Dragonfly's Eye

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
~ Irish Blessing

This is not a technically great photo because it was shot through the dirty window of a speeding train, but it was such an amazing scene in the midst of this otherwise very wet and wild winter we're having here in the Western U.S. that I felt compelled to offer it as part of my New Year's wish for everyone. (Taken on December 13 somewhere near Salem, Oregon.)

Here's hoping 2011 brings health, happiness, and rainbows to all!!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T11:11:00.000-08:00

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

May you enjoy all the delights of the holiday.

~ Leslie

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T14:36:00.000-08:00

To those of you who celebrate...
wishing you a special day
with family, friends, food, and fun.

Anyone else out gardening?

2010-07-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting my blog (but trying to keep up with yours)! But I have a really good excuse... I've been spending a lot of time outside getting my fingers nice and dirty in the yard. Until the sudden heat of this week, we've had perfect weather to get out and spruce things up a bit. It sure feels good! I hope all of you are enjoying outside kinds of things too.

When weeding, the best way

to make sure you are removing a weed

and not a valuable plant is to pull on it.

If it comes out of the ground easily,

it is a valuable plant.

~ Author Unknown

Happy Independence Day

2010-07-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence

every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers

who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle,

but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees,

the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.

You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.

~ Erma Bombeck

A thought for this first day of July...

2010-07-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would go to more dances. I would ride more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.

~ Nadine Stair

Cactus Monday

2010-06-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Cactus Monday!

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii)

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy,
if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you,
if the simple things in nature have a message you understand,
Rejoice, for your soul is alive.
~ Eleanora Duse

For more cactus fun, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Summer Solstice

2010-06-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer!

I hope it was as beautiful everywhere else around the globe as it has been here in Southern California today.

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.

~ Celia Thaxter

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

Stopping by to wish all of the fathers out there a very happy day. I hope everyone has been enjoying this day with their families.

Me & Dad

For those of you who may have been wondering why I disappeared for a while, I had some family matters to attend to. Nothing drastic, just requiring my presence and undivided attention. The good news is that I got to spend a bunch of quality time with my Dad. An early Father's Day treat we both enjoyed.

Have a great week, everyone!

Matilija Poppy II

2010-05-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

To answer Out on the prairie's question about my previous post, I went back and looked at the other photos from that day. Here's one of a different bloom that includes a bit more of the foliage. I also found a good image at this link. It does not resemble thistle the way prickly poppy does. I know prickly poppies also have some pretty good stickers (they are named appropriately). You can see that this foliage is darker, and more smooth and "friendly" than that of its prickly cousin.

Matilija poppies are also quite large—they grow up to eight feet tall. The ones in my photographs were only about waist- or chest-high. Now, for those of you who are wondering what a prickly poppy looks like, CalPhotos has some good examples of a variety that's native to California.

Thanks for asking—I always like learning new things about flowers!

Matilija Poppy

2010-05-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

This is always one of my favorites. Love how big and bold they are, and those crinkly petals. You can't help but smile when you come upon them. This one was dancing in the breeze, so I was very pleased when I got home to find it was in focus.

Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri)

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.
~ William Shakespeare

Happy Friday

2010-05-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Wishing you a lovely weekend.

bush anemone (Carpenteria californica)

Charm is a glow within a woman

that casts a most becoming light on others.

~ John Mason Brown

Cactus Monday

2010-05-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

It's a dreary, drippy day here in Southern California,
so how about a bit of color?

Mojave Mound / Claret Cup (Echinocereus triglochidiatus)

As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life.

~ John Lubbock

Be sure to visit Terri's Painted Daisies for more cactus beauty.

Happy Cactus Monday!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Wishing all mothers a very special day today!

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or kiss the place to make it well?

My mother.

~ Ann Taylor

Lady Banks Rose

2010-05-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

What flower was I photographing while making the roadrunner in my previous post so nervous? This Lady Banks rose. It was mostly past its prime, but the blossoms were lovely anyway. The profusion of blooms provides a refreshing oasis in the dry desert.

A beautiful lady is an accident of nature.

A beautiful old lady is a work of art.

~ Louis Nizer

Beep! Beep!

2010-05-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am by no means a wildlife photographer—usually my photos of wild critters are blurry at best. But I had such a fun encounter with this roadrunner that I thought I'd share a couple photos that turned out okay. This gal (or guy) was very focused on trying to lure me away from her nest and babies. I knew I was invading her territory, and was being very respectful and careful while I took a few photos of flowers. The entire time she "clacked" and scooted about in a hilarious display, getting more and more brave.

Disappearialis quickius*

Finally, when she jumped up on this old cart I was standing next to, almost within arm's reach, I gave her the space she wanted. They are truly fascinating and beautiful birds.

* from "Zoom at the Top," a Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoon

Cactus Monday

2010-05-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

How about a delicate beavertail bloom for this Cactus Monday...

A woman should be like a single flower, not a whole bouquet.
~ Anna Held

Happy Cactus Monday!

For more deserty delights, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Earth laughs in flowers

2010-04-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

desert chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana)

Fremont's phacelia (Phacelia fremontii)

desert dandelion (Malacothrix glabrata)

Mojave aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia var. tortifolia)

Earth laughs in flowers.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gilded

2010-04-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

To the illumined man or woman,

a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same.

~ Bhagavad Gita

Cactus Monday

2010-04-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

The desert is definitely blooming! We were out over the weekend and were astounded at how green and yellow the East Mojave is right now. It is simply carpeted with flowers. It was a working weekend, so I didn't have time to take many photos, but we could not drive by this beauty without stopping. This is Mojave mound cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus), also known as claret cup for obvious reasons.

Happy Cactus Monday!
See more treasures at Teri's Painted Daisies.

The earth is like a beautiful bride who needs no manmade jewels to heighten her loveliness.

~ Kahlil Gibran

Metamorphosis

2010-04-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

One of the most beautiful flowers of the desert is dune evening primrose (Oenothera deltoides). It's also called birdcage evening primrose or devil's lantern. When I saw the flowers for the first time, those other names didn't make sense to me. I read that when the plant dies, the stems curl upwards into what looks like a birdcage. Even though I found a few photos online, I still couldn't believe this beautiful, delicate flower could end up looking like that. Well, this year I found irrefutable proof, up close and personal. Amazing! Mother Nature sure has a sense of humor...

