29 June 2007

Wrapping It All Up...

Thank you for all the topless love from yesterday...After careful consideration (uh-huh...like there was any chance) I will remain, as always, dressed for the blog (oh, I checked, and the word boobs didn't show up as anything...but the word hurt comes up as 3x now, along with the word knife...whatever) AND I don't think I want to get more popular that way...Plus, I'm sure my mom has some saying about fast girls, or topless girls...or getting the milk for free (not that I think I'm a cow, but I DO happen to think that my mother may have the power to ground me still, and I have a lot planned for this weekend, so I don't want to be spending it in my room) Although, I'll let you in on a little secret: there's always been some part of me that has wanted to have tasteful pin-up pictures made of myself...I love pin up girls...You'll be the first to know if that happens though...



One day last week, we went out hiking in The Dells...

This was one of Niko's first rock hiking in The Dells experience. He did great, of course he had a wonderful teacher!










In fact, after this entire experience...Niko has been telling everyone just the perfect techniques to climb rocks, including:

  • Putting your hands in the right spot...and finding places to use your fingers to help pull yourself up
  • Finding the right spots for your feet, giving you good grip and the ability to stand






Niko was very proud of himself (of course, we all were) and Mama did quite well, as she slowly got used to the idea of the boy hiking and striking out in front of us with just Rich as a guide...

Seeing as the girls were lagging behind from time to time, giggling and being generally girlie...







And, we did stop from time to time to enjoy the view...

I especially love this picture, cause it reminds me of an album cover...







AND...

Lucky me, because I was invited to visit the area again last night for some evening shots...

where it was determined that the moon was actually rising before the sun was setting...

so, we struck out for some wonderful moon shots...


























And...that's about it for the High Country as we wrap up yet another week up here...

This weekend is the grand 4th of July extravaganza Prescott Western/Cowboy style...


I have my boots polished...and yes, these may be titled "the cowboy boots I wear once a year" because as there is something romantic about the whole cowboy lifestyle...they're danged hot, and not as comfortable as one would imagine. Plus, I don't work on a ranch, or own a lot of land...I can ride a horse though, very well...but it's been a lot of years...I don't know how to rope anything or shoot a gun. I could probably be tied to railroad tracks though, by a villain...

but, I would expect to be rescued by some gallant man in a white hat...ohhh, and one of those really great vintage gabardine outfits from the 1940's?

Swoon.

Tomorrow morning is the Frontier Rodeo Day Parade...or whatever they call it (I know, I've actually been in every parade in this town at one time or another...the perks of living here for such a long time really...ohhh, the kiddie parade is this morning, I almost forgot...although it always makes me cry...damned sentimental me) And, I'm trying to decided weather or not to giddy-up over to the World's Oldest Rodeo...which happens to start tonight and run until the 4th. I've only ever been one time in all these years, but had fun...well, at points, there's just some things I don't think are that great.

OK...Have an amazing weekend...and I'll be back to post with tons of stuff soon...

27 June 2007

Rating...

It's official, after reading about the possibility over at No Appropriate Behavior that you could use a service to rate your blog...I did it.

And, my rating?

Online Dating

Cause' I used the word HURT (1x)

Hurt earns me a PG rating?

Holy cow.

I remember in the 80's going to the movie theater and watching National Lampoon's Vacation, and the mother was topless...in fact, I think that you usually saw boobs in most movies in the 80's (just and industry standard I guess) and I'm pretty sure that movie was rated PG.

And, no...I'm not going to show you my boobs to try to justify the PG rating...

But, I'm wondering since I've mentioned the word boobs no less than 3 times during this post,

will it change my rating to something else?

Lately...

Thrifting and Yard Sailing has been lack-luster at best.

Really, a big yawn.

I've been jealously coveting every other blogger out there with their wonderful "scores", and tripping around my town wondering...

wondering when it was going to be my turn?

