't know the road was closed until told by a ranger they had to turn around. One big plus to the road closure...zero traffic.

Here we are on the deck before dinner. I'm looking forward to going back soon when we will be able to spend more time.

June 5th- We did get to go kayaking last weekend. We battled the wind on Del Valle for about two and a half hours straight which we figure was about eight miles. Although it was a sunny day the wind (and water splashing into the back on Jerry) kept us from going for a swim. After the kayak we went to the other side and sat out on a blanket and relaxed for a couple of hours. This will be a great place to spend the whole day complete with picnic once the hot weather sets in. Finished round one of the bead production for the shows in August and onto round two! Speaking of hot, I so love my Big Rock Candy focals and their bright colors (like the ones on the home page) and have been making lots this week. This weekend I'm hoping we make it to the coast for one of the difficult hikes we have been thinking about. Difficult for me that is. When I was looking into it recently for maps and reviews I came upon someone who did the hike x3. Going over 17 miles in one day! I've done the middle (remember hill 88 last year?) and now hope to do the beginning. A dip in the ocean and a good meal at the end will make me one happy beadmaker.

Mommy merganser and her six babies.

Another beautiful blue heron. Many of you comment on my pretty pictures.  Thank you!

May 28th- Phew. I'm glad that LONG holiday weekend is over. You know, this new "stacation" idea is not for me. Since I work at home I like to get away from here for my relaxing time. We did do some hiking.  A bit more than 10 miles in two days got my calves crying and my mind eased. The first day was a dusty Briones hike that offered great views but little else. One long climb of 700 ft and then hoping that the knees hold out on the way down. The next day to Tennesse valley revisiting a hike I've done before. One whoops moment happened when I was being "helped" up over a high step on the way to the overlook. In slow motion I find myself falling off the trail into the mass of rasberry, poison ivy, and poison oak...so far no new itches. I'm hoping the weather is nice this coming weekend so that we can kayak at new location, or maybe another coastal hike. And the plans are already made for the NEXT long holiday weekend...

California quail ready for its closeup.

View from the overlook. Yes, I kept climbing.

May 20th- It feels good to get back into a routine of working without a show this month or next.  I've set the schedule for the next few months so I'll be sure to have all the fabulous beads you've come to expect by August. The landlord's tree trimmers were here last week and caused our resident towhees to loose their nest. Every year they have made one in a small tree outside my studio door. They hardly move when I come outside, and chirp along to the bluegrass I play. So when the tree was cut I could hear them freaking out all morning. I asked the trimmer to save the nest (which he said had nothing in it) and left it where they could see it. Within a couple of days it was dismantled and a new nest has been built in the bougainvillaea on the front lattice. I have to admire their resilience and respect their new attitude. With things having gone so wrong once they are not taking any chances this time. Anything moving anywhere near that nest gets chased and told to get out! Here is either Mom or Dad on guard.

We did a bit of kayaking and a bit of hiking last weekend. With the heat wave happening it was up and out the door early and home before noon! Thank goodness that scorching weather is over...but now it's actually chilly enough to turn the heat on. Go figure.

May 7th- Well, a BIG thank you to everyone who came to the show and bought my beads! And another BIG thank you to all of you who bought beads during the the web pre-sale! (Don't know what I'm talking about? Sign up for my email updates :). It was a fabulous show, and Jerry and I were busy pretty much the whole time. There were also quite a few of those "kevin bacon" moments... Doing two shows in a little more than a month has tired me out, so the next few months will be pretty low key.  No shows til August and I'll update more on that later.

May 1st- My table number at the show this weekend is 224. Beads are made and trays set to go. Not much traveling or hiking lately. I wanted to make beads this past weekend and catch up on some sleep. But we did get some new flowers for the front yard and walked to the nearby farmers market. Two of my favorites were the broccoflower and orange califlower. Both were very tasty! I'm already looking forward to buying more on Sunday.

