Creosote, the lake, Kettle Top Butte
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Poor old nibbled up Agave
Pool old nibbled up Agave
This was the trippiest plant. Is it a survivor or what? All the outer leaves have been nibbled and chomped away. I don't know whether it's the rabbits or mule deer or both who are responsible. We've seen the deer eat, yes eat, cactus. Don't know how they manage to avoid getting prickles in their lips and on their tongues, but my husband was with a ranger on a morning ride to collect campground fees from the bins and they saw deer eating the cacti. The jackrabbits will chew bark off the trees so I don't see why they wouldn't munch on a nice, moist agave. Poor little agave!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Texas
Today I drove for four hours. Last April I drove by Kluane Lake in Alaska too. So that adds up to 300 miles driven by Liliana; 25,000 driven by husband. Hmmm. A little uneven isn't it. I should do it more often because you never know when you will need to do it and you don't want to not know how to do it. My boy and I could hook-up ourselves if ever we need to. We know how. He knows how. It's easy driving the Interstate 10 because it's so wide open so I liked it. I was on cruise control most of the time. I've never done city driving with the trailer though. The truckers today were all nice. They blinked me when it was okay to move over. Probably saw me weaving all over because I was nervous.
Tomorrow we will see The Alamo in San Antonio! I've never been there. I've never been here!
If ever I chose a language to learn I'd like to learn Greek I think. In my book The Way We Pray I read that the meaning of the word 'sin' in Greek (and I think also in Aramaic though I must check) is "to miss the mark." As I explain to my son, I tell him, "This is part of the language of faith. It's like learning a new language. It's like learning the language of math." I like to explain things like this to him because when I was young I found that the mere words used in religious studies freaked me out. I just didn't like them. I didn't like how they made me feel. I didn't like them because I didn't understand them. Sin means missing the mark. That is all. Who can deny that they miss the mark? Sin doesn't necessarily have to be something that's going to make me throw up or have to hide my face. Could be, but doesn't have to be.
Familiarizing oneself with the language of faith is necessary to develop one's comprehension and to deepen one's understanding of scripture. It's God's Word so it ought to be worth some time to study.
I hope this posts okay because my blog is doing some weird stuff these past couple days.
Tomorrow we will see The Alamo in San Antonio! I've never been there. I've never been here!
If ever I chose a language to learn I'd like to learn Greek I think. In my book The Way We Pray I read that the meaning of the word 'sin' in Greek (and I think also in Aramaic though I must check) is "to miss the mark." As I explain to my son, I tell him, "This is part of the language of faith. It's like learning a new language. It's like learning the language of math." I like to explain things like this to him because when I was young I found that the mere words used in religious studies freaked me out. I just didn't like them. I didn't like how they made me feel. I didn't like them because I didn't understand them. Sin means missing the mark. That is all. Who can deny that they miss the mark? Sin doesn't necessarily have to be something that's going to make me throw up or have to hide my face. Could be, but doesn't have to be.
Familiarizing oneself with the language of faith is necessary to develop one's comprehension and to deepen one's understanding of scripture. It's God's Word so it ought to be worth some time to study.
I hope this posts okay because my blog is doing some weird stuff these past couple days.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Avocado oil deep condish
I really like the avocado oil for deep conditioning lately. I checked the showers out and hallelujah!, there's piping hot water and lots of it so I was able to slather on all the oil I wanted. At the showers at Elephant Butte there's such a piddly spray and by the time water hits you it's about tepid.
So we're in Texas. We're at a KOA and our son got to use his Christmas golf club for miniature golf so he's a happy guy. There's a cafe in the campground and we had fried shrimp with fries and cucumber salad. This campground is filled up. I had no idea there were so many travelers this time of year. They're all seniors. I can't imagine what it's going to be like in five years when the Boomers start retiring big time. I never had any idea how many people live in RVs and trailers on the road. It's like there's this whole, entire, heretofore unknown demographic. This should be written about in the Parade newspaper insert. This is huge.
Tomorrow morning I'll wash my hair. Hopefully Mr. Sun will be out and it'll dry completely. Our son will measure for February for me.
Isn't there some kind of football game tomorrow? Heh. My husband wants to watch it. I don't know, maybe we'll stop somewhere real early.
So we're in Texas. We're at a KOA and our son got to use his Christmas golf club for miniature golf so he's a happy guy. There's a cafe in the campground and we had fried shrimp with fries and cucumber salad. This campground is filled up. I had no idea there were so many travelers this time of year. They're all seniors. I can't imagine what it's going to be like in five years when the Boomers start retiring big time. I never had any idea how many people live in RVs and trailers on the road. It's like there's this whole, entire, heretofore unknown demographic. This should be written about in the Parade newspaper insert. This is huge.
Tomorrow morning I'll wash my hair. Hopefully Mr. Sun will be out and it'll dry completely. Our son will measure for February for me.
Isn't there some kind of football game tomorrow? Heh. My husband wants to watch it. I don't know, maybe we'll stop somewhere real early.
Truck window drive-by photography
All of the following were taken from the truck passenger seat as we drove home last Wednesday from Las Cruces to Elephant Butte. It was our last trip to Cruces so I was seeing everything with fresh eyes and feeling a bit sentimental, as it were.
Creosote is commonly known as Greasewood, but Creosote sounds much nicer. Creosote tends to grow with spaces between each plant and that's a survival mechanism. Each plant puts out a toxin that the other creosotes don't like, so each guy can use the water and soil around himself for his own survival.
