Saturday, July 31, 2010

Wonderful gift


Wonderful gift, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Lovely friends at DuckworthMehner my financial advisors, sent me this
gift when Grand-baby Mia was born, see below post.
They also sent some very yummy treats for "The Two Square Dogs" who
love them !
They are sending back Square Thanks....

Why I am posting this picture of the un-opened gift ? besides the fact
it is wrapped beautifully is. . .
I have always loved this color combination.
I just like it and never gave it to much thought . . .
Nice colors and the green is the color of the moment but I have always
loved this color combination.

Well I just found out why. . .
The ribbon is the Blue of the Arizona Sky and the Green is the color
of the Palo Verde Tree that grows everywhere in Tucson.
Of course the white is the brilliant white of our Summer clouds.
I have always been drawn to these colors and over the years have worn
or used this combination in my art and home.

I grew up around these colors so I guess that is why I feel so
comfortable around them.
When I moved back to Tucson, Arizona after living many different places,
I remember driving down the Interstate heading South to Tucson and a
wave of feelings engulfed me,
I knew at that moment this was my home and I had missed it very much.

colorful. . . parsnip
music, Part Of Your History, Blue Merle

Fabulous Friends


Fabulous Friends, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Fabulous friends sent me this wonderful book and CD. The artwork is
beautiful and I cry every time I read the story.

There was a mix up with the mail, my fault, but all is straightened
out now.

The book is coming with me on my trip to Japan to see my little Grand-
baby. What fun we will have !

reading. . . parsnip
music. . . Either Way It Goes, Blue Merle

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Century Plant Blooms


Century Plant Blooms, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Close-up of the blooms of the Century Plant

Century Plant


Century Plant, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

More Century Plant Information...

The plant I cut down was
about 11 feet wide and 6 feet tall
the blooming shoot was 20 inches around at the base and 35 feet tall.

This photo shows two small sprouts in the front and one large plant in
back.
next week the gardner will clean up the old growth and transplant the
three babies.

happy. . . parsnip
music. . . Back In The High Life Again, Steve Winwood

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

little bear feet


07.11feet-1, originally uploaded by sleepytako.

This is what you do... if your a Kuma-chan ( bear) Daddy having fun with your camera while under the guise of taking care of your Koguma-chan (small bear) Daughter.

I love baby feet they are even better, if possible, than the tiny little hands !

ahhhhh . . . parsnip
music. . . 1 2 3 4, Feist

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The End


The End, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

On my post of 25 April 2010 I started an off and on post of The Good
The Bad The Really Really Sad....

This is now the Sad post.
This is the end of one of my most loved Century Plant. Two where
planted together at the outside fence in my back yard.
I loved them as plants and as living sculpture

Century Plants bloom only once in their life. Why it is called this
is because of "the once in a century bloom"
The stalk that blooms is so large and grows so fast it saps the plant
of all its resources and the plant dies after blooming.
The blooming stalk on this plant was thirty-five feet tall.

When I was a little girl living in Tucson, I really thought the plant
had to be a century old to bloom.
I now found out the plant lives about twenty-five years bloom and then
dies. I roughly figured this plant was at lest twenty-eight years old.
I also had a Century Plant in the front yard that bloomed at the same
time and had stalk was forty feet tall.

sad. . . parsnip
music. . . Breathe, Alexi Murdoch

The beginning of the end


The beginning of the end, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

When I woke up early one morning and I saw the starting of the stalk I
knew that I would see over the next few months a glorious show of
Mother Nature.
But at the end after the Century plant bloomed it would die and I
would really miss this plant.

Century Plant


Century Plant, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

May growth.

The last view


The last view, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

One of the last pictures of the Century plant before I had it cut down
on 22 July 2010.
It was 35 feet tall and the birds all loved to sit on it and survey
their world.
I really miss this plant and I know nature has to run it course but It
was a very beautiful plant and I will miss it in my yard.
All the animals, birds, and the crawly things I don't like will really
miss it also.

Goodbye !

Friday, July 23, 2010

Monsoons are here !


Monsoons are here !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

The monsoons has started !
It has been raining, thundering, lighting and flash flooding all over
town this week.

