Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Cabinet Rouge


Remember this....I found it at Salvation Army a couple of weeks ago...It is solidly made BUT, it was a veneer. I have refinished and or painted solid wood before but not a veneer... I think it come out pretty well. I did find a good site that helped me prep it so the color came out well.





Here it is!!! Hank thinks it is pretty neat!


Friday, May 27, 2011

Memorial Day...for those who gave their last full measure of devotion.

American Revolutionary War 1775-1783
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought fourth on this continent, a new nation,


War of 1812


conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.


Indian Wars 1775-1918





Mexican - American War 1846-1848






Now we are engaged in a civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

Civil War 1861-1865

We are met here on a great battle-field of the war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that the nation might live.

Spanish American War April 1898-December 1898


It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground.


World War I

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.


World War II 1939-1945

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.


Korean War 1950-1953


It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.


Vietnam War 1995-1975

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion --

Afghanistan War 2001--- and Operation Iraqi freedom 2003--
That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
~ The Gettysburg Address Abraham Lincoln





Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Yet, more, this and that and random stuff...

First of all, the Amgen tour of California ended here in town on Sunday...Lycra man was in cycling heaven. I walked over to watch the teams go by...

These guys were cruising at around 45 mph, pedaling down hill....me I don't pedal down hill...but to this guys this probably didn't qualify as a hill....

It took the car train following the racers longer to go by than the racers themselves!!!!!


Saw this Bee keeper at the park this morning. He was removing a hive that was too close to the picnic tables...



I decided to work on my close up photography at the park this morning...found this little honey bee on some lavender...


 While I was taking her picture I thought, I hope that wasn't her hive the bee guy was getting...where would she go?



In photography one usually does not want the sun flare thing in the picture...but I worked hard to get this one in...I like it.

See...flare...worked hard to get this one OUT....didn't quite make it.


I had to take this picture of clover. It brought back memories of my brother and I picking clover and putting it in to canning jars. Then we caught honey bees in the jar. We put the jar on a shelf right at our 4 and 5 year old eye level to watch and wait for them to make honey....

 Lastly..I am such a sap....just agreed to return to 4-H ...I do love the program..and the kids...I will need something to keep me busy after Kathy goes off to college in the fall...right?...right...?








Saturday, May 21, 2011

Time keeps on slippin', slippin'...Senior Prom addition

Today is Kathy's Senior Prom. Any of you who have had kids go through the senior mile stone, knows time goes at warp speed from Prom time to Graduation day.

The kids are all so excited and proud that they are nearing the major mile stone that Graduation from High School is in their lives. One of the parents clicking away with her camera  beside me asked, when did this happen, I thought, while we are watching.


 Friends who are going through Senior Year  for the first time say to me, it must be easier the second time through. Well , no. It is different, like labor and delivery is different the second time through...you know what is coming. She is my baby, she will always be my baby.

Ali's Story.

I met Ali and her owner, Leanne, at the park where I take my morning walks. Ali always says good morning to me by just pushing her nose against my leg ever so slightly , no big theatrics, just nice and easy. She makes me, a non dog person, think about getting a dog!

Leanne works for a non profit that provides tutoring, computer classes, and job search skills for teens. It is open to all teens , but most of Leanne's clients are form the at risk group here in our town. Ali is a therapy dog I guess would be the best way to explain her, she goes to work with Leanne, the kids just love her.

Ali passed away unexpectedly, about 3 weeks ago. This morning was one of the few times I have seen Leanne at the park since Alie's death, she told me this story. About 10 of the kids she tutors, ages ranging from 14-16, came to the office Friday, they had made a card for Leanne, each person had written something on a small  piece of paper, then they glued the smaller pieces of paper on to printer paper. One girl has holding an envelope in her hand, she stepped forward and said, "We have collected $21.00, we would like you to give this to the rescue agency Ali came from.

Leanne said she had a hard time keeping it together. She knows that money was hard to come by for those kids. She told me she thought a few of them may have missed lunches to be able to contribute.

I think that says a lot about Leanne, the kids and Ali.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I'm in a recycle state fo mind.

I found this about a week ago at Salvation Army. Been thinking I could bring it home and fix it up..put it behind the sofa in the living room, store the martini glasses and such in it. I told my self if I go back and it's still there, I am getting it. Yesterday I went back and it was there , the best part, they had dropped the price! It is sitting in my garage...think I will paint it red...


this is a 50 lbs bag of rabbit food...



which became a sort of over sized tote bag. As with everything , I learned a few things making the first one. I think it turned out ok for just wining it.


