HOON HERALD

It Snowed in Seattle

2012-01-17T18:04:00.001-08:00

Frog Johnson

2011-09-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

This colorful little guy, a tree frog, has been residing recently and "singing" at the Johnson's house (Laura, Bryan, Kara, Justin, Pepper, Maddie) in their rose bushes -- thus the name, "Frog Johnson."
(photo by Kara)

Morning Dew on the Agapanthus

2011-09-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

An up-close look at dew drops on the agapanthus in our front yard yesterday morning.

From Washington's Highest Restaurant

2011-09-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

Dave and I had lunch at Washington's highest restaurant with a stunning view of Mt. Rainier on a beautifully clear day. It was my birthday present. A very nice one. We rode a speedy new red gondola to our great viewpoint where we could even see a bit of Mt. St. Helens, 63 miles in the distance, along with other mountain peaks.

Let Maru Entertain You!

2011-07-23T08:41:00.001-07:00

A Fruity Masterpiece!

2011-05-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

Jen and I (mostly Jen) collaborated on this fruit bouquet which our family enjoyed with mimosa at our get-together to celebrate Easter and also Jen's birthday (a bit early). Yum!

A Ukelele & Violin Duet! Yah!

2011-05-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's a Hat!

2011-03-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

Kate Middleton, Princess-to-be, has some really unique hats. Check out this website to see ten of them. Actually, this type of hat is called a fascinator!

She's Hungry!

2011-03-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Jen worked at home yesterday hot-glueing all this stuff together for Oh Snap Studios - a company that brings custom-built photo booths to events and parties. If you're wondering about the infrastructure -- Patrick's talents are at work here. There are dowels, wood, styrofoam, thread and hardware hidden underneath all that "food."

Splashing Happy in a Puddle!

2011-03-26T11:51:00.000-07:00

An elk calf....
..

Today is St. Pat's Day

2011-03-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

So - my Thanksgiving Cactus decided to bloom -- to celebrate, I guess.... (Actually, this is the only blossom.) But anyway, Happy St. Pat's Day!

Trolls in the News!

2011-03-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Charlie Sheen for playing a part in bringing about this delightful monologue!

Our Former Neighbor Matt's Music

2011-02-27T08:42:00.001-08:00

I googled "Matthew Marth Vienna" and the first listing included his photo and a free download of his album, Warriors! (with worries). He's still playing the saxophone. Have a listen, and below are his comments about the album.

Royalty-free music for professional licensing

Warriors! (with worries)
another dark age—the war to end all wars was just another war—we live in a culture of death—but there is a sprout emerging from the ashes—life goes on with or without humankind—we try to put on a brave, macho face—we are Warriors!—but deep inside we're profoundly insecure (with worries)
That's the idea behind this album's title. This music is an attempt to be sincere and real, even when that means displaying less glamorous attributes, like clumsiness, weakness and obsessiveness. For the 1-second marketing byte: it's a combination of influences, including modernist "classical" approaches and jazz. The scope is epic, like a Hollywood movie, but the feel is bizarre, like the feeling of putting two magnets together at their opposing ends.
This is my first full-length "electro-acoustic" album. It is unapologetically idiomatic and evades classification. What you'll find within: order emerging from chaos and vice versa, pretty tunes, ugly "mistakes" that really turn out to be opportunites, drama, absurdity, microtonal modalities and a wide range of textures.
Welcome to my world!

Composed and performed by Matthew Marth. Cello performance on "Waltzes for Capone" by Craig Hultgren. Soprano voice solo in "Let's Find Peace" performed by Mary Means. Cover design by Julia Reinartz.

And here he is!

Snowflakes Magnified

2011-02-08T16:49:00.000-08:00

See this link for more photos like this one.

Bach! Whistled!

2011-01-31T10:07:00.001-08:00

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2011-01-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

Some good reading about this captivating theme.

Have You Heard of Bucklebury Berkshire?

2011-01-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

Go to this link to learn about it. Bucklebury Berkshire

Enjoy with a Smile!

