Dream Rangers

Tear-jerker alert!

I sobbed through this whole video. It is one of the best uses of advertising that I have ever seen - akin to those Olympic period Visa commercials that put a sob in my throat. This one beats them out, though - - and, unbelievably, it is for a Taiwanese Bank commercial! The message from the true story it is based on rings loud and clear - - live life to the fullest, follow your dreams, be amongst those who love and support you.... Amen!

Human Planet

In the vein of the spectacular series, "Planet Earth" that my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed a few years back, is another series from the BBC this time about humans on Planet Earth. Alas, this is not about the average human and families - but those who live around the world in the most dangerous and extraordinary places. Where every day is a struggle just to survive, to eat, to drink water, against Mother Nature. My wonderful Aunt Gini sent me this link and I already know P and I will be keeping an eye out for it on NetFlix or the BBC website. The sweeping cinematography is just as stunning as the subject matter. We LOVE these kinds of shows and I think all children and teens in America should watch this series to help gain a perspective about how much grander and harder Life is than the clothing brand they wear or the Smartphone they carry.

Cats and Kittens

No - - it's not my tabby cat, Jordy. What you see here is a story I have been too busy to blog about since moving in to our new home on a canyon last July. One evening I was in the computer room upstairs which has a view of the canyon past our backyard. I heard my cat Jordy growling at the window where he liked to sit perched, looking at everything and nothing. I figured he was growling at the neighbor cat that he didn't like but he kept growling so long that I finally got up to look out the window and see what he was looking at. Well, the neighbor cat was there, indeed, on the big boulder at the end of the canyon. But he wasn't what Jordy was grolwing at. Neighbor cat was puffed up 3 times his size, on top of the boulder, frozen and staring down at something 3 feet below him in front of the rock. It was getting darker so I peered with my blind eyes at what was camouflaged and staring at my yard. It was a bobcat big kitten. Oh, yeah. BOB CAT!

He was chilling, staring into our yard, probably checking us newbies and all our animals out. He obviously wasn't hungry for I don't see how he could not know the neighbor cat was frozen in fear right above him on the boulder. Well, he was small but beautiful and I immediately grabbed the closest camera possible to snap pictures - it was my little point-and-shoot Pentax - - not the greatest quality in the lowlight as you can see. Once I shot he started moving, walking alongside the top embankment at the edge of our yard - - look carefully - you see him in the pic.

I ran downstairs and into the yard - where he immediately stopped and crouched low. He then lifted his head straight up (think ET rising on hid long neck) to look at me (see pic).

We had a stare-off for a few seconds with Fred the Basset whining behind me since he followed me outside into the temporary dog cage we had erected at the time until we built our fence (see pic).

It was all pretty cool - Jordy was still upstairs watching from the window (see pic).

The bob cat was the size of a big housecat - - you could tell he was still a half-grown kitten - probably a year old. He has the black pointy lynx ears and the white bobbed tail like cotton or a rabbit. Well, I couldn't have him feel so comfortable around my yard with all my animals that he might want to eat some day when hungry - - so I did what our HOA said to do if we ever saw coyotes or bobcats - - run them off, throw something to scare them. I hated to do it, but it was necessary. My cats and the chihuahua could be prime rib to it and it's siblings (I am sure there was a litter of big kittens nearby - not just him)...so I threw a stick and yelled at him and he quickly bounded off like a jackrabbit through the canyon.

Happy Valentine's Day

Reception Photos

You saw a couple pics and blog in the Fall here about our 1 year anniversary and wedding reception party that we threw at my parents' home in late September. My photographer friend, Heidi Lee, shot 1300 pics and it understandably took me some time to review such large files. I finally narrowed it down to 200 to put on a flickr website and feature everyone who went there.

Again, it was such a wonderful warm late afternoon/evening party in the presence of loved ones. Thanks, again - to everyone for coming out to play! We love you and appreciate you all ...oxoxo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsawedding/