Toys

Everyone will want a kitty planter

...or how about an SUV?

They are not electric.

Twins

This year we have not seen many fawns. The winter was harsh and we were told none survived. But...a few did. One of the mama deer that hangs out in our little piece of forest has finally shown us her twin fawns. They are cute!

,

On Sunday we caught them lounging (or is it guarding) our front porch. There was no way I was going in the front door.

Yesterday they were cavorting in the backyard. The other DrC was watching them thru the screened porch playing among the trees. Viewing the critters from the screened porch is lovely, but getting a picture of the critters thru the screens is next to impossible...so I ran to the side porch that is not screened and snapped this picture before the disappeared into the forest. You can see how quickly these little guys can disappear into the dense greenery, spots and all...as soon as they head into the forest they are gone from sight within yards.

Goodbye Jeanne

Today my good friend, Jeanne, passed away. When we met about 40 years ago, we "just hit it off."  From then on, we would see each other all the time; have lunch together at least once a week, go shopping, go to Delta Kappa Pi conventions, or talk on the phone. We had a special connection. Last week, I flew to CA to see her and say goodbye. It was a sad trip, and yet it filled me with peace. She would not suffer much longer and that was a good thing. Today her suffering ended and she's in a better place. 

Goodbye Jeanne. 

You made the world a better place and I will miss you

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Fifty-three years ago I taught at Jackson School in Rescue, CA. It was small school district with 2 schools and 14 teachers. I taught in the "new" school which had been finished the year before. The hexagon shaped building was divided into five teaching areas or open classrooms, with a large library in the center. The sixth space actually had walls, and was the teachers' room/supply closet/general purpose room with coffee pot and microwave oven.  I team taught with Paul, Gary, Marion, and Delores. We shared an aide, Buzz. We taught over 100 children in the open space area. It was a challenging and eventful two years.

Last week I went to my old school and discovered there were now seven buildings, an amphitheater and several portables. Jackson School now had over 600 students, and the district had expanded to 6 elementary schools and 2 middle schools. What did not change was the beautiful setting. Yet, all was not heaven. The grassy areas around the school are as patchy as they were in 1970. One morning I was greeted with a rattle snake in the little patch of grass outside my door. Another night, I was working late and a bat flew in the building. Teaching in the country had a few downsides.

I learned all this information from a mom and dad muralist team who were painting the facade of two of the newer buildings. They were surprised that the school was that old.  You can see the amphitheater, not exactly Roman-style, where kids can enjoy an outdoor assembly. 

Trips down memory lane are fun, but you can never go back. Just as the school changed and grew, so did I. That's the way it's supposed to be.

Illusive Bambi

Last night I saw Mama Deer peeking around the corner of the house. I started to talk to her asking if she had her baby with her. She looked at me and I could see a tiny shadow behind her. Ever so slowly, a fawn appeared and quickly went away. I ran to the north window inside our home and that's when I saw this"

Mama has twins! Sorry for the poor picture, but mama and her babies were scampering away into the forest. 

We have twins out there. This is a summer treat.

Tiny. Houses

I've been working on tiny houses for the past few weeks. I've made about 25. I spent one day last week decorating them. 

Now I need to arrange them on "streets" of felt. As it stands now, each street will have about 3 or 4 houses

. 

They have been fun to make but it's time to move on to another project.

Independence Day #247

Happy Birthday to our Nation...the United States of America!

....and here's my humble homage...a 4th of July tiny village house.

Dear deer

As I sit on the back porch I enjoy the forest and the deer. 

This year we have no fawns.

 The winter was hard and the little ones did not survive...including some yearlings...

even more reason to enjoy the deer that are here.

Summer

It's the first day of summer and the sun is shining. That's very special...as we've had a lot of rain in the high country and not much sun. Let the sun shine some more.

This fellow looks mighty happy in the sunshine.

...And then...