2011-01-10T11:37:00.001-08:00

Absolutely Amazing

2011-01-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

His name, Jake Shimabukuro is pronounced she-ma-boo-coo-row. Have you ever heard a ukulele played like this before? And, yes, I did purchase this album!

Cat and Dog Conversation

2011-01-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

Kasey: So -- you're Laura' s new Maddie, the cute little Coton de tulear with the hot pink harness I've been hearing about. Well -- look how handsome I am in my emerald green collar.

Maddie: Okay.

Kasey: By the way, this house is my turf.

Maddie: Hmm. And have you noticed -- Laura's foot is next to your nose!

Jen's Job

2010-12-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

These dolls, children of legendary monsters, were posed by Jen at work at Mattel. She also styled their hair and dressed them. Frankie (Frankenstein's daughter) is the one in the middle with a pale green complexion. They're all students at Monster High.

The PEEPS Guys Won (?) a Trip to Fargo ND

2010-12-15T11:19:00.000-08:00

-- and watched the movie Fargo while they were there. Funny. Read about it here.

Interesting Guy

2010-12-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

He writes poetry. likes The Simpsons, and will officiate at Kate and William's wedding in April. Read about him here.

Just Breathe

2010-12-06T16:57:00.000-08:00

Take some time to read this article -- and breathe.

Subject Placement in Photography

2010-12-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Check out this fascinating article about subject placement in photography using Fibonacci's Ratio

Our Neighborhood Stalker

2010-11-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

Relaxing after Turkey

2010-11-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

Rod and Justin enjoying some good books!

Grant Wood from Iowa

2010-11-19T17:08:00.000-08:00

This article is interesting reading about Grant Wood whose painting, American Gothic, is the second most recognizable artwork in the world. Mona Lisa is the first. I'm not sure, but I think the mural in the Marion, Iowa "old" post office on 8th Avenue may have been one of his. What do you suppose he would think of some of the many variations of his painting? The original and a variation below.

October 31, 2010

2010-11-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

Jen ran away to the circus.
Patrick came back from the dead.
Jack went to a party!

Own any Columbia Sportswear?

2010-11-12T10:39:00.000-08:00

You should!
86-year-old Columbia Sportswear executive fools robber | Seattle Times Newspaper

Two Cats

2010-11-07T09:36:00.001-08:00

Not exactly the shot I was trying for!

Difficulty is a Level 5 as is the Terrain!

2010-10-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

The International Space Station has a geocache! Click here for the official geocache website.

Color in Our Backyard Today

2010-10-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Versatile Vinegar!

2010-10-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Buy one bottle of vinegar! Forget all those glitzy ads for oodles of cleaners!

10-10-10 Geocaching Around the World

2010-10-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

Dave and I found a geocache (Sawyer Village) on 10-10-10 as did over 70,000 geocachers in the world -- a record day! Here's a video of some of those geocachers.

Under my Desk

2010-10-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

It looks as though I find typing and surfing the Internet more comfortable sans shoes!

A Fairy Ring in our Lawn!

2010-10-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

Magically :-) this fairy ring appeared in our front lawn today! And -- I don't think I'm going to dance in its middle!

Info about fairy rings excerpted from Wikipedia:

A fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. The rings may grow over ten meters in diameter and become stable over time as the fungus grows and seeks food underground. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands…

Fairy rings also occupy a prominent place in European folklore as the location of gateways into elfin kingdoms, or places where elves gather and dance…

Their names in European languages often allude to supernatural origins; they are known as ronds de sorciers ("sorcerers' rings") in France, and hexenringe ("witches' rings") in German. In German tradition, fairy rings were thought to mark the site of witches' dancing on Walpurgis Night, and Dutch superstition claimed that the circles show where the Devil set his milk churn. In Tyrol, folklore attributed fairy rings to the fiery tales of flying dragons; once a dragon had created such a circle, nothing but toadstools could grow there for seven years…

