Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Bathing Suit Weather

July in the foothills is bathing suit weather - so here are a few, courtesy of Seventeen Magazine, circa 1973.
First up, from J.C. Penney:
The next three were from Sears:
White Stag:
From Robby Len:
And a couple more, below - the red one is Maidenform, and the cherries print, from Catalina:

Stay cool - and , if you're lucky enough to have a pool, take a little dip for me, won't you?

Monday, July 30, 2012

What's Penny Wearing? #76 Sun Dress or Cover-Up? You Decide

I found this pretty little sleeveless number at a thrift store in Auburn. Unworn, with the tag still attached (it's hidden in the back.) It has pretty embroidered details, along the gorgeous pairing of colors tangerine and green:

It looks much better belted, and can be worn as a dress:
Or, used as a swimsuit cover-up.

I'm leaning toward the latter - if I can ever find a place to go swimming, that is!
(A nice pool where there isn't anybody else around.....)

Sunday, July 29, 2012

A New Treat

Just a quick post - to share a new little treat I found at my Weight Watchers meeting location:

Little Iced Lemon Cookies.
A sweet little snack, crunchy and satisfying.
Every little bit helps! Especially since I LOVE lemon.
I like 'em.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

I Phound A Pheasant

I wasn't even looking for him, but there he was. Waiting for me on a thrift-shop shelf. (Thrift-shop shelf - say that real fast five times - I'll bet you can't!)
Anyway - he wasn't cheap at thrift shop prices, but he IS perfect, and he was surely less expensive than he would be if found at an antiques shop.

A perfect addition to what I can very truly call my "extensive" California pottery bird collection.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Evolution of A Tri-Tip Sandwich


Here is how my sandwich evolved:
Take one HUGE tri-tip, cut it up a bit and marinate it in Basque Marinade, below:

Grill it, and then forget to take a picture until after some of it has been sliced:

Slice it all up:

And then take some garlic sourdough bread, a little mayonnaise, some mustard and some reduced fat pepper jack cheese, and enjoy!

Yum.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Finally

I finally was able to go see the new house my dear niece Amber moved into recently with her family. Left to right in the photo below, are Addison, Bobby, Amber, Robby, and Lori:
It made me very happy to see my sweet niece and my grand-nephews and grand- niece. It had simply been WAY too long.
That's Addison and yours truly, below:

Today is Amber's birthday - Happy Birthday, sweetie!
Love you guys!!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Ginocchio Store in Butte City, Amador County Postcards

Good morning. Tina here. I am sharing a part of my collection of vintage postcards this morning. These cards show the Ginocchio Store, also known as Butte Store, which stands close to Highway 49 about 3 miles out of Jackson as you head south.  I have been wanting to make the trip to Sonora to visit Heidi, and if I ever get the chance to drive over there, I will go right past this lovely old building.
The postcard above is a "Frasher's Foto Card. Scenic Photos of the West" Published in Pomona, California.
You can see here how close the store is to the road. That was good in the "olden days" but not so good anymore. 
This postcard above reads "All that remains of Butte City Calf. A flourishing city in the 50's. (That's 1850s, by the way...) Sorry for the dimness of the picture, old real photo postcards are not always the best images. No photoshop back in those days.
"Old Butte Store. One of the historical landmarks of the Mother Lode Country, located on Highway 49 between Jackson and Mokelumne Hill." This postcard, above, also has a handwritten note: "Tues. Sept. 27, 1966. Passed this on way to Jackson from Mokelumne Hill."
"Butte Store. Three miles South of Jackson, California on Highway 49, stands the only remaining building of a once thriving gold town of 10,000."

I plan to share more of my postcard collections in the future. I find them a fascinating way to journey through history, and I am always on the lookout for more.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Just Horsin' Around


Take an inexpensive paint- by-number horse painting, found at a thrift store, and "marry" it with a frame found at another - for free:


And they make for a pretty nice pairing, don't you agree?

Nice.

Monday, July 23, 2012

A Little Trip To Washington

Washington, California, that is:

Lori and I went over to the Nevada City area, and we took a little side jaunt out to Washington to go check out the River Rest Resort campground.

