Snow in Three Rivers!!!!

So, Thursday morning, Scottie wakes me before it's light out to ask if I've seen what's going on outside. Now, that's a dangerous thing to do. I'm not someone who wakes up cheerfully, and the obvious answer to his question is, "well, I'd have to be upright and have my eyes open." But, I did get up, and it was worth it!

Snow, really, at our elevation (1500 feet), wet, heavy, beautiful snow. This is my cute little bench and rock wall with snow.



Once the world got light enough for me to see and my camera to work well, the snow views were incredible. It's not often that the snow level gets down this low.


We decided to take Buck and Cocoa for an off-leash walk and let them play in the snow. They had a ball! They'd take off and head up or down the hills, but surprisingly they came back each time. Many of you may recall that Buck has a history of running away. He's gotten much better at knowing that he actually lives with us.


On our street - Hammond - we ran into a tree that had fallen down across the road. The problem with wet, heavy snow, beautiful as it is, is that it can be quite damaging to trees. We saw several more down around the area and found out at the coffee shop that much of South Fork had no power, so much of South Fork had elected to show up at The Buckeroo for breakfast.






My Buckeroo, alias Baby Buck, alias Dumb S--t dog, took the lead on this part of the walk, but Cocoa wasn't far behind.


By mid-afternoon the snow was gone at our elevation, but still there in the hills and mountains above us.

Much as I wish it would have hung around a bit longer, maybe it's the fact that it doesn't that allows me to like it so much.

Those winters in Illinois, with fanny deep snow, were not so well loved. Nope.

How pretty it's been!

Pheeling Philosophical

OK, why does Ph sound like F? Why not just use F?

I've been reading online news, wondering what is going on with our country, our people, the world at large. . . .

First, Tatiana the Tiger escapes her cage, kills one, and mauls 2 more. Let me first say that the intelligence of Tatiana is amazing. She didn't injure anyone other than the 3 involved in the taunting, two of whom she apparently had to track down. Methinks we underestimate the rest of the animal world, species-centric beings that we humans are. So, we have 3 young men drinking and stoned who decide on Christmas day to go to the zoo and taunt a large predator. Could we just call it felony stupid and move on? Then could we also admit that putting large predators in enclosures that are designed more for the viewing public, read that as "paying" public, than for the safety of the animal and the public is the same kind of stupid. Obviously the zoo is going to be sued & will pay major bucks. That seems to be the only way corporate America learns anything, and yes I see these large zoos as little more than money-generating corporations. So they will get to pay their penalty in the only realm that really matters to them. And the 3 young men have learned a lesson one would hope, well actually 2 may have learned a lesson, one just died for his stupidity. And Tatiana was executed. Everybody gets punished in the way most poetically suited to them. Such is the law of the jungle.

We seem to have this mistaken idea that we are at the top of the food chain. It takes very little to prove just how untrue that is. Life ain't a video game, and as the old story goes it's not so much that we need help holding on to the tiger - we may need help letting go.

Then we have the current political campaign show. It's not much different. On the Republican side, Rudy is finding out that character matters. Romney thinks he has enough money to buy the presidency - and given that the country is heavily in debt while he's loaded, maybe he does. Huckabee wants to make "God's law" - his version that is - the law of the land & has Chuck Norris as his personal enforcer. Fred thinks he can try out for the part but the writers' strike must be hurting him. And McCain is hampered by history. For the Dems, Edwards seems to be having trouble with jury selection. Obama can't sell a "let's just get along" view. And Hillary. . . well, much of her "experience" is in accepting the unacceptable.

I may write in Buckeroo. He likes most everybody, but provoke him at your peril. He will protect the borders of his territory quite well, and he knows who the "bad guys" are (in his case it's coyotes). He recognizes when he's at a disadvantage, i.e., on leash, and is especially careful then. He's got way more going for him than most of our so-called leaders.

