Poor Donkey

Donkey's been walking around with a 3 inch deep hole in chest. What?! I know!

I don't know how long he's been like that. Only noticed it because he was licking it, and licking it, and licking it.

This is a dog that hardly leaves my side. When did he have a chance to impale himself? And on what? 

Don't know what's worse, from a dog's point of view - mysteriously impaling yourself, having to go the vet for a little minor surgery, or having to wear a ridiculous "Elizabethan Collar" and your owners laughing at you while they take your picture for the web.

Quail

When I was growing up, I would stand on our balcony facing our back yard and in the early morning hours I could see quails running across the yard and it always delighted me so when I saw this lone quail in the drive way at my mom's house in the central coast, I was taken back to a time long gone yet just as delighted.

Kite festival

Kite festival; Mary Poppins would've had a wonderful time.

Sweat Peas, Finally!

Can you see it? There's a sweat pea growing up right in the middle of my jasmine! For a couple years I've been picking seeds from the wild sweat peas on the hill. I just toss them around in my yard. I figure, if they can grow wild, they should be able to figure out what to do in my backyard. Finally!

tree

Found this piece from an old fallen tree fascinating.

Homework Assignment

As much as I wanted to quit my life drawing class six weeks ago, that's how much I now DO NOT want the class to end.

Phone Center

While picking up my son for his 10 day liberty, I noticed this abandoned Public Telephone Center; it now houses one pay phone booth although I didn't go inside to check if there was still a working phone inside the booth; As I looked at it, I was taken back in time when I could imagine Marines holding their coins, standing in line possibly talking and smoking to pass time while they waited for their turn to use the phone to connect with a loved one. I imagined this was a hot spot and crowded most times and that there might have been multiple booths. They must have had limited conversational time as well as privacy and might have had to choose which loved one would receive a phone call. I had a new sense of appreciation for cell phones and how easily we can connect at any time with our loved one and not be rushed or over heard (depending on where we are I suppose). I appreciated how my son when deployed will be able to communicate with me to let me know he's doing well and that I don't need to wait near my phone on pins and needles hoping to receive a call and then beat myself up over having missed a call if I was away from home; my phone and I will be available anytime anywhere.

Guacamole dreaming

So excited to see multiple buds on our avocado tree; images of guacamole, turkey & avocado sandwiches, avocado omelets...so many possibilities to anticipate.....smiles

Gutter Flower Box

A few weeks ago, I planted two rows of sunflowers in my yard. Only two seedlings came up; one of those got munched to oblivion by a grasshopper. One lone sunflower remains. I worked pretty hard for one flower.

Today, I looked up at the rainy sky and saw this growing from the rain gutter above my neighbor's garage. With no work at all, they got an instant flower box. Jealous.

What a great idea for a flower box! I hope they never clean their gutters. Ever.

Glass Tile at the Trash Heap

I've noticed this glass and stone tile several times at the trash heap. Today I decided it really did need to come home with me. I think there might be more buried under the rubble, but I had all I could carry for today.

Loquats

I think the birds, squirrels and possums enjoy our loquat tree more than we do.

Nemo found

Left behind after bath time.

The Pleasures of Dusting

I used to really hate dusting. But then, they came out with those nifty Swiffer Dusters. And although I do feel wasteful, throwing those things in the garbage, I also find that I now thoroughly enjoy a thorough dusting.

I've even come to appreciate the dust.

Seems that dust was invented as a way to get us to notice.

Until the dust settles, I never take the time to look at the sweet photos of family, the Mother's Day gifts of long ago, all the little things that we once thought were worthwhile and worthy of a spot on top of the piano.

The pleasures of dusting

Inside Books

The inside of some more great and discarded books.

Lonely

Missing my grandson who is spending the night at his father's house.

Colorful Sheers

From the hotel room  in Puerto Rico.

Earth Day

Earth Rocks

Dumped Books

More books being tossed from yet another library.

I took as many as I could, but there's just too many

 of them being dumped. . . I can't save them all.

Front Yard Sculpture

I'm pretty sure this old truck started out just being parked in the front yard for one day, awaiting that spare part or new carburetor, and there it stayed, month after month, year after year, until now, when it's become more of a sculpture than an eyesore.

cheers

James got a new job.

Some of his (now-former)coworkers gave him bottles 

as "going away" gifts.

Cheers to a new venture.

