In the Wine Country

it's been a year, i'm backkk

2012-01-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

well Daniel and Pam are back in Italy, they call yesterday evening
to let us know they were safe and sound.

while they were here they stayed at our place for a few nights and the rest of
of the time it was at the property Ken and Becky care-take. the house is an old hunting cabin, remodeled nicely,
spring water and a few ponds, and BIG oak trees

this has seen better days

2011-01-03T12:46:00.000-08:00

here's zane, child playing by himself. having tons of fun..

LAST WEEK

2010-10-18T19:27:00.000-07:00

A LITTLE BUG.
the kids found this on the wall, Lily comes and grabs my finger..
"come see popo"

then another stinky flower blossom, with one more to bloom.

then Dalton finds this in the kitchen...two different bugs,
check the back color...
1st brown and the 2nd white

i like spiders and snakes..and stinky flowers

Something STINKY

2010-09-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

Site for more stink….heehee

http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/worlds-largest-and-smelliest-flowers-and-plants/offbeat-news

I'VE HAD THIS CACTUS TYPE SUCCULENT FOR YEARS.
it bloomed in the last few days, it had two flowers this year.

the flowers that attract flies.

Stapelia — Star Flower
Stapelia are small, low growing, spineless, cactus-like succulent carrion flower plants. The flowers are usually flesh-colored, hairy to varying degrees and emit the odor of rotten flesh. Blooms in some species can grow very large, notably Stapelia gigantea which can reach 16 inches (41 centimeters) in diameter.This is the first blossom.

second blossom, pot plant

more information.

The petals are covered with soft white hairs, resembling a layer of mold growing on rotting matter.

The putrid scent attracts attract various pollinators including blow flies of the dipteran family Calliphoridae. Flies and maggots are attracted to the central orifice where the male and female floral sex organs are located. The insects frequently lay eggs around the coronae of Stapelia flowers, convinced by the plants’ deception.

Stapelia are commonly known by various other names including Starfish Flower, Star Cactus, Giant Toad Flower, Zulu Giant and in Australia it’s called the Dead Horse Plant.

A handful of species are commonly cultivated as pot plants and used as rockery plants in countries where the climate permits. Most species are native to South Africa.

Carrion or Stinking Flowers
Unlike their sweet-smelling counterparts, the somewhat perverse carrion flowers and stinking flowers entice flesh and fecal-loving insects to their foul-smelling blooms in the guise of meat by their colors and fetid scents that typically smell and look like rotten flesh. Species and plant families vary, which include some of the largest and most bizarre flowers on earth.

Some species may trap the unwitting insects temporarily with movable parts in the flower that catapult or maneuver them to ensure the gathering and transfer of pollen.

Carrion flowers are masters in the art of deception as they lure these insects into their blossoms. The flowers become pollinated but the fate of the insects is far more dismal — maggots hatching from eggs laid by them will perish from lack of any suitable food. Unlike typical insect-pollinated flowers, most carrion flowers don’t waste precious energy on rewarding their pollinators with copious nectar.

The sources of the flowers’ unique scent is not fully identified, partly due to the extremely low concentration of the compounds (5 to 10 parts per billion), but simple amines present in decaying flesh called putrescine and cadaverine are known to be present. Dimethyl sulfides, including disulfide and trisulfide have been detected in Amorphophallus.

and that's the smell of it.

were off to the Pageant

2010-08-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

tonight in Laguna Beach, it's live art, and we get to take Donna.
a fun time for all, and great so. cal weather.

Amgen Tour of California, 2010:

2010-05-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

Tour of California

time to ride,

the tour starts sunday and goes thru the week to sunday,
this year the tour goes trough Patterson, on stage 4, by brother lives there. marshal, Georges' boy, is an EMT and will be on call that day. maybe get some pictures for me,
that s wed., Friday it runs from Lancaster to big bear.
click on tour above, the link above will take you to a page that has the times and channel.

the cannondale above is just one of the top brands used in the race

don't you love old pictures

2010-02-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

these pictures were shared with me from my cousin Kathleen

Julius Moelich, our great-grandfather. he was my dads grandfather on hs mothers side.

This next picture is of,

Mamie and Diee (Mary Helen and George Senior) at the cabin in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.
i think the young girl is Helen, my dads oldest sister. if it is then the picture was taken before 1920.

