Night photo

Night photo, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

My camera works for me just point and click. It is a Kodak Easy Share
and for most of my needs it is fine. Small and light enough for me to
carry around quick and easy to use .

At certain times I do wish for a better camera and this is one of
those times . . . the evening sky.
Tucson, Arizona has worked hard to keep light pollution down, because
of Kitt Peak Observatory, so the evening sky is filled with stars.
Fabulous !

Early Tuesday Morning I was able to see some of the Leonid Meteor Shower and
wishing I could take some pictures of our starry sky. It was a truly a
wonderful morning and the mood was helped by the crisp cold
temperature. Perfect !

This photo is from early this month. The moon was huge and the sky so
clear, but alas this photo is not anywhere near how wonderful it really looked.

starry . . . parsnip
Music. . . Last Exile. . . O.S.T.

Persimmon

Persimmon, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

This is a Fall Postcard from Japan, and that means Persimmons ! ! !

I love Fuyu Persimmons you can eat them right away and they are crisp
and crunchy and so very tasty.
I don't like the Hachiya Persimmons you have to wait for them to
ripen, too soft and mushy. If you bite into an unripe one they are
bitter and astringent.

The Bottle of Sparkling Sake is my latest find. Not a big fan of Sake,
rather have a beer with my sushi but I love the label and bottle
shape. Not too sure about the "Sparkling" but who knows might be good ?

The little card holder is from one of my trips to Japan.

Autumn . . . parsnip
music . . Happiness . . . Goldfrapp

Good Square Dog Watson !

Good Square Dog Watson !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

This is Watson, he is a Brindled Scottish Terrier, he is ten years
old. He is also the sweetest dog, super smart, very loving and tries
to take care of everyone. He is just like a Mum !
He has always been very healthy, only saw the vet for yearly check-ups
and shots. Good dog, Watson.

All of a sudden he lost a lot of weight, and started a small cough at
night. Took him to the vet, 104 temperature, tons of tests and x-
rays, several days to wait for results. . . He has Valley Fever.

This is not good, I got Valley Fever when I was 18 years old . . . it
is a terrible illness. Fatigue, swollen joints, rashes, lesions,
weakened immune system, symptoms similar to tuberculosis.
I have been doing more research on it and find a study that links
Valley Fever to Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and then Lupus. So far this
has been true for me.

Now my Watson has this illness. So for the next 9 to 10 months I have
to make sure he eats, unlike me he really doesn't like to eat, watch
his temperature, give him lots of meds and just spoil him.
I have my work cut out for me but thats OK he has been a good friend
and I love him.

Between us we each are now taking so many pills, I think we now
jingle when we walk, just in time for Christmas !

relieved . . . parsnip
music. . . Ordinary Day, Vanessa Carlton

Hurt Javelina

Hurt Javelina, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Today when I came home I found two Javelinas sleeping in the well of
my Grapefruit tree. Or so I thought . . . .

The big Leader was laying near the smaller female and she was not
moving. For over 4 hours I kept watch, from my studio windows looking
to see if she was breathing. She was breathing but not moving much.
The Leader of the herd stayed and kept watch.
Then something heartbreaking sad, sweet, kind and wonderful happened,
as the big male got up other Javelinas from the herd came over to
snuggle next to her. Several babies even squeezed in. Then they got
up after a few minutes and several other came to snuggle. After about
30 minutes they moved and the leader came back. She seemed to perk up.
See above picture, the female is on the right and the leader is resting on the
left. I know it is not the best photo but I didn't want to upset the
sick/injured Javelina.

I called the wonderful Tucson Wildlife Center and they sent two
volunteer staff members over to check on her and if needed try to
capture her. By the time they came she had gotten up and wobbled over
to the bushes. The two staff members checked out the herd for the
injured Javelina but all looked fine and with all the babies around
the herd is very protective and dangerous.
So I am to keep watch and to keep checking on her condition and call
them if I see any change.

