What happened to Spring?

Seems like Long Island missed springtime and jumped straight into summer. Drat

In my email this morning: Rice Paddy Art.

RICE FIELDS OF JAPAN - AMAZING
Looks ordinary enough....... But watch as the rice grows!!!!!!










Stunning crop art has sprung up across rice fields in Japan , but this is no alien creation. The designs have been cleverly PLANTED! Farmers creating the huge displays use no ink or dye.
Instead, different colour rice plants have been precisely and strategically arranged and grown in the paddy fields.
As summer progresses and the plants shoot up, the detailed artwork begins to emerge.


A Sengoku warrior on horseback has been created from hundreds of thousands of rice plants.
The colours are created by using different varieties of rice plants, whose leaves grow in certain colours.
This photo was taken in Inakadate , Japan .

Napoleon on horseback can be seen from the skies.
This was created by precision planting and months of planning by villagers and farmers located in Inkadate , Japan .

Fictional warrior Naoe Kanetsugu and his wife, Osen,
Whose lives are featured on the television series 'Tenchijin' appear in fields in the town of
Yonezawa in the Yamagata prefecture of Japan .

This year, various artwork has popped up in other rice-farming areas of Japan , including designs of deer dancers.
Smaller works of 'crop-art' can be seen in other rice-farming areas of Japan such as this image of Doraemon and deer dancers

The farmers create the murals by planting little purple and yellow-leafed Kodaimai rice along with their local green-leafed Tsugaru, a Roman variety, to create the coloured patterns in the time between planting and harvesting in September.
The murals in Inakadate cover 15,000 square meters of paddy fields.

From ground level, the designs are invisible, and viewers have to climb the mock castle tower of the village office to get a glimpse of the work.

Closer to the image, the careful placement of the thousands of rice plants in the paddy fields can be seen.
Rice-paddy art was started there in 1993 as a local revitalization project, an idea that grew from meetings of the village committees.
The different varieties of rice plants grow alongside each other to create the masterpieces. In the first nine years, the village office workers and local farmers grew a simple design of Mount Iwaki every year. But their ideas grew more complicated and attracted more attention.
In 2005, agreements between landowners allowed the creation of enormous rice paddy art. A year later,
Organizers used computers to precisely plot the planting of four differently colored rice varieties that bring the images to life!
TRULY A WORK OF ART!!

It seems Facebook Has Overshadowed This Effort

When I started this I didn't do Facebook. I've been caught up in it for quite a while, but I think it's time to come back here to the personal. Less chaos, more me.

Cruiser is getting better

I went to a Ladies Tea this morning getting home just in time to take the watch on Cruiser so Chuck could go to a photo shoot @ a pumpkin patch in Aquabogue. We aren't leaving him alone at all this week....he's still a poor thing with staples and stitches for another 5 days. Still, he's getting better day by day; very relieved that having the surgery when he's healthy turned out to be the right thing to do.

And he's Chucks buddy too

Cruiser to the Hospital

Cruiser is going to have surgery tomorrow morning. This picture of us is from a photo shoot Chuck had at our home last month. Several models canceled at the last minute so everyone jumped in for pictures. As you can see Cruiser is a good lookin little guy and my best buddy.

Just finishing 2 weeks in the desert

Doing some maintenance on both myself and the house in Palm Desert. Chuck stayed in NY but his friend Sandro came out to play in the Golf Channel Amateur Tour this week.
Way too hot to stay very long this trip, looking forward to getting home to cooler weather, Chuck and the puppy dog.

Happy Easter, Spring is here

The weather in Palm Desert has been quite nice this year, warming up a bit each day but still nice, especially in the evenings. I have been taking exercise classes, injuring myself taking exercise classes, visiting with Susie, Craig, Colin and Jimmy, and of course walking El Paseo with Cruiser. I'm still telecommuting to NY every day too of course. Wanted to share this smile with every one, the bunny that just discovered he has rabbit ears on his feet. Chuck arriving again tomorrow for a week, then....
Soon it will be time for Cruiser, the Bully of El Paseo, and I to pack it in and drive back to NY so I don't miss the spring this time. With times giving everyone things to stress and frown about I hope Colin makes you all smile.

Keep Moving

I've known Lane for many years and we've danced together on and off, depending upon circumstances in our lives. I visited him today and he is headed to a dance competition this evening in which he will be in the "Masters" over 50 group. The group's logo really points up the use it or lose it idea; if you continue to dance you are more likely to stay younger, more flexible (she said with her back presently out of place) and ABLE to keep going. So the message of the day is, Get Moving...don't become disabled from lack of motion, exercise and enthusiasm....go dancing.

TOUR DE PALM SPRINGS WEEK

Valentines week Chuck came out to the desert to do the Tour de Palm Springs and to get warm. Friends flew out from NY to participate in the event and we all had a great time. Although the weather was cooler than normal the sunny days were beautiful as you can see from some of the ride pictures I took. The route went from the base of snow covered mountains to the palm lined desert floor. One afternoon we all went up the tram to the peak to watch the sun setting over the desert floor, then down to Palm Springs for the Thursday night Street fair.
The rain held off until Chuck left for the airport today...can't ask for more than that!

