La Casa (Home)

Just Another Saturday

2009-07-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

This morning as a do my usual cup of tea and internet session, a young bird who is just trying to learn to fly keeps trying to land on the window bar. I am relieved that the cat is in and can't catch it. I am not sure what kind of bird it is, but hope it learns about windows soon.

I look across the valley and see the little mountain we always called Flat Iron glowing white in sort of a gray partially cloudy day. My father took me hiking on Flat Iron once when I was small and long before some company bought it to put towers on it. We hunted for what Dad described as dinosaur eggs. Round egg shaped rocks about five inches long and four inches around. I think now they have decided they might be croc or alla gotor eggs as some fossils of such were found to the south and west of Flat Iron. My parents used to have four or five of those eggs in a bowl shaped rock around the property. I wonder what ever happened to them. There were photos of them too.

I planted some pennyroyal seeds in the cracks of the bricks I layed in the back for a small patio/step. We discovered pennyroyal when we stayed at Turtle Rock. It was in the grass and when you walked about, you could smell the most marvelous minty smell, thanks to the pennyroyal. I hope it grows! It is what is called a walkable herb.

I am so excited-I signed up for an artist retreat in Los Vegas for next February. Staying at Bally's. The workshops will be in Ballys or the Paris. I will be taking a sculpture class, a book binding class and a mixed media class... three days. Something to look forward to!

Our garden plants are huge. The tomatoes are just starting to make tomatoes. We have had radishes, beet greens, squash, and turnip greens so far. As usual, mother nature also planted. We have several large squash looking plants growing in between where we planted. We just let them grow to see what they are... hope it something we like, lol.

Well, I guess I better go see if I can help the dumb bird find a better perch than the window bars, lol.

Officially Summer

2009-06-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today, the late afternoon heat invades my house, so that I want to turn on the AC. The problem with that is getting it ready to be turned on. I did get it moved to the window in hopes that my "fairy god mother" will make sure all is in working order so I can attach the water inlet and plug that sucker in.

I have been laying bricks by the back door/back fausett. My house in town had a lovely brick patio in front. I love the looks of the bricks and another benefit is if you wet them down, they stay cool for quite a while, helping to cool you down if you are out side. I really don't spend much time where these are going, but mornings might just happen out there, now that I have a place to go. Tea on a hand layed brick patio... cool mornings, lovely view... yep I think I am beginning to see a reason I am working so hard. Too bad my fat doesn't cooperate and just disappear with the hard work. lol

Week End

2009-06-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

This week end is Father's Day. My family never celebrated Father's Day too much. My father probably would not have liked it too much if we had. I really don't remember him celebrating any holiday so much. I guess we did have Xmas when I was a child. Most times we traveled to SLC to spend at Marianne's so we didn't decorate or anything. I really think my people were not so "commercial" as many are today (or at least was until lately with the recession happenings.) Anyway, I was thinking about it being Father's Day, and that led me to start thinking about my Father. I never really remember him being "there" in my life to much. He worked away lots. And when he was home, he spent the time going to town to hang in the local bars. He and I never really had any interaction to speak of. I do remember at times some of the things he said. I guess his "philosophical" sayings stuck with me as he was a man of very few words, so when he did speak, it seemed like it was way important. Now I realize that he did not give me the skills a Dad should have passed on to a daughter. Alcoholism, and acceptance of it is about what I got from him. I was not prepared to judge and select a mate for myself, which is more likely based on "father like qualities." I think about how lonely my Mom must have been living with such an introvert/absent person he turned into. Perhaps he was different when he was younger, and they may have had lots of fun then.

Spider Story

2009-06-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

I read my DD's blog and she has a spider she claims as a pet. It caused me to remember that my Mom always had a spider she claimed as a pet. Most the time, they were outside, however. I can remember her getting way mad at someone, possibly even me, when they killed one on her porch. She said it had been there like forever, and it was her pet, and it didn't hurt anyone. The back porch at her house was just a large cement step with room for a chair. She would sit out on this porch and view her yard and garden and all the things in it, including her "pet spiders."

Wednesday

2009-06-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

"Animals are such agreeable friends-they ask no questions, and they pass no criticisms." George Eliot.

I have been collecting quotes to add to my mixed media collage pieces, and ran onto this one this morning. I don't know who George Eliot is but I know his quote to be the voice of experience. My animals are more faithful and loyal than any friend I ever had. Even grumpy Bubba, still gives me a grooming in thanks, I guess for just being here, at least once a day, lol.

