Animal Wednesday - not for the squeamish!

Finally - an Animal Wednesday that I am doing on time - seems like forever.

I saw these geese while bike riding the other day - just standing around in a field, looking around. Hello geese - what's on the agenda for today?


I've shown this Osprey nest many times, but this time I could see a blob of a bird sitting on a tree limb (I'm shortsighted). I couldn't really see what he was doing but figured it might be something interesting, so took pictures and cropped them when I got home. Very interesting - it appeared that he/she was drying his or her wings - which I've only seen a cormorant do. We had had alot of rain that day, and with no roof on the nest, I'm sure that everyone got very wet - so taking advantage of the sun to dry out seems reasonable.



Now for the squeamish part - but interesting. When I was in CA, we took a long walk in Cambria (previous posting) and at one point were on streets near the ocean. Fisherman had just come out of their kayaks with this catch of Ling Cod - in AMAZING colors. I HAD to take pictures with my ipod - just look at the blue on that gorgeous (dead) fish.


Here are his gills - an amazing cranberry color against that blue. Have you ever seen anything like this?

I'm not a huge fan of showing dead animals for Animal Wednesday - but this was too amazing to keep to myself. Hope you are not offended!

Happy Animal Wednesday - I'm off for my early morning walk/run (more walk than run by about 90%)

Duh....

I've been dieting for a long time, and have lost a bit of weight but not enough so that people say "have you lost weight?". Discouraging.

Then - to keep myself in a good mood and take advantage of a legal drug (endorphins) I've started walking in the mornings - started out sauntering and have progressed to very slow jogging for 1/4 mile out of my fast overall 3 mile walk.

And lo and behold...tonight I tried on a dress that was tight a few weeks ago and it FITS!!!

So...all those people are right. The only way to really lose weight/tighten up/get fit...is to exercise.

And I thought it was a myth dreamed up by fitness buffs.

Thank goodness I'm enjoying it right now.

Crafts

Yesterday we went to the Fuller Craft Museum about 1 hour drive from our house, which actually turned into two hours as we got onto the wrong highway for a time. No matter, it was nice to chat in the car.
The museum has been around since 1969 and boasts that it is the "largest craft museum" or something like that. To tell you the truth - it was not a complete bust but was small enough to be rather a disappointment. And expensive to get in - but we made the most of it. There is one exhibit that I did love tho - it was a woman weaver (Kay Sekimachi) who made the most awesome bowls.

This one was collaged hebrew lettering and Japanese lace paper - not too bad.


This one - along the same style as the first one, but more fragile looking - don't you agree? Chinese handmade paper and linen.

This one is HORNET's paper - isn't it amazing? I can just imagine the process...

Another Hornet's paper bowl - seen from above. They are so fragile and translucent - I loved them, and have been searching out an abandoned hornet's nest all day.


This one is flax and gel medium - again...amazing.



Japanese rice paper again. I'm really not sure how she get's it so round from a sheet of paper. I couldn't see seams or anything like that.


This one Lo has shown before - it's called a leaf bowl and uses maple leaves and a japanese paper. Again...I would love to to know the technique.

My all time favorite was this one - which is unspun flax, linen, metallic gold and gel medium. It was awesome, so fragile and strong looking, with those waves of linen - it was just wow.

Other items - a paper mache dress.

and some very amazing intricate sculptures....


My Second favorite - a wall sculpture made from lathing. It's so lush and organic - I adore the way it all flows.....
And oh yes...this little house atop a rock, with a tiny ladder.

And around the corner....ta da!! There was a wedding going on.



As I'm writing this I realize that while disappointed in the overall museum - it was a fairly inspirational day - some interesting pieces to see and get inspired by.

Back from a trip

I was in California for a week, on business most of the time and then for a few days with my brother on the Central Coast. The business meeting was good - and I faithfully walked a minimum of 2 miles per day - I was pleased with that. After 4 days of meetings and dinners and game night - I left and flew up to the city near where my bro lives. I love taking pictures from an airplane - the land patterns are so wonderfully obvious and amazing. No "real" camera with me - just iPOD pictures - but better than nothing.

The Central Coast of Ca is just so wonderfully gorgeous - I can't stop taking pictures in amazement at the scenery. Everyday we took a hike or walked on the beach, and I kept up with my minimum 2 miles - usually going up to 3 or more. One day we took a hike in the town of Cambria - which is near Hearst Castle. There is a whole area of land that had been slated for development until about 10 years ago when it was finally put aside as open land. We walked thru a forest to a path along the bluffs overlooking the ocean. The view was just so wonderful and the colors so vibrant I simply couldn't stop taking pictures.

The family pictures in the woods. Niece and SIL, brother below.


When we got to the bluffs overlooking the ocean we saw whale spouts! Turns out there has been a whale hanging out in this area - must be having a good feast of something. He/she didn't jump or anything but we could see it as it came up for air. I was fascinated! We pay big bucks to go on whale watches here in the northeast.


Isn't it just gorgeous? I was yearning for my bigger/better camera but was grateful that the ipod takes pictures.
The last day I was there it was foggy and cool and perfect for a walk on the beach. My family lives only about 3 blocks from the beach, so it's a casual stroll down there and a lovely peaceful calm walk into town along the beach rocks. This is one of the public access trails to the beach - just look at that lavender!





Here it is closer up - I kept pinching pieces of it and inhaling the amazing scent.

Fog on the beach - usually it burns off but some days it just stays there all cool and wet. I love it - especially cause you can drive into town and get bright sunshine if needed and then come back to the house and have fog. Delightful variability.

It was a good trip. Sadly I didn't get to meet up with Lori - but I'm sure we will soon - as I'm planning on going back this summer when my mom is out there.

I'm glad to be home but we are having relentless rain - and I can't drive 10 miles to get to the sunshine. My garden appears to love it - I see blooms all around me but only can view them from the windows without getting soaked. Hopefully the sun will come out this weekend.

Hope you are all well and happy!

Sunday and various items

Starting out with this iPOD photo - where I went walking on Friday and it started to rain - and I realized that I was becoming addicted. Yup - miss no-exercise is enjoying her morning walk so much that I hate missing it. Good God - what is this world coming to?

Some drawings from my perspective class. The first one is still pencil - which is why it is so faint. I followed all the rules of perspective, but couldn't resist adding my own special touches. DH doesn't like the special touches - thinks I should be more "serious" when doing perspective. I stared at him in confused wonder - what the hey???? sorry buddy - I'm sticking to silly faces and large lizards.


A few weeks ago I showed a watercolor of rock pearls. I sent the image into Spoonflower and got this awesome fat quarter - and it really looks wonderful. First off they use good fabric so it feels good too, but in addition, - I think it really looks good all printed up. I set it up as a "mirror" pattern but it would have worked in any direction.


And Friday night my nephews graduated high school. Here they are with their "real" aunt and oh my - there were a few tears shed. Actually not as many as I thought because it was hotter than hades in the auditorium and I was fanning my face so fast that I probably dried the tears before they trickled down. But overall, it was an emotional night and I was so proud of both of them - I nearly busted.

We were so worn out by the end of Friday night that we both slept in on Saturday till 11:00 am! And then got up to find that the dehumidifier in the basement had overflowed in my studio. So now everything is up off the floor and I'm trying to dry it all out before I leave for a week. yup - a whole week away from home - first time in a long time.

So have a lovely week you all - enjoy, play and hug your favorite animal on Wednesday for me.

Animal Wednesday and graduation week.

This week is full of graduations, and family obligations (fun ones).

One cousins kid had an art show yesterday out in New York State - as she graduates from college out there. We went out to see her work (large and impressive) and as she was surprised that we had taken the time to come, it was a great evening with family.


This kid was only about 2 lbs when she was born - she wore doll clothes and you could hold her practically in one hand. She's grown up with no problems !


My nephews graduate high school on Friday. I expect tears and joy.

We were bike riding on our favorite rail trail last Sunday when I saw this sign telling me what brook I was near. Somehow I'd never seen the sign - but love the name and have to figure out how to pronounce it.

And I swear there is an osprey in this nest. Everytime I got a chance to focus - he popped his head down. Damn bird.


And this picture I just liked.

Happy Animal Wednesday - happy HOT Wednesday for those of you in the northeast - we expect to be WAY up in the 90's today. I just try to keep remembering the 4 feet of snow from last winter.

Where I live

Recently I decided that one way to deal with stress and bad moods at work is to enhance my levels of endorphins - and take advantage of my very own legal high. To that end - I've been taking walks every morning, when the weather is good.


It's been lovely and wonderful and good for my mood. Also - those who know me know that I am a gadget geek so every day I take my iPod - which wirelessly connects to a monitor in my shoe that acts as a pedometer, and then electronically uploads my daily walk into my computer. I'm feeding two parts to my soul and I'm loving it. I dread the next rainy day - not sure what I will do.


My iPod also takes pictures, and I've uploaded a few here from my walks over the past few days. The only problem with taking pictures is that stopping is screwing up my Miles per Hour rate - and the ipod is not impressed with me, but I figure it's a small price to pay to capture mist over a field in a sunrise.







It's a good way to start the day. Good for me, and good for the people that I work with - as I do not bark and growl when I get to work. The trade off is computer time in the AM, but weighing the pro's and cons - I'm sticking with the walking while the weather is so lovely.

Have a lovely day - and try a kick on those endorphins. Better than B12.

A painted ladder

I think I first saw this idea on DebraK's facebook page - maybe or maybe not. Either way - a painted ladder to nowhere makes me happy. So I went out to the garden, scrounged up long and short twigs and branches and painted me up one - just for laughs and giggles. It'll live outside for the season and thats all I expect that it will last. Temporary art, easy to make, fun to look at an nothing that I really have to take care of.

Perfect!!

It's a gorgeous Saturday here in the Northeast after a week filled with strange weather and destructive tornado's. Some cities here really got slammed - houses completely destroyed, schools with their roofs ripped off - 4 people killed. While it's nothing compared to the destruction that has been seen in Mo, its still shocking and amazing to us that we had twisters here that ripped thru towns, flipping over cars and causing havoc everywhere. Everyone I know is safe and has their home undamaged, but many were close to the path of the storm - but it passed them by. The Red Cross is helping those who have lost their homes, and Red Cross is asking for monetary donations. I'm for that - they know how to use the money I think.

Anyway - we hope it's behind us for now and that the good weather will continue.

Have a lovely weekend all

Animal Wednesday - various animals of the week and blogger stuff at the end.

We went kayaking this weekend - which was glorious. First there was a thunderstorm that lit up the sky - we stayed in the car for that! But afterwards - everything felt fresh and cool. Perfect kayaking weather. Of course, I was on the lookout for animals but wasn't having much luck until I got back to the launching area. I got out of the boat and was doing all the clean up stuff that you have to do at the end of a ride....looked up and saw this little guy - sitting like a lookout at the front of the boat. I wish I had gotten a picture of him sitting...but he wanted to get off the boat as soon as it touched ground and wouldn't sit down again. Either way - he's adorable isn't he?


On Monday we went to a Memorial Day parade in a small New Hampshire town, another gorgeous day and a true small town experience. Afterwards we went for a bike ride - and it was warm and buggy but wonderful and fun. Love that ride thru the woods - I really do. Again, not many animals to be seen but right at the end.....

This guy was trying to cross the road and got scared when he saw us. Little tank - love it.


And a beautiful birds nest in the girders of a bridge - no eggs and no babies, but homey looking anyways.

Have a Happy Animal Wednesday - Wednesday sure has snuck up on me this week.

And a Happy June 1st!! and a Happy Birthday to Lori - yesterday.....and who has a very young heart.





Cris left a comment that she couldn't comment on AU's blog - so I went to try and got the usual "go back to sign in" screen. So I found this list of things to do and when I did the first one "uncheck the remember me box" - it worked and I was able to leave a comment. And I am using Internet Explorer. I did not clean out my cookies and milk (oops - cache) cause I have no idea how to do that and would have to have some smart help.
Give it a try....see what happens.

Here are some things that worked for a couple of people.

1) Before attempting to Login in Make sure the "Remember Me" Checkbox is UNTICKED
2) Make sure you are running the latest version of your browser, if not, upgraded it.
3) Make sure you REALLY have cleared both your COOKIES and CACHE
4) Once Cleared shut down the browser
5) Then Open it again and CHeck that the Cookies and Cache are indeed Empty. This is very important. The problem seems to be with corrupt cookies and cache files
6) If that is OK try going to www.blogger.com . Don't login yet, press CTRL-F5 and then try logging in again
7) If that still does not work try logging into Gmail first and then go to www.blogger.com and try again
8) If that does not work try going to this address http://www2.blogger.com/home
9) If that does not work try going to draft.blogger.com
10) If all those fail, try installing another browser to see if that works eg Firefox, Chrome, Opera etc

If those do not work, leave your details on this thread
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=4bd36d5355dbcf8c&hl=en