Well that's about it, got to go start dinner for Lycra Man , who is, you guessed it, on a ride...and Kathy who is, you guessed it , at the horse barn...

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Visiting the eye doctor today, hope I don't have to sport the Mr. Magoo look...

This is what I am afraid I will end up looking like. I have bifocals already...fear they will want me to get triple or quad-focals if there is such a thing...how huge would the frames have to be to accommodate that?


I made my appointment so Kathy can drive me home as I have put this appointment off for years....so will have the eye's dilated resulting in bug vision...don't know how flies fly with eye sight like that. So I am making this post before the fact...other wise with fly vision it would look like this

HI yUO ALl..JUst BOT GaKe FroM....ect, you get the idea.


Monday, May 16, 2011

Lycra Man has a close shave!

No, It's not what you are thinking, wasn't a close encounter of the automotive kind on the bike...while men from around the world were gathering in Norway for the World Beard Championships on Sunday, Lycra Man was shaving his beard off.

His children have never seen his naked chin...the last time he shaved he was just out of grad school when he was looking for a job. He came home and scared me to death ...I didn't recognize him. His chin hasn't seen the light of day for about 28 years....


He says now he will go faster on the bike! Hope it isn't like Samson and the hair cut.....

The following are Lycra Man before and after photos.

Before



after....in not so good lighting....being tolerant...trying to read his newspaper in the morning...

Sunday, May 15, 2011

For my brother on his birthday.

Who is that masked man in the ghost costume? That would be my brother ,an ever changing answer to that question.

He was your typical brother, infuriating one minute, my champion the next. I am 18 months older than him...I do not remember a time without him.

He is a loyal friend and someone who's bad side you do not want to be on.
He is funny, a great story teller. If you see his left eye brow start to raise and a smile spread across his face, you have just said something he can zing you with. 

He is an excellent Dad. He left a career that had him flying the world over and meeting the President of the United States, because he took the words to Harry Chapin's song "Cat's in the Cradle," to heart. He told me, sister, they are growing, up and I am missing it.

Happy Birthday brother. I love you !

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Wabbit show

Went to a rabbit show today, traveled on the 101, 134, 210 ,215 10, 57, 23 and the 118 freeways, all of which were under construction! Made for a bumpy ride that is for sure!

My goals for this show were to sell some rabbits (sold one) , get some rabbits registered (registered one) and see if the bunny we bred could beat the bunny we bought...(he did in one show but not in the second show).... got to visit with rabbit breeder friends..came home and the Hubby took me out to dinner...all in all it was a good day!


Friday, May 13, 2011

Anticipation!

Waiting for my Lily to bloom...so many buds this year!

Waiting for tomatoes! 


Holly Hock buds...



zucchini!




Raspberries!



And my crazy girl Tiffany's litter ( last years picture of Tiffany peeking over a nest box...she is grumpy today so I gave her a break)

I am a little concerned...Tiff started pulling fur early , I hope everything is ok. Maybe Tiff is just  anticipating, getting ready early.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

It's Coming!!!!!!

The Amgen Tour of California (Lycra Man rode stage 7 with the MAMIL pack) Starts this Sunday At lake Tahoe. This is a BIG DEAL in our house hold...not just for Lycra Man...I like cycling . Here is proof....Last year we had a stage start here in our town, I went down to the start. All the teams have Huge buses they ride to the start on...

This is the Garmin teams bus...they are an American team. Anyway, back to the story, I saw a huge crowd around the Radio Shack bus.


I hustled right over there because may Lance Armstrong was in there ..for sure Levi Leipheimer was..and I saw him!!! I noticed this very quaffed dude, about 50 feet to my left, leaving the bus, everyone taking his picture and he had body guards and shades on...I was thinking hummm that is someone...heard people saying it was Patrick Dempsey, thought to my self, I will have to google him when I get home...yep didn't have a clue who he was ( I had to Google him again just now to make sure..) but I knew who the guys in Lycra were!

See that's the thing about cycling....the guys have no body guards... they ride right through the crowd...


The American Champion George Hincapie





Their bikes sit right outside the team buses...Lances bike was stolen up in Sacramento last year.


just maneuvering around the folks after signing with the race officials before the start,  signing autographs along the way.



the team car with spare bikes for team Garmin, follow the riders after the start.




This year we are the finish of the whole race....I will be watching!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Love is a rose...

Love is a rose but you better not pick it
Only grows when it's on the vine
Handful of thorns and you'll know you've missed it
Lose your love when you say the word mine ~ Linda Ronstadt "Love is a Rose"