The Happiest Place on Earth

Ok, so I wasn't as gung ho about the idea as Will was, but when I saw how much he wanted to go and how much he wanted me to want to go, well, I said "I can be ready in 20 minutes". And about 30 minutes later we were out the door and on our way to the happiest place on earth. As we expected, February is not peak season at Disneyland. Even more so on a cold and rainy day that just happened to be Superbowl Sunday.
It's probably been at least 15 years since I've been there and it's still the same beloved place it's always been. Thank goodness. I only wish It's a Small World would have been open. Then we could have left with that song in our heads. Instead it was the Enchanted Tiki Room song.
It is really a very beautiful park and the tulips were unreal. We walked on to most of the rides and the longest we probably waited in line was 20 minutes. I remember as a kid not wanting to leave, but being so tired at the same time. And it was still hard to leave.

Architecture Buffs

At least that's how the L. A. times described the 1,000 people who were lucky enough to get a rare tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's first of four "textile-block" houses that he built in the hills surrounding Los Angeles. And sweetie and I were among them. Photography wasn't allowed inside the house, which is too bad because it was really a beautiful space, but we snapped away outside.

Photo set on Flickr
and Will's are here

Work Around

After telling my sweetie about spying two beautiful hawks soaring from my 12th floor office window with late afternoon clouds dramatically hanging in the sky and NOT having my camera, his comment was "Have you learned nothing?" So in my purse my camera went and although I saw no hawks outside my window there were rain clouds and rainbows.* * *

And at a red light there was this painted city utility cabinet .

OK, How Much is That Doggie in the Window

Sorry, I couldn't resist. While I was along the side of the house checking my bike's tire pressure and getting ready to roll downtown, my Ranger was looking down at me from the bay window.
See, how could I resist.

With calm winds and mid-sixty temps it was a perfect day for a ride. Sweetie suggested we go see the matinee showing of Cloverfield, head over to the Library for a photo exhibit, then check out the art installation at MOCA's Geffen Contemporary, and wrap the whole thing up in Margaritas at Olvera Street before the roll home.

While L. A. is mostly flat, and I have demonstrated that I can manage some of the city's inclines, it was still a somewhat ambitious ride for me. We left the house at 12:00 for a 1:00 movie, giving me pleeeeenty of time to get there. Well, we got there, in 20 minutes.

I biked 9.2 miles. Yay!

Photos from today on Flickr.

A Fine Day

A fine day for a bike ride around the reservoir.At the end of the loop we stopped at the Back Door Cafe for breakfast and a cool down. Will told me this morning that their owner and business neighbor has evicted them and today is their last day at this location. Lot's of people there to support them, along with their doggies.

More on Flickr

Rainy Days and Sunshine

What to do on a rainy day. Goof on the computer. Go to the market. Do some laundry. Change the bed linens. Play ball with a muddy dog. Take pictures of raindrops. Watch a little football.

Now Playing:

Catherine Russell

Nice sountrack for a lazy day.

Happy New Year 2008

At the beginning of each New Year I wonder what surprises will come my way. Where I will travel to, what I will encounter, and ... where I will get the strength to fight my battle. Fortunately my battle is, what, I was going to write "small". But is the battle with my weight small? Is this where I pick up the phone and "call Jenny"? I know what needs to be done and I know why. It's maintaining that effort, because it is a huge effort, that is so tough. And those who have never fought this battle can never really know how much it takes to take it on. My opponent.

However, I will take it on. And I will lose weight and the benefits of that will be apparent. I will ride my bike and have the stamina and strength to roll more than just a 2 mile loop. I will hike the trails and cobbled streets wherever it is I travel to and handle the elevations with relative ease. I don't want to always be the last one up.So, on to a happy and healthy 2008. I'm ready for whatever comes my way. The wondrous and lovely daily adventures and delights, to the difficult decisions and challenges of life.

A Place in the Sun

Sitting at the cafe table in the kitchen looking out the window at the back yard and watching Ranger play with her ball, I noticed Jiggy on the roof of the neighbor's shed next door. This old shed is as dilapidated as they get, rusty nails poking out of the shingle layers, cracked and pealing paint, it's beautiful. Jiggy likes to hang there and catch some rays. Like so...

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The Falmingo and The Arches

Four Arches 1973
Calder Sculpture at the Bank of America Plaza, Los Angeles, CA

Heading downtown to see a movie on Christmas Day (after taking my super spiff new bike out for a ride along the L. A. River) I said to my sweetie that I'd like to see the Alexander Calder public sculpture (above, bathed in beautiful late afternoon light) known as the Four Arches.