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies.

~ Unknown

Green!

2010-04-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

I guess you know spring is in the air when you see multiple photography assignments and contests focused on the color green. I finally decided maybe I should get in on some of the fun, so here is my submission for Gardening Gone Wild's Picture This Contest for April. Be sure to check out the other green submissions too!

pincushion flower seedhead (Scabiosa columbaria)

If your knees aren't green by the end of the day,

you ought to seriously re-examine your life.

~ Bill Watterson

Cactus Monday

2010-04-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

One of our tiny cacti that I thought was dead suddenly sprouted buds. And then there was this treat on Saturday. Certainly not dead!

The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money.

~ Thomas Jefferson

Happy Cactus Monday, everyone!

For more cactus beauty, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend and Happy Easter!

Well pleaseth me the sweet time of Easter

That maketh the leaf and the flower come out.

~ Bertran de Born

Joshua Trees in Bloom

2010-04-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

More from our camping trip: Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in various stages of bloom. They are quite beautiful up close; so dense and fleshy compared to the dry, spiky nature of the tree itself.

the well-protected bud

(photo by Chris Ervin)

the full bloom

"One time I saw a tiny Joshua tree sapling growing not too far from the old tree. I wanted to dig it up and replant it near our house. I told Mom that I would protect it from the wind and water it every day so that it could grow nice and tall and straight. Mom frowned at me. 'You'd be destroying what makes it special,' she said. 'It's the Joshua tree's struggle that gives it its beauty.'"

~ Jeannette Walls (The Glass Castle)

A Different Kind of Easter Lily

2010-04-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

One of our "missions" on our camping trip in the East Mojave during the weekend of March 20-21 was to see if we could find desert lilies (Hesperocallis undulata) in bloom. Someone had reported them blooming in Anza-Borrego, so we hoped the conditions might be right in the East Mojave as well. We found many with buds, but no blooms—until we happened upon a south-facing sandy slope. There we found a few with full blossoms open and many more coming soon. It really is a treat to run across such a lush "garden" in an otherwise arid land.

Lined up, waiting to bloom...

A closeup of the bud (photo by my husband)...

When you have only two pennies left in the world,

buy a loaf of bread with one,

and a lily with the other.

~ Chinese Proverb

Cactus Monday

2010-03-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Cactus Monday
This cottontop cactus is very serious about protecting its blooms!

Echinocactus polycephalus

A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid.

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Visit Teri's Painted Daisies for more cactus fun...

The Desert is Blooming

2010-03-27T15:30:00.000-07:00

We went camping in the desert last weekend and spring has definitely arrived! I'll have more photos to share soon. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Bladderpod (Isomeris arborea)

Everything is blooming most recklessly;
if it were voices instead of colors,
there would be an unbelievable shrieking
into the heart of the night.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke

Happy Spring!

2010-03-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

I'll be out and about tomorrow, so I thought I'd drop by today to say

"Happy first day of Spring!"

Kalanchoe pumila

The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.

~ Therese of Lisieux

I Meant to Do My Work Today

2010-03-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

I meant to do my work to-day —

But a brown bird sang in the apple-tree,

And a butterfly flitted across the field,

And all the leaves were calling me.

And the wind went sighing over the land,

Tossing the grasses to and fro,

And a rainbow held out its shining hand —

So what could I do but laugh and go?

~ Richard Le Gallienne

An Important Day: WASP Honored

2010-03-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

I don't usually post things like this, but this story deserves all the attention it can get. I have always been fascinated with this part of our history. These women are my kind of heroes.

There is an excellent story with accompanying photos, audio, and video on NPR's Web site: Female WWII Pilots: The Original Fly Girls. Be sure to visit the "WASP Interactive" section, especially "Lillian's Story: In Color."

WASP (from left) Frances Green, Margaret Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborn leave their B-17, called Pistol Packin' Mama, during ferry training at Lockbourne Army Air Force base in Ohio. They're carrying their parachutes. Courtesy of Texas Woman's University

And here's an article from the Los Angeles Times:

Women pilots from World War II to be honored

The groundbreaking Women Airforce Service Pilots were buried without military honors and long denied benefits. But now they'll receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

By Johanna Neuman
March 8, 2010

Reporting from Washington - When World War II beckoned, she was a 24-year-old mother of two daughters, ages 4 and 2. Her husband was a draftsman for Lockheed in Southern California, and her brother became an Army Air Forces pilot.

Carol Brinton longed to become a pilot herself -- "My husband had bad eyes so he couldn't get in, and I've always had a hard time letting my brother get ahead of me in anything," she said -- but the U.S. military had other ideas.

"They kept saying women couldn't fly anything bigger than a Piper," she said.

In 1942, with a shortage of male pilots and a desperate need to muscle up for war, the military changed course.

Famed aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran had been lobbying First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt for a corps of female pilots. Eventually, Gen. H.H. "Hap" Arnold agreed. The Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, program was born, training the first women to fly U.S. military aircraft.

Recruited by newspaper ads and public service announcements, about 25,000 women answered the call. Of the more than 1,800 selected for training, 1,102 graduated.

During the war, they flew 60 million miles in every aircraft available -- Piper Cubs to B-29 bombers.

Prohibited from flying in combat, Brinton and others transported military personnel, towed targets for gunnery practice and tested planes newly repaired or overhauled.

"I'd fly them over their targets," she said. "The boys went down in the nose of the plane and dropped those bombs on the desert floor. Then I'd go back up to about 15,000 feet and fly back."

By the time the program was disbanded in December 1944, 38 women pilots had lost their lives. But there were no flags or military honors at their funerals. Their bodies were sent home and buried at their families' expense. The surviving WASP veterans paid their own way home and melted from history's pages.

The military decreed that their existence had never been cleared by Congress, and denied them benefits. Arnold's son Bruce lobbied for their recognition as veterans, a status Congress finally conferred in 1977.

This week, with fewer than 300 WASP members still alive, Congress is bestowing Congressional Gold Medals on all the trailblazing pilots.

So many relatives and fans are planning to attend a two-day celebration -- including Maj. Nicole Malachowski, the first female Thunderbird pilot -- that planners in Washington are juggling sites to accommodate the crowds at Tuesday's welcome reception and Wednesday's gold medal ceremony.

One of the pilots attending will be Brinton -- now Carol Brinton Selfridge, 92, and living in Santa Barbara.

