Friday Fill - ins and Trippin Down the Road.

I typed all this late at night and couldn't see well, lol

The earliest Color Change anyone can remember, caused by over night temps of below 40°F weather

1. Why is it so hard to get enough sleep?
2. Is it because I watch "Bones" late at night? Yes, that's what I want to know!
3. Hold on to your dreams in the morning for more than five seconds do you?
4. Insanity is coming soon.
5. Do you think rationally, at 4 AM, when a squadron of helicopters comes flying low over your house?
6. Eat to live, Live to laugh, Die for love.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading my Bear Book after going to a training session, and tomorrow my plans include going to buy more beads and then finishing all the earrings for the DDs, nieces, and friends as well; and Sunday, I want to make even more earrings and start making heart shaped bees wax moldings for the people I know who sew! 

Trippin down the Road:

 Wolfie, DH, and I went for a walk at the the Nature Interpretive Center the other day, and Wolfie wanted to see what that strange silent canine was looking at.  Then he became confused and wanted to be picked up and carried in case there were other large metal dogs around.  

We always have a nice time.  The Nature Interpretive Center as well as all trails near it are good for walking and bike riding.  This "stone"stage is a place where families can hear wildlife talks and even have picnics.  You can walk or drive a car down to Old Mission Dam, too.  But you can't bring the car out the same way, you have to do a loop.  There is good rock climbing there too, above the road.

If you get a chance to go, look for the entrances on Mission Gorge Road, to both the center and the parking areas.  It's a fun place of kids, since there is a Kumeyaay reed hut there, as well as grinding rocks further down the trail where this Native American people ground acorns and other dried foods.  And of course, life sized statues of a cougar, a coyote, and other animals that live in the park.

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful that there are people like this in the world.

 Larry DePrimo of the NYPD.

Now you all have a very nice day

PS.  Thank you Suzi for the head's up on this

Wordless Wednesday - New Storm arriving with Ice

Tuesday Tails. Wolfie, A Marmoset, a program to save birds in California

I just asked Wolfie, "Where's Poppa?"
You can tell he's thinking deeply, and listening for his Poppa..

Wolfie is very attached to his Poppa.  When DH leaves him with me in the car, he waits with all his doggie radar arrayed for the first sound of the alpha male's return.  Wolfie's no Mama's boy.  You should hear them when they sleep together in the Lazy Boy at night.  They both snore softly and just look so at peace.  On DH's birthday, they climbed Cowles Mountain together.  When we leave him, Wolfie wraps his front feet around his Poppa's leg and begs to go with us.  I'd say they are bonded.

Isn't he adorable?
I will be very unhappy to know this is photoshopped, and they aren't really this tiny.

On the other hand, I'd love to have one of these little guys clinging to my finger.  A tiny marmoset, clinging to the edge of my jacket pocket could make me pretty happy; though I love The Wolfie and he loves me in a second best way.

One day when we were walking through the swap meet, a seller reached over and handed me a small rat.  That little baby dove into the pocket of my field jacket, turned right side up inside, popped out his head, and clung to the edge.  Since we had rats at home, the ploy didn't work.  But, the same seller had pocket parrots for sale that did the same thing, and you just KNOW I wanted one of them.  Bird allergies have almost always kept me from having a bird except a rare few.  Of course, I love them in an insane degree!  It's a {virtual}"Falling down kicking and screaming because I can't have one that cute" degree.

For the birds:  Audubon of California and some of the Central Valley farmers have gotten together a program to save birds, and it's working!  HERE a LINKIE  to Audubon's web page about the program.

The whole of California, and all 840 miles of it's coast, is on the very important Pacific Flyway, and this new program is vital to birds.  So, here's to the participating farmers and Audubon itself. I'm giving them all a "Heroes for the Planet" Award!

We went to Fitness yesterday, and I can stand on that half ball for minutes on end now.  I can lift 70 pounds at the final set of 15 so I'm getting stronger!  Yay! Today, I don't lift anything heavier than a paint brush.

Hope you have a good week getting ready for Christmas.  It might rain this week, so Yay!

There's a storm coming....

Music Monday - Bob Marley, "Red, Red Wine

Wish I had this album!  And, it is so hard now to find a YouTube without dangling chads(ads) hanging off it everywhere.  This doesn't have any as many but it's a still.



