Positively Laura

Heading down

2011-04-06T10:55:00.000-07:00

This morning the new shift arrived amid high winds and snow. I guess since they managed to get here, we will be able to get down. I have packed up, loaded my gear on the Snowcat, and Steve and I have given the next volunteer the full kitchen tour. All that is left is to say goodbye to Marty and join the departing crew for the ride down the mountain.

By the way, Marty snuck into my room again this morning - no idea how he got past me. He was so proud of himself and happy, but ultimately I did have to evict him.

I took advantage of the opportunity to submit comments on the MWOBS website, which should be posted sometime today, so take a look.

Below are a few misc. photos from my time up here.
Next stop, Waterbury Center, Vermont for my flight out of Burlington in the morning.

Official Chef for the night

Hanging on for dear life - my first time in high winds

After my first attempt at 65 - 80 mph winds

Fajita night

Fighting the wind to reach the summit

My ride awaits

Bye bye Mickey

Last full day at MWOBS

2011-04-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

It warmed up quite a bit last night - into the upper 30's and this morning up to 47. All the rime ice melted as did much snow, which turned to slush and now is frozen again. We had sleet, then rain, then back to snow in a matter of a few hours. I went for a walk earlier today in the snow. It was only about 35 - 40 mph winds so it was not so hard to get around. We had winds of 74 this morning with a 94 mph gust. The highest wind we've had since I arrived here was 105.2 mph. Now we are at 65 mph with 72 gusts. Guess I'll stay in for now :)

The Chicken Picatta turned out great last night and the Gingersnap Whoppie Pies were delicious - yum. This morning I made a big pot of Chicken and Rice soup with lots of veggies. Right now Steve is busy making pizza dough. He'll be setting it in the furnace room to rise. So we'll have fresh pizza tonight - no pizza delivery in the winter, although I hear it has happened in the summer. I have already cut up onions, portabella mushrooms, black olives and red bell peppers for topping. We have some pepperoni as well (not on my share, please) Steve is also making crepes for tonight - spicy dessert crepes (made with cinnamon, nutmeg and molasses) with a creamy center and warm tart cherry glaze topping.

Busy day today, getting ready for the next shift, as we head down tomorrow. Our chores include cleaning the bathroom (thank you Steve) cleaning both fridges (my job today) cleaning the stove and hood - a big job made small by doing it together yesterday. I don't mind all this, especially since it's not keeping me from a hike. When we do a good job it is appreciated.

I forgot to show you a couple of other photos from yesterday morning's sunrise. There is an effect of the shadow of the mountain on the landscape made by the rising sun. It's called a summit shadow. Pretty cool to see in person.

Summit shadow at sunrise

Observation Tower with Mt. Washington's shadow

The Stage Shop - next to the Cog Rail - closed for Winter. Photo courtesy of my fellow volunteer, Steve Hill.

The true summit - 6,288 feet. I'm actually hanging on the sign so the 60+ mph wind doesn't blow me off!

Marty, the summit cat

2011-04-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Marty is a Maine Coon mix, with beautiful shiny black fur, green eyes, big feet with at least one extra toe. He is a lot more social this winter than he was in the summer when I first met him. They said he relaxes more in the winter when there aren't bunches of tourists around wanting to take his picture. He has been know to smash a few cameras.

But, Marty has become my buddy this winter. Maybe because I play with him, fluff his food (against the rules), freshen his water (and don't fill the bowl because he loves to splash it out) and I give him good back scratches.

Yesterday he snuck into my room. Also against the rules, much to my disappointment as I had hoped he could sleep with me. Our room doubles as linen storage and it's not good for his dander to get on the linens, in case someone is allergic to cats. But back to him sneaking into my room (and remember I said sneak - that's my story and I'm sticking to it.) He immediately jumped up to my bunk at the top and made himself at home. He especially loved my down sleeping bag and snuggled right down into it. I had a heck of a time evicting him, which neither me nor Marty were happy about.

A little video

2011-04-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

I accidentally recorded a little bit of video. Thought I would share it. It has sound, too, which is the wind.