On Thursday a man had to to rescued from the Santa Cruz River when he
fell and became trapped between a steep embankment and the fast moving
river.
Now why he decided he needed to walk along the embankment by the fast
moving rain swollen river but he did and Tucson Fire Department
had to stage a white water rescue.

At the same time a local skateboarded decided he need cross a rain
swollen street was knocked over and needed to be rescued.
Thank goodness both men are fine but very lacking in the brain
department.

For the last two months all the news channels have had shows on
Monsoon, with warnings, what to do and not to do.
And yet they swim, walk, fall and drive cars and truck through the
swollen rivers, creeks, streets and underpasses.

The next person who says " but I thought I could make it " gets a
super big fine, has to repay the Fire/Rescue Department
and a rolled up paper smack across the head !

As you can see in this picture it is raining hard in the mountains and
the flash flood will appear in our rivers, creeks and streets in
minutes,
even if where you are it is sunny and no trace of rain.

It is Summer in Tucson !

dry. . . parsnip
music. . . Loopy ! Loopy !, Sky

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Tama Super Cat !


Tama Super Cat !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Pat of the blog Past Imperfect had a post on 7 July about the Minehead
Train Station and the flower bed that her friend Joy was involved in.
That made me think of the Kishikawa Train Station In Japan.

On my last trip to Japan I found this book about Tama a Calico Cat who
helped save the Kishikawa Train Station.
The separate little train paper at the bottom of this picture is a
wrapper that goes around the book
and shows the train with the Strawberries that this area is known for.

This cat is responsible for turning around the fortunes of the
troubled Wakayama Railway.
One day she showed up at the train station and started to greet the
passengers and a star was born.
She now is dressed in a uniform cap and she poses for photos with the
tourists who are flocking to the station in droves. . .

And as they say in the movies the station was saved !

Tama has done such a good job of raising revenue and passengers have
been gradually returning to ride the train,
that she was rewarded by a new title "Super Train Station Master" and
given a raise. . .

all in cat food of course !

traveling. . . parsnip
music. . . Tonari No Totoro, OST, My Neighbor Totoro

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Friends...


Friends..., originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Summer friends.
When it is hot, the temperature at 10:30 this morning was 100 + 26%
humidity, any cool shady place is a friend/ignore zone.
The clouds are building up and I hear thunder in the distance. I hope
this means in the afternoon the rain will come. Yea !

There are Quail, Cottontails, Squirrels and various lizards cooling
off and relaxing in the shade this morning. They dig in the damp soil
and then lay down to cool off.
Squirrels and lizards are out of view to the right with more
Cottontails and Quail. I counted 15 Quail milling and more are
resting under the bushes.

I love the way the Quail were just walking around looking for seeds
and the Bunny was just laying there not a care in the world.
Can we all say Spa Day ?

With the super bright light and dark shade, this was the best shot
from my studio window without spooking everyone.

hopeful. . . parsnip
music. . . Breathe, Telepopmusik

note....
Not sure if you can see but the Quail in front of the Bunny is the
Leader and he knows I am in the house taking this picture.
He is staring me down. . . Cheeky devil !

Monday, July 12, 2010

Another Summer Another Fire...

Early Saturday afternoon, the starting of the Mc Fall fire in Sabino
Canyon, about 5 minutes from my home.
Living for so many years in California and having my home burned in
the big Laguna Beach fire in 1983 you know what a fire smells like
plus you can feel the vibe in the air.

I looked up from my desk in my studio and this is what I saw. It
almost looked liked the morning mist or light fog when I lived in
Laguna Beach. If you make the photo bigger you can see some flames to
the left and smoke to the right.
It is not a big fire and was very slow moving, and the Fire Department
is keeping an eye on it and will let it just burn it's self out.
That night looked like someone strung some fairy lights on the ridge
top, a sad dangerous beauty

I remember the press liked to broadcast from in front of what was left
of my home because we had a fireplace and two walls with a window
still standing.
To this day even the smell of a barbeque or a fireplace in winter
triggers memories. It is only in the last few years that I can have
a fire in my fireplace.
In the end all is well and sometimes a small fire is good, it burns
off some old growth, the summer rain will clean the air and for me
memories are just that some good and some bad.

Funny fire story and why I love Shirley MacLanie. . .