Before seeing the one in Chicago this past November (below, bathed in beautiful late afternoon light) known as the Flamingo, I didn't know Los Angeles had one.

Flamingo 1973
Calder Sculpture at the Federal Plaza, Chicago, IL

Christmas photos on Flickr

Chronicles of Ranger To Date

While catching up on the chronicles of a Wyoming woman (and her tomcat) who took in a baby coyote, we were looking at one of the photos of a very young Charlie and his growth from one week to the next. It happens so fast when they are young. They are plump and rolly-poly, then they get all gangly-spindly, then they are magnificent.

So into the photo archives I went to see Ranger's growth spurts. Remembering our road trip from July 2006 as we made the journey through Monument Valley, UT, and finding these four pups that had been tossed out on the side of the highway next to a puddle of mud and a box in the shrubs in 100 degree temps. There was no decision to make, they were coming with us.
July 11,2006 (The day we found them)

July 28, 2006 (Ranger's new home)
She's the sweetest dog, so playful and smart. She fit right in with our other animals making us a family of four cats, two dogs and a tortoise. We found her siblings good homes and still keep tabs on Indy who has a great life with Lisa.

August 16, 2006

November 12, 2006

February 23, 2007

July 11, 2007 (One Year Later)

November 11, 2007

December 23, 2007

She loves her peeps and we love her.

Christmas Stocking

Pretty Dog and a Pine Tree

Who's a pretty dog.

After picking up a couple of items to stow under the Christmas tree for my sweetie I drove through Atwater Village where I came upon this nice pine tree decked out with some very simple jumbo ornaments and backed by some pretty awesome clouds sitting on the Verdugo's.

This Will Only Take a Minute

The weekend is spent. Another work-week is near. I think about it sometimes. The deadlines. The day to day challenges of the job I do. It never lets up, and it takes its toll. I feel like the time I have to take care of my personal needs, my relationship's needs, my animal's needs, is compartmentalized and sectionalized.

Oh I have five minutes to throw the ball Ranger, and I have to get ready for work. I have five minutes to talk to Will about our holiday plans, and the clothes are ready to be taken out of the dryer. While he vacuums I dust, and the dogs just drag in more dirt. But that's life right. We do plenty of interesting things, enjoyable things, relaxing things, amazing things. And even with five minutes here, five minutes there, a lifetime's worth of wonderful moments is assembled into something pretty fantastic, my life.

The flower was taken in Georgetown, SC, during our trip to Mom's for Thanksgiving this year. It was so good to see you Mom. I'm glad you and Lorne are doing so well and that you settled in such a pretty place. I look forward to my retirement with Will and the places we will see and the things we will do.

Thanks

We're back from our Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina. Mom's dinner was wonderful. They have a really nice place in Murrells Inlet, SC. Very pretty there. I think they're really happy there too.

We had decided to take a side trip to Charleston this year, and stopped at Georgetown on the way, then the Magnolia Plantation on the way out. Beautiful area with boatloads of history.

Photo collection on Flickr.

South Carolina Here We Come

Packed, check.
Boarding passes printed, check.
All animals in and accounted for, check.

Just waiting for the animal/house sitter to arrive. Then we're off to LAX to board the 10:45 to Charlotte NC where we'll have time for an early breakfast before catching the short connecting flight to Myrtle Beach, SC.Mom's got her menu posted (and it sounds wonderful). We're alomost there.

Dunes in the Afternoon

Late afternoon sun on the Eureka Dunes. More to come when I can get caught up next weekend. It was a spectacular trip. Perfectly remote and all to ourselves, we had only each other, a couple of doggies and beautiful wide open space. Will's recap here.

Update: Photos on Flickr

Back From Chicago

Had to travel to Chicago for a conference. I saw as much as I could in the time available. Lot's to see and do. Lovely city, perfectly clear and cool weather. More to come, but I worked late, busy now unpacking from Chicago and getting ready for the trip to Death Valley with the doggies this weekend.

Until I can go through the hundreds of photos I took here's one or two for now.

Flickr photos are up (I can't believe there are 400)

Happy Halloween!!

Spookish Celebrations

Me and sweetie put our skeleton faces on and made the trip to Hollywood Forever Cemetery for the annual Dia De Los Muertos festivities, followed by a unique marriage celebration for a very unusual couple. Congratulations Cathy and Mike.

Photos added to Flickr.

Should I Call Somebody?

Seen on the 110 yesterday after we hit Stats in Pasadena for some graveyard decor. Picked us up a bag o' bones and some skeletal ghoulies and gravestones to build on the graveyard scene we've installed the last couple of years.

