Leannderthal

These are the stamps I carved on my Saturday retreat last week:

With my feet under a fuzzy cat, resting after grocery shopping and a nice walk in the sunshine.  It appears spring is here, but we in Michigan know not to trust the weather.

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places Lynn Krawczyk spends her life standing. Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on. If you’d like to join her by posting a photo on Sunday of places you’ve been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on her Sunday posts telling her where she can find you/your photo and she’ll add a link to her sidebar so others can find you. I am one of those that Lynn has badgered into joining her, I have changed it to “where I stood”, because right now I’m sitting in front of the computer, not standing anywhere.

This is Abraham, the guitar fish.  His species has been around for at least 150 million years, with very little evolving, so if you have any history questions he is the one to ask.  Abraham has wonderful ray-like fins added to his shark-like aerodynamic body, so he should really enjoy swooping around the oceans, but he doesn’t.  He would much rather rest on the ocean floor, and sleep.  Despite his sharkish looks, he is a peacenik, and is no danger as long as you are not a small crab or other sea creature living on the bottom of the sea.  I don’t know why this 40″ guy is called a guitar fish, I can only assume he plays a mean guitar.

These are a couple of jirds.  Mama jird is Beverly, and baby jird is Ryan.  Like most jirds, Beverly and Ryan have no regard for the 24 hour cycle, they sleep on and off all day and night.  They just have a short day in their internal clock, and don’t pay much attention to the sun.  These  little critters can leap a surprising distance, they think of themselves as kangaroos.  These are southern jirds, they don’t hibernate like some of their northern counterparts.  Beverly is very proud of her little guy, his is very smart and a quick learner. 

This is Hester, the bush-cricket.  She looks a little sad, I think it is because bush-crickets are locust with wings, they are tied to the bush for they cannot fly.  You can tell Hester is a girl by the ovipositor, that’s the long stick-like organ that is attached to her abdomen and goes out behind her.  It will help her deposit her eggs underground.  That “saddle” on her back is the way she makes piercing sounds.  Hester’s ancestors played havoc with the vines of France, but with pesticides their numbers have dwindled.  Hester is looking for a mate, she is having trouble finding a reliable  boyfriend.  Wish her luck.

This weekend, while up north, I brought some watercolor paper cut in circles and encouraged the creative participants to make their own mandalas.  I was surprised at the results, these guys were great!

Jane’s mandala

Lynn’s first mandala

Lynn’s second mandala

Stephanie’s mandala

Cathy’s mandala

cool, huh?

This past weekend Stephanie and Sidney, two very cool sisters, invited several people included Jane and I (two less cool sisters) up to their parents summer “cottage”.  Cottage is in quotes because it’s nicer than my house, get rid of images of dust and bugs and outdoor plumbing and no power.

Jane and I could only make it up for Saturday, but, man, what a great time!  What I found coolest was even though the house is huge and there are lots of places to work, we all crowded around one table so we could keep easy contact.  Despite the lack of room for art supplies on that table, we still made room for snacks.

Jane and Lynn working diligently.

Stephanie, with Kathy hand sewing in the background. 

Sidney, blowing everyone away with her talent, as usual.  Thank you guys, it was a fabulous time!

Yesterday was the official celebration of our friend Ian making Eagle Scout!  Here he is with two very proud parents, at St. Hugo’s in Bloomfield Hills.

Here Ian talks about what becoming an Eagle Scout means, and thanks all those who helped.  You might note something on this picture if you know anything about Eagle Scouts.  You might know that to become an Eagle, you need 21 merit badges, and it looks like perhaps Ian has a few extra.  Well, yes, he does have a few extra.  Ian has earned 79 merit badges.  He a bit of an overachiever.

I can’t imagine anything that would make Angela prouder.  Congratulations!!

In my party shoes, ready for a celebration!

You might wonder why I do watercolors.  Then again, you might not, but I’m telling you anyway.  Many years ago, Jane came back from Europe with a present for me, a small portable set of watercolors,  approx. 3.5″ x 5.5″.  I then bought some watercolor paper in postcard size and decided to send hand painted watercolor postcards instead of commercial post cards, and that’s pretty much what I’ve done ever since.  It wasn’t an interest (or talent) in watercolors, it was carrying around the cute little set that got me going.

I bring this up because since then I’ve been through several sets, and I’ve just given up on these two and got a new one.

I do not understand why they chose to name the set after Van Gogh, he’s not really known for watercolors.

The brush comes in two sections so you can put the bristle end into the other side and fit it in the top of the set.  It has every thing you need, except a cup of water.  Cool, no?