"Bushy's" first afternoon visit

Norma noticed "Bushy" looking around out on the patio this afternoon. She had a few shelled unsalted peanuts in a little plastic container so we decided to risk going out on the patio with"Bushy" to entice him with the peanuts. She came over almost to Norma while she tossed peanuts near him. She liked them of course. After eating a few, Bushy decided she needed a drink.

After climbing the fence, she helped herself to the bird bath and had a nice long drink.

Norma layed some seeds on the top of the fence and coaxed "Bushy" to try one.

"Bushy" would snatch up one nut and dissapear into the bush to eat it.

Then she'd come back out and snatch up another and dissapear back into the bush.




Meanwhile the Hummers are busy engaging in aerial combat .................

and grabbing a swig of Norma's swell go-juice from the feeder.

"Bushy" finally got her fill and left to check out the rest of the neighborhood.

The Breakfast Club

When I first got up there was nothing going on outside............. no birds.............. nothing !!! A short while later, Norma stumbled out and when she looked out the window she saw "Bushy" sneaking in on the patio, munching as he went. He was checking out the whole place. He was eating sunflower seed scatterngs of the birds from yesterday.

He loves sunflower seeds. His progression to the dish containing what Norma had put out for the birds was very time consuming.

At first he seemed to be trying to get everone of the seeds. He wasn't missing a thing.

Gradually, and slowly he worked his way toward the dish. Of course Norma and I were anxious to see if he'd get in the dish and really munch out. But he was in to rush so we had to be pationt like all the birds that gradually showed up and waited and waited.

He was in absolutely NO hurry, so he just kept eating his way toward the dish. And Norma, and me, and the birds just watched and waited and waited.

Well, he just kept eating and eating and finally worked his way over to the dish.. He was very cautious about trying it at first.

Then he got a little more aggresive with it and relaxed.

Big mistake !!! It tipped over and scared the liver and lights ou t of him. I wish I could have caught that precise moment. However, if you notice on the far right side of the picture. you can see part of his tail. It was pretty funny.

While most of his shenagians had been going on, All these little guys had been waiting for their turn at the seeds. I guess they got a good laugh out of it too. Poor "Bushy"...........how humiliating !!!

This little guy wasn't amused.....he was just hungary.

These guys were hungery.

Finally, "Bushy" left and thing started getting back to normal.

Then, everybody showed up for Breakfast and a good time was had by all !!!

Night Blooming Cereus

Alayne and "Rusy" stopped by our place while they wore out for their evening constitutional and stopped by our place. "Rusty" was on a leash. He looked at me as only a rabbit could when I asked if he could bark. It was really good to see them again and while they were here..............

Norma and I were invited to Alayne's and "Rusty's" to view these blooms they're Night Blooming Cereus (Selenicereus ). If you go to http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/COLUMNGW/gr020422.html

You can find out all about them. The pods on them bloom only one night........once a year. I photographed these at 10:00 pm.

These are the two best of the shots I took. Very interesting !!!

Back in the early days............

When I first moved to California I wanted to be a custom car builder. I dreamed of working for George Barris the very famous (at the time) custom car builder. Later in my career I built some patterns for Barris Customs in my own shop. I first went to work for a guy by the name of Harry P. Grant (no relation). I soon learned he was an alcholic and very difficult to work for. While there two fellows came in with this wild VW bug with super-wide tires, flared fenders, Vette-style scoop on the rear deck and an insturment pod on the hood. They simply wanted to get it painted. Harry P. refused. So I agreed to paint it in their fiberglass shop. This was my very first exposure to fiberglass. I pointed out some serious flaws in the workmanship on their parts. They asked if I could correct them and I agreed to do it. After beginning the project in their shop........ (Harry P. wouldn't allow a lowely VW in His shop)...... they decided to have me start from scratch and build some new straight patterns for them. After finding out all I had to do was make a shape from which molds could be taken I discovered the freedom of pattern making. The peices I labored on would never have to travel anywhere. It made my work so much easier. After I had done all four fenders, the new rear deck and the insturment pod on the front. they had me work with Wayne Hartman who taught me mold-making the way the "big guys" did it. I had an oppertunity to learn from the best. Unfortunatly, Fibertech didn't survive because of the immediate demand for these wild parts which they were not capable of meeting. Other companys copied them and sold them much cheaper. Also they were better epuiped and funded to supply the demand.

That experience got me to Hartman Fiberglass. I became Wayne Hartman's first employee. He made all kinds of race car bodies, mainly formula one, championship, and Can-Am. We also did a lot of race body repair. After hours,while working for Wayne I put all the neat Fibertech goodies on my own little 'Dub', got it ready for paint, and painted it.

First was the primer............

Then a base-coat of white..............

Highlighting in translucent blue..............

And finally translucent blue over the entire car.

Christmas in Southern Caifornia 1969. Yeah, that's a Christmas tree in the back seat. That's my son Jeff..........he's 41 now.

Our visit from "Rusty"

We were pleasantly surprised with a visit from "Rusty" the rabbit who lives up the street. Alayne brought her pet rabbit "Rusty" over this morning for a visit. It was great.

"Rusty" is very well behaved and quiet. She let him mosey around on our patio for a long time.

He dicided he needed the "protection" under one of the patio chairs.

He hung out under one of the patio chairs thinking it afforded him some protection and certainly defined "his space."

After a nice visit, "Rusty" bid us adieu and went home. "Rusty's" cool.............a real treat !!! Hope he comes back again soon !!!