Christina Mercer(dads aunt), Bud Denton(daddy), Jean Anne(daddys little sis), John Mercer Jr., Bill Mercer(cousins,Christina two oldest), Mamie Denton. daddy looks to be maybe 6, picture taken about 29 or 30.Helen, (oldest sis), bud, jean ann, john and bil mercer, Alice Denton( sis)

tell what you think, need more.

CRACKED UP

2009-12-03T12:36:00.000-08:00

Dillion hard at work..
we had dillion by working on Ronna's kitchen, he found some corial at a very good price. wasn't the color she wanted, but its a couyntertop. hurrraaaah

and she got her stove, still need to be adjusted, the flame.

soo, were all
CRACKED UP.

busy times

2009-10-25T15:01:00.001-07:00

2 - 4 - lunch,

but it was more than that.
Last sunday we were able to listen to Daniel give his first public talk.
being the pop, i need to brag, IT WAS GOOD.
as a treat Grama and Valerie were here to hear it.
after the meeting we went and had Bar-b-que ribs, tri-tip, chicken, fried okra, taters and slaw.
Dan's brothers were there and 3couples, friend of dan & pam.
a smile and a fllower,

grama got to also see Krista, and her family. it's always a treat when family visits, never long enough.

Daniel has most thing in line for his exit to Italy, last time we talked he just needed 2 letters, and another trip to the consulate.
what grama to know the rear-end is dooin good, the bruise has gotten small.

Lilly
Daniel, Pam

Later that evening we sad good-bye to a young couple, the are moving to Maryland.
that's Sam, Isaac and Bonnie, we have know her since she was 2 were her parents moved to Temecula.
THOR the Viking warrior
Saturday we were going to go with a group to Julian,
our frenid that planed the picnic Friday evening dropped a marble cheeSe board on her foot.
OUCH!!!!!!!!
IT ENDs UP that Ronna and me, a young man and his mother were all that
made it there. what a nice quiet afternoon in the trees.
then pie in town.

i'm back, where have i've been?

2009-08-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

FACE BOOK

I FOUND face book, and the games and other things available through it.
getting involved with it I've neglected by blog, which takes though to prepare.

sO, As of today I'm going to work at
my blog at least once every 4 days.
this gives me game time, plus time to work on by blog.

check out my face book, would like to hear from you.

SEE-FOOD

2009-07-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

we all like see food, and some of us like sea food. one of my favorite is the shrimp.
small but mighty tasty.

this is a pink shrimp
and there is a difference between shrimp and prawns.

Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important food source for larger animals from fish to whales.

this one is steamed

they are also good bait.

see what we caught..

seashells, and see food

Friends

2009-07-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ed & Becky Kent
my friends stopped by last week, maybe 2 weeks ago. they had been to a concert at one of the local winerys. i went to school with Ed and in 71 i lived in so. pass with him.
that where we meet Becky, theymarried and have three girls.

it was real nice to see them, and have them as good friends.

BUGS -Ladies

2009-07-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Watch this clip.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/vp/31866374#31866374

back when i was working, one day a swarm of lady ATTACKED me and the guy i was working.
they were in the wet concrete on our backs, hair everywhere.
my boys laugh at me and it's,..." yea dad and they bite to" .

actually they were looking for water.
the sweat was one form the cement was another. had to trowel them in. evently they bugged out. that my story.....but ladybugs do swarm.

Ladybugs are a kind of beetle which is an insect. They are usually less than 1/4 in long (from 4-7 mm in length), and have oval bodies. The female ladybug is usually larger than the male. Most of them have red, orange, or yellow elytra (wing covers) and black spots. Some are black with red spots and some ladybugs have no spots at all! The number of spots helps to identify the kind of ladybug. The elytra is a hard wing cover that protects the ladybug's fragile wings. The ladybug's wings are so thin that you can see through them. The pronotum is found just behind the ladybug's head and it often has spots on it. It helps to hide and protect the head. Like all insects, the ladybug has six jointed legs. There are special organs on their feet to help them smell. The ladybug uses its antennae to touch, smell and taste.

There are nearly 5,000 different kinds of ladybugs worldwide and 400 which live in North America.
A female ladybug will lay more than 1000 eggs in her lifetime.
A ladybug beats its wings 85 times a second when it flies.
Aphids are a ladybug's favorite food.
Ladybugs chew from side to side and not up and down like people do
A gallon jar will hold from 72,000 to 80,000 ladybugs.

Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes terrible so that birds and other predators won't eat them.

