Squash!

A week ago we were thinking of planting more, because there was so little production. But now - heaps and heaps of squash! - white patty pan, yellow straightneck and zucchini! We have a lot of squash on the menu for this weekend ;o) I also picked a heaping handful of fresh green basil from only a few plants - and there will be much more next week. I love the smell of fresh basil!

White Patty Pan Squash
Letting this one grow.
Willow says: Squash on the Menu? For me too?
Actually she is hiding in a corner from Sallymander, because Sally really wants to play. When Sally gets excited she zooms around like a stampede of spider monkeys. Willow usually hides until the 'kitty tornado' calms down, then she'll play. She is the 'calm laid-back*' one while Sally is the 'Toy! Pyscho Attack!' kitty.

For the Weekend:

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UPDATE: She's Done!
Working on Purple Kitty toy - almost done. There is another batch of Alien Monster Dolls coming as BettyJoy (a UK online craft store similar to Mahar Dry Goods) has said they might be interested in some for their August shipment. That is a maybe, but I'm willing to have them ready just in case :o) The next art group meeting is on Monday night - but the theme is 'Historic Paris(city)/Henry(county),' so I'll just go to watch and talk! Hard to fit a toy into that theme!

*Did I say laid-back? Some days she is more like 'Nope, not moving. Scrape me up on a spatula first - unless you have food or my favourite toy! Then - Watch Out! Here I come!'

Project Spectrum (from outer space)

Alien Monsters do the Project Spectrum line-up.
Two of these are being mailed tomorrow!

I'm here - I've been hard at work making toys, showing off programs and fixing bugs in web applications. Willow and Sally have gotten to come to work every day for two weeks - and are loving every minute of it. Mr.J did the big jobs of putting carpet on the new construction's stairs - and finishing that porch. Now it is my turn to start cleaning this place so the new office people can move in!

Sally and Willow hang out by the mud entrance porch.
They really love it here for some reason.

Sally: I'm a wild jungle cat, up here among the trees!
Oh, huh? Screen door ledge you say? Noooo!

Happy Fourth of July!

Fireworks at Paris Landing State Park.
Click to enlarge!
Proof of Distant Parking
A friend's dog in his truck where we parked.
It rained heavily on the way there, and some during the show too!
Roadside neighbors having dangerous fun.
Bittersweet
This mommy cat (on right) and her four kittens live near our block. There are three black and white kittens and one all black kitten. They don't come to people but Mr.J has hope for them. (he gave them some of our girls' food tonight)

Willow wake up call

Who needs an alarm clock when you have a bouncey toy-dragging kitty to wake you up in the morning?


Willow really loves her toy from Obsidian Kitten,
when Sallymander isn't stealing it! Luckily Sally is conked
on the dining room table right now.

Hope to get some more progress done on the
purple kitty to post her tomorrow.

Brighter (wiser?)

Saturday Sky - yesterday afternoon from our street in Paris
It was a sunny, cloudless sky in 90-100 degree weather.
My headache didn't start until about 7:30, these pics were before that.
Last week - Willow in sunbeam
Critter blanket scraps - working on more.
critter blanket size guidelines from another charity drive
say 16x16 and 24x24 sizes are recc'd.
Project Spectrum purple July has begun!
Purple Kitty project
taking after calico kitty from May.
Sally underneath the desk in our main room,
caught in mid-slurp.
Note to self: During a coding spree, coffee is usually drunk by the potful. On the day after, two cups of green tea will not suffice to stave off the impending caffeine withdrawal headache.

I hope I learned my lesson. What would have been a (nearly) tolerable headache became ten times worse with the lack of caffeine - my eyes, ears, sinuses and entire skull were all 'singing' with painful vibrations. Intensity of sounds, smells and sensitivity to artificial light increased to make even sleeping difficult.

But, no matter how hard it gets - it is amazing how sweet a warm shower of clean plentiful water can feel - cutting out all other smells and sounds in a small dark room. Eventually, long after the water turns cold, the coffee, aspirin and quiet combine and I can stumble out and fall into bed while the rest of the tendrils of headache retreat during sleep.

Today I'm listening to PHC, drinking coffee, and working on the Purple Kitty out of some of the fabric Chris sent to me. Sally wants laptime, and Willow wants to play. I have lots of housework to get to, once Mr.J takes a walk(asthma). Hope you like the pictures! Have a good day!

Fun Stuff

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• Linky: cute panda bear by Sewing Stars
• Linky: one big bunny.
• Great looking knit sweater project by Glampyre. Found at Knitting by Moonlight blog.
• Knitty article on ancient knitting socks, gloves and etc.

Migraine

I promise lots of pictures tomorrow.