tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301012672012-01-16T09:02:01.766-08:00Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.comBlogger2041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-79450361149400010512011-11-22T20:37:00.000-08:002011-11-23T10:36:50.328-08:00

Happy Holidays from the Ranch!  We've been gathering our smoked turkey, cranberries, and yams. The pie crusts are safely tucked away in the fridge. It will frost tonight. We have much to be thankful for. Dori, Mooka, & Andrew It is our anniversary, which we celebrate over the course of two weeks-—from the time we climbed the chipped gray steps of the court house and signed the documents…until

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-69090249282553093212011-09-30T09:11:00.000-07:002011-09-30T09:36:14.920-07:00

This is a repost of one of our favorite stories by Addison Ward. This gray morning Andrew wanted to read it, and said, "This is as close to my mission statement as you can come, so I'm going to go glaze something in my cellar. Cheers!" The Man Who Made Bright Things, by Addison Ward.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-5617957919123244002011-05-02T17:58:00.000-07:002011-05-02T19:00:00.126-07:00

We’re told as many as 3 billion people watched the royal wedding last Friday.  Meanwhile, at the ranch, thousands of bees (and two humans) were in attendance at the coronation of a new queen on Sunday. Actually two queens—another swarm was reported a day before at our neighbor’s up the hill. It’s that season.   Image courtesy of "designsbysherry" On Friday it was extremely windy all day long.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-26097759299912361442011-03-13T13:48:00.000-07:002011-03-13T13:50:31.095-07:00

Salmon forecasts are looking good this year. The coho are regrouping (we hope). This morning, as rain approached, Andrew hung a coho salmon and his cohort cut-outs from an oak tree in the meadow. 

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-72582663436378908692011-02-25T21:52:00.000-08:002011-02-26T07:20:52.642-08:00

Last Saturday we had our first snow storm in a long time. Here are some photos from mid-flurry. It didn't stick around on the ground very long.  Of course, much of the country is covered in snow right now, but where we live it's rare, so we get more excited about it. I love how quiet and peaceful it is when it snows. After awhile it turned into rain, and the snow storm was over.  As I write

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-79037616104831346842011-02-04T07:39:00.000-08:002011-02-04T07:39:02.090-08:00

Today is the day THIS gets installed in our kitchen.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-51171256682924265122011-01-31T17:15:00.000-08:002011-01-31T17:15:55.908-08:00

About an hour ago Andrew came in asking me to “check the log,” meaning firedispatch.com, since he heard helicopter rotor noise upslope from us that made him think something was going on. He thought it sounded like they were doing a search pattern. I checked the log. Nothing was posted. Simultaneously, two CHP cruisers jammed up the hill, no lights or sirens. Andrew reported it to our brigade

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-3902282375853879142010-12-23T19:57:00.000-08:002010-12-23T20:16:37.810-08:00

A few weeks back we started working on another panel in the fence. This is a spot that will probably get made into a gate eventually, but for now, we had a piece of plywood up to keep Mooka in. Not pretty. Better now that it's becoming the scene down in the meadow, with geese taking shape where we wish there could be real waterfowl waddling around (if it weren't for those dang coyotes, foxes,

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-88505906109033429922010-12-12T18:01:00.000-08:002011-01-15T20:36:50.820-08:00

In the past few months, our mischievous Aussie, Mooka, has discovered a wanderlust within herself. Andrew has been working for years to build a fence around our house and barn, but it was not quite complete. We made it a long way with grape stakes, but there were some gaps and unfinished spots, soooo... Andrew got busy, tightening up some openings, and finishing the last remaining section. Since

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-23673901423309215522010-11-30T20:40:00.000-08:002010-11-30T20:40:25.195-08:00

Today we found a new patch of wild azaleas while working. 

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-17250200808519911482010-11-05T21:13:00.000-07:002010-12-12T20:12:09.529-08:00

When Andrew was a teenager and in his early 20's, he worked as a brickie. He was trained primarily by Doug Diebolt. They worked together at the Cedar Street Gallery (411 Cedar St). where the circular brick courtyard still exists. Then Andrew had the good luck to work from Roy Rydell's designs as a subcontractor for a landscaper named Kermit Carter. Then he landed Manuel Santana as a client, to do

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-38755841637850451642010-09-27T12:07:00.000-07:002010-12-13T09:44:36.908-08:00

It's the third day in a row of heatwave, and today is the hottest day yet. I was walking around outside around 10 a.m. and encountered a cat. The cat ran up a tree. He seemed pretty at home up there, so we're leaving him be.  * Update: Our friend Camille was right—this was probably a bengal cat, and now we know where it must have come from. We finally met our new neighbors in the rental

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-86684867919176529102010-09-16T13:29:00.000-07:002010-09-17T19:25:54.866-07:00

Andrew is one of those people who needs to eat frequently, OR ELSE. I once asked him how this worked when he was growing up, with three younger siblings in the house. What was his mom, Mary Helen’s, secret for keeping him satiated without being driven insane? From what he remembers, he and his sisters were raised primarily on a diet of zucchini and other vegetables that she grew in her garden

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-83992081926760669702010-09-11T14:21:00.000-07:002010-09-11T14:22:38.392-07:00

A volunteer at the George Eastman House, who is researching Andrew's grandmother, Clara Louise Ward, found our blog and contacted us. In their collection I found this photo of Clayla (and we're guessing her husband Frank Hawley Ward) in costume. 