Scandinavian and Celtic traditions claimed that fairy rings are the result of elves or fairies dancing. Such ideas dated to at least the mediæval period; The Middle English term elferingewort ("elf-ring"), meaning "a ring of daisies caused by elves' dancing" dates to the 12th century. In his History of the Goths (1628), Olaus Magnus makes this connection, saying that fairy rings are burned into the ground by the dancing of elves…

Most often, someone who violates a fairy perimeter becomes invisible to mortals outside and may find it impossible to leave the circle. Often, the fairies force the mortal to dance to the point of exhaustion, death, or madness…

My 73rd and Laura's 47th Birthdays

2010-10-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

On Laura's and my birthday weekend, September 17-18, we (Laura, Bryan, Kara, Justin, Jen, Rod, Ivana, Dave and I) enjoyed a stay and birthday cake at a Long Beach WA cabin. Although the weather was at times blustery, it was a fun weekend and included a side-trip to Astoria, OR just over the border. That bridge over the Columbia River is huge! And one of the interesting things we saw in Astoria was the Astoria Column. Here's Rod and Ivana on the top as we looked up! By the way, together, Laura and I are 120 years old now!

His 77th

2010-08-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

A little video of Dave's birthday party at Jen's house on August 16. I'm not sure what the conversation is about, but we had a good time and enjoyed coconut milk ice cream and upside-down peach cake - yes, it had candles! You can even hear Noah panting if you listen carefully.

California Trip

2010-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

Besides seeing Shakespeare by the Sea in San Pedro, going to the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, trying to find geocaches in Long Beach, watching Jen work, feeling happy when Patrick's back was better, playing with their pets, eating oranges from their backyard tree, celebrating Dave's 77th birthday -- and ENJOYING the SUN!, we had lunch at the Good Stuff restaurant by the Hermosa Beach pier. What fun. The photo below is at Good Stuff - and the food (including sweet potato fries) was definitely "good stuff." However, Dave and I missed seeing Dustin since he's in Czechoslovakia visiting relatives until August 23. A great trip!

Iowa Trip

2010-07-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

Dave and I spent June 24-29 in Iowa and attended Amy Blum's wedding, visited with a bunch of friends and relatives and found a few geocaches. Here we are at the reception in Cedar Falls Holiday Inn with Amy and Todd White.

Ireland

2010-07-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Someday, I'm going to Ireland!

Crayola is 100 Years Old

2010-07-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

In its store, Crayola displays this crayon--the biggest in the world, which weighs 1,500 pounds, is 15 feet long, and was made with donated crayons from children around the country to celebrate the company's 100th birthday

Go Ahead, Grin

2010-06-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

off the mark
by Mark Parisi

IPad Magic in Japan

2010-06-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

Crow News!

2010-06-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

You'll be amazed when you read this article about some of the attributes of crows. Now's the time of year when their babies are leaving the nest, and these parents don't like to be harassed.

A Psychic Photographer?

2010-05-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

He must have known that Laura would love her phones!

It's Spotlit

2010-05-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

A geocache is hidden under this exposed "spotlit" root. Nice photo by Dave!

Our First Geocache Hide

2010-05-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Dave and I hid a geocache at Lake Francis Park this morning. Now we're waiting for someone to find it and log it on the web. Update: Someone found it this afternoon, at about 3:30, in pouring rain. They had umbrellas :-) and have found over 2000 geocaches, so I guess they knew what they were doing. Plus, many geocachers make a big effort to be FTF (First To Find) when a new cache is hidden and published.

Kara Caught A Big One!

2010-05-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

...a 30 inch 15 pound Ling Cod!

Cats! :-)

2010-05-18T08:31:00.001-07:00

Arlo & Janis

by Jimmy Johnson

Unfolding Maple Leaves...

2010-04-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

and their yellow flowers backed by our grey sky today!

Our Red Azaleas...

2010-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

in their spring glory along with a few purple iris.