Sunrise at 65 mph

2011-04-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

You really gotta wanna see that sunrise to get up at 6:15, quickly throw on all your warm stuff, wind gear, face mask and goggles, and head out into 7 degree temps and 65 mph winds. Well, it was worth it. Although a little difficult to hold the camera steady enough or even see what you were aiming for.

That's me, leaning against the wind at my back.

Sunday Sunrise

Monday Sunrise

This morning's sunrise was slightly more mellow, with only 45 mph winds and 12 degrees. It was also even prettier, with the on-coming front that arrived soon after.

Monday sunrise - just as the sun disappeared into the clouds

View thru the railing on the observation deck

Dinner last night started with happy hour and appetizers hosted by Danny from Stateside. MWOBS has the Observatory side of the building and the state park has the rest with just a slightly ajar door between us. We had loaded nachos, spring rolls with 2 kinds of sauce, and Buffalo wings. And beer, of course. Very fun and a nice break from the usual. We had leftover spaghetti and Ropa Viejo for dinner, finished off with the cake I made yesterday. Devil's Food cake with Buttercreme icing and toasted almonds. It was a hit, of course, and the leftover buttercreme has proven to be especially popular with one member of the weather team.

The cake

I managed a second trip out yesterday, through the front entrance which Mike and Rebecca had mostly cleared of snow - at least so we could get out the door. There were 2 young guys at the entrance who had hiked up that morning. They had a plastic kid's sled and were putting on helmets for the ride down the mountain on the cog train tracks. Extremely dangerous - hope they made it okay - some haven't.

While I was out I took advantage of some clear weather to get a few photos of the observation tower and surrounding area.

Main Entrance

Looking towards the radio towers

The Observation Tower

Saturday on the Summit

2011-04-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

More snow, wind and bitter cold. Now you would think on a day like this one would have enough sense to stay indoors. But noooooooooo... Steve and I ventured out on the observation deck to fully experience the "World's Worst Weather" - twice.

The first time we went out I dressed in full gear, ready for anything. I asked Mike (Finnegin, weather observer) if we needed to take a radio. He smiled and said no. I understand why now. We didn't get further than about 15 ft. from the door. It was about 13 degrees with gusts of 78.6 mph. I can be so exact because of all the high tech instruments right here, just a few feet away from where I was trying to stand against the wind.

The second time we went out I didn't put on as many layers. No need really, since we were only out there a few minutes. We ventured out a little further and I'm already learning some technique for walking in high wind. Again, we had close to 80 mph winds and I was laughing the whole time. What a rush!

This morning we had potato pancakes for breakfast, which Mike made for us from left over mashed potatoes. They were really good and it was really sweet for Mike to treat us to his cooking.

Marty was in rare form this morning. He loves to play, especially since he can't get outside. One gust of wind and he'd be gone! I played with him with a rope and then gave him a good back scratch which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

Tonight is Fajita night. I have already done all my prep work, so it should be a breeze. I also made some Pico de Gallo and will finish up making the Guacamole just before dinner. Steve is making Flaming Crepe Suzettes for desert. Yum.

That's all for now from the home of the World's Worst Weather.

Mike making breakfast

Steve enjoying Mike's cooking

Did I mention I made Spinach Cheese Swirls Last night?

Me and my new bud, Marty

Playtime

Too much fun!

Steve

Surfing the wind - I got the technique!

Well, I ain't got it...

More PIcs from Thursday

2011-04-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Not used to working from a PC - uploading photos has proved quite challenging. So here are some more.

Rime Ice from fog and wind.

View from the rocky knoll - more rime ice

State Parks Snowcat - just another day on the job

From the Summit - MWOBS

2011-04-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

Today is my second full day at the Mount Washington Weather Observatory. Wednesday was a very pretty day. I got to ride in the front seat of the Snowcat for the ride up to the summit, which took us about 1 1/2 hours to go the 8 miles. We did a little snow clearing with the attached plough on the way up, while I sat in heated comfort inside the cab. It was quite fun.

I took a walk down the auto road with Mike (Weather Observer) and Rebecca (Intern) to catch the sunset. It was absolutely still and almost eerily quite. We did catch a nice sunset.

Steve, my fellow volunteer, made a beef roast with a gravy, peas, and I made mashed potatoes. Steve made Grasshopper Crepes for dessert... made with creme de menthe, not grasshoppers. Couldn't find enough grasshoppers up here this time of year...

