And what did we learn this year?

It seems like we learn something new about traveling each Thanksgiving trip.

Last year we learned that it is not a good idea to go to the Grand Canyon on the day after Thanksgiving. You think the malls are a madhouse on Black Friday? We waited in line for two hours to get to the point where we could get in the line to use our park pass.

This year we learned that you don't want to travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. We got across town from my brother's to San Fernando without incident. (Well, the incident only took two blocks to fix.) Then we hit Interstate 5. I think that Interstate 5 is bumper to bumper from LA to SF. We didn't wait to find out. We abandoned our plan and found a cheap motel to wait it out till the morning.

What will we learn next year?

Sunday's Psalm--First Sunday of Advent

R. Lord, make us turn to you: let us see your face and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us.

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven and see;
take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted

the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

May your help be with the man of your right hand,

with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

Then we will no more withdraw from you;

give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Psalm 80: 2-3, 15-16, 18-19

• somewhere in eastern Oregon

• Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

• The Stolby National Park, Siberia

• Grove of the Patriarchs trail, Mt. Rainier

• Lower Valley Pathway, Prosser

• Grove of the Patriarchs trail, Mt. Rainier

• Emerald Pools, Zion National Park, Utah

Saguaro Skies

The saguaro cactus grows only in a band of habitat which ranges across the eastern portion of California's desert through Arizona into northern Mexico.
/
It grows to be 15 feet or more in height (5m) and its diameter depends on rainfall.
It may be 30 to 70 years before a plant may develop its first arm bud.

These saguaro are set against desert skies in Arizona north of Phoenix. The one below was taken in Mesa. For other sky watches, look here.

ABC Wednesday--A Quilter's ABC--S

ABC Wednesday started with Mrs. Nesbitt.

It now has an Anthology and a Mr. Linky.

Visit them all.

S is for Star Blocks.

A lot of quilt blocks are inspired by stars. This is a quilt I made of stars for a class I taught. We did a different star each class session. I don't have a space big enough to photograph the whole quilt--this is a scan of the picture taken for the class notebook.

Quilters in the class used a variety of colors for their quilts. It was amazing to see each star emerge in different fabrics.
*
Every star block has a name (or several.) You've seen some of these for other letters. I don't know the name of this one. I probably did at the time, but I can't find it now. Do you know the name of it? Or can you think of one to give it?

This one is a Sawtooth Star. In some places the Sawtooth Star is called the Ohio Star--but most give that name to a different one.

Here is a Little Lone Star.

...which is based on the Lemoyne Star.

Two smaller stars here--a Friendship Star and a 4 Point Star.

A Feathered Star. If you try a Feathered Star, be sure you have really good directions.

Here is a Double Star--also called a Carpenter's Square.

This one is a Byzantine Star. It also goes by California Star.

Here is Aunt Eliza's Star.

54-40 or Fight--I could have used this one for P is for Politics or H is for History.

I thought I had an Ohio Star. This Feathered Star was based on the Ohio Star and so is the unknown star. I will use an Ohio Star for my Anthology post.

Odd Shots Monday

Play Odd Shots with us by leaving a link to your Odd shot in a comment on this post. All the details can be found by clicking the Odd Shots camera in the sidebar. Visit those who comment to see what other oddities they have turned up--or follow the blogroll in the sidebar. (It is not always up to date.)

I don't knw, but I think I would be glad there was no fire.

You'll never dream...

... who plunged my toilet last night. Barack Obama



He had just done several repairs in my house when I said "Oops! It's overflowing." He took care of it and said if it happens once in a while it's not serious but if it happens a lot..."



...and I told him I plunge it at least once every couple of weeks.



He looked at me and said "Oh, well, we'll have to look into it then."



He was wearing his traditional white shirt, but he had the sleeves rolled up. And his tie loosened.



When he left there were secret service men all over the yard looking for him.



.



.



Does this mean he's going to fix everything?

Sunday's Psalm: Psalm of Thanksgiving

R. Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness and love.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all of my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple.

R. Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness and love.

I will give thanks to your name,
Because of your kindness and your truth.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness and love.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to your, O LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth; And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD:
"Great is the glory of the LORD."
Psalm 138:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5

Rural Christian Church • bird • deer • Stolby National Park, Siberia • Kremlin view, Moscow • prayer for the unborn

Yesterday

I had just said to my hubby that it felt like we were driving through a cowboy movie...

...when

...just around the next bend...

Photo Hunt--Theme: Reflection

Here is a reflection on the reflection of the reflection of....

For other Photo Hunters, see TnChick.

Clear Skies in Red Rock Country

Both taken from Visitor Center parking lot at Arches national Park.

For more skies, visit the Skywatch site.

Where I was today

Where I Am

Click to enlarge.

Quilter's ABC--R

ABC Wednesday is the Brainchild of Mrs. Nesbitt.
Visit the ABC Wednesday Anthology and the ABC
Wednesday Mr. Linky for more R posts.

R is for Rail Fence.

The Rail Fence block is a good one for beginners. Three contrasting strips are sewn together.
...and cut into blocks. If your seam allowance is not quite quite and the width of the strip set is a bit more or a bit less than it should be--just cut the strips into blocks to what it is.

These samples I made for this post will make the center of a quilt for a wounded soldier.

Travel Day

After some of this... a bit of this...

and this...

quite a bit of this...

and this...

and eventually some of this...

...we arrived in Moab, Utah and set up camp in the dark. The camp host came by and things seem good to go. We will see what it looks like in the morning.

.

And then we can really start our adventure.

On the Road

We haven't had any adventures yet, just a day on the road and a night in a motel. True, we could have camped last night, but we had a long day on the road and stayed where we usually do on this trip when we don't have the tiny trailer following us.
/
These are some rest stop views in Oregon.
You might be wondering what that thing is behind the cow that looks kind of like a giant hand coming out of the ground. Wondering myself, I went back to the original series of "cow at the rest stop" pictures and identified it as a fence post. In Eastern Oregon there is commonly a corner post made of sort of a box filled with rocks. That's what that is.

Now, this is a common sign in the bathrooms of major motel chains. the crazy thought came to me last night since I did forget to pack something.

What do you suppose they would say at the desk if I told them I forgot my sausage?

/

That was only an odd thought--the Odd Shot is in the post below.