California was on fire that Fall, this seemed to to the fore-runner
of all the big fires California has been having of late. The Laguna
Fire happened just before a huge LA Earthquake and another fire in
Malibu.
Malibu is known for movie stars, beautiful ocean views, mudslides and
fires.
The news crew was interviewing Shirley and with no make-up hot fire
wind blowing her hair she is giving a great interview about the fire
and her home. With her great smile and attitude she said that Malibu
was thinking of changing their area code to 911. You gotta' love her !

Irma La Duce. . . parsnip
music. . . Bittersweet Memory, Blue Merle

Friday, July 9, 2010

Ramen Bear

Japanese son took this picture at a shop right by where he teaches in Amagasaki.

hungry... parsnip
music... we came to party, j kwon

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Naruto #1


Naruto #1, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Naruto Bridge with Whirlpool.

The day we drove over this bridge we saw several whirlpools in the
Sento Island Sea.
I have read about whirlpools before but never saw one. They are quite
big and really exciting to see.
They just sort of appear, I was mesmerized .

The Ferry, Cargo and Fishing Boats just cruise along, no big deal,
just another work day.
Meanwhile I am hanging out the car window trying to take a picture!
Just another crazed American tourist !

Check Tuesday's post for bridge photo

mesmerized. . . parsnip
music. . . Sailing, The Cafe Carlyle Sessions

Naruto #2


Naruto #2, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Road sign by the Naruto Bridge. You can see the Whirlpool symbol used
by the anime of the same name.

Naruto #3


Naruto #3, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Fun tourist map with Naruto Bridge and Whirlpool.

Notice very happy tourists driving red car, I had a car just like
that and it was fun to drive.
Unfortunately I didn't have the cute guy driving. Which really has
nothing to do with this Japanese sign.
I just thought I would toss that bit of unrelated info in for no
reason at all.

Japan has lots of this type of information signs all over.
I rather like them better than the newer plain ones we have in America.
When you look at this sign you know that you will have fun.
And I did !
This is where I bought the Bamboo Charcoal Cake and It was Fabulous !

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Congratulations Eryl !


Congratulations Eryl !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Sunset with Palo Verde, Mountains and Raindrops . . . I think there
are stars too, there must be stars !

Congratulations Eryl ! I
Hope I didn't miss your Graduation. . .

cheers, parsnip
music, From The Morning, Nick Drake

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Problems with Blogs and the Naruto Bridge... check post below

Check post below !

I too have had blog problems.... mine started with the last up-load I
was doing on Monday night.

The way my blog is set-up I post one picture only with text.
So to show more I have to start at last picture and work to first with
the main text, posting each one as I go.
All was going well till I hit the send button for the 5th and last
post when a new page dropped down ,
blah blah blah reset name, no server .... blah blah blah ? ? ? ? WT?

Of course it thought "comcast" the worst cable server in the world,
was at fault ... yes I did !
I could walk to Japan before anything downloads lately... Interference
anyone !

So I did post several picture but then deleted then because they made
no sense without the main post !

confused. . . parsnip
music . . . none today, too confused

Naurto Potato Chips.


Naurto Potato Chips., originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Japanese son sent me a box filled with some of my favorite things.

The bridge on the potato chip bag is the Naurto Bridge with the famous
Whirlpools.
These are special chips only out for a short time. They are seasoned
with Salt and Black and White Sesame Seeds that this area is famous for.
I just call them yummy.

The Suspension Bridge is almost as long as the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge
that I wrote about in my 3 August 2009 post.

The bridge has a glass enclosed observation deck that has you walking
under the bridge and above the Sento Island Sea and has great views of
the whirlpools.

The whirlpools inspired the anime series with the same name.

happy. . . parsnip
music. . . Walk On The Ocean, Toad The Wet Sprocket

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Happy 4th of July !


Happy 4th of July !, originally uploaded by angryparsnip.

Sorry, no pictures of a...
Backyard Pool Party
Fried Chicken
Hamburgers
Hot Dogs ( maybe two little square black dogs )
Corn on The Cob
Apple Pie with Homemade Ice Cream
or an evening filled with

FIREWORKS !

but...

A Big... Happy 4th of July To You All !

from a very Happy. . . parsnip
music. . . anything by John Phillips Sousa !