Yesterday, Thurs., was another nice day, still cold of course. I made a coffe cake for breakfast, which was devoured throughout the day. In the afternoon I took another walk down the road and out to a rocky, snowy knoll for a nice view of the valley. Don't worry Dad, I had a radio with me for safety. It was 17 degrees with a light wind. Exhilarating.

When I got back the 6 hikers we were expecting for the night had arrived and included me in their photo opportunity. Nice bunch of guys. For dinner I had made a huge pot of spaghetti sauce in the morning, along with a smaller veggie version, a big salad and double batch of brownies. Steve made 2 loaves of Italian bread from scratch and turned them into loaves of garlic bread. Another excellent dinner enjoyed by all.

We were up at 5:20 AM MWOBS time (that's 6:20 daylight savings time) and made a big breakfast for the hikers. I made the pancakes, Steve the sausage and scrambled eggs - and 3 pots of coffee. The hikers headed down around 7 AM amid snow flurries and 30 mph winds. Brrrrrrrrrrrr.

It has been snowing off and on all day today with 19 mph winds and 45 degrees. Not much of an outdoors kind of day - supposed to get much windier and heavy snow. I will stick my nose at the door, though. We are entertaining ourselves with cooking. Steve is baking 5 loaves of bread - 2 of which are Cinnamon Raisin ( the smell is driving me crazy) and one is a pecan swirl. I am making a puff pastry spinach cheese pinwheel appetizer for tonight as well as a blueberry/strawberry cobbler. Steve is making Ropa Vieja over a rice pilaf for the main course - kind of a Spanish dish.

Enough for now. I will now try to upload some photos from the last 2 days.

Our gear piled up at base

Waiting for the Snowcat

Almost Ready

Santa hopped out of his Snowcat to say hello

Front seat view below tree line

Puppy sitting

2010-09-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Day five of puppy sitting: Nuttin' cuter than a puppy – unless it's a kitten, and, yes, I am slightly prejudiced.
Last Sunday my brother delivered his four 5 week old pups, their momma, and all the puppy paraphernalia – a big box of food, heavy duty puppy wipes, 2 booboo bunnies (one is their momma's toy), playpen, four 8 ft. sections of closet shelving (for the backyard puppy pen), a stack of towels and 4 giant rolls of Bounty "the quicker picker upper."

After a day of adjusting to the new surroundings, we have settled into a routine. The remarkable thing in all this is the incredible patience exhibited by Sierra and Rocky, my cats. The playpen is working out great for daytime naps, the backyard pen gives everyone a chance for exercise, fresh air and an opportunity to learn about doing "business" in the grass – puppy business that is. I've set up a puppy corral in my office for bedtime – perfect for momma to jump in and out of for those nighttime feedings.

That's all for now... gotta go clean up some "you know what." Stay tuned.

Amazing 90 year old!

2010-09-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

My Dad just turned 90. He's in great shape, excellent health and enjoying life. Just got married last December. I'm so glad I have his genes! We had a wonderful birthday celebration for him at Sunset Sam's at the Gaylord Palms Resort, on the big sailboat in the Keywest Lagoon. My sis created the cake (a big bottle of Dad's favorite German Schnapps – I helped), the galleon centerpiece, favors, and even brought the appropriate nautical tablecloth and navy blue napkins. We gave him a remote control motorized sailboat and tugboat (it even shoots water) to play with on the pond behind his house – for his second childhood. Fun!

Let there be cake...

2010-09-02T06:55:00.000-07:00

... and favors... and friends. The birthday celebration was great fun, and fitting for a non-milestone b-day. Happy hour at the Elephant Bar Restaurant started with artichoke dip, $2 Margaritas (more than one), and continued with seared ahi tuna, salmon rolls, shrimp spring rolls and coconut shrimp - yum! In attendance were my sis, Pat, (a.k.a. Ashley, famous maker of favor boxes and amazing cakes), my dear friend Debbie, and her boyfriend as well as my friend, George (alien, from Scotland.) After devouring the wonderful coconut cake Pat made, we headed to a Winter Park gallery for a lovely glass of wine, and to view some, you guessed it, art! Good times.

And, yes, I train elephants

Great day!