Live on, Lovely human, in the paradise of Peace.  Listening to your music always puts me in a good mood.

Sunday Matinee, "A Duckumentary" From PBS Nature

Sorry about that  commercial.  Goldman Sacs is a sponsor, so there is their obnoxious blurb to get through.  This can be a lesson in taking the good with the bad, eh?

Watch An Original DUCKumentary on PBS. See more from Nature.

Today is the Dear Heart's birthday so we are just taking it easy, mostly doing nothing.  It was hard enough to go shopping, get something wrapped, and get a card, all "under the radar", though I was sneaky enough to do it.  We don't do the cake thing anymore.  I don't bake now, and no one else has a cake that's small enough!  Besides, we aren't kids anymore -  if only.  I thought about unwrapping the rest of the Halloween candy, melting it, and pouring it all on top of a store bought pound cake but that just seemed gross.

Thanksgiving was lovely.  The weather was beautiful, we got to see portions of the four generations,  and we ate outside under an easy up and an umbrella in perfect late summer temperatures, all around the tables together.  It was sort of like being in Provence, or Tuscany, or maybe even in a scene from "Much Ado About Nothing".  Very fine, indeed! 

The little grand nieces received their colorful sock monkeys, and as I was telling them they could wear the earrings (made for the monkeys) themselves, I found that the girls had already been plotting to make off with those little ornaments for their own ears, ASAP. 

I didn't get the baby quilt finished but I'm hoping to do that in the next month if nature and my physiology will just co-operate.  Since the little girl it is for is now in the 6th grade, I am pretty embarrassed about this.  I said I would make her one when she was two years old.  In my defense, I am a flake.  Oh wait, that's no defense, is it?

Saturday Komeekz and other Rasmatazz

A day without Bizarro is like a day without sunshine.  You know, 24 hours of night -no twilight even.   I know that Alaskans have at least some light each day, or so I'm told.  Never been any farther north than the Oregon border with California, I should watch my sassy tongue! So, I will.  No Alaskan jokes though I know some very good ones!

Also, I wanted to share this link about a group of doctors in Indonesia who are working hard to cure blindness caused by cataracts there.

The AP Article

Happy day after Black Friday.

friday fill-ins

1. Oh, I am so tired today but it is good.
2. Sharing stories and seeing the kids, who are getting so tall, was my favorite part of the big meal yesterday.
3. Where does a whole year go?
4. My plate nearly was filled with roast turkey as I ate a whole thigh by myself!
5. This weather was sunny and warm.
6. Happiness, Good Health, good jobs, and a  life filled with music making and creating art; these are some of the things I wish for my loved ones.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading my book , tomorrow my plans include a walk and Netflix and knitting and Sunday, I want to celebrate a birthday!

 I found the following  link, a few days ago, in Ravelry "For the Birds" forum discussion topics.  Birders can actually help build this tool.  I think you'll love it.

Your online guide to birds and bird watching

Thankful Thursday

  
Today I am contemplating the Blessings of Family, and of Friends.  Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate today, in the USA and in foreign fields...

Pray for Peace....

Wordless Wednesday

The Yolks, Jammin'

Music Monday, Accidental Art # 28

I love this artist, and I love this song.

Ben E. King.... at the 1987 Montreax Jazz Festival



Where would we be, as human beings, if we didn't sing, and didn't play instruments?  Harsh world, eh? 

Accidental Art:

"Re-entry,From Mars"

Sunday Matinee, Thankful Thursdays, knitting blah blah, duct tape phone case site

Picture from IMDb

The film called "Oranges and Sunshine" is a screen adaptation of the book by Margaret
Humphreys.  I warn you, it's not for the faint of heart.    One of the most haunting things about this terrible thing is that it was not ended until sometime in the 1970's.  Such medieval practices are appalling!   So, as I say, be warned that it will upset you.

Blog Changes:  I've added Thankful Thursdays , from Black Tag Diaries, to the side bar.  I used this one because it's seems more like it's for everyone, and it is a nice thing to do throughout the year.

I'm not very vocal, here, about my "Leadings"(as Quakers call them) but I do give daily thanks for my good fortune and life lessons.  You know the ones; they are those things that have toughened you up but have not killed you spiritually or otherwise.  Also this site didn't seem to be selling anything.  Some other link-ups out there (for blogs) had so many ad links that I thought, "no thank you" to them.  But this one, like Friday fill-ins, is pleasantly ecumenical and ad-free.

