It's that time of year when the pyracantha bushes on our hill are loaded with their red berries. Actually our particular bushes are much closer to being pyracantha trees. My mother-in-law planted them nearly 40 years ago and I'm sure the birds are glad she did. I probably wouldn't have planted them - or at least, not nearly so many of them, because they're so spikey, and the berries aren't edible for people. But the birdies? They love 'em - apparently, according to my hubby, the amateur naturalist, because they become intoxicated by them! Which explains all the wobbly robins. Whew! it's not the avian flu! The rockin' robins have just been partying like little rockstars! Par-Tay!
Yes, that's right - we're contributing to the delinquency of birds, here, at Tinker's Place. It's open bar on our hillside! Part of me finds this hysterically funny; yet, the responsible Mom side of me thinks - "Who's checking ID's out there? Are there little underage birds out there? Are they flying under the influence?" According to my birdwatching husband though, they're just having a bit of harmless fun.
Now I have one more incentive to set up my backyard cafe area soon, so at least they'll have somewhere to sober up, before flying south!
Update: Checked out pyracantha on the Internet - apparently pyracantha berries (at least according to one article) are edible - you can make a jelly out of them....somehow I don't totally trust that, though. Don't they always tell you to avoid the red berries if you're trying to survive in the woods? In another article from National Geographic, a writer talked about watching scores of robins and other birds excitedly stripping all the berries off a pyracantha shrub in short time. He didn't say anything about them becoming drunk...but maybe he was trying to shield their reputations! It's funny, all these years I've watched them going after these berries, but I always thought it was just sort of like me going after chocolate-covered strawberries at a buffet....mmm...chocolate. Anyway, if anyone else knows what the story is with pyracantha, I'd be interested in hearing about it!
Friday, November 11, 2005
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Bunny Update
After much Internet research last night, a tummy massage and offering of freshly picked treats (a sprig of parsley, sage, and a grape leaf), Mr. Peaches is back on his feed/feet! Yeah!
We lost a dearly loved lop-ear bunny, Brownie, to a one-day bout of anorexia of unknown causes (most likely a hairball or blockage) a few years ago, so I was relieved to the utmost, to see Peaches bouncing off the walls, of the bathroom again, in his "I'm so happy to see you" morning dance. I had felt so bad when Brownie died, and found out afterward that not eating/eliminating for as short a time as 12 hours could be life-threatening to bunnies. Our previous rabbit, Falina, had lived to be a healthy old lady bunny, on virtually the same diet, never missing a meal; so I had no clue.
My apologies to any non-rabbit fans out there for what must seem a boring post - but I felt I needed to offer this cautionary tale to any current or prospective bunny people out there, in gratitude for Peaches' good health & in memory of our sweet Brownie boy. If you're thinking of getting a bunny as a pet though - please think about it THOROUGHLY - they're NOT the easiest pet, they can chew furniture, electrical cords, etc. I'm sure this is why our bunnies got dumped on us. No, domestic bunnies don't just survive in the wild, the way your average cottontail does - they don't have the social connections to join a burrow for one thing - rabbits have their own social order. Please don't get your child a live Easter bunny or any other pet, then drop him in the wild! I have no more room at the inn to take any more bunnies or any other critters in - so please don't ask me to take them in, either! Ok, I'll step down from the soapbox now, before I fall off or they bring out the hook to pull me off.
Yes, I realize how nutty our life must sound to others; keep in mind, apart from the aquarium residents, we didn't buy or seek out any of our menagerie - they just show up, & the ones that stay, do so because no one answers our "found pet" or subsequent "free to good home" ads.
The bun's one up on the cats & dogs, by helping pay for his keep - he acts as a built-in source of compost/fertilizer for the garden. He's also been helpful by posing as a bunny model for my artwork. Beatrix Potter had an actual Peter Rabbit that she kept inside and walked on a leash - so we do have a literary/artistic precedent for our eccentric lifestyle!
I promise a more entertaining post is coming soon. Till then, G'night everyone; it's time for me to put on my bunny slippers and go to bed.
We lost a dearly loved lop-ear bunny, Brownie, to a one-day bout of anorexia of unknown causes (most likely a hairball or blockage) a few years ago, so I was relieved to the utmost, to see Peaches bouncing off the walls, of the bathroom again, in his "I'm so happy to see you" morning dance. I had felt so bad when Brownie died, and found out afterward that not eating/eliminating for as short a time as 12 hours could be life-threatening to bunnies. Our previous rabbit, Falina, had lived to be a healthy old lady bunny, on virtually the same diet, never missing a meal; so I had no clue.