We used to go camping there years ago, so it was fun to reminisce:

It had been longer since Lori had been there, and she wanted to check it out so she could see what campsites we thought looked best. She wanted to tell her daughter, Amber which ones they might like to try to reserve if a group of families all went together for a weekend or something.It looks so pretty , there on the Yuba River, doesn't it?
We rather liked this group of sites that were off in a corner by themselves:

The water looked especially inviting the day we were there - it was about 103 degrees.



There's an old cemetery along the road as you drive down into the campground. Only a few of the original headstones remain:
The town isn't too big; they have a store, this hotel, which I am not sure is even still open, maybe a cafe.

Just a nice place to go relax and get away from it all.
And some good memories don't hurt, either.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

A Sewing Lesson


I need another sewing lesson.
Or two.
Or three.
Or thirty-seven.

Before I left JoAnn Fabric And Crafts, I did get to take one free class. (The picture above shows the sewing supplies you receive when you take the class.) Beginner Sewing. But it was REALLY basic, and since I couldn't use Lori's sewing machine that she loaned me, that meant that, even after the class (which truly was about basics nearly too basic for even ME), I STILL didn't learn how to even really get started.
I have been collecting fabrics for a good long while, and I have so many ideas for pillows and other things that I would love to create! But since I quit there and started my other job, I don't have nearly as much free time as I used to.
"Sew", really - I've got tons of notions, patterns, books, fabric, ideas - golly, I seem to have everything I need!
Except the skills.
I am going to require hands-on instruction - and lots of it.

Maybe one of these days I will learn.....

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Then And Now #88 Smucker's Pineapple Topping

Today, I have only two examples for you, but the "Then" is this vintage Smucker's Pineapple Topping jar I found at a thrift store with nuts and bolts inside. Apparently, it had been in somebody's garage for years. Thanks for saving it, folks - because I like it:

And here is how it looks "Now" - available, I'm sure, at a supermarket near you:

Banana split, anyone?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

I Want Clothes Like They're Wearing


Okay, so I want the little blonde seamstress, above, to come over and we can go to JoAnn's together and pick out fabrics, and then I want her to make me some dresses like all of the adorable ones on these cards Lori found at a thrift store last week.
Any one of them would be fabulous for me to wear to work - and they're all cuter than what I've got.
I think my favorites are the yellow calico and the blue one. I love the leg-o-mutton sleeves.

And I seriously NEED some of those shoes they're wearing, too!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

A Visit to Bodega Bay

Just returned Sunday from a four day trip to the coast with family.  We rented a house called "Abbey's Ocean View", close to the golf course in Bodega Bay, Marin County.

The home was faded redwood, a lovely single-story seventies-built two bedroom.  Views of the ocean and bay abounded from the kitchen, dining area, living room and den. 


There was a tiny wrap-around deck and a little backyard, which dropped away into lavender bushes.


Our first night, we enjoyed a lovely sunset, watching from the living room as it slowly sank into the cliffs beyond the bay.  Unfortunately, fog obscured the view on the following two nights.


Friday some of us took a car trip up the coast.  We watched for signs of a visit from "The Birds", and found a few watching from a pole above the road out of Occidental.


In Bodega we stopped to admire the old schoolhouse which had a starring role in the movie.


A bit further up the coast we stopped for a potty break at the mouth of the Russian River as it enters the sea, and enjoyed the little cabins in Jenner, nestled in the hills and perched at the edge of the ocean.


On Saturday we headed down the coast and visited the Point Reyes beaches, and stopped for lunch in Inverness.


Down below Point Reyes we took a drive through the darling little town of Bolinas.


Heading back from Bolinas we marveled at the immense size of the eucalyptus, which formed large groves on either side of the highway.


Back at home again we watched from the living room as a momma quail led her chicks on a search for dinner in the backyard.  Two deer also visited, looking into the windows with curiosity.


As we settled in on our last evening, a game of Yahtsee kept us close.  I lost by one point!


Wine, dice and in-laws. 


Unfortunately, after the first day, fog ruled the scene.  The telescope was not used this trip.


This is a view of our house from the west.  All windows.


We had a great trip, and left well-rested, ready to head back inland to the heat.


My hubby is already planning the next trip.