Then we headed down to Olvera Street to do some Day of the Dead shopping and get a bite to eat. It was a lovely evening there with strolling mariachis as we sat at a table for two on the veranda at La Golondrina.

I've started a photo set here that I'll add to as things progress through Halloween and the Day of the Dead celebration.

A Snap Shot of Troy, MT

Sent to Mom by my Uncle Jim, a snap shot of Troy, Montana through the fall foliage. (Grandma's house is there somewhere in the distance.)Nestled up near Glacier National Park, and hugging the Kootenai River, if the winters weren't so hard I'd have half a notion to want to live there myself.

Halloween Waiting in the Wings

As will and I walked through the neighborhood streets of Los Feliz yesterday on our way to contribute to the cost of health care for the ill Lucy, Skylight Bookstore's resident cat, we were greeted with signs of Halloween's approach.
Time to go down to the basement and get out the tombstones and spiders as well. Now that we have that great old farm bench in the front I'm sure it'll make a good spot for a zombie to sit and wait for the little trick o' treaters to come.

A Weekend Collection

It's been in the 80's so I thought I better water the garden. I caught my potted Mums in the late afternoon sunlight. Chrysanthemums are my favorite fall blooming flower, daisies and the old fashioned hydrangea are my favorite summer bloomers.

Yesterday we went to see Blade Runner: The Final Cut at the Westside Pavilion, which was just awesome. One of my all time favorites and it was great to see it on the big screen. Afterwards we went into the Barnes and Noble and picked up a few books before crossing the street to eat at the Apple Pan, Est. 1947. It's really a quaint little diner, counter seating only. I loved the root beer served in paper cups in a silver holder.Today I had some errands to run, one of which took me to Glendale where I walked around the shops and passed a frog fountain that seems to be a big hit with the kids, and snapped a shot just as a boy darted towards the water spitting frog on the right.

Ranger and the Rosemary Shrub

Earlier this week when I mentioned to Ranger that her ball was getting gunky, Will overheard and went to the basement to grab a new tube of tennis balls, her favorite. So this morning we retired the old gunky ball and gave her a new one; bright lime green with that new fuzzy rubber smell. She promptly rolled it in the dirt around the Jasmin then took it to the Rosemary shrub, dove in, and rolled it around in there for a good long time. The ball came our dirty and she came out smelling like Rosemary. Just about the best smell in the world.

Take a Seat

We ventured to the mid-city this morning and claimed a sweet bench that my sweetie spotted curbside during his work-week commute. Back home he got Jiggy and Pumpkin in the picture while I later surrounded it with Chrysanthemums. More photos of our score here.

Turf Tussle

Trimming and tidying up in the garden this morning where I came across this critter, Ranger had a little tussle with the neighbor's dog from across the street when the sweet old collie came trotting into the side yard trailing her leash. She was friendly enough, but Ranger apparently felt her turf had been encroached upon and that her mama was in danger so she went into full protection mode, hackles up and aggressive barking. I felt bad because she was off leash and the other dog wasn't being aggressive at all, but we were in our own yard. Everything was fine and Ralph came and got his dog and I got ahold of Ranger. Just a lot of barking from Ranger as she protected her mama. Then all was back to normal and I took some more photos of the grasshopper topping the hydrangea. Now Ranger is on full alert checking the perimeter and looking out the library window where she has the best vantage point from which to see intruders.

Pink Martini at The Hollywood Bowl

Given an opportunity to go to the Hollywood Bowl on Friday night, Will had a tough decision to make. He had to choose between Midnight Ridazz and me. Fortunately for everyone he chose me.

Pink Martini are one of my favorite groups. If I were to see anyone live these days it would be them, and probably (still) Chris Isaak. So with a basket full o' goodies, (pizza margarita, penne pesto, calamari salad and a bottle of Chilean wine) we drove to the Zoo and caught the $3 round trip shuttle bus to the Bowl.

For this special three night series the bowl was transformed into the Cocoanut Grove. Pink Martini played with the Hollywood Bowl orchestra backing them up conducted by the very engaging Thomas Wilkins. Special guests on stage for a couple of numbers were the famous 90 year old singer Henri Salvador (born in French Guiana and influential in the formulation of the Brazilian Bossa Nova style, I'm going to have to get some of his recordings) and the timeless and absolutely wonderful Carol Channing, plus the MarchForth Marching Band on stage for some added punch.

The entire show capped off with fireworks and other pyrotechnics onstage and on the rim of the bowl, it was quite a night. What a great night.

Cat Napping

Waking

Yawning

Napping