July 30, 2007

Stayed up until 1:30AM (which would make it TODAY), to finish reading this! Phew! No spoiler, here, but I certainly enjoyed it! Tomorrow, I head for California, so my next pic will be from somewhere along the way! Hurrah!

July 29, 2007

Ahhhh.... When I'm sitting at my desk, Maybe likes to hang out on top of the cedar chest. She's got a fuzzy blanket to sleep on, and I keep the blind up so she can look out the window. Good kitty!

July 28, 2007

A bit of green on the kitchen table. My cactus and my avocado, both from Michael, are holding up pretty well. The cactus is growing at the tip, and the avocado gets bigger and grows more leaves every day! Steve got me the sand - it's the graded, washed sand used for well development (heh heh!). The Pathos is out of control and heading towards the light of the cat door, which is below the table. Ha!

Close up of the avocado.

July 27, 2007

Tragedy strikes! While I was en route home, today, two news 'copters (channel 3 and channel 15), collided over Steele Indian School Park. This is what's left. The pilots and cameramen (four people in all), did not survive. In this densely populated area of downtown Phoenix, it's a miracle they didn't crash into a building - the Veteran's Hospital is adjacent to the park. I live about a mile and a half from the site. I am just sick about it.

The day before, torrential rains caused the roof of my Safeway store to collapse. Fortunately, nobody was injured. I feel like I'm some sort of vortex. And I was SO crabby from the traffic on the freeway when I was driving home - news like this makes me re-think my priorities and count my many blessings all over again!

July 26, 2007

Today's photos I owe to friends and family. My bestest neighbor next door, Auntie Denise, sent me this photo of Uh, Clem enjoying the cool grass under one of the trees in her front yard. It was so NICE to get a picture from home!

This picture was taken by my Mom. My Dad is taking piano lessons! He has always wanted to, and as luck would have it, the mother of one of the students he tutors is a piano teacher! He is WAY excited. I can't wait to hear him play! (Payback for all those lessons I had to take when I was a child! teehee!)

July 25, 2007

Hooray! My new camera arrived! I had it shipped to Allen's house, and he brought it in to work this morning. My first photo:Steve, of course!

I did NOT use my new camera to take this photo below. Allen took it while we were out working. This cute little fella peed all over my leg and shoe, he was so excited. What a cutie!

July 24, 2007

The In/Out board for our project. Sigh. More nostalgia.

Isn't this a cool window? I must confess, I copied Allen, although inadvertently. I was actually checking on an easement when I drove past this very spot that Allen had photographed a couple of days earlier. Had to take a shot at it! I love the weathered boards.

July 23, 2007

The "War Room" for my project. After this tour of duty, it's not likely I'll be back. The project is wrapping up and I'll be gone from NM for three weeks, after which I'll likely start working with Steve on well installation (development, sampling, and the occasional geophysics run). It seems kind of strange after over a year to not plan on returning - at least not to this project that has become comfortable and reassuring. Oh well. Change. Keeps life interesting!


Okay... how does THIS work?!

July 22, 2007

Today was "Mushroom Hunting in the Gila." Sadly, we're a bit too early; however, I did get this shot of some small, albeit inedible, mushrooms, and we did have a nice walk. It is a beautiful place, and it was overcast, thundering, and sprinkling a tad. All-in-all a nice afternoon.

I'm bad at identifying wildflowers - truly bad. You'd think I'd know better. Regardless, thought this was a cool one. Can you see the ant?

Partners in crime. Left to right is Brian, Michael, and Brian's son, Peter. Peter is a delightful young man, 15-ish, I think, and a joy to spend time with. He is taking a digital photography class and was busily taking pictures and talking about his camera and the software he is using. Truly a neat person.

July 21, 2007

Today was the birthday dinner to celebrate the nuptials of Steve's parents (Dad's birthday was the 15th and Mom's is the 23rd). Steve made it home, but, alas, I am still in New Mexico as I worked yesterday and must work Monday, and it's too far to drive six hours on Saturday, go out to dinner and then drive back six hours on Sunday. Rats! That's okay. I'll see them on the 29th and I'll have them all to myself! I Looooove my in-laws! They are the neatest people. I'd hang out with them even if I wasn't married to Steve!

July 20, 2007

Well, as I anxiously await the arrival of my new camera, I did NOT take a picture today, so instead I present a collage I created in eager anticipation of the Clan Bake (family reunion) in August. Ladies and Germs - it's The Fam!

July 19, 2007

Okay, I finally bit the bullet and ordered a new camera. Should be here in the next few days. I realized that I needed better resolution for stills if I am going to get any good shots on vacation and at the Clan Bake on August 11th. I can't Wait!

July 18, 2007

A rude awakening! I don't know if you can really read this (actually, if you click on the image it will get larger), but as I was running analysis on the XRF at work, today, I thought I'd pop in and see what Desert Songbird was up to, and This is what I got! Just since Yesterday the company for whom we subcontract blocked Blogspot!

July 17, 2007

Today's photo features Ale (Alejandra), prepping soil samples. I know you can't really tell, but she IS smiling under her N95 dust mask (standard equipment when one is sifting soil). I've done my time prepping, too, but today I "got" to sit and run the analysis on the XRF. Yup, a dream job, it's true!

July 16, 2007

It's what's for lunch! Okay, I confess, I love the creamy tomato soup, and this puppy microwaves in less than two minutes. When I was a little girl, my grandmother worked for Campbell Soup Company, so there is a bit of nostalgia there, too. I even have the Campbell Soup Kids dolls (still!).

