Monday, May 12, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Mother's Day with Mom
I will be in the Bay Area for the weekend. Sis and I are going to spend Sunday with Mom; maybe lunch ,out, if she feels well enough. I'll be back Monday.
Thought I would post a few gratuitous photos of .... what else, the goat babies; interacting with the dogs and getting to know their new world.
Thought I would post a few gratuitous photos of .... what else, the goat babies; interacting with the dogs and getting to know their new world.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A Gift in my Mailbox
I wasn't going to create a post today, but I have to tell you what I found in my mailbox this afternoon. I had my gourd group meeting all morning and then meet some friends in Sutter Creek for lunch. I hadn't seen two of the ladies for a long time so we had a lot to catch up on. By late afternoon I drove back home, stopping at our mailbox, on the highway, to pick up our mail. When I opened it there was a package inside from Jan Ely of Little Pink Houses (pinkhousepages.blogspot.com). While reading each others blogs we found out that we were raised in the same town and had lots of memories of being little kids there. We had emailed each other with questions and "..Do you remember?" this and "What street did you live on?", etc. So when I was down at my mom's last month. I went to her store in Walnut Creek called Room With a Past and surprised her. We talked and had a good mini moment together because , after all, she was busy with lots of customers and needed to be paying attention to "business". I gave her a gourd pin I made for her and then bought some goodies from her store. It was so good to see her.
Well, today I get this package. She sent me a wonderful vintage cup that she embellished with a bird nest, flowers and her lovely tag attached with a bow. I had seen them in her store. They were so sweet and creative. I spent my money on other things ,like an old antique hand trowel and an old Spreckles sugar bag (that I made into a pillow) and a few more embellishments for my art work. Then one of Jan's recent blogs reminded me of those charming little bird nests and how I had passed up the opportunity to buy one in her shop and how I might be able to buy one from her again....., and then she sends me one. I have it on my guest bedroom nightstand for my visitors to enjoy and I can see it from my computer desk too. It's such a dear thing. Keep being creative Jan, and thank you so much. See you next month.
Well, today I get this package. She sent me a wonderful vintage cup that she embellished with a bird nest, flowers and her lovely tag attached with a bow. I had seen them in her store. They were so sweet and creative. I spent my money on other things ,like an old antique hand trowel and an old Spreckles sugar bag (that I made into a pillow) and a few more embellishments for my art work. Then one of Jan's recent blogs reminded me of those charming little bird nests and how I had passed up the opportunity to buy one in her shop and how I might be able to buy one from her again....., and then she sends me one. I have it on my guest bedroom nightstand for my visitors to enjoy and I can see it from my computer desk too. It's such a dear thing. Keep being creative Jan, and thank you so much. See you next month.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Crazy Goat Lady???
I have always wanted a Nubian goat: now I have 4 of them. We may have gotten carried away, but the goat farm had all these babies and it was hard to choose just one. Also, we read that they like to be together and they will clear more land in groups. We want them for weed control only. No milk, cheese or ( heaven forbid ) meat.
We spent all weekend transforming the old dog run into a goat haven. This afternoon we brought them home. They are so cute. They eat all the time and they eat everything. For a few more weeks we will be bottle feeding, then we can start weaning them . Nubians are a dairy goat suited to warm climates. We will not be breeding, so these 4 babies are males that are in the process of being castrated. They will be called wethers. A wether makes a better pet than a buck and it won't smell or do all the nasty things buck do. Well, that's about the extent of my knowledge. I have a really good book and the lady who sold us the goats will be our constant source of information. We are doing this!! Next we will need a "guard" donkey.From the opera to goats. What a life. I love it!
Oh my, One of the babies is calling out. I hear him through the open window. Must go now!
P.S. The dogs are being surprisingly good about all of this. Mokie is just curious, but we are keeping an eye on him. The first meeting went well, but then, there was a fence between them. That's all Mokie gets for a while. Just a "nose to nose", through the fence, with supervision. I don't think Maggie even knows they're here yet. Mokie found them right away but Maggie just came back in the house. She's getting so old.
We spent all weekend transforming the old dog run into a goat haven. This afternoon we brought them home. They are so cute. They eat all the time and they eat everything. For a few more weeks we will be bottle feeding, then we can start weaning them . Nubians are a dairy goat suited to warm climates. We will not be breeding, so these 4 babies are males that are in the process of being castrated. They will be called wethers. A wether makes a better pet than a buck and it won't smell or do all the nasty things buck do. Well, that's about the extent of my knowledge. I have a really good book and the lady who sold us the goats will be our constant source of information. We are doing this!! Next we will need a "guard" donkey.From the opera to goats. What a life. I love it!
Oh my, One of the babies is calling out. I hear him through the open window. Must go now!
P.S. The dogs are being surprisingly good about all of this. Mokie is just curious, but we are keeping an eye on him. The first meeting went well, but then, there was a fence between them. That's all Mokie gets for a while. Just a "nose to nose", through the fence, with supervision. I don't think Maggie even knows they're here yet. Mokie found them right away but Maggie just came back in the house. She's getting so old.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Looking for Lambs
Last weekend my husband and I took a drive into the Shenandoah Valley , north-east of Plymouth, CA. It was a beautiful spring day; lots of green vinyards and wildflowers. I wanted to find a certain farm where a friend and I had seen baby lambs the year before: so I could take some pictures of them, of course.
Shenandoah Valley is the "new" Napa Valley. I'm not sure that this is a good thing. I remember Napa before all the fuss and it was , in my memories, a beautiful small town where everyone knew everyone and life was farming and everyone made their own wine for dinner. Now, I see the Shenandoah Valley going the same way. More and more vinyards and wineries are appearing every year; small wineries with big homes and fancy names. But there are still some families who have lived there for generations and maybe they have turned some of their acres into grapes for more money, but they still have old barns and farm animals. This is where I took the photo below.
There was a fence, as there had been last year, but this year there were "no tresspassing" signs everywhere. The old barn on the road was sagging a bit more than I remembered and there were no baby lambs. I got out of the truck and walked over to the fence and saw no animals at all. What a dissapointment! As I walked along the fence I peeked into the open side of the barn and I'll bet more than 30 sheep came running out into the pasture. I did not expect this. They really surprised me and I shouted something like "Oh my"(only a lot worse). The prospector looked up and shouted "There they are!", like I hadn't seen them. Gee's. I was so close to the fence and the sheep were so close to me, that it kind of took my breath away for a moment. There was a man across the pasture doing something with a hoe and I swear I saw him laugh. When I regained my composure I ran back to the other side of the barn and there they were, standing perfectly still, looking at me. So, I started talking to them.
Sheep are kind of like cows. They will stare you down, until they perceive you as a threat, and then they bolt. I was careful not to make any fast moves as I lifted my camera up. I tried not to have eye contact with any one animal but it was hard. I kept telling them how lovely they were and saying things like "Hello beautiful sheep." and "How are you today?. You do wonder what they must think of this crazy human making all these strange sounds. Probably something like "If she comes over the fence we'll head for the pond." or "We had the element of surprize and we didn't use it to our advantage." or more likely, "...another silly human ...". Who knows. I took some good shots but this one below was the one that touch me the most. This sheep was very deformed, by birth or accident I have no idea, but she was so damaged. The others seemed to stand around her as if they might be protecting her. There was this bond and maybe the ones that were closest to her where her offspring . I don't know. They did stay while I took a few pictures and then, for no reason that I could tell, they bolted across the pasture and left.
When my husband doesn't get out of the truck I always know my time is limited before he starts getting antsy. It was time to go and find some lunch. If there had been any lambs he would have waited a lot longer. With lambs, he might have gotten out of the truck. The salvage farm (that he had come out there to look at) was closed so, to his way of thinking , the trip was over. Men! With them it's always the destination, rarely the journey.
Shenandoah Valley is the "new" Napa Valley. I'm not sure that this is a good thing. I remember Napa before all the fuss and it was , in my memories, a beautiful small town where everyone knew everyone and life was farming and everyone made their own wine for dinner. Now, I see the Shenandoah Valley going the same way. More and more vinyards and wineries are appearing every year; small wineries with big homes and fancy names. But there are still some families who have lived there for generations and maybe they have turned some of their acres into grapes for more money, but they still have old barns and farm animals. This is where I took the photo below.
