March 31, 2007

It's a beautiful day, today. I know because I stepped outside briefly to retrieve my camera from the trunk of my car. The snot-producing machine called my nose is still in full action, so I thought I'd spend the day in my room resting.

One of the nice things about my "home away from home" is that I generally get the same room every time I stay here, and right outside my door and around the corner is THIS. Yup, a gas fireplace and a small library. It's at the top of the stairs (with a lovely wooden banister), that sweep up from the lobby below. Last night I borrowed an "Archy McNally" mystery (Archy's Risk), from the library and then read it while I soaked in a hot bath.

March 30, 2007

You know, I've been working over here for nearly two years and I can't count the number of times I've driven right past this sign without stopping. Well, I decided to stop this morning on my way from Silver City to Hurley. Those are the stacks of the smelter in the distance, and the sign itself shows all the points of interest around the area, like the Gila Cliff Dwellings and Mimbres Hot Springs.

Bonus photo: These red tulips are in the same yard as the yellow tulips that I photographed a couple days back. They were SO bright they almost didn't look REAL!

March 29, 2007

After arriving in Silver City on Sunday and being greeted by beautiful clear skies and warm temperatures, yesterday the weather decided that it was time to depart March "like a lion!" It's been windy and the thermometer is dropping below freezing at night. Wouldn't you know it: I didn't bring ANY long underwear nor my cozy winter cap. Ah, well. It's supposed to start warming again soon. In the meantime, these wildly blowing grasses caught my eye.

March 28, 2007

I miss Steve and my kitties. It's VERY windy here, today, and COLD (and supposed to get COLDER! What's with that?!). My nose is an amazing snot producing machine. But, like the tenacious mail carrier, our work must go on.

Today's photo doesn't do these absolutely gorgeous tulips any justice at all. We were sampling this yard, and there they were - just lovely, and blowing around wildly in the wind.

March 27, 2007

Allen (left), and Robert hard at work in the "War Room." Allen works in the field with me, and Robert works in our lab and does our CAD work.

Bonus photo: Smelter stacks, the continuing saga. It makes me really bummed that they are scheduled to be toppled. They've been such a great landmark (you can see them from MILES around).

March 26, 2007

Just being goofy. Still using the "broken" camera, but managed to get myself in the mirror of the field truck. Ha!

March 25, 2007

On my way to Silver City, New Mexico. It's so WEIRD to cross the Continental Divide and have it be only 6,355 feet high! I tend to think of the Divide as being REALLY high, like 11,000 feet or more!

March 24, 2007

Saturday morning. Just finished our "coffee in bed" ritual. Maybe is settled very cozily on my fuzzy purple bathrobe right up in between the pillows. No, she is NOT spoiled!

Tomorrow I head to Silver City, New Mexico, so the next couple of weeks I'll have pictures from the field. I'll try not to take too many pictures of toilet paper!

March 23, 2007

I've been Spring Cleaning and keep discovering new projects that I'm trying to complete before I head into the field for the summer. When it gets hot, here, my ambitions just plummet and not much gets accomplished, but in the Spring and Fall I tend to go over the top.

Today I took another load of discards to the Goodwill and did some mending. Steve can be pretty rough on his clothes - especially his pants. This old Singer sewing machine belonged to my grandmother, and I just love it. I stitched up two pairs of pants and one pair of shorts, plus a pair of sweat pants and sewed a fastener on a pair of my own capris pants. I enjoy sitting in front of this window 'cause the light is really good.

Hello, Mr. Snail! I recorded 0.68" of rain here for yesterday and last night. Everything is all washed and fresh and green and bright. Mr. Snail, here, was climbing on the side of the garage to escape from all the water. He's been PhotoShopped - very cool.

March 22, 2007

Today was one of those excellent rainy-so-I'm-staying-in-bed-all-day kind of days. I checked the rain gauge and we received 0.15 inches, today. It's been off and on throughout the day and we even got to enjoy some thunder and lightning to go along with the pitter-patter on the roof. Ahhhh.... and it smells so good, too!

Today's picture is the view out my bedroom window.

Bonus picture: The wee white rose up near the front porch has started to bloom. Isn't she lovely?

March 21, 2007

Today, I had lunch with my mother-in-law at The Olive Garden and then we window shopped at the mall. I can't remember the last time I was in a mall (seriously, I can't remember). My big purchase for the day was replacement blades for my garden cutters from Sears. That was it. And, as luck would have it, I did not have my camera, so today's picture is of Clem waiting patiently for crunchy goodness.

March 20, 2007

I need to get out of the house!

March 19, 2007

Today, Mr. Ficus got a brand new pot. He is very happy about this. His old pot was a small, black plastic deal and it was getting a wee bit cramped.

March 18, 2007

A couple of years ago, Steve and I visited Tombstone, Arizona, which is the home of the world's largest rosebush - an impressive specimen called Lady Banksia. We bought a small cutting, and the thing has taken off. It is now up over the top of the pergola and is starting to bloom with the tiniest white flowers. We are very excited!