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-4680346310418225682010-08-14T13:57:00.000-07:002010-08-14T13:59:13.397-07:00

You will never imagine what has become of the porthole in our bedroom. For the last few weeks the cat has been expressing her desire to go outside every night, loudly, from 2-4 in the morning. We insist she stay inside at night, safe from coyotes and other predators, but she doesn't know or care about that. It has been a war of wills, resulting in many sleepless nights, which is very unfair

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-41101144586626653842010-08-11T15:21:00.000-07:002010-08-11T15:21:03.498-07:00

Ode to Dinnerby Andrew Left-handed lady, holding a pot.Woops! Now she's not. 

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-12164975512226788442010-08-05T11:59:00.000-07:002011-01-15T20:35:40.030-08:00

Andrew has been working on a collection of carved fish native to the West Coast. He has an old Sunset fishing book written by a colorful character named Ray Cannon, which has detailed drawings and descriptions of the more than 200 or so local fish. Andrew plans to make all of them, and has already made multiples of certain species. An artists' workbench: He hangs the fish as mobiles, with a

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-83694626182317870042010-05-06T17:33:00.000-07:002011-01-15T20:36:26.013-08:00

A bobcat strolled by my office window today, pausing by the cars to hunt for gophers. He quickly caught one, and continued on toward the pond. Andrew was working on a gate about 200 yards away. You'll have to excuse me for the subpar photo quality, because they were taken through the window after managing to evict Frieda, domestic cat, from her position gripped onto my lap—grabbing the camera

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-61374629089330763662010-04-20T08:49:00.000-07:002010-04-20T21:25:32.810-07:00

Jeff, our beekeeper, brought up a new hive a couple months ago from Carmel Valley. They were packed into this bird house, and he said they would probably swarm soon to a new home, either to one of our empty hive boxes nearby, or elsewhere.  They were a gentle bunch, so he opened the hive door without a full suit on. April 7 was an especially warm day, and we walked down to the bee grounds with

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-38321454023852074902010-03-25T11:27:00.000-07:002010-03-25T17:54:31.848-07:00

This site has become a regular fixture on the corner of my screen—live video of a barn owl hatching eggs and raising tiny owlets inside a nesting box. Parental Warning: this is real life, with some gore and mating situations.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-39603858758117173352010-03-22T09:07:00.000-07:002010-03-22T10:46:21.118-07:00

This is the second installment of an article about Ward's Natural Science, that first appeared in Collier's Magazine in 1950. The beginning is in last week's post.  What Do You Collect Butterflies or Hippo Skulls? By James Poling Part 2In such a business, purchasing is a unique problem. According to Dr. Gamble, the rule is, “Buy when you can, sell when you can, and pray you make 5 per cent

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-59415311569424332452010-03-16T12:00:00.000-07:002010-03-19T15:51:31.585-07:00

This September 1950 issue of Collier's magazine included a fascinating story about  Ward's Natural Science, the company founded by Andrew's ancestor, Henry Augustus Ward in 1862. I've begun typing the text of this article. Due to its length, it will be posted in two installments. Here is part 1: What Do You CollectButterflies or Hippo Skulls? Or maybe just the hipbone of the extinct moa bird?

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-85137218744606670122010-03-12T09:19:00.000-08:002010-09-11T13:18:36.784-07:00

Andrew's grandmothers supporting the local music scene... The wedding party...  Clayla... The toast... The end of the night... But wait, a skirmish ensues... The getaway...

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-56331168251234137722010-03-10T08:08:00.000-08:002011-11-24T15:53:24.227-08:00

Andrew's Nana, Clara Louise, loved people.  What is happening in the background?