Geocaching with Kara & Justin

2010-04-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Justin climbed a tree to retrieve one geocache, which is why we brought Kara and him with us today. Dave and I weren't about to climb that tree! The other two caches we found were ground level, thank goodness. It was a fun day and perfect sunny weather to be out wandering in the woods!

Another one....

2010-04-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

off the mark
by Mark Parisi

Go Ahead - Chuckle

2010-04-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

off the mark
by Mark Parisi

In OUR Backyard - Well Almost

2010-04-04T12:06:00.001-07:00

Watch these videos about the Summit Ridge Freeride Park about a 1/4 mile north of our house in the timber. Like WOW!!

Amazing!

2010-03-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Here's Ivana on the last hill in a half-marathon (13 miles) on Sunday. She's smiling! And doesn't look at all exhausted like the runner in front of her!

Arizona

2010-03-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a slideshow of our February trip to Arizona - four days of warm and sunny and then three days of variety, that is cloudy, rainy and sunny. Click here to see our photos and then click on 'Slideshow." Enjoy!

Mother Nature's Art

2010-02-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

This photo of a snow roller was taken in Mt. Rainier National Park by Ted Evans and featured in the Seattle Times today.

Too Much Junk Mail?

2010-02-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

Stop those unwanted catalogs from filling your mailbox by going to the Catalogchoice.org website. It's a free service and has worked for me!

Costa Rica: A Happy Place

2010-01-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

Read This!

The BIGGEST

2010-01-06T11:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Dave and I toured the biggest building (by volume) in the world - the Boeing commercial plane plant in Everett, WA. It's hangar doors shown in this photo are football-field size and are decorated with the world's largest digitized graphic images! Driving by the building is, needless to say, awesome.

This is where they build 747s, 767s 777s and assemble the new 787 plane. During our tour inside, the guide filled our heads with facts like a 747 requires 90 gallons of paint and that paint weighs 595 pounds and also in production, men and women get the same pay, $35/hour. (And a lot of those facts "didn't stick"! It was overwhelming!)

Click here to check out their web site.

01022010

2010-01-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

Today is a palindromic date! And in case you're interested, here's all the dates for this century.

PALINDROMIC DATES in the 21st century:
10/02/2001
01/02/2010
11/02/2011
02/02/2020
12/02/2021
03/02/2030
04/02/2040
05/02/2050
06/02/2060
07/02/2070
08/02/2080
09/02/2090

A Friend & Her New Wii Fit

2009-12-18T13:28:00.000-08:00

Kit, my Iowa friend and former composition student who has her teenager Kayla still at home, shared some of her encounters with the new-to-her Wii Fit program. Enjoy!

Kerry bought me a Wii Fit for my birthday. Not because he thought I needed one, because I thought I needed one. Exercise and I are like oil and water. Just the thought of it makes me want to recline on the couch and eat potato chips. But the time had come in my life that I had to exercise to help rev up my slowed down metabolism and tone up those sagging muscles.

I didn’t realize that the Wii Fit has a personality that can make me smile or want to throw something at it. For instance, every time I step on the balance board to exercise, it groans. That’s funny at first, but after awhile it gives me a complex. If I skip a day of exercising, Wii Fit says, “Too busy to exercise yesterday, eh, Mom?” A few more days in between sessions and it tells me exactly how many days it’s been. I yell excuses at it like, “I was on vacation!” Sometimes it tattles on the other participants. “I haven’t seen Kayla in quite a while.” Or I might hear when I’m balancing on one leg during yoga exercises, “Your leg is shaking.” Like I hadn’t noticed. Or if I lose my balance, “Did you put your leg down?” Only to avoid crashing to the floor.

The balance board is also a scale, but not an accurate one. One day I weighed heavy and the next day light. The second day, it bawled me out for losing weight too quickly. When it was Kayla’s turn, it quizzed her about me. “Do you think Mom looks A. Thinner, B. Fatter, C. More Tone, D. About the same.” Kayla responded with D. It then replied, “You need to pay more attention to Mom.”

