Learning on the Longarm

Reluctant to tackle a quilt the first time around, I made place mats as gifts, using one jelly roll,  instead.  I made two small quilts that I then cut into placemats.

SMCP-Devil's Slide

We were invited to hike the new Devils Slide Trail as contributors to the San Mateo County Parks Foundation.....the first time we brought along a cranky granddaughter and finally left before seeing the entire trail.  Fortunately there was another tour and we got to the other end.  There was a gorgeous sunset that day!

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Misión la Exaltacion de la Santa Cruz

CALIFORNIA REGISTRER HISTORICAL LANDMARK # 342  76000530  

A visit to the mission in Santa Cruz requires two stops at the top of Mission Hill.  The first to the church finds a 1/3 size replica of the original mission which was destroyed in 1857 and the second to the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park where there are magnificent views from the gardens.

Santa Cruz, the 12th California Mission, was founded on the bluff in 1791 by President Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuén and founding missionaries Frs. Isídro Salazar and Balamero López.  The Awaswas triblet of the Costanoans were the earliest of the neophytes.  They were later joined by Yokuts and other Costanoans.

The church is still a Catholic church and is popular for local marriages





The State Historic park features the only original building left. The single story adobe which was built between 1822 and 1824 was originally about twice the size it is now.  It provided housing for the neophytes.

When the mission system was secularized in 1834 the neophytes left, either abandoning the rooms or selling them to Californios.





Today the building is home to exhibits that tell the story of the early mission and it's residents through the years including the neophytes, the Californios and others.  Be sure to pick up the self-guided tour brochure in the gift shop before starting.

California Mission State Historic Park
California Missions - Santa Cruz
Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks  Lorenzo Asisara remembers a story told him by his father in 1818 in Reminiscences.

NPS - Presidio of California - Fort Winfield Scott

Another stop on a walk and drive through the Presidio.  








Fort Winfield Scott was established in 1912 and was designated as the headquarters for San Francisco Coastal defense, controlling Forts Baker, Barry, Cronkhite, Miley and Funston, but not the Presidio or Fort Mason.















At the end of WWII it became a sub post of the SF Presidio and in 1946 became the home of the US Army's Coast Artillery School for a short time.

Presidio of San Francisco - NPS 

Fort Winfield Scott

For Dad

I made this quilt for the bed in Dad's trophy room in 1992.  Hard to believe he's been gone for twenty years.  Tim has the quilt on the bed in his office as well as a lot of dads memorabilia.

CSB - Asilomar

This post covers many of my interests, a state  beach and marine reserve, a lighthouse, a natural preserve, and QUILTS.  It can't be much better than a week immersed by all.

Asilomar is a state beach with a conference center located in Pacific Grove.  I was lucky enough to find a quilt workshop with Empty Spools Seminars. A week with Sandra Leichner provided me with a lot of new techniques for hand applique, and visits to other classrooms provided inspiration for projects to come.

There was even a quilt store in place at the workshop.  The Cotton Patch from Lafayette sets up a store on site to facilitate those last minute needs or desires of workshop attendees. And so my fat quarter stash has grown.

Learning new quilting techniques is great...but I need my steps.  The ability to step out the door and walk to my hearts content made for a wonderful week!  After a quick stop for coffee in the mornings I would walk along the beach for about an hour.  By the end of the week I had chatted with a few of the locals who were also out every day.

Wandering through the grounds are some very tame deer, they don't run when you walk up, the do munch on everything....the reason for the caged flowers in the Dunes Natural Preserve.





Asilomar,  itself was originally a YWCA camp. The original building,  designed in 1913 by Julia Morgan, has been restored and other buildings date back to the WPA era.  Asilomar became a State Park in 1957 and has continued as a conference center with the grounds open to the public.

Point Pinos Lighthouse commissioned in 1855,  is the oldest continuously working lighthouse in the state.   The lighthouse is owned by the city of Pacific Grove.  The Heritage society of Pacific Grove is actively restoring the lighthouse and manning the museum.  It is well worth a visit.

• CSP - Asilomar State Beach 
  
• Visitors Guide 
• Coast Trail
• Julia Morgans Asilomar
• Dunes Natural Preserve 
• CSP-Asilomar State Marine Reserve
• Asilomar Conference Grounds - Wikipedia
• Asilomar - See Monterey
• Point Pinos Lighthouse

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Asilomar

Point Pinos

Mission - San Antonio de Padua

CALIFORNIA REGISTRER HISTORICAL LANDMARK # 232

Each of the missions I've visited has some wonderful new thing to see.  San Antonio de Padua, probably the furthest off the beaten path, situated a little over twenty miles west of 101 had a great museum. The arrangement allowed easy viewing and there were many unique items, including a    When the wine was ready it would be drained through that hole you see.





San Antonio Padua was established in 1771 by Father Serra, the 3rd mission in the system.  It was run by Franciscan priests until 2005 when it was taken over by the Diocese of Monterey.

It is still an active church, albeit with a tiny community.  It is also open for individual and group retreats.






It is definitely in the boonies, but well worth the trip.  Be aware that your GPS might not know the way after a certain point so you might want to look at a map before you go.

There was also a great gift shop.  Artists have placed their wares on consignment, which allows a much better collection that could be maintained if the items had to be purchased.  It's a great place to stock up for next seasons gifts!

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• Mission San Antonio de Padua website
• Mission San Antonio de Padua - Wikipedia
• California Through My Lens
• See Monterey

LH - Hunting Island (South Carolina)

One of the places we traveled to South Carolina in 2009 for Ethan's wedding in Beaufort.  It was a lovely park and a great lighthouse.

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Valentine Hearts

Another early lap quilt.  I think one of my first...made in the days when material was found in the remnant bin at Gemco.  I'm never sure that I love this, not the color choices I'd make today. But then it was what was available and I've lived with it on Valentines day for close to forty years.

SMCP - Pillar Point Bluff

It was another great day with the San Mateo County Parks Foundation,  a beautiful January day, and Michele had arranged for Malia and Chris to lead this birding hike.  Malia is an expert for  ibirds, responsible for checking reported sightings for the area.  Also on the hike were rangers Rob Cala and Mark Schneider.  Rob Cala's huge camera lens captured some wonderful shots of the day.  Check the harrier and the heron below.



As we hiked the bluff, I realized I had been there once before, without realizing it, when we took our Bay to Bridge hike in 2014.

Harrier Land Brush - Rob Cala 2020 - Used with permission
Northern Harrier

Misty Pillar Point Harbor

Once you know where this park is, it is easy to get to and well worth the drive to get there.  It's a short hike to Mavericks Beach or in the other direction to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

Pillar Point Bluff County Park
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Magnificent Mushrooms
Fly Agaric

Heron - Rob Cala 2020 - Used with permission
Black Crowned Night Heron