Creosote is commonly known as Greasewood, but Creosote sounds much nicer. Creosote tends to grow with spaces between each plant and that's a survival mechanism. Each plant puts out a toxin that the other creosotes don't like, so each guy can use the water and soil around himself for his own survival.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Plan to go to Texas soon
Today was our last drive into Cruces. Probably about Monday we're splittin' to Texas. We have to wait to receive a little hat our son ordered. We ordered it two and a half weeks ago and they barely shipped it Monday. Sheesh. He's getting a hat like Jughead wears. lol!
We think New Mexico is the best kept secret for a winter location. The weather warmed up a bit and it was 69° today. When we got back from the city about half our loop was filled with campers! I'm surprised because it's mid-week. We have a real giant rig next to us. He's so big he's blocking out the sun! They're towing two dune buggy ATV vehicles. I presume they intend to rape the countryside while they're here by driving across the fragile desert habitat. It'll frighten away the birds and destroy the flora and fauna. They'll have a good time though, I guess.
My heart breaks for the son of Cindy Sheehan. He reenlisted and died trying to save others' lives. She shames her son so. Her husband divorced her. Her organization Gold Star Families for Peace has a piddly few members. Yet the media gives her scads of attention. I think I'm growing to hate the media.
We think New Mexico is the best kept secret for a winter location. The weather warmed up a bit and it was 69° today. When we got back from the city about half our loop was filled with campers! I'm surprised because it's mid-week. We have a real giant rig next to us. He's so big he's blocking out the sun! They're towing two dune buggy ATV vehicles. I presume they intend to rape the countryside while they're here by driving across the fragile desert habitat. It'll frighten away the birds and destroy the flora and fauna. They'll have a good time though, I guess.
My heart breaks for the son of Cindy Sheehan. He reenlisted and died trying to save others' lives. She shames her son so. Her husband divorced her. Her organization Gold Star Families for Peace has a piddly few members. Yet the media gives her scads of attention. I think I'm growing to hate the media.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Pelicans hanging out and relaxing
American White Pelicans
In October there was an Airstream trailer camped out on a mini-peninsula with open space all around him. Look at how it's shrunk! Now it's an island! The birds camp out there now. Today, lots of pelicans. They're so cute. When they fly they're magnificent. As I snapped my photos a gull was dancing in the wind above me. He was watching me.
Macrame necklace with a half knot
If ya wanna be a cowgirl
I always wondered how they made these twisty necklaces! It's so easy. It's a half knot the whole way around, over and over. It's even simpler than a square knot because a half knot is half of a square knot. Those beads, why those antiqued fake silver formed from the finest plastic to found anywhere in Hobby Lobby stores across America. They'll last you long past after you're dead. Now that's quality!
Each piece I make I learn a little more. First, why didn't anyone tell me to buy jewelry making hemp? It's called 'polished' so it's not itchy. Mine is a tiny bit itchy. I found a good selection of polished hemp twine at a store in Oklahoma. The other thing is, you have to have beads with really big holes. The third thing is you really need round or rounded beads to weave in because they will lay better. All the beads I bought had holes too small. Look, I put a bead on the end too. Yeah, I upgraded my technique. Heh.
This necklace is screaming for earrings though. I've never made earrings. Oh boy! Uh oh. I gotta make earrings next.
I'm going to make chokers for my nephews' birthdays. The young men really like this stuff. I want to get my nephew who fishes a lot, a Maori carved fish hook pendant. Saw one on Ebay...
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Indigo eyeglass necklace
For my mom
My mom's favorite color is blue. I made this for her. She wears one I made about a year ago which is blue and white daisies, and says she doesn't want another one. Thing is, that one looks like a sixth grader made it. (No offense against sixth graders!) I'm hoping she'll like this one and maybe quit wearing that other one.
I used two dichroic beads that I've had for over a year. It was as if they were made for this necklace. At the time that I picked them out - I didn't know they were for my mom. It's cosmic, baby.
Update: This one broke after a few months. My mom said it got caught in her glasses. I think it was too heavy and that's the reason it broke. They need to be very lightweight. Live and learn!
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Sandalwood essential oil
I read that sandalwood essential oil is good to put on the ends of your hair to alleviate dryness. After washing my hair today in a shower with a spray that barely kept me wet, with 55 degee weather outside and no heater, I dried it outside then applied a few drops of the eo on from about ear level on down. I like it! I even went outside and checked it in the sun. Usually I used jojoba, but this has imparted such a nice sheen to my hair.
Sandalwood eo is a keeper.
I went two weeks, fourteen days before I washed. Hey. Did I just see you make an "Ewww" face? I feel like, really accomplished. Heh.
I had our son give me a microtrim too. I have no idea how it turned out, I can't see back there, but he and my husband say it looks good. I explained real carefully that he should cut any uneven guys who are growing faster than everyone else. Do NOT give me a trim or a new hemline I told him. My husband couldn't stand it. He said he couldn't watch, so he excused himself. But he conceded that our son has the best eyes in the family.
Every four months I told our son, you gotta give me a microtrim. He said okay. He knows all the hair care terminology from hanging around me.
He said I should write it on his calendar for May. (He just finished spending two nights drawing his own calendar for 2006!) I did.
Sandalwood eo is a keeper.
I went two weeks, fourteen days before I washed. Hey. Did I just see you make an "Ewww" face? I feel like, really accomplished. Heh.
I had our son give me a microtrim too. I have no idea how it turned out, I can't see back there, but he and my husband say it looks good. I explained real carefully that he should cut any uneven guys who are growing faster than everyone else. Do NOT give me a trim or a new hemline I told him. My husband couldn't stand it. He said he couldn't watch, so he excused himself. But he conceded that our son has the best eyes in the family.
Every four months I told our son, you gotta give me a microtrim. He said okay. He knows all the hair care terminology from hanging around me.
