visiting Julie - the 2014 edition

Last week I spent a few days in San Diego visiting my pal Julie. We did other stuff than what I've talked about here, but this post is long enough so you'll just have to imagine how much fun we had.

As soon as we got to her house, we headed out to see the chickens. I always wanted to keep chickens and will never have the chance, so seeing Julie's chickens is high on my list of fun things to do when I visit. She currently has 2 Jersey Giants and a Buff Orpington (?). Not the least bit sure about that last one but that's what she looks like. They live in the back yard and spend their nights safe in a home made coop with a stained glass wall. It's very cool and I'm sure they enjoy the colors.

After she picked me up at the airport, we headed straight for Dick Blick, a large art supply store in Little Italy. Oh, what fun. I mostly stocked up on pens of various kinds - gel pens, paint pens, water soluble pencils. I'd already brought some art supplies with me, so I also grabbed a Blick zippered pencil pouch cause I knew everything wouldn't fit in the one I'd brought. At least I didn't need a whole other suitcase LOL. I made a little journal just for the trip and worked on it the whole time I was there. As soon as it's all finished, which will be soon, I'll post about it. 

One morning Julie's husband took us out to breakfast in the pedicab. They're both dedicated bicyclists but I was still surprised and delighted to be a passenger in this thing. It was a grey chilly morning but we bundled up and zoomed along. See the row of sleigh bells along the front of the basket? They jingled softly as we went traveled along. It was such a neat experience.

Here's me and Julie with our windblown hairdos on the way to breakfast at the Antique Row Cafe at Adams and 30th. I sure wish I photographed better...

This is from inside the cafe, looking out the door they had propped open. That's our red pedicab out there, awaiting our ride back home. Love this shot.

OMG was this ever good. California omelette and home fries. If you ever get to San Diego, go have breakfast here. Ate half for breakfast and the other half for dinner. Excellent both times!

The sun was out by the time we headed home and we saw this yarn bombed tree after we turned into her neighborhood.

A pretty fence and its shadow on a walk we took Wednesday morning before I left. Love old naturally weathered wood.

Detail of the shawl Julie made.

And most of the shawl draped over my gray jacket. They looked great together but I was unable to sneak the shawl into my suitcase without Julie noticing. In fact, she saw me eyeing it and put it away right after this shot.

Hand feeding the chickens. Can you tell this is a real thrill for me?? They peck the crap out of your hands but I was able to pet one of them briefly so it was all worth it. And it's fun just seeing them up close. Their feathers are gorgeous.

Tuesday afternoon, to work off that huge breakfast, we sat at her worktable overlooking the back yard and made jewelry. These earrings are all made from a couple buttons stacked together. I've been wearing them since I got home. They're so neutral they just go with everything.

This is the needlework seat of a chair that was upstairs in the room I stayed in. My mother had a chair with this exact same pattern on the seat - same color, same everything. Very cool to see it again after all these years.