"They didn't even let us join the Army," said Selfridge in an interview conducted on Skype. "We were private citizens."

Her journey as a military pilot was made possible by her mother, who agreed to care for her daughters. Her biggest challenge in the early days was finding a uniform to fit her 6-foot frame -- "We all got the same size overalls" -- and getting in 45 hours of flying time before showing up at training camp in Sweetwater, Texas.

She remembers making her solo flight in a rare snowstorm. In the barracks, she shared a bay with five women, including two so short they came up to her armpits.

She thought her greatest asset was her visual depth perception, which allowed her to excel at formation flying. In fact, when she started driving cars, passengers often thought she cut it too close for comfort.

Perhaps her greatest legacy is her granddaughter, Air Force Lt. Col. Christy Kayser-Cook, who followed in her footsteps. When Kayser-Cook was commissioned, two people pinned on her bars -- her great-uncle, who had been an Air Force pilot during the war, and her grandmother.

"She was always ahead of her time," Kayser-Cook said. "She only got to fly props and she was jealous that I got to fly jets."

But mostly what the veteran remembers is the adventure of it all. "The idea of flying always sounded wonderful to me. I was tremendously lucky. We had a lot of fun."

Click here for more photos and videos about Selfridge.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-wasps8-2010mar08,0,3738029.story

Cactus Monday: Play-Doh Cactus

2010-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, so that's not its official name.

But doesn't it look like it's made of Play-Doh??

Coastal Prickly Pear (Opuntia littoralis)

Happy Cactus Monday, and Happy March!

Play is the beginning of knowledge.

~George Dorsey

Be sure to check out the lovely cacti at Teri's Painted Daisies.

Sunshine for a Rainy Day

2010-02-27T15:38:00.000-08:00

Will you join me

In a dance among the daffodils

Barefoot

With mud between your toes?

Flower Children

2010-02-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

Ah, spring is in the air!

The daffodils are showing their smiling faces.

Instead of a quote, how about an illustrated poem?

From a lovely old book, Flower Children: The Little Cousins of The Field and Garden, by Elizabeth Gordon with drawings by M.T. Ross. Copyright 1910, 82nd edition, inscribed "Christmas 1945," given to my mother. Love this part of the foreword:

"God has implanted in the breasts of children a natural love for flowers—and no one who keeps that love in his heart has entirely forsaken the land of childhood."

Cactus Monday

2010-02-22T09:01:00.000-08:00

Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia microdasys)

The beginning and the end reach out their hands to each other.
~ Chinese Proverb

To see more cactus beauty, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

Happy Cactus Monday!

Soft moss a downy pillow makes...

2010-02-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Soft moss a downy pillow makes, and green leaves spread a tent,

Where Faerie fold may rest and sleep until their night is spent.

The bluebird sings a lullaby, the firefly gives a light,

The twinkling stars are candles bright, Sleep, Faeries all, Good Night.

~ Elizabeth T. Dillingham, "A Faery Song"

Blind folk see the fairies.

Oh, better far than we,

Who miss the shining of their wings

Because our eyes are filled with things

We do not wish to see.

Deaf folk hear the fairies

However soft their song;

'Tis we who lose the honey sound

Amid the clamor all around

That beats the whole day long.

~ Rose Fyleman

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

Remember trading Valentines with your classmates and teacher when you were young? In honor of Valentine's Day I thought I'd share this Valentine that my grandmother received from her first teacher in the early 1900s.

On the back it is inscribed, "Stella, from Miss Knight."

Here's to all the many kinds of love that make our lives meaningful.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The eskimos had fifty-two names for snow

because it was important to them:

there ought to be as many for love.

~ Margaret Atwood

Winter Light

2010-02-07T14:07:00.000-08:00

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

~ William Blake

This is my entry for February's Picture This at Gardening Gone Wild.

A Treat for the Senses

2010-01-29T11:31:00.000-08:00

For my birthday earlier this month my family sent a gorgeous bouquet that filled my office with the heady aroma of lilies. It was intoxicating, that scent and burst of color in the midst of winter. Alas, flowers eventually wither and fade away and you are left with only the memory... and perhaps an image or two...

Each flower is a soul blossoming out to nature.

~ Gerard de Nerval

Mushroom Metamorphosis

2010-01-27T10:38:00.000-08:00

Amidst a week of rainy days, an unfolding...

I am sure it is a great mistake always to know enough to go in when it rains. One may keep snug and dry by such knowledge, but one misses a world of loveliness.

~ Adeline Knapp

Winter Sunrise

2010-01-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape—the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show.

~ Andrew Wyeth

This is my entry for the monthly Picture This Photo Contest at Gardening Gone Wild. Stop by to view all the entries depicting "Winter's Beauty."

Serendipity

2010-01-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

During the holidays we spent time with family in Mammoth Lakes. We enjoyed crisp blue-sky days with chilly but reasonable temperatures, and one partial day of snow flurries. On our day of departure, we headed out just before sunrise. As we dropped down into Round Valley outside Bishop, the view before us was even more breathtaking than usual. The snow-covered mountains were washed with the blue light of morning. We didn't have time to stop for photos, so I started shooting from the car. Snapping away at 70+ mph through a not-so-clean window, I never know what kind of blurry images I'm going to end up with, but this day proved to contain some magic. These are two I ended up with. Photos never quite fully capture your experience of a moment in time, but these certainly come close considering the circumstances. We ended our trip with one of those hush-inducing scenes that you happen upon only when you are least expecting it.

Mount Tom and Round Valley

Sierra crest outside Bishop

Sometimes I do get to places
just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter.
~ Ansel Adams

Hello, New Year

2010-01-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

I hope your new year has begun as beautifully as this sunrise that began our week here in Southern California. May it be a good year for all of us.

I apologize for being absent so long—from here, and from all of your lovely blogs. All through the holidays I was very busy enjoying family and a brief time away, and this week I have been trying to catch up on all the things set aside. Maybe by next week I will be back in the swing of things. I miss all of you!

With each sunrise, we start anew.

~ Author Unknown

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

Just taking a moment to note the change in seasons and wish everyone a Happy Winter Solstice.

I only want
Myself to be
As silent as
A winter tree,

To hear the swirling
Stillness grow,
When all the world
Is full of snow.

