Sunny California

The beautiful California coast.  We enjoyed our lunch overlooking a group of para-gliders doing their thing off the coast near La Jolla.  It looked so "California!"  Also in LaJolla we discovered the Birch Aquarium at Scripps and ooohh-ed and aahhed- over the amazing ocean exhibits.  I could watch the floating jelly fish, the sea horses and sea dragons, the bazaar colored fish for hours.

This creature looks like nothing I'd ever seen before.  Its a sea dragon, related to the sea horse but with a much more elaborate "costume."  A master of camouflage.

And then on down the coast to Point Loma to see the lighthouse at Cabrillo National Monument.  So glad the sun is shining again.  Tad cooler than normal, jackets are in order, but I'm not complaining--I think it is dipping below freezing tonight in Tucson.  I  may be returning to some freeze-damaged plants

Southern California in the rain

Here we are in sunny southern California--except its not too sunny!  We're spending a week in San Diego.  Found a very comfy RV park in Chula Vista, good location to enjoy all that San Diego can show us.  Southern California has had its share of rain of late but we were hoping it would be over by the time we arrived.  Weather forecast says the sun is coming back tomorrow.

Decided it would be a good day to spend indoors at a museum so we headed for Balboa Park.  Did the Natural History Museum first.  It was great. Besides all the fossils, minerals, and natural history, they were hosting an exhibition from New York of live reptiles from around the world.  This guy didn't look real, his bright beady skin looked like something you could buy at a boutique.

We ducked in and out of several other museums and venues in Balboa Park.  I could go back.

Christmas with Steph

Christmas has come and gone.  Stephanie came and went also.  So lovely to have her here!  We finished the short visit with a early Christmas dinner of roasted duck (was very good) before we took her to the airport for her flight back to Bloomington.

We managed to get a hike in the Catalinas one day on the "phone-line trail."  Odd name, great trail along the canyon wall in Sabino Canyon.  She got to enjoy a little Arizona sun before she returned to Indiana winter.

Stephanie

Steph's here!!  We're just hangin' out, doin' stuff.  Went to a couple of movies, out to Poca Cosa--an amazing Mexican restaurant, went to a Woody Gutherie show downtown last night, going on a hike tomorrow. . .  So fun to have her here for a short while.

I won't leave her alone so she can get some work done!

Happy Winter Solstice

Its really hard getting a good picture of the moon!  My camera is not sophisticated enough to get a good shot--may be the photographer doesn't know how to set it, but the point-and-shoot did not work!!  Got two out of dozens of trys.  But we were all out there after midnight watching the lunar eclipse happen.  Did you know that this was the first lunar eclipse that has happened on the exact date of winter solstice since something like 1370.  Best part was having Stephanie here to watch it with us!  There was a lite cloud cover but we got stellar binocular looks at it between cloud events. 

Wanted to share this article from azstarnet.com

I love this story that appeared in local Tucson paper. It showcases a lady who lives just down the road from us in Green Valley, whose great-great grandfather was Clement Moore, the author of the immortal poem. There is even a link here, so you can hear her reciting "Twas the Night Before Christmas," just as her great grandfather intended.  Just some fun Christmas trivia.

'Twas the poem that remains gift to all

Click on the link or Copy and Paste the address into your internet browser window.
http://www.azstarnet.com/news/local/article_a2f23399-586d-5232-a75b-d7b1316089a7.html
- ldeboer@att.net

E-mail-A-Friend: Photo Gallery Image

URL To Photo:
http://explorernews.com/shared-content/gallery/?galleryid=1&albumid=1&mediaid=154
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This is my "15 minutes of fame!."  Our local Northwest Tucson/Marana newspaper published a photo I sent to them in thier "Reader Photo of the Week" section.  I was reading the little newspaper one morning shortly after taking the picture, admiring that week's photo selection, when I thought to myself. . ."I have a photo just as good as this one, I think I'll send it in!" 

 If anyone would like autographed copies. . .

The Droid

We just made a huge leap into technology.  We both got new Android cell phones.  We, who always said we had no need for a smart phone, didn't need all those gadgets, don't want to be looking at my phone every 10 minutes--well, we're doing it.  Gotta keep up with the kids!!!  It is quite amazing, really.  I have a lot to learn about how to use it.  And then once I learn it, the real trick is remembering how to do it the next time!

Test Test

Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

Today was the day to dig out all the boxes and put up the Christmas decorations.  I worked inside and got the tree up and Will worked outside up on the ladder to put up the lights on the house.  Hank and Grace  (the affectionate names of our Carolers,) are in thier place on the garden wall.  Looks pretty festive if I do say so myself.

Holiday open house at my pottery studio was yesterday-- a very nice affair--Women's Christmas Brunch at church this Friday, Choir concert on Saturday night, Carol Sing followed with Christmas desert on Sunday afternoon, friends coming over for dinner tomorrow night. . .Steph coming in a week. . .the holidays are upon us.  Lovin' it all.

Holiday Nights

  Will flew to Rock Valley, Iowa for a few days to spend some time with his Mom--her 89th birthday was this past Wednesday.

   Just for something fun to do and an excuse for my friend, Irene and I to hang out together--we went to Tohono Chul Park last night for "Holiday Nights."  A pleasant evening strolling in the park with thousands of lights, live music, and cookies and cider.  The tea room was open for dinner so we did that too.  Nice way to begin the holiday season.