Guitars. No Cadillacs - Friday 3/20/2009

Now really. Is there a better way to spend the day than in the company of musicians?

We went in to Fillmore in the early morning for our Starbucks fix and to sit and read the Ventura County Star. The Voice came in for his daily brew and we sat and talked for quite a while.

We met up again back at the campground. Click below for a sample of The Voice's voice. Wish I'd thought to hit the video sooner!

We are so lucky to have found Songmakers. It's an amazing group of people.

Shrouded Oranges - Thursday 3/19/2009

Not sure why these particular orange trees were covered, while both younger trees and trees with blossoms on them were not covered. Thought at first it had to do with a frost threat.

It just struck me that it might have something to do with pollination, and keeping random bees from visiting.

Near Fillmore, CA, where we went to camp for the weekend. Beautiful!

Wearin' o' the Green - Monday 3/16/2009

Okay, so it's a day early, but it's greener than I've seen it in north eastern Los Angeles County since we moved here.

This is along the Southbound 14, heading home from my yoga class. Aaah.

Estate Sale - Sunday 3/15/2009

Gorgeous morning over Acton Valley. It was calm, cool and damp out. Lovely.



We went to an estate sale nearby. We thought we might want a couple of things but needed to measure the space in the house. One of the three sons helping to clear out the house wrote the important dimensions on masking tape and I stuck them on my arm.

I am always fascinated by estate sales. Going into people's houses. Seeing the view from their house, which was pretty great from the other side of the 14 and around a hill from that freeway.

"We're getting rid of some of Gammy and Gampa's stuff because they don't need all of it anymore," I heard one of the sons say to his energetic 3-year-old son.

Often estate sales happen when someone dies, but I don't think this was the case. The pall of grief wasn't hanging over the sellers. And when I was looking at the remaining appliances and dinner ware laid out on the kitchen counter, I saw a print out about selling short.

Sad enough. These houses are not more than 5 or 6 years old. I'll bet the couple's investments went south. Let's give those AIG execs their bonuses for doing this to people, shall we? I can't even express how angry this makes me if I let myself think about it.

We bought a leather recliner. When two of the grown "boys" picked it up, one said, "Okay, I just got bummed."

They told us this was the chair that the dad always sat in to read, but not in a "he's in a better place" kind of way.

I assured them that it's going to sit in a corner of our bedroom with windows on both sides, and that it will be used for reading again. I think they were kind of glad that it went to people who aren't going to stick it on their porch till it rots or something.

The little one shouted "good-bye! good-bye" as we pulled out of the driveway, and the whole family was waving at us. We hurried to roll down our windows and wave back.

I took a reading break this afternoon and sat in that chair with the windows open on both sides of me. Dodger was on my knee, loving looking out over my shoulders.

It was a very good buy.

Poppies Popping - Saturday 3/14/2009

The poppies are starting up a little early this year, thanks to all the rain. Most of them are up on inaccessible hills in our area.


According to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve's website, the poppies aren't in full bloom yet.

We have a few in our yard. Most of the flowers on the hills near us are smaller yellow and purple flowers.

These were taken on Soledad Canyon Road.

Spinning Out of Control - Friday 3/13/2009

I keep track of my workouts in my calendar and online. This week was going well till Friday.

Mon : 20 min + 15 min brisk walk

Tue : 35 min cardio/elliptical

Wed : 60 min spinning class + 15 min warm-up + 80 crunches - This spinning class was great! The instructor was fun. She mixed up a lot of basic moves into sprints and rests of different lengths. At the end she let us do whatever we wanted for a couple of minutes and I really pounded it. It was amazing and I hit the zone and felt great for 24 hours.

Thu : worked late to help a coworker and didn’t make it to a class I was hoping to take

Fri : 65 min spinning class + 15 min warm up + 80 crunches
—This class was off from the beginning. Didn’t like the instructor at all. She sauntered in late, adjusted my bike to a position that gave me a couple of pinched nerves in my back (I’m realizing by Sunday morning), and basically let us follow along to her personal workout. She had zero body fat, and didn’t do what most instructors do,which is remind you to work at your 6 or 8 or whatever you’re going for.

She’d just have us go full tilt for the length of a whole song. BORING, plus anaerobic and not good for those of us who are carrying some extra weight.

One young woman who was new was probably 50 pounds over weight. The instructor cranked my bike’s resistance up and I saw her do the same to the other woman. Dangerous.

She does not know who I am. Doesn’t know what issues I might have. I left feeling sick and was still blotchy in the face an hour later. I should probably complain to the gym. She’s teaching at least 2 classes a week and she’s lazy about the teaching part. (rant rant)

Lesson learned: I know my limits and I know when I am really working hard, and no one cranks my bike up but me.

Show Me the Tater! - Thursday 3/12/2009

There has been a lot of chatter on Facebook today about the impending arrival of a batch of corned beef and cabbage. The raw materials arrived today, but it takes a long time to cook this dish, so we were thwarted in our attempts to have it for dinner.

(It has been started, as you can see, in the big yellow stock pot in the background.)


Dodger's determined to get to the bottom of this.

Where is the potato he has been promised? Huh?

If you'd like to be Dodger's friend, he's on Facebook as Artful Dodger. Is it wise to name your pets after scruffy, pick-pocketing street urchins?

CSI: Toluca Lake - Wednesday 3/11/2009

What the heck happened to OneL's mini-fridge overnight!?

Let's consider the evidence, shall we?



Indentation of some sort in the frost-laded freezer compartment. It's about six inches long, and rounded as if a cylinder was resting there. What could make that distinctive mark?

Cat?

No. Not enough toes.

Gun?

No. Too narrow.

Thermonuclear device?

I don't think so, but the idea will haunt me throughout the investigation.



Further inspection draws my eye to the brown liquid in the bottom of the refrigerator compartment and on top of the filing cabinet upon which it rests. Same liquid is splashed on the interior door.

Dried blood?

A fingerful rules this out. Blood's salty. This is sweet.

I snort some. No effect beyond a sticky burning sensation.

Will need to resort to brute intelligence to determine the type of substance. No time to wait for lab results. A life could be at stake.

What's that? A cylinder rests strangely akimbo in the door! Could it be connected with the indentation in the frost?!?

Cue process music! Darken the lights! Take a swab! Measure it. Measure it twice! Scrunch up forehead. Purse lips.

!?!!?!?!?!?!?!

I think I have the answer!


This Diet Coke, bottled in only a few dozen plants in North America, apparently exploded when the liquid inside froze. Took the whole bottom of the can out and blew open the refrigerator door.

Luckily this happened after work hours, so no one was hurt.

Or were they?

It's 7:00 a.m. No one else is here yet. Was anyone injured? Or worse yet...killed!?!?!?!?!

Will make it my mission to grill everyone regarding her possible involvement upon her arrival.

Making coffee.

Setting up interrogation lamp and unpacking Girl Scout Cookies, which will function as a much better incentive than a carrot with this crowd.

I am on it folks.

Flat Brayden Has Landed! - Tuesday 3/10/2009

My cousin's son is participating in a Flat Stanley project in his second grade class, and they asked me to host his flat self!

If you're unfamiliar with the Flat Stanley concept, you can click on the link above or trust my explanation in a nutshell. It's based on a 1964 children's book by the same name, in which a child is flattened but not hurt, and decides to mail himself to a place he would like to visit but can't otherwise.

I am absolutely thrilled to host Flat Brayden! He arrived today and we set him up in the guest room. Even though it was a long trip, he was too excited to take a nap, but he was very nice about lying down for a bit and having a little apple juice.

We get to have him for a couple of weeks, so I'm looking forward to taking him camping, and to the rocks, and the mountains, and maybe Hydra will teach him a few chords on the guitar.

Hydra and I had our first argument about Flat Brayden. Hydra said it would be okay to give him a Coke, but I thought apple juice was more appropriate for a second grader. I mean, caffeine on a school night?

You have to set some limits. And who's going to stay up all night with him all hyped up? Huh?

This raising kids thing is as hard as everyone says it is!

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - Monday 3/9/2009

They've restored the sign at Papoo's Hot Dog Show. Yay!

It's a gorgeous day. Sunny and cool. Perfect for walking during breaks.



Down the street at Trader Joe's it looks like a European market. Wow.



Later, at Braveheart's, I attempt to capture the drool of ecstasy on Jimmy's face. Didn't really capture it, darn it.


Settling in for the night in the guest bed. Braveheart has a keen sense of style and decor, but I wouldn't advise letting your kid spend the night in here.


Seriously.

Oops! It's Spring Already? - Wednesday 3/4/2009

Apparently the apricot thinks so!

I didn't get around to pruning again this year. The fruit trees are a little spindly.

Roasted Veggies - Tuesday 3/3/2009

This one's for Kitty!

The very loose recipe for the roasted veggie mix I've been raving about. It's an adaptation of one from The South Beach Diet. It called for more asparagus and no mushrooms or oregano. The way I made it, it smelled like pizza!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Cut up the following, or something like it:

1 pound of asparagus, cut to bite size
2-3 yellow crook-neck or zucchini squash, cut to bite size
10-12 ounces sliced or quartered crimini mushrooms (buttons are also fine)
2-3 onions, cut to bite size
2 bell peppers, cut to bite size

Toss the veggies in olive oil, garlic powder, and oregano in a big roasting pan. Salt and pepper if you like.

Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. You want the onions to be translucent.

In this case, I topped them with chunks of grilled chicken left over from last night's carry out salad. Mmmm!

Jungle Tub - Sunday 3/1/2009

Every fall I bring all the succulents in from the front porch to the warmth and safety of our master bathroom. They love it. Sometimes they go a little kookoo.


I love succulents because they are so freaky and other worldly. This bloom is about a foot high, and springs from a plant that looks like a giant hen & chickens.


The bottom of the bloom. I've had this thing for 8 years--given to me by Saharazad, and this is the first time it's bloomed.


Blossoms on another succulent. Braveheart gave me this one.


The base for the bloom above. Sweet, huh?

Lovely specimen.


Oh, and yes, there's fauna in the jungle too.

Playful upsidedown fauna, even.

Mormon Rocks Hike - Saturday 2/28/2009

A very welcoming view. We were on our way to Adelanto to meet up with some friends and decided to make time for a hike at Mormon Rocks. We've been by here a number of times without thinking to allow for the time or to dress appropriately.


Closing in on the first goal.


There's a lot more space between the rocks than you'd expect.


Hydra sets off across the ridge between the first set of rocks we visited and the next. This is probably the crest of the same type of rock that's exposed elsewhere. The trail forms a rough crescent around the fire station below, which can be reached from the 138 just east of the 15.


Looking over Hydra's shoulder at the formations across the 138.


I pause to enjoy the view before we head back down. Nice hour long hike on a gorgeous day.

Between Hikes - Saturday 2/28/2009

Part of what I do in my job as a script researcher is come up with fake business names for shows to use so they don't accidentally identify an actual business and depict, say, someone getting killed there. We check everything, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

Believe me, if one of my clients had sent me "Between a Rock and a Leather Place" I would have laughed and figured it would clear.

This is exactly why we check everything, even if we're laughing.



I wouldn't mind having this flour sifter in my kitchen. But for like $3.00, not $15.00. I don't buy a lot at antique shops, as much as I like to cruise them when I'm in the mood.

Really, I want to be the person who buys it at the yard sale before it gets marked up.



Okay, you tell me.

Does this clock just scream, "I love you, Daddy, even though you blew the milk money playing craps?"

Doo Doo Doo Hiking Out My Back Door - 2/27/2009

Heading up the steps we put in our first year here and up toward Hydra's Mountain.


Just have to point out that this was the view on December 17th, 2008 when we had our rare Snow Day! All the leaves fell off the tree on the left fell off in between pix.


The vinca I transplanted from the too-sunny slope between our house and the neighbors' are thriving in a little light shade.


Looking north up the 14.


Cutting across the neighborhood on the way home. Great way to start a weekend!

#7 Lapsang Sushong from T Tea in the L.A. Farmer's Market

This is a distinctively smokey tea. It reminds me of a campfire.

Apparently this and Russian Caravan were originally created by accident as black tea was carried over the mountains from China to Russia on the backs of camels. When the drivers stopped for the night and made fires, the smoke worked its way into the burlap bags the tea was transported in!

This is a nice one, to my taste. I may try to make tea eggs with it…you infuse boiled eggs with this tea. I’ve had sandwiches made with smokey tea eggs and they were marvelous.

Ooh, and I’m showing off my new tea infuser from Starbucks. I bought it so I could watch flowering teas unfurl, but I haven’t tried it yet.

The little lid that sits on top of the infuser basket while the tea is steeping can be used to sit the basket on when you pull it out of the water. Very nice for carrying tea with you to your workspace or porch!

See more progress on: drink 43 types of tea

Putting My Feet Where My Mouth Is - Thursday 2/26/2009

Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to scale these rocks!

Sometime in the middle of the afternoon over on Facebook I said I'd rather be hiking. It sparked a lot of agreeable conversation.

It was sunny and cool, so I bypassed the gym and went to Vasquez Rocks County Park for a hike.



My foot next to some nice moss. Amazing green!


The long view.

As I climbed the first ridge, a ranger called out through a bullhorn that the park would be closing in about 45 minutes.

Ah well. It was time to pick up the pace.



Water on the trail. Very exciting.



The famous rock as seen through the skeleton of a reproduction native dwelling.

Banana Bread - Wednesday 2/25/2009

Jens told me they call it a "Depression Menu." It's when you plan your meals according to what's on sale, and what you have around the house using up.

Actually, it's anything but emotionally depressing. You can end up feeling kind of proud of yourself.

Yeah, the world handed me overripe bananas and I made banana bread. Mmmm.

It was my first banana bread from scratch. I tried the recipe from my trusty Joy of Cooking. Used all three of my over ripe bananas and some walnuts I had in the fridge.

Mmmm!