Erik's Solo Performance

Erik has been in band all year and chose to take up the clarinet. Karen had played the clarinet in highschool and college. Erik wanted to play well and was frustrated at first, so we got him into lessons for the better part of the year. He improved so much that he was asked to perform a solo at the school's band recital.

We're treading new territory here, so we'll see if this uploads....

Bizarre Weather-Related Incidents?

Found this bee stuck on a cactus needle a few days ago. I didn't really think too much of it as I had seen bees stuck like that before. Kind of weird - I mean, did it not see the cactus? was it evading a predator? Did the wind blow so hard as to impale it on a spine?

Then today I was trimming up a cholla and saw this leaf hopper stuck on a needle. It was still alive! At least the legs were still moving a bit. I don't think it was terribly happy to be alive being stuck by its head and all. But again, you have to wonder how it got there? And how long had it been there??

Roses

My latest drawing/painting with Micron markers. 8" x10"

I took this reference shot in Buchart Gardens while on our honeymoon back in 1990!

'Artsy' Flower Pictures

Prickly Pear

Another Prickly Pear

Cholla

Don't be surprised if one or all of these end up as drawings. On my monitor these all have very dark backgrounds. If that isn't the case in reality then they aren't as 'artsy' as I fancy them to be, but I can fix that in photo-shop or on the paper!

Justin! Justin! Justin!

Justin & Erik

Jakob & Justin

A visit from cousin Justin! What could be better? The boys were excited to go fishing with Justin...

Too Good to Pass Up

There was one huge bloom on this tiny cactus and three more buds getting ready to bloom. The cactus was only $1.77 at Home Depot. So $49 later I'm out the door with my prize. Oh, I also bought a pot and a hibiscus and another little cactus and some flowers. More on those if they survive!

It's called a Peanut Cactus as the stems are about the size of a peanut shell or maybe your average-sized thumb.

One bloom spent - two in full bloom - one more to go!

Good News, Funny News, and the One That Got Away

Good News, The duckling pictured below isn't one from last week. Those are about twice the size and are mostly still around.

Funny News, Jakob was chasing the ducks away with a fishing net and fell in the lake! He was pretty surprised! Said the water was a bit cold, too.

This is the one that got away earlier in the day. We were watching a kid and his dad using bread to catch this carp. They hooked it and played it, but it ended up getting away before they could get it out of the water. They would have released it anyhow, but it would have been pretty cool to get a picture with this catch! Anyhow, that's the reason we were back at the park again tonite...