December 30, 2007
The garden bug has bitten again. However, we're experience bizarre heat again and if it keeps it up I might just become how I was in June this past summer, non-existent
in the garden. I think we're getting a pretty big front though on Wednesday, enough to where everyone is looking to protect tropicals and tomatoes. I'm not sure I'm going to worry
just yet. Yesterday I was in a very blah mood. I woke up restless and sleepy, mostly because Leo can never figure out that Saturday is Saturday and not the weekday where he can
begin waking us up two hours before we're supposed to get up by scratching the floor, picking fights with Samson and running all over us on the bed. I got up and had breakfast
and then proceeded to lounge in bed another two hours while watching Love Comes Softly on the DVD. I somehow managed to get up and head to the mall where I returned
some jeans for Chris and used a gift card I got for Christmas. I was still mostly restless when I came home so I read in bed, and took a nap. I dug out some blankets that
were in my chest at the foot of the bed, because I've decided that there's no reason not to use blankets. Somehow around 4:30 I managed to get up and walk outside. I was
hoping to pick some tomatoes and to just sit on the swing for awhile, which I did do. I was sad to see two ruined tomatoes, one that I didn't find until after I picked it.
These are one of Chris' babies, Galapagos tomatoes. I didn't pick them yesterday but I think I will today. We tried them last year but started them too late and they didn't
do well or produce fruit.
I have no idea what this one is. There are just wayyy too many tomatoes and with all of the names that Chris has, mostly rare or uncommon varities, they just run together.
The sungold's were tasty. I picked them off the vine and ate them. I wasn't sure if they would come true from seed because I saved the seed from last year and for some
reason I thought they were a hybrid. But they did come true and they are yum-o!
I picked the ripe Sunmaster but it was cracked and mealy inside. I looked for seeds but couldn't find any to keep.
I am looking forward to these Italian heirloom. They were fantastic last year. Also the Arkansas travelers were good, but they aren't near ripe yet.
I laid down on the grass for this one. Inspiration from Chris at Digital Flower Pictures and his
grape hyacinth photo at the top of the post.
This pear shaped one is a favorite. I love the odd shapes and crinkles that are cropping up in the tomatoes.
We had several vines on the fence when we put the tomatoes in and I am hoping they won't be drowned out by them. You can see the stephanotis hanging out with the tomatoes in this photo.
The stick tomato fruit are doing good. Chris tells me these aren't the tastiest, but I plan on eating them anyway.
And since my husband likes the odd things, he had to get this other tomato that is not edible, but is incredibly spiky. I think you could plant a large hedge of this under your
windows and no one would dare enter your house!
A begonia was flowering and the sunset light was catching it nicely.
This is probably my most favorite orchid we have on the orchid collection, a Brassavola. They are a frequent bloomer,
and currently this one has three spikes on it, loaded with flowers. It blooms several time a year, no waiting for a certain period for them to bloom. My second favorite is a
Phalenopsis that is in spike and will bloom in the next month or so. We've killed off a few Phal's, but we now know what they need. We keep them in orchid bark and water them
whenever the sprinkler comes on. I think the moss that they normally come in stays too wet and the roots end up rotting. The Brassavola is in a hollowed out coconut that
is now covered in roots of the plant. Coconut shells are marvelous orchid growing holders. We have a stack of them in the front yard that we've collected from the neighbors
coconut trees, and we need to use them soon. I'm hoping our Vanilla will bloom this year. It is growing like crazy across the top of the porch and I think it could flower.
Today I'm hoping to put some collard's in the ground, a verbena in the front bed, mow, move around some containers so that other plants can grow, and take a nice long nap.
Fresh Explorations
December 27, 2007
We went hiking with Eliana and Marc on Sunday to Fakahatchee and Loop Road. The water is dropping considerably, but it is still higher in the main slough areas. I found pond
apple seedlings beginning to grow in odd places, like this tree stump. Maybe they will make it.
It's not too early to start talking about fresh starts and new ideas for 2008. Ali Edwards, a well known scrapbooking and "life artist", has something called
One Little Word, a simple word to focus on for the year. I didn't do one this past year but I have decided my word for 2008 will be Explore. To explore my goals
in life, explore my art in more detail, to explore the world a bit more, explore my relationships and get more out of them and to explore the time I utilize for more
appropriate activities. I haven't quite pinned down my resolutions yet, but for sure I am going to be picking up running again. I have slowly started doing a few days a week
jogs in the past several weeks. I'm aiming for 100 miles ran from January to the end of March. This is a high goal. I have fresh shoes to start off again, high hopes, and
plenty of time to explore my capabilities in the sport. I'm also aiming to do six pieces of art this year. It is small, but I didn't do that much this year. About a week
ago I sat down and figured out what I completed artistically this year.
Fine Art
- Gayle's Rose #1 (oil on the plate)
- Gayle's Rose #2 (pencil drawing)
- Kristen's ghost orchid (pencil and ink)
- The Fish Thief (pelican pastel)
I did start a few things that turned out to be rubbish and they were subsequently tossed in the trash.
Crochet
Ohh, I did loads here...
- Michelle and JP's blanket
- Curtis and Stephanie's blanket
- Joni's baby blanket
- Amy's baby blanket
- Eye candy purse
- Bliss bag (my purse I kept)
- Yellow Paisley bag
- Blue ocean bag
- Stephanie's paisley bag
- 5+ kerchief's
- Rose's blanket
- Christine's purse
- Autumn bag
So, I crocheted a lot! I need to find some balance between that and drawing.
Travel
- Atlanta twice
- Nashville
- Indianapolis to visit Connie while I was in Nashville
- D.C.
- Cherokee, NC
- South Dakota
- Ft. Worth thrice!
Hiking
- Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park: our first backpacking trip.
- Florida Trail from Tamiami Trail to 75: done in three days due to water shortage
- Florida Trail Loop Road to Tamiami Trail: one day due to heat and having a nasty cold
- Countless hikes in Big Cypress and Fakahatchee Strand
- Finding 607 ghost orchids in Little Slough
So, I really can't say I was a big bum, even if I felt like it. I have many more goals this year. To complete some garments via crocheting, get some paintings completed,
do some traveling and hanging out. I have two babies to expect this year as I'll be an Auntie again in May and an Aunt for the first time in August and a wedding
of a best friend to be in in October. Some fun times to look forward to.
Cotyledons: First Leaves
December 26, 2007
For some reason everything seems fresh and new and ready for a new year. After the eating and the presents yesterday I felt anxious to get out and do something. Today was
no different and it really felt like it should be spring and time for new things to begin growing and new experiences to be had. One thing that has changed is the decor
on this blog. If you are a lurker or read via a Reader, drop by and let me know what you think. Everything is actually all uniform and I actually have a narrative on the
Art section now. If I can just prod Chris to work on the Little Slough page more and get that updated....
I didn't make it to the end of It's a Wonderful Life the other night. I fell asleep when George slammed the door on his family to wander the streets of Bedford Falls.
I'm sort of sad about this fact because I missed most of the Christmas shows this year. That is what I get for not watching much tv. So, since we went to bed before 10pm
on Christmas Eve we were up at 7:30 with the cats on Christmas Day. We let the cats "open" their stockings first. They each got treats and toys, though Samson really
wanted to go outside first thing and didn't seem too interested in what we were doing. Overall we got really good gifts from everyone. A digital photo frame from my MIL,
B&N gift cards from my FIL (and a lens that just didn't seem to be compatiable...we're still trying to remedy that problem.), and some cash-moola and clothes from my parents.