He said I should write it on his calendar for May. (He just finished spending two nights drawing his own calendar for 2006!) I did.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
An eyeglass holder
An eyeglass necklace
It's just a bag of mixed Czech glass beads. I like the mix a lot though and think I'll buy some more at Hobby Lobby. I'm getting better at making nice neat knots in the clam shell bead tip.
My first macrame jewelry
Made of hemp
One hundred percent, high quality hemp grown in Hungary. Olivewood beads I ordered from Bethlehem, Israel. A buncha square knots.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Blog find: Real Live Preacher
Tonight I came across a nice blog. I haven't investigated any further except for this one entry. He's a Baptist minister who's learned to pray the rosary and likes it.
Today I had our son go find ten pebbles and one slightly bigger rock and I told him we're going to use them to count our prayers. He liked the idea. So he brought them in the trailie and washed them and dried them and I explained that in the Catholic Roman Rosary the little pebbles would be called the ave beads and the big rock is the pater, or you can say the little pebbles are the Hail Marys and the big rock is the Our Father, same thing said in a different way. He picked a pretty quartz stone for the Our Father prayer.
Today I had our son go find ten pebbles and one slightly bigger rock and I told him we're going to use them to count our prayers. He liked the idea. So he brought them in the trailie and washed them and dried them and I explained that in the Catholic Roman Rosary the little pebbles would be called the ave beads and the big rock is the pater, or you can say the little pebbles are the Hail Marys and the big rock is the Our Father, same thing said in a different way. He picked a pretty quartz stone for the Our Father prayer.
Finished Light on Snow book
I'm gonna be so sorry in the morning but I just finished reading my book Light on Snow by Anita Shreve. Incidentally she also wrote The Pilot's Wife, possibly the worst book I ever read. It really stunk. But Light on Snow was pretty darn good.
I'm dying to start on Gettysburg by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen. My husband just finished it and he was even crying at the end. What? MY husband? Over a book? Indeed. So I've gotta read this one. It was a New York Times bestseller and has 108 reviews at Amazon. My mom gave me the book. She's a total bibliophile. But we didn't know the end is not the end. There are three books in the series. My husband drove all the way to Cruces today for the second book. He had to have it.
I'm dying to start on Gettysburg by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen. My husband just finished it and he was even crying at the end. What? MY husband? Over a book? Indeed. So I've gotta read this one. It was a New York Times bestseller and has 108 reviews at Amazon. My mom gave me the book. She's a total bibliophile. But we didn't know the end is not the end. There are three books in the series. My husband drove all the way to Cruces today for the second book. He had to have it.
Monday, January 23, 2006
A Gameboy in my house
Anyone who knows me knows we don't do Gameboy. Our son received a late Christmas gift. It's a Gameboy. I'm extremely upset. I dislike television, video games, and Gameboy. We have excluded these things from our son's intellectual diet. Television is fine in moderation, and depending on what's viewed. Cartoons are okay, again depending on the toon. (Leia watches cartoons!) But there are some pretty disgusting cartoons drawn with characters who say and do things to appeal to the baser (low, vile, absence of higher values) human nature.
He received a Nemo and a Shrek game with it. We've never seen Shrek, but Nemo was cute.
He received a Nemo and a Shrek game with it. We've never seen Shrek, but Nemo was cute.
Earthquakes
When we first got our trailer, every time my husband or son would roll over in bed my eyes when fly open because I thought it was an earthquake. Small or big, either way even in a dead sleep my heart would be racing and my eyes wide open looking into darkness.
I was thinking last night, I don't do that anymore. I've must be used to the movement now.
In 1987 I was in the biggest earthquake I'd ever been in. The epicenter was about five miles away from us in Whittier. It was a 5.9. There were waves in the swimming pool about six feet high and water splashed right out of the pool. The entertainment center fell over in the living room. You know how they tell you get in a doorway for an earthquake? That's just to make you think there's something you can really do. How many door frames do you see still standing after a big quake? None! Duh! Thing is, in a large quake you also can't walk very well on account of the earth rolling or jumping under your feet and the doors are opening and closing on you so how you supposed to stand in one? Who ever came up with that safety tip? It's really noisy during a big quake, then after it's quiet again. Transformers explode in the distance. There's smoke in the air. Actually it's dust.
I still kind of like earthquakes, littler ones! Not big ones. The two stories that I wish I could forget are a college student killed by an ornamental precipice that fell from a building on campus during an aftershock, and a tot killed by a brick that fell out of the fireplace onto her head in her home. They're stuck in my memory bank.
I was thinking last night, I don't do that anymore. I've must be used to the movement now.
In 1987 I was in the biggest earthquake I'd ever been in. The epicenter was about five miles away from us in Whittier. It was a 5.9. There were waves in the swimming pool about six feet high and water splashed right out of the pool. The entertainment center fell over in the living room. You know how they tell you get in a doorway for an earthquake? That's just to make you think there's something you can really do. How many door frames do you see still standing after a big quake? None! Duh! Thing is, in a large quake you also can't walk very well on account of the earth rolling or jumping under your feet and the doors are opening and closing on you so how you supposed to stand in one? Who ever came up with that safety tip? It's really noisy during a big quake, then after it's quiet again. Transformers explode in the distance. There's smoke in the air. Actually it's dust.
I still kind of like earthquakes, littler ones! Not big ones. The two stories that I wish I could forget are a college student killed by an ornamental precipice that fell from a building on campus during an aftershock, and a tot killed by a brick that fell out of the fireplace onto her head in her home. They're stuck in my memory bank.
Everyone is well
Okie dokie. We're done with the flu. Everything is back to normal. I didn't get it. Woo hoo. Must be some kind of Y-chromosome flu.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Trip to B&N
The winds were so high today! We had gusts up to 60mph and it blew our satellite askew. Finally, I'm back online.
