Cole meets Mr. Praying Mantis (or Mrs. Praying Mantis, it looks so elegant).

Last night after dinner, my two older children headed to the gym together (they invited me, but I was tired. I attempted a run in the canyon earlier that evening, but since I felt as weak a newborn calf trying to take its first step, I cut the run short and walked home). Cole decided to spend his time after dinner by heading outside with the camera to see what he could find. Every once in a while, a parent gets time to reflect and appreciate that years spent trying instill good habits are manifesting themselves in actual good habits.

Brent started his first day of college yesterday. Oh my God (or, Oh Your God, as Bender would say on "Futurama." We don't practice ALL good habits), I have a child in college. I couldn't be more proud.

J-E-L-L-0

Last night I caught the last hour of Jello Biafra's four-and-a-half-hour speaking engagement in Grass Valley. (Jello is the former lead singer of The Dead Kennedy's, 80's punk heroes). Jello rails against things like globalization, privatization, mindless wars, government corruption, and encourages awareness and involvement, beginning at a personal and community level. Basically start small and think big.
I was able to shake Mr. Biafra's hand afterward and thank him for "making the eighties more bearable" through his music. He is an affable man, with the same distinct voice (it took me right back to listening to Dead Kenndy's tapes in my Toyota Celica's tape player), but a little pudgier. I almost worked up the nerve to ask for a photo with him, but my camera battery died right as I turned it on -- oh my! So, I downloaded this photo of him wearing a shirt that claims Levi's as Evil. I am glad I wore a skirt instead of my jeans last night. I have owned the same two pairs of Levi's for several years. Each pair cost me around $30 and I love them to death (I was recently at a friend's party where the girls were talking about their $150 pairs of True Religion jeans, they just couldn't get enough. Two pairs of years-old Levi's do me just fine). Jello's issue with the large corporate Levi's is probably the way they underpay their employees and harm the global economy. . . it's a conundrum for sure.

Despite conundrums, the evening was a lot of fun. . . the reason I was late for Jello was because Kate and I went and saw our friend Tom's play, "A Few Good Men." Rich exposure of military misconduct and cover-up to the last drop. I noticed a theme for the evening. . . it did turn out, however, to be one of those few good evenings away from home.

Pure Sadness

This morning there was no happy chatter. In fact, if I recall correctly, I believe I didn't see a single bird this morning. You see, last evening we discovered one of the babies lying lifeless on the patio below the bird's nest. I guess the price of independence is high. And we all know Nature can be harsh, too harsh, sometimes. My heart is very heavy and I can't help but wonder how Moma bird is fairing. . .

Learning To Fly

The birds were chattering like crazy this morning, so loud it woke everyone up before the alarm (except Hannah, she gets up at the crack of dawn to get ready for high school). Cole discovered why, Mama bird is teaching her babies to fly today. It takes a village, every bird in the yard was yapping up a storm. I swear I heard Mama bird say at least once, Just pull over and let me fly!

A Cat Caught In Headllights

THIS PHOTO HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED IN ANY WAY. This is the photo downloaded directly from the camera. Cole was following the cats around with the camera one evening and he came in the house laughing hysterically. He had caught the cat at the right moment; she was turning around, she was yawning, and the flash caught her eyes.

This is what the sweetheart normally looks like, when she hasn't been caught in a funky pose and the camera flash's glare. I empathize with her, most of the photos taken of me come out just as bizarre as the top one.

Here is Cloe, just moments before bizarre photo, eating the cat-nip I planted for the cats in the backyard . I wonder if the cat-nip is responsible for her crazy eyes??? (Nod to Steve Zissou.) It's like before and after photos. Maybe she should cut back on the nipping.

Coming Along Nicely

The baby birds in the tree outside our dining window are getting bigger every day. It has become a ritual to watch for mama bird to fly down and feed her hatchlings. Whoever is on the look out at the time, alerts the rest of the family and we gather around to watch the babies reach their beaks up as mama deposits her latest find. They chirp ecstatically. Since my mediocre camera does not take a clear zoomed-in picture, we were only able to snap a photo of mama bird gathering dinner for her little ones.

My daughter has been persistently asking for a new cell phone lately. I called her over the other evening and said, Look, mama bird just dropped a cell phone into one her baby's mouths. She said, Maybe you should take a hint. Ha-ha, daughter, you are so funny.

