Bunny gets a name

Bunny has been hopping about for 14 weeks now, most of those without an official name. She tried on all different sorts, but none seemed to fit juuuuust right. Well last weekend it finally happened. She found a name that fit.

I give you...Kickapoo.


Aside from devouring fresh parsley, sorrel and carrot tops from the garden, Kickapoo's favorite activity, also aside from chasing the other four-legged members of the household around and trying to steal their food, is to sit with her front legs immersed in a cool bowl of water from which she simultaneously drinks. Needless to say, there is frequent changing of water going on because dirty foot water isn't exactly tops on the menu.


Here is Kickapoo's favorite place to lounge. With just the slightest bit of effort she can find herself once again immersed in a cool bath of footy drinking water. Mmm...

Little bits

It's 99 balmy degrees here in Boulder, and while the humidity level is only 5% it still feels gross. It's so very nice to get out early on Fridays. I was a rolling farm stand on my way home today. I hauled home a bag of cat food, two carrots, a yellow zucchini, some Rainier cherries and the fleeces from two llamas named Fuzzy and Marzipan. And myself, of course.

All is well on the home front. Kevin is working his tush off as it's Tour de France time. He has officially been on the job at VeloNews for a year as of today.

Bunny has taken over the house and is getting bigger every day. We have our own little comedy show here when she starts chasing after the cats in hopes that they'll play. No takers so far.

A crime, but at least my hair doesn't frizz

So here in the high dessert clime of Boulder, I am a fish out of water. I won't bore you with the family history, but there is a longstanding association with the sea. I have never seen someone pick a lobster clean like my great, great Aunt Hazel. I'm fairly certain that any number of my relatives, if entered in a fried clam eating contest, would whip the pants off of the competition, and then ask for a plate of oysters to wash it all down.

Well, the sun sure is nice, and the low humidity means that my wavy hair actually looks wavy, not frizzy, but I remain many miles from fresh seafood. Sure, they can fly it in on a daily basis, but I do miss leaving work, walking a block to the pier, and taking home a couple of lobster at $4.48 a lb or mussels for far less.

Well to celebrate the long weekend, and the fact that at this time last year, Kevin and I were 2/3 of the way through our road trip out here to Colorado, we spent $5 a pound on four pounds of mussels. Now this was not a big expense, but it just seemed downright criminal to pay that much per pound. This doesn't mean I enjoyed them any less, mind you.

Check it out. No phoo phoo cooking here. We simply steamed them in butter, beer, garlic, and onions.

Endangered species, a lesson learned

Last weekend we went on an abbreviated hike near the Sourdough Trail. On the way up we tend to focus simply on the ascent, periodically checking the GPS to see how our elevation has changed, and checking the sky to see if anything looks squirrelly.

The way down is another hike altogether. Our pace is a bit more leisurely, and I'm looking left and right trying to identify plants and spot something new and different. Kevin awaits patiently as I snap photos of my discoveries, quizzing him on the quality of my shots, and speculating which plants are related to those with which I'm familiar back home.

Well lo and behold, my first discovery, Calypso Bulbosa, more commonly known as Fairy Slipper. This particular flower holds a bit of significance for me. Apparently, when I was somewhere in the neighborhood of four, I picked a stunning bouquet of Lady Slipper orchids for my mother from the woods behind our house that would have looked very much like this, but a bit bigger. Little did I know they were an endangered species. Turns out the Fairy Slipper is also an endangered species, but don't worry, Mom. This one stayed put.


Next up was the Woodland Strawberry...


...the Green Gentian...


...what I believe are Pine Drops...


...a wild rose...


...and the best discovery of all, Iowus Handsomus. I know, I know. But it's true.