~ from "When All the World is Full of Snow" by N.M. Bodecker

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

Since we're a little busy around here and I'm sure you are too, I just want to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to all of my blogging friends across the globe. Wishing you safe journeys and the best of times with family and friends.

Make a Smilebox greeting

There's more, much more, to Christmas

Than candlelight and cheer;

It's the spirit of sweet friendship

That brightens all year.

It's thoughtfulness and kindness,

It's hope reborn again,

For peace, for understanding,

And for goodwill to men!

~ Author Unknown

Christmas Spirit

2009-12-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

Just something fun to get you in the mood...

Amazing Grace Techno - Computer Controlled Christmas Lights from Richard Holdman on Vimeo.

If you never did, you should.

These things are fun, and fun is good.

~ Dr. Seuss

After the Rain

2009-12-13T10:48:00.000-08:00

Life is like a rainbow.
You need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear.
~ Author Unknown

Hoshigaki

2009-12-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

Photo by Pat Brodie

I thought I would share an interesting project I have underway right now. First, a bit of history. My parents have a Hachiya persimmon tree and spend quite a bit of time each fall picking and delivering the crop to friends, neighbors, and even a couple markets. This is a long tradition for my mom, as she helped my grandparents do the same for many years (my parents now live in my grandparents' house, so it is the same tree).

Last year, my mom's friend Janice wanted to try making dried persimmons the traditional Japanese way, so she collected some from my parents. Japanese dried persimmons are called "hoshigaki" (hoshi = dried, kaki = persimmon, the k changes to g to form one word). When I got my hands on some of Janice's last year, I was hooked! They are wonderfully chewy and dense (more so than dried apricots), and the persimmon flavor is intensified and sweetened. So this year when I heard she was going to be doing it again, I said I wanted to learn how. There are now a handful of us with hoshigaki "in progress."

Here's the process. Hachiya persimmons are picked before they're ripe...

Chief Picker (dad). Photo by Janice Cook Knight.

Mom, two other hoshigaki converts Kim and Pat, and our mentor Janice.

The persimmons are peeled, tied by the remaining stems on each end of a string, and hung over a bamboo pole...

Photos by Pat Brodie

After 7-10 days a skin forms. That's when the massaging begins in order to break down the pulp inside. This continues every 3-5 days.

Eventually, the natural sugars come to the surface of the skin and the pulp sets. We're not there yet...

I have to admit to being spoiled a bit... Janice started the process for me. She did the peeling, hanging, and initial massaging and then my parents brought my persimmons when they came to visit for Thanksgiving. (I didn't realize how beautiful they would be in the initial stage, so I was glad to receive photos.) Mom passed along the massaging technique and they have continued to get regular massages. If only I were so lucky! As you can see, they have taken up residence in the shower of our extra bathroom where they can dry in peace.

There is, of course, much more to the history and tradition of hoshigaki. I've done a bit of poking around. The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program at UC Davis has posted online a very informative paper called "Hoshigaki: Preserving the Art of Japanese Hand Dried Persimmons" (clicking on the title will open the PDF). There are a few people in California carrying on the tradition. Here are some links for those of you who would like to see and know more:

Otow Orchard - scroll down to watch the beautiful slideshow of the process, then click on "What's New" to read the blog and especially to see photos of the orchard in snow (be sure to scroll down)

California Country article about Otow Orchard's hoshigaki

Penryn Orchard Specialties

instructables.com "how to" with photos

'Tis the Season

2009-12-08T13:05:00.000-08:00

Or at least Mother Nature seems to think so...

Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration
is being wreathed in smiles.
~ Author Unknown

Ria Harboe Art in Washington

2009-12-04T16:11:00.000-08:00

Because I like to buy art and other handmade things for gifts and love reconnecting with long-lost friends, I am posting this information about a showing by artist Ria Harboe in Bellingham, Washington.

Just in case anyone peering in here lives in that area or will be visiting. (And doesn't the restaurant itself sound wonderful?) You can also check out her beautiful paintings and sculpture at her Web site.

I haven't seen Ria in over 20 years, but recently found her online. She worked with me at my family's lodge in the Sierras in the early 1980s and we had some great times together. She is a lovely lady, sweet and quick to laugh, and it's fun to see where her love of art has taken her.

"Life gives us brief moments with another...but sometimes in those brief moments we get memories that last a life time."

~ Unknown

Cactus Monday

2009-11-30T15:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Cactus Monday!
Be sure to stop by Teri's Painted Daisies.

What is this life if, full of care,
we have no time to stand and stare?
~ W. H. Davies

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T10:39:00.000-08:00

A special thanks today to all of my blogger friends who bring beauty, laughter, and wisdom into my life every day. I hope all of you are enjoying time with family and friends.

Friendship isn't a big thing -

it's a million little things.

~ Author Unknown

Thankful Thursday

2009-11-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

How could I not be thankful for glorious fall weather,

Laguna Beach sand and skies,

and these two characters?

"Look at Daddy..."

"...no, the other way..."

"...there you go!"

Smile.
Have you ever noticed how easily puppies make human friends?

Yet all they do is wag their tails and fall over.

~ Walter Anderson

The End of the Line

2009-11-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

The theme for this month's Picture This Photo Contest at Gardening Gone Wild is "The End of the Line." I haven't participated recently, and wasn't planning to make the effort this time. But often opportunities are handed to us when we're not expecting them. Every day when I have walked the dogs this week, I have marveled at the delicate white roses blooming on the corner down the street. We go for our walks in the late afternoon, just before dusk starts settling in, so there is a gentle light illuminating their white petals. Yesterday I realized I had forgotten yet again to take my camera along, so when we got home I grabbed it and went back to the roses. Up close they were even more beautiful, in all stages of growth. There were a few at that oh-so-fragile point when their petals begin to wilt and droop before dropping off to the ground below: the end of the line. Rather than looking forlorn, this one had a dignified grace about it, a softening before the final fade.

So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls,

why don't somebody wake up to the beauty of old women?
~ Harriet Beecher Stowe

Psst.... I thought I would also share one at a younger stage, for comparison:

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

2009-11-11T15:03:00.000-08:00

dried ocotillo blooms

As promised, here are photos from our weekend camping trip in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (in Coyote Canyon, for those who might know the area). I'm including a handful of my favorites and you can see more in the slideshow below. I enjoyed the cacti and other plants, as they differ from what we are used to in the east Mojave desert. I have always loved ocotillo, but this is the first time I've ever seen them up close.

ocotillo

As you can see, we had amazing weather; absolutely clear, mid-80s during the day and mid-50s at night, and an occasional,just-right light breeze. The sky was an unbelievably deep blue. We were serenaded by an owl as we lay in our cozy tent to go to sleep, and the desert was aglow all night from the light of the nearly-full moon. I serendipitously awoke at 4:30am to witness it slip silently behind the hills. Simply magical.

buckwheat

(not sure what this is?)

