Signs of Spring in the Desert

One of my favorite spring desert flowers--the penstemon.

My first rose of the year. Not blurry in real life, but shyly hiding at the base of the rosebush.

County Fair Entry

My dear friend M is a multi-crafter; she tats, she knits, and she just learned how to do Tunisian crochet (with which she is currently obsessed). She even belongs to a local tatting club. She is the only member under 75, I think. The president was well into her 90s when M joined the club years ago. She joined because she thought tatting produced beautiful items and wanted to learn more about it and practice her skills at it. She's become very good at it, and has made everything from tatted bookmarks for her library to auction off, to lace inserts for her nieces' dresses, to table runners she gave away as gifts. In the past several years, her club has submitted items to the county fair as well as manned a booth promoting tatting and their club during the fair, which is next month. Sunday she brought over this year's entry, which the entire club worked on. She pointed out which row she had done, but alas, I cannot remember because I was so gobsmacked over how lovely it is. It's a tablecloth in a lovely, muted, variegated blue thread. I covet it. I truly covet it. 

Why I Do Science

Because Ray Jayawardhana says it better than I could:

"These discoveries remind us that nature is often richer and more wondrous than our imagination."

"Alien Life, Coming Slowly into View" New York Times Opinion page, Sunday, March 27, 2011

(No, not a scientifically proper citation, but the online NYT does not list volume--who knew? The more info to find his excellent opinion piece, the better.)

Introducing Bertram

Meet Bertram, a 16-week old clumber spaniel.

Bertie and his Uncle Big get along just fine. Bertie will eventually weigh in at much the same as Uncle Big, 70 lbs, but will be shorter with his basset-hound-inherited legs. And I think he's going to have that basset hound deep bay as opposed to a bark or woof, like my Samoyeds. And as he's just had his final round of vaccinations, as soon as he learns to walk like a proper gentleman on his leash, or even just walk on it rather than sit down and refuse to budge, he can start going to for short walks with Uncle Big and even to the dog park with us. Fun times!

Uncle Big

Mr. Big has been a bit gloomy since our Pupgirl died. Two weeks ago I applied to our local golden retriever rescue organization to adopt a dog. I had my home inspection two weeks ago, and am now just waiting for the perfect golden to join the zoo-- a female, young (anywhere up to 4 years old), good with cats. That last bit makes this a taller order than normal, but I'm sure we'll find our new girl soon. Pupgirl's best friend was a golden named Angel that she used to play with like crazy, chasing and jumping on her--just the way she played with Mr. Big. The temperaments are so similar I think a sammy and a golden will get along fine.

But he's perked up a bit the last week because exactly one week ago, T bought a show clumber spaniel puppy, and he has come down three times to play with Uncle Big. Biggie has been great, although not playing per se, but definitely happier and more alert and interested when the puppy is around. Last night when she brought him down and I opened the door and Mr. Big saw the pup, his tail started to whirl like a helicopter. There have been mild resource guarding issues--no, pup, that dinner is mine, mild grrr, said Uncle Big. Which reminded me that he did have these problems with Pupgirl occasionally (especially over certain toys), so out came my copy of Mine! by Jean Donaldson that I'm rereading while we wait for our perfect golden.

I think T has decided on the name I suggested: Bertram. Bertie for short. It really suits that dog so well. In honor of Bertram Wooster and Bertram Potter. Just stodgy enough, just goofy enough.

The Cat Who Started It All

Camille, who went on cross-country trips, flew first class, trained two dogs, and had a dissertation dedicated to her.

Cool Science Tidbits

Today's cool science news:

Older elephant matriarchs are better able to identify the roar of a male lion and to initiate the formation of appropriate defensive tactics faster than younger female elephants.

The gene that causes shar-pei dogs to wrinkle so much also causes periodic fevers. Research into this genetic mutation may help human populations that have familial Mediterranean disease, as well as shar-pei breeders.