It's a bit froggy outside today.

Picture taken in Malibu Creek State Park with LG camera-phone so resolution is not the best, but try to find the little frog who is well-camoflauged in its leaf-litter surroundings.

(Design, Divine, or Clementine?)

Adamson Home in Malibu

Green man appears to be quite happy here and, as legend would have it be, he has protected the beautiful property so that it is preserved for all to visually enjoy for a long time to come. Apparently the inhabitants washed their dogs in the outdoor bathtub. What a life it would have been for dog, human, and plant living here!

The Purples and Yellows of the Santa Monica Mountains

Purple is a color on the cool side of the spectrum. In auras and in history purple is a color of royalty. Yellow is a color on the warm side of the spectrum.

In auras it represents happiness and joy. It is the original color of the "happy face". Notice how the California state flower of the poppy is spearing itself. We were hiking at the Upper Zuma Canyon trail--part of the Backbone Trail--and went to the waterfalls which is where we saw flowers one and four. The first photo is a blue larkspur of the genus delphinium. The species is unidentified as of yet. Second photo is Collarless California Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa). Third photo is Parry's Phacelia (Phacelia parryi). Fourth photo is Creek Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatas).

1. 

Dog Day Afternoon

Here is a poem I wrote after after an upsetting event on the freeway while I was going to my work in telecommunications one day, 30 December 2008. I wrote it when I finally got to my desk and had to plug into the expectations of the rest of the workday:

T1 channel twenty-one
1452 Columbus sailed the ocean blue
Boy, has At&T got a blackberry for you
"I see big errors"
Don't you see them too?
Or do you care if it's even true?
Too many lanes on the freeway there
Cross connected to a VT1 erred
Tell me what else has been done
If all the lanes run into one
An aqua towel to pick up aqua
Is it enough to dry your eyes?
Yes, those are my eyes crying
Tears from when I saw there lying
God's creature taking it while dying.

Nothing compares to camping out in the desert. The air is fresh. There is no one else around. There is no pollution. The sky is blue. You can hike up to a saddle past cholla cactus to junipers and then see down to the next canyon over and all the way out past the highway.

Planes, Trains and Flying Automobiles

Speaking of Harry Potter, doesn't this car remind you of the flying car that belonged to Ron Weasley's father, that he and Harry stole one night and then ended up in the Womping Willow?

Anyway, I thought it was cute. And if you want to see it, it's not too far from an ostrich farm. Yeah. Really!

Unlucky in Luck. But Luck Isn't Everything.

It's been a long time since I have graced the blogging doorstep. I hope no one has been waiting on my every blog. I wrote this little poem recently on my Skype site, "5 days I work, 2 I'm free. I try to be positive I'll win the lottery." But, you know, I have played several of those games recently (fortunately at not too much money) and I have come to the conclusion that some people are just not lucky. That is me. I am not lucky. Everything I have in life I have either worked for or been given either as a hand-me down or a gift. But I am not talking about gifts like cars, houses, boats, trips to Paris, or college educations. Don't get wrong; I love all my gifts. I appreciate everything I have a lot and those who have given to me over the years whether in friendship, gifts or time. But I think it's time to change this little poem to,

"I don't get those numbers even though I really need to.
I'm just not that lucky in the gas stations and liquor stores I speed to.
To spend those single dollars a gal like me has rolled in pennies,
and believing you can win is silly, as silly as any,
but believing in yourself may be the only thing you need to
order when it's time to get a meal at Denny's."