The Day Before December 1

I have no excuses. It's been way too long since I posted here, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now the December holidays are upon us.

I would love to have these pretty ornaments to decorate the tree this year, but seeing as how I can't even manage to post on a regular basis, I'm not going to pretend that I will have the time to craft these hand-folded ornaments. But I wanted to share this tree with you that I came across at friend's house in Vietnam. Her son made these a few years back, and as he is currently serving in the military, they serve as a daily reminder of him.

I think the sentiment is just as sweet (if not more so) as the ornaments themselves. Here's to remembering both our loved ones as we start the holiday season and celebrating the little, beautiful things that life has to offer.

Pretty Pagoda

This is the Tran Quac Pagoda located in Hanoi.

Motor Scooter Rooster!

I spotted this rooster while walking down the street in Ho Chi Minh City. I wouldn't have been surprised in the least if someone came out, hopped on the scooter and proceeded to cruise along with the rooster seated in front. I've seen stranger things.

Geckos!

So I was dining at an outdoor restaurant in Vietnam, and I spotted these guys just hanging out in the fluorescent light on a wall not far from where we were eating. They look sort of alien-like in this light; I like it. I like it a lot.

More Riding On a Motorbike in Vietnam

Fasten your seatbelts! Oh wait, motorbikes/scooters/whatever you call them don't have them. Yeah, so just hold on then. Even little kids can do it...little kids without helmets.

About That Traffic

Wow. It's almost July, and I have totally fallen behind on even getting pictures up from Vietnam.

But in lieu of those pictures (which I swear actually do exist), here is short clip of what it was like to ride on the back of a motorbike in Ho Chi Minh City. During rush hour traffic. In the most populated city in Vietnam.

It's a bit wild. (Notice the guy who makes an appearance on the far right hand side of the screen at about the 00:06 mark; I'll make a comment about him later).

I managed to take almost every mode of transportation possible during my trip (bus, train, plane, automobile, boat and motorbike). This was the most entertaining by far, though it does start to get uncomfortable over long distances. If you're ever in Ho Chi Minh City, you really must try it.

Let It Be Known

I promise never to complain about traffic in Los Angeles again.

I also promise that I'm going to be back soon with lots of pictures from my trip to Vietnam.

Where I Am

Greetings and salutations from Vietnam! I have been busy traveling about this amazing country, and I will definitely be posting pictures and share my adventures once I return.

This morning I went snorkeling off the coast of Nha Trang, where beautiful sea life abounds. The picture above is the view from the boat off of one of the moorings.

Hope you are enjoying your travels, wherever they may take you. I'll be back soon.

How To Get Through Pesky Pocket Doors

Today's "How To" tutorial is brought to you by Charley.

I discovered last night that I can open pocket doors! Yay, me! If you ever feel the need to go exploring but can't get through, just follow my 7 easy steps.

Step 1: Use paw to rattle pocket doors to open them just a bit. Step back, in case the noise has gotten the attention of the hoomans.

Step 2: Use nose to push open door farther.

Step 3: Repeat Step 2 on the other door.

Step 4: Check to make sure the coast is clear.

Step 5: Lick nose.

Step 6: Look cute, just in case the hoomans are watching.

Step 7: Freedom! Be sure to keep head low so as to not alert the hoomans.

Radish Math 101

This is why I heart radishes. (Note: The math in this post may or may not be entirely fictional.) I actually have a recipe for this, which I will post soon. Stay tuned!

I Heart Radishes

I'll tell you why tomorrow, okay?

A Ham I Am

This colt likes to have his picture taken.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

My Favorite View in the Whole World

My favorite view is, hands down, between my horse's ears.

Vision & Venture

"Vision is not enough; it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the step; we must step up the stairs."

-Vaclav Havel

In Four Days

The 2010 Run for the Roses will commence! Here's to mint juleps and fast ponies like the one picture here in this (intentionally) over-exposed shot.

Are you ready?

Simple Spring Dinner

Last week I had a couple of friends over for dinner, and we collaborated on making dishes from Martha Stewart's Simple Spring Menu.

Everything turned out beautifully, from the Roasted Salmon with Herbed Yogurt to the Tender Lettuce Salad to the Lemony Smashed Potatoes.

We also went ahead and made a broiled asparagus version of the Sauteed Asparagus with Dijon Vinaigrette since I had some asparagus on hand and the Dijon Vinaigrette coordinated well with the other dishes.

This was a very easy dinner to put together (especially if you have lovely friends who don't mind giving you a hand in the kitchen) as the ingredients are pretty minimal, but still delicious.

Enjoy!

Tuesday Tulip

The tulips that I planted way too late this winter have come up, albeit in dwarf versions of themselves, perhaps due to the late planting. I'm not quite sure. But either way, I'm just happy nothing dug up the bulbs.

Happy Tuesday! Treat yourself today.

Calling Charley

Charley is pretty attentive towards things going on out on the street.

But then when I call him, he quickly turns.

And begins his Basset Hound run.

Or amble, as the case may be. Bassets are not really known for high-speed pursuits.

But he gets going eventually. I imagine the lack of aerodynamic ears slows him down a bit.

Of course, carrying your ears in your mouth could help with that matter.

Let's Get Dirty

No, not dirty in that way, but in all that other way, as in with actual dirt from the garden. This is the compost pile that I started last year for the garden. I got the compost bin from a friend who wasn't using it, and I immediately put it to use, adding vegetable scraps and yard clippings. There are actually a number of things that you can't put in the compost; generally speaking, you can't add fats or protein. Click here for more information on what items you can compost and their relative decomposition time. I can tell you from personal experience that egg shells take a long time to decompose, as do some paper products.

As per the usual, Charley and Lola were on hand to help out. And by help out, I mean they were just waiting for belly rubs.

I wish I had a video of the wriggling mass that has become the compost pile. There are so many worms it's hard to fathom. This was not started as a worm composting bin, meaning I didn't add worms myself, but somehow they found their way there.

It's hard to believe that a year ago this was just a jumble of leaves and grass clippings and stems from vegetables and dying flowers. But look! It's now teaming with life.

It's kind of magical, really. I can't wait to turn these guys loose in the garden, which is just starting to sprout some seeds. The sunflowers and radishes have been the first to come up so far.

But in case you don't find that picture of all the squirming worms anything close to magical, I will end this post with Charley. Because he has magical powers and can make anything better. Just look deep into his eyes if you don't believe me.

Introducing Squiggles

Squiggles was born about a month ago (it seems like only a few weeks, though, and it's possible that is actually the case, as time just seems to disappear into thin air and I tend to overestimate the passage of time in order to make up for the fact that time flies by).

Regardless of her actual age, I think she is simply adorable. I just love her squiggly strip on her nose, though I'm told this will actually straighten out with age, so I made sure to snap a couple of pictures this weekend before she loses this very distinctive marking.

Looking Back

A good friend of mine is headed to New York City with her mom in a few months, so I asked my Sis for a few recommendations for them since she lives there. And in doing so, I was reminded of my visit five years ago to see Sis after her move.

I had been to NYC before (for my 10th birthday, actually, and then for a brief weekend trip in 2001), but this was the first time I really explored the city at any length with someone who lived there. It was a whole new experience.

Currently, I take photographs with my SLR camera. But five years ago, I didn't have that camera, so I just shot pictures with my little 3.2 megapixel point-and-shoot.

Until today, I hadn't looked at these pictures in a long time. I'd like to think that I have matured a bit as a "photographer" since then. It's hard for me to think of identifying myself with being an actual photographer; I think I prefer the much less formal "taker of pictures."

At any rate, these photos took me back to a time when I had a lot to learn about photography (I still do, as I don't think you can ever stop learning)...and even more about life.

Upon reflection, I can see that they represent a process, a process that is ever-evolving, where I grow and learn, and then come back to myself a ways down the road and forgive myself for the errors I made and celebrate the achievements.

For example, I love the color in this picture, but as a straight-out-of-camera shot, it leaves a lot to be desired. And such first efforts are not limited just to photography; often such as it is with life. But we make mistakes, take risks, learn from experience and move forward.

I can appreciate the simplicity from which I viewed things, and I try to never forget that, either in my photography or in my life, as it seems that things just get increasingly complex as the years go by. And I think it's important to keep that childlike wonder alive.

I loved these pictures dearly when I took them, and while I still like a few of them, I can see their relative points of merit and demerit, as the case may be, with the experience I have gained over the past few years. I have grown since I took these pictures, and that process of growth reminds me of this poem:

"Comes the Dawn"

After awhile you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open,
And learn to build all your roads
On today because tomorrow's ground
Is too uncertain for plans, and futures have
A way of falling down in mid-flight.
After awhile you learn that even sunshine
Burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate
Your own soul, instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
that you really are strong
And you really do have worth.
And you learn and learn...
With every goodbye you learn.

-Veronica Shoffstall

Remember to be gentle with yourself...and others.

Love,
Little Miss This and That

Hello There

Just wanted to say hi. That's all. Just hi.

My Wish For Today

I would like it to be summer now, Mother Nature. This winter/spring madness has got to stop. I get all confused and my animals start shedding and then they stop and I wonder about what the caterpillars are doing. I mean, they eat and eat and then they make a cocoon so they can turn into a beautiful butterfly, but what happens to them when the weather keeps changing?

So can you just make it summer already? Do it for the caterpillars.

How I Get Distracted

I am a planner. And so I set about my day with the best intentions to get so many things accomplished.

But then, Charley happens.

When I see Charley walking towards me, I can't help but start singing that children's song in my head:

"Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o'er your shoulder
Like a Continental Soldier?
Do your ears...hang...low?"

And I can't help but smile when looking at that face. Those ears. And I get totally distracted from whatever plans I had for the day.

And then he does something like this, and I break out into a huge grin. I mean, those jowls.

And then this. I can't handle it. My day is shot because I can't seem to tear myself away from those big, brown, soulful eyes.

What I Learned from Pigs

So I got a nice thank you from Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture for posting pictures of lambs on their Facebook page (click here to become a fan), which I blogged about last year.

These pigs lead a pretty glorious life, and their simple existence taught me a thing or two. Like always be sure to make time for some relaxation...

...and exploration out in the fresh air.

And that there is nothing quite like the comfort of having friends and family around.

And ahhhh, there is nothing like a little mud bath on a spring afternoon. Life is sweet.