Now, this isn't a post about some big haul, or heaps of wonderful piles of things littering my
house. No, this is a post about one thing.

One tiny little thing.

To set the stage: I was wandering aimlessly around listening to the Nano (as I am wont to do in the mornings walking down to work, and then into the thrift, limiting my interaction with as many people as possible before I get to Snap Snap to start my day...which also leaves me wondering if I sing too loudly, and I am not at all aware of it? No matter...) I picked up a few clothing items for some kiddos in my life, a little journal for me (reading a new book with all sorts of exercises for me to journal) and a CD I once owned, and wanted to download some songs from (I worked out that it would be cheaper for me to rebuy a copy rather than get them from iTunes) and be-bopped over to the botique side of the Salvation Army...

This is where they put the things they deem more important and thus more expensive than the regular side of the store. I was humming away to Morrisey when I turned around and spied a little owl.

A Little Plastic Owl.

...that caught my eye because it kind of reminded me of the one from The Clash of the Titans movie (oh, I loved that movie so very much...I heard they were remaking it...what a shame)

So, I walked over to it.

And picked it up.

See the gold wings, feet, and little head piece?
See the beautiful rhinestone eyes?

See the speaker in the back?

What?

Oh yes my friends, this is a transistor radio.

You turn it on with the right eye, and dial in with the left.

I stopped in my tracks. Dead. Just stood there for the longest time. Time stopped and pinpointed into that one little moment...just me, Morrisey and a little owl. I honestly looked around at this point waiting for the mob of people to jump on me, force me to the ground and wrestle this little gem out of my hand (that's never happened yet, but I figure I'm one step away...mostly because every once in a while I want to do that when I see someone get something I want...cause' there were these vintage kitchen towels last Friday...?)

I have never had a transistor radio. Never. My cousins all did. But I did not.

Now I know why...





Cause there was this sweet little owl just waiting for me to find her (so what if we're now a few years away from the 70's?)

Because I love her...

I love this $4 owl.

26 June 2007

So? It's a Dry Heat...


Which probably doesn't make a bit of difference if you're wearing a fur coat...cause' every time I bring it up, as I watch my furry baby drape herself across various pieces of furniture...she gazes at me with those eyes.

Do you think she's asking me to shave her?

Or making a round about request to move somewhere cooler?
Cause's she's like that you know...
I mean, at the least, she could get a job so we could install an air conditioner, or even clean up a bit around the house...

You know, when she gets extra hot...she insists that she roll around in the dirt and dust before she comes in...she makes a point of it in fact. When I call her, she immediately runs to the dustiest dirtiest patch of lawn (hey what do you expect? We're in a drought and no matter how much I water, it's still a bit sparse!) and throws herself down on her back and writhes around miaowing...it's a little much. I know she thinks it's ultra sultry, but I stand there hand on hip, foot tapping, eyes rolling and yelling, "get in the house you...you...horrible little sex kitten!" Wherein she jumps up, and runs in, dodging my hands trying to knock some of the dust off of her and generally makes the house more dusty, and leafy and stickish, and hairy (she's shedding like mad) Plus, I think she's secretly a hippie.

But, I love her. She's the last of a long line of kitties...the ultra pampered princess around here. Every once in a while I look at her and ask her if she wants a little friend, and she looks back, looks away in disgust, and then squinches her eyes at me (I think it may be much like my reaction was to my mother when she told me she was pregnant with my sister)

So, I've watched this little gem trying to get comfortable around here for a few days now, as it continues to heat up...actually laying in front of open windows and throwing herself on the concrete outside...and resorting to lounging around in the basement (where it is certainly cooler...smart girlie) Or, maybe she was trying to remind me that I had a new portable swamp cooler down there...come to think of it, there has been a lot of tapping on the shoulder and pointing going on...