Not too shabby at all!!! Chris gave me some reusable bags for groceries since I had asked for them, the new Harry Potter movie, and a super cool porch swing, the stand alone
kind. He even worked his butt off and got it put up while we were lounging around. It's super comfy and I'm excited because it is perfect for napping and reading! Now,
I wish I'd been better about coming up with ideas for him! Drat!
I am looking forward to the New Year. I know it didn't seem like that a few posts ago, but I am ready for spring and summer and today I had the urge to feel sunshine
on my face and cool Keys water on my feet. Nevermind I'll be wishing for winter when it is summer.
More tomatoes are ripening as I speak. As for gardening we are oogling at catalogs from Seed Savers Exchange, Baker's Creek and Tomato Growers Supply. It's time to
prune and fertilize some things and do a little yard work this weekend.
Curt and Stephanie: Camping in the Glades IV is set for the first weekend in March. Check the Florida geocaching page!
I almost forgot. I can show you the purse I made for Stephanie, my sister in law, for Christmas, now that she's recieved it!
Christmas from Us to You
December 25, 2007
Christmas Eve
December 24, 2007
My cats spent most of the day sleeping.
Leo was on the table most of the day because his friend Samson was outside.
Samson spent the day lounging on the porch, mostly on the cooler outside the door, but also in the sun in front of the grill.
My handsome little booger, with an eye booger. He constantly has them and I'm always being a good momma and picking his eye boogers out.
Little squirt here was good most of the day. Not much trouble here, just lots of sleeping.
I did something for myself this weekend. I finally got together and made something fun! I've been wanting a crochet hook holder for forever and last weekend I crochted up
with a J hook and a half double crochet a little backing to what I would eventually line and make my hook case.
Pretty cute, I think.
Enough room for all the hooks and a little pocket for scissors, stich markers and yarn needles. The big hook and the tunisian hook are a bit longer than the holder, but that's ok.
I'm quite happy with it!
I couldn't really sleep in this morning. We did go to bed around 9pm last night. We had a long day hiking in Fakahatchee and then took our friends Eliana and Mark to see some
ghost orchids and then drove down Loop Road a bit. I am getting another cold, this one from Chris, so I am sleepy and full of crap in my sinuses. Today I got up early and did
chores around the house and finally picked our spare room/computer room/crap room and then made it out to Target for essentials. It wasn't too bad line-wise, but I was still
just ready to get home. I'm glad I did most of my shopping via the internet this year or in non-major commercial places.
Have a Happy Christmas Eve!!!
Winter Flowers and Two Tomato Harvest
December 21, 2007
Yesterday we took a little trip to another property for work and I of course took the 40D with me. You just never know what you are going to find and I am falling more and more in love with the camera as I use it. It is also nice to not have to share it with anyone, as I can be quite a camera hog. Chris knows this, of course.
This is my favorite landscape type photo I took yesterday. There was a small patch of coreopsis that were blooming and with the bluestems in the background and the canal for some blue constrast, I am in love. It is on my background wallpaper for work.
I love the back side of the coreopsis.
Showy crotolaria is one of my favorite natives here in Florida. They are a good butterfly attractor as well. There weren't any flowers on the plant just these seed pods.
Grasses are magnificent to photograph as well. I love the seed heads and the nice color they have right now. I like how this one came out. It was windy and you can only get what you can get, but I'm happy with the effect.
I like this one as well, even though the top came out blurry and focused further below. I'm unsure on the plant, perhaps a goldenrod?
I'm really excited about this one. It was a smaller distance photo and I used Corel to zoom in and crop. I didn't even realize that the butterfly was moving when I snapped the photo. This is a gulf fritilary, one of my favorites. Ok, so I like most butterflies in general! I love how the abdomen is sticking out and is in focus while the wings are blurred.
This is the original photo of the above.
This is a fun backlit white peacock. There were quite a few of them as well. I have a dead one pinned to my wall at work, along with a monarch. The monarch a coworker put up for me and the white peacock I found on the side of the road, probably a casualty of the passing cars.
This one is also super cool. You can see the proboscis inside the Caesar weed, sipping the nectar.
And now on to the best part of today. The harvesting of my first tomatoes of the season. Get out your salt and pepper shaker and let your taste buds start tingling.
Yes, two yummy and delicious Sunmaster tomatoes. Ooohhh yeah! The photos are crummy as it was almost dark when I took them.
The biggest one was 7.9 ounces. I'm saving it for tomorrow. I gobbled the smaller one up for dinner.
Really, aren't they the two prettiest tomatoes???
Randomness on a Winter Day
December 19, 2007
Saturday morning while waiting for the plumber, we let Samson out on the porch. He loves to sit out there and just watch whatever is going on in the yard, lay on the porch,
and munch on plants. Apparently he had a little too much fun rolling this time around because he came inside very filthy. Of course the photos just don't show how
grey he really was. He was chanelling Leo for cutest grey cat in the house.
He really was quite dirty!
I love listening to Virgin Radio on the internet. It is fun to pretend I am in London in my flat, hanging out with friends or walking the streets after work or shopping. I started listening a few years ago when I worked in the micro lab. Plus, they play a nice variety and they have a classic rock station that is awesome as well. Music lately has been bumming me out, or should I put it as the radio stations have been bumming me out. Same old thing.
Tonight I actually have free time again. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself other than watch some Mr. Darcy and finish up some side projects I have going. I'm contemplating cleaning up my art desk area. It has been the piling point of many things lately and it is time for it to be cleaned up and ready for more art work to be started in the New Year.
I'm having a hard time with it being 2008 soon . I just haven't been able to fathom this is the year of 10 from
high school, the year of two away from 30, the year of five years from the passing of a friend, the year of six years since college and from the last time I saw Rosemarie. On the Ravelry forum there is a group called the 20-spot, for the 20
something's out there. Reading the topics really brought a bit of comfort because I know that I am not alone. And I am not alone amongst my friends either, but the whole thing of where I'd be by now just hasn't happened. Obviously most of it is my fault. I either didn't get out there and do what I wanted, had expectations that were too high or just plain let the years slip by. We (or I) keep saying we'll have kids in the 5 years or so, and honestly I am not quite ready for them, but the prospect of in five years I'll be 32 makes me hold my breathe a bit. At 32 am I going to be saying the same thing I've been saying? Are we going to be where we want to be in order for all these little cards to fall into place? Moreover, do we even need to have the cards in place and just do it how we want to. Half the time I feel like I am just in a state of being and not in a state of moving forward. As in I am in the same place as last year, just a different hairstyle (or not). Is it even important to make your mark in the world? At this point I am mostly rambling, but for some reason I feel the need to put it down.
Now that I got a bit of that off my chest I'll move on to some fluff. My Christmas cards are almost done. The only ones are the ones for the family that I need Chris to write on as well. I am looking foward to a nice four day weekend and want to spent Saturday doing some baking, crafting and gardening. I think Sunday we may be going to Fakahatchee to check out the alba clamshell orchids and then Monday I'm off all day by myself so I will do a bit of cooking for Christmas and watching movies in bed with Samson and Leo. I am wishing it would be cold on Christmas, or at least dreary so I can pretend it is cold. We had a nice cold front come through earlier this week, the one that brought all the good snow to everyone else. I dug out two vests I bought in Texas (or mom bought, I think!) to wear and pretended I was going skiing. HA!
I just had the best chocolate EVER! Well, maybe not quite. I love truffle chocolates. I discovered them in college one year and ever since I have been in love.
My parents sent me a box of Harry and David dark chocolate truffles and I just had one to whet my appetite before dinner. Well, really I had them because they were un-
opened and needing to be opened. ;) The good things is that I believe I will have them to myself because Chris isn't a dark chocolate fan, though he may have some out of
desperation. Dark chocolate is an acquired taste, much like Starbucks coffee. I never liked it growing up and my dad always had the Hershey's Special Dark to himself. Now
that I am grown up, I love dark chocolate. I love getting the 70+% cacao chocolates at the store. Mmmmmm!
So, today I dropped off a prescription at CVS and they said come back in an hour. Ok, I had to go to the post office to pick up three packages and I figured that would only
take 30 minutes. No. It took 55 minutes. I stood in line from 5:30 to 6:15 and then 10 minutes at the counter while she went back to find my packages. There are FIVE spots
open and only two clerks. This is normal for after 5pm at the post office and most days there's a line to the door. I don't understand this at all. Especially at the holiday season.
Normally if I wait until after 6:30 I can get in and out quickly, but there was no reason to wait, so I waited in line instead. I'm just at a loss for words.
Well, I'm off to relax for the first time in a week or so. It's time for Mr. Darcy in a white, wet Regency shirt. :) Now, if I can only get Chris into that! LOL!
Quiet Indoors
December 16, 2007
I feel like the past four days have been non-stop go, go, go! Time for some down time. Thursday was spent running errands, Friday I went to a co-workers house
for a little after work party and yesterday Chris and I did some Christmas shopping, dealt with the plumber (our toilet and shower backed up last week), and went out
on Loop Road to take some photos and check out some sloughs for ghost orchids and then in the evening drove back down to Miami to go to Shelah's little Christmas party.
And now I have chores to catch up on, Christmas stuff to finish up and I want to spend some time on the bed watching Pride and Prejudice and Colin Firth in a wet, white shirt.
Now, doesn't that sound like a good day??? ;) Unfortunately I do have to leave the house and I can't decide whether to just get it out of the way first or hibernate most of the
day and go later. I have baking and cooking to do for two parties on Tuesday and in order to go to the crochet/knit night tomorrow I have to get it out of the way tonight.
So, on Loop Road we set up the tripod and took some shots. I let Chris get his fill first and then I played with the Fuji camera and talked to a heron that was hanging out
by the road.
The gator's were very good at posing today.
Just waiting for a good bite to come through.
Don't you want a face like leather?
My heron friend was behaving very nice until I got a bit too close and he flew to a branch nearby.
My little green heron friend. I love the way he is just sitting there blending in with the background.
Sweetwater Strand is a fun place to take pictures. It's one of the few very open spots on Loop Road. About two years or so ago, in the dry season, we walked down the area that
is full of water now and poked about the long hollowed out cypress logs. No alligators on sight.
It was late afternoon when we took these and slightly overcast, though it did clear up as the day wore on.
On our way to the next spot we were heading I saw these birdies chilling on the cypress. We just shot from the car. They almost look like Christmas ornaments!
The secondary purpose for our little expedition was to check out some sloughs on Loop Road for some rumored ghost orchids. Sure enough we found two. I found the first one
and it was dead and then Chris had found this one while I was resting on a nice little cypress log and was talking to a little caterpillar that had hitchhicked on my clothes.
I took a few photos of Chris taking photos of the ghost orchid. He looks like such a pro. ;) hehehe!
I finally finished the last Christmas present. I'm so glad it is over! The best thing is that I love it so much. I sincerely hope the receipient loves it as much as I do,
because if not they are welcome to send it back to me! Yesterday I whipped up what is to be a crochet hook holder. I had extra green yarn left and wasn't sure what to do with it.
This week I plan to line it and then I'll have something for me! I am itching to paint again but I have crochet ideas in my head and I am wanting to read at least one book in the
next week. I need to finish a few that I've started but I actually have a hankering to re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Today I got a call from my brother as I was just about to get started around the house for the day. It turns out I am going to be an Aunt in August! I'm so excited!!
I am going to spoil it crazy!!
Lastly there is a little article in the NYT about Etsy and handmade. It is an interesting read. I certainly will never be a top seller, but it is interesting to see
what others have done. Article.
Two down, one to go.
December 12, 2007
I officially have two presents made and one more to finish! WOO! I don't think I'll be able to finish the last until this weekend, but it has to be done by the because I
will need to send it out then. But, I can share one of the items I just made. It is really simple, actually. I organized a Secret Santa with a few of my friends and one
of them mentioned we should do handmade. I thought it was a good idea, and it really is, but because I mentioned the swap right around Thanksgiving it puts everyone in a
bit of a tight crunch to do it. Next year if we do it again I'll send the email out in early November instead! So, if your name is Stephanie F., Michelle H., Rosemarie E.,
or Alisa C., stop reading right now. I mean, one of you could be the ones to get my gift! ;)
So, that is fair warning. I know sometimes you peek in. Now, go away!!! Come back in a few days or a week or so. ;)
Ok, so my mother in law gave me some cloth over Thanksgiving and I really didn't know what to do with it. But one day I got the idea for a little picnic blanket. One is a solid
yellow and the other is a white and yellow check pattern. Lightbulb going off in my head! Something like six years ago my mom helped me do a similar blanket with some sort
of felt/fleece like material and all I did was just throw some blanket binding on the edges and wa-la, a mini-blanket. I decided I could do the same thing with the pieces
of cloth. I started off with the checked pattern and then after I'd gotten most of the binding on I realized that the edges were frayed and I should have rolled them under
and then sewn them. Dur. I mean I am so not a sewer. So I decided I'd keep the white and yellow one for myself and fix it later and do the solid one instead. After
some frustrating curse words to my 100 year old sewing machine, I finally finished it up tonight! WOO!
See, really, really simple. I am allll for simple.
Of course Leo likes to hang out with it. When it was a work in progress and draped over the chair, he made it his little fort and would lay either under the chair or on the chair
and under the blanket.
It looks all purty when it is folded up.
WOO, I am DONE! Almost. I feel much better about the other thing I am making now that I am doing it on my own terms. I'm feeling rambly tonight so I better go before
I just sit here and talk my head off.
The Little Tomato Farm
December 11, 2007
The tomatoes are growing like crazy and the majority of them have fruit on them. I am hoping the giant Sunmaster that set fruit in early November will be ready to eat
by Christmas.
Half of the tomatoes I can't tell the names of by the fruit, I just know they look delicious.
I think what is interesting is the diveristy in the leaves, the flowers and the fruit.
There is a little bitty fruit hiding in there.
I love this crinkly one. It is one of Chris'.
This is the stick tomato. I love the fuzziness on the stems! The little hairs are so cute!
Of course our variegated ones are doing good too. I especially like the. Which reminds me, we think we found a variegated fern. I need to upload the photo.
You can see some are getting near the top of the fence. They are a bit crowded, but I think they will be ok.
More hairy fun!
I had to chop the cotton down as it got top heavy and fell over my rose and the blackberry lily. I actually have rooted them from cuttings before, so I stuck the two in the ground
where we have a bit of space in the veggie garden.
The cotton is a fun flower to grow. I really like how it starts off pink and turns yellow as it opens. They are just the epitome of the south and of Texas for me.
I'm too lazy to look up the name of this but I got a cutting of it back in February and it has finally bloomed.
I plan on spending my four day holiday weekend somewhat in the yard. Trimming back, fertilizing, poking about. Things are starting to root from out of the bottom of
the containers as was evident with a Florida gardenia that we had to plant in the yard instead. I took a cutting of a plant in a park about two years ago and it rooted well
and is now about four feet tall. It blooms often and I really enjoy it. I'm hoping I can keep it alive and then take cutting again when we have to move one day. I really
haven't paid attention to the veggie garden. The lettuce mix has done well a few mustard greens are hanging in and there are a few dill seedlings that like me enough to
stick around. We have two pepper plants that are struggling, the mint is having a field day and I wish the other things I had planted had lived. I don't water as often as
I should (read: never...almost) and since the water line doesn't go down there it only gets it when it rains or when I get out to water.
