Drop-in visitors

Sitting in my studio and yakking on the phone, I suddenly saw a flash of color out the window.

When I looked closer, a very boldly colored bird was diving in and out of my rose bushes. The friend on the phone is wise in the ways of birds and told me I had orioles dropping in. Apparently they've been know to attack hummingbird feeders because they love the nectar but are too big to get at it. (Greedy things!) The biggest clue I had when they were around is that the rose bushes would be shaking like crazy and then a bright yellow head would pop out before diving back into the rose bush. (I hoped they were hunting for spiders.)


I've since learned that they are Bullock's Orioles and that they don't hang around for long. Sort of a bird equivalent of ADHD, I guess. But the wise friend says they LOVE orange halves so I may bait the yard for a bit and see if they come back. They only stayed for about 20 minutes this time. It was a fly-by sort of visit.


At least they didn't complain about the spider webs in the corners...

Like - you know?

Typography from Ronnie Bruce on Vimeo.

People I like

I realized yesterday there are a lot of people that I like but that I will probably never meet. So here is my note of appreciation to them:

I like the guy that empties the yard bin every other week.

I like the people that put away carts left sitting around in parking lots (especially when it's people that don't even work there).

I like the people that post their photos online as public domain.

I like the lady I saw walking down the street with big pink daisies on her hat.

I like the people that design journal covers.

I like people that volunteer at the SPCA.

I like the truck driver that honks his horn when little kids give him the pump arm motion.

I like people brave enough to stop at lemonade stands.

I like the chef at Antonio's that makes such yummy gnocchi.

I like the All State guy with the great voice.

I like all the people involved in making mini-frozen cream puffs.

I like teenage boys that are willing to play with younger kids. Or old ladies.

I like the person that invented rumble strips for road shoulders.

I like painters. The kind that wear spattered overalls.

I like bit actors. The ones that wander through the background and manage to look like they really are part of the background.

I like teachers that use funny stamps when grading papers.

I like lampshade designers. (Or feel sorry for them, not entirely sure there.)

I like the people that clean libraries.

And chances are really good, I like you.

(Unless, of course, something you've done compels me to write a "People I'm not crazy about" list.)

Happy Fourth of July!

And a special thanks to those in the armed services who have served or are serving to protect the freedoms we celebrate.

Thank you!!

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day!

(eh!)

"Watch my nose"

I've been thinking lately about career and job choices. Watching people perform their jobs and seeing if they seem to enjoy it or if it's just drudgery. Wondering if they consider their salary adequate for the job they do, or for the life they live.

I visited the optometrist today (just a routine blinding). And as part of the many things they check on, they want to test your peripheral vision. So the young woman doing the test says to me "I want you to look directly at my nose. Tell me when you see the ball (a florist pin stuck on a bit of dowel) come into sight. Remember to watch my nose."

Now I don't have a horrible nose. (Even though one of my little darlin's once told me I have a nose like a Clydesdale horse. ) Neither did the young woman I was staring at. But there are decidedly cuter noses than ours wandering around the planet.

I would personally classify my nose as a triumph of function over form. And I would venture to guess (based on a comprehensive survey of 5 of my closest friends) that 80% of women don't consider their nose their best feature. So any job that directs people to stare at it?

Scratch another career choice.

Burnt around the edges

We spent the day yesterday at a local lake that is an absolutely gorgeous spot. Not too many people (although some goose doo to dodge), clear water, mountains surrounding the lake, very little boat traffic and sunshine galore. (And flush toilets, although some of us rank those a little higher on the necessity list than others.) It seems to be a popular spot to bring your favorite floatie and just drift for a few hours.

Of course, sunshine means sun screen. When you belong to the chalk tribe like I do, it's far too easy to end up looking like a lobster fresh out of the pot. My kids mostly inherited their dad's skin so I tend to use myself as the human barometer for SPF recoats.

But apparently my gauge was a little off yesterday. Even with the SPF 30 & 45 out, one of the kids got a little crispy, and I can definitely tell where the spots I couldn't reach on my own back were. We bought the aloe vera gel + lidocaine and are coping, but we also bought the SPF 50 in the easy apply spray version for next time.

'Cause we'll be going back. For sure.

And I'll probably even remember my camera next time...