The baby birds are coming along nicely, and so is my injured leg. I heal while they grow.

Wine Opener

I bought a bottle of dry white wine for a recipe I was making last night. Twist off?? I needed a little help from a fancy "wine bottle opener." It's all about presentation ... the pasta primavera loved it however.

Cole

I like this picture that Cole took of himself on the Mac's icamera.

The Birds and the Bees

While getting an estimate for trimming the trees in the yard, I discovered two things, a bees nest in a dead oak. .

and a robin's nest with baby birds in it in a tree closer to the house. I won't be having the limb with the baby birdies in it cut down until the Fall when they have moved on.
I climbed the tree to try and get a picture of the baby birds, with their mouths wide open . . .

Unfortunately, I fell out of the tree! Ouch, ouch, ouch. . . I ended up on the couch the rest of the afternoon (with a few knots and bumps that formed on my leg about a half hour later) instead of taking that bike ride in the canyon I was planning on. Drats!

The Sounds of . . .

I am listening to my new favorite band Beirut (click on the panio keys to find "sounds") while I am cooking the family breakfast this Saturday morning. Beirut has a lot of sounds in their music besides the usual drums and guitars: horns, accordions, organs, beautiful melodic singing, and probably a lot more than I can readily identify. It is a romantic sound to off-set my highly unromantic single-mom-of-three-teenagers-life (albeit awesome teenagers). Beirut's sound is also passionate, exotic, soothing and energizing. All of which my life can be at times, however.


Now after I cook breakfast I must go out and cut the grass before the tree trimmer guy shows up to give me an estimate. For some reason I feel the yard must look nice in order to get a better estimate. I do all this while my teenagers sleep soundly through the late morning, early afternoon. Breakfast cools unappetizingly on the table. But Beirut plays romantically, exotically in the background. All sounds well.

A Family That Kayaks Together, Kayaks Together

Kayaking is one of my family's favorite activities to do together, even though we only get out a couple times a year.


Cole kicking it while Hannah checks out the areas away from the shoreline.

Not a very clear picture of Brent, but I like the trail of light streaming behind his kayak. It's a manifestation of how magical it is to be waste high gliding through the water!


Again, not a great photo (the back side of Cole), but I was torn between photography and just being lost out on the water with my kids. Kayaking is strangely a group and solo activity all at the same time. (A lot like snorkeling, which we did down the river the day before). I love, love, love living in the foothills and how I was able to take a two day "vacation" (worked in the morning, played in the afternoon) and not even leave the area. Home was base camp for really great adventures so close by. Today we were at a reservoir at Yuba Gap.

I loved seeing my whole crew out in front of me.

The Paddling Group

This trip, we went with Grandma Lorri's "paddling group," consisting mostly of seniors. One woman brought her dog along, he loved it. I was surprised by his doggy life vest. I suppose his legs aren't long enough to effectively dog paddle. . .


Dave was the most senior of the group, he is eighty-years-old. He couldn't walk very well (he has one prosthetic leg), but he was one heck of a paddler. Lorri's nick-name for him is "arch" for Patriarch. Way to go Dave. . .

31 Flavors

Doing some research on the "suet" I had just bought for my birdfeeder, I found a web-site that explains what to feed birds. It stated that suet is the fat around a cow's kidneys, used in feeding certain wild birds because of the protein and energy it provides. The fat is processed in a "cake" with a variety of traditional bird fixin's blended throughout. Mmmmm. . .

The web-site had this helpful suggestion for which type of suet to purchase: "Start with a suet that is most appealing to you. Ingredients vary from peanuts to papaya, hot pepper to almond, berry to cherry, and raisin to insect." While reading I wondered, would the almond and insect fatty suet be the most appealing to me. . ?

The Girls Are Back in Town

Hiking in the Heat

Amy and I went on a sweltering hike in the heat of a Saturday afternoon. With the sun blazing down on us and the powdery trail kicking up dust in our dry throats (some one forgot their water) the cool river tempted us below. We skipped taking an extra route to make it down to the river in order to get home and gulp ice water like fiends.

We did come across a beautiful little water fall, however as thirsty as we were, we were not excited about getting giardia, so we merely wetted our faces and pulse points instead of indulging in a much needed drink.