The news is still horrible, so I'm crocheting away. The menagerie changes as I make a critter and give a critter away. Last week the "zoo" looked like this...

This week I've changed mode completely, and I'm crocheting tiny houses for several Christmas Villages...

I have several "orders" for these little houses...so there will be somewhere between 40-50 by the time I'm done. They are fun to make and I can get creative with them as there are no rules. The biggest challenge will be making the village church because it has to have a steeple. I've not tried to crochet a steeple. Watch this space. If you would like a little Christmas Village, let me know and I'll make one for you too.

Here is one finished tiny house...

Each tiny house is less than 4 inches tall. All will have windows and doors. I'm trying to make them all a little different with just the right amount of whimsy. They will be perfect under a Christmas tree or on a table. 

Night Action

We finished watching "Night Agent" on Netflix tonight. We saw it twice as we wanted to figure out the plot lines better and determine who "went bad," why and when. The 10 episodes are fast paced and leave you wanting for more. This is the perfect binge series. The cast does a good job portraying the President, Vice President, FBI and Secret Service agents, as well as various White House personnel. By the mid-point of the series, you have no idea to trust. By the end, you know who to trust but the path it took to get there was convoluted. The ten 48 minute episodes are great. The vocabulary is offensive; the cast is diverse; the President is a surprise, the action is palpable. I think it's one of the best programs we've seen on television this season. There is good news--the series has been renewed for a second season. We will definitely watch it.

More "Critters"

Two additions arrived at the menagerie. Some red flowers in a minty green pot

Please don't ask me the type of flower as I don't know. They are "red flowers." Whatever they are, they are cheerful as well as colorful.

A little piggy showed up as I was talking to my friend in TN. I do not like being idle.

Meet Kevin

For several years, my friends have been telling me I need to make a giraffe. I listened to them, but I did not make a giraffe. THEN, I was given a crochet book for my birthday and included in that book was a pattern for a giraffe. It was the start...but not the finish. By the time I finished Kevin, the Giraffe, I used part of that pattern and my own expertise on how to create a critter (after all, I've made a fair few critters).

 

Meet Kevin. He's about 7 inches tall, and he's a spotted giraffe, which does not exist in the wild.

 


If you are wondering why he is called Kevin, I need to refer you to a book in the "number series" written by Janet Evanovich. In that book, the main character, Stephanie Plum and her sidekick, Lula are charged with finding a wayward giraffe in Trenton, NJ. My Kevin, is just named after the giraffe...all other similarities are just coincidences. 

Yellow Fields

White Day did not happen this year, but the yellow fields are happening right now. Every year, during the early spring (and we are experiencing early spring right now) the country roads and fields are covered with yellow flowers. It's quite pretty.

Of course, if you look at the flowers carefully you will discover they are dandelions. Lots and lots of dandelions...aka WEEDS. In a few days the yellow flowers will change to fuzzy white puffballs and the same fields will look like a snowfall has happened. My mother would go nuts if she saw all those dandelions in her yard. 

All is not lost though. Look carefully at the pretty yellow flower (forget that it is a weed) and it looks a bit like a mum. I checked it out...and the dandelion is a distant relative  to the mum. One is a weed, the other is a beautiful flower. Thus, think of our fields as filled with tiny beautiful yellow mums and the picture is perfect.

Cow and Car

I did finish the cow, but it's not quite ready for "prime time." I do like the car.

 

If you read a previous post, I said my cow would not have horns...but this little cow needed horns. 

The cow still needs an udder and in time, she will get it. I don't think I'll be making a lot of cows in the near future.

Asynchronous White Day

This year is unusual. Instead of enjoying 1 "white day" where all the berry plants bloom at once, we are having a "white week" with a few berry plants blooming everyday. Last year we had white day on June 3. It's May 31, and all week, we've been having a few white blooms...it is not the impressive white bloom-out as in the past. Hence the title:  "asynchronous white day." It's still pretty and we are enjoying the white blossoms longer than normal...that's not a bad thing either. Take a look:

The berries in the front of the house are going strong today...

