Friday, July 02, 2004


My all-time favorite wildflower--Sweet William. This is located in a little glade by the creek, where, when spring conditions are right, the ground is carpeted by thousands of these. My favorite place in whole wide world.  Posted by Hello

A woodpecker hi-rise. Posted by Hello

Hidden at the base of this bluff is the entrance to a fairly extensive cave...a major headache because of all the vandalising trespassers it draws. But it's beautiful inside. Posted by Hello

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Crazy White Cow

This is one of my dad's cows we called the 'crazy white cow.' (Our cows were usually referred to by some physical characteristic. As any farm kid can tell you, you don't name something that you may someday eat.) This cow was certifiably insane and wild as a buck. She hated everyone and everything, and would chase anyone who stepped foot in her pasture, except my dad. She especially disliked my mom....and me. Once, in a moment of temporary insanity, I agreed to help my parents castrate her calf. We couldn't get her up in the pen because she was too wild. My dad talked me into trying to castrate her calf in the field. That was an experience.

The calf was pretty young, so my dad was able to catch it & get it down without problem. I proceeded to use the castrator, naturally the calf started bawling. The crazy white cow charged. Notice her long horns. Those missed my ribs by maybe a quarter of an inch. It was only my mom's vigorous wielding of her sassafras walking stick that kept the crazy white cow from finishing what she started.

And people wonder why I went to law school instead of staying on the bucolic farm.

Alas, last year my parents decided that the cows were getting to be too much for them, and sold what was left of their herd. The crazy white cow was the last to go, mainly because my dad had trouble finding someone that would try to haul her to the sale barn. He finally found some brave soul and they managed to get the crazy white cow in the holding pen. The guy went into the pen to drive her up the loading chute. The crazy white cow took a good look at him, snorted and took off in pursuit. The guy ran across the pen, up the loading chute and into the cattle trailer...with the crazy white cow hot on his heels. He slipped out the side door of the cattle trailer and slammed the door behind her. Pretty smart, yes?

Now every time I bite into a hamburger I smile.

Crazy white cow & calf...deceptively calm. Posted by Hello

Are you threatening me? Posted by Hello

Thursday, June 17, 2004

Fugly Bird

I've been seeing this weird-looking bird around for a couple of months. He looks like a cardinal/blackbird mutant experiment gone wrong. His top feathers on his body are red, like a normal cardinal; the under feathers are jet black. And his head is just freaky. It's jet black, with these weird ratty looking feathers instead of a normal cardinal's crest. Finally, this morning, I was able to prove that he really was a cardinal...albeit a really strange one. He has a mate, a perfectly normal female Cardinal, and they have a fledgling that's hopping all over our yard.

Since this freak of nature has successfully mated and reproduced, I've concluded that there's hope for us all.

Cuz God love him, this bird is fugly.

Run away! Fugly bird is on a rampage! Posted by Hello

Weird, isn't he? Posted by Hello

Mutant cardinal on the prowl Posted by Hello

Fugly bird in all his glory Posted by Hello

Tuesday, June 08, 2004

Balloonfest 2004

We took WildChild to the annual Bentonville Hot Air Balloon Festival last weekend. He absolutely loved it except for one thing. He couldn't ride on any of the balloons....or have his own ultralight airplane to fly up, up and away! Vroom! Vroom! Other than that, it was 2 solid hours of "Wow!" "COOL!" and "Awesome!"

Look Ma! WildChild wanna go Up, Up and Away! Posted by Hello

Run Ma! Run! Posted by Hello

AAAAAHHHH! What is that noise? Posted by Hello

Big burners a little too scary for a little guy. Posted by Hello

WildChild wanna ride that one! Posted by Hello

His favorite Posted by Hello

Goodnight balloons! Posted by Hello

Monday, May 24, 2004

Site Outage

Who didn't pay the light bill? For some reason, Res Ipsa is currently not available. I apologize for the inconvenience. I'm not sure what the problem is, but right now I have to go to class.

Hopefully it will be back up soon.

One of many beautiful sunsets we saw. And yes, I saw the 'green flash' not too long after this photo was taken. Posted by Hello

Went to a knife fight and a dance broke out. Posted by Hello

Enough with the camera before breakfast already. Posted by Hello

Ensenada, Mexico.  Posted by Hello

Part of the swarm of fish that appeared when the tour guide started feeding them. Posted by Hello

Some fish at Catalina Island Posted by Hello

Avalon, Catalina Island Posted by Hello

Hello from Shamu Posted by Hello

Traditional Mexican wedding dance Posted by Hello