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-9898284168975276082010-03-09T08:06:00.000-08:002011-11-24T15:54:01.197-08:00

Out of the treasure chest comes Addison and Mary Helen's wedding album. The date was June 12, 1954. Andrew can't say much about what went on that day, since he did not arrive until two years later. It does look like everyone had a good time.   The parents of the groom, Frank Hawley and Clayla Ward. The parents of the bride, Vere and Edith Chappell.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-55673321530121402142010-03-05T08:16:00.000-08:002010-09-11T13:20:06.861-07:00

Today's offering by Addison W. Ward is one of our favorites. Since it hailed here a couple of days ago, and the plum trees are blooming, the timing is right.  In looking through the box, Andrew found this lovely calendar, drawn by brother Peter in second grade, to illustrate the story. Surely Addison would approve. The Snowman's Holidayby Addison Werner Ward In a shrill northern land there lived

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-64180979076025007502010-02-25T08:13:00.000-08:002010-09-11T13:20:27.745-07:00

Here is a fishy tale from the archival box of stories written by Addison W. Ward. Bon Appétit! The Mackerel Who Went Beyond His Depth The fish print illustration is from: Darwin, C. R. (ed.). The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S.Beagle, under the command of Captain FitzRoy, R.N., during the Years 1832 to 1836. Smith, Elder and Co., London, 1838–1845. Part IV. Fish, by Leonard Jenyns, in 4

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-83546809864289496252010-02-20T19:12:00.000-08:002010-09-11T13:20:51.390-07:00

Ranch Journal's series of stories by Addison W. Ward continues, with The Red Cat. This story was developed over many bedtimes with the help of Addison's children, Edie, Peter, and Andrew.  This story was obviously written with children in mind, but may not be so good for today's kids. So be it, I turned out fine. Another story that he told almost every night was Antonio.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-46433200665189328152010-01-22T11:48:00.000-08:002010-03-05T08:36:38.303-08:00

It has been wet and windy here at the ranch. Now that the power is back on, we wanted to post the next in our series of short stories by Andrew and his younger sister Edie's Dad, Addison Ward. The Impatient Watchmakerby Addison Werner Ward Once there was a watchmaker whose thoughts outran the clock. He could think only of what came next, and spent his days grumbling at the slowness of time. At

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-8555986711268396692009-12-31T09:38:00.000-08:002010-03-05T08:36:05.974-08:00

Andrew's father, Addison W. Ward (1930-1965), was a Princeton graduate who became a literature professor. In doing so he found his calling. He was a prolific writer, and taught at Yale and Oberlin University in Ohio. He was a passionate jazz clarinetist, and loved to sail and split wood. And he liked to do things well. He was much loved and is sorely missed.  This is one of his short stories.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-12828474571115689782009-12-01T20:49:00.001-08:002010-09-11T13:21:48.957-07:00

Our amazing and brilliant nephew is practically done building his first car, with his Dad's help, and blogging the whole process. Since I'm very tardy in posting this, you should really harken back to the very beginning.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-20188088069290934112009-11-02T07:27:00.000-08:002010-03-12T18:25:53.509-08:00

by Andrew When we were younger, time didn’t matter so much. We went where we wanted, when we wanted, free as birds in the wind. Surfing, sailing, dancing, beach… Now we’re older and set in our ways. I didn’t mind the time change so much back then (although I resisted it by maintaining my schedule as much as possible). But now I do. It goes against my grain. I get up early. Now I get up really

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-14863966517989699642009-10-18T08:12:00.000-07:002009-10-18T18:05:32.567-07:00

I've been saying that Andrew has been working for every hour of sunlight for the past few months. Well, occasionally he goes beyond that, like last night, when he was still painting after the sun set. He was so busy he didn't realize that behind him, the sky was doing this:

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-29477710240073162392009-08-16T21:36:00.000-07:002009-08-17T22:03:21.142-07:00

by AndrewWhen I’m on fire watch I pay attention to the animals…and the smoke, and the wind. The birds’ behavior tells me a lot. This time I knew what to look for. During the Martin Fire, it was the lizards that caught my attention. There seemed to be hundreds of them, where before there were only dozens. The birds are not quite right. They miss landings in smoky conditions, their flight seems

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-82525873305945658292009-08-14T10:10:00.000-07:002009-08-14T14:26:16.515-07:00

Yesterday afternoon the quantity of smoke increased and became orange. Then six or more airplanes began flying in low circles over our house and into the smoke. From our vantage point it was an incredible airshow. The planes seemed to have an affect, and after awhile the smoke calmed down considerably. The sun setting into the fire was a brilliant orange. These last photos are the sky this

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-90766346311770334782009-08-14T09:21:00.000-07:002009-08-14T09:30:04.090-07:00

Last night CalFire was reporting 2800 acres burned, 0% containment. This morning we are at over 4000 acres, and 5% containment. The atmosphere changed a lot overnight. By dark the smoke had mellowed out significantly from the photos I just posted. The orange was not visible anymore, and the plume had settled down to almost resemble fog over the treetops. By morning the smoke and ash had descended

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-83816510973331190572009-08-14T08:17:00.000-07:002009-08-14T08:19:52.237-07:00