The white blossoms are brighter than the white bark on the aspen trees

A single bloom...enjoy today as it will be gone tomorrow.

This little patch of forest I've been picturing this season...as you can see, the aspens are lush and green. A big difference from a month ago.

Spring Tulips

The tulips are blooming in Amsterdam...and in the Rocky Mountains. Here's my attempt at a tulip.

This is the perfect plant. It does not need water or sunshine. It can be talked to or ignored...and it takes a lot to kill it. 

Like I said, the perfect plant.

Another Silly

It looks like a little purse?

...but look inside...

...and there's a little surprise....

You were warned it was another silly.

Branching Out

Recently I've started crocheting items other than critters. Since I live in a desert part of the year, it seemed logical to crochet some cactus. 

 

They were a great hit, so I moved to another plant. While I'm still learning how to make flowers and trees, here's my first attempt at a tulip.

My tulip is taller than any of the critters I make, so future tulips will be downsized. There were at least two challenges to overcome with a flower. The first was the stem. The flower is heavier than a cactus; and is supported on a long stem that cannot be floppy yet not so sturdy as to hurt someone should it fall down. The second problem was the stability of the vase that has to support the weight and "floppiness" of the flower. 

My first thought was a small dowel for the stem, but it was too stiff and hard and could be used as poker and I did not think that was safe. Pipe cleaners came to mind, so I folded 3 pipe cleaners in half to make the stem and crocheted over them. The weight of the flower is supported by the 6 pipe cleaners and they are safe should the tulip fall down. It took me a bit longer to figure out how to fill the vase. Normal stuffing was not sturdy enough. I tried a small rock that fit inside the vase, and while it did stabilize the complete plant, it was not the right shape and I feared it might inadvertently hurt someone. The same might occur if I used tiny pebbles. My next solution was rice. I partially filled a snack-sized baggy with rice, and put that in the vase and it worked! The rice can be shaped and molded to fit inside the vase yet did not pose a threat of hurting someone and it stabilizes the big flower. It looks good. Problems solved.

My next project is another critter (back to my comfort zone) and I've decided upon a dairy cow. I've been looking at dairy cows in the field as well as pictures of cows and pictures of crocheted cows. Not all dairy cows have horns, so my crocheted cow will not have horns. Pictures of crocheted cows have pink udders, but in real life, that is not always the case. Most dairy cows have a "crown" on their heads, and their ears are on the side of their heads not on top like a crocheted piggy. I need to figure out how to make those features look right yet cute (and somewhat cartoonish) all at the same time. 

Here is my sample dairy cow picture. As you can see, a lot of problem solving goes into crocheting a critter or a flower. Watch this space to see what happens. 

(Picture courtesy of PETA.com)

The Hunt for 399

Yesterday we went to the Grand Tetons in search of 399 and her cub. 399 is our "famous" grizzly bear mama who had quadruplets 3 years ago at the grand old age of 24...and this year she gave birth to one healthy cub at 27. "They" think she is the oldest wild grizzly bear mama ever. Folks were afraid that she might not survive the winter, but she came out of her winter den on Tuesday with a cub. All of her fans (and she has many) were completely surprised and overawed. This is her 17th cub.  She hangs out at Pilgrim Creek and vicinity in the Tetons.  She's a savvy mama who knows how to protect her cubs yet show them off to the public. We saw the great long lines of cars with people waiting to see her...we talked to the rangers...we looked high and low...and we did not see her. The closest I got was a picture of her in facebook. The picture below is 399 and her COY (cub of the year) and it's what we're looking for...now all we have to do is be there when she decides to make an appearance. Easier said than done.

 

All was not lost...the Tetons were lovely. Even though the air was smoky (there are some fires n the west), Jackson Lake was still, 

and the reflections of the Tetons were  mirrored on the Lake.

