Some Quiet Faves for Friday

January 17, 2025.  Friday.  We have had a quiet week for the most part.  It is almost midwinter, so here in this part of the world, we are experiencing snow and cold.  Maybe that's what slows us down and makes life more quiet.  As I reflect back on this week, I know I am very blessed.  Here are Five Faves that I chose to share. The link is to Susanne's blog-- our faithful host.

1.  My sister-in-law and I are close.  We were BFFs in high school.  We're always texting each other and sharing photos.  One day this week, I read a text that said, "I found Tracy!"  Hmmm, I didn't know Tracy was lost.  Which Tracy?  OH!  THAT Tracy!  Yay!  She was a blogger who lives in Norway and now she has a you tube channel.  I am glad my sister-in-law found her and we were able to reconnect.

2.  We had to make a drive to the airport to drop Younger Daughter off for a trip.  Warrior Boy asked if he could ride along.  Of course.  That meant we had extra time with him.  Not all that exciting-- a stop at Trader Joe's for groceries.  A wait for me at a dr appt (all's well).   But we enjoy any time we can have with our grandkids.

3.  Snow and cold means cuddling up with blankets, afghans, coffee and tea.  I am thankful I have a warm home!

4.  My cousin still lives in the area where our dads were born and raised.  He was at the local library and found old yearbooks and sent me (among many others) pictures of my dad.

Dad is second from right in the front row.  Yes, he was very tall.

5.  Older Daughter was able to take some hours off from work this week and joined us for our weekly coffee time with T and S.  We drove to a new to her (one of our usuals) coffee shop.  We had the best time.  Conversations never flag.  And the coffee and snacks are yummy.

Wishing you a quiet weekend with sunshine and smiles.

January 16, 2025

 In November, The Professor and I drove about an hour to visit a new to us state park.  Salt Fork State Park.   It was a perfect day for hiking.  Sunny, dry, not too cold.  The area of the park was originally owned by a family named Kennedy who built a lovely stone house and farmed the land which included a creek running through the property.  In the 1960s, they sold the land to the state because of plans to dam the creek and create a lake.  Today, Salt Fork State Park is the largest park in Ohio.

Not a great photo of Kennedy Stone House.  We didn't want to interrupt a family photo shoot...  Kennedy Stone House is on the National Register of Historical Places. 

The day we visited it  was closed, so we plan to return and tour the house when we know it will be open to visitors.

January 15, 2025

I just read on another blog that the British Museum opened on this date, January 15, in 1759.  My brain swirled around, and I thought, "Yes!  I've been there!"  So I went searching for photos.  June 2008.

I titled this photo 'juxtaposition of Old and New British Museum Buildings

My favorite display?  Textiles, obviously.

woven cloth from 1-2nd century AD

OK.  Time to stop browsing my old photos and get back to life in 2025.

January 14, 2025

I love autumn.

There's nothing better than walking along and crunching the leaves underfoot.

And a barn.

At Infirmary Mound Park

January 13, 2025

I used to live in Los Angeles, at times in the city and other times in suburbs.  When I was in college, we would drive into Los Angeles for shopping or visiting the world's best chili hot dog stand.  After college, for a while I worked in Santa Monica and would drive down the 405 and then west on Sunset Blvd to get to the office.  Years and years later, we lived in LA and then in Ventura County.  We would drive Pacific Coast Hwy back and forth to visit friends or hang on the beach or go to Getty Center Museum and Getty Villa (in Pacific Palisades).

These fires that are raging in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas right now are tugging at my heart.  Last month in the Mountain Fire, our friends lost their beautiful home where we go to watch Fourth of July fireworks.  During the years we lived in Camarillo (Ventura County), we were evacuated two times from our home due to fires, one of which burned to about two hundred yards of our house.

destroyed vehicles in the parking lot above our neighborhood

This is why I am following the fires happening now in  LA.  I have read that Getty Villa and Getty Museum are safe at this point.  These two museums were our favorites to visit.  Staff at Getty Museum are stating that the buildings are safe and were built to withstand fires.  You can see how carefully and strategically they were designed.

I am very concerned for my friends who live in LA and Ventura Counties and am keeping in touch with them.  People are more important than buildings and art, but I do hope that the care and planning that the Getty Foundation did to protect its buildings will keep them safe.

January 12, 2025

 In August, The Professor and I took another road trip.  We again headed west.  This time, we drove the Oregon Trail.  Since I am an Oregon native (and so was my dad), I have a special love for Oregon history.  We spent several days following the trail as closely as we could.  Some day I'll get all the pictures sorted and make some posts about our trip.  Today, I just chose two photos of Oregon Trail signs.

We traveled all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  Two photos of my favorite ocean.

January 11, 2025

One favorite photo from August 2024.

I was at the right place at the right time.  And so were the sun and the windmill.