Hannah's Feat

Newport Beach, CA - self portrait Hannah's feet

You Do Make A Difference

I recently read a great article in "National Geographic" about Swarm Intelligence. The basic model based on studying species that swarm (birds, bees, ants, fish, etc.) states that the simple actions of an individual adds up to the complex behavior of a group. How? By countless interactions between each (responsible) individual in the swarm. Based on local information, swarm species pay close attention to the bird, insect next to them and the response creates a collective whole.

I sometimes ponder, does my little dent in this ginormous world really make a difference -- is my treading lightly (and teaching my children to do the same) really going to benefit any of the larger issues we need to change in society? Well, using my friends Molly and George as an example, and based on Swarm Intelligence, the solar panels on the roof of their house and their biodeisel cars in their driveway are, unwittingly, communicating to others around them, who are in turn communicating to those nearby. Self, family, community, world.

Whether humans are pack animals, swarm species, herds (probably a mixture of all types), management at large corporations study swarm intelligence applying it to organization and decision making. Luckily, us non-corporate types don't have to study it, we can just live it.

The Boys Are Back In Town

Brent and his friends while away the hours: three on the same website on lap tops and one playing a Wii game. Got to keep your eye on those wiley boys.

Sick Day

My Sis

My talented sister, Stephanie, showed up on Friday night, not only with purple carnations, but three different shades of purple carnations. She promptly emptied all my kitchen utensils out of a Le Creuset utensil holder that my friend Molly had given me and created an instant center piece. Fabulous!

Shi Haung-Di

This picture of Cole was taken during last few weeks of school while performing in his "Wax Museum" project. Cole makes a very cute Emporer of China during a government run by Legalism.

Summertime

Today was 103 degrees, hot, hot, hot. When the sprinklers came on this evening to give the plants a much needed drink of water, an amazing amount of tiny birds came in flocks to have a drink themselves. My attention was first caught, while I was inside the house passing a window, by what looked like confetti being thrown in the backyard. But what I actually saw was the confetti of small birds fluttering around the besprinkled yard. I grabbed my camera and tried to capture them on film, but the birds would take off the second I flinched. I decided I did not want to interrupt the thirsty birds any longer and instead just hang out motionlessly and enjoy their noisy, happy chatter as they drenched themselves.


Try as a might, I could only capture a slight glimpse of them through the camera; if you feel like looking very closely, you can see a few tail feathers coming from the branches of the lemon tree.

The birds were very sensitive to my movement, and having the cat nearbye eyeing them probably did not help.

The daylillie's colors are a perfect representation of the heat the day.

Unfortunately, I languished so long in the evening heat that I did not make dinner for the family (we ordered Vietnamese take-out, mmmm Bobo's), or finish the two reports I had due for work. But I did feed the birds.

Amen

Running in the canyon. Making cinamony French Toast. Playing a couple games of Boggle. Listening to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" on the radio. Having the perfect Sunday morning.

Body Worlds 3

While in Portland, I was very excited to have the opportunity to see the Body Worlds exhibit at OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). Body Worlds is an exhibit of Plastinated (polymer preservation) corpses and body parts on display for a creative insight into the human body. The bodies are posed in different ways, "the result is a visually arresting plastinate—the ideal method for displaying a preserved body in a way that sheds light on the functions of its structures."* A few of my favorite displays were the man holding his own skin, the male and female couple dancing in an embrace, the skateboarder, and the camel (not all are human beings). Some call it art, some call it science. . . I call it the best of both worlds.

*body worlds website

Portland

Traveling with Hannah, Brent and Cole, I hoped to instill good traveling-traits in them. To be a good traveler, I believe one should:
1. Have a good sense of direction, or be competent at using a map, the internet, and asking directions.
2. Keep an open mind to new people and new environments.
3. Be organized AND flexible.
4. Be a keen observer and open to adventure.

Here are some photos that speak of Hannah's observations (just a few, she had hundreds of them. I turned the camera over to her):

(Cole on the street)



Happily, they appear to be good travelers.

Best of Show

Brent's multi-talents have won him "Best of Show" for ceramics at Placer High School (where he recently graduated from). I have been bestowed the prized piece. I not only get to say, I knew him when, I get to say, I raised him when.

