Idyllwild, California

We went up the hill from Hemet yesterday and visited with my friend from high school, Lisa, and her husband, Ron.  We've been email pen pals for about 10 years, and we see one another when Mike and I come south, or when she comes up to Oregon.  We met when we were in the 7th grade and graduated from high school together (during the 14th Century).  We lost touch in the intervening years, but Lisa found me somehow (I can't remember), and we reconnected.  She has two children and Ron has two children (so four total), and ten grandchildren. 

That's Lisa on the left.  (I don't know the person on the right.)  We spent a nice day together.  I saw her new home for the first time, and it is just darling.  I think they've been living there about a year.  If you know Idyllwild, then you know it looks about as close to Santa's Village as a place can look without actually traveling to the North Pole to see it.  When they move into their home, I found this quilt pattern in a magazine (can't remember which one), and I couldn't resist making it for them as a house warming gift.

They hung it over their bed, and it looks very nice there.  (Always flattering, if you are the quiltmaker, to see one's quilts hung in a place of honor.)

We had a nice day together.  The weather was lovely, and so we saw Lisa's school, where she teaches fourth grade.  We walked down by a little creek that runs through town, Strawberry Creek.



We were able to do some shopping in some of the gift shops in town and I found a few things for people back home.  (I won't say what because I think they are reading.)  Lisa made us a nice lunch too.  She also gave us some lemons from their own lemon tree, and some home-squeezed lemon juice for making lemonade.  It was a nice day.

I've been to Idyllwild before, but never spent much time there.  I loved snooping the little gift shops.  This afternoon, Lisa and I are going to get pedicures in Hemet.  I'm looking forward to that.