I'm trudging along on the holiday craft stuff. After I finally ditched the process of one thing and did it my own way I am much happier. If only I'd of done that two weeks
ago I'd be done by now! I am hoping to wrap most of it up by the weekend, do my Christmas shopping and mail it all on its way to Texas. Last night I finally went out
Sweet Stitchin' Betties meetup again like I did back in August. It was nice to get out, even though I almost
copped out again. It is just difficult for me to be motivated on a Monday night to get out and do something! Everyone was nice as always and I hope to make it a more than
once a month effort!
In other news my grandmother is sick again. They are hoping to keep her from getting dehydrated this time around. She is so close to being able to move to assisted
living and then these little pitfalls happen. It is incredibly frustrating. And then my mom told me today that my friend was in a car accident last weekend in which
her car rolled several times when someone cut her off. She was lucky and only had a concussion and was lucky in that her almost four year old wasn't in the car either.
I have yet to get ahold of her and I am hoping that I can find out more soon. These little things scare me and it isn't just that. I recently started a weekly email
to several of my friends in an effort to get everyone talking and to keep in touch more. So far it is working...mostly...and even if they touch in and say their week
was boooorrrring then at least I hear from them. Sometimes the phone is just difficult to handle, people are easier to catch on their own time. At least that is how
I feel. But I am glad for it. Even if I ramble on once a week then it is something.
Robin and Em, thank you for my mail! :) I am going to get cards out at the end of the week hopefully!!
Camping at the Lox
December 9, 2007
I am wiped out. We went to Cacheaplaooza II and really didn't
do much geocaching, just some hiking, hanging out, eating and a lot of relaxing. I don't know why I am so tired though! Chris took a lot of good pictures and I will share
those first. He got some really awesome bird shots while I was sleeping in my chair at the main pavilion. That's what I get for snoozing!
I think this is one of my favorites he took. It is an osprey! The day before we saw one sitting in a pine tree and it took off with a huge fish!
Ooh look an ivory bill....errr, pileated woodpecker. Lots of good shots of this one as it was really close to Chris and Marc on the trail.
Digging for some bugs!
A red bellied woodpecker.
This is Baloo (forgive me Eliana, I don't know how to spell his name!). He is the cutest little pit bull ever! He will give you a nice bath with good doggie slobber!
Baloo was trying to check out this huge golden retriver that came with some other cachers (another very good doggie!) and Chris got a few good photos of them sniffing
each other.
Chris found a ground orchid when he went on a morning hike. We haven't id'd it yet.
He also got this nice log with mushrooms. I like the dark lighting of it.
Last night we hung out around the campfire for a little bit with our friends Chris and Sarah and a few other geocachers and then the rain began to come down. Luckily we
had our new tent up that we got on Friday. Some others didn't and I know that might have gotten wet!!!
This morning I got to play with the camera for awhile and shot some cool shelf fungi and other fungi.
Gotta love the fungi!
I have more but I am kind of zonked and I need to get a few things done before bed.
Scenes from Highlands County
December 7, 2007
First, let's remember those who were killed today at Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Yesterday we went to some property in Highlands County where sand hills, cabbage palm savanna's and oak hammocks reign. This is "cracker" Florida, where a lot of farming
takes places, orange groves are harvested to make your orange juice, and where people are actually nice to you. I love being up there. Visiting towns like Lake Placid,
Sebring, and Avon Park will show you a side of Florida you don't get on the coasts. You should meander through there sometime. I took the new Canon 40D from work so we
could get some good shots. The lenses used were the one that came with the camera a 28-135mm with image stabilization built in and a 75-300 mm that we already had from another
film SLR. I'm going to show the ones that I zoomed in and cropped because I think they are cool, but if you want to see the rest you can go here.
We first encountered a flock of turkeys running across the main road. I got some shots of them as a group and then when we drove by I got a shot of them fly-jumping over the
barb-wire fence. I then zoomed and cropped this one.
We have a cattle lease on this property and I didn't notice this at first, but the cow is munching on Spanish moss!
We saw four pairs of sandhill cranes. I love watching these birds. They are pretty much not very skittish and will let you get fairly close. When we lived in Melbourne
we would see them fairly frequently.
Another pair of cranes.
I'm pretty darn excited about these. We went to check out a new pond being built and a swarm of purple martin's were swooping down to get a drink of water. I had the smaller
lens on at the time and put it on the action mode and went to town shooting photos. It is pretty cool without zooming in and then zoomed in to actually see the birds is
even more cool! They dart all the time in front of my truck on the road to and from work and you can't ever really see their bodies.
Or at least I think they are purple martins. LOL, my boss said they were so I took his word for it. I'm not a birder!
We saw quite a few deer as well, including one big buck that just evaded the camera no matter what I tried.
Mmm, tasty shrubs!!! Hehe! I got out on foot and followed these gals down a little trail and was able to get some decent shots of them.
There were several killdeer hanging out with the cattle.
I put on the long lens for this one and the hawk soared over my head for several rounds and I action shot these.
Weeeee!
See that beak open? This was one talkative bird.
Someone's about to lose a feather!
And I like this one, it is the actual shot of the bird not zoomed and then I hit "auto levels" and wa-la, it went funky on me. Sometimes auto levels mean nothing.
This is a kestral (think!) that kept spotting my lens and would fly as soon as I brought it out of the car. Darn bird!
And lastly my woodstork friend. :) He watched for a bit, got a little hesitant and then flew off behind some sand pines.
For the lenses on the Rebel we have an 18-55, 50mm, 75-300 and a wide angle/macro. We're going to a geocaching even this weekend so we will be playing around more with it
and hopefully get some good shots!
I have definitely learned my lesson this year about making presents for people. I wasn't going to be doing much anyway, but I really just stressed myself out. Next time
I need to start in October. But, I'm ok. Things will get done and they will be sent on time. We sat down and started figuring out what to get everyone. It is really hard
to buy for people! I mean, I can easily buy for my SIL and mom but everyone else it is just HARD! I'm still trying to find
Bob's Candy Canes. Dude, I can buy a case of 24 packs for $25!!!!! Too excited! I can't find them here, but I found them in Texas over Thanksgiving and forgot to
eat some. :( I'm subbing them right now for some Hershey's Mint Chocolate canes and they are pretty good. Well, everyone have a great weekend! Maybe we'll come back
with some kick-ass photos!
Christmas Decorating
December 5, 2007
Though it is the 5th, I feel like December is slipping through my fingers already. I'm trying to enjoy it as best as possible and tonight we finally put up the Christmas
tree. This is the first time in three years that we've had one. Our first two Christmases we got a tree, the second year we had Samson and he was a good little boy. The next
year we had Leo and we were too afraid of him climbing it or being an all out bad boy. We bought a Norfolk "pine" and tried to call it Christmas, especially
considering it was in the high 80's that day and I was wearing shorts. Now, I've experienced some warmer Christmases in Texas, but nothing like that, and trust me, it is
pretty depressing. I'm not sure I could handle a southern hemisphere Christmas. Gimmme snow!!! I've been reveling in everyone's snow photos on Flickr and at
Kal's and Monarch's pages. I want to feel the crunchy, white goodness under some boots. I want to
wrap up in a coat and wear sweaters.
Our Christmas tree is named Bud #3. I am not quite sure how we came up with Bud, but I think it had to do with the new pinecones that were beginning to form on our first
tree. We went to a tree nursery at a Catholic church down the road and they were a bit pricey so we hit up Public (grocery store) instead. It doesn't smell as much as
I was hoping for, though if you rub up against it you can smell it. I hope that maybe with time it will put off more scent. Leo has been magnificent so far with it. He was more
interested in the ball ornaments than the tree, though I think he and Sam will both be sitting under the tree a lot.
I tried all sorts of light settings and this is the best one that came out I think.
A little arangement
The little "town". I put that snow "hair" under it and then a few of the branches from the bottom of the tree. Chris told me they may be brown in a week though.
I think Mom gave this to me
As well as this one...
I think this is supposed to be a Leo ornament. I put it up high so there would be now batting of it.
One of two Aggie ornaments. We have a Reveille ornament as well.
Even Sam's tired from decorating!
I had a slight panic moment when I couldn't find the ornaments and then I realized they were in a little filing container in the garage. I need to buy one of those ornament
storage containers and I saw one at Bed, Bath and Beyond the other day. I also need a few more bows for the tree and some stocking holders.
I was trying to think of things I wanted for Christmas because I really don't need anything. I organized my crafting area over the weekend and I have cloth that I don't
know what to do with (learn to sew...), lots of yarn (obviously), and plenty of art supplies to get me through a year or two. I also do not need books,
though I certainly will not say no to them. Clothes...got a closet full of 'em that I don't ever get to wear. I could always use more plants, but then I'll end up having to
move them at some point, so, I'll nix that one for now. But, I do have a mini-list anyway.
- DVD's: Alias Seasons 2 and 4 (really, really need), Little House on the Prairie S2-??, House MD S1-3, The Walton's S2-???, Road to Avonlea S1-7, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman S1-??,
Harry Potter movies but I think I only need one or two as I already have a few.
- Books: Of course I need books. I just need to read the ones I already have, as well.
Life Artist, Crochet Me,
Positively Crochet,
Everyday Crochet, The Swamp.
- CD's: The Eagles, Long Road out of Eden,
Pat Green, Cannonball,
Patty Griffin
- Misc: I'm not opposed to another pair of Keen's in blue. ;)
Tomorrow: Going to be outside to use the Canon 40D at work (IT IS SO AWESOME!!), I'll fill you in on the lenses like Chris at Digital Flower Pics asked, talk holiday recipes
and maybe tomorrow there will be a new bundle of blue arriving for some friends of ours. *crossing fingers*.
PS: Did anyone get to watch Rudolph? It's one of my favorites!
Light
December 3, 2007
Live in rooms full of light. ~Cornelius Celsus
In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. ~Aaron Rose
This is the kind of light that always makes me quiet and lets me think.
Flamingo
December 2, 2007
Chris and I had never been to Flamingo in Everglades National Park until today. We were looking for a trip to go play with our new Canon Rebel XTI. We have a lot to
learn. I will be reading the manual over the next few days as well as playing around with settings. We are going to trash probably 3/4 of the shots we took today, but we did
get a few good ones. Some sightings we had but didn't get photos of were one snail kite that flew right in front of the truck and at first we thought it was a hawk.
Then we saw the stripe on the tail and knew it was a snail kite. Chris had asked the park ranger at the gate about seeing any and he said we probably wouldn't and
that they were where we already knew they were. So, we proved him wrong! Then, as we drove the last bit into Flamingo, we are pretty darn sure we saw a flamingo
flying over. It was much pinker than a roseate spoonbill and the beak looked more like an ibis, curved.
First, we found a pretty little yellow finch, dead in the parking lot. I'll spare you the gore here but you can find it on Flickr under the Everglades set.
I liked this grape leaf that was glimmering in the sun.
Not sure on this flower but it was purty.
We went down a little dirt road and it was lined with these cassia's (or cassia looking) shrub's and I got a few shots but they were too dark and this one was the best.
I liked the blue and yellow together.
Down at the marina area in Flamingo.
Coconuts!
We drove down the camping area and first saw this, which we think is an American kestrel, but we aren't positive. Then we saw...
our hawk friend who posed for many pictures before...
flying off. Chris snapped this and it was in the wrong mode for this kind of shot, but I think it is cool because it looks like an oversized hummingbird. The kestrel had
flown off a bit before to another tree and the hawk decided he wanted the spot the kestrel had and the kestrel, being the smaller of the two, had to give up his perch.
Then we saw two osprey with a humongo nest. This one also posted for us all the while calling to its mate and probably telling us not to take its fish.
You can see the fish right below the bird on the tree branch. I like watching them on the way to work and they will swoop down into the canal and come up with a fish and fly
off with it wiggling in its talons.
Then we walked down Christian Point Trail, which was a nice little change from our normal swamp hiking. It borders along Florida Bay so there were a lot of salt marsh
plants and I like seeing those. I know most of my salt marsh plants fairly well from my college classes. We never made it to the end of the trail because we didn't bring the trail
map and we weren't sure how far we were, though we could hear boats getting closer, and the sun was also working on setting.
I'm excited that we have the long lens because now I can get those flittery little sulphur's and white's that do not want to hold still if you get close to them.
Chris found this little orchid that we haven't really id'd yet, though someone on Flickr gave us an idea. Just need to check our books first.
Another salt marsh plant, Christmas berry or Lycium carolinianum.
And probably one of my favorites that I took, stink weed, or Pluchea spp., probably purpurascens. On the trail we kept smelling something sweet every so often and
there were some morning glories blooming but I don't know that they would put off a scent. The stink weed however is very stinky, though I tend to like it.
Another salt marsh plant, Distichlis spicata or salt grass. Purty!
Salicornia virginica
And the almost on the way out the biggest clump of butterfly orchids we've seen. Chris took a few of these shots.
And then we drove home to the sun setting over Shark River Slough.
I will probably post twice today after I get out in the garden this afternoon and play with the camera more. We have a lot to learn and figure out. I thought you
could open RAW files in Photoshop but I tried and it wouldn't work. So, I need to read up and figure it out. It sucks to have to convert the ones you want to jpg to upload
to Flickr, but I suppose that helps me eliminate the ones that just don't make it.
More later!
Thing I love at the moment
November 29, 2007
I'm sitting here at home because I took the day off work. My glands are nice and swollen, the ears are itchy and hard to hear out of (Chris would say this is a normal
occurrence), and I have a nice stuffy/runny nose, and a cough. Blah! So, today I thought I'd do a fluff post and talk about some things I am enjoying at the moment.
- Coffee. Particularly the White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks. Now I am cringing
at the calories listed. Must only drink once in awhile. I tried the white chocolate version during Thanksgiving and I like it better than the regular mocha. The normal ones
are too sweet!
- Mentha Lip Shine by CO Bigelow
at Bath and Body Works! I bought the peppermint one this summer and I only have a bit left. Mom and I bough the spearmint and cinnamon one last week and I love them both.
I'm a chapstick addict so I like to keep something in my pocket all the time.
- Abbeville Homegrown Soap. I bought some last week and she shipped it quickly. Yum-O!
- Ravelry. I've been on since summer time but my crocheting of late has me addicted again. If only there
were more crochet forums.
- This pie we had at Thanksgiving. It has pecans and Ritz crackers. Heavenly with some Cool Whip.
- Tongue in Cheek, a blog about an American woman living in France with her husband and kids. Excellent writing
and now I want to visit France even more.
