Squirrel Family

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Life is complicated, stupid, confusing and annoying.
Why couldn’t I have been a squirrel.”
Unknown Author

Momma Squirrel and her Crew

Silly little squirrels
Outside my window
Momma and her Crew

Playing, climbing,
Eating and sleeping
Their Momma needs rest too

Silly little squirrels
Outside my window
Enjoying the Esplanade View

By: J R

A few months back, a squirrel took up residence in a palm tree outside our living room. As I was working on my laptop the other day, I saw two baby squirrels and their mother hanging out on the tree. I grabbed my camera and shot some great pictures of the squirrel family.

They were just as curious about me as I was about them. Which is evident in the above shots of the squirrel family.

Shine On

That’s Why I Love Him

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“What made me love thee? let that persuade thee
there’s something extraordinary in thee.
I cannot: but I love thee; none but thee;
and thou deserves it.”
William Shakespeare

One of my favorite fretted instruments is the banjo. After all, you can’t help but smile when you hear the sound of a banjo.

For Mother’s Day 2014 my son bought concert tickets for us to see “Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers” at the Hollywood Bowl. The concert was fantastic.

I was so inspired by the concert, that I decided it was time to learn to play the banjo. I didn’t own a banjo, but there’s a music store near my son’s apartment, and they just happen to have used banjos. After hearing the store owner play one of the banjos, I bought a used 21 fret, open back, 5-string banjo. I was absolutely thrilled to start learning to play the banjo.

However, when I got home with my fretted friend, my husband was not as thrilled as I was. His response was, “you’re not going to practice that thing in the house, are you?”

Relationships are all about compromise. We are both supportive of each others hobbies and interests. He likes me to go with him to the shooting range and go to car shows. And because he knows how much I enjoy banjo music, he has become more supportive of my banjo playing.

After lots of practice and lessons on the banjo, he now wants me to learn to play the guitar and the mandolin.

That’s why I love him.

Happy Valentine’s Day To Everyone

Shine On

Explore – Dream – Discover

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by
the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain

Twin sail boats sailing along the Esplanade bay.

Shine On

Groundhog Day

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“You want a prediction about the weather,
you’re asking the wrong Phil.
I’ll give you a winter prediction:
It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey,
and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life.”
Phil from the movie, “Groundhog Day”

The poster from the 1993 “Groundhog Day”.

It’s Groundhog Day everyone ! Actually, before 1993, when the movie, “Groundhog Day” came out and became such a big hit, I never paid much attention to this day.

I’m pretty sure everyone will watch this movie at least once today, if not several times.

This twenty-two year old movie, is so chock-full of funny lines, you gotta watch it more than once. It’s classic Harold Ramis humor.

Whether you live in Southern California or Punxsutawney Pennsylvania, everyone around the world will be watching the 129th prognostication by Phil. How often is Phil correct? Well they say he’s 100% accurate, most of the time. Whatever that means.

Punxsutawney Phil at the 2015 Groundhog Day Celebration.

According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

In my opinion what we really need is an East and West Coast Phil. If we did have two Phil’s, my bet is for us West Coast residents, Phil won’t see his shadow. But for those living on the East Coast, Phil will definitely be seeing his shadow on Groundhog Day.

Shine On.

Cloudy With a Chance of Rain

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Chronicles of a Blogaholic

“When I was in the hospital they gave me apple juice every morning,
even after I told them I didn’t like it. I had to get even.
One morning, I poured the apple juice into the specimen tube.
The nurse held it up and said, ‘It’s a little cloudy.’
I took the tube from her and said,
‘Let me run it through again,’
and drank it. The nurse fainted.”
Alan King