No matter, I finally remembered, and hauled this little beauty up this weekend...filled it up, and let-her-rip. It works beautifully (I got it from a yard sale this winter for a mere $20, and hoped the people were telling the truth that "it works good"...and it certainly does. The other one I had for years promptly broke last year after I replaced the pad in it, and I have been without a cooler for a while...plus, this one is so much smaller, which is good because I have no water pitcher to fill it up with, and I am reduced to running back and forth in between the bathroom and living room filling it up with an extra stainless steel bowl I have laying around from the Kitchen Aid...sigh) It's worth it though...

Because, if that isn't a look of kitty ecstasy reclining in front of the new cooler, I don't know what is.

Of course, she immediately demanded that I dress up in a toga and feed her peeled grapes
(and silly me, I didn't even know she liked them)

25 June 2007

Bluegrass Recap...


Saturday was the wonderful annual Bluegrass Festival (as I mentioned earlier) in town...So, I was off early to bake, I mean...enjoy my time outside in the sun (93 degrees thank you) on the Lawn of the Town Square...




I met Rich down there to enjoy a couple of hours before we melted...ahhh, decided to rest up for more activities later. I just took pictures, but if you want to get a better representation of the day...visit his site for a wonderful podcast
(and it's like you were there with us...well, without all my silly chatter, and the darned heat)


So, as I was home enjoying my Saturday afternoon...I absolutely got the cooking/preparing/we gotta' have an evening picnic under the stars during the evening portion of the festival/bug
(Oh, there's no laughing here...it's a real urge, and it usually plays out in the kitchen)

Because I had already had the thought earlier in the week that it would be fun to have an evening picnic?

I mean, why else have I made all the lovely picnic blankets?

Why do I have all the food coolers?

Why do I have and keep all the food preparation items in my kitchen?

And...I've been feeling so creative with food...how could I deny myself the opportunity to love and nurture through the use of food?

(questions that inevitably come up with the aforementioned bug/urge)

So, the menu for the evening included:
  • A wrap inspired by the PBBLT only, all ingredient made by me...I did substitute the cream cheese with one made from rice. the flavor was just as good and it was nice to not be congested after getting done eating.
  • Cold sweet potato and pea salad with Dijon mustard dressing
  • Cold cilantro pesto rice salad with tomatoes
  • and those lovely egg-dairy-wheat-gluten and refined sugar-free pumpkin cookies with almonds and icing (pictured up there at the tippy top)
  • Fresh fruit (has anyone els noticed how amazing and tasty fruit has been this year?)
  • Organic blueberry juice

And joining me for the evening festivities was my two favorite date people...Ms Dina and the Wonder Boy Niko.





The Wonder Boy enjoyed his one cookie tremendously...


Oh yes...






Even though it made him do strange things with his leg...


But, I do so enjoy making his little face smile with baked goods!





But, then things started to get a little ugly, as the masses turned on me...

threatening me with their fists raised in the air

(funny, there was no refined sugar in anything, maybe it was the music? Or the fact that we were doing something so out of the ordinary for us?)




Whatever the reason...the extra pent up energy was turned on the Wonder boy...


Which resulted in a lovely tickling session, lightening everyone's mood...





Before a quick snuggle session, and the packing it in for another day...

And yes, this was before the Fabulous Ms. D and I even joined the dancers in the street shaking (as The Wonder Boy would say)

THE BOOT-AY



And home again, home again...

jiggety-jig

(so, that's sort of like a booty shake, right?)

To witness yet another amazing sunset from the view atThe House of D...






And...

Yet another chance for the girls to solve the problems of the world before we put ourselves to sleep...




And...

the Bluegrass Festival wasn't half bad either...

22 June 2007

New Toy...



Haven't you noticed...

The nervous giggles, sweaty hands, the side glances, and heavy sighing?

I'm in love...

I just got my new Cannon SC 1000 ELPH this week.




7.1 megapixels, zoom lens, a large LCD monitor, red eye reduction lamp...and about 100 different shooting modes (including night and pets/kids), and video function.

