Hardy Har!

So, as I was sitting down yesterday afternoon to blog away, there was a knock at the door (and set a big brown and a little white dog a barking promptly). Three youngsters and a young lab pup (sans collar) were at our door. "This dog keeps following us and won't leave us alone" they stated with pleading eyes, as if to say please take this responsibility off our playing hands. So of coarse, Crystal and I take in the pup as the schmucks we are and so the course of our day had be altered. Now what? Ah, it's Sunday and most shelters and vets are closed so no one to get an ID chip scan from...okay google help me on this one...yes! There is a humane society 30 minutes away and they are open! Sweet, I'm on my way. Come on Blondie let's who your Dagwood is. About half way there Crystal calls me, she's found the daddy of Blondie, whom is actually named Dolci. So I turn around and head towards his home. After a very happy reunion I point the Fit to our home. Good deed done.

After wondering why this kids chose our door out all the doors within the apartment complex, Crystal enlightened me. One of the kids was the family of a little dachshund that we had found wandering around the courtyard on Saturday. We of coarse took "lil' bit" in, luckily she had a harness with her name and number embroidered on it. This case was not a mystery so much as a waiting game. So now that is two good deeds in two days, I sure hope this was a fluke and not a pattern! Asha and Crystal = Animal Rescue? No thank you! I have enough hats to wear!

Check out these new duds!

I feel like I should change my blog to be called something like "All the ways I love my new home". Last weekend was harmony festival and it was absolutely wonderful! I had so much fun rubbing elbows with dirty hippies, clean hippies, rock and rollers, and even a few yuppies thrown in for good measure. Feminists to raw food to meditation tents to music and dancing. All this spells FUN!

Then work is thrown in the middle of the weekends for good measure. That is also fun and going well. I'm learning a lot (still!) and get to explore new places around my new county. Most recently I have been to the northwest in a little part of the wine country. Little teeny grapes on the vines everywhere!

And what do you know? Time for more fun filled weekends again?! This past one was much more chilled and relaxed than the others (thankfully). I would definitely say the highlight was going to our local Petaluma Farmers Market! In addition to lovely fresh homegrown veggies (which made for a most delightful salad), they had honey from all kinds of nectar such as lavender (yum) to apple blossoms! You could actually taste which kind of flower the bees had been buzzing around. Wool from local sheep spun into yarn, jerky and Indian food to boot! One of the highlights for me was meeting a group of ladies about my age with some crafty novelties in their booth. A short conversation led to the discovery of the Petaluma Craft Mafia which I hope to be a part of very soon! I am so excited to hone in my diy craftiness that I know is lurking around in this gray matter somewhere! :) If you are feeling crafty, check out the link I have provided b/c the mafia may be in a town near you!

Peace and love until the next time!

Let us go a frolicking!

Hello Friends!

Here's more news for the west...

I have been busy looking up and then down and then up again. Yes, inspecting trees has been much more a workout above the shoulders than I have anticipated. I look up at the trees approaching the powerlines, then down at my handheld computer (straight out of 1992). In addition to the physical aspects, I am strengthening mentally as well. It's really wonderful to be learning a new skill, and about a new kingdom without setting a foot in a classroom! It's like one big laboratory class chock full of tactile information. Sets my heart a float!

Today was a challenging day with a very sweet reward. It started out rough, as I was in a section of my circuit (that's what my route is called) that was way out of my league. I scrunched my face up as much as I could and I still couldn't get a handle on all the trees that needed work. I sweated it most of the morning until the guy training me arrived to see how I was doing. Needless to say he stayed and helped for the rest of the afternoon.

While were inspecting the lines on a particular parcel of land, what should appear but two frolicking fawns bounding in the field just a few hundred feet away. They were precious and amazing as they chased each other around. They reminded me of Stormi and Cali chasing each other around, only these fawns were so graceful and jumped as they ran. Wonderful! Made all my uncertainties and worries of the day just melt away.

Cracking the knucles.

Now stretch, that's right. I don't want to hurt myself on this, my first blog. I've been a mypsacer for quite some time now, but somehow this feels different. Only time will tell, as "they" say. To the concerned citizens out there, I am doing quite well. I am very excited about starting a new adventure as a CUF (Consulting Utility Forester). Besides that I have been having a load of fun going on weekend adventures around my new home. I have to say, I absolutely love it! Every day is new and full of possibilities. So far i've been to a couple of beaches on several hikes, enjoy the big city (mostly the Haight - yum!), and hikes, and all within 45 minutes of me! Yippee! We can even have a blast in our own town and never have to drive once. We are about 1 mile from the downtown area where there are many cute shops, good restaurants and even an enchanting bookstore. It requires all the will power I posses to not open up my coin purse. The doggies are adjusting quite nicely. They have been able to adjust to taking care of business on leash and on cue. They love to run in this soccer field, at a high school up the block from our apartment, that has the softest grass. Petaluma also has a wonderful leash free dog park out on a bluff overlooking a wetland and river. I love watching them run around and making new doggie friends. It's funny, I always seem to learn the canines' monikers but never their owners! Well, as the Von Trapp clan may say,

Adieu alvedersein