March 17, 2007

More work/play in the yard. Steve whacked back the crispy critters that used to be beautiful hibiscus plants with gorgeous red flowers. What's left are the blackberry vines.

March 16, 2007

Okay, I'm cheating a little bit. These are pictures I took yesterday, but I've been playing around some more with my Adobe PhotoShop software and these are representative of what I've been up to. The first picture is of the clapper on a wind chime which is hanging on my front porch.


This second photo is of a flower called Indian Blanket, which is growing next to my front porch. It has such wonderful colors!

March 15, 2007

See that big clump of grass? It's days (actually minutes), are numbered! Today I wrestled that thing out of the ground (rescued a Gecko in the process). Filled up FIVE Hefty bags! Ugh! I am POOPED!

Bonus Picture: The clump is GONE! Whoo hoo!

March 14, 2007

Admitting I need help is the first step...

Today, I cleaned out the pantry. There were scary outdated things in there. Mom will be proud. Others, perhaps, aghast. I won't go over the gory details, but I can actually find stuff in there, now, and I'm feeling quite accomplished. Yeah! Those pantry-cleaning-induced endorphins are running rampant through my system.

Bonus Photo: Guess what else I did today, sigh...

March 13, 2007

Just thought I'd take a picture of something besides my kitchen. Artsy-Farted around with the filters in Adobe Photoshop to get this look.

March 12, 2007

I'm still in that "domestic" mode. Today I stripped the rest of the lemons off the tree out in the front yard and then squeezed them all. I froze the juice in ice cube trays so that I will have lemon juice to use for tea, cooking, etc. later on. I just love the smell of lemon freshly cut. This mound was wonderfully fragrant.

March 11, 2007

Wah! Mom and Dad left this morning and I miss them, already. Mom did bring me this totally cool vintage tablecloth with matching napkins, though, so I consoled myself by putting it on the kitchen table. I just love the bright colors and the vintage print (my house was built in 1941, so this is perfect). OMG, I am being so domestic! Time to head back to the field before I start making marmalade!

March 10, 2007

Today's photo is "Ena Makes Pudding." It's butterscotch and it's the kind you cook (not instant). All was going well until I decided to ladle it into the cups - not a good idea, apparently. Aside from being messy, though, it was delicious!

March 9, 2007

Today, Mom and I stripped the orange tree and squeezed juice - lots of juice! These are the kind of "domestic duties" that Mom and I get involved in when she comes to visit. She is very motivating and knows lots of tips and secrets for doing stuff - like canning tomatoes or whipping up salad dressing from scratch.

March 8, 2007

Yippee! It's my Mom and Dad here for a visit from the frigid winter cold of Truckee/Lake Tahoe. I have to say I have two of the coolest parents there are. My Dad is retired but tutors and substitute teaches math in Truckee. My Mom recently quit her stint as a singer in an award-winner barbershop quartet called "No Frills," but is still a community activist and guest columnist for the Sierra Sun. Both my Mom and Dad are on-the-go and love to travel. Steve and my Dad like to play golf, and Mom and I like to go to junk shops and do other "domestic deeds."

March 7, 2007

What's amazing about this picture isn't what is on the bookshelf, but rather what is not on the bookshelf. Today, I hauled a bunch of binders and files into our newly-opened Phoenix office. It's been a long time since I actually had an office to go to! And my bookshelf is now mine, all mine!

March 6, 2007

Yes, it is another cat picture, but what is amazing about this photo (and you can't tell this at first glance), is that my seventeen-year-old cat leaped to this chair from the bed. It's actually an impressive distance for a geriatric cat. (Well, and she looked so dang cute, too.)

March 5, 2007

Now is the time of year when all those seasonal Easter goodies start to arrive at a market near you! I am weak! I am pathetic! I think the little pink ones taste the BEST!

March 4, 2007

Poor Steve spent most of last night barfing. Needless to say, neither one of us got much sleep (him zero and me not much more). This morning first thing I headed off to the market to pick up barfy tummy remedies. He's feeling much better!

March 3, 2007

On my way home from lunch, yesterday, I stopped at the Home Depot (one of my very favorite places!), and picked up some new flower pots and plants for the front porch. It's starting to look much better, I think, though a few more weeks of warm sunshine will make a world of difference.



Bonus picture: Here is "Uh, Clem" taking a nap in his little bed. He is such a love!

March 2, 2007

Today met a friend for lunch at a lovely little Italian place right by her house. We both had pizza (yummy!). If you look closely at her lapel you can see a button that says "Blog This!" and a pin that's a shoe right beneath it (both gifts from moi).

March 1, 2007

One (among the many), of the casualties of the freezing temps in January was my lavender. I just love the smell of lavender, so today I put in two new plants. One is in front of the small log by my pond. Ummmm.... what a wonderful fragrance!