I went to the new foot Dr. yesterday to see if he could help with foot pain. I liked him. He was very good about explaining everything. What I have is a ligament muscle inflamation and can treat it with anti inflamitory, some ice, and stretching excercises. The worst part...do not walk barefooted. Now that does not go down well with me, but I do have my birkies hanging off my feet at the moment. I know I will forget, especially when I am in the house. But, the feet are already feeling a bit perkier! Yay!

Progress on my dining chairs re upholstery is almost complete. Five done, one to go. I like the new fabric on them. Very colorful and cheery!

I want to go out and take some pictures of the cactus' in bloom. They have the most beautiful flower, how weird is that?

2009-05-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

This was in the horoscope for piceas on yahoo page. I found it interesting since I just blogged about friendships, lol...

A frustrating friendship is causing you to wonder what you ever saw in this person. People change over time, and unfortunately they don't always grow in the same direction. Accept who this person is becoming, but don't keep them in your life if they make you feel bad or bring out your insecurities. Friendships are elective relationships, they do not always have to be lifelong commitments. There is nothing wrong with moving on so you both can be happy.

Art Stuff

2009-05-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have been following a book with an art group and each chapter has us make a piece of art. This is the one I made for chapter five. The author of the book believes in adding personal items to your art to make it more... well, personal, I guess. I searched through my photos to find one I could use for this project. Dana was such a cute baby!

Remembering Mom

2009-05-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

It seems strange to me that almost all my social interactions is through the net now. It makes me wonder if there are not millions of people with the "felter" mind set, which is "I can take them or leave them" like me. LOL I like my cyber friends cuz I can interact with them when I want to, and ignore them when I don't want to be bothered. It relieves a person of the responsibilities of having to act like a friend. Not that I ever bothered too much with the responsibilities of being a friend. I gave up trying to maintain friendships years ago. I was never and I mean never good at it. I would just shut all communication down, if a problem ever arose, which eventually it always did. I quit my elementary friends, then quit my jr high friends, then lost track and quit all my high school friends. Then friends I made as a young adult I quit too. I guess I am rather obsessive (I never thought of myself as such before) about doing whatever it is I am doing without interruption. I guess the reason I am talking about this is that I have been thinking about my Mom as she died in May, and she was always my best friend and advocate my whole life. I never really allowed anyone else to get inside me and see my feelings and dreams. Even as I look back and see she made me her scapegoat, I still miss having her to visit with. She died May 12 and my Dad's birthday is the last day of May.

Sun and Fun

2009-05-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

Finally, the sun and weather is allowing for outdoor activities. We roasted hotdogs and marsh mellows yesterday...we all had fun and the dogs tasted so good. Nothing as a good a roasting them out side. The marsh mellow roasted was fierce, lol.

My yellow wild flowers in the buffalo grass are loosing their blooms so I will have to go mow soon.

Recent visitor sitings: Pine siskens, hummers up to 5 now, yellow finches, quail in the buffalo grass, hawks, buzzards, crows, blackbirds, rock wrens, sparrows, starlings, many insects, and DH saw a snake on the road. So, guess summer has officially arrived!

Prim Roses Blooming

2009-05-06T08:00:00.001-07:00

There are so many prim roses blooming this morning. They are a happy little wild flower and if they are any indication, the other wild flowers should be beautiful too. I have two flax plants blooming too. The rain has made a great environment for the wild flowers.

Birds

2009-05-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

The birds are returning for the summer! We currently have 2 hummers. This morning, a flicker, or black and yellow wood pecker visited. We have a flock of tiny yellow sunflower lovers, the red headed and breasted house wrens. The bobbin rock birds run up and down the rock wall. The red winged black birds are here, the red headed buzzards and the crows and once in a while a small hawk play on the winds out the window. Yesterday a group of five buzzards were wind surfing just over the edge of the rock wall. The doves come in the evening and walk around the yard. We do have blue birds visit, but they do not stay in the houses we put up. Maybe next year. DH started the tiller today. He might get the garden plowed. I almost need to mow the buffalo grass area. The lilacs have half way bloomed, i think the buds got frosted so they they are not very prolific with thier blooms. The plum tree is covered in blooms. The blooms on the cherry bushes and apricots are gone, so don't know if they will make anything or not. So goes our spring.

