On an early March day, we took a quick trip with friends to Death Valley. A great time was had by all.
We drove up the back road, east of HWY 350, through Trona, now that is an alien landscape if I ever saw one. By lunch time we stopped here. Had a very good lunch.
Drove up to Father Crawley point. The Airforce used to do a lot of test fights here, since a bad accident 5 years ago – not so much. Although a day later we did see a stealth fighter fly silently over Death Valley. Looking down into the canyon, these are the kinds of colorful bands of minerals we saw.
weather couldn’t have been better, friends even more so.
By the iconic sign. two years ago Joel and I were here, since then hurricane Hillary (not the Clinton one) came through and flooded the valley. so now it is a lot harder to see the iconic tetra and hexagon shapes of the salt oozing through the dry land.
Devils golf course looked the same.
We took a jeep tour, saw some of the standard sights and also some off road ones
That is a lot of table salt, yes, It is exactly that. Table salt. Like so much of the earth, great changes happened over millions of years – including the fact that used to be under the ocean.
Standing on very hard compacted salt.
Into Artist Palatte canyon, the geology is fascinating. These are just different formations.
The camera doesn’t do the colors justice.
the colors, the textures, the deep blue sky!
One of the many sites used in the original Star Wars.
Same canyon, looking in the other direction.
One of the things that make this park so unique is the incredible contrasts.
gorgeous sunsets!
Wonderful dinners. We celebrated both Michael and my birthday, and boy did we celebrate!
When this museum opened about 30 years ago they were trying to be very serious. Nowadays, they don’t have much well known art, they have gone woke, but they also have great activities for kids. So it’s easier to ignore the woke.
Great place to take grandkids.
They have a fun play area, here is Einav cooking.
Legos and magna tiles – both items that Eyal has at home, but it is so much more fun when one is out and about.
It is a cowboy museum, so riding the horse is a must. Einav said this was her favorite, Eyal said his favorite was all the guns, I love how much of a boy he is – and yes, all those old guns are beautifully decorated.
The green light screen. You may notice that most of Einav’s shirt disappeared into the background – although it looked light Turquoise to me – it has enough green to disappear into the background.
‘Indigenous modern art’. cultural appropriation only goes in one direction. this quilt pattern is called either Lone Star or as I remember from over 40 years ago – Star of Bethlehem. Certain tribes adopted it – which is fine, but now suddenly the original white women who created this pattern no longer exist.
This is made out of computer motherboards and it a wonderful example of old and new, without the social commentary.
A driftwood beaded wall hanging.
Another craft I love, beadwork.
This quilt is made up of star destroyers with the millennium Falcom superimposed with embroidery. Very lovely!
I was here about 10 years ago, they were in the middle of renovation, of course they aren’t done, and no one can figure out how to stop a FLW house from leaking.
everything here is designed by FLW, except the lighting fixture. That was Aline Barnsdells’ input, I don’t fault her for wanting her own imprint on her own house. That is not the Wright way. Which is part of the reason why she never lived in this house. Oh and carpet might not be a reproduction, I’m sure it’s not original. I do love the Hollyhock on the back of the chairs, most elaborate on in the house.
Original dishes from the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, all that remains. although it survived earthquakes – it was later torn down. I actually would really enjoy a set of dishes that have this pattern.
Not sure the lamp is original, I love this tableaux and look at that phone!
The living room!
More stainless, concrete Hollyhock and Japanese screens. these are the real deal, FLW didn’t create them, certain things made by others are allowed in the house.
The fireplace with the moat around it, yes, he planned for water to run inside and out of the house, sometimes in pipes, sometimes in a moat. Interesting choice for a single woman with a young daughter, although he had 8 children of his own – he clearly never had anything to do with their safety.
A closer look at this nook that looks out at the inner courtyard. The new carpet is a replica of what he designed for the house.
More textures, materials and shapes.
The walkway from the house into the courtyard.
The Hollyhock house is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Go to their website for information, very well worth a visit. You won’t get the private tour I did, but the docents are throughout the house, each sharing their information.
A bunch of friends, at the Hollyhock house in Hollywood. In the middle, Harry, our friend and docent and lover of all things Frank Lloyd Wright. What a font of information!
Today Barnsdell park is owned by the city, the property is much smaller than when Aline Barnsdell bought the property in the 1910s. thankfully the home still stands, although in Good Wright Fashion – it leaks. He may have been a design genius, but his use of materials – have caused problems for almost all of his houses – in the maintenance dept.
Another famous Wright house is across the valley to the Hollywood HIlls, the Ennis house, used in the movie Blade runner, as well as others. It is privately owned and the owner has no interest in visitors – oh well.
FLWs’ graphic design of the Hollyhock flower, this is outside, other iterations can be seen inside as well.
There were a few Hollyhocks blooming, in Spring the area will be full of them. You can see how the base of the plant is thick with leaves, and as it grows tall, it narrows to the flowers.