2010-09-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

Today's my Birthday. Sierra's sweet face greeted me at 7 a.m., and Rocky didn't even get up until I brought his breakfast. I started the day with a big cup of cappuccino (with soy milk and cocoa sprinkled on top), some yoga (12 of my favorite standing poses and a headstand) and a lovely meditation. It was just cool and dry enough out to open the back door for some fresh air and I could hear the pond. My breakfast was a treat - I made cottage cheese pancakes. I received lots of ecards and facebook greetings. Then I did some shopping at some of my favorite boutiques (a.k.a thrift stores.) The rest of the day looks promising with fun plans ahead. Birthdays only come once a year, so I make the best of it and am grateful to be alive!

M R puppies - C M P N

2010-08-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

My brother's puppy had puppies. Wasn't planned. Fortunately the pop was the same breed and very handsome boy. No names yet and I'll let you guess at the breed, but here they are at 19 days. Their eyes have just opened and the personalities are already emerging. There will definitely be some new pics to come, as "Aunt" Laura will be puppy-sitting in a couple of weeks, for what I thought would be for a week, but I now understand will be 15 days! For those who know me, know that I am not a "dog" person, and Rocky and Sierra kitties are most definitely not "dog" kitties. My office will be transformed into puppy daycare with the addition of a playpen. I'll keep you posted.

The sweetest thing

2010-08-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

The story: My sister, Pat, discovered this precious little creature after Lexi, her Toy Rat Terrier, came and got Pat to show it to her. Let me remind you, I said "Rat" Terrier (who has also lived up to her name.) The tiny newborn squirrel was in a load of trouble. He had not only fallen out of his nest, he was being swarmed by sweat bees and screaming for his life.

As Pat picked him up he clung desperately with all fours to her thumb.

It became apparent he had not been stung and the little guy finally settled down and fell asleep, while Pat worried about what to do. The bees' nest was right next to the staghorn fern containing the squirrel's nest. The bees were surrounding the nest and momma was having a fit, obviously also worried about the risk to her other babies. As Pat puzzled over what to do about the rescued baby, the other babies' and their momma's predicament, the momma took matters into her own "paws.' She took one of her babies in her mouth and headed up and over and through the trees, jumping perilously from limb to limb with her tiny parcel dangerously dangling in her teeth, and relocated her baby to an abandoned nest.

That gave Pat an idea. She made a nest for the rescued baby with a paper bag (with the perfectly coordinated color of gift shredding), gently placed the sleeping ity-bity in it, put it in the nook of a nearby tree, and hoped for the best. Her efforts were rewarded when after relocating the last baby from the nest, momma came back to investigate, found her fallen baby unharmed and quickly carried him off to their new home.

I love happy endings.

Final Mt. Washington pics

2010-08-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

I have returned home to hot and humid Florida and have somewhat recovered. Below are the photos from the last couple of days at MWOBS, including Wednesday's sunrise.

Alpine Garden Trail

Alpine Meadow

Bluebells and Alpine Goldenrod

Heading back to summit through stunted pines

Marty hard at work in the weather room

Marty's new tag: "Hi, My name is Marty.
I am the summit cat.
Please do not remove me from the summit."

Summit Crew
l to r: Yours truly, Weather Observers Mike,
Brian and Ryan, Rebecca (Intern),
Ryane (MWOBS Shop & Museum)
and Hanna (Intern)
Photo by Bob, my fellow volunteer

My last summit sunrise

2010-08-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

This morning at 4:20 AM I was in a deep sleep, when Ryan's knock came with another sunrise alert. I had only been soundly asleep since about 3:00 AM. I thought "another one?... already saw one yesterday... I'll just go back to sleep." And to watch the sunrise I would need to bundle up and head out to the observation deck in 45 degree temps and a howling wind. Then I reminded myself that every sunrise is different, it was my last morning here, I can sleep later, and afterall, Ryan went to all the trouble of climbing down the tower stairs to wake me. Well, this morning's sunrise was even prettier. Glad I got up.

It is all quiet here, still very early. I got to hear the tail end of Ryan's radio weather broadcast - he's so professional! Also got a few more Marty pets in. He really is a beauty.