Last Updated: August 14, 2009 7:00 am Date/Time Started: August 12, 2009 7:16 pm Administrative Unit: CAL FIRE San Mateo - Santa Cruz Unit County: Santa Cruz County Location: Bonny Doon area - Smith Drainage Acres Burned: 4,100 acres Containment: 4,100 acres - 5% containment Structures Destroyed: 2 outbuildings damaged Threatened: More than 250 residence are currently threatened in the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-39232056976219277112009-08-13T16:15:00.000-07:002009-08-13T16:20:02.702-07:00

We're still here in the Lockheed Fire vicinity. We signed a waiver for the sheriff to defy mandatory evacuation orders. Anything could happen, so it's just wait-and-see. Andrew is hosing down the roof. The cars are facing out. We're going to hang in as long as we can.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-78402220438230789922009-08-13T09:15:00.000-07:002009-08-13T09:21:00.793-07:00

Just wanted everyone to know we're dealing with another one up here: Lockheed FireSo far it's not coming toward us, but getting ready for the possibility. Our area is on voluntary evacuation, and we're not volunteering to leave just yet. A long parade of fire trucks is marching up our road. I've heard they're staging at the Bonny Airport again. The sprinklers are on...but I need to go move them

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-83481575443950939902009-08-11T13:46:00.000-07:002010-09-11T13:22:22.233-07:00

Andrew's sister Tiger's new band played at a party in their backyard a couple weekends ago. We went! They were great. Tim, the pirate, surrounded by adoring young fans... Andrew hamming it up in Travis' guy-lair. Nieces Emma and Chloe, caught in the act of pillaging the food table... Andrew probably talking "ranch" with Travis' dad. Next band, the Fourfits.. And for

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-26583890330923826242009-07-30T18:33:00.000-07:002009-07-30T18:38:10.873-07:00

has begun!

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-37778434054283195792009-07-29T09:27:00.000-07:002009-07-29T15:00:25.145-07:00

Yesterday we were at home working. Andrew was preparing windows for installation, and I was in my office on the computer. It was a hot day, with a mild breeze from the ocean. Unexpectedly the power shut off after lunchtime, but almost as quickly it came back on. I got a feeling something strange was going on. We kept working, and about 15 minutes later heard a siren. Andrew asked me to check the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-10397742001929289162009-07-04T11:27:00.000-07:002009-07-04T12:21:00.180-07:00

Andrew built a series of concrete fountains when we lived on Lincoln Street (in downtown Santa Cruz). He actually built quite a few sizable sculptures back then, and would fantasize about their ideal placement on "someone's rural property somewhere." He had no way of knowing then what would be (or did he?) So now, here we are, and yesterday he finally had the time and infrastructure in place to

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-28570635815458231812009-05-28T21:33:00.000-07:002009-05-29T07:22:57.457-07:00

On Tuesday a load of base rock was delivered, to put under the new water tank we were having installed on Wednesday (story on that to come). But first there was a pile of wood to be moved. As Andrew was removing pieces, he spotted a snake. I heard him calling and came out with the camera. It was hard for me to see at first until it moved, and then the unmistakeable patterned skin came into focus

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-72741999276864838932009-05-06T14:39:00.001-07:002009-05-06T14:56:24.610-07:00

Here we have a perfectly healthy, energetic, soccer-ball loving dog. We also have an old soccer ball rescued from the dump. This seems like a recipe for fun, until you consider the gopher hole. She's gotten pretty good at soccer. When you convince her to let go of the ball (which can be challenging because her teeth are stuck in it) she can push the ball with her nose. She can dribble with her

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-72477412890008572282009-04-05T10:55:00.001-07:002009-04-05T11:00:43.646-07:00

I was wrong and he didn't actually finish it later that day. It took until yesterday, but it's done.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-87242414924748139992009-03-31T09:34:00.000-07:002009-04-05T10:58:59.043-07:00

The cabin had an old deck that was rotten and nearing the end of its days, so before working on the siding and windows, it was demolition time. At this stage the entire deck was flexing up and down as Andrew whomped on it with his Jesus bar. We decided to replace it with a simple landing and stairs instead—obviously a lot cheaper, but also more fire safe, a big concern for us after last summer.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-28635399965724688742009-03-24T14:07:00.000-07:002009-03-24T20:51:23.099-07:00

As I prepared to bake yet another batch of my standard go-to cookies, I started thinking about how I've lost my sense of adventure as far as cookie baking goes over the last decade. On holidays, I will sometimes branch out, but otherwise, these are what you'll get at my house. This recipe is an amalgamation of my favorite ingredients, Andrew's preferred ingredients, and the recipe on the inside

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-20493770230891587282009-03-17T10:48:00.000-07:002009-03-17T10:51:18.121-07:00

Andrew is experimenting with a new mode of transportation. He thinks if he gets enough of these guys together, at the least it could save some wear and tear on his new hips.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-43893640086408630622008-12-15T07:45:00.000-08:002008-12-17T17:15:05.640-08:00