If you squeeze a ladybug it will bite you, but the bite won't hurt.
The spots on a ladybug fade as the ladybug gets older.
During hibernation, ladybugs feed on their stored fat.
Ladybugs won't fly if the temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

The ladybug is the official state insect of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Tennessee.

The male ladybug is usually smaller than the female.
The Asian Lady Beetle can live up to 2-3 years if the conditions are right.

now boys BUG OUT

Loaded

2009-06-23T11:58:00.001-07:00

We like playing board games. when it comes to dice i don't like rolling the same pair twice.

i'm weird that way.
so Dion bought me this box of dices.
he said "you have to use only these from now on."
then he laughted..

NOT MUCH

2009-06-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

next weekend dalton's movin in .

NOT MUCH TIME LEFT.

I'LL BE CRAZY

WORKIN TO HARD

2009-05-20T15:02:00.001-07:00

WHO's THAT WORKING ---- bigd staining some base - this is after the breakfast tortillas.
wish i was playing golf

this balloon showed up last Saturday morning, it looks as if
it's going down in the neighbors...but... minutes later he
going over the trees to the east.

gettin'n ready

2009-05-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

sometimes it seem like times flys.
did alot of work getting the APARTMENT READY, crazy...

last week Dillion, with his family came to help finish Ronna's new bathroom.
he is putting in a corian counter and sink. "no glue" so that's on hold. but Lily gets to
see the catwoman's new litter.

Be nice

like this.......

the purple room, is now white,
needs black curtains.

Dan has finished the tile and is making a towel closest/shelves.

to begin Saturday
the sky was full of balloons Ronna counted 11, i saw about 9.
this was just about 6:30

Saturday morning we cleaned up the weeds, thanks to Dakota and Desy.

watch the wheelbarrow.

tellin Dion what?????????????----------------------->

Don't mind Dion and me, there goes the wheelbarrow...

here he comes back for another load.

hungry Dakota-------->
but in the end it's,
"i can't hear you."with a big smile

Dion hard at it.

2009-04-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

SPRING

There is Lily, happy, oh so happy

the hummingbird fight each other over these flowers,
thet are a succulent,

the hummingbirds dive at each other and bark, a clack type sound....some times it so loud it's startling.

AND THEN
with the grapefruit grove across the road,

THERE'S A SWEET SMELL,

IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES,

watery eyes are normal.then the dainty Hollyhock, grows just like a weed.
always could grow more..

......./\......
that's not Bull, although he is not a bum steer..................

BOO - WHOO

2009-04-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

We were surprised Friday, Shelia, Ted

Sadie and TJ Stopped by.

they were on the way to get BOO.

Boo was at Krista's in Escondido. been there a week.
they come to a gray and rainy So. Cal,
i say boo-whoo because it would have been nice to visit longer..........

Ronna was happy ........................

Monday, bright and sunny, birds chripen, flowers in bloom.

PURPLE IRIS

THIS is taller than me in my chair.
one of three different colors of purple.
darn fly landed
on the rose as i took this pic..

guess the PLANE on side bar and bottom of page..

2009-04-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

an itty-bitty spider fell off the window pane.

wanted to get THE picture it in the window
but he falls off and into my shoe..
its alive and well

and DE-bait doesn't like ORANGE

T-SHIRTS.

Wild Animals, and colors a'changein

2009-04-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Sooooooo, Saturday Ronna and I took Dillion, Trish, Dallas and Lilly, to the wild animal park in S.D. but it's just outside Escondido, that where Krista lives with her boys.
have you ever lost a child at a park??????
well..............WHO GOT LOST??????????

IT WASN'T Dallas, or Lilly....

there all egged up,
Shell out the answer....

wish I'd kept my camera,

Ronna was on the bench, like gramps, Dallas and his pop and family were checkin out to lions , i was waiting to see a show.
the wheelchair viewing area for the show was up this long hill, then.....
one of the transport person in a bus, stopped and asked if i needed a ride...
well yes.....up the hill. Ronna wouldn't have to help push... give her a break.

this driver has a new van, he starts to block traffic, he's a little frustrated, try's to get out of the way. in his hurried state i'm almosted dumped getting on the lift, then he started to leave with the lift out and the door out and open.............wish i had a camera, a video would have made a great u tube flix............
ISN'T DALLAS's FACE CUTE?............self taken

as we get to the show area the driver says "they're not doing shows here", we talk, looked over the fliers, he has an idea that we both agree on, and that is he'll take me to the Administration area.

Was i lost???????????? i didn't think so..

the rest of this story

Ronna NEEDS TO TELL...we all had a nice day....................

THE PURPLE BATHROOM IS'nt anymore

Dale fixin drywall

Ronna changing the COLOR.

NO MORE PURPLE!!!!!!!

It's going to be Swiss Coffee

I NEED MORE PAINT..

WE love the hat, that is a workin MAMA....................go girl

the new bathroom will be a light green and
a cream, or light brown...

get Ronna to tell about the lost old man..

BEEUSSSYY week

2009-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Tis been a busy week..beside the bathrooms .. doing there business with work.. we were able to visit with some friends from Spain...below is Phil Jones, he's with his MinL, Noila Santos.

Phil and Vassna, they were able to get a few day to see her mother.

Vassna's brother is with Tshina, hold on tight, her mother in the white coat and dad with (want to say old) friend Susie...
Mika, and VASSNA, THIS WAS SUNDAY....

But wed. Dill and family were by, bathroom work stuff, and Dale brought up the pups...

sooooo sweetttt, Lilie and thd the puppy's

then there Dallas. it play time

The food... gramps gave us some cans of SALMON

salmon patty's and garlic humas, a few greens ..
humm...hummm

A horny little critter

2009-03-26T10:58:00.001-07:00

horned toad

reptilealso called horned lizard
We found this little guy,(maybe gal) in the flower bed the other day.
i don't know if he the same one we caught last year, but since we've lived her
we catch one somewhere on the property every year.
seem like one year their small then grow with each year,
then we find small ones.
I LIKE BECAUSE THEY
EAT ANTS...

NOW THE SCIENCE PART..
(genus Phrynosoma), any of about 14 species of lizards belonging to the family Iguanidae that are usually characterized by daggerlike head spines, or horns; a flattened oval body, pointed fringe scales along the sides of the body, and a short tail are typical features. The lizards range in length from less than 7.5 to more than 12.5 cm (3 to 5 inches).

HAPPY MOM, and working boys,baby, and etc..

2009-03-24T15:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday Dan Dillion Dion and Dale, were workin and makin mom happy..see the smile
were changing the PURPLE
bathroom back to a more neutral color.
PURPLE and LIME GREENIT'S BEEN
LONG ENOUGH.

Dillion and Daniel took out the mirror out the the sink and cabinet..then worked over the pipes, next new tile and sink and base......Dion does the grunt work, hey get this .. get that..while Lillie
smiles and is standing, here with her daddy's hand..

Dallas slides in safe.. he knows how to use the timer on the camera.
the next actor, or stand in.

she didn't know daddy wasn't holding her hand, Dill says the can is holding her up.

grin and bear it, hairy thing

the Dale brings up, guitar hero,
and they rock on, where is mom??????????

OH PLEASE. . . .NOT

Well the rest of us sing along....so till the

SCHOOL OF ROCK returns.....heres mud on your feet,
drywall that is....

Work and play, with a little study

2009-03-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

here we see the plaster master, Master Dale, working on the short wall that will hold the sink in the new bathroom.

with a little mud, drywall tape and topping mix, the mud duck gets
the corner ready
with the first coat,
don't we love the silhouette shadow on the wall..

we try to get all we can to play SETTLER of CATAN, but most of the time it Ronna, Dion and me, and seem like i always lose, ..better luck next time..

then the pen,
Ronna likes to study up for Theocratic school

SPRING,
This was the sunset last evening, the end of winter
can't wait for summer time.

same trees as the top of the page, in the wine country,
it was taken out the back street door,
picture is taken due west.

BARK

2009-03-11T19:32:00.000-07:00

Boys their dogs and mmmoooorrrrreeee....

honey, she sweet,
then there's
Dita, happy dog

boys working on the bath. then

then
thuesday Dillion came back with

Trish, Lily, and Dalla
DALE brought the pups up...
then there is old dog, STUPID, and other names we hve for our dog that do all the things that... well, do i need to explain..Good old dog
THEN WE HAVE, PUPPYs
ATTACK, there's 4 .. wow
Ahhhhhhhhhh. so sweet a little pup.

MAMA, what to do???????????
babies.....she's not knowing what to do, 1,2,3, then 4 MAMA!!!!!!

THEN big brother helps control the herd...

Work update

2009-02-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

last week when we wre in AZ, Dan (Daniel) began to do the tile in the bathroom,
i'm not around so they don't have input, seem they get more done without the BOSS being here.

well i'm real happy, thing and work turns out better than i thought (wait i showed, taught them, about working....um um um) , above Dan is applying tile to the shower,

he had brought Honey with him, she will sit next to you till you pet her,

good dog..........