April 22nd- A while since I've updated here. I've been very busy and trying to figure out a way to quickly "blog" this page on another website. It is way easier to simply update here, and I love the size and quality of the images, but I have a website package that does not allow for many photos...Oh well, I'll figure it out or I won't. Making many beads daily for the upcoming show. I hope you can make it to the show to see all the new beads. As always some fabulous original designs. We got the kayak on the water for the first time this year! After an inspection (invasive spieces showing up in some resv.), we were paddling away and my arms were saying what are you doing to me?? Another first for me on the first day...we spotted a bald eagle. Here's how it went. Jerry has told me he has seen one at another resv.. Well without someone to confirm I was a bit sceptical cause I've never seen one. We are on the water maybe 10 minutes and we both go "What's that??". Size and color and now I feel silly cause when you see one there is little doubt. We watched it fly over the water and land in a tree top on the other side. Wondering if we should paddle back over and try to get a picture-decided no keep going. Minutes later spot an osprey in the trees. Minutes later this same osprey is on the prowl for some fish snacks. And he gets one! What's this? Here comes the eagle! Eagle versus Osprey in a battle for the fish. Eagle attacks the osprey and steals the fish...and flys away. 

The next day we visited the same marine reserve we had before Christmas. It's a beautiful amazing place and the idea of eating again at Sam's for lunch got us moving early and out the door. Plus I was curious to see if that Costco Busan incident impacted the reserve. We went in the opposite direction this time first and sadly saw what looked like an abandoned seal pup. Rangers were called and after examining the pup (too thin) they called for a rescue. I hope everything works out for it even without a mother.

April 3rd- Back from Portland and had another great show! Thanks to everyone who bought my beads! I've been spending the last few days getting things back in order. And I'm already starting on new inventory for the fun Bead Bazaar here in Oakland on May 3rd. I have to say that traveling is sort of tough and I'm looking forward to a hometown show. I haven't got my table number yet, but will update when I do.

March 25th- Portland Bead Expo this weekend! All set to go. I'm loving the lastest beads...hope you will too! See you in Portland!

March 19th- The Bead Expo is almost here! Be sure to make a beeline to table number 7! M :)

March 11th- We took a hike this past weekend where you felt like you were on top of the world. With only a 600 foot elevation change we were able to see three bay area bridges. There were also petroglyph rock carvings by Native Americans estimated to be 3000 years old. After the hike we went down to the water in Tiburon to eat our lunch. It was a beautiful day.

March 7th- Revisting some beads that I made years ago. Makes me think about how long I've been making beads! Because spring has been in the air around here I'm working on some florals that just might make it back into the regular bead styles. Jerry gave me several types of iris bulbs that he bought from the local iris society, and my Mom's favorite flower the calla lily. Both are blooming right now. 

March 5th- Not too much longer til Portland Bead Expo! Last weekend we took a day to travel around the bay and for me to travel down art memory lane. First we stopped at Heath pottery studio to look at the wares.  Back in the day I would make pieces that had autobiographical thoughts or poems on them like this fruit bowl. This one talks about a memory I have of my grandfather.

We traveled out to lands end and the Legion of Honor. There was a long line to get in to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit...wish I could say the exhibit was worth it. I was disappointed with the lack of information regarding the religious significance of these scrolls. But walking through the other galleries was enjoyable. Entering one I came upon a painting that felt like an old friend. I'm a fan of the Dutch Masters and was happy to see a painting by Michael Sweerts. I painted an acrylic sketch of another of his paintings. I think it might be the same model.

Feb 25th- Well, the weekend was pretty uneventful. With the cold and the rain, we didn't feel like doing more than we had to. Sunday I was getting a little tired of what felt like a holding pattern...

and was happy to get back to work today. Sitting in the kiln is one of my Rainforest sets. Turtle, frog, snake, bee, ladybug, flowers and more!

Feb 22nd- I'm looking forward to the weekend! I don't think we will hike this weekend cause Jerry is still under the weather (I wonder where that expression comes from?). There is a new exhibit in SF on the Dead Sea Scrolls that I'm interested in seeing so maybe we'll go there. Portland Bead Expo is just about a month away and my table number for the show is 7. I've started work on my "Heavenly Hollow" sets, the "Oh I wish I were a Fishy" sets, and the Rainforest sets.  Take a swim on over to my Etsy Store to see one of the Fishy Sets.

Feb 20th-When down at the beach one of those moments of sychronicity happened between Jerry and me. We often pick up interesting pebbles and shells and then show them to eachother. I had reached down and picked up a shell. He walked towards me and I said "Look at what I found". He opened his hand and there was the same type shell he had been walking over to show me.

Feb 18th- More fabulous hiking at Point Reyes. Two hikes in one day. The first was going to a lagoon area that went down to the farther north on the great beach.

Beginning of hike 1.

A fellow traveler along the trail...it was actually quite a small snake.

The edge of the lagoon.

Hungry otters. We could hear the guy on the right chomping on his shellfish.

Reaching the ocean and midway point of hike one.

Leaving the ocean side to drive over to Tamales Bay side for hike 2.