Saturday morning, 0400 hours. With a storm approaching, the treasure hunters rise and eat breakfast before first light. Destination: Oakland. Mission: to acquire a porthole they had courted on Craigslist for the last three days. We stopped only at Pigeon Point to stretch our legs. Mooka, staring at the beach down the short bluff, refused to return to the vehicle, but upon being urged, reluctantly

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-78506342842955355282008-11-01T11:01:00.000-07:002008-11-02T07:56:21.998-08:00

One of the hazards of visiting the ranch is that there is a pet goose on the loose. You may or may not know this, but geese are deeply emotional creatures. Our new electrician learned this the hard way. From the moment he laid eyes on him, the goose knew this electrician was someone special. His trusty sidekick, the duck, is coming along for the ride. But as you can see, this is all about the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-689424278328791732008-10-30T12:49:00.000-07:002008-10-30T19:35:40.500-07:00

Over the last month we've been replacing all the windows in our house. Andrew warned me this would be a long, arduous process, but it has exceeded all expectations.Here we have the basement windows removed. Upstairs, two new windows have been installed on the left.The view from the inside:Kind of nice...until it rains.The kitchen window being removed: An example of the new windows, though still

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-33244360096142754642008-10-21T07:13:00.000-07:002008-10-30T13:19:15.581-07:00

This morning Andrew left early to go to the lumber store...well before 7 a.m. I went into the barn to do throw some laundry in the washing machine, and as I turned on the lights, I heard a hummingbird buzzing overhead, trapped inside and panicking. I've watched Andrew get out the ladder and carefully catch the trapped hummingbirds in his hands many times, but had never tried it myself. They fly

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-59129939404333443392008-09-17T12:11:00.000-07:002008-09-17T14:23:35.811-07:00

Lately Andrew has been delving into the history of his ancestors. Then the new issue of National Geographic arrived, and I couldn't help but notice a similarity between his appearance and that of the Neanderthal pictured on the cover. Who knew the Ward family went back so far?This does explain a lot: his love of fishing, being outside in nature, his unusually large lung capacity, and what some

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-41220083470676403992008-08-21T09:41:00.000-07:002008-08-21T10:34:38.469-07:00

by AndrewAt daybreak I woke up and went outside. I walked around, taking in the morning. At a certain place surrounded by my last two month’s work, I stopped, looked, and listened. I was out standing in my field so to speak. Then, as I was noticing chew marks on a recently transplanted fortnight lily (deer), one of the delicate iris-like blossoms opened up like an origami swan right before my

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-92032348224987655262008-06-28T16:43:00.000-07:002010-09-11T13:23:16.637-07:00

—from The Nassau Lit, A Princeton Review, Fall 1948

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-2062390255677275942008-06-17T16:42:00.000-07:002008-06-28T17:10:02.015-07:00

Sitting down to write about this experience is hard for me to do. I just want to wander around outside and seek out my neighbors, watch the helicopters and planes flying overhead, and see the fire trucks that pass by our house by the dozens. I know they won’t be here for long, and right now it’s a comfort to have them here. When we came back on Friday we were accosted by news crews wanting to

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-43395872251902179922008-06-13T21:00:00.000-07:002008-06-13T22:36:17.933-07:00

Our area is still officially evacuated, but we were able to hike in today. We are feeling immense gratitude to the people who worked to control the fire. I can't tell you how many times I heard someone say, "If this one thing hadn't happened exactly as it did, everything from the Moon Rocks to Davenport would have been toast." It was a combination of the weather, especially the wind, and the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-88993352286137006572008-06-12T18:19:00.000-07:002008-06-12T21:31:34.932-07:00

Our friend Bill just called in to report that he was able to drive up Martin Rd. and our house is still standing! He lives in a different part of Bonny Doon and stayed at his house throughout the fire. We are so relieved and grateful. Thank you to the firefighters who saved our home. Up the hill from us Bill was expecting the fire damage would be ugly, but it was still unbelievable to him—like

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-81598654927503287202008-06-12T16:52:00.000-07:002008-06-12T16:58:45.873-07:00

I have no definitive news to report about our house yet. We don't know anything for certain, and are still evacuated. I just read this about our neighbor directly across the street:Hank Moeller stayed Wednesday night to protect his property off Martin Road where he lives with his wife, two sons and a renter. He and his sons own fire equipment and a pump. They put it to use fighting the blaze

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-56448732662688190962008-06-11T21:22:00.000-07:002008-06-11T21:29:38.650-07:00

I wanted to let everyone know we're safe. Yes, there's a raging wildfire burning right by our house. http://www.nbc11.com/news/16578138/detail.htmlWe were evacuated around 4 pm. Got ourselves, the animals, and our cars out safely. We're at Andrew's sister's house right now, and are comfortable here. The goose and duck are spending the night in the back of the truck. We're keeping our hopes up for