Crafting with natural stuff:  In comments, Helen from Golden Apples blog was saying that the Liquid Amber trees were called Gum trees where she lives.   Here is a SITE  called Village Garden Web, that tells what several of their members have found to make out of the pods as far as crafting. 

Progress on the Pink Stardust:  I was part way through the ribbing for the left front, using the same ball in which I found a knot, and I found ANOTHER knot in the yarn.  Mon Dieu!  So, I won't use this yarn again, and I'll now rewind each ball just before using it.

Happier news: I've found, on Ravelry, a very good forum (in the "Patterns" group) on how to read charts for knitting those flat parts of  "in-the-round" sweaters.  I guess Manly/Beastly has a chance of getting knit all the way past cummerbund length after all! 

Last, but not least, is a fun thing I found on the web: LINKIE to fabric lined duct tape cell phone cover. I liked this one best because it has a soft lining of flannel instead of just the tape..

Sky Watcher

Another Sun Dog on the same day as the first one.
This one is on the South side of sun.

Remember, these photos can all be made very BIG!

This was a very weird day.  I'm trying to ignore the news, since it's getting pretty predictable, and I don't want to worry this much anymore!  Maybe it's time to go back to bed and try to get some sleep.

There was this famous 50's quote: " I decided that God ran the Universe, the President ran the country, and I run the vacuum cleaner."  Aside from not believing that Politicians had much wiggle room around the Oligarchy that has been developing over the past 100 years, I think it's still a good quote.

Here's a "Hortish" sky and mountain view of the river valley that runs back into the Laguna's from Old Mission Dam. I love looking up river and imagining what this all was like before Europeans came. 

This tiny fellow got trapped behind the screen on one of those -40F nights
Sadly, she/he didn't make it.

Friday Fill-ins, Sky Watcher Post - a Sun Dog and a Mackerel Sky.

1. If you are wild enough, you can survive.
2. Try singing la la la
3. I have to ask you , did it help at all?
4. Experience in world politics tells us that one man's vices, are just another man's bad habits.
5. I didn't have time to eat enough cookies in my life, so it's made me greedy for them.
6. Color vision is something I love beyond all reason.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to tracking a satellite for NASA, tomorrow my plans include buying a large piece of property in Brazil in order to save the animals on it, and Sunday, I want to learn to levitate, with my knitting!

Yesterday, coming home from my sister's house, I saw the most beautiful Mackerel Sky, and two Sun Dogs. They are actually called Parhelions. I was only able to catch one of them on the phone camera.

On the drive home that sky was magnificent, the sort of experience that lifts your spirits.  Such amazing phenomena are the perfect reason for having color vision. 

 Go out there and look up at the sky.

Last minute Eye Candy

Captured in the Last Rays of the sun through the glass

The trees are confused, and so were the Torts!

This photo might become a header.  heehee

Leaf and Seed Pod

Biggest Liquid Amber at the RC

We have been getting fairly hot sunny days and very cold nights, our temp on the covered patio was below 40° F.  That is c-c-c-cold for San Diego.   Brrr!  These pix were on Tuesday of the rec center tree offerings.

Yesterday, closer to the mountains, my sister and I went out in her complex to collect leaves and seed pods, the latter are for crafting.  Liquid Amber trees have round ball seed pods that hang from the branches like ornaments.   The tiny goldfinch love them, as do other finches, but goldfinch are the only ones that can dangle on the seedpods while chiseling the seeds out of the pod with their beaks.

With this cold of an overnight temperature (though it warmed up later in the week with a new storm coming in) it meant the Big Tortoises had to go into their boxes in the garage on Monday.  Torts usually dig down to a spot that is deep enough to keep them at an even 55°F.  That depth is around five or six feet.  See, they do know how to carry on their lives.  The trouble is that it's solid rock about 2 feet down, and our little excavation master tanks can't GET down low enough.  We have the La Mesa Agglomerate to thank for this having to box them up.   The two remaining teeny babies will not be allowed to hibernate because they don't have enough bulk to survive.

Go to sleepy time!

