You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

Rhea's one year anniversary

Rhea and the other fillies have been with us just about a year now and I marvel at the horse she is beginning to be. I find her so beautiful. But I know that it is time to start exposing her to more and more - ponying her around on rides, driving her, putting a saddle on her, getting her ready for Luis to take her in August and put the first 30 days on her. She's still the smallest of the three fillies but she has grown more than I thought she would and she is quick and fast.

Here's one of the first photos I saw of her, sent by Carolyn Duferrena.

Little, scared, just barely a year old.

Who could not fall for this little face?

Irv and I drove like hell for two days up and back from northern Nevada to get these girls. We had the pleasure of meeting the Duferrenas and seeing some (for me) new country up north. I could live in Nevada, no problem.

The girls were not sure of things.

"We're not in Kansas anymore"

Once here she wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with us.

Smokin' thought having them was a bad idea and made that perfectly clear.

Then I broke my hip and they got the summer off in the mountains. Rhea relaxed and grew accustomed to me crutching around her.

She got a lot friendlier. Maybe cause we only did nice things with her, like grooming and feeding and graining. We put Rhea on senior feed cause she was so scrawny for so long... she really blossomed after that.

Back in the valley she made new friends over the winter,

and became ever more inquisitive and much less fearful.

She romped with the other girls in the arena and has stayed the least dominant of the three although she is definitely not meek.

No, she's not meek at all.

hummingbirds

I put the hummingbird feeders out earlier this week and it wasn't but overnight until the little beauties found them. They must have an incredible sense of smell for sugar or something. Or else they are just covering ground checking out every possibility. Whatever - they found the feeders. I opted not to tint the sugar water and with the red feeders it doesn't matter but I've notice that the little green feeder I have interests them not one bit. Was it an experimental color?

These little birds are not the least bit afraid of me either. I sat at the table with my camera aimed at the feeder and they zoomed in and out undisturbed. There were three this day that seemed to be vying  with each other for access to the feeders - or the territory. It was fascinating. I could sit there for an hour or more watching them.

Now I have to read up on them and identify them - I'm thinking of getting the iphone app that has the bird calls and photos - a bird book in a phone. Another perk with my new job is the ability to take a hummingbird-watching break (my version of the cigarette break) whenever I need it.

This one must be a female, don't you think? She's a little drab. And she is voracious so maybe she's got some eggs cookin' somewhere. Where do hummingbirds build their nests? I'm sure this isn't the last photo of hummingbirds at the feeder I'll post on here - I remember somewhere... someone had a feeder and it was mobbed with hummingbirds. Maybe mine will become the hummingbird truck-stop of Wilkerson and I won't be able to get any work done for all the monitoring I'm going to have to do.

Wisteria

The wisteria is in bloom and it is a sight to behold. And this one isn't even in all its glory having suffered a couple of years of neglect... we'll try to bring it back to full splendor.

Big loud bumblebees love to visit this plant and makes it a little nerve-wracking to be out on the front porch - but I figure the flowers won't last forever and it sure smells divine when you walk out there at night. We really pruned this plant back in February or so and it still needs additional pruning - I guess one would have to work pretty hard to actually kill this plant. It's old, though, you can tell by its thick twisting trunk. And really a treat to have come with the house.

Spring is when Bishop really shows off - before it gets stifling hot here in the valley. Go, wisteria, go!

Little Italy in San Diego

Home from southern California and one of our expeditions was down to India Street area to search out the architectural salvage store I have passed by so many times and never been in. The area has been recently "discovered" as Little Italy and the store had moved; but we found it after some walking around.

I could've dropped some serious money had I had any (and a truck to put it all in) and I will definitely be keeping this type of store in mind when and if we ever get to build or do some remodeling.

Everything you can think of has been organized and neatly priced - hardware, porcelain, columns, grates, gates, doors, chandeliers, mantels, etc. My apologies to this gentleman who had no idea he was about to be blogged.

A wizard is in charge of display - many vignettes.

A truck was unloading more stuff as we browsed - a casino sign, carousel horse, more columns.

Some of the gates and doors must have been 10' in height - you have to have a lot of house to utilize those puppies!

This was my single most favorite display - a tub of crystals! Get my towel!

A place I'll definitely revisit soon. Next time; more shots of Little Italy. We did walk around and browse through other shops but this, this was my reason for the drive.

more journal pages

It has been too ugly outside to take photos so I've been roaming around the house looking for stuff to post. Here are some journal pages I've been collaging:

The ugly weather has one silver lining and that is staying indoors and making things. I've been down in the art room the last couple of evenings putting together some journal collages. Soon it will be too nice to work inside but then in a couple of months it will be too hot to work outside - so it is just a big cycle. For me the key is to recognize the moment and seize it!

Love these whites - even years after first reading and seeing Shabby Chic I am still drawn to the chipped white paint, the distressed wood, the clean look of whites.

This is my favorite recent collage - it just worked out. Some collages I don't mind writing over but I skipped this one and just left it as is - maybe some day I'll go back and write over it but for now it is going to just say what it says right now.

We got one weather gift today and that was this sunrise. JC is off to the west side, I'm still trudging away towards spring break, and this was the start of our day.

waiting on boys

Just passing time - rare for me - waiting for the boys to finish whatever they are doing outside with quads and boats and all the rest of the VVR paraphernalia so that we can go get some dinner. Which, if I had my way, would have consisted of grape-nuts and would already be consumed so that I could get on with my evening and all the countless things that I would like to do with it. But this being boys, they have to have MEALS. And there is nothing in the house to make a meal out of and no time - having gotten home at 6 pm after another long day. Neither did the boys think about making something for dinner. Which is rare for one of the boys - who is normally the cook in our family. But right now the VVR is beginning it's annual intrusion on our lives.

But enough of that. At least I'm blogging! And this is Mel, in his favorite spot on the chair staring out into the front yard. He'll do this for hours, dozing off and then waking up and intently staring - at what we can never quite tell. But by golly, if there is something to see out there he is not going to miss it!