The day before we went was a very rainy day, we had clouds and cold left, but no rain. A cloudy sky is a very interesting backdrop. This building was built like a Mayan Temple. FLW thinking that Spanish colonials are not indigenous to the area. Why he thought Mayan Temples are – I don’t know. Along the rood line he had the walls at an 82 degree angle, not perfectly straight but not at a sharp angle.
A fountain without water. Joel with a slightly different iteration of the Hollyhock.
The front of the house, not the entrance, that is off to the side, but this is the living room, the music room and library – with gorgeous view. At the time this was built there was very little around, now, everything is very built up around this hill.
A beautiful inner courtyard. notice steps going up to different outdoor patios on the roofs. Some of us joked about the human sacrifices – it is a Mayan Temple after all.
You can see the stylized Hollyhock next to a real one.
From the courtyard looking into a hall way, there are so many different stained glass windows here. Mostly very geometric and quiet, and yes, made and restored by Judson Studio, I’m hoping to arrange a visit there soon.
Turns out that history is going to laugh in our faces. We tried very hard to create a country and to prevent wholesale killing and kidnapping of Jews. On right, Eli, healthy, happy, on the left after 16 months being starved in the dark – a gaunt man looking like a holocaust survivor – because that is exactly what he is.
There are still 73 hostages, we know that many of them are already dead. We don’t know about Shiri and her two children. Reports are they are dead, but Israels government hasn’t confirmed.
This explains why we are in an uphill battle. There are wonderful people who don’t stand for this most ancient hatred, but even with them, we are a minority. We won’t stop, since neither will they.
Cute to see Valentine Days blowups. Not many. I did drive by this house at night and they have red, pink and white lights on the house!
I’ve been making new Teensies, since all the others went home with Sprinkle guests.
A cat and the duck that no one wanted.
Someone is upset with all the illegals, and since this is a strange way of saying Mexicans.
Time for a party for Mandy! Sienna will have many parties once she arrives.
It was great setting everything up, trying to figure out new ways to arrange tables.
Along side the small floral arrangements, were the tenses. Btw, they all went home. First one went with Carol – an adult who really wanted one, of course, no problem. Then people with kids. Turns out the Hippo idea wasn’t going to work since the purple hippo lovey is $30- and they need a lot of them. so Sienna will get bunny lovies. So the bunnies went home with her. Another mom took a bear and Yoch got a bear and cat for Eyal and Einav. Yes, I’m making a few more to be played with here.
Look at that gorgeous cake my friend Donna made.
So tasty! Chocolate with peanut butter and caramel. Yum!
Yoch made a hippo out of a watermelon. We didn’t eat it, there was other fruit – it went home to Westley and Cameron.
Mandy and her mom, they were very happy, when the camera only grabs a second it’s not always the best.
Me with Mandy
Me with Betsy, my niece
Cousins
mother daughter.
The only gift opened was my quilt, hippo and cross-stitch. As you can see from Heidis’ face – twas a big success.
I’m fine with people making fun of Jewish mothers, this one fought and fought to get her daughter home.
The rain this weekend was a God send. The big fires are mostly out. But knowing our government here – they spend our money to give to illegals but nothing to fire proof our cities or our forests.
Its’ not a shock, maybe to the Dems it is, but common sense people have been saying this. And by common sense I mean a lot of those Hispanic immigrants the Dems thought they own.
Most pictures are of my grandkids, here is my son Elk, sweeping the court before a basketball game – which Wests’ team won 28-2. West is number 9.
My little artist! I love it, he copied this from a photograph. Needless to say, I do like the subject, not just the quality of the drawing.
My friend Donna had an adult Bat Mitzvah this Shabbat. What an incredible job, then she had 85 people over to the house on Sunday… I made her some flower arrangements for her Friday night table.
I am on the mailing list of a few toy designers. Yeah, the image is tiny as are the dolls.
I got to work right away, even with something as simple as this – practice does make better.
Very cute and once I got the hang of it, fun to make.
two done, one more to go!
All three done! I will probably make more as table decorations for Mandy’s Sprinkle which is only two week away!
This is an image from the wonderful day that Donald J. Trump is sworn in again as president. That is the released hostage Noa Argamani.
Love this image, the pride and love in Usha’s eyes, the adorable little Miracle with her bling, as many bandaids as she wants.
I’m not sure what I feel about the ‘ceasefire’ deal. But getting these three women home is amazing. Yes I can hold two diametrically opposed ideas in ones head at one time.
We had a lovely party at Marsha and Burts’ house on Sunday, here we are, singing YMCA
What a joyous time for us – I am so done with the damage and hatred that we suffered under for the last 4 year.
Shira and her friend were at temple on Saturday. Adat Ariel hosted the Pasadena Temple – which burnt down. They had a Bar-Mitzvah to celebrate. I love how the Jewish world immediately helps one another out.
with both girls
Cameron the artist and artwork from Westley
Label on the quilt, they can ink in her birthday when she arrives
Planning for the shower, the giveaway, I see that Mandy put her perspective Birthdate on there, no guarantees.
Another finished puzzle. This was my Hanukkah gift from The Elders, I loved it. yarn, puzzle what’s not to love.