A walk about over the weekend yielded this little surprise heart in the cement on a recent walk.  No, I did not shop this.  There it was, on the cement between my feet as I chugged slowly up the hill.  Like a vernal pool tender, I will not tell anyone where it is exactly.  I fear for it's safety.

Life can be very sweet

It's a sweet life, This heart and then like finding a topic on knitting the straights, on an Aran Sweater, after agonizing about being able to finish the blasted thing before I have that Last Ride in the little Square Truck, made my day.  If any of you are also in need of this knitting support, you will find the topic in Patterns forum at Ravelry.

See you tomorrow, unless I see you first.  just kidding!

Tuesday Tails, California Toad spotting, and bits of knitting blah blah

Neighbors

After Wolfie came to his forever home with us, he never chased a single cat, so we thought he was probably raised with them.  Or, maybe he had never seen them, or whatever.  But, we took him to my sister's house one day; down came Middy from his sleeping loft, and Wolfie lit out after him like a shot.

Wolfie's never chased another cat since.  So, maybe, that particular day Middy said something to Wolfie (we pathetically equipped humans couldn't hear any exchange) that Wolfie took offense at.  Or, maybe Middy gave Wolfie the cat equivalent of "the stinkeye".  They tolerate each other now, but just barely.  Middy does look a little like a panther.  Maybe Wolfie is still getting the stinkeye but we so vocally disapproved of his aggressive advances on a geriatric cat, that he's probably just wary of offending the Alphas.

While walking him on Sunday at a popular place, I heard someone say, "What a funny looking little dog"  I still think he's a very cute little dog, but he does need his winter coat to grow in. He isn't very black anymore.  He's sort of half bronze and half black.

Other animals:  Last night, late but before midnight, we found a toad on the cement driveway, walking towards the lights.  I heard two more in the tall grass, chirping.  We haven't been treated to the sight of any amphibians around here in years, though we have heard peepers, very late at night, in the most recent Spring.  It was a delight to see a California Toad  in our own yard. Another, closer look at Mr. Toad.  The last time we saw them was in Humboldt County, in the form of tiny toadlets infesting the rocks at the river's edge.  So Cute!.   I love the California Toad site, because it has a short recording of their vocals, which my toad friend, and his compadres, used to triangulate on, presumably, me.

Since joining a KAL sometime ago at Ravelry, I've had a raft of medical stuff happen, some pretty serious, which generated an urgency for a trip to see our DD's.  I missed my girls terribly.  So the knitting went North but also "went south" meaning it went all to heck and back!   Happily, I spent all my time fully engaged in family life.  But I also forgot "fran's ten minute rule", both then and more recently.  While trying to sort midden piles in the studios, there are two, and getting things in order so the DH and kids don't have to do it, the knitting got kicked to the curb, so to speak. 

But, now I'm starting to knit again and have gotten ready to cast on the fronts for Ele's sweater, and knit more on Bee's mitts.  I still haven't figured out where to block the Noro sweater, and am thinking I'll just start sewing it together without blocking it, and hope for the best.  I want to get all three done so that they can go home to their owners in January.

In the last week, I've walked a full mile down by the river twice and lost another pound.  Now, if I'd  just quit gaining pounds back, it would be nice!  Still going to fitness but quit the "lepin' 'n' hoppin' " class.  No more artificial joint ops for me, please!  By the time I finish just the walking my spine and hip are clicking away like Geiger counters.

Music Monday Jimmy Buffet, "Son of a Sailor" And Styx! "Come Sail Away"

Very Random thought:  Why does music, written in a minor key, sound so sad?

Thanks Jimmie...  I'll take a boat any day, too. 

A recent horoscope (Nov. 3rd)

First cusp:
"The difference between being incredibly shallow and profoundly wise can be difficult to detect, and this is  because both mental states require very little thought.  Either way, thinking less has great benefits now."

Spot on about thinking less!! 

Second cusp:
"You feel you were meant for the good life, even though your definition of it is a bit offbeat.  Your keen mind [say what?] and serene exterior will get you into an elite situation."

TBH, the only elite situation I want is that I want to design wedding dresses like Pnina Tornai, AND live on a sailboat like others I know and envy.  Freeeeeedommmmmm!  Sail away!

This gives me an idea for the next Music Monday, too. Oh what the heck!  Let's do this right now!  Who knows what a week will bring???

The Great Styx!  "Come Sail Away"



Yeah, Baby!

Sunday Matinee, and Purple America

From Princeton comes a beautiful map of the election.  I saw it first on THIS blog.  Lisa's blog is a wonderful blog.  I love reading it.

Isn't this a Gorgeous map, for showing how much more balanced America is?

Sunday Matinee is hard to pick this week.  We haven't been watching many films; mostly we've been watching Documentaries, like "Waiting For Superman", "The War on Children" and three fictional series:  "Bones", "Numb3rs", and "Warehouse 13".  I like the very surreal Warehouse 13 the best of those three.

I was going to rate "Quill" but it's such an odd movie.  It's Japanese, with subtitles, but that's not why it's odd.  Maybe watching a dog's whole life go by in an hour and a half isn't such a good experience.   I bawled  cried a lot at the end. 

I'd say it's inspirational but it's not.  It has an irritating leading man, a stubborn, grouch of a man to whom Quill, named for a mark on his body, is given at one year of age.  Quill is a guide dog.  I loved the dog, and his original trainer and the mean stubborn man's kids and wife.  They were the best people in the film who had big parts.   I once witnessed a guide dog being mistreated by his owner when the owner confused the dog by trying to force him to move against a light.  If the owner hadn't been a young, blind guy  I would have slapped him.  How was the dog supposed to know that the green arrow wasn't a green light?  I'm glad that all the crossings now have audible signals!   I've never forgotten how hurt and confused the dog was.  I hope that the man lost the dog.  He certainly didn't deserve to have him, a German Shepherd.

Anyway, that's the Tail for the day.  Have a nice Sunday.  I'm going to try to.

Remember this cute little thing?  I plan to eat some cookies!
 

Saturday Komeekz, and We got rain!

I do know that our little Wolfie Rescued the two of us!

Patrick McDonnell's website has a place where you can order prints of his dailies, on good thick paper suitable for framing. I got one for Mr. Zippi for Father's Day a couple years ago.  I think I'll get this one for Moi!  Mr. McDonnell does a lot of stuff for animals, too.   Poke around his website?
 
Skywatcher post.

Clouds and wind during the day after strong showers at 5 am

 Rain is life giving in a desert.  We celebrate it, and feel nothing but sorrow for the East Coast that just got hammered with way WAY too much of "nature's fecund blessing" - a quote from the movie, "Cold Comfort Farm"

 Plus, we have an update on the Christmas Van and more activity at the (alien) water tower:

More on the interesting life of The Van of the Man Who Loves Christmas:

 We have seen the owner, and he looks like a very young Santa Claus, on vacation.
  He is an actor, I believe.  Maybe he's a set builder, and artist, too!

There is activity at the Space Ship, disguised as a water tower;  it has mysteriously accumulated more clouds.  No one that I've talked to has actually seen the Aliens adorning their ship but there are definitely more clouds on it.  The clouds go all the way around now.  Do you think they are planning to stay on Earth?  Do you think this is good thing, or bad?   Are they going to beam up all the food?   The Beer?

I see that it's listing to the right, too.  What does this mean!!??

Maybe they are making a salt water tank out of our water tank, to beam up all the dolphins?

This is FINALLY knitting weather I tell you!  I'm back at it!


My DD is going, maybe, to live on the East Coast.  I'm torn between wanting her to be happy, and thinking that is just so damn far away.  I've put into the hands of the Creator.  I can't deal with it.

Must go knit...

Friday Fill ins, and something fun, finally!

Friday Fill-ins

1. One time, I was down by the sea during a full moon, and it was the most beautiful moonlit night I've ever seen.
2.  Sitting quietly in the Moon's silver light is something that makes me smile.
3. Seven words I love: Moon is my favorite, then comes slice, jingle, starlight, Vishnu, Archer, sparrow, and Ocean.
4. I also love snow; I  don't live where it snows all winter, though.
5. I looked out the window today and saw glorious rain!
6. This rain is long overdue, and that's saying something!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to getting more sleep than last night, tomorrow my plans include washing clothes, knitting and reading blogs, and Sunday, I want to finish some earrings and two wreaths!

Now.......

Something Else Fun!

And this tiny tort, being born.

Looks like a baby Sulcata.  So Sweet!

Thank you to Pina!