And more...

(I apologize if there are any issues with this slideshow - experimenting with Flickr)

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Cactus Monday

2009-11-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

There aren't many hours left on this Cactus Monday, but I'm squeaking in with this barrel cactus from our trip to Anza-Borrego over Halloween weekend. Will have more photos to post this week. Happy Cactus Monday, everyone! For more Cactus Monday delights, visit Teri's Painted Daisies.

The empty vessel giveth a greater sound than the full barrel.

~ John Lyly

Cactus Monday

2009-11-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

We went camping in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park over the weekend, so I'm sharing this cholla with its appropriate bit of spider web decoration for Halloween. As the deep blue sky (not Photoshopped) indicates, we had absolutely gorgeous weather, and the almost-full moon was spectacular. I'm hoping to find the time to share more photos later in the week. In the meantime, Happy Cactus Monday, everyone! Visit Teri's Painted Daisies for more cactus beauty.

A wisp of gossamer, about the size and substance of a spider's web.

~ Monica Baldwin

Fun Wins!

2009-10-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this...

(Sorry - can't figure out how to make it fit the space properly - if you right-click on it, you can choose to view it in YouTube so you can see everything.)

Live and work but do not forget to play,
to have fun in life and really enjoy it.

~ Eileen Caddy

Ah... Autumn

2009-10-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

I noticed the leaves in our neighborhood had started to turn, so I took my camera along when I walked the dogs late yesterday afternoon. Thank goodness our neighborhood planners were kind enough to include some trees and vines that change with the seasons; otherwise we might miss out on Autumn's wonders here in the suburbs in Southern California.

Are you finished yet, Mommy?

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.
~ Elizabeth Lawrence

Happy Cactus Monday!

2009-10-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

Silver cholla (Cylindropuntia echinocarpa)

I'm still knee-deep in book editing (I never knew how much work goes into creating an index until I first worked on one myself), but it's been so long since my last post I wanted to pop in and say hello to everyone.

Since it also happens to be Cactus Monday, I'm sharing these silver cholla blossoms. This is one of the photos I included in my 2010 calendar, "Mojave in Bloom," for sale in my Zazzle shop. The calendar includes cactus and desert wildlfowers, all found in the East Mojave.

Mojave in Bloom 2010 Calendar by dragonflyseye

There's also a second calendar of East Mojave desert scenery and I've also been working on one of garden flowers as well. There are simply not enough hours in the day for all the things I want to accomplish.

I hope all of you are enjoying this change in season we're experiencing. We here in Southern California are enjoying a bit of rain and I know many others are already experiencing snow. Time for soup and sweaters!

You can check out other cactus delights at Terri's Painted Daisies.

The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly
changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools.
~ Henry Beston, Northern Farm

Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-09-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

I had a special surprise waiting in my inbox this afternoon. Gary Keimig, Wyoming artist and gentleman, has awarded me the Kreativ Blogger Award! I am so honored! Thank you! And yes, I am putting aside other tasks because acknowledging this and passing it along just cannot wait.

Here's what Kreativ Blogger Award recipients are supposed to do:

1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award.
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers.
4. Link to those sites on your blog.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominate.

There's also something about listing 7 things about yourself, so I'll dispense with that first:

I was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California.
I also grew up in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, where my family owned Rock Creek Lodge. I spent every summer there until I was 21. The mountains and my experiences there shaped who I am.
I majored in English at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. (Yes, I love to read.)
My husband is my soul mate. We like to say we share one brain. We're one of those couples who completes each other's sentences. Sickening, I know.
We chose not to have children, but do have two rather spoiled dogs who think they're people.
I (we) LOVE to travel. I get depressed when we come home from trips, even just day trips. Life "out there" is just so fascinating and exciting.
The thing I am most grateful for these days (aside from all of the above) is this world I now inhabit online. I know there can be negatives - I think we have all complained about being tied to our computers - but I have met the most creative, inspiring, friendly, warm-hearted, REAL people here. You make my day everyday with the things you share on your blogs or in the comments you leave on mine. Thank you!

Now, let me introduce a mere handful of the aforementioned people. I hereby pass the Kreativ Blogger Award to these lovely women (in no particular order):

Suzanne Berry - LOVE her bugs and everything else she does - and certainly her friendship
Camilla at bloom - her photography frankly takes my breath away
Sarah at Bee House Hives - I came for the bees and stayed for the everyday beauty she shares
Kim at Bella Della Farm - she shares her most wonderful farm - and her charm
Diane at Sabino Canyon - her photos and stories about her desert home always educate and delight
Karen at Beelieve - she reminds me to be silly, free, feminine, and perhaps a bit wild
Akiko at Art by Akiko - her ability to capture animals on canvas is simply beyond words

Now, I must say that this is a very short list! There are so many more I wanted to include. But many have already received this award, so I wanted to share it with those who have not (as far as I could tell).

Ladies, thank you for the wonderful things you bring into my life through your blogs. You are truly Kreativ spirits.

(And please don't feel that you have to pass this along if that's not your "thing" - it is given without obligation.)

A Virtual Visit to the East Mojave

2009-09-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

First, let me confirm that I am still here. I apologize for neglecting my wonderful dedicated followers. I have been so busy with other things that I simply have not had a spare moment to post anything.

What has kept me away? Well... it all relates to the desert. My husband and I are knee-deep in the final editing and layout of a book being published by the organization we volunteer for (the Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural Association, for those who might be interested). I have also been busy pulling together some of my desert photos for two calendars to sell (I hope!) during the annual get-together for the organization's membership the first weekend of October. One is scenes around the East Mojave and one is wildflowers and cactus flowers that are found there. You can check them out at my Zazzle store. All of this is very fun stuff, just time consuming.