My apologies to any non-rabbit fans out there for what must seem a boring post - but I felt I needed to offer this cautionary tale to any current or prospective bunny people out there, in gratitude for Peaches' good health & in memory of our sweet Brownie boy. If you're thinking of getting a bunny as a pet though - please think about it THOROUGHLY - they're NOT the easiest pet, they can chew furniture, electrical cords, etc. I'm sure this is why our bunnies got dumped on us. No, domestic bunnies don't just survive in the wild, the way your average cottontail does - they don't have the social connections to join a burrow for one thing - rabbits have their own social order. Please don't get your child a live Easter bunny or any other pet, then drop him in the wild! I have no more room at the inn to take any more bunnies or any other critters in - so please don't ask me to take them in, either! Ok, I'll step down from the soapbox now, before I fall off or they bring out the hook to pull me off.
Yes, I realize how nutty our life must sound to others; keep in mind, apart from the aquarium residents, we didn't buy or seek out any of our menagerie - they just show up, & the ones that stay, do so because no one answers our "found pet" or subsequent "free to good home" ads.
The bun's one up on the cats & dogs, by helping pay for his keep - he acts as a built-in source of compost/fertilizer for the garden. He's also been helpful by posing as a bunny model for my artwork. Beatrix Potter had an actual Peter Rabbit that she kept inside and walked on a leash - so we do have a literary/artistic precedent for our eccentric lifestyle!
I promise a more entertaining post is coming soon. Till then, G'night everyone; it's time for me to put on my bunny slippers and go to bed.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Tiara Tinkering
Tonight, I was tinkering with a tiara for violette'sfolkart tiara challenge....I have no idea why, since I still don't have a digital camera, but if one should suddenly appear, I will be fully ready with my finished tiara!
I strung varying shades of green & gold beads & also some faux "bone" beads onto 18g wire in a basic head wreath shape. Then I beaded & attached 2 smaller wires to the top, in a sort "m" shape - though that doesn't really describe it, because I shaped it so that it looked sort of like 1/2 a bird cage (I'm sure you're wondering what the heck I'm babbling about by now!) & then suspended a little green carved stone bird behind the "bars" of the 1/2 cage. Sounds a little loony, I know - but it worked for me! Oh, & there's wire spiralling up from the top of the "m" - oh, darn it! THIS is why a picture is worth a thousand words! Digital camera - please find me!
Anyway, I'm happy with it & that's what counts. It does demonstrate what level of lunacy my family is used to from me, that when they came home & I was sitting here wearing my cuckoo crown at the computer, no one even questioned it! My husband told me it was "very nice, dear" when asked. I wonder if he was only placating me...but then what DO you say to someone who wears a tiara to type in their family room & she's fishing for compliments?
Happy Birthday to violetismycolor! And my utmost apologies...for accidentally deleting your comment from my yesterday's post - I just recently began moderating comments because of spam/bots that kept showing up, & apparently I clicked on the wrong button. I wanted yours to post, but it didn't...it just up & disappeared from the face of the blog!?! I apologize in advance to anyone else if I end up doing that to you, also, till I get this figured out. I keep feeling aggravated with blogger - but I'm sure I'm probably at least half the problem here!
That's it for now...I need to go check on my bunny boy - poor Mr. Peaches hasn't wanted to eat today & that can be very serious for bunnies...so I must go see if I can entice him to nibble on something...I'm trying to not worry- so I'm just keeping on thinking happy bunny thoughts!
I strung varying shades of green & gold beads & also some faux "bone" beads onto 18g wire in a basic head wreath shape. Then I beaded & attached 2 smaller wires to the top, in a sort "m" shape - though that doesn't really describe it, because I shaped it so that it looked sort of like 1/2 a bird cage (I'm sure you're wondering what the heck I'm babbling about by now!) & then suspended a little green carved stone bird behind the "bars" of the 1/2 cage. Sounds a little loony, I know - but it worked for me! Oh, & there's wire spiralling up from the top of the "m" - oh, darn it! THIS is why a picture is worth a thousand words! Digital camera - please find me!