The high point of hike 2. We are headed down to that beach. Jerry a bit worried as what goes down must come up. Do we have the strength?

The beach to the right. And to the left twice as far with as many people.

Chiton again. Funny you can never know something exists, then once you do you see them everywhere. Well, we had the strnght to hike out and make the long drive home. But that was about it for Jerry.  He's been in bed with the flu for three days (not the one he got the shot for apparently). Time to see if he wants more tea.

Feb 12th- Beautiful day at Point Reyes on Saturday. We visited a dramatic 10 mile beach and walked a few of them.

On the way back we stopped at Drakes Oyster Farm...yummy!

The weather has been fabulous these last few days with no rain in sight for the week. It's been wonderful to open the doors and windows and enjoy the fresh air.

Feb 8th- Another flock of birds in the backyard. This time cedar waxwings. I must be on some new bird migration highway.

Jerry and I went hiking in Redwood last weekend. Although it was cold when we started it was sunny. Then it started to rain, then hail, then finally sunny again by the end of the hike (although by that time I was soaked). Sunny tomorrow and I'm hoping Point Reyes!

January 29th- Gee what a surprise...it's cold and raining. Interesting sight this a.m..  I had been hearing birds calling for most of the morning. When I came outside I see that there are birds pretty much EVERYWHERE. In all the trees surrounding the house, on the fence, on the roof, in the trees accross the fence and the neighbors yards...Flying back and forth, up and down, and all around.  All robins with one or two confused blue jays in there. A flock of robins! Maybe a hundred or more. I've never seen or heard of this so I looked up "flock of robins" and sure enough there is such a thing. Learn something new every day.

I working on my set beads for the show. Matching in size/color/shape/design. Absolutely beautiful for earrings, bracelets or necklaces. But it has been about two weeks now and today I had to do something else! Life a balancing act...

January 25th- Here's a pic I took at the marine reserve. What you are looking at here is the underside edge of an abalone shell. The little crab almost went unnoticed it was hidden so well, and the other creature on the edge of the shell is something called a chiton, "unchanged since the dinosaurs roamed the earth" according to their brochure.  We live in such an amazing world! 

January 22nd- Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! So much for CA weather when we have snow down to 1000ft...Slow to get moving this morning. Tough to motivate myself to make beads in a VERY cold studio.

January 16th- We went for a six mile hike this past weekend to a beautiful place out in the valley. All the rains had the hillsides turning green. We saw golden eagles and I saw a gray fox!

Beginning of the hike at the parking lot.

View of one of the several golden eagles that nest in the area.

On the trail of the elusive kit fot. My highlight of the day after seeing thousands of tracks in the mud was to come over a little rise and see a gray fox standing about twenty feet off the trail. I burst out with my surprised greeting of "Foxy!!!".  She looked over her shoulder at me and took off. I promised Jerry, next time I would try to be more quiet... ;).

A lovely collection of my starfish beads. Diligently working daily to prepare for the Bead Expo in Portland!

January 10th-Still raining...Over a hundred percent of normal now for the year. We have been lucky not to have lost power, and the studio has not flooded. But with the forcast showing rain all day today, and again on Saturday I'm thinking enough all ready! I'm on schedule with the bead production for the Expo, and all signed up for the NorCal show in May.

Jan 2nd 2008- We went to Point Reyes over the weekend. We will need to go back for whale and elephant seal spotting because after about six miles of walking we were both too tired to drive out to the point. I did see one of the tule elk herds but too far away for a good photo. Another reason to go back for  another visit soon.

December 27th 2007- Beautiful day on the coast the day before Christmas. We went to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at Moss Beach and wandered over the protected tidepools. Ate at a great restaurant called Sam's Chowder House overlooking the harbor further down the coast, and visited the little town of Half Moon Bay. Hopefully will be going to Point Reyes this weekend for whale watching (or searching more likely), seeing the salmon spawning, and the recovered elephant seal population...If I don't update before the 1st...HAPPY NEW YEAR!

December 10th 2007- Well the year is almost over, and in some ways ends the way it started. We went for a Redwood hike the other day and all the ladybugs are back for their winter hibernation.

On the way home from the store I spotted a hawk sitting on a light at the Bart Station. Not at all distracted by all the noise of the trains and traffic, or the people walking by... Quite the urban bird.

Exciting news! Next year Jerry and I will be vendors at the BEAD EXPO in Portland Oregon! The show will be four days at the end of March. I'm looking forward to it already.