Winter Is Coming

December is here. Our nights are finally skidding towards and beyond freezing when it seemed like Indian summer would never end. It's rained a little but not nearly enough. C'mon, El Nino!

November's adventures:

After lo these many decades of living in the Bay Area, M and I finally went to Alcatraz. It was a beautiful day to visit a sad, crumbling place. More photos here.







I took the whole week of Thanksgiving off and we headed south to the in-laws for Turkey Day. It was very pleasant. I slept in! Rex and Jack got along, relatively speaking, though it was pretty funny seeing Rex cow an 85 pound lab in the prime of life.

We visited the Shields Date Garden in Indio to eat dates and observe the religious "art" in the garden.





We rode the famous Palm Springs tram. It was cold at the summit.

Christin and Scott came over Thanksgiving Day. We ate well and played cards. And watched football. I miss watching football.





The day after Thanksgiving, M and I went hotrod parts shopping in Seal Beach and had lunch in Newport Beach. It's easy to see why so many people want to live by the beaches in Southern California.



We took Arienne out for a round of mini-golf at Camelot.

I was and am thankful for such a lovely break from life's routine and for this branch of my family. Here's the Flickr album.

We came home from five days in Orange County to frost-drooping plants and a patio finally carpeted in leaves from the mulberry tree. I tore up most of the remaining plants from garden bed. We're sharing the slow-growing kale with insects and the last of the chard and herbs are hanging on, their growth slowed to incremental. On Sunday we ate the last of the beans, boiled and mashed, and peppers, sautéed with onions. I'm contemplating frying up the last three frost-bitten green tomatoes. It was work, but I got so much enjoyment from our little garden this year. M and I are already planning next year's growing scheme.

I continue my search for more happiness, listening to instructive podcasts, walking the dog, looking at the sky, trying to keep creativity alive in my life. I knitted some fingerless gloves, three to be exact - the middle effort didn't quite come out right. It's funny how the cold weather makes me want to knit.

How was your Thanksgiving.