Anyway, I'm happy with it & that's what counts. It does demonstrate what level of lunacy my family is used to from me, that when they came home & I was sitting here wearing my cuckoo crown at the computer, no one even questioned it! My husband told me it was "very nice, dear" when asked. I wonder if he was only placating me...but then what DO you say to someone who wears a tiara to type in their family room & she's fishing for compliments?
Happy Birthday to violetismycolor! And my utmost apologies...for accidentally deleting your comment from my yesterday's post - I just recently began moderating comments because of spam/bots that kept showing up, & apparently I clicked on the wrong button. I wanted yours to post, but it didn't...it just up & disappeared from the face of the blog!?! I apologize in advance to anyone else if I end up doing that to you, also, till I get this figured out. I keep feeling aggravated with blogger - but I'm sure I'm probably at least half the problem here!
That's it for now...I need to go check on my bunny boy - poor Mr. Peaches hasn't wanted to eat today & that can be very serious for bunnies...so I must go see if I can entice him to nibble on something...I'm trying to not worry- so I'm just keeping on thinking happy bunny thoughts!
Monday, November 07, 2005
Top 40 Things On My To Do List
What I'm still working on:
1. Writing a novel.
2. Creating an altered book.
3. Spending more time making, exhibiting and selling my own art.
4. Having 3 working bathrooms.
5. Re-learning to knit, & to a lesser extent, crochet (remember it a little better).
6. Participating in an art exchange with other artists.
7. Finding my local "Bohemian Tribe" (thanks for the term, Violette!)
8. Finding the courage to toss out/give away/sell the clutter.
9. Making my garden flourish again (it's been neglected this year).
10. Creating more toys/dolls for my grandgirls.
11. Writing & illustrating a children's book & getting it published.
12. Finding more sources of revenue, in addition to current job, so not so dependent on it.
13. Rejoining yoga class. Keep going.
14. Organizing our books better so we can find them more easily.
15. Getting a digital camera & learning how to put photos of my art on the web.
16. Spending more time with the dogs (hear that cats? other animals DO exist at this house! that goes for you too, mr. bunny)
17. Figuring out how to make our own Christmas crackers, & putting things appropriate to our family in them.
18. Planting another lilac bush.
19. Making a real path on our hill. Walking on it everyday.
20. Imagining the pool working again. Swimming in it again someday.
21. Imagineering building a treehouse for the grandgirls & myself.
22. Designing an outdoor cafe area in backyard. Dreaming about using it frequently.
23. Getting my art area set up in a more organized fashion, so I can create more easily.
24. Finding a scanner and learning how to use it. Putting cool pictures on my blog.
25. Repainting. Everything. Everywhere.
26. Ripping up horrible, yucky carpet, so you can see the lovely wood floor hiding under there.
27. Refinishing floors.
28. Spending more time with my sister. Just "sister/sister."
29. Planning for & spending more "just us girls" time with my daughters.
30. Planning for & spending more "just the 2 of us" time with my husband.
31. Dedicating a room that's just for my grandgirlies.
32. Reading more books to my grandgirls (that are new to them) .
33. Working on making the fairy garden a more distinct area.
34. Visiting a different art space/exhibit every month.
35. Taking the grandgirls out to see & do things they haven't done before. Have a palooza! (Thanks, John Lithgow!)
36. Dreaming of visiting the beach more! The desert!! The mountains!!! Going on more adventures!!!! (Getting a better car!!!!!)
37. Seeing more of my longtime friends (e-mails & phone calls aren't enough!)
38. Having an art party. Having a holiday party! Having a party!! Party!!!
39. Getting my smile back! :>D
40. Dancing more ~ /} ~}{~`\} ~ {} ~ {/` ~}{ ~ {} ~ {\ ~ }{ ~
~Y~~M~~C~~A~ ( lol)