Yesterday we went for another hike, this time down to the Alpine Garden Trail – my new favorite. It required a pretty steep descent on some more big rocks, to be rewarded with the prettiest walk along a big drop off (don't worry, Dad, not too close.) The trail passes through many little meadows, with a spattering of Bluebells, Alpine Goldenrod and Mountain Sandwort. We also passed through some little pines, stunted in their growth by the altitude, but with a wonderful fresh piney scent. To return to the summit we headed up another steep rocky slope as the wind picked up and wisps of clouds blew by. Mike gave me a call from the summit to warn us of a thunderstorm system headed our way, and to check our location. He said to be speedy, but be careful. Not so easy to hurry up a rocky slope on tired legs. By the time we got back to the observatory we were in a dense fog, but fortunately never heard any thunder and the storm passed North of us.

Last night's dinner was a another big success - spaghetti and salad. No apple pie, though. We had plenty of sweets left over, and besides, I'd rather hike than bake pie!

My bag is almost packed, need to have to take it upstairs by 7:30 AM, and we will head down sometime this morning. It has been a wonderful visit up here at MWOBS, and as usual in most of my adventures, the best part is the people! Love you guys and thanks for a great time!

Another day on the summit

2010-08-10T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have begun to lose track of time, and even forgot that it was summer. My theory is that's a sign of a good vacation. But I am aware that today is my last full day - and it started off great. We spent the entire day yesterday in zero visabilty, That means someone 10 feet from you is nothing but a sillouete and when you come inside your hair is so wet people ask if it's raining. This morning Ryan woke us at 4:20 AM with a sunrise alert. Our first since we got here. It was fabulous!
I didn't get a chance to talk about the hike we took day before yesterday. It was my favorite so far. Cool, clear and windy, we hiked to Clay Col, which is the first "hump" on a mountain. After a little break we head on to the summit of Clay Mountain. Not a big summit, but gave us a great view of the Observatory and surrounding area. We also passed a few little meadows with lush grasses and yellow wildflowers. Dinner that night was Pasta Primavera - Bob's creation - delicious!

Since yesterday was so foggy we stayed in all day, except the occasional wet stroll outside. I put together the cabbage rolls in the morning and made a Bolagnese sauce and meatless sauce for our last dinner tonight. I might make apple pie and Bob will make some ice cream. The Cabbage Rolls were a huge hit and I made plenty for lunch today.

We might go out for a little hike today - but need to go sooner than later - our "personal" staff of three weather observers are predicting thunderstorms this afternoon. They give us a radio to carry with us in case of emergencies, such as other hikers getting into trouble, and to give us weather alerts. Nice.

Marty was all frisky this morning with the excitment of us being up so early for sunrise. He got a new tag for his collar this morning, too. It says to not remove the cat from the summit, that he is Marty, the summit cat. It seems people think he is a lost cat and try to rescue him.

Marty, this morning in the weather room.

It's about the food

2010-08-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how easily Bob and I fell into making a great team for the cooking. We have been alternating nights for the main course, with the other one handling side dishes and dessert. We never even talked about it, just did it. The meals have been a big hit, but last night seemed especially popular: Cuban Black Beans and Rice and Chicken Fajittas. And Bob made some awesome brownies. It was like a big party. I got a big hug from one of the observers, Mike. He said, "I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD!"

We had a beautiful sunset last night. Ryan, the nighttime observer, is going to wake me if we get a nice sunrise - that would be about 4:30 AM. And I should mention, the observatory is always on Eastern Standard Time. So even though I didn't necessarily change time zones, I still had to adjust to an hour's difference.

Marty, the summit cat, is getting more used to me, although he definitely is Mr. Independence. He is not allowed in our bunk rooms, and he especially likes my room. We keep our doors shut, but somehow he snuck in. Found him in there after dinner last night, up in the window. He's a nut.

It's another beautiful day, so I expect we'll do another hike. Seize the day!

l to r: Ryan, nighttime observer, Rebecca, intern, and Mike, observer. In the weather room overlooking the White Mts.

Marty, at work.

Fajittas!

