NEARING THE END...

Sea gull ~ Elephant Seals adventure ~ 1.26.13

It's NEARING the END...

of the MONTH!!

{and a busy period of work}

I'm LOOKING FORWARD to...

splashes of the color RED!

{Valentine's Day! do you decorate?}

 

homemade HEART boxes

 spending time with paper, glue & scissors...

{collages? homemade Valentines?}

setting up photo shoots...

{ACE gave me a Cowboy Studio for Christmas}

LOOKING for hidden hearts...

{February is HEART-Month} 

sweet message

 days OFF...

{President's Holidays, non-duty days & COMP-time}

& maybe some snow?!?

 a trip to the CABIN with JPE

{hopefully, in a week} 

What are you looking forward to? 

P52 {WEEK 4}

VIEW LOOKING TOWARD BIG SUR

VIEW FROM PARKING LOT

WONDERING WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? 

FEMALE ELEPHANT SEAL

MALE ELEPHANT SEAL

Last Saturday, we drove an hour up the coast... to see the Elephant Seals!  From December to the end of January is the MATING SEASON. So, it's quite the "noisy scene" with all the barking, squealing & squawking.

I'm posting these pictures for P52 {Week 4}

Tamar is hosting HERE!

Stop by & tell her HI!!!

"SCARRED" MALE

Males are about 16 feet long & weigh about 5,000 pounds. They're NOT very good-looking... PLUS, they bully their way around the females... 
At this time of the year, the males are fighting each other for more women, so it's not unusual to see the enormous, scarred  bodies chasing each other toward the water...

FEMALE & YOUNGSTER

This mama was barking at a younger seal... perhaps he got too close to her new baby? maybe he was stealing her warm spot in the sun? who knows? she was throwing sand over her back to chase the youngster away!

NURSING MAMA & BABY

There are some peaceful scenes... like this one! Babies weight 60-80 pounds at birth & gain 10-12 pounds a day. By the time they are weaned from their mothers @ 28 days, their weight is between 250-350 pounds. 

LEAVE ME ALONE!

DUELING SEALS

If you haven't seen Elephant Seals - check out the Live-Cam HERE!  it's amazing to see how they move across the beach!

 

...come back tomorrow for something a bit tamer.

 

 

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.27.13

Our weekend guests have just driven off - headed on the next stretch of their travels (they'll be staying in Santa Cruz this evening). It was such a delight to have Patty & Mike spend some time with us. Showing visitors the sights in our area is always so much FUN!!

But, let's cut to the chase - SHS...

This week's SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY words are:

LACE, BLING, WOOD, FUZZY & FABRIC.

There are some great interpretations of this week's words over at ASHLEY'S so don't forget to check there also. 

LACE

Not real LACE... but the shadows of this paper lamp covering created a LACEY effect on the ceiling.

BLING

I'm not a gal who wears jewelry - but I do like sparkly things! When walking through our favorite shops in Cambria yesterday, this BLING caught my eye.

WOOD

A little reflexology? this hand, made from WOOD, displays the area of the body a Reflexologist would apply pressure or manipulate to address a health problem.

FUZZY

Taking pictures from a moving car (no! I wasn't driving) produces FUZZY pictures. The clouds are also a bit FUZZY around the edges.

FABRIC

This scarf was very interesting! In addition to grabbing my attention (I wear this color a LOT!) I was interested in the bumps in the FABRIC. Each little bump was created by tying a small piece of thread around a tiny pinch of fabric & brushed with color. The thread was cut releasing a dotted look as well as feel. This scarf was soft even though the bumps appeared prickly. I think I might have to drive back to Cambria & buy one of these scarves - they came in white with red bumps & blue with navy blue bumps. 

That's it for SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY. JPE & I are off to the Palm Theater to see ARGO. The movie was SOLD-OUT!


Next SHS week's words are: HIDDEN, PLAIN, LEFT, FAST & PEACE.

See you tomorrow... 

FRIDAY FUNNIES R BACK!!!

Lola's sad face!

Peanut cracks a funny-one!

LOVE my fluffy collar?

 

 

 

DISCOVERY...

Amsterdam ~ summer of 2005

Do you read horoscopes?

Do you believe in dreams?

Do you throw tarot cards?

Do you plan every moment of the day, week, month & year?

Do you "fly by the seat of your pants" & let the days fall as they evolve?

What SIGNS do you look for when making decisions?

Would LOVE to read your comments!!

 

P52 {Week 3}

Posting late... but here are a few pictures captured this week... check in with TAMAR @ RANDOM-OSITY to see other P52 participants.

• large pic: detail of a window display at Anthropolgie (on State St in Santa Barbara) - tear drop shaped pieces of colored paper (ironed between two sheets of cellophane) were being hot-glued to cardboard. Sort of a free-form design.
• small pics: flower (SB Botanical Garden); turtle (Alice Keck Park-Santa Barbara); leaves & blue sky (driveway); hummingbird (back patio)

I've spent a great part of today watching the Presidential Inauguration events...

My daughter, SLE & her man, MB, were seated near the front of this morning's swearing-in & had a front row seat along the parade route... again, close to the Presidential Viewing Booth.

 

We chatted briefly, two times today... and, it was fun to hear the excitement in her voice as they waited to witness these events. Tomorrow, they have tickets (invitation only) to attend the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral... 

What an incredible experience! I'm thinking, they'll never want to move back to California.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.20.13

Oh how I love SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY!

I type the words into the NOTES app of my i-Phone &

promptly forget to check the list...

(although I have good intentions every week)
then... on Saturday or Sunday,
I scramble like crazy to find pictures.

