From: Ross Cell
Short notice vacation invited!
Can u come with to colorado
for a week?
2:21pm 06/10/09

You bet your boots!

I'm off to Colorado this morning :0) I cain't wait to see Gary, Karen, Brady, Ross, Marilyn, Alex and Chet !

Ill be a happy camper until next Thursday!

Checklist:

Camera

Bike

Telescope

Bugscreen

Sunscreen

Tent

I'm packed :0)

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How we do love these creatures

with lives even more temporary than our own

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A wet goodby to a dear, good dignified, furry-friend,

- Tigger -

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About as pretty as a fly gets - great iridescent wings

*please note flies don't shave with "Daisy"


Unidentified cute worm or caterpillar
(I'll keep searching and update later - feel free to investigate and give me a clue)
I found it in the soil - so it could be a borer.

A very, very little preying mantis . . .
My finger is in the picture so you can see how tiny!

A snowy tree cricket

The view below shows how long his antenae are

Hydrangeas

The calming blue,

. . . with deep green leaves of hydrangeas . . .

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Tomatoes and Thunderheads

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Ahhh, the beautiful, first tomato of the summer !

There have been some nice thunderheads gathering in the east -

Looks like "Thor" has a ton of power ready to unleash.

Summer-time !

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Yum-ola, it is a great summer supper recipe !

Half a cantelope - fill it with cottage cheese (just like Betty Crocker of the 50's)

Sprinkle with raspberries, and a basil leaf or two. Finish off with a sprinkle of salt.

If you eat it all you may feel like you will pop!

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~ Brilliantly, Beautiful ~!

Thank You, Anna - bear !

Cake and Cids and Candles

How many Kay, Curtis and Donovan's does it take to put forty candles in a cake?

Sampling is necessary . . .
:0)

Three Little Sweeties

Anna and I are 80 today !

Here's the most important part of turning forty; Cake!

The Chocolate explains itself and the other is Pink Lemonade.
Getting older never tasted so good :0)

I've included the recipe links for both cakes. I loved the Tender Pink Lemonade Cake, but thought the Chocolate Cake was too dry. Both frostings were beautiful but were not winners because of texture and flavor.

Link for Pink Lemonade cake: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=e0cdf9d49f90f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Link for Devil's Food Chocolate Cake: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/moist-devils-food-cake-with-mrs-milmans-chocolate-frosting?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/classic-birthday-cakes#slide_1

Leaffooted BugsBaby bug

This is blurry but shows the leafy shape on the back legs

Anna found these bugs on our mulberry tree. According to the local ag extension the bugs have invaded the almond and pistachio orchards in the valley. (I suppose they feel like they're just out to eat - not invading. ) They can nibble at the pistacious and can make the pistacios fall off before they mature. Based on their armored, hummer appearance I nominate them to be most likely to be recruited to the Army.

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California Mantis Nymph

(Stagmomantis californica)

Looks like E.T. is peering from behind a tomato leaf !

. . . he looks a bit like a wild biker, having a bad hair day.

I couldn't see what he was eating, but here he's licking his "fingers"


Or maybe his toes ?

Just Like A School Picture

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Here's a real nice closeup of Jack the Jumping spider. Let me know if you want a wallet size print or an 8"x10" ! :0)

The iridescent-teal mouth pieces are very cool! I found online that jumping spiders only bite when provoked... Shoving a camera in the spider's face isn't provoking is it?

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Since I caught this spider in the house using a glass -I enjoyed this jumping spider information- (Quoted directly from Wikipedia:)

"...at the end of each leg they have hundreds of tiny hairs, which each then split into hundreds more tiny hairs, each tipped with an "end foot". These thousands of tiny feet allow them to climb up and across virtually any terrain. They can even climb up glass by gripping onto the tiny imperfections, usually an impossible task for any spider Jumping spiders are known for their curiosity. If approached by a human hand, instead of scuttling away to safety as most spiders do, the jumping spider will usually leap and turn to face the hand. Further approach may result in the spider jumping backwards while still eyeing the hand. The tiny creature will even raise its forelimbs and "hold its ground". Because of this contrast to other arachnids, the jumping spider is regarded as inquisitive as it is seemingly interested in whatever approaches it"

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That is so amazingly cool! To think this is just one of the many creatures that silently stomps through your garden!

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Eating Sweet (Goober?) Peas
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Brother Gary recently gave a rave review on the flavor of sweet peas. The pictured pea had a very fresh "green" flavor. I didn't fall over and foam at the mouth so it seems they aren't poisonous. (Gary didn't sound like his sampling had impaired him in any way, either. .rehtie, yaw yna ni mih deriapmi dah gnilpmas sih ekil dnuos t'ndid yraG)

:0)

Here are a couple of retro pictures of sweet Brady Lee showing how to savor the flavor.

He's certainly older now - still such a sweet little guy!

A Sweeeeet Ride

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Check out my new classy ride!
Hibiscus tire treads and all the necessities . . .
I have had lots of fun riding her around!
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I can not wipe the new bike smile off my face :0)

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Fly away home . . .
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Cute and bright as a button! This ladybug found the lambs ears inhabitants delectable

The Chronicle of the Backyard Water Drops

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The sprinkler ran this Sunday afternoon and left behind beautiful drops and nooks of such lovely peacefulness . . .

Bejewling the wood sorrel's flowers

Dressed in their finest frocks,

Filling their thirsty mouths in the 90 degree heat,

Such quiet sparkley riches, diamond-like, reflecting this green, green world,

Ahhh, marvelous view . . .

(do you see the bug running upside down on the stem?)

To think this happens every time it rains - Silently, as perfect as pearls,

Wouldn't it be great to be found doing the necessary so beautifully?!