Nice weather at Mt. Washington

2010-08-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

Last night, just as I was starting to clean up from dinner, one of the weather observers told me to get on my warm stuff and go to the tower - it was finally clear out. Beautiful red glow along the and a view all the way to Canada. The wind was about 50 mph and I was standing at the top of the tower. Even crazier was about 2 hours earlier when Bob and I went out to the observation deck in 60 mph winds. It really takes some practice to be able to stand up in that wind. It basically sent me across the deck, with my skinning legs trying to keep up. I had to grab a post just to hang on. It was crazy.

Last night it got just below freezing, with a wind chill of about 12 degrees. I actually forgot it was still summer.

Today turned out to be an absolutely beautiful day. We did a hike to Lake of the Clouds. Gotta run finish making dinner. 15 hungry people tonight.

Pics from Mt. Washington

2010-08-06T15:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ryan, one of the awesome weather observers here, I am finally able to upload a few photos. Nothing terribly exciting yet, mostly because of the fog, but here goes...

Add caption

MWOBS update

2010-08-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

Busy day yesterday - but a good one. I woke up when it started get light - about 4:30 AM. The film crew of 5 (I was originally told there would be 2) arrived here at 7:30 AM - about 4 hours earlier than we expected. Didn't have their room ready - oh well - they had to make their own beds.

The film crew is doing some sort of contrived or shall we say "staged" documentary about the observatory, using themselves as actors. They seem to know what they are doing. From my perspective I'm actually very glad to not be on camera, with the biggest impact being we are cooking for 13 now instead of 8.

Speaking of cooking, dinner was a huge hit last night. The main course was Chicken Piccata, a recipe I improved upon back in my meat eating days. Dinner is at 7 PM. It smelled so good that at 6:50 the staff were like vultures behind me at the stove, breathing down my neck as I was putting on the final touches. Pretty funny.

Thanks to my sis and Bob, my fellow volunteer, we had a fabulous chocolate cake for dessert. Bob made the cake early in the day, and Pat emailed me her favorite buttercream recipe, which I added a little almond extract to. I topped it with toasted coconut and sliced almonds. It was a big hit. Thanks Pat. When I figure out how to download photos from my camera, I'll post a pic of it.

While the crumb coat was chilln', Bob and I went for a 2 hour hike - in the fog. They gave us a radio, so we could check in for weather updates and give our location. Pretty cool - our personal professional weather observer. We took a series of trails in a big loop down and then back up, which I will now refer to as the "Tour de Big Rocks". I don't think we actually walked on dirt more than 10 feet the whole way.

Last night we lounged around the living room and watched "Up".

This morning a think I won over Marty, the resident summit cat, by playing with him by dragging a fuzzy rope around. Fun.

Mt. Washington Observatory - Day 1

2010-08-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

After a perfect flight from Orlando, I arrived in Manchester with my future roommate waiting to pick me up. In the first 5 minutes Bob had made up for all the lack of response to my many emails. Not good with email, but that guy can talk. Liked him immediately, as well as his wife, Jeanne.

After a 6:15 AM start this morning, we arrived 2 1/2 hours later at the base, loaded our gear into a MWOBS vehicle with Ken at the wheel and headed up in heavy fog. I'm here, but still haven't seen Mt. Washington.

After an orientation to the kitchen, and this maze of a facility, Bob and I went for a short hike down the auto road... and saw some more fog. The winds have been cranking from 35 - 50 some mph, with a high wind speed of 71 last night. Not exactly ideal hiking weather. We'll see what tomorrow brings. You can check for regular weather updates at their website.

Feeding time

2010-06-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Every year the cardinals produce two or three, sometimes four, new broods of chicks in my yard. They seem to enjoy my backyard, especially the tall bamboo when the chicks become fledglings – it has lots of small branches and plenty of protection. I spotted them at feeding time on my fence. I love the way they flutter their wings excitedly when mama or papa approach.

All three baby chicks – you'll have to look for the third one.

Miyuki a la Warhol

2010-06-24T07:12:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share a "portrait" I did of friend's French Bulldog, Miyuki – given to them as a wedding gift. (The art was the gift... not the pup.) They are somewhat obsessed with this little creature and I must admit she is adorable (high praise coming from a cat person.) And calling Ashley and Matt is the shortcut to the real relationship. Ashley is my sister's step-daughter, who married Matt. So I believe that makes Ashley my step-niece and Matt my step-nephew-in-law? "Friends" is definitely the simpler option. Ashley is a graphic designer and Matt is lead in the heavy metal band, Trivium.

The photo of Miyuki I used to create the images.

Not my cat

2010-06-23T05:47:00.000-07:00

The story goes that Rocky (my cat) was in a standoff with another cat in my backyard. Problem was at first I couldn't tell which cat was which. Another day I walked out to the partially open French doors and there was "Rocky" lounging on the deck, just 4 feet from the back door, and Sierra, relaxed and happy, in the doorway. Again, not Rocky. His eyes got big as saucers and he took off. We have nicknamed him "R.T." - for Rocky's Twin. Rocky calls him "R.E.T." for "Rocky's Evil Twin." He actually seems pretty sweet, but with a bad habit of marking "The Rock's" territory. Don't know who's cat he is... and I have no intention of making him my cat, although I do put a dish of water out for him.

R.T. - he likes to drink from the pond.

R.T. – by the driveway

The real Rocky – easy to tell – he's the one with bell and sweet face

The beach!

2010-05-29T05:08:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a day at the beach to recharge. My sis and I headed to New Smyrna Beach for a day of doing nothing. For two girls who are constantly tackling project after project, it wasn't all that hard to just hang out on the beach. Beautiful day, lots of sun and surf. The water was a little cold due to up-welling – about 68 degrees. But felt great for a quick plunge. Afterwards we went to JB's Fish Camp for jumbo soft shell crab sandwiches. Great day!

Sandy toes. Left to right – Pat's feet, my feet.
Backdrop – the Atlantic Ocean.

A Ruddy Turnstone stopped by for a visit – he came right up to us for a close-up. Guess he's accustomed to tourists taking his picture.

I'm an enumerator!

2010-05-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

Used to be I couldn't spell it... now I are one! (I credit that line to my mother - just something cute she used to say.) The census taker job has been interesting and fun. The biggest challenge for me is getting into the routine of getting out of the PJs early and budgeting my time. I have met some very lovely people.. and some "not so lovely." But the good has greatly overshadowed the bad. I even got a big hug and a "God bless you" yesterday. Would love to share some photos from my "enumerating" experience, but I am sworn to protect everyone's confidentiality. Instead I am including some recent photos of my happy little fishies and some flowers I planted in a pot by my front door.

Pond progress

2010-04-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday and Sunday were very physical days for me as the pond neared closer to completion. I am pleased with the progress, although have more to do. Some very nice people, Shannon & Luis, gave me rocks from their yard after offering it on CraigsList. I spent about 1 1/2 hours loading about 8 loads of rock into my little red kid's wagon and then into my Honda... and later that day unloading it all and carting it to the backyard. Whew... what a workout!

Sunday I focused on building the wall and revamping the bromeliads before adding them to the planting area. My friend Debbie gave me a sweet little water lily, which is already growing. And the fish? They are growing, too, although a little shy yet.

New bird

2010-04-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

A pair of catbirds are making a home in my backyard. The first time I saw a catbird in Florida was about 6 weeks ago when the poor fella crashed into my French doors. It knocked the wind out of him, but after about 20 minutes he recovered. I'm so glad, because he/she found a mate and they are now nesting in my bamboo. They take daily baths in my birdbath which is close by. I've tried twice to get a photo of this ritual, but so far I've only gotten a blur – they seem pretty shy. I did manage to snap this shot through the screen. I'll keep trying for a better photo – and keep an eye out for fledgelings and especially keep an eye on Rocky!

The waxwings reappear!

2010-04-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

I thought these cedar waxwings were long gone, but here they are, making a feast of my neighbor's loquats. People are always stopping by to pick a few to eat. This works out well - the birds eat the upper ones and the humans eat the lower ones. Be sure to check out my first post with video of about a zillion waxwings in my bird bath – all at once!

The world's worst weather

2010-04-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

The Weather Channel's "Cantore Stories" episode about the Mt. Washington Observatory finally aired last Saturday & Sunday nights. Why do I care? I am heading there for a week this summer to volunteer as “chief cook and bottle washer” at the weather observatory. WHY you ask? I love the mountains, cooking and crazy weather. A whole week of hanging out with meteorologists is just too cool... at least to me. Plus I plan to enjoy some serious hiking and am looking forward to meeting Marty, the black Maine Coon cat in residence. Visit the MWOBS website, where you can see the current conditions, view the webcams, and make a donation to help support their programs. Check back in early August for full reports and photos!

My funny cat

2010-04-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

That Sierra kitty - she crawled completely into the flower pot and was rubbing her face in something. Seems there was a tiny catnip sprout trying to grow in the pot. She completely annihilated it. Afterwards she lumbered into the house, completely stoned and asking for Oreos and Häagen-Dazs!

The pond project - Stage 2

2010-04-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

The pond has been filled with water, and after waiting 24 hours I introduced my pretty little fishies to their new home. They are Comets and Sarasa Comets - a type of goldfish - and a real bargain at only 13 cents each! There are 9, which I think is a good number. I have already set up a pump/water system, but need to position it nicely. The blue cooler (behind the pile of dirt) actually contains the pond filter. This coming weekend I plan to start adding water plants & landscape plants, camouflage the cooler and add lots of rocks. I need MORE ROCKS - so if you know of any free rocks in need of a new home, I'm your girl!

The pond project – Stage 1

2010-04-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Back in 2007, before I moved to Nashville, I had a lovely little pond with pretty goldfish. When I moved away I had to give the fish to my sister and remove the pond. I've been back here for almost 16 mos. and have really been missing my pond and the fishies - so the "Pond Project" began last weekend. I am re-locating the pond on the advice of a Feng Shui friend, Krista. My previous location was not in the most favorable position and needed to be moved to the left into my "wealth" area. If effort is relative to reward, I figure I'll probably win the lottery! Following are the pics from last Sat. and Sun.
The previous pond location, filled in and in need of attention

A start at the new location
Isn't this what boyfriends are suppose to do? Maybe I should get one!
My assistant – Rocky

Using a pulley system and my crevasse rescue training to move the big rock from point "A"...

to point "B"...do you really believe that worked? I moved it about 2 inches! Found a big strong guy who moved it like it was nothing – nice to see someone will still help just for a smile and a glass of iced tea. (and, yes, I did try to pay him – and, no, I didn't get his picture, but he was cute!)

Good food, friends and wine!

2010-04-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, the Macrobiotic Foundation of Central Florida had an organic wine tasting at the Wine Warehouse in Winter Park. The wine store provided the delicious organic wines and the Macro board members provided the tasty food. The proceeds benefit the Harriet McNear Scholarship Fund. After a bit of teasing about "healthy food" from a group of "non-macro" people having their own wine tasting, they sent over a representative to get a plateful to try, (and enjoy, might I add!) and left a contribution for the fund.

Green Curry with Lettuce Wrapped Vegetables

Veggie Sushi with Brown Rice and Wasabi

Enjoying a glass of wine with my friend, Debbie

photos - Robyn Martin

It's amaryllis time!

2010-04-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

The first fully open amaryllis bloom made its appearance in my front flower bed today. A nice neighbor gave me a pile of these bulbs a few years ago and they keep coming back every year. At their peak I'll probably have 40 - 50 bright red blooms all at once. Check back in a couple of weeks for the full display.

Butterfly at the Post Office

2010-04-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

What a nice surprise to find this sweet pup in the convertable parked next to me, patiently awaiting his master. The Papillon, which is French for "butterfly", is a small, friendly dog with large butterfly-like ears. For me, it's a cute highlight to my day!

Looking for a Papillon and another specific breed of pet? First check with a pet adoption center or breed rescue group. They often have many full breed pets – and you'll feel great by giving a pet a new home!

Making Connections

2010-04-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

You never know what pathways can open up when you re-connect with someone. I had a wonderful chat with the most influential person from my college years, who I haven't spoken with in over 20 years – my Art Education professor at FSU. I just looked her up on the internet and gave her a call. She has again inspired me and good things are happening. Is there someone you want to re-connect with? It can make "the difference."

Cedar Waxwing Visitors

2010-04-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

I actually video taped these cedar waxwings about 3 weeks ago. Seems like a good start for my blog. Earlier they were busy stripping a tree of it's berries and dropping "purple stuff" all over my driveway. A small price to pay for this fun sight!