The best way to exercise with Wii Fit is alone. Empty the room of spectators and their comments such as, “You didn’t raise your leg high enough.” Or “Are you almost done?’ Or my favorite after demonstrating in front of Kayla how to hula hoop (one of the aerobic exercises), she said, “No daughter should ever have to see this.”

The reason I keep exercising is because there’s a reward – the balance games. My favorite is when I’m a penguin catching flying fish on a tipping iceberg. Kayla is best at hitting soccer balls while avoiding panda heads and shoes thrown at her. Hey, it may sound weird, but it’s my entertainment before I go lay down on the couch and eat potato chips. - by Kit Phelps, Tipton, IA

Enjoy Emily & John's Son on YouTube

2009-12-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Take a Break & Watch This!

2009-11-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Not all domestic cats have the "cat ears" I'm used to.

Kara Is 21!

2009-11-14T20:46:00.000-08:00

November 10th was Kara's birthday, but Dave and I celebrated with her today at the Olive Garden. A nice relaxing afternoon, and Kara offered to do all the driving!

Favorite for Today

2009-11-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

THE DUPLEX by Glenn McCoy

It Finally Arrived

2009-10-19T17:05:00.000-07:00

The coconut we mailed to our neighbors on September 27 from Kauai arrived this past Saturday. Dave and I had almost given up hope that it would ever get here, but Bob and Margaret were pleasantly surprised - which was the reason we sent it!

POP, POP! In Jen's Backyard

2009-10-14T17:43:00.003-07:00

In the fall, wisteria seed pods audibly pop their pods and their seeds go flying - is what Jen discovered happening in her back yard. The seeds can fly distances up to 70 feet! Another of Mother Nature's survival surprises! And good for a chuckle.

We Loved Kauái

2009-10-14T11:28:00.001-07:00

Yes, I took lots of sunrise photos since Dave and I stayed on the east side of Kauái by the ocean (Sept. 22-29). And as expected, I have lots of flower photos too - many taken at the Hindu Monastery. As for animals, roosters awakened us every morning and crowed all during the day too. Oh yes, look for the photo of our hotel room guest - hint: on the wall by the mirror. Enjoy the show (not all 600+ that I took, just a little over 200.) Click on the photo below, then click on 'Slideshow'.

Kaua'i 9-2009

Yes, It's Green!

2009-10-14T11:16:00.001-07:00

Laura is the one who insisted on green. (A traditional white cast for my broken wrist would have been fine with me.) Other choices: pink, blue, black, etc. I'm not at all fond of wearing a cast, but I didn't have a choice after a rock on the Franklin trail tripped me as Dave and I headed down hill Sunday, October 4 - which also was Laura and Bryan's 23rd wedding anniversary.

A Birthday Party & A Balky Bobbin!

2009-09-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

After birthday cupcakes, ice cream, gifts and the traditional singing of "Happy Birthday," the focus shifted from the birthday girls (Laura & me) to my 48 year-old, faded-lime-green portable Singer sewing machine. It's bobbin, a few days ago, became stuck. EVERYONE (Rod, Dave, Bryan, Justin, Kara, Laura) except me, provided input. And, lo and behold, Laura, after much lint removal from numerous puffs of the small compact air duster, located the culprit thread that hung up my bobbin. Who needs a $50/hour repair person when I've got a family like mine! Now how's that for a unique birthday party story?

Have Fun With Your Photos

2009-09-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Yup, this is me. Go to befunky.com to upload a photo and have some creative fun. (Notice that I got rid of all my wrinkles quickly without Photoshopping or using anti-wrinkle cream!)

Roscoe Takes His Job Seriously

2009-09-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

NEW SIGN (new gate)

OLD SIGN (old gate)

My Kupe'e (Coo-pay-ay)

2009-09-14T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is the orchid kupe'e (bracelet) I made yesterday at the Hawaiian Cultural Festival downtown Seattle. (The orchids are real not fake!) I even learned a few hula moves, and also to keep your bare feet together (you don't want a Toyota truck to go between your legs), to keep your knees bent, to stand tall and to smile.

