Christmas is in the Air at Studios on the Park

I finally made my pre-Christmas visit to Studios on the Park on December 19, but I didn't have time to share the photos I took there until today. We will start with the display window you see as you come in. This is always interesting because the reflections add to whatever is in it. Although we get a sample from most displays, a lot of the Small Treasures paintings are featured in the window.

As I walked into the Atrium Gallery, it reminded me of my days of buying for a store and attending the Los Angeles Gift Show. Here, though, the gifts on display were hand-crafted. I saw the work of many artists and craftsman whose work I had not seen before. If you can't find a unique gift for your hard-to-buy-for special someone here, you aren't likely to find it anywhere. What you buy here won't ever be a duplicate of a gift someone else gave. This is an overview of just some of what's on display. Now I will take you  closer to some of the displays

You can pick up a brightly colored purse here or one that's a bit more neutral. In the background to the right you can see part of one of many jewelry displays.

Next I was drawn to the table of candles you see below by Deprise Brescia, who works with Encaustic Mixed Media. You can click any photo to enlarge it for a closer look.

Unfortunately I don't have time to show you every exhibit. I'm actually skipping most of the galleries in this post, although I did visit them. You really need to come in and look around yourself, since photos can't do your shopping for you or show you how items look from every view. I do want to show you these special animals, though, made by Jennifer Stang Eikemeyer from glass and wood.

Below is a display of Deb Lysek's Silk Painting. Wouldn't you like one of these to decorate for the holidays?

Now we will take a closer look at the drums in that back left corner. They are made by Nanci Carter from Roseburg, Oregon. They are made of elk hide. You can try them out before you buy them. Touching is allowed. Aren't they colorful?

We are nearing the end of my tour, but we can't miss Zola de Firmian's Fine Art Ceramics. Zola lives in Creston and her studio is there. She explains her work on her website.

Last, but certainly not least, "Rosy" Rosenthal let me take his picture in his studio in front of his work in the Print Shop. It's not allowed to take pictures there without permission. Many of the prints are so small you need to be very close anyway to see them well. We can't see Rosy very well either, since flash isn't allowed in studios. Drop in and meet him in person.

That ends today's tour. Be sure to drop into the Studios on the Park to finish your holiday shopping. There are items there to fit any budget. Studios on the park has special hours this week before Christmas:

It will be open from 12-3 PM on December 23 and 24.
It will be closed on Christmas Day, December 31, and New Year's Day.

For questions about visiting, exhibitions, artists, and more, visit the Studios on the Park website. 

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Just the Sky

On Saturday I did some errands downtown. It was sprinkling off and on, and that usually leads to some interesting views of the sky. This is a view from the library  parking lot.

Cloudy Sky  from Paso Robles Library Parking Lot

After visiting the library, I spent some time at Studios on the Park which I will write more about in the next few days.

God's Smile as He Gives Us Rain

Then I went to Smart and Final. I loved  this view of the sky from that parking lot. Doesn't that bit of sunlight look like a heart? I imagined it as God smiling as He gave us our much-needed gift of rain.


When I  got home the sun was beginning to  go down, and the sky was awesome. It was hard to choose a shot to show you from the many  I took, but I think I like this one best.

Sunset from my Front Yard in Paso Robles,© B. Radisavljevic

As you can see, the sky is one of my favorite subjects for making Zazzle products. Here are just a few of them. See the rest of my sky products here.

 Mousepad: Maranatha! Clouds remind us. Mouse Pad iPad Case: Sunset Case For The iPad Mini Puzzle: Bare Oak in Winter under Stormy Sky Jigsaw Puzzles

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Sticker Shock at the Christmas Tree Lot

Looking for Just the Right Christmas Tree

I was looking for signs of Christmas in Paso Robles Saturday,  and I stopped at this Christmas tree lot across from Rabobank to look around and take pictures. For various reasons, we have not had a Christmas tree in over twenty years. When we did buy trees, we always bought real ones. It was fun to go to the lot and pick one out.

Christmas Tree Lot in Paso Robles

We had had a tree every year since we were married until the year our son, the lover of all things Christmas and chief tree decorator, died in an accident in August, 1991. There's never been much point to getting a tree since then. We always celebrate somewhere else now.

I remember seeing many varieties of pine and fir trees in those lots I used to visit, and some of the trees were flocked -- some even in colors other than white. I don't remember seeing trees in some of the shapes I saw today.

I  did see small living Christmas trees like this one. In fact, my mom bought one when she moved here twenty years ago. She planted it in the back yard. We finally had to remove it a few weeks ago. See the story about that below by clicking "One Way to Remove a Large Tree" in the related articles.

I had never seen any Christmas trees in tiers like the tall one on the right in the photo above. I didn't get a look at its price tag. I did see the price tag on the large tree in the middle of this photo, though. It is a handsome Noble Fir grown by Hopper Brothers in Woodburn, Oregon. Price? Only $93.99.

It is a beautiful tree, but I did get sticker shock looking at that tag after not pricing Christmas trees in over twenty years. Of course, there were smaller trees and trees not quite so "Noble" that were more affordable. For the first time in my life, though, I understand why some families do opt for artificial trees.

Grow Your Own Christmas Tree

The most economical way to get a real Christmas tree is to grow it yourself -- or get your tree on Christmas  Eve when it may be almost half price. 
You might try growing your own Christmas tree for next year.

One of the books recommended below explains how the growers do it. Lessons from a Christmas Tree Farm by Michael Kurtz, a pastor who grew Christmas trees for twenty years, is a devotional book that can be used for group study.  The picture book, Christmas Farm, is about a five-year-old-boy and a middle-aged woman who plant dozens of balsam seedlings, nurture them, and watch them grow up. And, of course, I've included in my suggestions a kit to help you grow your own living Christmas tree. It might also make a nice gift for someone with a green thumb.