In Times of Need, the Universe Provides

This quote, from the executive producer of "Big Bang Theory", fell into my hands this very evening.

"#212: I believe the voices of fear, both from without and from within, can only be dispelled by trusting the voice that comes from the Heart.  Be still and Listen to it.  If it speaks of Love and Compassion for others, for the world itself, it might just be the Voice of God -- or a reasonable facsimile.  If, however, it snarls with fear of the unknown, fear of losing what you have, or not getting what you want, then it just might be the voice of Rupert Murdoch-- or a reasonable facsimile."

PJ and I exchanged comments on the affect that all the trash talking "news" outlets, and their talk show hucksters, have had on the country and it's citizens.  Targeting leaders whom they wanted out of the way, Faux News has gained billions of dollars in revenue.  Isn't it sad that they did it all for nothing more than money? Forget the Truth, that was never a goal!

I know some scared people in my own town.  They are terrified and frantic.  They've been driven mad for the sake of building someone's fortune.  That someone was never interested in things like "The Truth", nor had they any respect for the sound reasoning behind the creation of the First Amendment.  All the worst of them saw was, "a way to make money".  That is, in Navajo parlance, the definition of Evil.

As I say, The Universe provides....

It's late.  I might have put this Wiley up before.  I love interchanges between Danae and her Dad.

And all the Monsters didn't go into Banking.  Just some of them.
 
Something Happier to contemplate:

Those perfect peaches in Santa Cruz in Summer.  Yummm!  Since Summer is my least favorite season, it's good to remember without summer, we wouldn't have a bountiful supply of these amazing fruits.  But, winter, in California, brings Navel Oranges to market.  I can hardly wait! 

Have a nice tomorrow! 

Wonderful!

Congratulations, Mr. President!  And Congratulation to the First Family!

It's over and  huge numbers voted though numbers are lower, in most states, than 2008.  A hurricane of the magnitude of Sandy made for a lot less voters to the polls in the east.  But, anyway.....Congratulations, to Us!  We had ourselves an election, and the popular vote agreed with the electoral numbers.  No need for judges to decide!

Personally, I was determined to not hear that much about the election until it was over, so stayed in another country last evening.  But, I had to put down a rabid fellow who was intruding on my air space in Thule;  early on, I had left ceramics when racial stuff from two racists reared it's ignorant, ugly head.  Happily, later in the evening we have a more or less Political Free Zone in Thule, and someone was in violation but could be excluded..  I stayed out of other social media and was told that facebook was really a war zone. 

I'm glad for women and children, mostly because it means that gains made in health care in their behalf will stay in place.   And I'm glad that the person who gained this much for them, in the face of HUGE opposition, will now have the chance to go forward with plans to rebuild our country, help the middle class, and direct the financial institutions that nearly wrecked the country with their greed and recklessness.

Here's a woman who needs some help!

Took my beads to sister's so we could play nice.  Helped her to celebrate, too.  I'm so happy that Elizabeth Warren won the election.  Congratulations, m'Lady!

New York Times, Words of a Nation.

Join the word sharing?

Words of a Nation

My word was, Hopeful.  That's how I feel. 

Our Country, Our money, + a bit of yarn and knitting, Madame LaFarge has been busy.

A hedgehog rescue story ( here linked ) is in keeping with the Tuesday Tails theme.  And it's some fun before the political stuff ensues. 

Grist calls this the most brutal ad I'll see this campaign



As David Roberts says: "I don’t think this requires much commentary, do you?"  (Thanks for the "Heads Up" from Mr. Z.)

Oh, by the way, whose families does Romney promise to help?  Is it the families of the people who have been hurt by what Romney and his "friends" have been doing?  And further more, what can we do if the Earth decides it's also had enough of human brutality and starts flicking us off into Space?

Ah, The Democracy:  Since a Democracy vaporizes when the  majority of eligible voters stay away from the polls and do not vote, I hope you all will exercise your constitution right, and responsibility, to go to the polls.  This may well  be the most important election that we've had in over in 50 years.  There is a lot to get back.

The Middle Class* got hammered over the past 45 years, and needs back it's rights, and it's tax dollars.  We have to insure those dollars are spent properly to re-create a future for the kids!  Let's do it for the kids, if not for ourselves.