The pictures in the last 2 posts have been with the ELPH (no green curly shoes included) and I'm already asking myself, "how have I lived this long without this camera?" it's sad really.


Cannon does indeed make an amazing digital camera...

There's about a million extras and it's as light as a feather...and shoots incredible shots every time!

Plus, can you see the quality of the closeups?
(I know, finally huh? After hearing me complain for quite some time)

And did you notice my hair in pig-tails in the above pictures (OK, that's a totally different thing...but I am so enjoying my long hair) And, that is indeed a little tee I made with the skull and flowers sewn on by yours truly...
Accented by a vintage furry cheetah necklace on a big gold chain ~ bling bling!


So, I'm off to read the instructions (yeah right, the books...oh yes, that would be plural...are quite long so I think I will just skim them instead if you don't mind)

I will be taking the ELPH with me to the Bluegrass Festival this weekend, of course I've been taking it almost everywhere with me lately...cause' you just never know when you need to take a picture of something...


or someone...

Have a great weekend everybody!

21 June 2007

Corners of my home...



















The door directly across from my entry way...
The door to my bedroom...
One of the first things you see as you walk into my home...


(Happy Solstice Everyone!)

20 June 2007

Sunset...Sigh...


What does a girl, who was kickin' back on a Monday night do when presented with the question:

"...so, did you want to come over and use that camera of yours, and shoot the sunset?"

Well, she quick throws on her new Chacos and runs out the door...

Yes, even if she's wearing a skirt....
cause' real girls hike in skirts, don't you know?








I flew on over to the Airstream to join this sweet gentleman...and we jumped up into the boulders. Rich is working on perfecting his sunset shots, and with a new clean sensor on his camera...I believe he's done it!
(at least, I'm impressed)
and, he wasn't even feeling well to boot!

It was, as always, a beautiful night up there...there's nothing like walking up to the top of a pile of rocks to view the world, and watch the sun go to bed for another night.












And, the fluorescent green lichen on the rocks...














The view from the top of the world...












A lovely desert plant...growing up from the middle of the boulders (that happens quite a bit around here)















A lovely oak...













And my sunset picture...

Not so shabby
(and a little romantic at that!)

if I may say so myself...

of course, with the new toy, I'm not too surprised
(I'll tell you about that later though)

19 June 2007

Happy Birthday...

Big 5 Year-Old Boy!

This weekend also found us celebrating the birthday of Ms. Dina's baby...um, I mean...

big boy!


Since I have been in Niko's life I have seen him...

Light up and laugh a million times a day...

He's so very happy!







I have seen him try new things...

when it seemed like just a few moments ago he was such a little guy and too nervous and wary to try...

He's getting so brave!


(specially since that's his mom holding that huge knife!)







I have seen him go from terrified, to utterly fascinated by toys and activities that were a little too much mere months ago:

(he specifically asked for this remote controlled tarantula for his birthday, when Santa brought him one for xmas, and he was so scared, it reduced him to a puddle of tears...then, after getting used to it and being comfortable with it in the same room, it broke...)


He's getting so daring!






I've looked him in the eye and watched him stop crying over a scraped knee from soccer, just to listen to me tell him, that it's OK to cry and feel sad about being hurt...and that he's doing it just right...
and watch him smile at me through the tears, as he told his mother "...because that's what happens to soccer players sometimes, mom!"

He's getting so confident!



He's getting so big...growing up so fast, by leaps and bounds in such a short time!

I am so thankful to be a part of his life...he is helping me slow down and appreciate tiny moments, to truly think about answers to the questions he asks...he makes me laugh and giggle and keeps me ultra-silly...he makes me wonder what it would be like to be a mom (and gives me the confidence that I could succeed )

He was a great 4 year-old, and I think he'll probably be a great 5 year-old too...

(not to mention handsome...you know, since his blue horns grew in)



LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin