Monday, August 30, 2010

Hey Mama, Can I Have One of These Flat Dogs?

This summer my friend brought her new little buddy, "Nugget", over to meet my Greyhound "Creel".

It's easy to imagine the conversation between the two canines.

Creel: Yeah, yeah, life is pretty laid back around here...lay around, sun yourself. Quiet, no hassles.



Nugget: What? Huh? There's a dog out there?



Nugget: But, I can't see him. Is he hiding?



Nugget: I'm good at this. Watch, I'll track him down!





Nugget: Mama! I found him. He was hiding in the grass. Get a load of this --- he's so flat I almost tripped over him!

Nugget: Hey there Flat-Dog. Glad to meet 'cha.



Nugget: Well, it's been real, dude. See you again sometime.

Mama! He's hiding again!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Flute Quest

It's funny where you end up sometimes in your life.

A few weeks ago, while popping our kettle corn at the farmers' market, a lady asked us if we'd like to come to her event and pop. She handed me a flyer for "Flute Quest" --- a Native American Flute Festival. It was being held at Saltwater State Park, on the shores of Puget Sound, south of Seattle, WA.



Hmmm...now that sounds interesting (pun intended!). Sure, we'll be there, thinking we'd be busy most of the time popping kettle corn.

We did have some time to look around though --- and listen.



Friday night we treated ourselves to the flute concert. It was held in an intimate, acoustically magnificent theatre, with a seating capacity of only 238. Talk about up-front-and-personal. We listened to Rona Yellowrobe as she played her Native American flute and sang with a lovely, resinous voice...from the heart.

Next the world sounds and artistry of Scott August enveloped the audience. As his wonderful photographs of the Southwest danced behind him, he played for us. The haunting notes from his Anasazi flute are still echoing in my head! Scott lives in North Hollywood, but his heart resides in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. Ahhh, I know why.

The rest of the weekend went very (very) well. I scoped out the 20-some flute makers from all over the country and feasted my eyes and ears on their pieces of art. The music waifed from the stage and the tents, the workshop domes and the tepee where drumming was being taught.







It was meditative for some...



And life changing for others --- me included.

The more I listened to the flutes the more I needed one. Their beauty was enough to want to bring one home. Finally, I overcame my shyness (yeah, me) and put my lips to a gorgeous curly maple flute in the key of "G". Let's just say...

Mine! (Second from the right.)

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wordless Wednesday ~~~ My New Mexico "Driveway"

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

"Chisum" (1970)

In "Chisum", a movie based on the Lincoln County Land Wars in New Mexico, my hero, John Wayne (as John Chisum) drawled:

"It would take a good man on a good horse all summer to cross my land."







I couldn't help remembering his comment as we drove through New Mexico a few weeks ago. Gorgeous land, land that screams to be travelled by horseback. Can't ya just see "The Duke" astride a big man's horse, heading toward the mountains?

Time's awasting! Whistle for your best saddle horse. Get 'em saddled and mount up. You only have a few weeks left!

Monday, August 16, 2010

To Market, to Market...

We've joined the vendor community at the Maple Valley Farmers' Market and are having a fun time. It's the Saturday morning place to be!

Besides the sinfully delicious Kettle Corn we provide...





There's a tough decision to make on which wonderful wildlife photograph to take home.



Fresh local produce...







Flowers 'n food!





Even clothing! I found my inner-70's self at the market. I think a new tie dye shirt every 30 years or so is a necessity...and "Daniel's" was the place to shop.

John Denver would have been so proud...

Far out!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Recently we spent eight gorgeous, stupendous, fantastic days at our ranch in New Mexico. Our neighbors there had emailed us to say they'd had a "little rain". They suggested we might want to pack some old shoes to slog around in while at the ranch.

OK...rain?

They also mentioned they'd pulled some weeds so we could get into our garage. Huh? How could a weed make or break the entry into a garage? This is New Mexico now, where vegetation is minimal at times...and at other times non-existent. Last July when we visited, the yard had just had it's final grading and the house and barn were surrounded by dirt...just dirt. Looked pretty innocent to me.

But Mother Nature sure knows her stuff. Just add some moisture and stand back!

This:



Turned into THIS!



The BAD and the UGLY were yanked out of the ground (with malice aforethought), thrown into the back of a pickup and hauled off to (I hope) never be seen again. All seven pickup loads. And that was just weeding about 10-15 feet out from the house.

Curse you, you evil tumbleweeds!



The GOOD and lovely were allowed to remain to spread their seeds and make our place prettier for the next time we visit.

A nice clump of "Blue Grama Grass".



An unknown dainty star-flowered plant.



Yellow "Coneflower-ish" flowers and a white flower of unknown identity.



Pretty-in-purple "4 o'clock".



Anyone have a name for this one?



"Indian Paintbrush", right?



You're "the man", er "lady", Mother Nature. Please keep up the good work!

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