Well, off I go... it's mmm... mmm... good!

July 15, 2007

Okay, I cheated AGAIN! But THIS is a totally cool picture of a lizard that Steve took that he and I think looks just like that little Geico Insurance lizard. What do you think? (I want to pet the lizard!)

July 14, 2007

This trip, Steve and I got the "Manager's Suite" at the Holiday Inn Express. It's pretty nice! Has a little "kitchenette" and a living room and a REAL closet with REAL hangers! The only downside is the living room is directly above the exercise room and you can really hear those treadmills! ha! Luckily, not too many folks actually USE the exercise room!

July 13, 2007

Outside in beautiful Southwestern New Mexico. This is the part of my job that I love. Today, our field crew is working on "fine tuning" some field mapping. Left to right is Alejandra (Ale), Allen, and Justin in the foreground.

Steve drove out to meet us and we took a break for lunch (bean and cheese burrito smothered green, for me!)

Allen took this photo. Isn't it beautiful?! Some variety of yucca, I believe. You see them all over down here, and they are all in bloom right now. Fabulous. Note how it's clouding up in the background. Every afternoon we get thunderstorms - thunder, lightning, rain, sometimes hail. It's really refreshing, but it makes it kind of humid, too. (Which translates into "zits!" for moi!)

July 12, 2007

Photos from Michael's Road Trip. Yeah, I know, that's cheating two days in a row (at least), but they're pretty cool, I think. Much better than you would have gotten from ME on a Thursday (is it FRIDAY, yet?). Oh, and my massage therapist canceled on me to boot!

My dad would like this one!

July 11, 2007

Okay, I am SO cheating, but Diane sent me this monkey picture (she took it in Costa Rica), and that monkey looks SO relaxed (I just love monkeys), that I had to share it! I mean, how could I not? He is so damn CUTE!!! (I want to pet the monkey!)

July 10, 2007

Sigh... just another day in the field...

July 9, 2007

Today, Michael left in this on a road trip from New Mexico to Vermont, where the load will be dropped. Then from Vermont to Pennsylvania to retrieve his books from storage, and then back to New Mexico. I am house sitting while he is away (move the car around, pick up the mail, eat his food, drink his beer, sneak off with books and DVD's that look good - heh heh heh!).

Michael sent these two pics and a narrative to go with:

"This egg was less than a foot from the shoulder of I70, beside which I stopped to piddle, and came across this. It was laid by some bird that just drops its egg in this grassy medium, and then hatches it there.....I have seen several birds that do this in PA. Seems more dangerous than it probably really is, given the probability of any one car/person stopping at any one point on a long road. I was charmed."

July 8, 2007

O.K., I didn't take this picture today, but Steve did. It's shade cloth over our vegetable garden. If we're lucky, when we get back to Phoenix, we might actually have some produce still alive.

July 7, 2007

Today was "vacuum the cat" day. It's just part of my general household duties along with dusting and cleaning the toilet. Amazingly, she LIKES being vacuumed (goes hand-in-hand with the ol' hearing loss: she IS 17, after all), and it is WAY efficient! Good kitty!

July 6, 2007

Yeah, it was a warm one, today.

July 5, 2007

Oh, Boy! Steve brought me this from Border's Bookstore. Season Four of my favorite sitcom, "Frasier!" Yippee!

July 4, 2007

Happy 4th of July! A celebration of our Nation's Independence. (Never you mind that not all of the Founding Father's actually signed the Declaration of Independence on the 4th - it's still a great document and a great day.)

For several years running Steve and I had a semi-tradition of spending the 4th on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with several of our pals. On one of our trips, I was trail running, tripped, and mangled my finger (and cut open my shin). Not one to be a weenie, I ripped up my bandanna and splinted my finger with a stick (how rugged, eh?). Then I cleaned my shin and wrapped the remainder of my bandanna around that and kept on running. As the sun set, we sang "The Star Spangled Banner" on the rim. It sounded fine!

Me and my poor splinted finger. Nothing a few ibuprofen and cold beer couldn't handle.

This year, although several of our pals are assembling on the North Rim, we opted to stay home and give the cat a bath! That's right. The innocent wandered into the kitchen for a snack, and I grabbed him and popped him without ceremony into the bathtub. It was a bit traumatic, but he certainly smells better. I cannot believe the quantity of dirt that one small body can harbour! Astonishing!

Tonight is barbecue in full-scale 4th of July fashion. Matt and Denise will be joining us, and being downtown, I'm sure we'll see fireworks...

'Tis the Star Spangled Banner, O long may it wave
O'er the Land of the Free
And the Home of the Brave!

Uh, Clem - PreBath (Apparently HE thinks he needs a washing!)

Uh, Clem - PostBath. Doesn't he look fluffy?

Yes, all of THAT came off the body of one small cat!!

July 3, 2007

This is an artichoke out of our vegetable garden. They are delicious to eat and beautiful to look at. Since I'm back at home with my own computer, I thought I'd fart around a little bit with Adobe PhotoShop. Voila!

July 2, 2007

Hard to believe this was a desolate frozen wasteland of a front porch in the not-too-distant past. Now the lantana is taking over, the Indian Blanket has been fruitful and multiplied (and multiplied), and the bougainvillea has sprung back to life! Time to start pruning!

Hollyhock seeds. I think they are totally cool looking, the way they are all lined up in a circle in their seed pod. I've collected them up and scattered them about the yard. It's a joy to see the hollyhocks when they appear - they're hardy yet beautiful and I never know what color they'll be. A surprise! Perfect for the less-than-diligent gardener!