- I subscribe to the WhipUp Blog and they were putting out their call for articles for Nov, Dec and Jan. So yesterday at lunch
I typed up a short article on November's topic, Crafting in Public. I wrote about crocheting in public. I had Chris read it over to see if it was hokie and he said it was fine
and I sent it off to their email. I woke up this morning to find that they had published it! This is my first time doing something like this! You can read it
here. WOO!
Well, I am off to down more shots of Robitussin, pop a Zicam (gross!) and vegetate in bed some more.
Putting it all out there...my yarn stash
November 28, 2007
When I was home in Texas my mom and I went through my grandmothers house to work on cleaning things out. While there we found a ton of yarn that she hadn't used,
some of it probably 20+ years old. There were many doilies, lots of doilies. It all got me thinking that I really need to use my yarn stash up so that in 20 years I don't
see a bunch of yarn that I found at Michael's on clearance and never used it. It also had me thinking that I need to share what I make as much as possible. Sure,
I'll keep some things, the pieces I just can't part with, but I don't want to have a lot of what I make lying around for decades only to be gone through by my grandchildren.
This applies to art as well, I believe. When I drew the ghost orchid for my coworker for her birthday another coworker made the comment that it was good I was sharing
what I liked to do instead of keeping it to myself. Little did he know that it was the first time I had shared it with someone outside of my family!
So, here it is. Some of it has been covered by Samson, but most of it is out there for all to see. My mother in law did send me home with a nice bag of yarn and cloth,
so that doesn't necessarily count. I ended up separating it out into three "categories": acrylic for afghan's, softer yarns and cottons, and frilly yarns. At least I now
know what I have and what I have to work with. I've been printing some patterns out from the internet that I will hopefully begin working on one day. Dragging out
the yarn also made me want to go through my scrapbooking bags and other craft junk in my little corner. Unfortunately I now am getting a cold so I doubt that will
happen until the weekend.
I am making a few things for Christmas presents this year but I am trying to figure out what to get the men in my life: Chris, dad, my bro, and Chris' side of the family.
I hate to get the obligatory sweater or shirt or giftcard. I need ideas!!
Samson likes my yarn stash because it's cozy! I suppose I could make him and Leo a zillion cuddly blankets! Maybe your cats need some, Robin? Hehehe!
Here are a few things my grandmother made:
Our tomatoes are HUGE! It seems the warm temperatures we had last week while we were gone really got them growing. The sunmaster tomato I showed a few posts back is so BIG
but not quite ripe yet. There are variegated and black plum tomatoes forming and I am just so so excited about the haul we are going to have this year!! I think tomatoes
are probably my favorite thing to grow. I'm still holding out hope for my lettuce and mustard greens. My boss gave me some plantable paper things today that came in the
mail and will grow into the native coreopsis. I think I'll stick that in the ground this weekend as well.
I'm off to nurse this cold now.
Home Again
November 26, 2007
We're back in Florida now. Back to the grind of work and life. Thanksgiving vacation was relaxing and we enjoyed our time with everyone. We spent Tuesday night through
Friday morning on his side of the family in Dallas and Friday through Sunday afternoon at my side in Fort Worth. Wednesday was mostly spent with Chris' dad and step-mom, going
to lunch and hanging out at their house. His dad has a cool little backyard with a pond that Chris helped dig and put together. We've given him a few things to put around
the yard and he has many things that I want to acquire one day. Clematis for one!
I really liked the bucket's on the fence. We spent some time at two nurseries, the first one happened to be the better this go around. It was mostly an orchid hothouse
and the orchid guy was really cool. Gunter had many orchids we liked and we talked for awhile about our orchid explorations here in
Florida. We told him where he should go when he came to Ft. Lauderdale.
If anyone can tell me what kind of cactus this is I'd be happy. He wasn't sure what it was. It has a little red flower that you can sorta see in the middle right.
We hung out with Diane's cat Chase, a super fat and happy cat.
He was mostly good with a few fussy moments. What cat doesn't have their fussy moments?
That night we went to dinner at Chris' grandmother's retirement complex. It's an upscale place. This is my brother-in-law Neil and me.
We spent Thanksgiving day at his mom's house and had a nice lunch with just six of us, his mom and step-dad and grandmother and her husband.
I even got some crocheting in, almost finishing a purse. It just needs a liner. Chris got me as I turned to check out the Macy's parade.
This is Gayle's super Jello salad mold. I'm not the biggest fan of cherry so it is good for cherry. Now, substitute it for strawberry and I'll be happy! (The jello mold
is a running joke with Chris and his mom.)
After dinner we bundled up to burn some turkey calories and took the doggies for a walk. They were dog-sitting a neighbor's golden retriever in addition to their two sheltie's. Oh, yeah
it snowed in Ft. Worth and at the Cowboy game but not in Dallas. It was a cold day for me!
I mapped it on Google Earth today and we walked a mile in the cold with these doggies. Murphy is on the right, Mitzi and Guiness. There is always lots of Mitzi/Misti
confusion when I come to visit.
Friday it was more animal fun at my parents house.
Isabelle and her crooked teeth.
The Leo look-alike, Duck, came over on Saturday to keep from being under feet at my brother's house for the Thanksgiving there. She looks precious, but at midnight-thirty
on Sunday morning until four thirty am she meowed constantly. We tried to pet her to calm her down. Nope. She is one loud cat too.
She has long whiskers!
My brother carved the turkey for their first Thanksgiving at their new house.
This is one of my favorite shots. I have a few good ones of my brother and Baileigh my second cousin.
I got to see Biff again, my brother and Stephanie's golden doodle. He is so quiet and reserved compared to the Boston terriers. He looks like he has a secret.
My cousin Marty and Baileigh, his niece. I don't see him often so it was good to see him.
I conned Baileigh into making funny faces with me. This is my Alice the Goon face. She just needs to work on that upper lip and she'll have it down.
Baileigh's momma, Crystal. Taken by Bai herself.
This was a cute picture with my sister in law. I just wish it wasn't so orange in the background (and on her sweatshirt. ;) )
That's mostly it. It was a cold, dreary time mostly, but that is how I know winter in Texas a lot of times. It felt like Thanksgiving because it was cold. A good excuse to
dig out my winter clothes from the storage in the closet. I'm back to short sleeves and jeans again.
A&M did beat Hell outta the t-sips on Friday. ;) That's two years in a row. WHOOP!
Later this week I might have some photos from our new Canon Rebel XTI. :) Need to read the manual first.
Thanksgiving
November 20, 2007
Howdy all. 1: Etsy shop is back. I have one more purse to add tomorrow and will probably redo the photos of it when I get back.
I have seeds. WOO! I'm also feverishly working on another purse already. Thank you airport. 2. I'm thinking site re-design soon.
Being on someone else's computer besides my own showed me some of the colors show up very bright here. I think I am blinding y'all.
3: A&M is going to beat HELL outta t.u. on Friday. WHOOP! 4: Saturday is a special anniversary. It is 10 years since I have
met Chris as well two other friends from college. Long story, but I will be sure to tell it when I get back. 5: I'm on a mini-
break for the rest of the week. Relaxing a little, spending time with my family. I shall return sometime next week. Be safe
and enjoy your Thanksgiving if you are in the US and if not, have a great week!
Fall in the Garden
November 18, 2007
I love my cats. They are more like dogs in that they follow you around, talk to you and want to be near you. Samson has been hanging out with me the past two days while I
crocheted on the bed and watched movies.
He's enjoyed the nice, cool weather and has wanted to be out for as long as possible and protested by giving me his low meows when I bring him inside.
This little trouble maker was a devil yesterday. From early morning on he was non-stop running around the house and picking fights with Samson. I ended up awake at 8:30 and
sat at the computer for awhile and he got up twice onto the top of one of the bookshelves. Sam looked at him like he was insane.