In the Desert

Cruiser and I are in the Desert for a couple of months. Chuck and I drove out in January and escaped just ahead of the cold snap on Long Island. After staying a week Chuck flew home to make the doughnuts so to speak, but he will be back next week for the Tour of Palm Springs along with some friends. I've posted a link to some of our favorite walks this year. Old Cruiser is not taking being left alone (for more than 45 minutes) well at all this trip, maybe a visit by dad will help. Along with my regular work at OFW via the internet, I've been exploring all kinds of exercise classes, seeing my new grandson, and just enjoying not being cold. This picture was from our morning walk down El Paseo.

Colin is getting Cute

Ok, being a grandma, but he is pretty cute. Susie, Craig, and Jimmy are keeping him entertained up in Idyllwild, but he comes to visit down here often.

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!

Cruiser wanted to send everyone a Christmas card.
http://picasaweb.google.com/CruiserWonderDog/ChristmasCard#slideshow
Chuck, Cruiser and I hope everyone has a safe, healthy and Merry Christmas.

We have a new baby in the family

I went out to California on November 10th for the birth of Colin Savage, but he wasn't ready to arrive. In fact he took an extra week and a half to get around to being born, but he was worth the wait.We are so happy for Susie and Craig. Colin is beautiful!

Chuck and Cruiser Waiting at home

We miss you mom, this baby is sure taking a long time

I'm Not Very Political But.....

It's getting harder to pay the bills, I think the price of gasoline/diesel contributes way too much to the cost of living and everything we use in our lives, and I worry how my children will ever dig their way out of this even if we all turn this around tomorrow....which won't happen.
I don't trust either or any of the candidates because it's all politics, but that's a non-answer. Fake tax cuts and rebates of money we don't really have does nothing toward solving the big problem. We have to do something but I don't know what. I drive less, recycle mostly, bring my groceries home in canvas bags, turn off the lights, but it's not enough fast enough. This rich old fart T.Boone Pickens is trying to do something across political lines. He has made, makes, has, and gives away more money than anybody who reads this will ever have; now he's out to save the world in
a way. Since he's already amazingly rich, I think now he's determined to be remembered as the guy who turned around the energy crisis in our country. I don't care if he makes money off this; he's big and it takes someone like him, with clout and organization, to actually get the machine going to do something on such a grand scale.

http://www.pickensplan.com/videos/?tr=y&auid=4172096

Florida Golf at Disney

Chuck & I went to Florida last week so he could participate in the Golf Channel Amateur Team Championships and National Amateur Championships...he didn't win, but as his #1 Fan I am (easily) impressed that he was chosen for the team, and that he competed. We stayed at the Gaylord hotel which is pretty neat in itself: outdoors brought indoors without the humidity. This airy view was from our balcony toward the interior of the hotel. There was plenty of walking, good food and time with nice people. The weather was warm even when he had to start at 0'dark:30.
Now that we are home, the weather and leaves are turning...hard to believe winter is just around the corner. I hope all of you have had a good summer, are well, and reasonably happy.

Cruiser's Fans

Cruiser has so many fans where ever he goes that the time has come for him to publish his own Picasa Web Album. You can see the latest Cruiser pix at http://picasaweb.google.com/CruiserWonderDog

He also checks his email at Cruiserwonderdog@gmail.com

And he lets his thoughts be known using 2 paws http://cruiserwonderdog.blogspot.com/

Known for his fine personality (with people) and good looks, Cruiser has become the mascot for not only The Office Furniture Warehouse, but also Empire National Bank (whose home office is on his daily "who wants to pet me & do you have treats?" circuit). Although he is know for his ability to lounge in bed, Chuck often gets cornered before he gets out the door if Cruiser decides the best deal is to go to the office in time to meet the coffee truck.

End of Summer

Where did the summer go? It seems like I only drove back home a couple weeks ago, but as Cruiser and I walked in the Paul Simons Memorial Park in Stonybrook Village there were red and gold leaves starting to show among the green. I've spent a lot more time in the office and working than I intended, and with the downturn in the economy, prices of everything in general and the things we all are dealing with lately it seemed important put the extra effort toward my job and the business. We've done very little entertaining at home this summer, hard to get friends coordinated, everyone is so busy. Part of it was Chucks committment to the Golf Channel Amateur Tour that took up almost every Saturday, but it paid off in fun (I think); he has qualified to go to the National Championships in Florida next month playing as part of the Long Island Metro Team, and then in the open championships.

Susie is expecting a baby boy early in November, then comes Thanksgiving and the flurry of Christmas holiday time. I am looking forward to "the big tree" this year, and all smells of cooking mixed with happy feelings that permiate the house in the season. Although Chucks mom (knee surgery) and my brother, Glen, have been in the hospital this summer things will hopefully be better for both of them as summer turns to fall.

Back at home in NY

Peonies are beautiful...so glad I got back in time to see them in bloom. The trip across country was amazingly easy and uneventful; I didn't even need a map until I reached the Delaware Water Gap. The absolute worst part of the trip was the Cross Bronx Expressway...... pay attention, this is from someone who drove 1000 miles the first day, 1000 miles the second day, and was home by 7:30 pm the third day. If you can possibly avoid this road, do so (especially at 5:45 pm, on Friday, in pouring rain). Cruiser is enjoying the big house with the big view of the road from the back of the club chair in the living room, along with the joy of two people from which to receive attention. Although Cruiser is severely attached to me, I can't compete with "man in the kitchen" who is known to drop salami on the floor while cooking.
It's good to be settled down here, getting to projects and going out with friends. The weather is beautiful this time of year, I'm a happy camper.