This world of ours is very contradictory. On one hand we have very porous borders what with air travel, internet, global trade, etc. On the other hand, at times we revert to the primitive with Bin Laden able to hide out for years in the mountains of Afghanistan/Pakistan and all our technology unable to bring him in. The old ways and old ideas don't fit the modern reality; yet we forget our natures, our animal natures, only at great cost. It's a time of transition. Some of the questions that will face the leaders we will elect have no present answers and will call for creativity and a huge leap of faith. I long for leaders, statesmen/women if you will, not politicians. I don't want sound bites, focus groups, and canned rhetoric. Character, Courage, Creativity.

And, while I might wish to dig in and hide, I'll take the viewpoint about this election that my favorite uncle took about the Catholic Church: The show's been playing for centuries and the costumes are great. So, I'll go - to the poll on February 5th, not church - and play my little bit part. The thing is that without the bit players the big show makes no sense.

Question of the Week: How much worse can I feel?

FF definitely has the upper hand right now and I'm not likin' it. I tried napping on the day bed today with Buck and Cocoa, but I barely got us all 3 settled when the phone rang. Gave it up.

So, seen any nice pregnant onions lately?


I got this little lady a year or so ago at the native plant society, but I'm pretty sure it isn't a native. Actually, I don't know what it's really called - just a pregnant onion, so called for the little "babies" she produces off her main bulb. Once the babies get a little bigger they can be separated from the main bulb and planted to start a new plant. Cool, huh?









And we have some of my epiphytes planted in river rock in an old, old dough bowl I bought in New Mexico. They live next to an orchid, also an epiphyte.

There are a couple more orchids hanging out in the downstairs bath awaiting their next bloom time.

Like those epiphytes.






You see, the deal is that I try to distract myself wen I feel this bad. Dogs, cats, plants. I even tried reading some more of the History of the World, but I can't really concentrate today. Guess it's hot bath time. Some times that helps. Not often.

Tough Week

Some days you're the windshield; some days you're the bug!

Seems that much of this week, I've been the bug. My little part time job has been difficult - something it just normally is NOT. Relationships have been tested to say the least.
Weather has been up and down, which always means my allergies go haywire.
And, just to add to the fun, my fibromyalgia has gone into a major flare, no, not just a flare, really a major flare. Seems that stress sets it off much, much more than anything physical does. So, it's been pain city for me.

Scottie got back from San Diego, and I have been pretty much a slug. We did manage to get to a movie today - The Bucket List. How can any movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman be anything other than good? It was. But, I have yet to cook a meal since he got home. Tomorrow. I've promised.

As always, my critters are a comfort. Check this out:



Of course I know that many people would find this anything but comforting. I was relaxing on the day bed in my studio, checking movie listings on the laptop, when Lucy Cat decided to join me. She's the one who always knows when I feel really awful. Then Cocoa joined us. Time was that it was totally impossible to have Lucy and Cocoa this close. Now they even touch noses! Then Buck felt left out and invited himself up. Fortunately I'd already found out when and where the movie was - love fandango.com - before they all decided to "help" me.

Tomorrow I cook. And I do laundry. Doubt if I clean though.

Sofa Art

There is a local art show that is very tongue-in-cheek called Sofa Art. I'm told it originated after some nasty critic referred to an artist's work as nothing more than sofa art - to fill wall space above a sofa. So, for the past 13 years there has been a Sofa Art show in which all entries have to feature a sofa or chair, etc., and conform to the theme for the year. The show is not juried; the only prize is the People's Choice Award; and the whole thing is just for fun.

So, I've done a goofy, almost cartoonish painting that I was originally going to call Party 'Till The Cows Come Home - as we used to say in the mid-West. Once I learned that no one in this area has ever heard that expression and it is meaningless, I had a terrible time coming up with a title.

So, here's the painting:

And, it's title is, drumroll please,

"...and all you've done is stare at that heifer's udder all night."


OK, I know it's goofy, but it is a just for fun show!

Wet weekend

What a great couple of days we've had! Over 2 1/2 inches of rain since Friday night. River is running great & there's snow in the high Sierra, portending a good Spring rafting season. Everything is green and wet and healthy looking.



Saturday evening saw a break in the rain and a beautiful sunset. You can tell from the low, dark clouds that we aren't done with the rain though. And, sometime during the night I heard it start again.










