My Time

Headed to Spark

This morning I am headed to Utah for Spark.  This is one of the most amazing crafting events and I am so excited to be going again.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. -Albert Schweitzer

On the agenda this year --

• felting
• stamp carving
• reverse applique
• jewelry making
• mixed media classes
• collage

And the most amazing thing, the passion shared by these crafters and artisans is so contagious.

Now --I'm off to go rekindle my Spark!

Habarnero Madness

The habarneros in our garden are giant!  We normally plant 3 habanero plants each year.  At least 2 - sometimes all 3 - usually die and don't produce. 

I don't know why but something about our yard is not usually friendly to these plants.  This year all 3 produced.  And one decided to take over the world. 

 Just look how HUGE these guys are -  more like small apples than peppers -

Now if you're not familiar with habaneros, they are ordinarily pretty small peppers.  Hot hot hot - but small.

 These guys are so hot that when Val is cooking with them, I usually can't be in the house.  My throat starts to close and I can't breath.  Seriously hot stuff coming out of these guys.   He has to keep the windows open with the fan on.

 

This is the normal size of a habanero -- this is one of our other 2 plants this year -  Serious difference right ? 

I see some habanero jelly making in Val's future!

More Hollywood Bowl

Summer is over, and so is our season at the Hollywood Bowl.  Our final two shows were just amazing.  We saw the Tchaikovsky Spectacular, with fireworks.  Imagine listening to the powerful 1812 Overture, complete with cannons and fireworks to light up the sky. 

Truly amazing.

Evidently this is an annual show at the Hollywood Bowl ( I never knew) so I am sure we will go again.

 

 

It did get very smokey at the end, there were times we could not see the stage for the smoke.  Still incredible.

 

 

 

 

On another fun evening we enjoyed watching a can -can performed by the dancers direct from the legendary Moulin Rouge.

 

The Hollywood Bowl is such a fun outing, I can't wait until next year's schedule is out to see what unusual shows await.

Free Agents

Are you looking for a smart, grown-up comedy ?  Free Agents, Wednesday at 8:30pm on NBC.

Go ahead.......give it a try.......

 

Los Angeles County Fair

Val & I always have a great time at the L.A. County Fair.  One of the things that's the most entertaining is seeing the crazy selection of food available.  We don't try much of it - mostly because it's just too scary to think about some of these things. 

Like fried kool-aid.  I mean - how do they do that ?  I probably should have gotten this just to answer the question.

And a fried Klondike Bar ?? I don't get it!

Fried frogs legs, fried twinkies, jumbo turkey legs, deep-fried ribs, chocolate covered bacon, --there was just no shortage of things that would normally be the furthest from your mind.

The live shark encounter was not so great.  I felt bad for these sharks - the biggest was probably 5 feet long - and the tank wasn't much bigger.  Very sad indeed.

 

Summer at Val & Lori's

 Summer is in full swing - and speeding by - here at Val & Lori's.  I have been simply horrible at blogging the past several months.  So --- here's a little update for you all.

Our squirrel Shelley is still hanging around and just keeps getting cuter.  RIGHT ? 

Camera hog!

Val's garden is doing well - look at all those haberneros!   There may be another batch of habernero jelly this year ..........

 
Kimba & Smokey Jo-Ella are doing great.  They are content to ignore Sasha (the momma cat we rescued earlier this year).  Unfortunately, Sasha is not so obliging, and we have been turning our household upside down to keep her away from Kimba & Smokey Jo-Ella.  She is vicious and attacks when she gets the chance.  It is very likely that we will ultimately have to find a good home for momma Sasha.

We've not taken any trips this year, but we have been out and about.   We've done a bit of hiking --  This is Mentryville while it was still a bit green.

 We've been to several fun events at the Hollywood Bowl - Hairspray, Star Wars in Concert, Walt Disney's Fantasia.  All absolutely amazing!

Nothing else really going on.  All in all a pretty low key summer.   Not what you're used to from us, but it's about time, right ?

