It's It!

Lands End, better known as the land that time forgot now has a beautiful new visitor center.

When the tide's too high, we walk on the Coastal Trail. It starts right under those trees up on the right. Now there will be snacks waiting for us at the end of the trail. No beer yet, but they do have It's It (the official food of San Francisco).

There's also a fortune-telling machine from the old Musée Mécanique, and books and scarves for sale.

Finally. A snack bar at the end of the trail.

Pannenkoek! Frikandellen! Schoenen!

Queen's Day at our own Dutch Windmill (Today is also Elsa's birthday.)

A shoe for Barbara

Winding Down (We Hope)

7:51 p.m.

Wham Bam RAM

turtle face by Josse Goffin

You won't believe what I did this evening. See those two green square thingies? I yanked them out of my computer and replaced them with two new ones that came in the mail today. Now I have twice as much RAM as I had before, and my computer is faster.

It took me longer than I thought to perform the operation because I wasn't aware that to get the new thingies to "pop into place," 30 pounds of pressure had to be applied. (I read that part later.)

After my first attempt, when I tried to turn my computer back on it made a noise like a car alarm. Of course I had waited until after 6 o'clock to start, and tech support was no longer around. I tried again. I tried again. Finally I shoved the tiny thingies in with every ounce of strength I had. I had thought that the thingies were very delicate, but apparently not.

My computer turned on then and was ready to go in a snap. I was frazzled and weepy and over-joyed. I went for a jog. The sun was setting. I found some glass. It was really too late to take a good photo but here I am anyway, and isn't it amazing?

Sold.

Painter's Palette by Anne Marguerite Herbst

Remember Painter's Palette?

The Closing Reception for the Art Exhibition to Benefit North Beach Citizens was tonight and by the end of the evening someone had whisked Anne's painting away.

Found for Friends This Evening

a lamb for Anna

a heart for Allyn

a Go Giants foam finger for Kristin

a pile of glass and a stone charm for––for––for me? Really?

Office Fridge

p.s. Winter was back yesterday, and the beach was covered with glass

Both my agent Rubin and Allyn's partner Andrea were speaking at the Seattle SCBWI Conference this weekend. SCBWI stands for Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

It was nice because this particular SCBWI group posted a running blog as the conference progressed, and it was lots of fun to read some of the things that Andrea had to say minutes after she spoke. Here's one thing I loved: "Emotionally engaging doesn't mean sappy," she said. "It means it speaks to a reader's heart somehow."

But the one thing I read that really spoke to my heart was this: Andrea said that at the office, she and Allyn keep their fridge stocked with white wine and delicious cheeses. Yet another clue that I had landed with the correct publishing company.

Thinking about this in the car later:

Me: "I can't believe that Andrea says they keep their office fridge stocked with white wine and delicious cheeses all the time, can you?"

Tom: "How do you think they stay motivated? By looking at people's manuscripts and drawings? I don't think so."

Underground

© Linda Davick

This is part of a sample illustration that I just finished. The project is a counting book about the subway in NYC––and if it's well-received, maybe I'll illustrate the whole book. I wasn't at all sure how to approach this project until it occurred to me that I might be able to come at it from a creature/character point of view. Then I went crazy. My favorite character is the disgruntled duck. My second favorite is the pink kookaburra in spotted tights.

Warm Weather

The weather's turned warm and the beach was absolutely swarming this evening. In order to get from Taraval to the Beach Chalet we had to dodge kids, poodles, frisbees, soccer balls, and water balloons.

Clouds and Sand

6:25 p.m.

6:38 p.m.

6:42 p,m.

I was taking a picture of what used to be steps leading down to the beach--now almost completely covered with sand--when this fellow appeared in the frame. Then he turned tail and was gone.

Other People's Mail

From: Jane

Subject: Round Robin sub needed all of this week

Date: April 16, 2012 3:09:22 PM PDT

To: Loren, Linda, Mary Ann

Hi There,

Would one of you three ladies like to step in?

Thanks,

Jane

On Apr 16, 2012, at 3:12 PM, Linda wrote:

Jane, ANY WEEK BUT THIS ONE!!!
I would love to sub any other time but this is the week from hell.
xxxxxxxxx,
Linda

On Apr 16, 2012, at 3:15 PM, mary ann wrote:

It would be my pleasure unless someone has her heart set on it...
mas w/ thanks

On Apr 16, 2012, at 3:17 PM, Linda wrote:

I wonder why Jane calls us ladies?

On Apr 16, 2012, at 4:03 PM, mary ann wrote:

I don't know, we ain't no fucking ladies....

Two Poems Found Upon the Ground

According to Msmasmush, April is National Poetry Month.
I found these two on the ground this evening.

Along the Coastal Trail

The very beginning of the trail, above the Cliff House    7:02 p.m. 

 

Last 24 Hours: Three Funny Things

the storm last night / photo by Phil McGrew

I pick up my computer with its new hard drive. I set up the transfer and we take a walk in the drizzle. I get home, start downloading and updating software, and immediately lightning flashes! We rarely have thunderstorms here. Still, I'm so relieved to have my computer back that I just shut everything down and decide to try again tomorrow.

Not funny: I lost 6 months of data because I unplugged my backup drive when I moved my computer into the other room and neglected to plug my drive back in. Time Machine: Use it or lose it.

Another photo today from Allyn, my editor, of a table in her office. It is odd that we both have this compulsion to pick up glass, is it not?

from dinner: not sure I can vouch for the wine, but the copy is great.

Gray

A gray evening. We walk while my computer is recuperating.

The color after the rain almost makes it look like the sun's shining.

Then this photo from my publisher made the gray skies blue.

I thought it was cookie dough, but Allyn just told me it's coral that she found on the beach in Hawaii in those actual shapes. No way!