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Photos of Proposed Parking Lot Site at Larry Moore Park

West Side of Salinas River Trail through Larry Moore Park

These photos are from my walk to see what parts of Larry Moore Park would be developed if the plan now proposed for the park is implemented. I walked the Salinas River Trail, part of which you see here at the extreme right of this photo. To the left are the river  and some of the trees at its edge. This photo was taken near the south end of the park, across from where I believe the proposed parking lot will be. If the parking lot goes in, the right side of the photo might be part of the driveway into it.

Site of Proposed Parking Lot at Larry Moore Park

This is what's on the east side of the trail between the trail and the homes on Riverbank Lane. I and my shadow are looking at the place I believe is  where the parking lot will be if they develop it where currently planned. I am assuming it would end just before that large tree in the background. At the extreme right of the photo are some of the homes homes that would be across from the parking lot. I'm looking at what would be the wider end of the parking lot.

Although I'm not sure exactly how this design will be implemented, I'm assuming there will be an entrance to the lot very close to what is now the south entrance of the park. Unfortunately I took my walk late in the afternoon when the shadows were long from the trees by the river.

To the extreme right of the photo you can see the slope between the path by Riverbank Lane that serves as a sidewalk and the narrow bit of field to the right of the trail (left side). The planners are hoping that slope will hide the parking lot from the view the residents across the street will see. It will not, however, hide the cars entering and exiting the lot. The path itself will either be part of or very close to the driveway around the parking lot.

It is easy to see why the residents of Riverbank Lane across from the park wish this parking lot would not be built.

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• A New Baseball Field for Larry Moore Park Here?

A New Baseball Field for Larry Moore Park Here?

Current Ball Field and Basketball Court, Larry Moore Park

I recently walked through Larry Moore Park after looking at the proposed plans to upgrade it to a city park with a new regulation ballpark. This is the current ball field in use by the neighborhood. You can also see the basketball court. This is also one proposed location for the new ball field. Many of the neighbors who live in the houses across from the park on Riverbank don't like this location because it would bring more noise and stadium lights close to their homes.

Proposed Location of New Ball Field, Larry Moore Park

Another proposed location for the new park is in this approximate area near the river. It's at the back of the park, much farther from the homes near the current ball field. You can click the photos to enlarge them for a more detailed look. To the right of the photo you can see the trail that is very close to the river.

Proposed Location of New Ball Field, Larry Moore Park

This last photo gives you a better idea just how close this field would be to the river. At the extreme right in the middle is a bench which is right next to the river and looks out at it.

We are told the walking path that is part of the Salinas River Trail will remain, but I can't help but wonder how the added noise and people will affect the wildlife that often comes close to the trail and even on it. It can't help but impact the feeling of being close to nature.

Right now this trail is a peaceful place for a walk or run. There are also some cyclists, but they are usually pretty quiet. It's a far cry from crowds of parents cheering for their teams just a few yards from the river. We are still talking about developing the only park trying to retain natural habitats as wilderness for recreation and teaching. We are told it's a done deal that at least one new ballpark will be built. I personally wish the city council would reconsider that. After the ballpark will come parking lots onto other areas of the current park. I'll show you in another post what's currently where those lots are proposed.

Meanwhile, think ahead. With all those new ballplayers descending on the park, order your own player a personalized baseball that's easy to find among  all the others. These are just a few of the choices available. Personalize with name, photo, slogan, team name, whatever your player would like best.

 Name fun turquoise basketballs turquoise stripe baseball Baseball Personalized name red jerseys rugby balls baseball

Squirrel Hunting at the Medical Center in Templeton

I Didn't Expect to See Squirrels at the Medical Center

I had only intended to get a quote for new lenses at the optical center at San Luis Eye Associates this afternoon. It only took a few minutes, and as I was headed back to my car, I saw a ball of gray fur in motion at the base of a pine tree near my car. Fortunately I had my camera in my purse. I pulled it out to go squirrel hunting. Before I could focus on the ball of fur, it was heading up the tree. Squirrels are very quick.

© B. Radisavljevic

He spent a bit of time moving from limb to limb and branch to branch. He settled for a minute or two here. Then he took off again to explore the tree. At one point a friend joined him, but I couldn't get the two together. They were chasing each other.

© B. Radisavljevic

After after one squirrel jumped to the next tree and explored it for a while, he (or she?) decided to start down. Then my husband, whom I'd not expected to see, drove into the lot to pick up his glasses and I went back in to see what he was up to.

© B. Radisavljevic

When he left I stayed to see where my prey had gone. I finally spied a squirrel in the second tree. It might have been either of them. It finally started down.

© B. Radisavljevic

After coming down, the squirrel ran along the edge of the parking lot near the trees toward a fence by another tree. I did take the photo of him on the fence, but it was blurry. Those squirrels seem to go into motion the minute you get in focus. I finally lost track of him. I couldn't help but wonder where his home was. There were so many trees in the area he could have lived anywhere.

After he was out of sight, there wasn't much point in hanging around the parking lot any longer, so I started toward the car to go home. On the way I took a picture of where the whole adventure had started. For, of course, it started in this hole.

© B. Radisavljevic

If You Like Squirrels, You Might Like These Cards

Do you like squirrels? Perhaps you'd like to send some of these squirrel photo cards to some friends.

 Squirrel in red autumn tree greeting card Baby Squirrel in Tree Large Greeting Card Begging Squirrel Happy Birthday Greeting Card ADD Squirrel Photo Greeting Card squirrel greeting card Cute Squirrel Smiling Greeting Card