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-31856133206043353772008-06-08T17:55:00.000-07:002008-06-09T13:52:38.293-07:00

It isn't life so much that matters. It's the courage you bring to it.—Clayla WardAn old friend of Andrew sent us a link to this biography written about Clara Louise "Clayla" Ward, his grandmother. In Andrew's words, she was a mover and shaker in the Rochester, NY society. She had many notable friends, among them Albert Einstein, George Eastman, George Gershwin, and E.E. Cummings. Andrew

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-19786212587994955312008-06-06T08:38:00.000-07:002008-06-06T16:42:22.890-07:00

Andrew just finished reading the new book of stories Where Light Takes its Color from the Sea: A California Notebook, by local author and old family friend James D. Houston. We are also fans of the artist who illustrated the cover, Tom Killion. Andrew loved the book. Maybe at some point he'll write about it, or I will once I read it.Jim writes a lot about ancestors. That got us thinking and

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-54869633298302328862008-06-04T14:39:00.001-07:002008-06-05T08:13:20.003-07:00

Andrew finished tiling and grouting the bathroom counter. I helped him at key moments of extreme need, which in the parlance of one of Andrew's tilesetting mentors, Ray Bobby, is also known as tweaking.Tweaking is a state of mind in which the tilesetter is encountering any or all of the following crises: mud is sticking to tool handles, mud is sticking to his hands (gloves having been jerked

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-39632453586069147952008-05-30T11:34:00.000-07:002008-05-30T12:17:56.060-07:00

by AndrewThere are mountain lions here in Northern CA. We notice their scat from time to time, and hear reports of sightings around us. Last week when I noticed some fresh “stuff” close by the goose pen (which is a fortress for precisely this reason), it made me think more about predators and our relationship to them. Then along comes this month’s National Geographic article about endangered snow

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-29113446132752601052008-05-29T09:13:00.000-07:002008-05-30T12:19:08.458-07:00

Birdwatching, moose visits, exploding mailboxes, and gardening by the moon in Northern Idaho...you'll find it all and more at Andrew's sister's great new blog. Check it out. (I voted for Mme. Ramotswe, but couldn't help but notice that Hillary's not even an option?)

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-26643271574462576962008-05-03T11:29:00.000-07:002008-05-30T12:19:58.325-07:00

Some of our favorite wildflowers are in bloom right now. Ceanothus (California lilac):

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-58224452712871139582008-04-23T21:54:00.000-07:002008-05-30T12:21:28.836-07:00

I know, it does seem like posts are disappearing and reappearing mysteriously around here. I can explain. We have a really good reason for all this. We decided to start using our real names. Stage fright? Perhaps. Sorry for any confusion this might be causing your brain. We should be back to normal soon. Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the day when Mario grouted the shower. The color we

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-14322802085631802812008-04-22T19:44:00.000-07:002008-05-30T12:20:47.622-07:00

Today I was working in my office and was jolted out of my seat by a great cacaphony of flapping and skittering in the mudroom just outside my door. I yanked open the door to find Mooka, a blue jay, and a little brown bird bouncing off every window, wall, door, and the floor. Before I could even holler for Andrew to come help, the little brown bird found his way out the open door and flew off,

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-40380705084930113612008-04-16T19:39:00.000-07:002008-04-23T20:38:51.097-07:00

Altogether an amazing day. Leftover mud becomes a fish.On Saturday Mario is coming back to grout. Huge thank you to Wes, Mario, and Matt. We love it!

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-16041944451629359572008-04-14T11:07:00.000-07:002008-04-23T21:53:28.667-07:00

I'm so glad Monday is here and the tilesetters are back, because Andrew will not take a day of rest. He wanted to set the back of the soap shrine over the weekend.The first step was planning the layout. On Saturday he finished this mosaic which we were intending to use. Then he changed his mind and we abandoned the mosaic idea. Instead we used the Guatamalen tiles we had stockpiled earlier.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-20505413117835338452008-04-12T11:37:00.000-07:002008-04-23T22:17:24.252-07:00

Mario and Wes, the awesome team making it happen...Today Andrew is working on a layout for the background of the soap shrine. We decided to use the same watery colors in a mosaic...last time I checked.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-86231949179130768112008-04-10T20:50:00.000-07:002008-04-23T22:18:18.238-07:00

Here is the floor:Today they worked up the back wall and set the coping around the niche.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-67783552243380628452008-04-09T11:14:00.001-07:002008-04-23T22:16:28.252-07:00

Future house guests will be happy to hear, the tile in our shower is being set as we speak! This project has been a long time coming, that's for sure. The tilesetter heading up the job is Wes, and Mario is helping. Andrew is working alongside. Uh oh. The tile was mostly acquired from Fireclay tile factory in San Jose. Fireclay is like a candy store to us, though a lot dustier and without the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-26324899699834426332008-02-28T07:56:00.000-08:002008-02-28T09:18:29.213-08:00