Drove into Cruces today. We got our son his first laptop and he's thrilled. Now we have to make space on the dining table for three machines. He's already made The Weather Channel his home page and customized his taskbar to show the local weather. He's like a little old man, checks the weather first thing every morning. He's now setting up his bookmarks: archie.com, united-states-flag.com, weather.com, activetoys.com, santa.com.
My husband took me to the bookstore and where else? The bead store! Two bead stores in fact. I wanted four books, bought two and ordered two. One I bought is to learn how to make hemp jewelry. I can't help it I still like hemp jewelry. I'm so stuck in the '70s. I also bought Beading for the Soul which [silent scream] was not on my list, but for some reason since I saw it online and saw it in the store I thought it was on my list. Shall I add, I didn't have my glasses with me and husband and son were waiting impatiently in the truck for me so I was in a rush.
The two I ordered are A String and a Prayer:How to Make and Use Prayer Beads and The Way We Pray: Celebrating Spirit from around the World. I'm going to start reading right now.
The beads I got are real pretty! In the second store I kept being drawn to the same color bead, carnelian. I didn't know it was carnelian but the bead store owner said all the beads I kept touching were carnelian! I've wanted some ever since I started beading so I finally indulged myself and purchased a string. Yum! Can't wait to use them.
Husband drove today but now he's back in bed. It's hard to make him stay in bed you know. Me, I'd be in bed all day, no problem. All he's eaten is some bread and a piece of banana that he had to swallow three times. This bug he has won't let him eat, and he's starving. It's a pretty mean flu bug that makes you hungry and won't let you eat! Usually with the flu you can't eat - and you don't wanna eat.
I got supplies for Rita to make an eyeglass necklace with her (she gave me the money to shop for her!) and I dropped by and gave her her stuff, but her dear husband is not feeling well. I don't know if we'll really get to make the eyeglass holders together. Jack's heart is not working well and he won't go to the hospital. When we first arrived to Elephant Butte we saw him out and about doing landscaping and such and now, he needs oxygen. It's happened so fast. My heart is heavy and sorrowful but there's nothing I can do. Jack is so nice. Our son has grown fond of him, and vice versa I think.
Drove into Cruces today. We got our son his first laptop and he's thrilled. Now we have to make space on the dining table for three machines. He's already made The Weather Channel his home page and customized his taskbar to show the local weather. He's like a little old man, checks the weather first thing every morning. He's now setting up his bookmarks: archie.com, united-states-flag.com, weather.com, activetoys.com, santa.com.
My husband took me to the bookstore and where else? The bead store! Two bead stores in fact. I wanted four books, bought two and ordered two. One I bought is to learn how to make hemp jewelry. I can't help it I still like hemp jewelry. I'm so stuck in the '70s. I also bought Beading for the Soul which [silent scream] was not on my list, but for some reason since I saw it online and saw it in the store I thought it was on my list. Shall I add, I didn't have my glasses with me and husband and son were waiting impatiently in the truck for me so I was in a rush.
The two I ordered are A String and a Prayer:How to Make and Use Prayer Beads and The Way We Pray: Celebrating Spirit from around the World. I'm going to start reading right now.
The beads I got are real pretty! In the second store I kept being drawn to the same color bead, carnelian. I didn't know it was carnelian but the bead store owner said all the beads I kept touching were carnelian! I've wanted some ever since I started beading so I finally indulged myself and purchased a string. Yum! Can't wait to use them.
Husband drove today but now he's back in bed. It's hard to make him stay in bed you know. Me, I'd be in bed all day, no problem. All he's eaten is some bread and a piece of banana that he had to swallow three times. This bug he has won't let him eat, and he's starving. It's a pretty mean flu bug that makes you hungry and won't let you eat! Usually with the flu you can't eat - and you don't wanna eat.
I got supplies for Rita to make an eyeglass necklace with her (she gave me the money to shop for her!) and I dropped by and gave her her stuff, but her dear husband is not feeling well. I don't know if we'll really get to make the eyeglass holders together. Jack's heart is not working well and he won't go to the hospital. When we first arrived to Elephant Butte we saw him out and about doing landscaping and such and now, he needs oxygen. It's happened so fast. My heart is heavy and sorrowful but there's nothing I can do. Jack is so nice. Our son has grown fond of him, and vice versa I think.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The flu is here
Well our boy has had the flu for several days and now his daddy's coming down with it. I had it so bad last year (I went to the hospital!) that I say I'm innoculated. Hope I miss it this year. I feel fine.
I got the bestest email this morning from my cyber friend Michele. It was long all right! And nobody else wrote me today so it was especially savored. My dad totally owes me an email. My sister, I had to get down and dirty and told her not to make me go to California to beat her up, so she wrote me a cursory email. Bless her little pin head. She works full time and drives the kids around to soccer and wrestling and what not, so I know she's real busy.
For two days I've been utterly engrossed in the Roman Rosary. It's always been a mystery to me. What the heck is a rosary I'd say to myself. What's the meaning. What's the purpose. As it turns out there's a plethora of information on the topic to be found on the trusty WWW.
So basically, beads for meditation have been around since forever. The Hindus are the first known to use prayer beads which makes sense because Hinduism is the oldest religion. But I'll put some of my research links here because invariably I delve into a new interest, swim in it for awhile, get sick of it and delete all my bookmarks, then six months later I have to search for them again.
I have some beautiful olivewood beads that I ordered from Bethlehem and they've just been sitting, waiting for me to do something with them. I plan to make myself a rosary. I'm going to learn the rosary so that I know it and am no longer mystified by it. But since Catholicism is far too paternalistic for me, I believe I shall end up making for myself a set of Anglican prayer beads.
I rather hate to upload this post because now the picture of my eyeglass holders won't be at the top of the page.
I got the bestest email this morning from my cyber friend Michele. It was long all right! And nobody else wrote me today so it was especially savored. My dad totally owes me an email. My sister, I had to get down and dirty and told her not to make me go to California to beat her up, so she wrote me a cursory email. Bless her little pin head. She works full time and drives the kids around to soccer and wrestling and what not, so I know she's real busy.
For two days I've been utterly engrossed in the Roman Rosary. It's always been a mystery to me. What the heck is a rosary I'd say to myself. What's the meaning. What's the purpose. As it turns out there's a plethora of information on the topic to be found on the trusty WWW.
So basically, beads for meditation have been around since forever. The Hindus are the first known to use prayer beads which makes sense because Hinduism is the oldest religion. But I'll put some of my research links here because invariably I delve into a new interest, swim in it for awhile, get sick of it and delete all my bookmarks, then six months later I have to search for them again.
I have some beautiful olivewood beads that I ordered from Bethlehem and they've just been sitting, waiting for me to do something with them. I plan to make myself a rosary. I'm going to learn the rosary so that I know it and am no longer mystified by it. But since Catholicism is far too paternalistic for me, I believe I shall end up making for myself a set of Anglican prayer beads.
I rather hate to upload this post because now the picture of my eyeglass holders won't be at the top of the page.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Beaded eyeglass necklace
Deep Blue Meditation
Tomorrow at 2:00p.m. I'm teaching a class about how to make beaded eyeglass holders. Several ladies in the campground whom I've grown quite fond are coming. Last night I threw this one together and today I made the little tag to go with. Presentation is half of the craft! I wanted bigger, more brightly colored organza bags, but ivory and small is all I could find.
Eyeglass necklaces are so nifty. Do you lose your glasses a lot? No matter where you go, there are your glasses, right there around your neck if you have an eyeglass necklace!
This one is called Meditation. When I finished it it reminded me of a meditation because when I decide to meditate my brain is blasted with hundreds of noisy, irrelevant thoughts all demanding my immediate attention at the same time. I greet each offender, then politely excuse it, and continue in meditation. It's that or throw a hissy fit and give up.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Elephant Butte Lake, NM
Today's sunset walk
We think New Mexico's State Parks are the best kept secret. It's so quiet and beautiful. We might host here next year too.
Lots of birds stop at the lake for winter and today as our son and I walked along the shore, four American White Pelicans graced us with a fly by. I spotted them in the distance at the other end of the lake and I suspected they weren't just gulls. I was wishing they would fly near us. Then they turned toward our direction and flew our way. All was quiet. They were so low we could hear wing feathers cut through the air. I know they were looking us over! Closer and closer they came, until the first one stopped flapping his wings, then the second, the third, and fourth; and silently, right over our heads, they all four glided by.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Art Bell's wife has passed on
Art Bell's wife died in her sleep from an asthma attack. I'm surprised to see that her death is already noted on Wikipedia.
I'm sad for Art. His radio talk show is real entertaining. It comes on at about 11:00pm. If you have nothing to do, it's a good listen. He has interviews and conversations on the topic of UFOs and aliens and paranormal occurences, but Art is so down to earth, so respectful to his callers, that sometimes you wonder, could some of what you're hearing be true? Depends on the caller. Some are complete utter wackos and some, might be one cookie short of a dozen, or might not. Yet no matter how outrageous the call, Art is never condescending. Good late night entertainment. Such success he has had with his show, that he now broadcasts straight from home in Pahrump. He lives in Pahrump, Nevada. Pah-what? Pahrump.
Pahrump, Nevada got its name from the Southern Paiute "pah" meaning water and "rimpi" meaning rock. One who lives in Pahrump is called a 'Pahrumpian.' Tell me you don't have to have a sense of humor to live in a place called Pahrump!
I'm sad for Art. His radio talk show is real entertaining. It comes on at about 11:00pm. If you have nothing to do, it's a good listen. He has interviews and conversations on the topic of UFOs and aliens and paranormal occurences, but Art is so down to earth, so respectful to his callers, that sometimes you wonder, could some of what you're hearing be true? Depends on the caller. Some are complete utter wackos and some, might be one cookie short of a dozen, or might not. Yet no matter how outrageous the call, Art is never condescending. Good late night entertainment. Such success he has had with his show, that he now broadcasts straight from home in Pahrump. He lives in Pahrump, Nevada. Pah-what? Pahrump.
Pahrump, Nevada got its name from the Southern Paiute "pah" meaning water and "rimpi" meaning rock. One who lives in Pahrump is called a 'Pahrumpian.' Tell me you don't have to have a sense of humor to live in a place called Pahrump!
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Bought avocado oil
I'm using my new avocado oil for deep conditioning tonight. It's supposed to add luster to hair. Fun facts about the avocado. And a good page about carrier oils. It's supposed to be one of the most penetrating oils, very moisturizing, full of vitamin E and other good stuff that nourishes skin, especially, ahem, maturing skin! Gimme some of that.
We drove into Cruces today. We learned that locals don't call Las Cruces 'Las Cruces.' They say, "I'm going in to Cruces today." I finally bought some sandalwood essential oil. It's premixed with jojoba which is okay with me. Smells nice. I have some glycerin and I'm making soap out of it, adding the sandalwood for fragrance. I bought some evening primrose oil for my son's hands. I read that it's good for eczema and his knuckles are so rough. He uses his hands a lot and gets so much soil, and paint, and cleansers on them. Hope it might help. I don't know about these natural remedies though. I bought a new pair of jeans. Gray. And ummmm, I got lilac water to spray on my hair to get the ridges out when I don't want ridges.
I have issues with jeans. The jeans I bought last time didn't shrink like I thought they would and they get stretchier and stretchier till I end up with a murph hanging off my bum. On a plumber it's okay. On me, it's ugly.
We drove into Cruces today. We learned that locals don't call Las Cruces 'Las Cruces.' They say, "I'm going in to Cruces today." I finally bought some sandalwood essential oil. It's premixed with jojoba which is okay with me. Smells nice. I have some glycerin and I'm making soap out of it, adding the sandalwood for fragrance. I bought some evening primrose oil for my son's hands. I read that it's good for eczema and his knuckles are so rough. He uses his hands a lot and gets so much soil, and paint, and cleansers on them. Hope it might help. I don't know about these natural remedies though. I bought a new pair of jeans. Gray. And ummmm, I got lilac water to spray on my hair to get the ridges out when I don't want ridges.
I have issues with jeans. The jeans I bought last time didn't shrink like I thought they would and they get stretchier and stretchier till I end up with a murph hanging off my bum. On a plumber it's okay. On me, it's ugly.
I fixed myself up today
I completely ignored the arrival of the new year, but 2006 must have seeped in through my pores! I was tired of my old look. Ever since we sold our house and started livin' on the road, seeing some of the Lord's best work, and meeting new people, well that old page of mine just wasn't me anymore.
Zen-like, contemplative with a touch of Mother Nature describes was the look I was going for. I incorporated my newly found life verse. Cool. And I read that black (font) on a white background improves readability , so I ended it with my gray font. Possibly, I may have gone overboard with the zoo zoos, wham whams and do-nothing gee-gaws in the sidebar, yet I felt I really needed a lunar phase calculator, a pixie weather girl, a Flicker mini-photo album, and a new, improved calendar. There goes months of entries on my old calendar, but you have to move with the times.
Just tryin' to make the reading more fun, don't 'cha know.
Zen-like, contemplative with a touch of Mother Nature describes was the look I was going for. I incorporated my newly found life verse. Cool. And I read that black (font) on a white background improves readability , so I ended it with my gray font. Possibly, I may have gone overboard with the zoo zoos, wham whams and do-nothing gee-gaws in the sidebar, yet I felt I really needed a lunar phase calculator, a pixie weather girl, a Flicker mini-photo album, and a new, improved calendar. There goes months of entries on my old calendar, but you have to move with the times.
Just tryin' to make the reading more fun, don't 'cha know.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Perimenopause and the hair on my back
Nobody told me that when I got into perimenopause that I would get hair on my back. I don't want hair on my back! Especially short, black, pokey hairs like Jeff Goldblum got in the movie The Fly. I had two years of electrolysis to depilate hair everywhere, but who ever thought it would come out on my back!
I found it last night and it felt just like the kind that popped out on Jeff when he got stuck in the machine and he didn't know a fruit fly was in there with him. I nearly had a heart attack. This was worse than my rare but recurring nightmare that I have zits covering my entire face. I wake, I feel my face, it's bumpy all over, but I know I'm not really awake. It's a tactile dream, and I force myself in my subconscious brain to know that it's just a dream. All the same, I wake in the morning and immediately feel my face and fly to the mirror to check for the zits.
Like I said, can I say it enough, I don't want hair on my back! I don't care if I am 46. I'm not dead yet. I have a lot of years left in me. First thing I thought is, I can't have my husband find this thing. It's good that I found it first, but how disgusting. He might not want to be with me again if you know what I mean, if he finds out about this.
So I got the tweezers and tried to pluck it out. Have you tried to tweeze anything on your back? It can't be done. But I am driven, I try and try, but I cannot nab that thing. I get a bright idea. I will have to ask our son to look at it and get rid of it tomorrow. I'm hoping he won't tell my husband about it.
Next morning, as soon as my husband left to do camp host work like clean the BBQ pits, I ask our boy, who has the sharpest eyes ever, to look at this hair and please take it out. He's so sweet and doesn't judge me at all. I'm thinking King Kong and he's just thinking, Mamma.
He took it out and says there, see the sliver Mamma, I got it. What? Sliver? Why the sweet 'lil punkin' I think to myself. If he's none the wiser, I'm not telling him it's a disgusting outgrowth. I get my glasses and study it real close. It didn't have a follicle and it was awful light colored and I didn't feel it get yanked out really.
Yesterday I had been standing with my back to a juniper tree (for my pictures ya know) and the juniper tree's trunk is very barky and shredded. I remembered there were juniper shreds all over my sweater when I took it off.
So, it was a sliver I had after all, and not a hair. I have a new lease on life!
And my little boy never said a word to my husband.
I found it last night and it felt just like the kind that popped out on Jeff when he got stuck in the machine and he didn't know a fruit fly was in there with him. I nearly had a heart attack. This was worse than my rare but recurring nightmare that I have zits covering my entire face. I wake, I feel my face, it's bumpy all over, but I know I'm not really awake. It's a tactile dream, and I force myself in my subconscious brain to know that it's just a dream. All the same, I wake in the morning and immediately feel my face and fly to the mirror to check for the zits.
Like I said, can I say it enough, I don't want hair on my back! I don't care if I am 46. I'm not dead yet. I have a lot of years left in me. First thing I thought is, I can't have my husband find this thing. It's good that I found it first, but how disgusting. He might not want to be with me again if you know what I mean, if he finds out about this.
So I got the tweezers and tried to pluck it out. Have you tried to tweeze anything on your back? It can't be done. But I am driven, I try and try, but I cannot nab that thing. I get a bright idea. I will have to ask our son to look at it and get rid of it tomorrow. I'm hoping he won't tell my husband about it.
Next morning, as soon as my husband left to do camp host work like clean the BBQ pits, I ask our boy, who has the sharpest eyes ever, to look at this hair and please take it out. He's so sweet and doesn't judge me at all. I'm thinking King Kong and he's just thinking, Mamma.