This morning we have snow down lower than yesterday. This looks up toward Moro Rock, which is hidden in clouds, and is taken from our balcony.










We also have low clouds all the way down into our major valley (the main fork of the Kaweah River).










I may have done a bit too much yesterday. Got up this morning and tried to make the espresso for my morning latte with beans - forgot to grind them. So, the plan for the day is not to get too caught up in how dirty the house is. I'm back to working on my book, and I have a painting to finish for the Sofa Art Show. More about that when I'm ready to post a photo of the painting. For now, enjoy your day, that's what I'm going to do!

Shed is up

Scottie had me outside and working at first light yesterday! We wanted/needed to get the shed under roof before the big storm hit. . . .




Wierd though it may be, I love power tools! So, there we were putting up the rafters, very much a two-person job, so that Scottie could get the rest done before leaving for San Diego.
When you have X amount to spend on a shed and limited real construction experience, the best way seems to be a kit. Scottie, ever the perfectionist, has strengthened it every step of the way. It's got screws, not nails; it's got stiffening between the floor joists; it's got the "optional" floor that I personally don't see how you could do without unless you wanted to pour concrete.



So he continued working, working, working and got the rest of it put together. We still have to shingle the roof and attach the two doors, but that can wait until he gets back from San Diego. For now, it's under roof and safe in the elements. (Spots on this photo are rain drops on the camera lens; it's started and supposed to go on and on and on.)

After finishing all this, Scottie faced about a 6 hour drive, arriving SD last night about 10 PM. I swear he's 69 going on 12. That man has energy enough for 2 or 3 people. I'll rest while he's gone.

A busy beginning to 2008

After taking down all the Christmas decorations, I couldn't bring myself to put everything back on the mantle and shelves. So, we have a bit of a pared down look to show off the new windows. I'm really lovin' them!


Practically killed myself today helping Scottie with the shed construction. In case you didn't know, my secret santa got me a terrific garden shed to replace the one that blew up in the storm. We elected to get a kit type and build ourselves. Quite the experience so far.



Just coming up with a level space was quite the challenge on our hillside lot. But, that was finally managed. Then came assembling the floor up on the level parking area and moving down to place on the concrete piers. Not fun.

We did finally get it in place, level and square. No easy trick. All that's been done over the past couple of days. Then came today. . .



By the end of a very long day we'd assembled both gable ends, complete with siding and the cut out for the door, and assembled the structure for the 2 side walls, got them in place and attached to one-another, got the side walls toe-nailed (one of those technical terms) to the floor, and have the whole thing braced in case we get a wind tonight.






Scottie is still smilin', posin' for the camera and generally being a major goof.








On the other hand, I can barely stand up.



And, just for the record, the next person who gets me one of these tops with a pocket in front (cute though they may be), will be officially disowned. I am tired of looking pregnant in photos & I think I have 3 of these, all received as gifts!

Dogs were walked this morning and supervised construction the rest of the day. They are already asleep, and I won't be far behind, but first. . .


it's off for pizza we go!

Merry Christmas

Let's start with our Christmas Eve reality:

Tis the night before Christmas

and all through this place

there's no heat a flowin',

not even a trace.

The furnace has stopped, and

now it won't go.

The temp is a fallin'

though so far it's slow.

A party we've planned

for tomorrow afternoon,

but if the heat won't start up

folks will leave here real soon.

On Christmas eve

just who do you call?

The builder who's usually

no help at all?

And who was the sub

who put in the furnace?

Of that piece of info

we can't find a trace.

This story will start

again with the dawn.

We'll either have heat

or we'll soon be gone.

To be continued. . . .

Scottie got up of course

as the loudest and first.

Feeling cold air, I

suspected the worst.

Alas it was true,

no heat would there be,

and my heart filled with fear

for a ruined Christmas party.

I got up quite grumpy,

feeling cold and depressed

Yet I managed to pull on a robe,

not ready to get dressed.

While I lit up the oven

and mixed up the scones

Scottie got busy with a

job of his own.

He cut up some wood,

though damp it might be,

and built a nice fire

to warm up little me.

By the time we ripped open

the gifts we'd received

My heart had lightened;

I was feeling relieved.