Anyway, since I finally had a moment I thought I'd share one of my favorite places in the East Mojave. This is a photo of Ford Dry Lake, taken in early October 2004. The plant on the left is catclaw acacia and that's cholla on the right. The mountains in the distance are the Woods Mountains. Ford Dry Lake is named after the Ford family, who homesteaded there in the early 1900s. It's a particularly quiet, peaceful part of the desert, as not many people wander that far off the main roads. It's a beautiful valley and would have been a really nice place to live. I know a lot of people find the desert to be rather desolate, but I think the silence and scenery are divine.

And on that note, I bid you adieu until I find the next opportunity to reappear. Also, please be assured that I am keeping up with reading your comments and am trying to respond as much as possible. I do always love hearing from you!

Not merely an absence of noise, Real Silence begins when a reasonable being withdraws from the noise in order to find peace and order in his inner sanctuary.

~ Peter Minard

Thursday's Sunset

2009-09-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Clouds come floating into my life,

no longer to carry rain or usher storm,

but to add color to my sunset sky.

~ Rabindranath Tagore

Happy Cactus Monday

2009-09-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris)

For more colorful cacti, visit Terri's Painted Daisies.

The more ugly, older, more cantankerous, more ill and poorer I become, the more I try to make amends by making my colors more vibrant, more balanced and beaming.

~ Vincent van Gogh

Flower or Fairy?

2009-08-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

Kangaroo paw

And as the seasons come and go, here's something you might like to know. There are fairies everywhere: under bushes, in the air, playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day. So listen, touch, and look around—in the air and on the ground. And if you watch all nature's things, you might just see a fairy's wing.

~ Author Unknown

Gardening Gone Wild: Down on Your Knees

2009-08-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

The subject for August’s Picture This Photo Contest at Gardening Gone Wild is "Down on Your Knees." Garden photos must be taken from knee level or lower. There are some fantastic entries so far. As judge photographer David Perry says, "too many of us take the majority of our pictures from standing height, which really limits both our visual understanding of a garden and the sense of intimacy we can capture." Amen! One of my favorite things to do these days is get right into the middle of a flower, much like a bee might, to get to know it more intimately.

And so my entry for the contest is this Euphorbia milii. It sits in a pot right outside our sliding glass door, which means I walk past it every day. I tend to give it a wide berth to avoid getting snagged by its huge thorns, but stopped one day recently to take a closer look at its flowers. Look how beautiful and intricate they are when seen from this vantage point (you can click on the photo to see it larger). I guess all those thorns are intended to protect this treasure.

For those of you not familiar with this plant, each flower is about a quarter to half an inch across. The photo below shows more of the plant. Did I mention it has thorns?

Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns,
be happy that the thorn bush has roses.

~Proverb

A Bit of Color

2009-08-20T17:53:00.001-07:00

Orange Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus)

I captured this beauty when we wandered through the demonstration garden at the fair. Mother Nature sure knows how to play with color.

Speaking of color, if any of you live in or near Orange County and enjoy art, the exhibit "Illumination: The Paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, Agnes Pelton, Agnes Martin, and Florence Miller Pierce" currently at the Orange County Museum of Art is exquisite. I have always admired Georgia O'Keeffe's work, but Agnes Pelton is now my favorite artist. She was an interesting, very spiritual woman and her paintings truly define the word "illumination."

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.

~ Georgia O'Keeffe

Sierra flowers

2009-08-14T14:29:00.001-07:00

I experienced a couple new flowers during my trip (and please let me know if I have misidentified them)...

Nevada goldenrod (Solidago spectabilis)

Oregon checker mallow (Sidalcea oregana)

They make a nice meadow bouquet!

This one I always liked when I was little...

Ranger's buttons (Sphenosciadium capitellatum)

And let's not forget this treasure I stumbled upon in the garden; the good old daisy knows how to compete for attention.

Every tree and plant in the meadow seemed to be dancing, those which average eyes would see as fixed and still.

~ Rumi

Vacation in the Sierra Nevada

2009-08-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

I've been astonishingly busy with mundane things since coming home from my mini-vacation. I have finally managed to pull a few photos to share. This trip was mostly about my dog Rusty. Since he has cancer and only a limited amount of time left on this planet, I decided he needed some time in the mountains. Even though I haven't lived there for years, the Sierras are still the place I feel most at home and at peace. And what better place for a dog to enjoy hiking, canoeing, wading, rock climbing? It had been too long since we'd had the opportunity for such things. All of us benefitted from the fresh air, cool, crisp water, brief rainstorms, and lazy afternoons with the sound of aspens in the breeze...

Lake Mary, Mammoth Lakes, California

Stump & Roots, Lake Mary

Twin Lakes, Mammoth Lakes, California

Serene Lake, Rock Creek Canyon

"I want that piece of bark, but I don't want to get wet..."

"I can almost taste it!"

"Mommy, this is rather nice..."

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
~ John Muir

I'm Back!

2009-08-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

I was gone for five days for some fun in the mountains and have spent a few more days getting caught up on life's daily chores. I'll post some photos from my trip later.

Most important is to share these treasures that arrived in the mail while I was gone. I ordered one of Marianne's beautiful mandala cards (it has dragonflies—how could I resist?), and being the special person that she is, she included a couple extra treats: a bookmark with a collage of her mandalas, and a bright, cheerful ATC! Isn't it all gorgeous?!

I'm not sure how she knew I have a particular fondness for the yin yang symbol—she's amazingly perceptive. Anyway, I just wanted to say "thank you" publicly and share the beauty of her work. My desk is a much brighter place!

A Fair Day

2009-07-26T17:14:00.001-07:00

Today we got to play! We spent a few hours exploring our favorite parts of the Orange County Fair. Namely the animals, photography, art, and gardens.

I do not at all claim to be an animal photographer, but I have put some of my photos into a slideshow for those of you who might enjoy them too. Warning: I have a particular attachment to goats. Especially pygmy goats. I guess it's because I'm a Capricorn. Anyway, you've been warned...

If you’re short of trouble, take a goat.

~ Finnish saying

Rock Rose

2009-07-25T13:42:00.000-07:00

I sense that sometimes even Mother Nature is too distracted with other things to bother with ironing...

Rock Rose (Cistus creticus)

I hope everyone has time to play this weekend, rather than simply doing chores!

My second favorite household chore is ironing.
My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.

~ Erma Bombeck

Laugh a lot, and when you're older, all your wrinkles will be in the right places.