Biker Memorial

Came across this touching road side memorial. Different than any others I've ever seen. Left me a bit melancholy.

Killing Time

Scene from my van window while parked at San Onofre waiting for my son to go on weekend liberty.

No Fat Pigeons Allowed

Here are all the things you can not do.

But not feeding the pigeons appears to be the most important. 

Fat pigeons are ok by me.

Remember what happened in Mary Poppins

when they wouldn't let the little boy feed the birds.

Guys on a scaffold

We went downtown to wander around. I stood on Bunker Hill (at least I think that's where I was) and looked out at a high rise building across the way. I noticed these guys on a scaffold. Except there's no scaffold. And the guys aren't real.

Bike lane

Author Talk

Dyan Cannon was the guest speaker at our annual library breakfast. She wrote a book about her life with Cary Grant. Very charismatic woman.

No More Toys

I haven't stepped foot in this store in years. There was a time when it felt like I was shopping here more often than the grocery store.

Bumblebee

Came home to find this bumblebee enjoying my sweet peas.

Staircase

Walking up the stairs in my apartment building.

Snapping photos here and there.

I loved the angles and the colors and way the light plays in this one.

(P.S. This doesn't represent the colors of the stairway at all... It's actually kind of pink!)

Going Nowhere

The light is green; his bags are packed; the signs tell which way to almost anywhere. But I'm pretty sure he's going nowhere.

Tracks

Railroad track

A pile of pallets

Fruit Vendor

nap time

While I work, pets nap.

Without a Digital Camera

My digital camera will not turn on. It has been getting temperamental lately, but this is the first time it has simply refused to turn on. Ah, technology. 

I do miss using my basic Pentax K1000, 100% manual, film camera. I miss twisting the dials, checking the light meter, winding film. I miss slowing down and taking the time to set up a good composition. I miss view finders.

With my "Just Four Photos" pictures locked away inside a tiny purple drive within the little digital Sony, I'm instead looking through my "real" photo stuff. Negatives, proof sheets, 8x10 printed photos . . . came across this bit of a proof sheet from some work I did a while back in the black and white photo lab at Otis.

Without a digital camera, I'll need to find a new way to post what I notice each day. At least, until my camera decides to turn back on, or I bite the bullet and buy a new one.

Filming

Saw a little filming on the streets in Burbank, CA

Little League Parade

A parade of little league ball players & their families

walked up Broadway today.

The elevated subway was being worked on in our neighborhood

and the workers stopped working

to cheer the young players on,

honking the train's horns and waving their helmets

as the little sluggers marched by.

Drawing for Drawing's Sake

Today was my last day teaching my portfolio development classes at Otis (until the summer session starts in June). As I was dancing around the class, getting everyone settled into their drawing projects, I wondered allowed why I was so happy. And I answered aloud.

Because I'm drawing. I've been drawing more these last few months than I have in years. I've been making art all along, I just haven't had the luxury of drawing for drawing's sake. And I forgot how happy it makes me.

Drawing for drawing's sake. Hurrah!

Gift

Necklace brought back by my son from Okinawa, Japan; he says it says "Mom"; was touched by the thoughtfulness.

A day to celebrate 4.13.12

Fortune

"You will be rewarded for your patience and understanding" - this was a keeper!

Aliens in the Neighborhood

Trees like this have always sort of freaked me out. What are they doing there like that?! I have decided they are aliens. Aliens who came to Earth to observe, trying to fit in. But they didn't get the blending in part quite right.

Military housing

My son's home away from home at Camp Horno-Camp Pendleton.

Shadows

There's always something to notice, even when standing around waiting for a bacon cheese burger and a coke.

Preparing lau lāʻī for the wedding lei

Preparing lau lāʻī for the wedding lei

(Have I ever mentioned that I'm not very skilled at lei making?)

A labor of love.

Sweet welcome

Sparkly cake to welcome home my Marine.

Skeleton Heads Everywhere

I've been spending a lot of time lately studying, examining, drawing, staring at skeletons. I can't stop seeing them, noticing the curve of people's clavicle, or estimating the location of a stranger's greater trochanter. After spending several hours with our friend there in the picture, I came home late last night, and to help wind down, I flipped on the TV. But I couldn't see Sean Hayes yuckin' it up on Letterman, all I saw was a laughing skull.

Evita

Tonight we went to see the B'way revival of EVITA.

sunburst

Part of a public art piece that I found interesting; reminds me of a sunburst.