Hello lovely girls!
Would you believe I have a California flag for you:
It is stamped on the front, which sometimes happens with cards fro the USA. It was posted in October and I received it at the beginning of November. Yes, It has been lying on my desk for a while.
It was sent to me by Marsha, who lives in California overlooking the Pacific. How cool is that! She writes that her garden harvest this summer had watermelons, lettuce, radishes and cherry tomatoes.
Now the postcard image features the California State flag.
On the Internet I found (AI):
The California state flag, known as the "Bear Flag," features a white background with a red star in the upper left, a red stripe along the bottom, a grizzly bear walking left on green grass in the center, and the words "California Republic" above the bear, symbolizing strength and the state's history from the Bear Flag Revolt, with the bear based on the now-extinct California grizzly.
Key Elements & Meanings:
Grizzly Bear: Represents strength and the native grizzly bear, which is now extinct in the state but remains a powerful symbol.
- Red Star: A nod to the Lone Star Flag of 1836, referencing California's brief period as an independent republic.
- "California Republic": Inscribed below the bear, identifying the short-lived republic formed during the Bear Flag Revolt.
- Red Stripe: A wide red band at the bottom, possibly from a petticoat, adding to the flag's distinctive look.
History:
- Origin: First raised at Sonoma in June 1846 during the Bear Flag Revolt by American settlers.
- Adoption: Officially adopted as the state flag in 1911, though the precise design wasn't finalized until 1953.
- Inspiration: The bear image is based on a painting by artist Charles Nahl, depicting the last known California grizzly.
The stamp is the round forever stamp from 2017 with the sempervivum on it. According to USPS: The stamp features a photograph of an Echeveria, a succulent native to the Americas. The art director was William J. Gicker. Greg Breeding designed the stamp using an existing photograph by Erika Kirkpatrick.
So, what has been happening in this corner of Spain? I showed you photos of our excursion to Orce on my Friday blog, but I kept this photo for today as I need a drink. On this photo the glass is empty but it's still a drink reference for the T-Party hosted by Elizabeth and Bluebeard.
There were platters of cured ham and cheese on the tables to welcome us to the restaurant.
I go to the gym here in the village twice a week. It is called reconstructive gymnastics. It's a bit like Pilates, but not quite. We had fun taking pictures last week:
I'm sat right behind the teacher.
In our village the Christmas decorations went up last week. They were putting up this 'house':
This weekend it was all lit up:
Even the trees had lights in them:
This weekend I was invited to a Sinterklaas party. In the Netherlands Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) brings presents for the children on the 5th of December. My friend married a Dutchman and they like to keep some Dutch traditions.
I drove there at lunch time:
And ran into the shepherd who was also going home to lunch I guess.
My friends had set the table to eat outside, as it's still lovely and sunny during the day:
As you can imagine there were lots of children invited (and their parents of course).
After lunch (at 4:30) Sinterklaas finally arrived:
It was great fun! I received a pair of cashmere socks (amongst other things):
Today (Monday) is a national holiday in Spain. Everything, including the supermarkets, is closed. So I had a relaxed day at home pottering about in the house.
I washed a lot of bed linen as it is still sunny:
The reason I had so much bed linen is that I had a family of 5 staying in the upstairs flat. (I am a member of HomeExchange, and my top flat proves very popular).
This is about it from me. A bit of a mixed bag this week. I'll be back in Blogland on Friday.
In the meantime,
Happy T-Day!
Lisca
1 comment:
I wish it was warm enough to eat outside. At my house it isn't even warm enough to go outside. :) I like your socks. They look very warm. Does Sinmterklaas bring gifts specific to each person or is it more like a grab bag? I washed some linens today too, but probably not even close to as many as you did. Have a super T day and week ahead. hugs-Erika
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