Dan cut the floor tiles while we were gone, in AZ,

he did a very good job, this week he'll lay them with thin set, and
RONNA is sleeping, when she saw me taking the pic she sat up and acts like,
"I"M watch ing TV"....HEHEHE

visit to see my mom, and sis

2009-02-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

we went friday to cottonwood, az my mom has been living with my sister Mary and Bailey.
cottonwood is where McCain likes the starbucks.
Ronna and i like the mountains and the colors, pictures just don't do them justice.
i'll get yelled for bloging their pics but.................i enjoyed seeing them

MARY,

BAILEY,

MOM

STALKER

2009-02-10T16:39:00.000-08:00

This is a STALKER....You say what?, it looks like a bird.
in this months issue of ZOONOOZ, from san Deigo zoo, this bird.....
Secretary birds hunt exclusively on the ground, either alone or in pairs (usually with their mate). The birds will set out across a grassy area at a steady pace searching for movement. If a particularly thick tuft of grass is encountered, the bird will stamp on it to flush out any potential prey. Once prey is spotted, the bird quickens its pace to take the prey by surprise. If a chase commences, the bird will flap its wings and run after the prey until catching up to it. With small prey, the bird will merely bend down and capture it in its bill. Larger prey, especially snakes, are stamped to death with the bird's blunt feet. A secretary bird will strike a snake just behind its head to snap its neck or stun it. Secretary birds are said to pick up a stunned snake, fly high into the air and drop the snake to its death.
Secretary birds become active about two hours after the sun has risen, when the grass is no longer wet with morning dew. These birds spend the day walking around and feeding until late afternoon, at which point they return to their roosts. Secretary birds prefer to walk rather than fly, and average about 20 to 30 km a day on foot.
Sagittarius serpentarius is found throughout Africa south of the Sahara, except the extreme deserts of the Namib coast and the forested region around the equator in western Africa.

I
THOUGH IT WAS COOL,
now we have to go to the ZOO.

Red, Green, pork & chicken TAMLES

2009-02-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

Red, Green, pork & chicken TAMLES, Sid and Lily gramps and grams
was a long day for the babies

i got the first picture, but last to post,
lulu said "i'm bring my laptop next time"

AND THIS IS WHEN IT STARTED....................................Tamles are messy

there a new COWGIRL in town,
she just needs a big blue star, sandy knows

CHILI FOR THOSE IN THE KNOW

2008-08-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

As i worked to get a chili that would made everybody happy,
keep in mind it was to feed 7 boys.

pound of bacon
three thin pork chops, dice small
pound of ground pork

brown bacon, keep the fat, then brown pork chops, then ground pork.
salt and pepper while browning
add a can of tomato sauce and a small can el pato sauce. whlie simmering on low heat, you might need a small amount of water, add 3 garlic cloves sliced very thin, and one chopped jalapeño, sprinkle in red pepper flakes, small rounded mound in your palm. simmer about an hour, stir and taste...this will give you time to cut and dice the other items...........
1/4 c carrots, fine graded
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 jalapeño, chopped
3 to 5 garlic cloves chopped
1 roasted pablmo chili, seeded and skinned
1 red onion chopped small
1 pound ground beef..........? works with the pork
in a large pan, sautés veggie till all are soft, add beef and brown,
salt and pepper,
add
sprinkle in red pepper flakes, small rounded mound in your palm

HERE IS WHERE THE TASTE DIFFER WITH SPICES.

Add large can of any one of the types
diced, stewed, or chopped tomatoes
the herbs you like, thyme, basil, etc, small tsp.
cumin, to taste
if needed more tomato sause
bring to boil, then add pork mix.
simmer till you can't wait any longer.
i add other stuff, so try

spiced sausage, or a little beer, only use beef, chicken
or even only veggies ... : > (

try and let me know, i didn't give all my secrets up..

WHOOPPPPPppp

2008-07-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

we just had a 5.7 quake. talk about rock and roll.
second one today, 3.1 earlier this morning.........first site is world wide
second covers our area..........
check out this site
http://quake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/latest.html

http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Maps/117-34.html

American kestrel

2008-07-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

this falcon is mistaken for a sparrow hawk, i think i set a link so check it out. CLICK ON AMERICA KESTAL ON TOP..smallest falone in the U.S.