My favorite mountain in the world, Mt. Moran, was looking wonderful with a fresh coat of snow covering the skillet glacier. 

I don't think I will ever stop taking pictures of Mt. Moran as the mountain speaks to my soul.

No trip to the Tetons is complete without a stop at Jenny Lake, and yesterday was no exception. 

Can you see the "heart" of Jenny Lake?

Text me if you can?

Any day at "the Park" is a good day. And yesterday was a very good day at the Park.

Greener

Last week, there was not a hint of green anywhere...then suddenly baby leaves appeared on the trees. Everyday, more leaves are popping out and here's a light green haze in the aspen forest. It's lovely.

 

The snow is just about melted in our backyard, but there are tons of dead leaves that need to be moved. 

The deer are having a grand time lazing around both the front and back yards. They come most mornings and hang out under the aspens. If you look carefully, you'll see a one  fellow is starting to grow antlers. I've not seen any fawns yet, but I'm guessing they are hiding in the forest. The mamas will take them for an excursion into the backyard when they are ready.

In the meantime, the Tetons are snowy and looking very pretty right now. 

All is good in the high country.

Happy Mother's Day

One of my friends called it a Hallmark Event...and it might well be...but Mothers are heroes. They give a tiny baby, care and love and guidance and before long, that infant becomes a worthy human being. That's no mean task. Thank you MOMS--we all owe tribute to your selflessness. 

Spring...Maybe?

Today I saw the first signs of spring in our little corner of the aspen forest. The trees are starting to leaf out. 

A few other trees in the valley are starting to show signs of life too. It might be the beginning of spring in Rocky Mountains.

In the Mountains

We made it to our summer place, where there is snow on the ground--it even snowed a little bit on Sunday morning. We knew it would be snowy, so it's not a surprise. This year has been an incredibly snowy year in the Rocky Mountains. 

Palisades Reservoir has a scree of ice on top of the water. One year we came here in April and the ice was thick enough for critters to walk on. By May, the ice is rotten. As you can see, there's still snow in the mountains.

Near our home, there are patches of snow here and there and the forest floor is littered with dead leaves leftover from the fall.

There's not a hint of green anywhere. The trees are still asleep. We have a small herd of deer hiding in the forest and they are very difficult to see. You can only see them if they move, other than that, they are camouflaged by the trees and snow. 

Some of the fields are still covered with snow. This hayfield cannot be planted for awhile.

A small grouping of aspens still in winter dress. Remember what this looks like, because when they start to leaf out, they will be green and beautiful in an "instant."

Keep watching for that day.

On the Road, Again...in our New Ride

At 10:37 we pulled away from our winter home and started the trek north to summer quarters. In a few days, the warm weather in the desert will become HOT, while there is  snow on the ground in the north.

 

To that end, our driveway was plowed out the other day so we can get to our home. From the pictures it looked like some places on the driveway were covered with 3 feet of snow. That means it's going to be cold too. We are ready.

The new truck is a honey to drive. As you might remember, we name our vehicles. The last truck was Vin Diesel, and this truck is Teddy. In case you are wondering, the Teddy name comes from the model truck, it is a Limited--see TED in the model name? Teddy is a sweet ride. He goes over mountains like they are flat and he flows down the road without a care in the world. To make matters even better, he gets 22 mpg, which is better than any truck we've ever had. The variable speed cruise control is fun to watch. I set the cruise control to 75 and when the traffic slowed, the truck slowed to match the traffic. We've not had that capability before, and it's something I got used to in about 5 minutes. The truck "communicates" with my iPhone via "CarPlay" so it has access to all my books. We listened to a Tony Hillerman book on the way north, and never had to change the  CD as we have done in other vehicles.The 12 inch display screen lights up with a bunch of information and in time, I'll be able to interpret all of it. Right now, I have learned the basics. The more I drive the truck, the more I will learn. So far, Teddy is a joy to drive and easy to ride in too.

Tomorrow we'll be at our other home. All is good.