There was a fence, as there had been last year, but this year there were "no tresspassing" signs everywhere. The old barn on the road was sagging a bit more than I remembered and there were no baby lambs. I got out of the truck and walked over to the fence and saw no animals at all. What a dissapointment! As I walked along the fence I peeked into the open side of the barn and I'll bet more than 30 sheep came running out into the pasture. I did not expect this. They really surprised me and I shouted something like "Oh my"(only a lot worse). The prospector looked up and shouted "There they are!", like I hadn't seen them. Gee's. I was so close to the fence and the sheep were so close to me, that it kind of took my breath away for a moment. There was a man across the pasture doing something with a hoe and I swear I saw him laugh. When I regained my composure I ran back to the other side of the barn and there they were, standing perfectly still, looking at me. So, I started talking to them.
Sheep are kind of like cows. They will stare you down, until they perceive you as a threat, and then they bolt. I was careful not to make any fast moves as I lifted my camera up. I tried not to have eye contact with any one animal but it was hard. I kept telling them how lovely they were and saying things like "Hello beautiful sheep." and "How are you today?. You do wonder what they must think of this crazy human making all these strange sounds. Probably something like "If she comes over the fence we'll head for the pond." or "We had the element of surprize and we didn't use it to our advantage." or more likely, "...another silly human ...". Who knows. I took some good shots but this one below was the one that touch me the most. This sheep was very deformed, by birth or accident I have no idea, but she was so damaged. The others seemed to stand around her as if they might be protecting her. There was this bond and maybe the ones that were closest to her where her offspring . I don't know. They did stay while I took a few pictures and then, for no reason that I could tell, they bolted across the pasture and left.
When my husband doesn't get out of the truck I always know my time is limited before he starts getting antsy. It was time to go and find some lunch. If there had been any lambs he would have waited a lot longer. With lambs, he might have gotten out of the truck. The salvage farm (that he had come out there to look at) was closed so, to his way of thinking , the trip was over. Men! With them it's always the destination, rarely the journey.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Bantam Recovery
Finding the small chicken
with a smile on her face'
was all I needed.
<<<^>>>
Little bantam hen
finding sunlight in lupin
peace in her heart.
<<<^>>>
For a week now Squeeky has been outside with the other hens. She only goes into the chicken house at night and seems a lot more perky. No more sitting on other hens eggs. Napoleon (our banty rooster) follows her around as if he is protecting her from the big hens. They have pecked at her before and she always squeeks loudly and runs,( thus her name). I appreciated the comments and advise I got on the post I wrote when she went broody. I used it all and everything worked. She's doing great!!
<<<^>>>
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
"Speak to us of children"
This weekend our two boys came up to celebrate their birthdays. They are five years apart, but their birthdays are only 3 days from each another. Since we couldn't get together in a couple of weeks, on their birthdays, we decided to celebrate early. One will be 40 yrs. old and the other 35 yrs. So... that means that their Dad and I are...., um.... old. How does this happen? It seems like just yesterday that we watched them graduate from College. Where did all those years go? Those little boy years of not quite knowing what you're doing, but acting like you do. The years of sickness in the middle of the night, the tooth farie and little league. At some point you stop washing their little bodies in the bath tub and they start taking showers. That happens about the same time that they stop talking in complete sentences: Just yes/no answers and "Oh Mom." Could it have been so long ago that our youngest came home, in tears, because someone told him there wasn't any Santa Claus?...., and the reality, on his sad little face, that this also meant there must be no Easter Bunny either. That's when I started wondering about the wisdom of adults.
Now they're the adults. The oldest is head of the computer support for a large university in the bay area and the youngest is a manager for a health insurance company near Sacramento. We're so proud of them.
Now I have two grandchildren to love and play with. It's almost like "going back", only not as much work. It's way more fun to be "Noni and Papa", and we get to babysit any time we want to
and then......., take a nap.