Well, I DO have some pictures to share for this week's words:

BASKET, PARK, AUTO, RECYCLE & PEOPLE WATCHING

BASKET

ACE (youngest daughter) loved collecting tiny --- miniature --- things. Here's a BASKET next to two tiny mice. The penny is there to demonstrate the actual size of the items. (sorry for the blur - in a hurry).

PARK

Perfect weather... for a morning walk at the PARK... we visited the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens (Friday).

AUTO

An old AUTO... a Chrysler with a new antenna. It must be hard to find parts for older cars... JPE noticed a modern antenna on this old car!!

RECYCLE

JPE is proud of his compost! and our roses love the rich, dark soil with its natural nutrients. We RECYCLE coffee grounds, tea leaves, egg shells, fruit & vegetable waste... into a small, open-air bin behind our condo.

PEOPLE WATCHING

We did some PEOPLE WATCHING at Alice Keck Park... the three children were feeding the ducks stale bread & donuts. One bite for them... one tossed bite for the ducks... very cute!

I'll be typing these words into my i-Phone: LACE, BLING, WOOD, FUZZY & FABRIC --- hope you'll consider joining SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY.

FRIDAY R&R...

the view of Santa Barbara coastline & the Channel Islands

was actually S.O.  M.U.C.H.  P.R.E.T.T.I.E.R

than this picture

(practicing my camera settings - not quite there, yet!)  

FRIDAY,
JPE took me for a drive to Santa Barbara

for a much needed break from work!

 the coastline pic was taken from a trail

at the Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens.

the sun was warm...

(SORRY! my East Coast friends)   

the streams were gurgling...

 the discoveries were meditative...

and interesting to photograph!

we drove back downtown Santa Barbara
to have lunch & more walking...

... and saw intricate carvings in the architecture...

...a cool-looking car...

...an Indian...

(outside a cigar shop---urggh, not good!)

... & some pretty things to buy!

we also stopped by the park near JPE's former SB house... 
:: ALICE KECK PARK ::
 

 for more fresh air & some turtle-sightings!

KECK PARK "friends" enjoying the sun too!

& ate lunch at 
CRUSHCAKES on Anacapa St in Santa Barbara

 the owner was on the Food Network - Cup Cake Wars!!
we didn't have room for a cupcake, but
the sandwiches were out-ta-this-world! 

Thanks... JPE, what a wonderful day! 
1 - 4 - 3!! 

REFLECTION...

Big Bear Lake ~ photographer, JPE 

Although we won't head to the 

C.A.B.I.N.

we're planning to spend some time 

O.U.T.D.O.O.R.S.

this weekend

will share details

of our

A.D.V.E.N.T.U.R.E.S.

Come back soon!

P52 {Week 2}

a "frosty one"  ---  1.13.13

Rested & Ready

for the week!

Cameras are packed... batteries are charged...

  G.O.A.L.
:: capture moments of the week ::

 

 

participating in P52 with TAMAR & GINA

Come Join Us!!

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY 1.13.13

MY PAST WEEK ~ SWIRLING & TOO MUCH CAFFEINE

WELCOME to 

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY...

This morning, I almost decided to skip SHS - BUT, I just couldn't start

 the NEW YEAR with any excuses!

this has been the week from H--L...

We survived our federal program audit... barely!

I'm recovering from the "FPM-Hang-Over" and this week,

our office will go into "Fix-It Mode."

So, this week's SHS words are:

OUTSIDE, BACKSIDE, LITTLE THINGS,

A CUP OF... & REFLECT

OUTSIDE

By Friday, I was finally able to get OUTSIDE the office before darkness fell. This love-ly mermaid is mounted OUTSIDE the tattoo parlor, next to the hair salon where I get my haircut. This section of the street has a hair salon, tattoo artist, hydroponic gardening supply store & a scrapbooking store (with space to take classes). Are you trying to imagine the "characters" going in & out of these shops? 

 

BACKSIDE

Book spines must qualify as BACKSIDE(s)! Can't wait to open these books (my Christmas presents) & actually be able to read the contents (& comprehend what I'm reading). JPE & I are going into hibernation next weekend - it's a "three day-er" (Martin Luther King holiday is Monday). Yippee!

LITTLE THINGS

This is one of the LITTLE THINGS that sits on our etagere (French, for open bookcase)... a Peruvian man playing the flute. A tiny ornament that reminds us of our summer excursion to Peru - Machu Picchu (to see the Incan ruins), the Sacred Valley, the Amazon River and Lima. 

A CUP OF...

In the UK (United Kingdom), people get A CUP-PA... TEA each afternoon. On the weekends, JPE & I take time to slow down (???  me, slow-down  ???) & enjoy A CUP-PA tea or coffee. Given the stressfulness of this past week & the lack of restful sleep, I consumed  w.a.y.  t.o.o.  m.u.c.h.  COFFEE.  
A bit about this picture... Imagine trying to use the "milk frother" with one hand & take a picture with my point-&-shoot in the other hand. AMAZING, huh? I didn't even froth the coffee over the edge of the cup.

REFLECT

A bit of REFLECTION on last week... I was pulled in A-LOT of directions --- by the audit team & wanting to resolve as many issues of compliance as possible. My team of colleagues (Debi, Pam, Katy, Paige, JPE) were incredible! Just when my energy would be waning, I would hear someone's voice offering another document or volunteering information... it was such a collaborative effort that I cannot take credit for the success of the outcome. Although the office has some issues to address, I feel LUCKY to have such caring colleagues to continue this journey!

So, that wraps another SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY. Don't forget to check in with Ashley & other SHS bloggers & leave comments. I'm glad I got my camera out this morning to capture the final four of the five SHS words (the only picture I had taken since last Sunday evening, was the mermaid). 

Next week's words: BASKET, PARK, AUTO, RECYCLE & PEOPLE WATCHING. 

See you tomorrow for

P52 with TAMAR & GINA.