Things I Saw In Auburn

Tonight while driving through Auburn during the most beautiful dusky time of the evening, when the air is glowing soft-pink and the earth is radiating a healthy green and the two comingle to make simultaneously the most calming and exciting palate ever seen, on my five minute drive to rent a movie I saw: 1) a newly constructed two-story office building titled "The Auburn Towers" 2) a sweaty athletic-built man pushing an over-sized tractor tire down the street while running. The tire faultered, with great effort the man set the tire straight again, and continued his push down the street 3) a mid-sized television set that appeared to be in perfect condition sitting alone in the middle of an empty sidewalk, its cord laying aimlessly behind it. The world is an amusing place. . . especially for the easily amused.

The Graduates

(High School)

(Jr. High)


Makes a momma proud!

Big in Texas

It may true that everything is big in Texas. Actually, I noticed that manners and politeness are big in Texas. Thrift store shopping is big in Texas -- chock full of cool stores and cool finds. It rained fairly hard while I was in Texas too. Texas: big graciousness, big finds, and big rain drops . . . yep, everything IS big in Texas.

Association

Danny Elfman is to Tim Buron . . as . . Mark Mothersbaugh is to Wes Anderson.

Now it's your turn.

More New Rules

Peculiarly, more rules seem to be evolving in the house. Before I could even walk out the door the other day to run errands, with hand still on the front door knob, Cole plopped on the couch and flipped on the TV. The television is a controlled substance in my house and there are appropriate times of the week to watch it and we have chosen our favorite four programs to spend our time watching (bless TiVo). However, a sunny, spring, Saturday afternoon was not one of those chosen, appropriate times. I said to Cole, You should at least wait until I leave the house to sneak the TV on. But mom, he answered, I am going to watch Scrubs. Oh, ok, I said, You can watch two episodes, I'll be back in an hour.

Whaaaat? I thought about my reaction. TV is bad, but if the boy is going to watch Scrubs, then that is acceptable, as if it is some kind of educational program (it is really probably not even appropriate viewing for under the age of 16, then again, neither is the Daily Show nor Lost for that matter). But my acceptance made it seem like it was.

One evening after watching a TiVo'd episode of Scrubs, Cole announced that he wanted to be a doctor when he grows up. . . then he did a pratfall.

New Rules

It dawned on me recently that a new rule has developed in my family. If someone is asked to do a chore or a favor, and a cat is sleeping on that person, that person is now exempt from any obligation asked of them.

For instance, if I call out for someone to unload the dishwasher and it turns out a cat is sleeping on them, they no longer have to unload the dishwasher. I may do the chore myself or call on a sibling to take the chore instead. There may be some grumbling on the part of the sibling, but it is generally understood that whomever has a cat sleeping on them is now rendered useless because they have just become a human bed for a sleeping cat -- and that takes precedence.

It works for me as well. When a child of mine asks me to do something and I say, "I would, but the cat is sleeping on me," they say, "fine, I'll do it myself" (which they probably should have done themselves anyway).

We are thinking about getting more cats.

3.15

We did not, however, celebrate the Ides of March. I think celebrating the assisination of a tyrannical leader belongs to someone else.

Happy Pi Day

Yesterday was Pi Day -- 3.14. We celebrated by making little individual chocolate cream pies and discussing how Pi is the largest irrational number in the universe. We also discussed measuring the circumfrence of a circle.

Pi Day -- Hoorah!

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Yesterday after grabbing a few things at the grocery store, I walked out into the parking lot and got in the wrong car -- a car that looked like mine, but was parked two parking spaces closer -- we've all done that, right? However, not only did I get in the wrong car, I first walked up to the car, noticed what looked to be like a crayon mark on the side, thought, who wrote on my car with crayon while I was in the store, proceeded to lick my finger and wipe the mark off. After standing there for a second wiping the car with my spit, I opened the driver's side door, and with my one grocery bag in hand, started to get in. . . and was stopped short by the sight of a half topless woman in the passenger seat, one breast exposed, and an eager baby in her lap. She was talking on a head set cell phone. "Oh my God," I stumbled, "I am so sorry." I removed my leg from inside her car and shut the door quickly. I really didn't notice a reaction from her, just that one breast popped out and the gaped-mouth baby.

I walked to my car, the correct car, got in while still repeating "oh my God, oh my God". I had to catch my breath and stop laughing before driving. Luckily, on the way out of the parking lot, she was now standing outside of her car holding the baby and could see that I was in the exact same model and color of car, proof that I was not just some freaky pervert. As I drove by, shrunk down in an apologetic wave, she mouthed "that's ok."