Back to Normal

2009-04-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

We have water today, finally! And the day looks sunny and bright!

Where Has All the Water Gone?

2009-04-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

We woke to very little water and progressed into hope what water in the pressure tank will carry us over for the day. A broken line above us so the whole village is out of water. They say it will be maybe four o'clock until it is fixed. Well, it doesn't take much water to do art so I guess my day will be fine.

Preparing

2009-04-26T11:48:00.001-07:00

I agreed to teach a one day workshop at the Sew N Sews Place on May 9. So I am making student packets and an outline and examples of what I will be teaching. I like the making of things, don't know how I will like the class yet.

It rained last evening and it is cooler today so not much going on around here. I am still sorting beads. I had to look for a pattern a friend needed for a tea bag wallet this morning. Finally found it.

Now I think I will curl up with my book (not that interesting of a book) and have lunch. What a cool spring has done is kept me doing inside sort of activities. Oh well, it will be too hot before we know it.

Home From Retreat

2009-04-20T20:22:00.001-07:00

We left Wed about noon and stayed in Leadville Co that night. We woke up to about 3/4 inch of snow on the ground, so we jumped up and headed to Springs hoping we could at least arrive before too much snow hit. About 30 or 30 miles out of Leadville, we finally got out of the snow and fog and the road from there out was good into Co Springs. We found the retreat center and got a room about 10 min. from there. The snow started and continued the whole time we were there! It didn't really stick to the roads but did off the roads and on the truck. The retreat site was awesome and the deer come right up and looked in the huge windows where we were holding our work sessions. Larry shopped til he dropped and then some, but did not come home with anything too interesting. We left CoSprings about 3:30 Sat and headed towards I-70 which had just barely been reopened. We had really bad snow, rain, slush, ice, deep water on the road until we reached Glenwood Springs, where we stayed the night. Got up on Sun., the weather was good and we had clear skies and roads the rest of the way home. We hit a few yard sales in Rifle, can you believe it on Sunday??? Puttered our way home. I loved the retreat, and Larry actually said he enjoyed the time away from work and didn't want to go back this morning!

Off On An Adventure

2009-04-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

I signed up for an art retreat when we came back from Nevada. Two days of learning about fabric surface manipulations and embellishments. Hope it is fun. It would have been more fun if I could have stayed at the resort where it is being held but since my "men" are traveling with me, a pet friendly off site place is required. We originally was going to take the camper but the weather is scaring us off, so it is a flea bitten motel stay for us! lol. Guess that is better than skittering around on snowy icy roads with a trailer on our tail! ha ha

Our apricot trees are blooming this morning! Who knew. I hope they make cots eventually, if they can survive the up and down temps. I read this morning they can survive down to 28 degrees and you would think that by now we would be past that, but nope, could freeze down to end of May, right? I should have planted peas last week end but didn't and I will be kicking me self... they were so good last year!

We had a flock of the little yellow birds here this morning too. They are so bright and cheery to have around!

Ho Hum

2009-04-07T07:19:00.000-07:00

I am still sorting through my stashes. I have been spending a good amount of time sorting beads. Cheesh, that is quite a job. It will be nice when they are all in bottles, each color by itself. Who would keep a baggie of beads with the colors all mixed up? More than one person evidently as I found these beads at yard sales. They are mostly seed beads so it takes a while to sort. One must have belonged to an old hippy, lol, as evidenced by the 'extras" in the mix. And yesterday, I picked up a jar of all ready sorted black beads and wouldn't you know, I dropped it so had to sweep up the glass, the beads and then sort the beads out of the dirt from the porch floor, more time taken! I will take the beads to the art workshop I am teaching on the 9th of May so the students can add beads to their creations.

Wind

2009-04-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

The wind blows again! Uuurrrgggghhhhh! But, the snow is melted, that is good. I have been spending most of my time organizing art supplies. I have sorted beads, sorted embroidery floss, sorted fabrics a bit. I have to decide what to take to my art retreat next week. I am so ready to go to a retreat again. I am hooked, I think. They are inspiring and fun. I hope it warms up by then so i can enjoy the trip.

Gone

2009-03-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

I am sad to report the Blues have made the decision to pass on the new house. I see them gathering grasses here and there once in a while but they do not go near the house. :-(

Today we had a really big looking grey squirrel on the rock wall.

And another visitor that is not welcome at all... the wind!