The other problem is the herd has lots of really tiny, young babies
( so really cute ) and one is coughing. That is a really bad sign as
babies born in winter months are very prone to pneumonia. I am now
watching for sick little ones too. If need the Tucson Wildlife Center
will come out and catch them and get medical attention to them and
when better release them back to the wild.

I love living with all the wildlife but sometimes it is hard for me to
understand Nature. I know that the animals have survived for hundred
of years on their own but I still can't help but feel powerless some days.
The animals were here first and I have intruded on their land so I try
to minimize my impact on the land and the wildlife living on it.

I am sending a donation to The Wildlife Center and adopting an animal
who cannot be released back into the wild. I think it will be Bubba
the Owl. I have always loved Owls and there is one who sits on my
fireplace chimney and hoots ( and eats the pesky and destructive pack
rats ) Love that Owl, I have named him Bernard.

pensive . . . parsnip
music. . . How To Save A Life. . . The Fray
L

Morning nap

Morning nap, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

This morning my older Scotty Watson really wanted to go out, sitting
by the studio door and looking at me. He rarely does this so I looked
out my windows towards the citrus trees and who was taking a nap in
one of the watering wells ? but the Leader of the Pack.
Needless to say Watson and Hamish did not get to go out and bark at
the Javelinas. Bad bad puppies !
Off to the side the rest of the herd were just walking around
quacking. . .

Side note:
This looks like a new young leader, I don't know what happened to the
older leader over the summer when they were up in the mountains where
it was cooler. I need to watch the herd over the next few weeks to see
who is who. Maybe it is the same leader but he is acting not as laid-
back as last year.

The white paint is to keep the anti-fungus medicine on the bark of the
citrus trees.

smiling . . . parsnip
music. . . Nice Day . . . Persephone's Bees

BOO !

BOO !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Happy Halloween !

This little hot cup comes from the 7 Eleven Store. They have been
running a promotion as Target did last year. The only problem for
some reason both stores just call him Domo instead of his true name
Domo Kun. I guess saying his whole name is too hard for Americans ?

I think he is/was the mascot for NHK Television. I heard his name came
about by an announcer saying Domo Konnichiwa, a greeting ( well hello
there ) or Hello Domo a fun pun Domo Kun. The station ran short
announcements with him, and a Star was born.

He is so cute and I am a big fan !

scary. . . parsnip
music. . . Monster Mash. . . The Mistfits

Miso soup

Miso soup, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

I spent a week in Laguna Beach, California. It was time to see . . .

Financial advisers , Thank goodness there are people in the world who
love numbers and I have wonderful advisers.

Friends, Oh my goodness I miss my Laguna friends. Thank you Debbie
for the week I spent at your lovely home, sleeping with the windows
open and the sounds of the Ocean, such a treat.

Laguna Beach, I miss the Ocean and the Pelicans. When I lived in my
home by the beach my favorite thing to do was watch the Pelicans fly
by always in formation, riding the thermals .

Going to Miitsuwa, Japanese market, and stocking up on supplies to
take home, and have lunch at the food court.
The above picture of Miso Soup with Special Pork is from one of the
restaurants. There is always so may choices but this is the one for
me. The Pork is so tender it almost melts into the Miso soup you get
to add the pickled plums, seaweed, green onions, bamboo shoots and
fish cake. It is so wonderful.

On the way home to Tucson I was driving through the huge windstorm
that came right before the cold front that hit all of us in the West.
The windstorm was so bad around Picacho Peak, Arizona that the dust
blew across the road in waves, you could barely see the white lines on
the road and the car lights in front of you. It was very scary for
several miles and I was so happy to get through it in one piece.

Now I am home and the really cold weather will only last for a few
days and by the weekend it will be back to normal. Yahoo !

freezing . . . parsnip
music. . . Ride Like The Wind, Christopher Cross. Cafe Carlyle Sessions