Bella Carta at Art 'n Soul

The extreme weather patterns have not missed the desert. Yesterday, I couldn't figure out what was so noisy outside the room. I finally looked outside and the palm trees were bending sideways, there were ripples in the man-made lagoon and the winds were howling. Turns out they recorded 90-mile an hour wind gusts; I guess the winds decided to show up when the expected rainfall didn't. They had to shut down the major PGA tournament out at La Quinta because the winds were blowing down the tents set up all around the course; friends were shopping in the merchandise tent and overheard an announcement to 'immediately evacuate the tent areas'. Of course, I went out to run an errand and the blowing sands in places really curtailed any visibility.

Weather patterns are not keeping us from enjoying a little food now and then.

A little sushi from the sushi bar in the main lobby,
prepared by The Mikado Restaurant. I thought the colors
were beautiful and decided I would post this photo
for the enjoyment of Susie and Helene . . . I'm sure they
won't be surprised when I report I enjoyed a California
Club Sandwich and let the others enjoy the sushi!

Brussel sprouts seem to be the vegetable of the week.
They were on the dinner table at our friend's who live in
PGA West last night, and they were the vegetable du jour
at Morton's tonight . . . what gives?

I find it odd that I post pics of foods I don't like today!

I am having fun with a book that was given to me as a gift from dear friends of many years. Bette has always been a poet, composing poems for various occasions, Christmas, etc. She compiled all of them and published a book. When I was looking through it, I decided it would be fun to color it up with my Prismacolor pencils and show it to her when I've finished up.

A black and white to give you an idea of what I see before I set
colored pencil to paper.

One illustration that I've colored;
they're really fun to work on!

Next time you look through a 'black and white' book, you might consider coloring it up.

The new Paper Parachute papers are out . . . they're so gorgeous.

More new dies that Spellbinders will be introducing at CHA: