THERE IS FIRE!
A "full air attack" is in progress
 and almost 1400 firefighters
 on the ground.
This is our latest battle
 with men and machines
 pitted against
 the elements of nature.
Planes and helicopters 
can be heard overhead constantly 
during most of the day 
and into the night.
This was the view
 from our front porch 
early Monday morning
 while the newspaper reported 
four firefighters
 had been injured
 and air lifted to a hospital in Davis,
 one in critical condition.
This shows ash
 on our car windshield
 this morning.
As of Sunday night,
 it was reported 
that 1500 acres were burning 
at 15% containment.
 As of Tuesday morning,
 the numbers were at 1700 acres
 and 25% containment. 
 Officials say
 they are hoping it will be fully contained by the end of the month.
As we were driving
 to the animal shelter this morning,
 every street corner
 and roadway
 seemed to be filled with firetrucks,
 shrouded in smoke,
 from all over the state.
 It was an overwhelming sight,
 one which I wasn't even fast enough
 to capture with my camera.
 Some were returning
 from fighting the fire all night
 and some were just leaving 
for another hard
 and tedious day.
The fairgrounds 
have been set up 
as a basecamp for firefighters 
and as an evacuation site
 for displaced animals.
It is amazing
 how dedicated these men and women are,
 many of them
 just returning from other fires.
  Our community is truly indebted
 to all of them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I added a couple of new pillows
 to the sofa in the sitting room. 
Here one is shown 
with one of the two
 I made last week. 
All fabric and pillow forms
 comes from JoAnn's...
...and I also chose
 some of my milk glass plates
 to round out the summer feeling
 in the room.
I've learned to make
 an envelope closure 
for the pillow backings
so now it will be much easier
 to change out the pillows seasonally
 and to store the numerous covers 
that I plan to make...
I am obsessed!
It's easy enough to do:
Cut two pieces of your fabric backing.
  One piece will be one-half the size
 of the finished pillow size
 and one piece will be three-quarters
 the size
 of the finished pillow.
Example:  Based on the finished size 
of a pillow measuring 
20 inches square.
Cut piece #1:(1/2 size) = 
20 X .5 = 10.0 
( cut piece #1 will measure: 10" X 20")
Cut piece #2: (3/4 size) =
20 X .75 = 15.o
(cut piece #2 will measure: 15" X 20")
On the 20" sides of each piece,
 fold fabric under 1/2"
 and fold under the same again. 
 Press and sew to a finished hem.
With right sides together,
 lay longest piece down
 at top of pillow front
 and the shortest piece down
 at bottom of pillow front.
 Make sure your finished hems 
run side to side
 and NOT top to bottom. 
 Line up all edges.
Stitch all the way round,
 about 1" from edge.
 Cut corners on diagonal, 
 and turn pillow inside out,
 making sure  all corners
 are fully turned out,
 and press.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I also found 
a brass lamp
 in a thrift shop
 for $5 and...
 ...turned it into
 a smart little number
 with metallic rubbed
 bronze spray paint
 and a burlap shade.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is the progress
 I am making 
on the Cottage paint-by-number so far. 
 Not constant,
 but three days worth of work. 
 I can't sit
 too long at one time 
as it is hard on the eyes!
Any bets
 how long it will take 
at this rate?
Stay tuned!
...Judy...
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