Red Bird on Branch painting

45" x 20"
Finally done. I've been working on this for months. Read that as: I've been working on and off on this and putting it off for weeks at a time for months ;)

But I'm happy with it.

Workshop days...

3.5 inch tall knitted whatsit kitty

'Pendragon'

I had several custom alien orders to get out this week. Sometimes though, you also have to make or finish a few other things hanging about to get into 'process mode.' A few pictures of some of those process creations.

Two unhappy days with hives

On Saturday afternoon something happened at work, still not sure what, that started me going on a semi-severe allergic reaction. I had bright red and pink hives spreading out from my neck, down my shoulders, up the side of my face etc... Benadyrl from an ER doctor put it down for about six hours then it continued it's march across my face, arms and stomach. Everywhere the rash spread cleared up four to eight hours, leaving only a slightly reddened surface behind. The rash continued in an 'orderly' downward and outward spread from the original point. That was actually the most confusing part, that it was so regular in pattern. I went to my doctor on Monday morning. She gave me a steroid shot. The hives have mostly subsided now but it was definitely something I don't want to happen again. Doctor couldn't explain the cause of it. She said most cases like this if the person doesn't know themselves what triggered it a doctor can't pinpoint the cause without allergic reaction tests. The pattern of spread was 'systemic', something following the bloodstream?

Esme's two front teeth

Esme at 9 months...


Two bottom teeth!


Fuzzy headed after a bath and grinning

On My Desk

It's Friday, so it's a little late for this. But then, I've been working and haven't posted an 'On My Desk' for a while! Lately I've been covering two departments at the same time every night of the week, closing shift which includes putting away the freight truck while cleaning the areas up and serving the customers at the same time... and that was wearing on me some. Mostly I like my job - just that shift 5 nights in a row with nobody else in my department was getting to me a little. I had today off and start all over again tomorrow.

On My Desk is: Four unfinished mousebears for Kara, and several knitted dishcloths. Also some new fabric and yarn.

So why all the dishcloths? I've finally told my mom that we are going to visit in September. So there is a little anxiety there... Now I mostly knit when I've got something brewing on my mind -- and this is one of those occasions, even if it is mostly subconscious brewing.

Read all three of the Little Fuzzy books again. Love that series. Also have another book by H.Beam Piper 'Uller Uprising' which I had not even heard of before. But then, I wasn't really looking for non-Fuzzy books at the time I was reading him.

Baby Notes : Esme has two teeth now. She has learned to clap her hands, although she still sometimes misses ;) She is trying to 'fall forward' onto things when going from one cruising surface to the other, which is closer to trying to take a step! She is also saying 'kee' every time she sees Pogo cat, which is her version of 'kitty' :)

'Got Mom'

Mark got this picture of Esme sleeping sweetly on my chest as we watched a movie the other night. He said 'Got Mom, everything is right with the world, snooze now...'

Hawk Moth

I saw something that was similar to a bumblebee, but had a large body with the streamlined shape of a hummingbird. Mark got a picture of one just like it in the garden.

It is a Hawk Moth. The 'hummingbird moth' is also of the same family.

Bounty

Esme and me at the lake

We call this Esme's 'muppet grin.'

These are pictures Mark took when he and I and Esme
went down to the lake with our dogs.


Sitting on the hill


Watching the dogs run by

There are pictures of the dogs too, but they are mostly blurs ;) Lots of other pictures of Hazel being small amidst tall stands of grass.

Note: I went to the doctor today for that hard mass on the side of my foot. It has been expanding for the past few years, and has begun to really hurt. I thought it was just a deformity from when I broke my foot, until it began to change in shape and size. Dr. says it is a 'ganglion cyst' where there is a 'gel-like fluid' collecting in a joint deep in the ankle. It causes swelling and pressure between the tendons and veins. It might drain by itself, or continue to expand in which case there is a minor surgery to correct it.

Box Turtle and 'HypnoToadJr.'

Pictures Mark took with his new camera lens.


This box turtle was laying eggs in our front yard.


This tiny peeper frog was about the size of a quarter.

Esme and Hazel Chew Fight

Mark has been taking some wonderful pictures with the new camera :)
Here Esme and Hazel appear as if they are about to have a chewing fight with each other.

Book: 'Kittens are Like That'

This is a 1976 picture book we picked up at the flea market. Esme loves it. She made lots and lots of noise at one of the pages where a fuzzy kitten gets dried off in a towel. Here is a picture of that kitten getting wet! Of all the cats in this book it looks the most like our Pogo, complete with the orange eyes.



All the pictures are wonderful. There are also plenty of cats to count on several pages. It is obvious on every page that the artist really knew and studied cats. Attitudes all cat owners will recognize show through in eyes, ears and body posture. All the fuzzy kittens would make any baby excited about reading this book with Mommy or Daddy.