Ain't no April Fools Joke.

I know people make fun of Facebook. Some of the Coffee Ladies see it as a total wast of time, but for me, it has been a gift. The gift of catching up with  my old college roommates, especially one who lives way the H E double tooth picks up on Nome Alaska, Keeney.

Here we are 1984, Custer Battlefield. Mike and I  stopped to visit Keeney and her husband, on our drive  from Oregon to Iowa.

Keeney is one of those friends that you can not see for 20 years and then...just pick up and go on, even if it is on Facebook. I am lucky in that all of my 7 college roommates are that way.

We lived in this big old house on the corner of Ninth and Jefferson. Some of us called it The House On Pooh Corner. My dad called it The Hen House.

here we all are, circa 1980.




Keeney came to visit me last August.

We have been going through the empty nest together, learning Photoshop together, how to Blog together, and many other things together, all on chat and through e mail.

Now Keeney has come up with another idea for us to tackle.  Project 365 Take a picture a day and write a little something about it. So starting April 1, Keeney and I will be taking a picture a day . I may even share mine here...I about do that anyway. Keeney is a bit shy, she may not post hers on her blog...but I hope she e mails them to me, she takes wonderful photos, and I want to know what my friend, who lives  way the  H E double toothpicks up in Nome, is seeing and thinking, everyday.

Maybe some of you will do this too. I would love to see what you see.

Checked in with Keeney this morning, just to let her know she is in this post. She is at -20 degrees F, I am at 75 degrees heading to 90, really fast.

The Drought is Officially Over.

Today the Governor of California will officially declare that the Drought has ended. We have had record snowfall in the Sierras, 61 feet. Here in southern California I know I have seen snow more often on the Topatopa Mountains this year.

we have had a lot of rain too.

The creeks are up. I can hear them flowing when I take my walk.

Everything is green. it is spring after all.

Today's forecast is upper 70s mid 80's, tomorrow could be lower 90's

We have a strong dry,warm, breeze from the east blowing today, Like a Santa Anna,  sometimes called Devil winds. I like that name better.

Wildfire Ventura county 2006

Devil winds dry things out. Any little spark can start a fire that can be pushed by the wind to the Pacific Ocean. As I write this, the radio is reporting a grass fire near here. My thought was already?! We just had 4.41 inches of rain 2 weeks ago.

I am glad the drought has ended, but the dry spell never does.

Secrets of Life

I found this book in a thrift store.

I loved the true life adventure films my elementary school teachers used to show. Looking at the pictures on the cover of this book , I could hear the projector clicking away the music, the narrator....

I have been taking a Mixed Media art class. Our last project was altered books. Take a hardbound book and paint, stamp, glue in photos etc., for my more art savvy friends this is not a new thing, but remember....I am just emerging from the mommy trenches. My life has been focused on logistics and procurements,transportation to dance, 4-H, school projects, Girl Scouts, and I even vacuumed the floor once in there. Crazy times but this is what came out of it.

Two great daughters who are becoming great adults. which leaves me  more time to learn about such things as altered books. I am going to take the Secrets of Life book and make it a sort of journal, altered book. I am going to add some of my photos such as this...

Each day is a new beginning.

and this

perseverance

I am going to add sayings and poems such as this my friend Gerald always used to say..."You can't un-fry an egg."

I think it will be fun...altered secrets of life...

Rain Drops.

We have had quite a bit of rain this winter/spring in Southern California. We really need it. I love rain drops on flowers. I don't know if it is because I grew up in Oregon and that is about the only way you could see flowers, with rain drops on them, or if it is because I live in a desert now, so rain drops are a rarity. Anyway, here are some more pictures of raindrops and flowers.

A rose, this rose blooms and orange/ apricot color. It is one of my favorites in the yard.

Alyssum and iris leaves.

Azalea and Horse tail reeds.

Chinese wisteria.

 Little blue flower and white daisy like flower ( can you tell I don't know what they are?)

Some sort of allow, I think.

Got to go make dinner. I am trying ham and butternut squash soup tonight, perfect for a rainy Sunday evening

I think ducklings are on the way!

It kind of happens over night...

The duck population at the park goes from lots of drakes and hens,

To just a few of each. It's nesting season! Soon the little black and yellow striped ducklings appear with mom and dad.

Mostly guys on the pond...the ladies are on the nest down along the creek bank.

I came home from my walk, looked out at the pond and found...

this has never happened before, four in the pool at once. If two show up at the same time they fight...these four just sort of floated in formation, yellow eyes watching each other at all times.

Maybe they are a synchronized swim team?

New Kid On The Block.

This is Leo, isn't he cute. He may go a courting soon. The oldest daughter is holding him. She is home from UC Davis on spring break. She leaves to go back to college tomorrow, I will miss her. Leo is staying here! I will have to check her luggage to make sure!

Alpacas on Parade!

This past Saturday, Kathy and I were at the fair grounds for a rabbit show.  The two buildings beside us  were hosting an alpaca show! During our judges lunch break, Kathy and I made a quick visit next door. Here is what we saw and learned.

1. Alpacas are not Llamas.
2. The opportunity for + $ flow if you raise alpacas is > than if you raise rabbits.

That is the first thing I learned. Alpacas are classified as camelids with Llamas and camels.

Ok I'll buy that. Llamas are twice as big as an alpaca. Alpacas are bred for fiber and meat.

Llamas for pack animals and meat. There are two types of alpacas, Huacaya and Suri.

this is a Suri alpaca.

close up of the Suri 's fleece

spun into fiber to make this...

$100.00, it was so soft.

.

Alpacas come in various shapes and sizes...as well as 20 natural colors.

Babies!

They can spit...like their cousin the camel.

The have HUGE dark eyes.

Alpacas produce 4 pounds of fiber per year per adult .

these are Huacaya alpacas

Alpacas can be house trained!?!  Humm, they are kind of cute....

The Park took a pounding in yesterdays storm.

Leaves, twigs, cones and branches on the ground everywhere.

 

Big branches...I made sure I looked up before I went under any trees...don't want a widow maker coming down on me...I'd be tomorrows head line.

this road had been flooded

The parking lot still is flooded. The guys were working on it when I left.

This dead tree came down.

This was some kind of  juniper tree.

Berries/cones?

Happy pictures!

wet wildflowers

a tumble weed that can read!