Sean's Backyard Nursery

It seems that our backyard is known throughout Aves biological class as having the best nesting environment in the neighborhood. I found yet another clutch (is that the right word?) of baby birds. (Sorry--it's blurry, I was trying not to disturb!)

No Vote on Cloture

Cinnamon Urges a No Vote on Cloture on Thursday

Happy Solstice

Happy Solstice

I Am Wiggly

You make me wiggly, so get up
Like a worm, squirmy squirmy
Have to do the lean, ready to go outside
Jump up and down, with my tongue hanging wide
It is time, so don't forget
Get your shoes on, it is time to go
No, not ice cream, not a bagel, but a toast might do
Can we go now, I have to go
Run up the stairs, and down again
Are you ready yet?
Lets chase cats, squirrels, and go to the donut shop
And don't forget we have the golf course, the park, and back
Coffee for you and a drink for me
Are my friends here, and look at the kitties, oh my
I am so excited, I just can't hide it
It is time for my walk and I am wiggly!

Undocumented American Going to College

Undocumented American Going to College
A Letter to the Editor of the Orange County Register

The other night I listened to Senator Reid’s dirge lamenting the failure to pass the immigration bill. He mentioned an acquaintance that was unable to go to college because her parents were undocumented Americans. I was shocked. This is America and it is fundamental that we don’t discriminate because of one’s parentage. Surely this must be very common since this was so prominent in his speech. We must get to the root of this travesty! Please, Mr. Reid, identify this presumably American citizen and the officials who have so blatantly discriminated against her, along with the thousands of others in the same situation so we can banish the evil doers to Gitmo, or Bismark, or Searchlight! Or am I missing something here? Perhaps she is undocumented just like her parents, and the discrimination has nothing to do with her parentage after all.

And if I hear one more word about the illegals being in the shadows, I'm gonna scream. They're all out in the sun: in the strawberry fields, picking grapes, mowing and blowing all white man's front yards, in the Depot's parking lots, you name it. But in the shadows, hah! The people saying they are in the shadows are the ones in the dark!

Click on the fence to see the video!

Next article, what happens when the undocumented Americans get old and can't push the maid cart any more, or can't pick lettuce, or wash our cars?

R

Modern Machinery Magazine--A Deep Breath for Steel

I recently came across wonderful news too. For guys who need a different perspective from Victoria Magazine, I have created Modern Machinery Magazine to be published concurrently, for the husbands that will be receiving Victoria Magazine. I can't tell you how pleased I am to be the editor and publisher of such a fine publication. This magazine will be an escape for me into a world full of steel, grease, and pure power. I can't wait for the first issue.

I will preview the first edition here.

Victoria--A Breath of Fresh Air

Speaking of air and coming up for it...and just taking time to breathe, I recently came across this wonderful news. Victoria magazine will be resuming publication in the fall! I can't tell you how pleased I was to hear of this--especially as I scramble to get everything done for the end of the school year. This magazine was always an escape for me into a world that is unhurried, uncluttered and most of all, lovely. I can't wait for the first issue.

No Dog Zone - Hetch Hetchy Wilderness

Kibbie Creek, Cherry Creek, Lake Elanor

No Dog Zone, Absolutely No Pets Allowed!
Hi Kosmo!
May 2007 Pictures
Shutterfly Link

Memorial Day Weekend, Another Whirlwind Weekend

Lara, mom, dad and I had another whirlwind weekend last weekend; the San Diego Wild Animal Park, Oceanside Ale Works to celebrate their year anniversary, my flight got cancelled on Friday for no apparent reason, saw our priest for wedding planning in December, and we had scrumptious yummies throughout the weekend. It all happened so fast that I was back to work before you could say phoenix roebelenii.

The San Diego Wild Animal Park was the highlight of the trip, as I wanted to continue our Zoo Tour across the state. This is similar to our mission tour to see all the California Missions. Our journey to Africa, Baja, and other savanna climates was way cool. We had the opportunity to walk through palm trees offering a gentle mist, a sundae, and a wild way to cool off in the warm sun and through the vast park looking at plants and creatures.

The first part of our adventure was a journey into Africa. An exciting expedition, with brightly colored buildings, masks, an aviary, and a diverse animal collection created a new adventure for us. We didn’t take the Balloon Safari, as the line was long and the balloon too high for some. I suspect you can get a bird's-eye view of the entire Wild Animal Park on this expensive balloon in the sky. We had a good vantage point from the top of the panoramic point. We could see lions, rhinos, giraffes, wildebeest, and gazelle, as well as the beautiful San Pasqual Valley.

We also experienced the Wild Animal Park Gardens, A Garden in the Valley. Can you imagine greeting horticulturist Jim Gibbons as he drove up to the Nairobi Village construction area in early 1972 with not a plant in sight? Well, we saw, nestled among the hills of the San Pasqual Valley, the unique refuge for wildlife and a safe harbor for species which he envisioned thirty years later. From towering acacias and conifers swaying at lofty heights, to the prickly beauty of denizens of the desert, to the astonishing hues of blossoms vying for the attention of pollinators, the Wild Animal Park offers an array of plants for the curiosity and enjoyment of all. The Baja cactus garden was most impressive, and since it was so high into the park, few people wandered to the top. Whether you’re a horticulturist, a gardening buff or a novice to things green and leafy, or prickly for that matter, the Park displays plants that will intrigue and delight you. Botanical highlights await you in this extraordinary garden. Can we go again and take the land warrior vehicles next time, Lara?

Planting the Park

Just imagine: 1,800 acres, part chaparral, part bare dirt after construction, and it’s your job to turn it into an African and Asian paradise within a matter of months. This was the challenge facing the horticulture staff of the newly created Wild Animal Park in 1972. The remarkable job of planting, landscaping, irrigating, and designing this parcel of land in the San Pasqual Valley was one they threw themselves into with determination. All the planting had to be done from scratch that first year. The horticulture staff put some 500,000 trees, shrubs, flowering plants, and ground covers in the ground within only a few months. By working with local garden clubs, botanical societies, and specialty nurseries, as well as receiving plant specimens from other countries through special permits, over the years the Wild Animal Park has been able to maintain plants that represent geographical areas all over the world. The Park’s location, inland from the coast, and its varied elevations lend themselves to the establishment of a wide range of plants, creating a collection that few places in the world could duplicate.

The Wild Animal Park is a truly unique place, with one of the finest collections of herbaceous splendor to be found anywhere, and many rare and endangered plants and animals thrive in its safe surroundings in trust for the future. From here, the horticultural side of the Park can only continue to grow, as it branches out in new directions from its well-rooted foundation. The Park has some great animals too!

Lake Eleanor and Kibbie Creek the Following Weekend

Now Entering a Dog Free Zone (Pictures to Follow Soon)

This weekend the folks and I entered into the Yosemite National Park uninvited. We went through Cherry Lake, via the Stanislaus National Forest, so we could take Kosmo. Little did we know it was a dog free zone. But we went anyway and we enjoyed a day on Kibbie Creek. It took us over an hour to hike 1.5 miles into the Hecht Hechty Wilderness on a trail that hasn’t been used in ages. We truly enjoyed the weekend and so did Kosmo.