And he insisted that he was going to go outside and at a moment I was trying to get Samson inside, Leo darted from under my legs and onto the porch. I tried to lure him from
underneath the plant shelves with a treat, but he knew what I was up to. I knew what he was up to, too, because he made a beeline for the area the mice hang out at and I
grabbed him before he could go further. It was one bratty thing after another with him, but today he is much more civilized.
I took quite a few photos in the yard today. I spent about thirty minutes wandering around, picking weeds, poking about and dashing around in the sprinkles that fell
from the overcast sky.
This is some of the color of fall
This variegated elephant ear was opening up and I loved the pattern on the leaf.
The banana's are doing good. I'm still not sure if they'll end up being plantains or not.
This is the tomato farm. Can you believe it??
This is a kiwano, horned melon. We started it from seed a few months ago and now we've got fruit!
A cotton blossom.
Spanish moss dangling from something on the porch. The light was catching it nicely at the time.
Chris went out with JC yesterday to check out the Alba version of the clamshell orchid, Encyclia cochleata.
Here's one that looks like a heart.
I finally finished projects this weekend. I sat all day watching movies yesterday (Knocked Up...hilarious!...Miss PotterSweet, sad, and just good...
Evening...a sad, thinking movie that makes me want to seize moments and not waste them and Bridget Jones' Diary for the umpteenth time) and worked on the blanket and purses. I am officially finished with the blanket;
it's wrapped and ready to go to work tomorrow. I'll have a photo tomorrow. The purses are done too! My head is spinning from it all. I'm am the slowest person working
on them and am not sure why I am doing this. Sometimes it feels like torture. LOL...not really, but I hope someone actually likes it. I will probably get some seeds on
Etsy tomorrow (and I just fixed the link, I didn't know it was broken) and the purses on Tuesday morning when I can get some good light.
And the other morning in Atlanta at the hotel I saw in the USA Today this:
It was the ship before the one I sailed on, but still a bit of a sad occassion. A video of it is here.
I was surprised to see it on the front page of Yahoo! today.
A meme and a prayer
November 16, 2007
If you are the praying kind, could you say a prayer for my grandmother. She is in the hospital again after being in the rehab place for two months. Her leg is better, but
she picked up a bacterial infection that has caused her to be really sick and dehydrated. Clostridium difficile,
is not a good thing to have and she also has a bed sore on her other leg which is not healing and she may need surgery. I have a feeling this will be a rough Thanksgiving.
Kimberly tagged me a few days ago. I don't get these very often so I'll join in...
Here's what this is about...
1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules.
3. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
4. "Tag" 7 people at the end of the post and include links to their blogs.
5. Let each person know that you tagged them.
1. I break things a lot. A lot. This is difficult to admit. I am slowly adding more plastic cups into our dish sets instead of the glass ones. The ones we got for our
wedding were long gone four years ago and I am very depressed to admit that some vintage sets that were my great-grandmother's are now history, though I do still have the
smaller juice glasses because I never use them. The last yellow flowered one bit the dust the other night when I went to refill my glass in the bathroom and I dropped
it in the sink. I do believe I inherited the dropping from my dad.
2. I lettered in softball and in art in high school. I have separate letter jackets for both, though I wish I hadn't of. I paid for the art one first because I lettered
my junior year and then my senior year in softball the coaches bought everyone their jackets an it was the nicer mostly leather version than the one I got. I am rather
proud of my art one though!
3. My oldest friend, Stephanie L., I've known for 21 years. We met September 1986 in Mrs. White's first grade class. We had our ups and downs over the years and despite
going to separate colleges we are still good friends. We don't talk as often as I wish, but when we get together again it's always good. I hope that in 21 more years we'll
still be friends!
4. I make a really funny face in which I roll my upper lip to my nose and kind of push out my bottom lip and crinkle my eyes. I do it when I am being silly, inadvertently,
thinking, and whenever. Chris thinks I'm insane and my mom always said I looked like Alice the Goon from Popeye. If I am daring I'll post a photo one day.
5. I knew I wanted to go to Texas A&M University in the 7th grade when I met my Life Science teacher Mrs. Strohmeyer. She was super cool and
really hit home my love of marine biology. One time I wrote her a note and was too
embarrassed to give it to her outright so I left it on the work table near where
she kept the jars of animals in formalin. She wrote a note back on a test or homework assignment. I think I told her that I wanted to go to A&M and since she was from
a city near where we used to vacation, I thought she was even cooler! She had a baby that year and now that I think about it the kid must be a teenager now!
6. I have a very active imagination. In my head I have: won Olympic gold medals in figure skating,
gymnastics, softball and track events, become the first female President,
won Oscars and Grammy's, been a famous pianist, cellist and violinist as well as many other crazy things. Most of these happen when I'm driving because I tend to zone
out to music then.
7. The only time I've drank a copious amount of beer was at my Aggie Ring Dunk. This is when lots
of Aggies get together and put their Aggie ring in the bottom of a pitcher, or in my case four glasses because the bar wouldn't let us drink a whole pitcher like that,
and race to finish and then put their ring on. Ahhh, yes. I, the mostly non-drinker, was the slowest.
Mid drinking. Karen there on the right beat us all I think. I'm sparing you the gagging face photos.
Fun times! I think this is before. Because afterwards I made a beeline to the bathroom and then had pizza with everyone. Once is enough for me.
I'm tagging:
Shelly
Shelah
Mae
Robin
Christine
Tamara
Tired
November 15, 2007
Thalia geniculata, Alligator Flag at Fakahatchee Strand.
Atlanta was good. We drove all day on Tuesday and if you've never driven in Florida, it takes forever to get out of the state. It is such a long state that from
the bottom it takes a good six-seven hours to get out. And if you ever come across I-10 from Mobile to Jacksonville, never, ever do it at night. So, we got to
Atlanta late on Tuesday and I had dinner at a little deli cafe around the corner from the hotel and settled in to watch House. I worked on the two purses and I have
them basically finished. I need to add a few more bits and bobbles to them this weekend and I think if I can whip out a small clutch I'll get it all up on Etsy on Sunday or
Monday. I'm almost finished with the baby blanket as well. It could really use one more row of squares but I'm just tired of doing them. So, it is what it is.
Yesterday after our meeting I got to meet up with my friend Erin that I went to college with. You may remember her from a post awhile back that I shared of her doing a
presentation with a seal. She is a biologist/trainer at the Georgia Aquarium and we both worked together as naturalists at Moody Gardens in college. We did a lot of
reminiscing and honestly I'm trying to grasp where five years from college graduation went. Moreover, how is this coming May, 10 years from
high school graduation? There's a
country song out there right now about one night you go to bed and your six and then next morning you wake up and your 26. That's exactly how I feel! But talking with her
it makes me feel less out of the loop than I am, because I know that I'm not the only one with friends scattered across the continent. I'm still trying to figure out how
my friend Rosemarie and I have not seen each other since she and Stephanie came to visit right after we moved to Florida, five years ago. Ok, so she does live in California,
but still.
Some sort of sulphur, I haven't id'd it yet. From the trip the other day.
Off to read the 160 blogs that are on my Google Reader...
Bushwhacking and Swamp Walking
November 12, 2007
We got to "camp" in Fakahatchee this weekend. Something I've always thought would be fun. I almost didn't go because I was too anxious on having time this weekend to do
things around the house, and then decided that I was being a ninny and went. We were on an orchid hunting expedition for an orchid that hasn't been seen in around 40 years.
