Tuesday, December 29, 2009

248/365

I normally tutor Korean kids - help with homework, etc. - A new gig I got through a friend recently. It's great that it's local, not so great it's not many hours.
They wanted me to come during the Winter Break to lead some of the younger kids in theater games and maybe do some type of performance; another way to help them learn the language as well as confidence and diction.
Today was our first day, and other than one child I already knew, everyone else I'd never met before. I was pleasantly surprised at how much energy they all had, and most willing to jump in and try things.
The first game we played is called 'Zip, Zap, Boing' - usually a rather complex game for kids to learn, but these kids picked it up VERY fast. Later, another boy joined in, and I asked Andy to explain it to him quickly in Korean so we could get on with the game.



Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sunday, November 15, 2009

243/365

Pretty good for a rocky boat...


Sadly, I did realize, I am not Sea Shepherd material. Unless they only will keep me on the BIG boat.

Friday, November 6, 2009

242/365



Saw this cutie on my walk today.  Trying to get the right setting on my camera, I looked up again and saw

he was running right towards me!




Was he coming to tell me "No pictures while I nap!"?



Apparently he just wanted some lovin...


and more lovin...



Til he just couldn't stand it anymore!

I bent down to pet him, and he drew blood.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

240/365

Wonder if I hold the record for longest 365 project?  In any case, I appreciate those of you still checking in - I will finish it before I die!!

My discovery upon reaching for the hose.  I have not seen a spider this size since leaving England!  Very glad to have seen him before grabbing him along with the hose!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

238/365

Snowy, trying and failing to ignore, once again being harrassed to play by Abby.
Seems like the doggy equivalent of "hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey..."

Thursday, September 3, 2009

236/365

My younger nephew (11) at his soccer practice, which I got to take him to.  He said I was not allowed to take photos of him; but since I rarely get to see him... 
so please don't tell him I took this!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

235/365

A very busy spider, weaving his web swiftly and actually, kinda beautifully.

Monday, August 31, 2009

234/365

The very top of the now massive cloud from the fires... and it's even freakier because now I can see it FROM MY HOUSE - and I am FAR AWAY from any of them!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Same day so I won't count it

Yeah, the raccoon? NOT so cute anymore.
Second time in a week - I'm thinking this grass is not going to recover this time. Little f*cker.
What, someone came home drunk and angry? Pardon me for blocking your entrance!

233/365

Fire.

Monday, August 24, 2009

231/365

I thought I heard something knocking my plants over! Cordial enough to stay and pose for photos.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

230/365

Charles Hambleton, adrenalin junkie, sailmaster (is that the right word?), and one of the heroes of the film, The Cove, which I'm sure most of you know is my big passion now.
This was after a screening in Hollywood; he's been going around the entire So. Cal. area to do Q&A after each showing.

Friday, August 21, 2009

229/365

Naked baby alert.David, youngest sibling of the three children living next door. Mom was out gardening and I happened upon them and asked if I could shoot some photos of his incredibly happy face!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

227/365

My own personal harvest:That big fella in the middle? He's 13"!!
Now, can you spot the scallion?

Friday, July 24, 2009

226/365


I couldn't help myself. I love peaches. And you can't buy less than 12 at Costco. So, peaches, for the next week or so...!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

225/365 FOURTH OF JULY

The BEST time to be at home in SoCal... on my parents' deck. Today and Thanksgiving were the only two times I'd get homesick when I lived in England.
So I've got more than one:

The view. I mean really. Can you guess how the relationship between my parents and the neighbor below who expanded is??

Random shots of the bay, playing with my zoom... seeing if I could spot any individuals involved in illicit activities on their boats.




At night, before the fireworks (which I posted last year, and frankly is a pain to take, so I let my brother take those this year!


Happy Fourth!

Monday, June 29, 2009

222/365

And whaddya wanna bet, they'll ALL ripen at the EXACT SAME MOMENT!

I didn't really think this through when I was buying the plants...
Tomatoes, anyone?

Saturday, June 27, 2009

221/365

The view from my desk looking right.
Some of the roses were replanted to make room for the NEW FOUNTAIN going in the front.

When I look out this window, it's like nature's handing me a bouquet!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Monday, June 22, 2009

219/365

Well, I thought I had an excuse, having had surgery, but if Helen can do all that involves getting married...

Anyhoo, another effort begins, and today I picked:


Home grown!! yay me.

Tomorrow comes a picture of it's having taken over the veggie bed. Oh dear.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

218/365



My favorite lettuce has now bolted [insert joke here]. That really means when it shoots up in a stalk, apparently thinking it's finished and now time to seed, and it goes bitter. Ah well.
I've still got tomatoes coming, other lettuce plants, etc.

I am a bit concerned about that zucchini/courgette.

Monday, June 8, 2009

217/365



This may look like a very mundane picture, but it represents a HUGE achievement: AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF, and two solid weeks' of hard, manual, detailed labour, I CAN NOW PUT MY CAR IN THE GARAGE!!!

This is huge people. Huge. A car has not been able to fit in that garage for... 20+ years?!

Monday, May 25, 2009

215/365 - Memorial Day



I actually took time in the morning to reflect, and remember, those who have fought and died, as well as those whom I have loved, and have died.
I went out and spent some time with my aunt, grandma & grandpa. It was lovely; a big line of cars going into the cemetery, but it's such a big place, no one was around where I was.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

214/365


Snapped very quickly as of course the light turned green just as I got the camera out: skateboarders (and some spectators) on the underpass as I was waiting to get back on the freeway after my first venture to the Hazardous Waste Collection Center in San Pedro. I gathered from their reaction, they didn't have a lot of private parties dropping off 5 gallon cans of asbestos from god knows what year.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

213/365 - found the Christmas lights!

And they WORK!Check out these vintage boxes! Not to mention the lights themselves, which I can't believe most of them still worked great!

Friday, May 22, 2009

212/365 - Happy Christmas

3 big boxes of mostly tattered, faded decorations and ornaments. More than half went in the recycle bin. But a lot of icicles left over!