Private companies, and the Banks, have been sucking on our financial bones, gambling that they will get bailed out after stealing from us yet again.  This goes all the way  from commercial banks being deemed (twice) as "too big to fail", to private contractors in war zones not running mess "tents" for the convenience of hungry soldiers.  This is because they've contracted with the Military to run the "Mess", and do so for their own profit.  How is this possible?  Because consultants for these company are many times ex officials from either Congress or the White House "Military" establishment, meaning cabinet members.  Incest there at the "revolving door" is rampant.

Then there are corporations building detention centers, privately run "prisons",  to house "teenagers" who don't toe someone's imaginary line.  The information is all out there for us to read.  It's all true, and it's all disgusting.  We do need to care deeply about what's happening, and we need to stop it.

*By Middle Class, I mean the traditional one; the one that existed before the term was re-invented to include incomes of more than $100,000 per year.

Aaaaand, Audubon Speaks:

"On Tuesday we celebrate nearly two and half centuries of peacefully choosing our elected leadership.

We may disagree on some things but we all agree on this—your vote is your voice. It matters.

If you haven't had the opportunity to vote already, make sure to vote your choice at the polls on Tuesday.

Sincerely,

Audubon's Public Policy Team "

And now for something completely different - A Boring Knitting report, though it does keep faith with Madame Lefarge's extra long scarves, sort of:

You can see the tie-in at the bottom of the long piece.
The surprise knot off to the right of the knitting on the yarn.

 The yarn is Paton's Silk Bamboo, and it just doesn't felt.  But, it's really a beautiful looking yarn and very soft.

 While knitting the second tie for Ele's cardi, the surprise knot showed up.

The knot heard round the world.
Well, at least the north end of the Backroom. Darn was I mad!

After having to join yarn very near the end of one tie for Stardust,  I was happily knitting the second tie when a knot appeared in what I thought was going to be a flawless bit of knitting done from a new ball of yarn. 

Instead of flawless knitting, a knot showed up, sliding across my index finger at the worst possible time.  I suspect that all yarn companies are capable of such insults now, and their products must be rolled into balls to avoid such nasty little surprises. This knot was a shock, as most are!  Off with it's Head!

I threw the whole thing back inside the bag and went off  to played Spider and Free Cell for awhile.  Yes, I am an over-privileged drama queen.  

Monday was fitness and a trek out to the big hospital to have the surgeon evaluate "The Knee" for it's One Year check up.   I'm still hoping for some gold stars to stick on the day, at the last minute, before this publishes.

Update:
BIG Gold stars for my surgeons, and their staff.  Huzzah!  I've now been educated about all the clunks and grit sounds that a normal metallic joint can make.  I'm happy.  All is normal.

Good morning, Hurley.  I've missed you! 

Music Monday as well as a Greenman video of Sandy.

The Great Ella Fitzgerald sings "Stormy Weather".... sweet sounds of Joe Pass on electric guitar:




And now, for all the climate change Scoffs: 



Thanks Greenman.

Little Happinesses, Sunday Matinee, Healing the Heart.

We recently watched, "Winter in Wartime",  a Dutch movie about World War II in Holland.   Holland suffered much at the hands of the Nazis.  The Dutch underwent starvation, summary executions, every thing that Nazis did everywhere else.   Through the eyes of a teenage boy, we see the affect on his family, and his town.  His father, the Mayor, tirelessly tries to save the community. All the while seeming like a collaborator, he was harboring people, here and there, protecting them in a very subtle way.  This is an excellent view of what happened in one small town in Holland during World War II.

This movie deserves it's R rating.  Obviously it would be better for me if I stopped watching such films.  But how can a human being turn their back on the history of those who gave their lives to defeat one of the worst aberrations of humankind that has ever occurred in history?

Something for the Heart:
There is no better medicine for a person than making joy for themselves or others.

Use whatever you have. Do whatever it takes.

Daylight, and More Bling!

You are your own, best, Happiness Generator.

May you walk with Beauty all around you.

Past Drops Advents, Sunday Matinee- a little early- Beads, etc

I think these are ADORABLE!

Drops Advent Patterns from the Past

Just in time for last minute Christmas gifts.

Beads!

Large pink rounds, and those faceted Swaroski beads are for earrings
Square stones and long freshwater pearls for another set
Mushrooms for a grand niece, Re-cycled Green stone and smaller greens for two sets of earrings for DDs.
Pink rock chips and re-cycled pink stone are for an earring set for me.  I have to get some more cute fungi or fruits for my other littler grand niece.

I have other stones and pearls to add but that's what sis and I found at the LBS on Wednesday.  She came back with a sore back, but Girls just wanna have fun.

This tiny haul is from the Bead shop crawl.  We generally only get to one store per outing because we spend so much time in a single location!  I absolutely REFUSE to take my Dear Sister to the Ginormous bead store up the hill, even though she knows of it's existence.  We'd both have to call 911 if we tried to shop that store.

We watched a Dutch movie tonight about world war 2.  I cannot see how Europeans ever forgave the Nazis.  But they did.  It's a good thing to do as long as some forgiven peoples don't just turn right around and do it all over again, I reckon.  That's all the war talk I have the stomach for tonight.

My heart.  I have a well structured, healthy ticker, El dotoré was happy to inform me.  I just have to keep the stress down, keep hopping around the gym, and "Take My Medicine." lol

Have Fun!  Life is so stressful that if you don't, some big, green, monster will come out of the swamp,hunt you down and eat you!

Speaking of fun, here's another version of the header photo!

 I Love Picasa!

Friday Fill-ins, Bead Shop Crawl, Two pounds of lovely wool bits arrive.

1. I was born during a full moon.
2. But I don't howl when the moon is full.
3. When we laugh at adversity, we sometimes die.
4. But, maybe to die laughing is the best!
5. Underneath it all I remind myself that nothing in this world is real.
6. Oh! And thanks for that, Dear God in Heaven!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to eating solid food, tomorrow my plans include finish making another cornucopia decoration, and Sunday, I want to knit, eat Halloween candy, and read! 

Wednesday this week, my sis and I hit the local bead shop.   This is being typed late, and I need some daylight to take pictures of my tiny haul but one thing I did find out.  Silver findings cost an arm and a leg now, even tiny head pins are over a buck a piece.  OUCH!  We went home and recovered with some tea and a chinwag about Victorian stuff and a space heater near disaster.  She showed me all her current projects and if anyone can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, it's my sister.  She's a master crafter!  I know, so boring. 

Yesterday was All Saint's Day.  I spent most of it recovering from a monster headache that woke me up at 4:30 am.  I slept a good part of the day.  Since I believe in Saints and Angels, this is a good day.  "All Hallows Eve" is another name for yesterday, and "The Day of the Dead", in Mexico.  It's really a day for honoring loved ones who have moved on to the real world.
 
A while ago (after having seen a list of such places before from one of the Biggies in Saving the Earth) I searched the web for predator friendly places to find raw wools of many colors for felting.   I found  this place, Becky Weed's Thirteen Mile Lamb and Wool Company    Though she didn't have the specific wool product for sale that I wanted, she kindly put together a couple of pounds for me anyway.  Yay, Becky!  I am delighted with what she sent, two pounds of assorted colors from her flock, of bits and pieces that were left over from the edges of fleeces, some washed, some raw.  I reckon that I've got a tutorial period, and when that is done, I'll have very soft hands from the lanolin.  When I get done, I hope to know how to do a whole fleece for spinning. 

One side, and, the Flip side

I will have to plot out, all over again,  how to wash raw wool, and care for it afterwards.  I guess it's, "pick, soak, soak, soak, and then wash, rinse, rinse rinse, dry, pick, comb, and Bob's your Uncle!  At least I hope that's what it is.  I'll try not to felt it!  This isn't actual knitting, but it's a close cousin.

Halloween Hearth:

They all light up and look very cute

My little wake up call in June or whenever it was has made me want to decorate for all the reasonable holidays, and Halloween is one of them.

Sadly, teens aren't trick or treating much anymore, so we have a lot of candy left.  I reckon the teens go to parties or they stay home and baby sit (for very big bucks) so that adults can go out, run around, and howl at the moon!

I miss the elderly twins who used to come by, in costume, and collect candy.  I never cared how old anyone was, and as long as they were in costume, they got candy.  Some of the teens were so big that it was scary, since they dressed up like characters in horror flicks.  But, life should be fun, eh?  Anyway, I miss them.  At least I didn't have to figure out what to do with so much left over candy.