Mrs. Blue

2009-03-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

This morning Mrs. Blue has been here gathering a few (I hope its few and not just one) grasses and putting them into her new house to carpet the floor. Mr. Blue did not seem to be in attendance today. Perhaps he is gone on a business trip?

Saga of Bluebirds, continues

2009-03-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

So, I asked dh to help me.

Shouldn't I know better by now?

Nope, I blindly dived right in.

I said "could you do something to make sure the new and improved bird house stays attached to the pole I hung it on?" This is the cedar post I worked so hard on, digging a hole, going over the hill to the junk pile to find the post, carrying it back, because the yard tractor and trailer has not been started yet this spring so thought it would be easier to just "hoof" it, tamping it into the hole I had dug then trying to nail the house up, not an easy task but I managed to get a couple of nails in, but it definitely would swing in the wind. I needed help!

But, as usual, instead of being helpful, dh decided it was "his" project and that of course, it was all wrong and would have to have some major renovations. But, after some argument, we left it for a while. Instead of working on attaching the bird house without scaring the birds, he went out, fired up his big tractor, and chased the birds away pulling up the posts from the old houses and a couple of dead bushes that are really close to this new bird abode. Then, later, still being the "she will never learn" person that I am, I said "well, I think some bailing wire would do the trick." Yep, he agreed. So, I wanted this to happen when the wary birds were off foraging for whatever they look for when away. But, as usual, nope, had to be done right now because that is what (he, not me nor the birds) wants. So, he puts the wire on as the birds watch from the antenna. Then, he decides they need a perch, so he goes to the garage, builds a perch, comes back with perch and battery operated screw driver, goes out the door, scares the poor birds away AGAIN and puts on the perch. Now, I am not for this perch... not one place I have looked does it mention that blue bird houses should have a perch, and they were going in and out of the house just fine without one! Well, the result of this all day activity was that we did not see the birds again that day! I am sad, thinking, well, they have finally given up and decided to move to a less active neighborhood.

But these birds are tenacious! This morning they are back. They are going in and out of the house, using the damn perch, which dh has pointed out I don't know how many times this morning, so hopefully, we are back to having tenents again.

I think dh's next plans, however, is to fire up the battery operated hedge trimmer and trim down some grasses, several of which grow right underneath this new condo. Grrrrr, it just does not do to focus him on anything if you want it left alone!

Better In Time

2009-03-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

OK. Today I feel better. The bluebirds returned this morning and seem to be remodeling the new house to their specifications... in other words adding grasses etc. They are so cute and perky and fun to watch and I am glad they have moved into the new house. They look so cute when they are in the house and poke thier little blue heads out the hole! After feeling so bad about messing up their housing plans yesterday and watching them search for it, today is a major relief!

Ogre

2009-03-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, now I feel like a monster. I put up the new bird house. I then tore down the old one. It did look as if the blue birds were trying to nest there with some grasses and such inside it. But I tore it down. Then, just a few minutes after I went into the house, the birds showed up. They flitted and visited the posts where the torn down house had been. I could just hear their conversations in my head. "OMG honey, where is our house?" " Let me go first dear, I will see about it." He flitted around on the posts up and down looking at everything that looked like it might be a hole. Finally, flew to a tree. "I don't know dear, it just isn't there. I looked and looked!" She then flew to the posts, and flitted up and down, over to a tree back again, over to another post, back again, looking, looking for her home! "Oh I am so sad, I can't believe it is just gone!" she said. I felt so mean! Finally after about 20 minutes, I guess they decided, yes, indeed, our home is gone, gone forever and off they flew. I wonder if they will be back, if the new home just a few feet away will meet their standards or if the neighborhood seems too unpredictable to try a new house.

Mountain Bluebirds

2009-03-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

We have a pair of mountain bluebirds that keep eyeing the bird houses which are soon, hopefully tomorrow coming down. So, this morning I spent a couple of hours building a "real bluebird" abode, sized to specifications in a book, but not what I would call a professional job, lol. I hope I can get it hung tomorrow! The reason I am anxious about this as a pair nested in the houses last year and the cats, of course got into them. We saw the cat running by the big window with the bluebirds attacking her. They were really mad! However, sadly, that ending their nesting in the bird houses. I am hoping to be able to give them a nesting site in which the cats cannot bother them, and we will be able to enjoy their comings and goings and babies all summer or however long that sort of behavior takes.

My Environs

2009-03-09T21:19:00.000-07:00