Garlic Ice Cream, Yum!

2009-08-29T13:24:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm eating garlic ice cream. Since twice (July 2008 & 2009) I had to cancel my trip to the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy CA, I decided to try garlic ice cream at the Chehalis WA Garlic Festival yesterday. It was quite good with just a hint of garlic, although I didn't manage to talk Dave into tasting some. The festival area had lots of garlic for sale and many food booth garlic selections available, but the garlic smell was not as overwhelming as I thought it might be. Try garlic ice cream when you get a chance and see what you think.

Herbs!

2009-08-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

The number of dried things in jars - herbs, fruit, tea etc. was amazing to me - in the New An Dong Chinese Herb & Grocery in Seattle's ChinaTown/International District. One of my goals is to learn to use the buses in downtown Seattle so that we can show guests around without worrying about finding parking. This past Tuesday, my friend Carol and I took the bus to Seattle to learn about its International District. Not only did we see the fascinating herb store in the picture above, we had lunch at the Cambodian Noodle House, stopped by the huge factory where fortune cookies and noodles are made, visited the Wing Luke Museum, toured a very narrow-aisled fish shop, and learned some history of the area from our guide. And, most importantly, we managed to get on the correct bus to come home!

Iowa to Michael Jackson: No Butter Sculpture

2009-07-18T08:41:00.001-07:00

So -- it's been decided - no Michael Jackson memorialized in butter at this year's Iowa State Fair! Read all about it here. Plus, you might enjoy some of the comments. Even the non-dairy spread Earth Balance is mentioned!

Something Old - Something New

2009-07-16T08:51:00.001-07:00

The old: A slice of this ancient oak was exposed by ice age floods and then found by road crews in the 1930s in Central Washington, sage brush country near Vantage by the Columbia River. This petrified example and several hundred others, including the rare Ginkgo, are on display at the Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park that Dave and I visited this past Sunday. Plus, there are some petroglyphs on display that were salvaged from oblivion when the nearby Wanapum Dam was built. An eloquent park ranger willingly shared lots of information with us.

The new: The guide here at the Wild Horse Wind Facility ten miles from the Park on Vantage Highway, was quite informative too, as were the displays in this visitor's center. This relatively new 9000 acre wind farm currently has 127 wind turbines with more in construction. Note the 'old-fashioned' windmill in the picture - like the one on our farm (except ours was metal and had a ladder) where my dad had to rescue me when I was about four and I tried climbing its ladder!

Kasey Recommends

2009-07-11T14:17:00.001-07:00

On a hot summer day, Kasey finds this napping position very comfortable.

Doing the Crossword!

2009-07-05T10:01:00.001-07:00

"Dude, Nice Leg!"

2009-07-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

...by one of my favorite columnists in today's Seattle Times. And I hope there are no brown dogs on the 2009 Tour de France bike race route.

Personal Products Labels

2009-06-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

Read about stuff (including chemicals) we put on our body which may then enter our body via our pores. Check those labels!

Fascinating Web Site

2009-06-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Interesting concept. We routinely save our thoughts in writing, but our day-to-day sounds are another story. This site is about collecting sounds - that is, other than music. Take a look and a listen. On the page's right, is a Sounds Diary link. Or if you're in a hurry, click here to listen to the cowbells of Switzerland!

Behind Us is Long Beach CA

2009-06-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here Dave and I are at the Signal Hill Hilltop Park standing on top a thin layer of earth under which is their unseen water source - a buried 1.2 million gallon reservoir of water. Oil pumping rigs are sprinkled throughout Long Beach which was once one of the world's richest oil fields. At that time, Signal Hill was covered with so many oil towers that it was nicknamed "Porcupine Hill." Photos and info about the park.

That was just one cool part of our trip to visit Jen, Patrick, Dustin, and their pets, Noah, Roscoe and Jack. Besides picnicking by the ocean in San Pedro, eating lots of Jen's yummy cooking, seeing the doctor's office Patrick artistically converted into Star Ship Enterprise, helping Jen make prop returns, observing the sea life and lorikeets at the Pacific Aquarium, and enjoying the wildlife during our hike at the nearby lagoon, we soaked in some California sun and ate some tangerines from Jen's backyard tree. I'm looking forward to our next trip there - needless to say!

A Mystery

2009-06-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

There are over 600 acres of these approximately 8 foot by 30 foot mounds that were covered by grasses, a few saplings and many dainty wildflowers when we were there yesterday. These Mima Mounds may have been caused by earthquakes, volcanic action, glaciers or gophers - yes, burrowing gophers is one of the many theories. To learn more about this mystery, read this article about western Washington's Mima Mounds.

A Chuckle

2009-05-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

She's in the Semi-finals

2009-05-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

I watched Susan Boyle "live" on British TV (Britain's Got Talent) on my computer a few minutes ago! Here's her winning performance on YouTube!

Iowa's Shawn WON Dancing With The Stars!

2009-05-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

I wanted gold medal Olympics gymnast Shawn Johnson to win Dancing With The Stars this season. However, it looked like Gilles would probably take home the mirror trophy. But I was wrong, wrong, wrong! Shawn and Mark's Freestyle dance Monday night made me think that she deserved to win. And I'm glad this Iowa girl did it! Here's the YouTube:

Food for Thought

2009-05-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

"The Doctor of the future will give No Medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." —Attributed to Thomas Alva Edison

I ask: Where does our Western medical system and capitalistic society stand in achieving this?

What Happens When You Blow Into An iPhone?

2009-05-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

Well - first you need to have the Ocarina application on your iPhone. Then, you blow into the microphone, press the "ocarina keys," and voila, you're playing a tune.

Listen and watch here.

Hmmm!

2009-05-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

My Thanksgiving cactus bloomed on Mother's Day!

Jen, The Doll Stylist, At Work!

2009-05-07T10:38:00.001-07:00

...on a Cabbage Patch doll.

Watch This Japanese Ceremony

2009-05-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Recently, a completion ceremony for the new Japanese Garden Gate House at Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum was held. Watch this two-minute video that includes music by the Taiko drummers, garden pictures and parts of the elaborate ceremony. (Look for the "shoe" photo - a photo of contrast that includes wooden getas.) I didn't go to the ceremony but now am excited about visiting the Washington Park Arboretum again. Here's part of the newspaper article:

SHOWERS of sake, salt, sand from a sacred mountain and five colors of cut paper blessed the four compass points at the new Japanese Garden entry gatehouse in Washington Park Arboretum.

Today's Napping Style

2009-05-03T06:56:00.000-07:00

Try It, You'll Like It

2009-05-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

Jen just told me about Pandora.com - it can be your personalized radio station. Type in a favorite artist or a music genera at the web site, and Pandora Internet Radio will find and play that music as well as similar music for you! Plus this site includes info about the artist and the lyrics, and other options. In a nutshell - Pandora is a music discovery service designed to help you enjoy music you already know and to help you discover new music you'll love - that's how the website describes itself. Thanks Jen, for telling me.

Jen's 40 TODAY!

2009-05-02T14:15:00.001-07:00

And still has that glow and happy outlook!

(Kindergarten photo 1974)

Dustin to the Rescue

2009-04-30T07:56:00.001-07:00

Here's Dustin with the tortoise he rescued from getting hit on the highway when Jen's group were coming home from skiing at Mammoth. And here's some info about tortoises - including the fact they burrow, which I guess is logical since they're desert dwellers.

Tortoise— A land-dweller that eats low-growing shrubs, grasses, and even cactus. Tortoises do not have webbed feet. Their feet are round and stumpy for walking on land. Tortoises that live in hot, dry habitats use their strong legs to dig burrows. Then, when it’s too hot in the sun, they slip underground.