~ Unknown

Pincushion Flower

2009-07-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

This is the seed head...

And this is the bud...

Aptly named, don't you think? Also known as Scabiosa columbaria.
Discovered in mom's garden. One of my new favorite flowers!

Happiness held is the seed;
happiness shared is the flower.

~ Author Unknown

Mexican Evening Primrose

2009-07-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Oenothera speciosa

There are two kinds of light - the glow that illuminates,

and the glare that obscures.

~ James Thurber

Cactus Monday

2009-07-20T14:56:00.001-07:00

How about a desert bouquet for Cactus Monday? A bright pink beavertail, desert chicory, and a bee thrown in for good measure.

Even numbers tend to add too much symmetry,

and then your bouquet won't look natural.

~ Amanda Gain

Summer Treats

2009-07-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

Yum! The juicy fruits of summer. And certainly best when home-grown. These apricots and peaches were not yet ripe, but close enough to make one drool in anticipation.

Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it.

~ Thomas Walker

Apache Plume

2009-07-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

I realize I haven't posted anything for a week now. We've been busy trying to have some fun while my husband is home from work this week (he starts a new job on Monday). A sort of "staycation" I suppose. Well, it's time to get back to playing with photographs and blogs and stuff.

This photo is the feathery seed head of Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa). It's actually a rather large bush, up to six feet tall, but this is a closeup of the plume. They are quite simply magical, waving their delicate fans in the breeze. One thinks perhaps a fairy might appear at any moment.

Because of their pale coloring, they're dificult to spot as you're speeding through the desert. We had never seen them before we happened upon them a couple years ago, and now know to keep an eye out for them. We still haven't seen them during their bloom; it looks as if the flowers are quite attractive too.

A rustle in the wind reminds us a fairy is near.
~ Author Unknown

Here comes the weekend!

2009-07-10T11:36:00.001-07:00

We're headed out to the desert (East Mojave) this weekend, so I thought I'd share a photo of where we spend some of our weekends away. This is the view from our personal slice of heaven, taken in early June. We're slowly working on making the property habitable—project #1 is getting the well operational and we're getting close. Our true "headquarters" right now is in Goffs, about half an hour away by mostly dirt road. We volunteer for a historical organization there, so that's really where we spend most of our time. We slip away to get a few things done on our property when we can. I hope you have a peaceful weekend with beautiful clouds to gaze upon.

From my window
I watch clouds slowly transform,
Shifting across the sky
In a show of shape and color.

~ 1988

Cactus Monday

2009-07-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Opuntia littoralis - Coastal Prickly Pear

Happy Cactus Monday!

The world is full of cactus, but we don't have to sit on it.

~ Will Foley

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

Wishing all of you happy times at pancake breakfasts, hometown parades, picnics, barbeques, and fireworks displays as you celebrate Independence Day with your families and friends.

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.

~ Robert J. McCracken

Cactus Monday

2009-06-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd post this today since it's Cactus Monday. This is a buckhorn cholla bloom, photographed in the East Mojave Desert in early June. The buckhorn cholla is a particularly thorny cactus that I tend to avoid at all costs, but it has absolutely gorgeous blooms.

Be sure to check out the beautiful art and photos posted for Cactus Monday at Teri's Painted Daisies.

"He who wants a rose must respect the thorn."

~ Persian Proverb

But wait, there's more...

2009-06-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it turns out my husband had his camera in hand while I was playing in the pond, so I thought I'd share this amusing scene of me knee-deep, with Mom and Sadie supervising.

And then a wider view of those very happy lotus pads...

Oh, and another shot of the smallest helper...

A daughter is a little girl who grows up to be a friend.

~ Author Unknown

Water Lily

2009-06-24T19:54:00.001-07:00

We visited my parents in Santa Barbara over the weekend and I am only now getting around to looking at the photos I took. I had fun walking around in my mom's reflection pond, wearing her hip waders to get closer to the water lilies. When I was growing up and my grandparents were still living in this house (where my mom grew up), the pond was a dark, murky mess. When my parents moved in several years ago, my mom cleaned it out and planted water lilies and a lotus. Now it's a tranquil, reflective spot in the garden, admired by everyone who wanders by.

When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?

~ Ralph Marston

Tarantula Hawk

2009-06-17T09:36:00.001-07:00

During our trip to the desert a couple weekends ago, we stopped to take some photos along a sandy wash. I stumbled upon this scene—a tarantula hawk very busily going from blossom to blossom on this desert milkweed. These are one of the few insects to which I have an absolute aversion (and after reading about their powerful stings, that seems wise), but since this one was so obviously engrossed in his feeding, I got up close and watched. I have to admit, they're beautiful. Those veined rust-orange wings. That irridescent blue! And check out the curled antennae.

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.
~ Bertrand Russell

Roses

2009-06-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across a photo contest at Gardening Gone Wild. Since the subject is roses and I am always snapping photos of mine, I thought it would be fun to enter.

I took this photo just the other day. This is my Brandy rose, which I adopted years ago from a neighbor who couldn't take it with her when she moved. She wanted it to have a happy home, so I gladly accepted. It lives in a container and has made a couple moves with me. It never ceases to delight.

These two photos are of our French Perfume rose. My husband and I call this the "Grandma Rose" because we bought it in honor of his grandmother, who adored roses. We think of her often as we enjoy its heavenly scented blooms.

I'd rather have roses on my table
than diamonds on my neck.
~ Emma Goldman

Cactus Beauty in Bloom Slideshow

2009-06-15T09:21:00.001-07:00

Someone sent this to me recently. The photos of cacti blooms are absolutely stunning. Hope you enjoy.

Cactus Beauty in bloom

View more OpenOffice presentations from 1dimermo.

Desert Sky

2009-06-12T14:28:00.001-07:00

I don't participate in Skywatch Friday like so many of my favorite bloggers do, but since it is Friday and I was just looking at this photo, I thought I'd share. This was taken while the dogs and I were on our evening walk last Saturday in Goffs, California. The perfect ending to a perfect day.

Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky.
~ Rabindranath Tagore

Dance of the Bees

2009-06-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

We spent a wonderful long weekend in the East Mojave desert. We enjoyed astonishingly perfect weather, wildlife sightings, and bountiful blooms. I'm still trying to get around to tinkering with photos, but I did steal a few moments to create this little "bee movie." Seems someone else is really enjoying the blooming cacti too.