Mooka finds this month's cover story in National Geographic a VERY stimulating read.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-37018023442439783922008-02-24T08:40:00.000-08:002010-03-12T18:26:30.475-08:00

On our agenda today, unless the storm makes the roads impassable, is the sneak preview event for the Eight over Eighty art exhibit—eight artists over 80 years old. There is a possibility we are leaving the mountain. Alert the media. Several of the artists in the show are old family friends and mentors of Popsey's, including Manuel Santana and Al Johnson (they must have websites, but they are

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-65668288949247332792008-02-16T16:01:00.000-08:002008-03-19T11:04:38.307-07:00

Critters relaxing around the barn (taken through the window):

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-3151483078806805462008-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:002008-02-12T12:26:40.028-08:00

If you haven’t already heard, the Flea Market in Santa Cruz, and the old drive in movie theater, have shut their gates for good.* There were some protests and signatures gathered, but in the end it was no use fighting the change. The land was bought by Sutter hospital, which any citizen with health insurance couldn’t help but admit was a vast improvement of land use. We all learned an important

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-1345849887360294262008-02-08T08:42:00.000-08:002008-02-08T08:49:16.963-08:00

Science has finally confirmed what cats have been telling us for years.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-24470041024591577152008-02-02T16:58:00.000-08:002008-02-02T17:15:55.257-08:00

I was away on a family visit earlier this month, and was swamped by work when I returned. Just got through most of it, and now I'm going to try and get back into the swing of blogging a little more. On Popsey's side of the family, the big news is sister Mimimom had her baby two days ago. Welcome to the world Julia! Congratulations!

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-34394982209520577192007-12-17T14:20:00.001-08:002007-12-29T06:22:54.761-08:00

A long-awaited new chapter in the Finicky Stinx zany cat adventure series (by my brother Scott) is up now at www.finickystinx.blogspot.com.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-4567344598447024772007-12-14T10:34:00.000-08:002007-12-15T23:01:03.666-08:00

A beekeeper named Jeff had started working with our late beekeeper Charles, before he died, and has expressed willingness to help us keep caring for our hives. We weren't feeling quite ready to take over the job ourselves completely (we still have a lot to learn), so we are relieved and grateful he has arrived on the scene. Plus, he's a really nice guy. He brought up some new hives they had

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-12876567714436709602007-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:002008-03-19T11:06:52.474-07:00

was certainly captured with this picture.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-62389128040520780422007-11-27T16:21:00.000-08:002007-12-01T15:20:19.819-08:00

This Thanksgiving we stayed home and just had dinner with the two of us. I made the key dishes, and slided on a few items that, if serving guests, I’d certainly do from scratch. But even I had to draw the line when I caught myself starting to open the can of cranberry sauce at the table. Presentation faux pas! We got a smoked turkey from Corralitos Market in...you will never guess where...

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-91544456190774667842007-11-16T16:51:00.000-08:002007-11-25T12:52:52.814-08:00

This is one of the bigger frogs we’ve found here yet. Popsey found him in the lumber pile, where he'd seen him before. He decided to relocate him so he wouldn't get squished. It was hard to get a picture of him because he kept hopping away. It takes special skill to be a frotogropher. Much easier to photograph a dead gopher. Popsey, clutching a leaf in his mouth for unknown reasons (well now he

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-46374545177287958292007-10-31T17:23:00.001-07:002007-11-25T12:52:32.702-08:00

Walking through the lavender patch on a recent morning after a rain, we started thinking about how crowded and chaotic it was getting. Fall is prime transplanting season for lavender, and after the first rain the ground is ready for digging. Over the last couple years we've planted all different kinds, French, English and Spanish. After watching their growth patterns I've come to the opinion that

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-63407953934287128802007-10-25T07:37:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:53:14.436-08:00

A member of the Ranch posse, our friend and beekeeper Charles Martin Simon, aka Charlie Nothing, passed away two nights ago. His health had been declining since around August. In my last post about him capturing a swarm he was on crutches. At that time he was thinking it was possibly a herniated disk or hip problems. Then they thought it might be Lyme disease. By the time he was hospitalized

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-48922395098574777112007-10-18T17:47:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:53:36.175-08:00

It's time to pick the fruit, called "tuna" in Spanish, but I can't bring myself to be the one to break the heart. They need to be picked with tongs and handled very carefully. I found a recipe for prickly pear jam which I might try.My apologies for being away for so long. I've been under a major work crunch. I will return.Meanwhile, check out Suburban Turmoil's worst baby name contest. What fun!

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-596905401837097612007-10-13T09:39:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:53:44.765-08:00

A new play written by my Aunt Linda starts tonight. Can't wait to see it. Break a leg! The Whitefire Theatre and Artists Unlimited present MUSTANG SALLY a controversial new play by Linda Felton Steinbaum "She ventured into forbidden territory... her family tries to pick up the pieces."Come see the World Premiere of Linda Felton Steinbaum's new play, MUSTANG SALLY, which delves into a topic

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-48276316714491730522007-09-28T10:07:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:53:53.433-08:00

Slammy, our niece in Idaho, a novelist and exotic pet owner, started a blog at Ann's Getaway! Not that we want you to go away....but you really should visit her blog right away.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-86323016211205129262007-09-16T20:14:00.000-07:002007-11-26T10:23:24.833-08:00

This lizard was relaxing under the prickly pear cactus late yesterday. It was notable for its especially long tail. It almost looked like a snake-lizard. Popsey claims the lizard asked him for an ice cube. Not one to hold back, he tossed one over from his glass. It was a perfect shot, rebounded off the wall, and landed right next to the lizard. It didn't even flinch. Immediately it began licking

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-84983068423190452122007-09-09T17:52:00.001-07:002008-06-07T11:58:54.427-07:00

Charles, the beekeeper, and his companion Maria, came over to collect the swarm. We had no idea what to expect, or if there was any sort of plan in place. Charles is a man of few words while he's working, and the last thing you want to do is pester him with questions. I try and stay quiet and out of the way, not an easy task when holding a straining Mooka on her leash, and taking pictures. Do you

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-21417968515363577952007-09-08T17:27:00.000-07:002007-11-26T10:23:14.866-08:00

Around midday on Thursday a giant swarm of bees formed a buzzing cloud between the hives and our house.They settled in a tree near the driveway, and spent the next two days in a calm, football-sized clump hanging on a branch.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-9659185923302113492007-09-05T21:53:00.000-07:002007-11-26T10:21:28.601-08:00

Mr. Enzo the goose seems to be learning from the duck that it's great fun to chase after and peck me. I adore the dear creatures, but can't help but wonder...am I sending them the wrong message with my reactions? We could definitely use a "goose whisperer" around here, and fast. Searching the web for "goose training tips" wasn't turning up anything helpful, but then I came upon this."This," if

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-19380462137297066112007-08-24T16:03:00.001-07:002007-11-26T10:21:49.726-08:00

Popsey and I still have not come to agreement over our interpretations of behavior displayed by Jacques the Duck. He continues to insist that it is not "anger," "rage," or "fury," yet, does he have a better explanation? Well, if you consider "It's just instincts" to be a good enough explanation, then maybe you're satisfied. But, I wanted to delve further into the mystery. I placed myself in the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-70350503279410389672007-08-19T12:19:00.001-07:002007-11-25T12:54:24.047-08:00

#4. Calico rockfish {in a bad mood]:Up to 9 inches. Light brown with darker, dusky streaks on back, some crossing lateral line; belly lighter; dark brown to blackish streaks radiating from eye; fins dusky. Occurs San Diego to Pt. Arena. Not abundant.#5. KelpPerch:8 inches. Occurs San Quintin Bay to British Columbia in shallow water usually where there is an abundance of sea vegetation.#6.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-71578648992578081942007-08-18T09:33:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:54:24.048-08:00

Popsey has begun a new series of mortal, moral, mortar fish. The first one was a fake fish with cartoony features, and they have been gradually getting more fishy as he goes, each one taking on a personality and life of its own.Fish facts from How to Fish the Pacific Coast by Ray Cannon.#1, untitled#2, Bocaccio:Bocaccio means "big mouth." British Columbia to San Diego in deep water. One of the

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-81914944931210221772007-08-16T21:31:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:54:58.600-08:00

We've been working on a new pond, named after Lake Pend O'Reille in Northern Idaho where Popsey's sister lives. Pond Hooray is not quite as big as Lake Pend O'Reille, and you can't sink a submarine very deep in this pond. It's only about ankle deep. Too bad, but we don't really need a submarine I suppose. The pond is in a low point below the spring where water gathers in the winter and flows away

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-72231140358941794302007-08-13T13:40:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:55:37.614-08:00

I challenge you to find another place on the internet with a picture of a man laying in a bathtub with a duck nibbling on his ear. This is cutting edge stuff.

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30101267.post-78306441623640624942007-08-07T11:20:00.000-07:002007-11-25T12:56:06.185-08:00

Last post we discussed rummaging for vegetables out of garbage cans, this post is about hanging bags of water over your doors—I know how this is starting to look. It must be heartbreaking for my family. I soldier on despite the raised eyebrows and sidelong glances. The bags of water are a fly repellant recommended by the Bugman, an insect expert who writes a column in the SF Chronicle. He

Dorihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01671606411582246856noreply@blogger.com5