I'm reminded of THE PROPHET by Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, and
yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the
house of tomarrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children, as living arrows are sent forth.
....there is more, but this will do.
Now they're the adults. The oldest is head of the computer support for a large university in the bay area and the youngest is a manager for a health insurance company near Sacramento. We're so proud of them.
Now I have two grandchildren to love and play with. It's almost like "going back", only not as much work. It's way more fun to be "Noni and Papa", and we get to babysit any time we want to
and then......., take a nap.
I'm reminded of THE PROPHET by Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, and
yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the
house of tomarrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children, as living arrows are sent forth.
....there is more, but this will do.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
From the Foothills to the Ocean, in style and chocolate
I dread the arrival of summer here in the Foothills. It gets so hot up here. I love the heat for maybe 2 or 3 reasons: my vegetable garden early in the morning, wading in the Mokeulmne River looking for gold and the evenings with it's fragrance of the oaks and manzanitas. That's about it. From late June to almost Halloween it's just nasty, horrible hot, hot, hot here. I've never gotten use to it and always try to rationalize why I continue to live in such a furnace. I guess I put up with the summers so I can enjoy the rest of the year. Where else can you take long walks in winter and not have to worry about a freek snow storm? Only here do I wake up to deer drinking out of the water bucket we leave for them and coyote songs. So now, thanks to my sister's generosity, I have an escape. She offers her lovely second home to everyone, but I get priority treatment: After all, I am her only sister....., and she lovvvves me. Right sis? (That was all a bit too ingratiating wasn't it?, but when the summer heat is involved, I'm shameless.)
Even though it isn't summer yet, I jumped at the invite to spend a couple of days with Sis at her place. The weather was cold, windy and mostly sunny. We had such a good time. Mostly just relaxing, but we did manage some shopping. On our way over we hit a few places in Berkeley, down on 4th St. Great stores and good food! Then In Pacifica there is a Ross store. From Sur La Table and Anthropologie.... to Ross: from the sublime and expensive to the "Oh wow! What a deal.!" store. We bought some food at Safeway( and lots of chocolate) so we wouldn't have to leave once we settled in. We had a good dinner, watched T.V., gave each other a back rub and did our stretching exercises , then, with no guilt at all, we ate CHOCOLATE.
The next day we drove around and looked at all the little cottages and homes tucked up into the canyons over looking the town of Pacifica, lusting over a few of them. Then we took a walk on the Pacifica Pier. This took great bravery on my part because, and I hate to confess this, I'm extremely afraid of the ocean. Yes I am! My camera has become my lifeline and seems to take my mind off of where I would never be if I didn't want to take pictures so badly. I have been on this pier twice and I always get a bit shaky out there. It was very windy last week and the waves were huge. About half-way out they roared under us and shook the pileings and the whole pier vibrated. Taking photos didn't overcome the panic and I said something to the effect of "That's it. I'm going back." Then, I thought about a strong earthquake hitting the coast and swallowing that pier and tossing it into the first ocean trench it could find. I was out of there. There is no "good" reason to be out beyond the sand and serf when you can see it from the shore. That my belief and no one will ever change it. Sis was very kind and followed me back to the parking lot, but I know she was smiling...., and thinking, " My big sister; the brave one. " Dad would have called me a "Landlubber". He was in the Navy.
We went back to her place and ate CHOCOLATE.
Even though it isn't summer yet, I jumped at the invite to spend a couple of days with Sis at her place. The weather was cold, windy and mostly sunny. We had such a good time. Mostly just relaxing, but we did manage some shopping. On our way over we hit a few places in Berkeley, down on 4th St. Great stores and good food! Then In Pacifica there is a Ross store. From Sur La Table and Anthropologie.... to Ross: from the sublime and expensive to the "Oh wow! What a deal.!" store. We bought some food at Safeway( and lots of chocolate) so we wouldn't have to leave once we settled in. We had a good dinner, watched T.V., gave each other a back rub and did our stretching exercises , then, with no guilt at all, we ate CHOCOLATE.
The next day we drove around and looked at all the little cottages and homes tucked up into the canyons over looking the town of Pacifica, lusting over a few of them. Then we took a walk on the Pacifica Pier. This took great bravery on my part because, and I hate to confess this, I'm extremely afraid of the ocean. Yes I am! My camera has become my lifeline and seems to take my mind off of where I would never be if I didn't want to take pictures so badly. I have been on this pier twice and I always get a bit shaky out there. It was very windy last week and the waves were huge. About half-way out they roared under us and shook the pileings and the whole pier vibrated. Taking photos didn't overcome the panic and I said something to the effect of "That's it. I'm going back." Then, I thought about a strong earthquake hitting the coast and swallowing that pier and tossing it into the first ocean trench it could find. I was out of there. There is no "good" reason to be out beyond the sand and serf when you can see it from the shore. That my belief and no one will ever change it. Sis was very kind and followed me back to the parking lot, but I know she was smiling...., and thinking, " My big sister; the brave one. " Dad would have called me a "Landlubber". He was in the Navy.
We went back to her place and ate CHOCOLATE.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Thoughts on a Wildflower
I just had to post the photos of the Globe Lilies I took this morning on my walk. They are all over the hills and roadsides this week; not one to be seen before I left home over a week ago. Now they're everywhere. Nature never ceases to amaze me. It's so astonishing to look closely at the landscapes of our lives that man has no part in. It gives one a different perspective on "life" and what it truly means. Nature gives me faith in the things I don't understand, making me feel grounded and more secure.
I'm not one to quote the bible (my friends will attest to this), but when I look at the beauty of a wildflower like the globe lily I think of Matthew... "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." It's true! Man may have given this lovely, transient thing a name, but not it's beauty. I like to think that whoever really wrote this, (It could have been a man named Matthew.) was looking at a globe lily( or what ever they called it then) when he "considered" this "field" of lilies. It's pleasant to think that someone saw the same flower 2000 years ago that greeted me, here, on a morning walk. That's kind of a contiguous thought isn't it? Yes, I like it.
I'm not one to quote the bible (my friends will attest to this), but when I look at the beauty of a wildflower like the globe lily I think of Matthew... "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." It's true! Man may have given this lovely, transient thing a name, but not it's beauty. I like to think that whoever really wrote this, (It could have been a man named Matthew.) was looking at a globe lily( or what ever they called it then) when he "considered" this "field" of lilies. It's pleasant to think that someone saw the same flower 2000 years ago that greeted me, here, on a morning walk. That's kind of a contiguous thought isn't it? Yes, I like it.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Don't trust the Internet
Yes, I,m all right!!! Thanks.
Two weeks ago my computer crashed. It spent some time in the hospital and, finally, I have it back. Now the fun begins: I have to re-program everything. I'm going to call in an expert ( who knows exactly what they're doing) and ,also, have an antivirus program installed. I can't say this loudly enough: PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER!! Don't open any forwarded email or spam. I still don't know what happen, but I think it's going to be all right. I learned another lesson before this happen. Don't mess with the settings in your computer unless you know what you're doing. I don't know if I started all this, but the computer was acting funny for a week before it stopped.
After I had a small breakdown, I pulled myself together and went to my Mom's for a week. I just got back today and it is so good to be home with the prospector and the dogs. I have a lot to tell about my trip and(since my camera was working) I have new photos to share. Stay tuned.
Two weeks ago my computer crashed. It spent some time in the hospital and, finally, I have it back. Now the fun begins: I have to re-program everything. I'm going to call in an expert ( who knows exactly what they're doing) and ,also, have an antivirus program installed. I can't say this loudly enough: PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER!! Don't open any forwarded email or spam. I still don't know what happen, but I think it's going to be all right. I learned another lesson before this happen. Don't mess with the settings in your computer unless you know what you're doing. I don't know if I started all this, but the computer was acting funny for a week before it stopped.
After I had a small breakdown, I pulled myself together and went to my Mom's for a week. I just got back today and it is so good to be home with the prospector and the dogs. I have a lot to tell about my trip and(since my camera was working) I have new photos to share. Stay tuned.
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