He took it out and says there, see the sliver Mamma, I got it. What? Sliver? Why the sweet 'lil punkin' I think to myself. If he's none the wiser, I'm not telling him it's a disgusting outgrowth. I get my glasses and study it real close. It didn't have a follicle and it was awful light colored and I didn't feel it get yanked out really.
Yesterday I had been standing with my back to a juniper tree (for my pictures ya know) and the juniper tree's trunk is very barky and shredded. I remembered there were juniper shreds all over my sweater when I took it off.
So, it was a sliver I had after all, and not a hair. I have a new lease on life!
And my little boy never said a word to my husband.
Monday, January 02, 2006
2006 Hair sig photo
Something new
I had my husband take some new pics of me today. He took a couple nice ones. I made a BIG decision tonight. I decided I'm making this signature pic and no more for the rest of the year. In January of 2007 I'll take another picture and then compare the two. So be sure to come back and read me on January 2, 2007. Make a note of it in your daily planner. In pen. I think it's the neatest thing when people show one year progress pics. The change is so dramatic and you get the 'oooh ahhhh' factor. Me, I have the shortest waist and it's taking forever for this hair to get past it.
The pretty elements in my new photo are from a kit made by Francine Hayman. I bought my two first kits last week. I'm becoming a digi-scrapper you know. I'm not very good yet, but I might be someday. I'm new at it and it's so fun. I'm working on making, designing is a stronger verb, a bunch of jewel case covers to go with the CDs that hold all my photographs.
Friday, December 30, 2005
I had a beaded hair net once
Back in the '80s I had the prettiest hair net you ever did see. It always got me compliments. My best recollection is the time I wore it to the Bolshoi Ballet in Los Angeles and as I walked down the stairs with my husband a girl behind us said, "Look at that. I want one." I positively glowed overhearing that, don't 'cha know.
The thing is, I picked it up at a drugstore for about a dollar. It was one of those old fashioned nylon hair nets that are so light that they're not supposed to show. The one I bought was brown, but it was beaded. It had tiny multicolored beads woven into it. It came in one of those old fashioned envelopes so I felt kind of stupid buying it, but it turned out to be one of my best purchases ever. I just totally lucked out in finding it.
When my son was one and a half he got into the drawer I had it in and basically, his little sticky hands were fascinated by it and he ruined it. I tried and tried to untangle it but couldn't. It was way too light and fine. Had to deep six it and I've never come across one like it since. I can find vintage hair nets, but none with seed beads.
The thing is, I picked it up at a drugstore for about a dollar. It was one of those old fashioned nylon hair nets that are so light that they're not supposed to show. The one I bought was brown, but it was beaded. It had tiny multicolored beads woven into it. It came in one of those old fashioned envelopes so I felt kind of stupid buying it, but it turned out to be one of my best purchases ever. I just totally lucked out in finding it.
When my son was one and a half he got into the drawer I had it in and basically, his little sticky hands were fascinated by it and he ruined it. I tried and tried to untangle it but couldn't. It was way too light and fine. Had to deep six it and I've never come across one like it since. I can find vintage hair nets, but none with seed beads.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Computer housekeeping
Last night I spent a couple hours burning photo images to four CDs. I freed up 2.6 gigs. My computer feels so good now.
Since purchasing my machine in May my shut down time has slowly crept up to nearly one minute. I mean, the other night I clicked shut-down, went to the bathroom, came back, and my laptop was still in shut-down mode. I despise how software developers take the liberty of placing their programs on auto start-up. So I ran msconfig and deleted about ten items from automatically starting up and running in the background. I unchecked the following:
Real Player
msmessages
Hp Digital Imaging
HP Image Zone
qttask
HPWuSchd2
hpcmpmgr
RAMASST
gcasServ
ctfmon
I used Start-up Inspector to look up the items that I wasn't familiar with such as RAMASST. My shut down time is back to 15 seconds.
Adobe sent out my Photoshop upgrade so I'm anxiously, excitedly, awaiting! That's why I'm cleaning up my machine. I just want everything nice and shiny for installation. I will have a steep learning curve right off the bat. The upgrade is called Photoshop CS2 but really it's Photoshop 9. Some marketing geekazoids went crazy and renamed it Creative Suite. I skipped Photoshop 7 and Photoshop Creative Suite 1 (aka Photoshop 8). And I'm upgrading to Creative Suite 2 (aka Photoshop 9). They should have just stuck with the numerals.
Since purchasing my machine in May my shut down time has slowly crept up to nearly one minute. I mean, the other night I clicked shut-down, went to the bathroom, came back, and my laptop was still in shut-down mode. I despise how software developers take the liberty of placing their programs on auto start-up. So I ran msconfig and deleted about ten items from automatically starting up and running in the background. I unchecked the following:
Real Player
msmessages
Hp Digital Imaging
HP Image Zone
qttask
HPWuSchd2
hpcmpmgr
RAMASST
gcasServ
ctfmon
I used Start-up Inspector to look up the items that I wasn't familiar with such as RAMASST. My shut down time is back to 15 seconds.