It might be a bit cold here

and the fire makes for grit,

but I suspect in the long run

it won't matter a bit.

We've found Christmas gladness,

I'd even say cheer, and

All I could wish is that

You all were here!

So, that's the way it has gone. We had a nice Christmas morning with fresh scones and a fire. Thanks to some low clouds we didn't get the really cold weather that can come with very clear weather. The fireplace kept the downstairs nicely warm. Check out Scottie - with part of the uniform for the racing team he's been invited to join - AND with the bike horn, which turns out to be a great dog discipline tactic!

We had way, way too many deserts, but the folks who showed up really seemed to enjoy them. We'll have deserts to contribute to the upcoming New Year's Eve and New Year's Day parties.

The table looked really nice with all the Christmas trees. Friend Yvonne sent me a tree that she has had for years. It's really crazy how many things she and I have shared in common for all these years without even knowing it. Y also sent Scottie the bike horn and got a big laugh from both of us.

Our tree will get the decorations pulled off soon so we can plant it. Have to come up with a name though. . . .



Oh, we'll also need to get the heating contractor here!



Well I'm tired. It's 7:30, and I'm already in bed!

Would you eat the cookin' from this kitchen?

OK, it could be Julius Child. . . .

Or the Mad Scientist. . . .

Maybe Bertie Crocker. . . .

All I know for sure is that many ingredients in the hands of this one man made a HUGE mess!

I'm not tellin' what all got wiped with that towel, and certainly not all the words used, but he did manage to come up with something edible.

We named them Scottie's Sinfully Sugary Sensations. And, they're all gone. Maybe he'll make more.

Visitors both 2 and 4 legged

We've been a busy locale lately. We've had the coyote clan moving through in the middle of the night several times. That always means that Cocoa and Buck start howling an eerie, mournful sound and won't quit until the coyotes are out of range.

Than we've had Oso the Bear who has finally discovered our garbage cans. For some time we'd seemed immune to Mr. Bear, but he's now found us. We'll need to come up with a system to thwart him if this continues.



Then the 2 - leggeds:

Ron, on the left in the photo, whose father was a friend of Scottie's decades ago, and Victor, who we've known for 10 or 15 years, came to visit for a "boys" trip. This is just before they headed up the mountain, and yes, Ron did have long pants in the van.

I could listen to Victor all day. He has a beautiful accent and a most interesting life story from fleeing Lithuania at 3 or so in a hay wagon, through growing up in Columbia, to MIT and onward even including an arranged marriage to the daughter of a friend of his mother. Plus, he's a kind man. When he got the old family estate in Lithuania back a few years ago, he deeded to house and some acreage to the long-term caretakers. I like that in a human.

Always fun to have good friends visit. Wen are YOU coming?

Christmas is gettin' closer! I already got presents.

First let me correct a mis-perception: NONE of our 4 kids are joining us for Christmas. Apparently my prior post made it sound like they are. Monica and family will be in Charlotte; Jeff and family will be in Atlanta; Sarah, grandpa Hughie and family will be in San Diego; and Amanda and kids will be in . . . . Nicaragua.

Now, about those presents:

First, we have snow in the high country. This is Moro Rock taken from our balcony. Won't last, but it looks cool in the meantime.








Then, my Christmas gift from Scottie. We went to Bakersfield Saturday & had a bit of a rocky day. I didn't feel well; store wasn't where it was supposed to be; Scottie didn't want me to listen to Willie Nelson (well, I think it's good), but it ended well.

Scottie let me pick two little stained glass windows for my Christmas gift. I've always thought that "someday" I'd get a couple to go in the small windows on either side of the fireplace. Well, someday arrived!

The windows, being far from energy efficient, are installed to hang in the opening, but leaving the real windows in place behind.

Looks pretty pleased with himself doesn't he?




Of course putting the Christmas greenery back up in front of the windows takes something from it, but it will be way cool on an ongoing basis!



If you click on the photo below, you can see how it looks for now up close and personal.






Of course, this means there will be nothing in my Christmas stocking on Christmas day!


Unless YOU send me something that is. Want my list?

Update on "Stormy Weather"

OK, here's the scoop:

Stormy Weather was written in 1933 and first sung by Ethel Waters at the Cotton Club in Harlem. Wowsa. Since then it seems everybody and their brother has recorded the song. In 2004, Ethel Waters' version was chosen by the Library of Congress to be included in the National Recording Registry.

And, you might ask, just what is the National Recording Registry? Well, friendly reader, it was set up to preserve sound recordings that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically important and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." Can't claim I fully get it, but it would appear that some rather important folks think the original recording of Stormy Weather is important. Works for me.

Stormy Weather

Wasn't that an old song title? Who sang it? I can't remember.

Anyway, we had a wonderful rain storm last night. This morning we have low hanging clouds and wet foliage all around.


The scenery around here changes so quickly this time of year. All of a sudden things green up. We have running water in the river. You can almost feel the parched earth sighing in relief after the months of dry weather.







When you look to the East, up toward Eagle Peak, there's a group of Sycamore trees that grow in a natural watercourse. Now, a sycamore isn't really a tree that gets pretty fall/winter color. They do get some yellow, but it's not the beautiful gold type, then the leaves turn brown and fall off. Only at times like this, when the leaves are sparkling with moisture, do they really take on a beautiful sunny shade and appear to shimmer on the hillside. And above the sycamores you can see the flume that carries water down the mountain.


Love this time of year, just love it. Love the wet weather. Love Christmas season though not the commercialization.

You can expect me to be ridiculously happy for the next several weeks. Hope you're feeling good too!

I'm SO excited!

I really, really wanted to have Christmas at home for our first year in the new house. Not an easy trick when family is spread from coast to coast.

But, that's exactly what we are doing, and we are going to host a Christmas afternoon desert party just to liven things up! So, I've been decorating.
Tree will come in last since we do a live one and try not to keep it in the house too long before it goes outside to be planted, but most everything else is done.

This is the view as you come in the front door:


I like how the garland looks draped in front of the two little windows on either side of the fireplace.

The white lump in front of the patio doors (to the right and sorta behind the table) is all the tree decorations covered with the table cloth I use as a tree skirt.






Pretty much my favorite part of the decorating is getting out my crystal tree forest. Most of the trees were collected by my mother-in-law. I've added a few more, especially last year when everything was in storage and they were all we had for Christmas decorations. I've learned ebay is a great place to find them.

A few tiny green balls in the bamboo and it becomes part of the decorating scheme too, as does the fiddle leaf fig with some big red bows added. It had to move away from the patio doors to make way for the Christmas tree.


In the window to the right are my tumbling Santas that I bought when my kids were little! Let's see, Jeff's almost 41, guess I've had them a while.

When it's night, the candles are lit, and the lights above are on dim, this will sparkle! Other than 3 lace trees, everything is green and white crystal & I stuck with that theme for the ones I bought. I like that Ruth's and mine are now mixed and no one can tell which are which.




This tree moved from the corner to the base of the steps to give the top-heavy fig a safe place to live for the duration.

Amazing what a bow and a couple of oversize balls can do to make a tree look holiday-ish.


These two balls were part of the group that hung in my library corner in New Mexico. Everything the last year there was Silver, Green & White.




Since I'm such a sentimental goof, I have some stuff that's old, really old.




My little Charlie Brown tree for instance is a twig tree, all brown and homely. It has tiny ornaments and bows, and every year it gets stuck in a big box after Christmas without removing any of the stuff. Next year - just pull it out and it's ready to go. I may spend a bit of time this year and take stuff off and re-hang it a bit more pretty. Or maybe not.












At each side of the fireplace are the pets stockings - two per side. Right now they are on with scotch tape until I pick up some of the removable hangers that stick on. I love how the clear, oversize ornament looks in the window. For the party we'll light some of the old laterns too.

Friend Yvonne made the big stockings, one for Scottie and one for me. Quite cool. And large enough to hold BIG presents should you want to send me something!



And, yes, the bathrooms get decorated too. This is the half bath downstairs. It doesn't get a lot - just a little tree covered in tiny wrapped packages and a few candles.

Wonder how many candles I can light for the party?













Moving upstairs - yes, I decorate that way too - We have the Christmas cat boxes on the steps.

Think I need to put a big bow on the old highchair and something on the rail.














In our room all I've done (so far) is take down the painting above the bed and replace it with a grape vine wreath decked in silver ribbon and with a single glass ornament in the center.

I may do a touch more in this room, but I like my bedroom quiet, so no reds here.







Guest bedroom has my stuffed moose (or mousse for our old dog) that plays music, and the Christmas bear that is his girlfriend. May have to put a bow on Lucy Cat. Nahhhhh.













The guest bath has the oldest thing of all. This is a big pine cone that I decorated when my kids were tiny. It's a bit worse for the years but still stands up if leaned on something, and still has most of its tiny, tiny ornaments. Call me sentimental.











So far all I've done in the laundry room/studio is
put out the box where I store Christmas cards. What? You don't save them? I have maybe 3 years worth, but since the box is full, I'll have to get rid of a few this year.


So, the tree is yet to come in. The steps need more work. Nothing in the master bath yet. Outdoor stuff to be finished too.

But, I'm mostly there.

OK - I've been busy

Haven't posted to the blog for quite a while, not because I've lost interest, just been busy!

Of course it's the time of year that we are all busy. Here are a couple of my recent projects:



Friend, ex-landlady, and boss, Nola, is one of those people who will get herself anything she really wants, so there's very little to get for her that has any special meaning.

Since I've gotten to know her grandchildren, Farrah and Fifin, I decided to paint them.

Now I get into my perfectionism/insecurity/who-knows-what stuff about my art. Nola seemed to like the paintings. The emphasis on "seemed" is mine. Never, ever do I finish a painting and feel perfectly pleased. In my mis-guided youth I used to hold ritual burnings every 60 days or so, then quit painting entirely for decades. I've gotten past that, but I still go through my angst.



Of course I couldn't wait for Christmas to get here.


I've already given these to Nola in hopes she'll get to enjoy them now.















Since we don't all get to have our grandbabies close at hand, here's my baby:


He's even learned to respond to "Baby Buck". His personality is just such a complete baby at 2 1/2. I can't imagine that he will ever really be a grown up. Buck likes to cuddle, be hugged, would love to be a lap dog, but at 115 or so it's a tad too much.


House guests coming in tonight. Friends Michelle and Dawn from San Diego will be here for the weekend, so watch this space next week for photos.

The rock's in - even leveled!

We actually have usable space, parking, and room to drive on the side of the house. What a treat!

We got two loads of road base delivered and spread out in the parking area.

I'm thinking I'll make a little herb garden at the side of the house. We've even got road base in the area leading to the dog door so they don't bring in mud.




The parking area will be back by the propane tank. Some time, maybe next year, we'll put a carport back there. And, we've actually got room to back out and drive out forward - what a concept!



Just to the back of the oak trees, but not visible in the photo, are my steps so I can access the little area above. I managed to scrounge enough of the road base to put on those too.



This will turn more brown over time from the dirt getting on it from tire wheels, etc. Don't know if we'll have the polymer stuff that was used on the driveway put on this.




And why is it wet?



Puppers got baths today.

Since I have to tie them so they can't go roll in the dirt, we do the baths on the porch. Before the road base that meant more mud to deal with.

Aren't they gorgeous? Cocoa is so shiny and her muscles show up beautifully; and Buck actually shows his real white coloration. That ought to be good overnight, not much more.

We are doing a big break with tradition this year. Scottie and I are going to eat out for Thanksgiving - at a nice place, may even dress up a bit.

And, we're going to do an open house on Christmas day. Time to start building our own traditions in Three Rivers and this is a good way to start. We also have a couple of sets of good friends visiting soon. Michele and Dawn arrive on Friday, November 30 and leave early the following Monday, a quick visit. Then a couple of Scottie's guy buddies arrive for a couple of days. And we're hoping Sarah, Bobby, Justin and Grandpa Hughie (oh, and Foxy) may come up for Christmas.

Hope your Thanksgiving plans are as easy as ours!