Let us dance in the sun,

wearing wild flowers in our hair.

~ Susan Polis Shutz

Sweet Alyssum Surprise

2009-06-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

Mother Nature can be quite the trickster. The other day I was snapping "bee's view" shots of various flowers in the garden. When I later opened them on my computer, I noticed something in this sweet alyssum that I hadn't seen when I was taking the photos. See the funny blob that I circled here? Well, in one of the other shots it is much more clear... especially blown up like this...

A teeny tiny baby grasshopper! We do generally have a batch of baby grasshoppers in our yard every year, but I don't usually notice them until they get a bit larger than this. What fun!

Morning Glory

2009-06-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

Southern California Morning Glory

A morning-glory at my window satisfies me more than the metaphysics of books.

-Walt Whitman

That buzzing noise...

2009-05-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

"That buzzing-noise means something. You don't get a buzzing-noise like that, just buzzing and buzzing, without its meaning something. If there's a buzzing-noise, somebody's making a buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you are a bee."

~ Winnie-the-Pooh

Or, if you are a very tired bee at the end of the day,

you are perhaps just sitting quietly, thinking bee thoughts.

Hydrangea

2009-05-27T17:50:00.001-07:00

I noticed that my hydrangea is starting to bloom. Slowly, one blossom at a time, the blue and purple are seeping in.

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change. ~ Buddha

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

The Memorial Day tradition on my mom's side of the family is to make floral arrangements for each of our family members in the Goleta Cemetery. My grandmother used to do it, and when she was no longer able to, my mom took over. When my brother moved to Bali and we began to admire some of their customs, we started placing incense at each grave as well. I personally love the quiet, casual way we go about it—like stopping by someone's house for a friendly visit. It's not sad or somber or serious—that wouldn't fit our family's personality or style.

We don't have a lot of family traditions, so it means a lot to me that we do have this one. I like to remember my grandparents and wonder about the other personalities who share the space with them. What were my great-grandparents and other ancestors like as individuals? What traits of theirs do I carry? I think it's important to have days like this to remember and honor our family connections.

These photos were taken by my husband in 2001, with, of all things, an old Polaroid camera. Instant gratification before digital, but a little lacking in size and quality.

Wildflower Cards

2009-05-21T17:37:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend I spent some time creating a few new products for my Zazzle store. I had fun creating a matching series of cards with some of my wildflower photos. It was challenging to identify the rose sage, which we ran across on a backpacking trip up Mt. San Jacinto last July, but I finally found some photos that matched. It is an amazingly beautiful flower to come across on a hot, dusty trail.

I've been kind of in limbo lately, taking photos but not quite geared up to getting them beyond my computer. Hope to get there soon...

Goofing Off

2009-05-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

Mom doesn't seem to be interested in doing anything very productive today, so we all spent some time outside for a little while. It's SUCH a nice day. Rusty was just daydreaming (he's pretty boring), but I was busy in the bushes keeping an eye on what the lizards were up to. They're sneaky.

I decided I'd better see what Mom was up to. Seemed as if Rusty was getting way too much attention! What about ME?

Isn't this fun? Aren't I cute?

We hope you're goofing off today too.

Woof!

Sadie

Feathered Friends

2009-05-15T12:58:00.001-07:00

This morning I spent a few moments with our backyard birds, who fill every hour of daylight with song. At first they were rather nervous to have me standing there, even though I wasn't really all that close, but eventually they realized I was not out to cause any harm. Lately we've had a few less common visitors (black-headed grosbeak & American goldfinch), but they were apparently too busy elsewhere to make an appearance this morning. We get countless hours of amusement watching all the characters who swirl around our feeders—and their chatter nicely masks the less pleasing sounds of suburbia.

Gratitude

2009-05-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Today is to be counted as one of the best days of my life. I'm what you might call a professional self-doubter, so I was utterly astounded when I found out this morning that my Desert Globemallow photo won a prize in the Orange County Register's wildflower photo contest. Me?! Yes! Second place in the "Nature & More" category.

I am so grateful! I am so lucky that a special lady I used to work with read about the contest, thought of me, and told me I should enter. She's one of those people who's always thinking of others, and look at the result she produced. Plus, I only informed a couple dozen of my friends about the contest and posted it here on my blog, yet my photo received 246 votes! How wonderful it is that people take the time to do things like that for each other. I didn't win the popular vote (the winner had over 80,000 votes!), but I sure confirmed I have great friends.

This is also the first time I have ever won anything based on "talent" rather than luck. My photography became a more serious adventure only recently. I somehow found the courage to start putting it out into the world, and it seems this prize must be my reward for taking that risk. What a pleasing surprise to have my creative efforts validated.

THANK YOU to everyone who is so supportive of me and this creative journey. To honor your kindness, I will attempt to become less proficient at doubting and second-guessing myself!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:41:00.001-07:00

We're having babies!

2009-05-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

Well, okay, we are not physically having babies. But the lizards in our yard certainly are! We had quite a gaggle of baby lizards running around last year and it appears this year will be similar. As I was leaving on my walk with the dogs yesterday afternoon, I spotted something on the slope in our front yard. Eggs! I had noticed the tell-tale dugout hollows lately, and this one got filled with seven eggs. We've never witnessed this before. This morning they had been carefully covered with the bark on the slope, so I'm glad I took a moment yesterday to run in and get my camera. Aren't they cute?! It may be hard to tell since I zoomed in, but they are about the size of a small piece of pea gravel. I can't wait to see the little guys running around again. Although we have to be careful, because they're not too bright about dogs, vehicle tires, and lawn mowers when they first appear.

Courage, Perseverence, Honor

2009-05-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a week, so I thought I'd at least make a brief appearance. My mom and I were in Las Vegas for three days over the weekend to attend a tea expo for my brother (too far for him to attend from Indonesia). And yesterday my parents had to evacuate their home because of the latest fire raging in Santa Barbara, so now I'm distracted by keeping an eye on that situation from afar.

Anyway, this photo seemed appropriate to share. On Sunday evening, I shot some quick photos on our walk back to the Luxor. It was an absolutely beautiful evening, the end of a fun whirlwind trip with mom. This is the Statue of Liberty that stands on the corner of New York-New York. It reminds me of the courage and perseverence of our firefighters who go so willingly into battle to keep the rest of us safe from harm. So, in honor of all who are risking their lives right now...