We took a zillion photos which can all be seen here from the bottom up to where you start seeing the cabin.
We did 4-5 miles, swamp miles mostly. We left around 9am and then made the last mile in the dark on East Main tram with the lightning bugs lighting our way back. It's much
less scary at night when there are seven people with you. The night before I went around the corner to "use the tree" and it's kinda creepy when you're by yourself. Anyway,
I have two video's that sum most of the last part of the trip back. We were racing the clock to get on the tram before sunset and ended up going through the thickest part of
the area that we'd been in; lots of willows, Brazilian peppers and vines and sawgrass. The last part on the tram left me with a head full of Caesar weed.
Ever tried pulling it out of your hair?
Dur! Bad way to go....
Reminiscent of the time Chris and I put out The Ghost Orchid geocache,
and were literally less than a 0.1 of a mile from Janes Scenic drive and it took us 45 minutes to get to the road. Fun stuff!
Probably my new favorite, or at least top five, orchids. Epidendrum nocturnum. Similar to the ghost and the Brassavola genus. I'm liking the wispy, white goodness.
Out of town for a few days. When I get back maybe I'll highlight more of the arduous trip.
Pieces of Saturday
November 10, 2007
Hi! How's your day going?? Mine is...
Sam's pretty happy 'cause he got to roll around out on the porch.
Leo's happy because he's cute, but he's also a bad boy for throwing Sam against the sliding door and pinning him down while biting on his head.
Enjoying a nice Japanese morning glory bloom.
Relishing my first tomato to form, a Sunmaster.
Hoping for tomatillo's to form so I can make tomatillo salsa.
Excited about the possibility of Galapagos tomatoes forming.
Wishing for more time so I can finish the two purses I have waiting.
As well as wishing more time to start working on this painting.
Hoping for more progress on my squares soon.
The single crochet orange squares.
Enjoy your day. I hope it is as beautiful where you are as it is where I'm at.
Friday Ramblings
November 9, 2007
I'm enjoying a drop biscuit made with Bisquick. I haven't made them in forever, probably a few years actually, mostly because Chris isn't that enthused with them usually.
I opened up the pantry tonight looking for what to make for dinner and saw the box of Bisquick and decided that it sounded really good to make. I need to go to the grocery store.
I only go about once a month, sometimes stretching into five weeks or so. I buy a lot at one time, a habit I picked up from my mom. About 3/4 of the way through
our grocery trips she'd send one of us kids out for a second buggy. She was buying for a family of four and for two weeks at a time, whereas I am buying for two. It's mostly
because I have no interest in going to the store all the time, though I do run in weekly to get fruit, milk and other sundries. So, the biscuits are good. Dinner was good,
chicken on the grill, baked beans and instant potatoes. Pretty good for not having much in the pantry.
Thanks for all the input on the epidural's. Thanks to my MIL for calling me a few minutes after I posted and telling me it isn't all that bad. Sometimes it seems like
these maternity matters are kept to the circle of mothers out there, and not really discussed. I'm sure it isn't intentional but it must be a shock to first time mothers
when they learn all of the "secrets". So, I guess until that time I'll stay in the dark because otherwise the world just wouldn't continue on, right?
On the Loop Road paving issue, you can write your letters to this address, attention Superintendent Karen Gustin and
if you want you can CC Pedro Ramos the Deputy Superintendent. I plan on working on one in the next few weeks. Maybe you want to go higher?
Florida Senators and Florida House members. You'll have to find the one for your district, and
I am pretty sure Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the one for the Miami area. I mean, it is your tax dollars here. What I am trying to understand is the benefit for the Preserve.
They have no entrance fee and I think there are only one or two paying campgrounds, and heck one campground isn't even open but once a year in December.
Well, it's a few hours later since I composed the above and I've since had dinner and done errands. I rambled through Bed, Bath and Beyond for awhile, mostly meaning to get
about three items and came out with more than that. If you didn't know already, you can use up to five of the 20% off coupons, even if they've already expired. I've got a
stack of them on my desk that I go through once in awhile. I'm a bit bummed though because I meant to get eye gel, which
isn't that $20 price, but $12 at BB&B, and only came home to realize I got some face cream instead. It was the same size box. Boohoo. Then I rambled through Borders for
awhile and sipped a Tazo peach tea while enjoying the music of A Fine Frenzy which was playing on the sound system. YAY! I tried to listen to it on the way to
Ft. Myers the other day and apparently it isn't boy music. Or at least my boy's music. It got axed and the radio had to come back on. Anywho, I am attempting to not
buy new books, (though I did find The Historian at BB&B for $2.00 and I
impulse bought it), so I found a red leather journal that was 75% off, a cool pen, and
used my 20% off Border coupon for a Yoga Journal magazine. I've been feeling to need for more stretching lately. The back is tight, limbs are tight, just need a good
all over stretching. So many books to read. Must get through personal library first. One of my goals on the to-do list is to write out all the books I do own in a notebook.
Yep...still working on that one.
A few things to share:
-Kasie posted about another artist who does children's illustrations and prints and I am in love with
this print. It reminds me of Pooh and the Velveteen Rabbit for some reason. (psssss, Chelle, what are you decorating the nursery with???) Might just buy it for myself
for the future.
-While browsing Flickr for other snail kite photos, which by the way there are many and if you see the photo of the swarm of snail kites in Mexico, you'll be amazed, I
found Saving Florida's photos. She has some very awesome shuttle launch and landing photos as well as very cool nature
shots. Truly amazing! Check out her Best Photo section and look at the osprey eating the fish as well as the one of the blue heron and the snake.
Thought I had more. Well, 'til tomorrow....
November is speeding by.
November 8, 2007
Thanksgiving is two weeks away. I thought that I had three weeks and apparently, I don't. But, that's good. I'm going home for Thanksgiving and will get to see friends and family again. This year I've probably gone home the most times since I've lived in Florida. I'll even count the six hour layover a few weeks ago from South Dakota. So, Thanksgiving is coming. I really want to make something and I am planning on the pumpkin goat cheese cheesecake again. However, I can't find it on the Martha Stewart website and I am hoping I have it written down or stashed away by my recipes. I also want to make the sausage cornbread dressing I made for Christmas last year. Choices, choices. I'd love to cook more, but it is so hard to cook for two. I don't
mind leftovers because I'll take them to work.
I am loving this cooler weather. I said last weekend was gorgeous, it was because a cool/cold front came through and swept the clouds away. We've had beautiful clear skies for this entire week and I am enjoying it. Finally, no heat. It does warm up during the day but it is pleasant out and I am always wishing I could be at home working in the yard or drawing or reading a book. The only bad thing is the time change this week. It has helped me get up earlier because the sun is up, but coming home between 5:30 and 6pm it is almost dark and I'm ready to
hibernate when I get home. The other bad thing is that Leo hasn't learned to tell time yet and his playing antics that used to start at 5am are now starting at 4am. Ugh. First the squeaking begins, then the scratching of the carpet, then the jingle of his collar while he runs throughout the house and the
occasional paw against the glass when he sees a mouse. If he continues being bored he'll come up on the bed and run across me to the window, jump down and then try to get Samson to get up and play and then lots of meowing and growling ensues and then my last two hours of good sleep are thwarted.
So, aside from being sleepy at night, I'm loving this week. I have needed to clean all week and I keep putting it off. I'm trying to work through the baby blanket and I am getting squares done, but it seems to take longer than I thought. I'm only averaging two a night and now I have given up hope of finishing this week. Unless I sit down and put the pedal to the metal on Saturday afternoon. I am pleased with it so far, working a basket weave pattern in blue and |
