2 bird videos

Life Lessons from a dog

1. Learn at least one impressive trick.
2. Shake when wet.
3. Wag.
4. When off the leash, it is best to run to a loved one.
5. Accept treats from strangers energetically yet cautiously.
6. Roll in grass whenever possible.
7. Wonderful things can sometimes be found in the trash.
8. Barking is a last resort.
9. Know when the right time is to let go of what you love.
10. True life partners do exist.


via

Yes, that is a strategically placed little black cartoon bone - because Sparky is a dog... I didn't mean this to be offensive - it was just such a cute pose, he lay there like this for several minutes

Favorite line of the weekend, heard being called out from the next room:

"Aunt Kim, come here - Look! Those Beatles guys are on the Power Puff Girls!"

My job of dispensing culture is done for the day

Creepy Aunt Kim taking photos of everyone during the wee hours...

Very poor photo quality because it was dark and I only turned on the hall light - Sparky is never allowed on the beds, but this was such a cute scene I couldn't shoo him off. So instead I snapped a bazillion pictures. His posture initially registered guilt when he knew I caught him, but once he realized he was allowed to stay he reveled in it.

morning stuff

Homemade paper lantern lights have remained after a b-day celebration earlier this month - I like the festive cheeriness they add to our little house - sometimes even fun to turn on during early hours.


and homemade shrinky dinks!

Late morning


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Late afternoon

random enjoyment from the internet: bugs & frogs edition!

Hubert Duprat's art collaboration with Caddisfly Larvae (via) - I've never seen this:








Description copied from Wikipedia: Hubert Duprat is a French artist known for his unusual work, an artistic intersection between caddisfly larvae and gold, opal, turquoise and other precious stones. Caddisfly larvae live in fresh water and naturally construct elaborate protective tubes for themselves from materials found in their environment. Under natural conditions they use the objects found in their stream bed homes such as pieces of wood, fragments of fish bone or crustacean shell, grains of sand, plant debris and small stones. The tubes serve various purposes; the stones are used to increase traction in fast-moving streams, they serve as disguise for the soft-bodied insect and the spiky bits make the tube and thus, the fly larva, more difficult for predators to swallow. Duprat, born in 1957, began his work with caddisfly larvae in the early 1980s. He collects the larvae from their normal environments and he takes them to his studio. There he gently removes their own natural cases and puts the larvae in tanks filled with his own materials, from which they begin to build their new protective sheaths. When he began the project, he only provided the caddis larvae with gold flakes. Since then, they have enjoyed various semi-precious and precious stones, including turquoise, coral and lapis lazuli, as well as sapphires, pearls, rubies, and diamonds.


the squeak of a Desert Rain Frog (via) -

Love these colors!!!

It was an honor to help commemorate this event with my novice videographer skills. A group of Naples women joined the One Billion Rising event for V-Day on Valentine's Day (click here for more info about V-Day) to bring awareness to women's rights around the world. The experience gave me new-found respect and admiration for the women in our community, bravely expressing their passion for this message.

I like this description one of the women who participated wrote on Facebook:

"All great things begin small... a small group of women danced for a very big cause- the message is huge- the need to be heard is enormous! Many stood in solidarity with us, clapped hands, carried signs, smiled, hugged, took photos, jumped in, became aware. One Billion Rising. Spread the word to protect our sisters and our daughters, and their daughters…"

She's not usually allowed on the table - but come on, who can resist such cuteness?

the quest for a good Saturday hike

We were in the mood to see some local sites - but never found our first destination... Instead we ended up lost, sliding in reverse down ice-covered seasonal roads (thank you crappy iPhone maps)!!!

So after our nerves recovered our second idea was Grimes Glen within the Village of Naples - Alas the paths were too icy, not a good idea in February temps - and Sparky was actually terrified to cross over this bridge (Darryl Abraham's new art installation on the sides):


Finally, success at our third attempted destination, the Conklin/Parish Gully, along Route 245:




A sapsucker's markings looked like a wryly winking face:






Surprisingly Sparky was fearless with these heights!