Adobe sent out my Photoshop upgrade so I'm anxiously, excitedly, awaiting! That's why I'm cleaning up my machine. I just want everything nice and shiny for installation. I will have a steep learning curve right off the bat. The upgrade is called Photoshop CS2 but really it's Photoshop 9. Some marketing geekazoids went crazy and renamed it Creative Suite. I skipped Photoshop 7 and Photoshop Creative Suite 1 (aka Photoshop 8). And I'm upgrading to Creative Suite 2 (aka Photoshop 9). They should have just stuck with the numerals.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Calendars as gifts
Man, my brain is fried. I just spend hours on the Shutterfly site uploading, arranging, cropping, and putting captions on a calendar I "designed." Okay, I did the photography and let Shutterfly do pretty much the rest. It took me an hour to figure out how to add recipients and mailing addresses so I could have calendars mailed directly to my family. Nice convenience. I hope they turn out well. They look pretty online. I read several posts from women who were pleased with the service. I ordered six. It all totaled $88.33. That price includes shipping to six different addresses: my mom, my dad, my sister, my eldest son, my sweet step-sister, and me. It's a good deal. I saved $59.00 because now till the 31st they're offering a special discount; buy one at $19.99 and get the second at 50% off. Twenty dollars for one is steep and that's what you pay before Christmas. Wait till after Christmas like me, and yay, you save! Avoiding the hassle of driving to the copy shop, waiting in line, fretting over whether the help gets it done right, and having to mail them myself makes it worth every penny. I just hope they turn out...
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Progress with my blue heron
A little better
This guy was more of a poser. He didn't fly away. Actually he's sitting on a tiny island and I can't get any closer so he feels safe and comfy.
My batteries went dead and I failed to bring my extra set. What an amateur! I got all the pictures I wanted so no biggie. Although, I want to go back to try different settings and I want to try continuous burst mode, but I need him to fly away too, yet I don't want to bother him and make him fly away. Maybe I'll go find those ducks...
Friday, December 23, 2005
Adobe Photoshop upgrade for me!
My husband got me the latest Photoshop upgrade for Christmas. Oh la la. I can't wait to install it. I have 6.0 and never bought the 7.0 version because it didn't actually have anything awesome that I had to have, but Photoshop CS2 sure does. I have to phone tomorrow and ask them to snail mail me a CD though. I tried to download the software but our satellite modem doesn't like it. Darn it. I could be playing with it right now.
I got my husband some socket sets and a combination wrench. Can you say woo-hoo. :-/ He has a box for me to open too. He always gets me things I want and LOVE and I am never able to get him anything really good. I'm terrible at giving him presents. It makes me feel a little bad. It's been 21 years and still I'm not good at giving him gifts. He wants a new shiny exhaust pipe thing for the truck, but I can't just walk in a store and buy an exhaust system. I tell myself gifts aren't my strong suit, and he's still with me after all these years, so maybe I have a different strong suit. Hopefully.
For our first anniversary he got me Madonna boots. Who remembers those? I wore them with socks, cutoff tights, and a shamefully short mini skirt. Back then in college, I danced six days a week and one day a guy walked by and said I had nice legs. I said, "What?" like I was deaf or something and he said it again. I was embarrassed. It was nice of him to say though. Twice even!
I still have those boots. I take 'em out of my closet now and then, dust them off, rub 'em with my sleeve, to bring back the shine. I tend to linger over them. But then I carefully return them to their place, the exact same spot. I can see where they belong because no dust has gathered where the soles rest. I don't go that far in my closet very often. They're just shoes, I know that. But they're also piece of my life. My history. It's like, there's a little tiny bit of my heart there, back in the back of the closet. I love those shoes. Well, I love my husband.
I got my husband some socket sets and a combination wrench. Can you say woo-hoo. :-/ He has a box for me to open too. He always gets me things I want and LOVE and I am never able to get him anything really good. I'm terrible at giving him presents. It makes me feel a little bad. It's been 21 years and still I'm not good at giving him gifts. He wants a new shiny exhaust pipe thing for the truck, but I can't just walk in a store and buy an exhaust system. I tell myself gifts aren't my strong suit, and he's still with me after all these years, so maybe I have a different strong suit. Hopefully.
For our first anniversary he got me Madonna boots. Who remembers those? I wore them with socks, cutoff tights, and a shamefully short mini skirt. Back then in college, I danced six days a week and one day a guy walked by and said I had nice legs. I said, "What?" like I was deaf or something and he said it again. I was embarrassed. It was nice of him to say though. Twice even!
I still have those boots. I take 'em out of my closet now and then, dust them off, rub 'em with my sleeve, to bring back the shine. I tend to linger over them. But then I carefully return them to their place, the exact same spot. I can see where they belong because no dust has gathered where the soles rest. I don't go that far in my closet very often. They're just shoes, I know that. But they're also piece of my life. My history. It's like, there's a little tiny bit of my heart there, back in the back of the closet. I love those shoes. Well, I love my husband.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Honeysuckle EO
I received the honeysuckle essential oil that I ordered online. It smells sweet! Tomorrow I think I'll add a few drops to some sweet almond oil. I read that sweet almond oil is the most popular of carrier oils. I'd like to have a nice fragrance to wear but there are so few that I like and so many are just so, overwhelming. Don't people know that a fragrance shouldn't announce itself before you enter the room? Only people very close to you should smell your perfume. Loud fragrance is just like YELLING AT EVERYONE AROUND YOU.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Here come da judge!
Here come da judge!
Gambel's Quail. Male. Is he a fat dude or what? We love the warbling sound they make in the morning. Our son puts seed out for them. Lots of the campers do, and so they don't miss many meals!
Blue Heron
Bird
I drive the truck down where I know he is. He hangs out at the same place every day. He hears me and thinks, oh nooo, not her again, and gives a horrible, loud squawk as he flies off.
Kara wrote and told me he's a blue heron. Thanks Kara!
Duck in grayscale
In grayscale
There's lots of dead Saltcedar in the water, also called Tamarisk. It's an exotic plant actually, originally from Eurasia. It's considered a pest now because it sucks up a lot of water and squeezes out native vegetation. I'm fascinated by how it looks in the water. This body of water is a sort of big pond near the Rio Grande. Maybe it's at lower elevation and that's why the water collects here.
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