Tuesday TaiIs: Why I Plan to completely stop eating Beef....

If this goes SOUTH, where it looks like it is going....

and this is why....

Point Reyes Elk Herd

A lot of American Beef and dairy product (not fresh milk of course) is shipped overseas.  It might not be these ranchers and dairy farmers in particular, but if it is, I want them to feel my outrage.  I'm on a road to find out where their product goes.

The Tule Elk subspecies  once ranged across the Central Valley.  They almost became extinct, and were down to 10 individuals due to Market Hunters, when rescued.  That was when they were introduced to the Peninsula they now inhabit, as well as various other sites. 

In an odd twist of fate, we have a Rancher to thank for saving them when he recognized their plight.

This reminds me not to condemn all Ranchers as destructive.   I actually like ranches but I don't think they should have the last word.  And certainly not in something this important.  Illegal killings take place as it is.  That's a big empty country up there.  I don't want to subsidize the death of a California Icon for more beef cattle.  They aren't natives at ALL!  They are an English breed, and they are now all over the American landscape....they are everywhere.

Monday Whatever: Knitting finished, crochet to finish

So that I don't put off finishing to crochet this tablecloth.... I'll put it here like a sore thumb or a challenge.

These are the cammo short fingered gloves for Bee-  I want to make all the others that aren't mitts with this pattern.  This is a worsted weight yarn.

This is the Aran sweater sleeve I've started. I still must finish both sleeves and also knit the yoke and flat knit the front and back above the split (the In the Round knitting) to complete the sweater body.

There was a few other things I was going to add to this but first to get Christmas put away.  I'm calming down a little and focusing on straightening out this craft ridden house.  I think the girls would be glad not to have to deal with all my stuff. ;o)  or not.....

Library sales.. Yumm!!!

RUN! is Mr.Z.
He kindly texted me
 and then bought the others pour Moi!

Today was the rockhound Christmas luncheon.  It was fun to catch up with old friends and eat a meal together.  I might take them up on some invitations to do various things.  Mut I'm such a homebody now that my neighbors hardly see me. lol  After all those years of gallivanting, I'm settling into senility serenity with my books!

I'm almost done reading The Girl With Seven Names.

If you think you know all about Hell, and where it is, you need to read this book.  It's very enlightening,  and it's an absolutely hair raising, white knuckle, ride out of Hell on earth into freedom.
Here is a link to a review by Evan Ramstad,  from the StarTribune

Fantastic article on the newest discoveries in human origins; MUTTS magnets, too.

John Hawk's Article on the Medium Daily Digest feed for June 9th..

Enjoy finding out things about your ancestors...

And something completely different

And, these little Mutts magnets are doggone cute.  

Farmer's Almanac is online. I didn't know!

After the rose, this unassuming blossom was my mother's favorite.  She planted these in her garden every year.

Cosmos: Photo is from HERE

That link goes to the online Farmer's Almanac.

Do you remember the actual Almanac?  Do you remember reading that book avidly?  I certainly did, and so did my grandparents, and my mother.  I was so happy to find that it's now on line.

Monday Whatever: Cake but no music.

A little change for this week:

I did say this was my happy place.  Have a piece of rainbow cake!  It's an ice cream delight that was originally sold in Chula Vista.  Every family birthday for years this was the coveted cake!  It's lovely with Lady Grey tea, or coffee.

Monday Whatever.. Politics makes me crazy, and a trip to the Smithsonian

Firstly,

I rearranged my blog and now will link all the meme's within the text for each entry for that meme. I tried to organize the rest of the side bar into cohesive groups, and hope it was logical and successful. Thank you all for reading for these past 12 years.
I will do this as long as I'm able but I'm slowing down.

I don't like to do political stuff anymore.  So, what I've done so far will be the extent of it.  The reason it's mentioned at all is that it is an egregious and long standing wrong that has been being done to the Guaranteed Human Rights of the American people, and to keep silent, for me, is to be virtually complicit to the theft of those rights.

I abhor the abridgement of Human Rights anywhere in the world so right here in my Homeland, I'll hunt it down, the nasty little Bagginsis, neuter it, and shave off all the fur on it's big little feet!

And now, let us return to the regularly scheduled broadcast of "Puppies and Kittens".

I've got an enduro, or two to get through over the Hols and I'm wishing my ears were on swivels so that I could put them back and flat to my head like a Cougar ready to strike.  Why do the other animals get the only truly nifty responses that tell the Pride or Pack to back off?  It's so not fair!

Let's take a little trip to the Smithsonian and check out what they have to say, or emote, about it all....

Smithsonian Language and Symbols Site

“I am old, Gandalf. I don't look it, but I am beginning to feel it in my heart of hearts. Well-preserved indeed! Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread. That can't be right. I need a change, or something.” 

~J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings~

Now my brain officially HURTS!

Monday Whatnot: Start 'em young....

Jimmie devours her first book.

Yesterday afternoon, I'd been playing around in Goodreads, and while searching for a suitable photo as an avatar, I found this  of one of the twins.  We were at Mission Beach, one of the few places with grass.

Back to Goodreads.  The reason I started an account there, apparently in 2013, was so that I could order books from Logos, the bookstore we love which happens to be in Santa Cruz, nearly 500 miles away.  I could order their used books or at least research them, through Goodreads.  But then the Amazilla Monster sort of sucked up everything.

Disclaimer:  In case Amazon is listening.-- I'm not totally sure that's what really happened but it is awfully late.  And, it's definitely way too late for this old and creaking little gray panther to go pouncing on Googrilla, in order to dumpster dive into trash barrels of proof positive, nor can she go haring off up the evidentiary trails that run back up into the bushlands towards the infamous Amazon's hub at the base of it's legendary octopusal arms.

Then, wow.... just WOW!  I've evidently read 28 books this year so far.  I'll have to add some more that were off the radar but not all read this year.   Most, but not all, of the ones by Farley Mowat were read in years prior to 2016.

My challenge was 12?  Hmmm...  Well, My reading stopped dead for about five months, beginning in March, when I knew there was a hurricane bearing down on the frayed bonnets of my dearly beloved little family.  I'm creeping back into reading again, but with not quite the gusto of former times.

Shattering stuff, and it's not the first one to happen in my intimate circle.  So, I do know the "drill" but getting from THAT to HERE has been harrowing.  There's still a lot of mud and small clumps of regret, and heart pounding angst clinging to my boots from the trek.

HOLD YOUR HATS!  Another 180 degree turn coming up!............screeee!

Last fall....  This beautiful Liquid Amber lost it's battle with the California Drought.

A few weeks ago, it had to be removed by the ground's keeper.  It started it's life in the late 60's as a little seedling, sometime before it was planted a few years later in the grounds when the complex was built.  I took this shot from my sister's back slider,  through the fences and overhangs of another condo.  A sad end for a magnificent tree.

Goodbye Sweet Tree

Something different for a Monday...

While I was trolling around in Google+ (trying to find out how many people had seen my blog) I came across this photo that Google created from one of my photos.

This is an amazingly beautiful portrait of the raised bed garden, within which Laura's Garden is enclosed.  I found it in the notifications.   Sadly, the wire cage on the tiny day lilies was included but really, even that gave an aura of mystery to this photo.

Thought a few people would like to see it.

Thanks Google for a lovely rendition of that space.  Now please tell me how to see the Views bit that once was on my page?

Monday Whatever: Google Friends Connect......

Will it start working properly or will it be going the way of the Dodo (Raphus Cucullatus)?

Drawing as displayed on The Telegraph's Art News Page

I haven't been able to use Google Friend's Connect for  awhile.  Believe me, if I'm reading and commenting on your blog,  I'm also trying to follow you on Friends Connect.

I know that Google no longer supports Google Friends Connect, but they should.  I believe they should think twice about wanting to kill off this sweet, socially correct bit of their empire. 

GFC is very popular and can never be replaced by Google+.  It's like the difference between an African Hunting Dog and a Hyena.  Close, yes, but obviously they are not even the same species!

I'm still trying to figure out why it quit so suddenly.  One day the blue follow bar was OK, and the next day it did not work!  

At this point, I really want to BYTE something.  But not Apple.  They are not to blame.  Frankly, I like Apple -well, most of it.  But, it's Google that needs to wake up and smell the Java.

I'd credit the photo but the site is so Freaking ugly that I don't want to.

Monday whatever: Hello Human Kindness Organization.

From HelloHumanKindness.org


" 'But I'm just not a creative person,' you might say. Well, the benefits of creativity aren't limited to the artistically trained or inclined. They aren't confined to any specific method or discipline. Everyday creativity isn't about accomplishment or talent — it's about rediscovering that part of us that just wants to play.' "

So, just get out there and play.  It will do you a world of good, and it might even help the world get better, too.

Recovery from loss takes a lot of time.  Getting rid of messes and sharing out the things I know I'll never use again is one of the ways I plan to get through this.