1. Writing a novel.
2. Creating an altered book.
3. Spending more time making, exhibiting and selling my own art.
4. Having 3 working bathrooms.
5. Re-learning to knit, & to a lesser extent, crochet (remember it a little better).
6. Participating in an art exchange with other artists.
7. Finding my local "Bohemian Tribe" (thanks for the term, Violette!)
8. Finding the courage to toss out/give away/sell the clutter.
9. Making my garden flourish again (it's been neglected this year).
10. Creating more toys/dolls for my grandgirls.
11. Writing & illustrating a children's book & getting it published.
12. Finding more sources of revenue, in addition to current job, so not so dependent on it.
13. Rejoining yoga class. Keep going.
14. Organizing our books better so we can find them more easily.
15. Getting a digital camera & learning how to put photos of my art on the web.
16. Spending more time with the dogs (hear that cats? other animals DO exist at this house! that goes for you too, mr. bunny)
17. Figuring out how to make our own Christmas crackers, & putting things appropriate to our family in them.
18. Planting another lilac bush.
19. Making a real path on our hill. Walking on it everyday.
20. Imagining the pool working again. Swimming in it again someday.
21. Imagineering building a treehouse for the grandgirls & myself.
22. Designing an outdoor cafe area in backyard. Dreaming about using it frequently.
23. Getting my art area set up in a more organized fashion, so I can create more easily.
24. Finding a scanner and learning how to use it. Putting cool pictures on my blog.
25. Repainting. Everything. Everywhere.
26. Ripping up horrible, yucky carpet, so you can see the lovely wood floor hiding under there.
27. Refinishing floors.
28. Spending more time with my sister. Just "sister/sister."
29. Planning for & spending more "just us girls" time with my daughters.
30. Planning for & spending more "just the 2 of us" time with my husband.
31. Dedicating a room that's just for my grandgirlies.
32. Reading more books to my grandgirls (that are new to them) .
33. Working on making the fairy garden a more distinct area.
34. Visiting a different art space/exhibit every month.
35. Taking the grandgirls out to see & do things they haven't done before. Have a palooza! (Thanks, John Lithgow!)
36. Dreaming of visiting the beach more! The desert!! The mountains!!! Going on more adventures!!!! (Getting a better car!!!!!)
37. Seeing more of my longtime friends (e-mails & phone calls aren't enough!)
38. Having an art party. Having a holiday party! Having a party!! Party!!!
39. Getting my smile back! :>D
40. Dancing more ~ /} ~}{~`\} ~ {} ~ {/` ~}{ ~ {} ~ {\ ~ }{ ~
~Y~~M~~C~~A~ ( lol)
Friday, November 04, 2005
Na-Nu Na-Nu From NaNoWriMo Land
For anyone just now tuning in: November is National Novel Writing Month - 50,000 words in one short month, to cross the finishline!
Just popping up from the rabbithole to say "Hi!" It's been fun so far & I'd thought I'd actually been pretty productive - a whole chapter! Woo-hoo! It's a blast, "falling through the hole in the page" (I think that's how Stephen King put it in his book on writing, which I have lying around here somewhere, but of course I can't find it right now to tell you it's actual title....)
Anywhooo, thought I'd been pretty productive, until I saw how much other people have gotten written in the past 4 days. I now realize I better step up the production rate... How many days are there in November? THIRTY!?!? Well, at the rate I've been writing I should be finished by oh, CHRISTMAS! well, maybe New Year's...
I've been just a little too a.r. about self-editing as I go - a bad habit I picked up years ago in another life, when writing newsletters & such. I need to just let 'er rip & pick up the pieces later.
That & somehow I've got to coerce the rest of the family to let me out of some of the ta-ta - like, can't someone else take Peanuts to the Spaymobile tomorrow? (it's HIS lucky day tomorrow! Hope the girlycats are nice to him when he comes back home; for that matter, hope it goes smoother for me than when I took THEM to the Spaymobile (see "Lost In Suburbia" post in Oct).
So, it's been great seeing you (I admit I had to jump around checking on everyone's blogs to see how they're doing...I'm such a looky-loo!), but now it's back down the rabbit-hole!! Thank you so much, everyone, for your Good Luck wishes! It meant a lot to me! You're great!! Can't wait till I see you again...
Tootle-Loo!!!
Just popping up from the rabbithole to say "Hi!" It's been fun so far & I'd thought I'd actually been pretty productive - a whole chapter! Woo-hoo! It's a blast, "falling through the hole in the page" (I think that's how Stephen King put it in his book on writing, which I have lying around here somewhere, but of course I can't find it right now to tell you it's actual title....)
Anywhooo, thought I'd been pretty productive, until I saw how much other people have gotten written in the past 4 days. I now realize I better step up the production rate... How many days are there in November? THIRTY!?!? Well, at the rate I've been writing I should be finished by oh, CHRISTMAS! well, maybe New Year's...
I've been just a little too a.r. about self-editing as I go - a bad habit I picked up years ago in another life, when writing newsletters & such. I need to just let 'er rip & pick up the pieces later.
That & somehow I've got to coerce the rest of the family to let me out of some of the ta-ta - like, can't someone else take Peanuts to the Spaymobile tomorrow? (it's HIS lucky day tomorrow! Hope the girlycats are nice to him when he comes back home; for that matter, hope it goes smoother for me than when I took THEM to the Spaymobile (see "Lost In Suburbia" post in Oct).
So, it's been great seeing you (I admit I had to jump around checking on everyone's blogs to see how they're doing...I'm such a looky-loo!), but now it's back down the rabbit-hole!! Thank you so much, everyone, for your Good Luck wishes! It meant a lot to me! You're great!! Can't wait till I see you again...
Tootle-Loo!!!
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
TTFN - It's NaNoWriMo!
Just wanted to let all my wonderful readers (all 3 or 4 of you - you know who you are!) know I'll only be updating this bloggity thing about once a week for the next month while I participate in NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month). Of course there's always the odd chance that I'll pop back in here more frequently than that, to vent or procrastinate, or both!!
But don't give up on me! Just check back on weekends, since I think that will be the most likely time I'll be posting this month. Only God & the muses know for sure what writerly hi-jinks I'll get myself into during this - it should be an interesting experience though!
Wish me luck! I'm sure I'll need it!! (Although I've heard that I should just dictate all 50,000 words in the novel into a tape recorder; some people around here claim I use that many words in a day!)
TTFN (that's Ta-Ta For Now - for you non-Tigger fans!)
But don't give up on me! Just check back on weekends, since I think that will be the most likely time I'll be posting this month. Only God & the muses know for sure what writerly hi-jinks I'll get myself into during this - it should be an interesting experience though!
Wish me luck! I'm sure I'll need it!! (Although I've heard that I should just dictate all 50,000 words in the novel into a tape recorder; some people around here claim I use that many words in a day!)
TTFN (that's Ta-Ta For Now - for you non-Tigger fans!)
Monday, October 31, 2005
An Eeny, Meany, Halloweenie
Made a cameo appearance at the Harvest Fair at church - long enough to see the grandgirls. Who were looking Very Grand indeed, dressed as a Renaissance princess & a winged pixie. Their other side Auntie took some quick pics on her digital camera (promised me she'd send some to me - I'm holding you to that Shelle!). What I love about digital pics is being able to view them immediately. Oddly enough, only the pics that included me, had like a bajillion of those Orb thingies all around us, of varying sizes. Being the oddball that I am, I was very excited about this, & had the following conversation with hubby (who'd stayed behind to man the candy station), when I got home:
Tink: "Honey, guess what!"
Hub: (sigh) "What now?" (you'd think I get all excited like this, all the time!) (ok, so he knows me well...)
Tink: "Shelle took all these photos with her digital of the girls & Brook & Chris & herself & me - and the only pictures that had Orbs in them were the ones where I was in the picture! What do you think that means? Do you think they're angels trying to heal me or spirits haunting me or what?"
Hub ( looking in serious thought mode): "Was Roy in any of the pictures?"
Tink (looking seriously perplexed): "Roy who?" (now seriously wracking brain for acquaintances named Roy)
Hub: (with annoying straight face): "Roy Orbison...." (wisely ducking for cover!)
Time for me to duck under the covers, turn on the radio, & spook myself with scary ghost stories, as I listen to "Ghost to Ghost" on Coast to Coast AM radio with Art Bell (they have some spooky artwork submitted by listeners, on their website, if you're up for that kind of thing tonight!)
Happy Halloween!
Tink: "Honey, guess what!"
Hub: (sigh) "What now?" (you'd think I get all excited like this, all the time!) (ok, so he knows me well...)
Tink: "Shelle took all these photos with her digital of the girls & Brook & Chris & herself & me - and the only pictures that had Orbs in them were the ones where I was in the picture! What do you think that means? Do you think they're angels trying to heal me or spirits haunting me or what?"
Hub ( looking in serious thought mode): "Was Roy in any of the pictures?"
Tink (looking seriously perplexed): "Roy who?" (now seriously wracking brain for acquaintances named Roy)
Hub: (with annoying straight face): "Roy Orbison...." (wisely ducking for cover!)
Time for me to duck under the covers, turn on the radio, & spook myself with scary ghost stories, as I listen to "Ghost to Ghost" on Coast to Coast AM radio with Art Bell (they have some spooky artwork submitted by listeners, on their website, if you're up for that kind of thing tonight!)
Happy Halloween!
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