Thursday, September 29, 2011

Practice makes...not quite perfect, but better!

Last Monday we made head wreaths in my floral design class. mine was less than stellar...fumble fingers with the taping and clunky ribbons...keep in mine the photographer took the photo to put the subject in it's best light...

Flattering photo...



not so flattering..


So I came home and cut some flowers form the garden, dug out my floral tape form some project I did six years ago, and practiced.







Wrap the rose...




wrap the fern  to the rose...a boutonniere!






Hank says. no,  it is a kitty toy. Well he is a tuxedo cat after all...


Last night went a lot better... made an orchid corsage. The teacher said the tape job was nice , bow the right size....




progress!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Friday, September 23, 2011

Critter Sitter


This is my friend Ann, or was my friend Ann, I think she is still my friend Ann...I hope she is still my friend Ann.

Ann took care of my mini zoo while I was taking my daughter off to college.

Following is a sample of the directions I left for Ann, I think you will understand my questioning the level of our friend ship after you read it.


RABBITS

  • If the temp is 85 degrees turn the fans on. To turn the fans on plug in the extension cord in the garage, that gets the 3 on the hutches  going, to get the 2 by the gate you have to manually turn them on.
  • If the temperature is 90 degrees you need to turn on the misters. First turn OFF the fans. The hose is connected to the misters but not the spigot. You have to remove the bottle filling adaptor from the spigot to attach the hose. don't turn the water on too strong or it will blow the hose of the misters and you have water going everywhere. If you don't turn the water on enough there is not enough peruse to get the misters going.
  • the handle on  water bottle adaptor on the spigot is broken so you have to turn the water on and of at the spigot.
  • some of the rabbits are in a heavy molt. I put  * by their name, if they do not eat their food give them a hunk of dried papaya and a hand full of hay.
  • Watch out for Marco Polo , he bites.
FISH

  • The Koi food is on the Patio, they need a full scoop a day. Make sure the lid is on tight, the raccoons like to try to get in it.
  • I noticed the water fall is running slow, that usually means the filters are full of algae and I of course do not know how to clean them...Lycra Mans Job. So if the water fall stops you need to turn off the pumps or they will burn up. To tun of the pumps you need to go into the spider infested little brown building to the left of the pond. Switches to turn off the pumps are way in the back..of course.
THE AUSTRALIAN ZEBRA FINCH "HUGH JACKMAN"

  • his food is on the counter
HANK THE CAT

  • His food is on the counter.( his food is not Hugh Jackman!) You may not see Hank at all when you come, if the food disappears that means he is there. 
  • don't worry if his water bowl is surrounded by a huge puddle. he digs the water out before he drinks...don't know why, its a Hank thing.
So my Friend Ann did all of this every morning for 6 days. She checked back every evening too. She brought in the mail and the paper and rolled out the trash, recycle and yard waste bins. I didn't ask her to do that, thought she had enough to take care of.

I am lucky to have a friend like Ann.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Wednesday Photo...Bunnies.


The keepers from our last litter. Brother and sister, they are almost 3 months old, their coat color is Opal.

I named them for my Dad and his twin sister, meet,

Olive and Oliver.

Can you tell which one is Oliver?

Monday, September 12, 2011

There's a rabbit in there some where...

I met Betty this weekend at a rabbit show. She raises and shows English Angora rabbits.

One of Betty's rabbits being judged 


As you can see, angora rabbits are rather fluffy....to say the least. They require a lot of care, Betty's are beautiful.







Often times angora Rabbit breeders are spinners and knitters.  The wool combed from their rabbits during the grooming process can be spun into...



Betty spinning at the rabbit show



Angora yarn.






The wool can be dyed, here is some of Betty's handiwork. I bought a hat for the youngest daughter to take to college.



I know some of you out there are knitters. Betty sells yarn too. Here is a link to her site.





She is a wealth of knowledge on knitting and spinning, and it was great fun to meet her. 

I love rabbit people!




Sunday, September 11, 2011

Ten years ago today.



Ten years ago the clock radio woke us with the news that a plane had hit the world trade center. I wondered if it was an accident, Mike said he didn't think so.  We heard that a second plane had hit the second tower, and I knew for sure, it was no accident.





It was a bright clear morning, ten years ago. The sky was a beautiful blue we get here in California that almost makes your eyes water just looking look at it. Outside the window I saw Mike looking up into the sky with is hands on his hips. No airplanes , he said, there are no airplanes flying. We live in the flight path to Camarillo airport and LAX, this was a notable thing, no airplanes.


We went about our morning routine, listing for news. I got the girls read for school, they we 8 and 11 at the time. The girls usually walked to their elementary school on their own,  I decided I would walk the block and a half with them.

I wasn't alone in this decision, it was a silent parade of parents walking children to school, passing neighbors standing in their yards, looking at the sky with their hands on their hips. I think we were a nation with our hands on our hips that morning.

As we walked along my youngest asked if she would be safe at school, would a plane hit it, it has two stories, it's taller than a house. I told her I didn't think it was tall enough to be a target.

Daddy's work is the tallest building in town, I think he should come home, she said.

I watch the towers fall, the dust cloud pushing people before it. People covered  in ash, clinging to their hair and eyelashes,  no color in their clothes and skin, all gray, like moving marble statues in a Greek tragedy.

I stood in front of the television and I cried. I cried for the people losing their lives before my eyes.

I cried for my little girls most of all, I knew the world they would be growing up in was forever altered by this day.







Thursday, September 8, 2011

Posy posing

In my attempt to deal with the empty nest department and the I always wanted to do that department, I signed up for a Floral Design Class... posy posin'.






I took a Horticulture class when I was in high school. I loved the floral design part of it. Some of you may know I enter flower arrangements in our county fair from time to time. I do pretty well from time to time too!

Here is a blurry picture form 2008, won best of division for my monochromatic entry.






Here is my entry using a recycled container, Chinese takeout box...got first on that one.



So class has been pretty fun. Mostly book work here at the start. Last night we worked on bows.








I was rotten at bows 30+ years ago, sad to say, I am still, rotten at bows. 



Tuesday, September 6, 2011

It's hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk...but is that really how you want to cook your dinner?

It was rather warm here in our fair city ...

It brings to mind a quote, "Horses sweat, men perspire, women merely glow."

Let's just say I am glowing, no need for the desk lamp...

It is on an evening like this that a clever Hause Frau makes good use of her frying pan and her microwave. And a really good cook book doesn't hurt either.




I have been cooking out of this book for about a year now, I recommend it wholeheartedly!

tonight's fare...




click to enlarge


 





the secret is in the chipolte seasoning.....





add the BBQ sauce, cut with water, simmer...




Microwave some corn on the cob and broccoli, cut up a tomato from the garden, toss a salad, pop a top off a beer and....







Voila!

Now isn't that better than some ol' egg mixed up with sidewalk grit and old gum!






Saturday, September 3, 2011

I found my theme song...



I saw some comments on this video...people thought it was defeatist, I don't I think it is saying what I write about here on my blog. Be yourself, your best self, and do not worry about the Joneses.

"Keeping up with the Joneses" is an idiom in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one's neighbor as a benchmark for social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority

so please enjoy "Losers" by The Bell Brigade.