Birthday Wishes from the Carolinas

My husband calls to wish me a happy birthday this morning from the trenches of the convention center in Charlott, NC. I pick up the call from the kitchen and he directs me to the library cupboard where there is a bag o' goodies for me! I love you sweetie pie. And OMG, this is one of the best of the bunch:
Then Mom calls from Murrells Inlet, SC to wish her daughter happy birthday and catch up on family news and how OLD we all are. I forgot to thank her for the lovely card she made for me:Thanks Mom.

Tomato Plant 21 Days Later

First planted on March 9th (above) our little vegetable garden is growing well.
March 30th (above)

Blessing of the Animals

A scene from Blessing of the Animals

After dusting Buster off and getting out the sombrero, we were off to the Blessing of the Animals at Olvera Street. The afternoon grew very warm so the bath courtesy of Cardinal Mahoney was refreshing to big dogs, little dogs and people alike. And the the Sangria's at the cool Colima restaurant especially hit the spot afterwards.

Picture Perfect

Mom sent me a picture this morning of Grandma and her dog (gosh I think her name is Millie) at the Sun Dial Bridge in Redding, CA.What a really wonderful picture. And thanks to my Uncle Jim for getting her there and taking care of her while she was sick (flu, bronchitis, verging on Pneumonia). Although she left the stunningly beautiful country town of Troy, those Montana winters have got to be long and hard. I'm glad she's back in Redding where the weather suits her better and she can get out and walk and she can garden all year round.

I planted Basil in my little garden this morning and all of the other vegis are doing good. Now grow, grow, grow.

Star Power

Figurines from the bucket at Coco's.

After going to the garden center for a couple of trellises and some basil to add to the vegetable garden we stopped at Coco's, an exuberant little mish mash of a shop brimming with an odd combination of Kit Cat Klocks, small plastic toys and colorful kitchen ware among the pure water, brooms and bicycles.

Owned and operated by the delightful Mister Jalopy who came out and talked bikes with my sweetie-pie while I browsed the isles and took some pictures. Will couldn't wait to try the Hamster's Lunch snack and I got a bell for my bike.

Victory Garden

We talked about planting some vegis this season. Some of our favorite things. Tomatoes, ruby lettuce, spinach (and basil to come). There's a perfect size plot that gets some decent sun along the north fence that Will had already terraced. Small enough to try it out and still hopefully bring us a nice little harvest this summer. All it needed was weeding and some work on the slope a bit so I would have level ground leading up to it. So I tackled it today using our stock pile of brick and river rock, filling in with mulch.We'll see how it does and maybe expand it next season.

Bee in the Rosemary

We're getting some good rains this winter and the yard is just soaking it up. Grass is green and new growth is popping open everywhere. Weeds are growing, well, like weeds. I pulled some up from the rain soaked dirt and thankfully the roots came easily too. With the new growth and the rain I went into digital macro and cought some close-ups.

Raindrops on a blade of grass
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Bud
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Bee in the Rosemary

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Going to Hollywood

It was a good morning for a bike ride so we saddled up and hit the road to Hollywood.8.4 miles round trip from our house to the Hollywood Farmer's Market. We haven't been in a while and it sure is a bustling place, but has maintained it's charm while continuing to deliver top quality foods. We bought some greens, including some heavenly basil, some blueberries and organic honeycomb. After eyeing the berry cobblers we stopped at the gourmet tamale stand for a bite and a drink of lemonade. On the way home we stopped at the Army Surplus store and picked up a bag and belt for Sweetie and a cap and bunjee cords for me. I need to find a nice basket for my bike so I can attach it the the rear rack. I'm thinking something like a small pic-nic basket.

More on Flickr

Watch Dogs

One patrols the front...

The other's got the rear.

Perimeter secured.

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)