Murder Mystery Dinner Train

We recently went on Fillmore & Western Railway's Murder Mystery Dinner Train.   The year is 1874 and we are back in the days of the Wild West.  The little town of Fillmore is booming and a rumor of gold in them-there hills has hit the newspapers.  Opportunity is everywhere for the taking.  Of course, these elements do tend to attract people of dubious character and respectability.......

Enter our cast of characters -

Sid Diamond - in town for a poker tournament.  And quite the ladies man.

 

 

 

Mayor Thadeous Townsend.  Seeking campaign donations that don't seem to make it to the campaign.

 

 

 

Col. Franklin Aloysius Stump.  The town drunk.  And nobody can understand what he says.  Always seems to get a little closer than you'd like.

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Minnie Branagin.  The new school marm in town.  She always carries her bible and proudly proclaims she will never spare the rod and will never spoil the child.  Quite the loud and judgemental character.

 

 

 Marshall Carson McCoy. A very friendly law man, but he has his hands full with Aloysius and with the upcoming poker tournament in town.

 

 

 

Gunther Tooley - loves to play the banjo.  And he looks suspiciously like his brother the Mayor. 

 

 

    

 Miss Ginger Heart - local saloon girl.  She is also the saloon owner, though not on paper since a girl cannot own property.  She has signed a contract with the mayor to be the "owner" for appearances sake, but she cannot read and had no idea that the contract was stealing her saloon.

 

 

Miss Minnie breaks the news to Ginger that the Mayor has had her sign a dishonest contract, and makes the mayor donate a large sum to the school to buy a new bell.  Just then, the mayor collapses and dies.  (with much dramatic flair of course).  Now - let the mystery begin............

Turns out that Miss Minnie Branagin is really Dolly Delight and is wanted in Arizona.  When the Marshall confronts her, she makes a wild escape...... 
Did you see that coming ?   

All in all it was a fun evening, though I'm not sure I'd recommend it to others.  It was just ok - mildly amusing.   If you go - take friends.  Make sure you have a group of 4 or 8, because the seating is tables of 4 and if you are just 2 then you will be put with another couple - and that's the luck of the draw.  It is so much more enjoyable if you are with others you can have a great time with.

And don't go for the train ride.  It goes 9.6 miles from Fillmore to Santa Paula, which means it goes about 3.5 miles per hour.  Though the country is beautiful there - much of your view is back yards and freeway.

We are glad we went, but have now crossed that off the list.

2011 Bug Fair

You read that right - Bug Fair.  While I was having fun with girlfriends at the Remember When 3-day crop recently, friends took Val & his daughter Samantha to the Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum.  I was quite happy to miss this occasion - until I kept hearing about it nonstop for the next week and saw all these fabulous photos.  It sounded like they had such a good time. 

Look at these cookies - those cricuts are supposed to be there -- Cricut cookies.  Gotta say -- I would not have been eating those.

 Val ate them - and that look on his face sort of tells the story - I havn't seen him outside catching bugs for cookies LOL
Sam got in the fun -- tossing a sauteed cricut into her mouth --
There was evidently a variety of bug foods to eat. Though I won't be eating the bugs - I think I'll be putting this on my calendar for next year.  If for no other reason than to see who I can make eat a bug!!!

 (thank you Samantha and Karen for supplying the photos)

 

Huntington Library and Gardens

We recently visited the Huntington Library and Gardens.  It's all about the gardens!  This was my first trip and wow -it was so beautiful. Just take a look !  Even the catcus were georgous -

And Look at this photo of a humming bird as it was feeding from this plant.  Amazing.And of course - tons of roses. 
  

Kittens at 8 weeks

All the kittens are now in their forever homes.  This has been such an amazing experience.  All good things must come to an end and now these babies are starting their own lives in the best homes. 

I would like to thank the staff at The Cat Doctor who not only saved the lives of momma and the kittens, but who also helped with the marketing and finding homes.  These kittens actually developed their own following on Facebook!

This video is of the last night they were all together...............

 

They went in pairs which makes me feel better.  Momma is still here with us and dealing with some ongoing health issues.  The theory is that she will thrive now that she won't have those huge babies to nurse.  They were over 2 pounds each at the 7 week mark - sheesh - she fed them a lot !

 OK - now for life to get back to normal.  so much chaos with the little ones around.