stitches, sun, surf

days here are dreamlike, as if we've stepped into some alternate reality. sometimes it's hard to remember we came here for medical help and healing. life floats along in a way that seems out of time, out of real life. it was really cold and windy the first few days, but now it's gentle sunshine and a range of temperatures; cold in the morning and evenings, warm in the afternoons. sometimes cold inside, warm out, or the opposite. when i'm stitching, i have to move around to find the most comfortable spot.

i was heading outside to stitch on the sunny upper deck for some warmth when i caught sight of myself in the window reflection and inside mirror. it captures a lot of what's going on here, the layered, multi-faceted, dream-like quality of our days. sometimes dreams are pleasant, sometimes weird, sometimes take a strange or dark turn. it's been all of that.

our unit is in a row of about 12 houses on a quiet stretch of beach. when we're on the upper deck, you can see farther, but you can also see more of the houses around us. lower deck sits right on the water, but you can't see as far. they are both nice at different times of day and for different reasons.

i'm usually sitting in this chair downstairs when i stitch. it's comfy and has the views. too bad that fireplace isn't operational because it would be even cozier with a fire going.

i'm getting hours of stitching done at a time, and sometimes not for a day or two in a row.

we do a lot of beach walking and tidepool exploration.

these two are crazy enough to get actually get in the water.

southern california has a surprising number of quilt shops. i plan to make the rounds and visit a couple of them. seeing fabric in person is always such a treat. gina, an old blog friend, recommended i try superbuzzy. turns out it wasn't too far away, so d5 and i made a day trip out of it. she got some crochet supplies and i bought a little fabric. not too much, but there were some irresistible pieces. 
 

these japanese fabrics of roasting mochi on a stick (dango) reminded me of our d2, who is currently at language school in tokyo, and it also happens to be one of our favorite treats when we've visited. i couldn't pass them up.

i was overjoyed to find what looks like an exact match to the woven green fabric i used as sashing in my christmas log cabin quilt! the shop lady told me it's a peppered cotton, colorway "jungle." so good to know! now i can make those other two liberty christmas quilts i had in mind. they had just under four yards and i took them all.

you can see i really restrained myself. 

there was a nice charcoal grey herringbone brushed cotton that will make a good binding for a liberty + chambray quilt at some point, so i got some.

i also picked up some heather ross "malibu" fabric. every since we got here i've been dreaming of making a malibu quilt with her fabrics. i have a few pieces at home and i found a few more on etsy. but my favorite print from the whole collection was the floral woodblock in the "ocean" colorway. it has the gold of the california poppies in it and the colors of the waves, too. lucky me they had a remnant and i took it all. as much as i like the other colorways, this one says "malibu" to me the most.

heart-shaped shell i found,
with sort of an arrow through it

is it weird to be happy in a place you came to because your son is sick?

i think not. we chose this spot because it would be a good place to be in while he's sick. and we're making the best of it. gratitude and focusing on the good is appropriate, i think.