(Do you think I found the right publisher?)

Happy Birthday, John

John & Em: the best next-door neighbors you could ever hope for.

Beach Find: A Journal

I guess it had to happen sooner or later: last night I found a journal on the beach. There was no one around. It was fat and waterlogged. Should I pick it up? I had another mile or two to walk.

The first phrase my eye fell upon was this:

How can I be true to my self, and let Serge be true to his self?

I was hooked. I picked it up and carried it all the way home. It weighed a ton and spurted water as I walked. As it dries out I'll read more and maybe I'll illustrate it.

p.s. Names have been changed, but if this is your journal let me know and I'll leave it on my front porch for you to pick up.

More Scanner Photography

Easter Tradition by my pal David Luttrell

Easter Meltdown

 

Dear Easter Rabbit:

Please keep my computer healthy so I don't have to race it to the emergency room like I did last night. I want to go outside this evening when the tide is low.

Has anyone else noticed that every time something goes wrong with your computer (or heating system or refrigerator or plumbing--or you) that it happens either on a Friday afternoon or a Saturday? When all doctors and repair people are impossible to reach? My computer had been feeling low, and finally had a meltdown late yesterday afternoon. When I revived it enough to make an appointment there were only 2 left--and a notice that said the Apple Store was closed today for Easter. I grabbed the 5:45 one and I was lucky!

p.s. So far, so good. Thanks, Max Gerhardt, for your ingenious help.

Our Man in New York

From: Jamie 

Date: April 6, 2012 5:05:11 AM PDT 

Subject: CosmoLatina 

To: Linda 

Linda I loved this group! Especially my editor. The most collaborative bunch I've ever worked with ... We shipped yesterday ....

But more importantly: Linda look at that tie I'm wearing that Mike D. gave me! Have you ever in your life seen anything better than that?????? 

How did I ever get so lucky as to have Jamie for a friend? He spent last Saturday shooting subway photos for a picture I'm doing, and acted excited about it. He didn't just shoot the inside of a car or two, he followed the route the story took, beginning in Brooklyn at Borough Hall, riding to Times Square, and on to Grand Central Station.

Another example of Jamie's sleuthing: The story mentions a MetroCard. I had found photos on Google of the cards, but was puzzled as to why the upper right hand corner is clipped off. I asked Jamie and he found out:

... the second attendant I asked smiled the biggest smile, and said: "I know. I know why the corner is clipped. Do you want me to tell you? It's wonderful, and it'll be so obvious to you when you hear it." Linda I was beside myself! I thought he was going to change his mind and not tell me! But he said, "It's for the visually-impaired-- the corner is clipped so that they can feel it and know which way the card needs to face to swipe it in the machine as they're entering the turnstile in the subway."

Isn't that fantastic? I'm just over the moon for whoever thought to do that. There's not one person in my day-to-day who has that kind of sense!

Many notes accompanied the photos. A couple more:

Linda the new modern car design with the blue bench seats inside has a red dotted light circle/no. sign of the car on front. We get excited when we see those lights because we know it's a new car. Well, I do.

Not sure I got a pic that showed the floor of the new subway cars... it's black linoleum with specks. If you need an image, it's no trouble. Black linoleum with specks sounds awful, but it looks really nice. And I can't stress enough how clean they keep the cars these days. It's nearly a civilized experience, that MTA.

A few of Jamie's photos:

I particularly loved this photo (the necklace). I must have one!

Thursday

When we drove up this afternoon I saw a little hummingbird flailing around on the ground by the garage door. I told Tom, "I'm not going to interfere."

Tom on the other hand, called the SPCA. They told him to call the San Francisco Animal Care & Control, so he did. He found a shoe box and punched some holes in the lid. Then he went out and gathered the tiny bird into the box and set the box on the table in the living room.

Half an hour later there was a knock at the door and Officer Hagler showed up to do what he could to rescue the bird. He said their vet would examine the bird––that it didn't look like his wings were broken. He'll call us tomorrow to let us know what happens. Tom asked if he would return the bird to this area if the bird recovers, thinking that the bird probably has friends here.

Painter's Palette by Anne Marguerite Herbst

A little later we headed to the Cannery to see Reflections 2012: An Art Exhibition to Benefit North Beach Citizens. Artists were asked to incorporate a mirror and base their work on the theme of self-reflection, self-realization, or transformation.

One thing that was really nice: Peter showed us where he played in his street musician days. At the Cannery Gate; it was his place for 15 years.

Discussing Painter's Palette

Sierra In Singapore

From: Judy

Date: April 3, 2012 2:24:43 PM PDT

To: Linda

Hi Linda,

Here I am at the ginormous Kinokuniya Book Shop on Orchard Road, Singapore ... You would adore this place! Lots of Japanese goo-gaws. If you are a fan of the film "My Neighbor Totoro," you'll understand how excited I was to find a stuffed replica of the cat bus stuffed with little creatures, including Totoro ....

Judy Sierra just happened to be in Singapore visiting the zoo, when she stumbled upon our book.

Recipe For Happiness In Khabarovsk Or Any Place

One grand boulevard with trees
with one grand cafe in sun
with strong black coffee in very small cups.

One not necessarily very beautiful
man or woman who loves you.

One fine day.

-Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Thanks for making the recipe, Deb & Eric. (The Rose Pistola in North Beach)

Driving South

Our Only Eric (at Moss Beach, near Princeton-by-the-Sea)

The path above Moss Beach

Deb found this blue shell at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, but the signs said that you were not allowed to take away any rocks or shells. And Deb was watching me like a hawk! She was sure that I wouldn't be able to abide by the law. Can you believe I didn't pocket this gem? But the signs didn't mention glass, and I did find one tiny piece of green sea glass––only 1/16th of an inch across––that I confiscated.