Moral (if there is one): Don't lick the side of a strange car, you may get flashed by the owner.

Chloe and the Band

The cat's love to play with hair bands (I giggle at the word "hair bands," like heavily made up 80's rockers). The cats pick the hair bands up in their mouths and carry them to us, dropping the bands in front of us so we can shoot them across the room, they go fetch and trot them back. I ask you, are we not cats? We are kittens. (photo by Hannah)

Not Just Puppy Love

Every afternoon our two kittens, Chloe and Max, take a nap wrapped in an embrace. They spend the rest of the day frolicking, pouncing, and pummeling each other. (Photo by Hannah)

Blob or Blog

How many times do you go to type in a blog address and accidentally type in "blob" instead of "blog." Me neither.

WWJD. . . with his estate?

I heard that if Shakespeare had an estate today (like Elvis does), it would be worth millions. (I also heard that Shakespeare was a capitalist, and while he was famous for his plays, he was wealthy from buying and selling real estate and owning stock).

This lead me to think about Shakespeare's legacy and his timeless insight and witticisms, which lead me to compare him to another man who has quite a legacy and present day influence, Jesus Christ. I wondered which of the two had the largest legacy (probably Jesus, but Shakespeare is an equal contender I would argue). This then lead me to think, if Jesus had an estate, how much would that be worth? (Not to include the estate of the Catholic church or all the money that has been extorted or spent on wars that have been fought in the name of this "love-your-neighbor" man). But if he actually had an estate, WWJ'sEBW?

pOtato, pAtato

You say NeanderTal and I say NeanderTHal. Let's call the whole thing off.

Whistling and Parades

Right now Cole is in the other room whistling "Go Tell It On The Mountain" while he is instant messaging friends on the computer. (I can hear the tell-tale alert sound of new messages and key board tapping mingled with the whistling. You don't have to be a super spy, just a mom, to know what your kids are doing in the other room). He learned this song in band practice at E.V. Cain.

Today Cole marched with the E.V. Cain band in the Veteran's Day Parade through down town Auburn. It was very strange to witness, being a peace minded person myself. Through the sparsely sifting rain, crowds on the sidelines cheered for the war veterans and the young soldiers marching through the middle of town. I clapped along too, out of respect. I couldn't help but get a bit choked up and feel the weight of the event, especially when I saw a car full of women with a banner announcing that they were part of a mothers' organization. I looked at the wrinkled faces of the men and women and wondered how many people they knew had died in a war and how it must have changed their lives. I looked at the pride on the faces of the young soldiers. My oldest son Brent, who came along to support his younger brother, kept commenting too loudly how he would never support a war. I kept reminding him to keep it on the down low, just for now.

I wouldn't have been at this parade if Cole wasn't in the school band. I am glad he gave me the opportunity to see this event and marvel at how differently groups of people can see the world.

I can still hear him whistling in the other room, and it is the best music ever.

David ahhhh Sedaris

David Sedaris just told a story on "This American Life" about people defecating inappropriately in stores or libraries (i.e. not in the restroom). Of course, gross as this topic was, he was hilarious.

Recently a couple of friends and I went to see David Sedaris at The Crest Theater in Sacramento. I had purchased tickets several months in advance and waited anxiously for the day when I could sit admiringly and listen to the man speak in person. However, forty-five minutes in to the reading . . . I fell asleep!! It's not like he was boring. He was very engaging -- prompting a laugh, a chuckle, or an applause from the audience on average every thirty seconds or so to my estimate. How could I fall asleep?! I wondered what the people sitting next to me thought of my sure-to-be gaped mouth and bobbing head ( I didn't get to sit next to friends, they surely would've prodded me awake).

I can explain myself, however: the lights were dim, the chair was (somewhat) comfy and I love being read to. Really, it was a complement to David. I just regret that I didn't get to hear the end. I was told it was great.

OK Yeah

There is a "new" band called Ok Go that my friends and I saw about four years ago when they opened for The Donnas at Sac State (horrible sound at that venue). I must give credit to my friend Jason Adair because he declared that very night that he really liked the band. I, on the other hand, did not pay that much attention to them, except after the show, when just horsing around asked one of the band members to sign the back of my t-shirt, which he did.

Recently my daughter asked me to check out a really funny video from this new band she liked called Ok Go. I said, oh them, they signed the back of my shirt. Yeah, they're pretty good.