Intimidate Your Opponent with Body Language

Ever seen a cat arch it's back, puff up it's fur and it's tail, and hiss a bit - all to intimidate a potential foe?

like this?

or like this ???

I have, and it's pretty darn impressive.


even kittens do it -- wee little kitties

Ever seen a kid at bat do the same thing? I had not. Until last weekend. I didn't even notice it at the time, but my trusty Canon G9 caught the action. Oh my yes, it surely did. Take a look:

yes, folks, that is grandson TREVOR,

intimidating his opponents

Guess it was effective - they won the game.

:-)

Your smiling,

Davielle

Bernie Berlin and A PLACE TO BARK: an update

An update, my friends, on the much-needed work that artist Bernie Berlin is doing for animals in need ... she has a strong message: Please SPAY / NEUTER your pets. PLEASE!


the beautiful BERNIE BERLIN of A PLACE TO BARK animal rescue in Tennessee (and author of the amazing book, THE ARTIST TRADING CARD WORKSHOP)



A PLACE TO BARK is Bernie's rescue facility in Tennessee -- her tireless work on behalf of hundreds of dogs and cats each year is inspiring and if you get to know her and her work, it is overwhelmingly beautiful. She is full of love, spirit, generosity, energy, devotion & dedication to her cause. PLS read the press release by clicking on this link to see what the ANTI-CRUELTY SOCIETY in Chicago has to say about Bernie's work:


http://www.anticruelty.org/site/epage/79411_576.htm


If you are so moved to make a contribution, however large or small, to support Bernie's work at A PLACE TO BARK, you can find a DONATE button in the sidebar of my blog. Please do it, if you can spare a buck or a hundred. ;-)


Thank you,


Davielle

the 3/50 project: saving the brick & mortars our nation is built on

"You and Me", by Kelly Rae Roberts (her work can be found on Etsy) ... I chose this image by KRR because the 3/50 project can only take off if YOU AND ME get on board.

Friends,

On a far more serious note {versus my "280" post this morning}, I was made aware on Sunday of a very important concept ...

the 3/50 project: saving the brick and mortars our nation is built on

{click on this post's title to link to their website}

It's a rather simple concept, and one that I encourage you all to consider and adopt. Here we go:

SAVE YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY ... three stores at a time.

3

Think about which three independently owned businesses you'd miss most if they were gone. Stop in and say hello. Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Your contribution is what keeps those businesses around.

50

If just half the employed U.S. population spent $50 each month in independently owned businesses, their purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue {employment statistics courtesy of U.S. Department of Labor Statistics; 2/6/2009}

68

For every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays local. Spend it ONLINE and nothing comes home.

1

The number of people it takes to start the trend ... you.

PICK 3. SPEND 50. Save your local economy.

Visit the350project.net for more details today!

So where did I hear about this project? I was shopping at EMBELLISHMENTS in Leucadia {a community of Encinitas}, and when I was checking out - with a couple of birthday gifts for Mark in hand - they told me about it.

If you live in So Cal, I encourage you to visit this little gem of a cards-art-gift shop ... "Julie" from Cardiff had this review of EMBELLISHMENTS to leave on the internet:

"This by far is the best and most exquisite gift shop that I have ever been to. It's located in the mini Gold Coast Mall in Leucadia and it really is a place where dreams are made of or at least spawned. The owner has great feminine taste in her selections of handmade papers, European ribbons, artistic outlet plates, cool and colorful jewelry and boxes to put them in. It's everything from romantic to peaceful to vibrant. The energy in the shop can't help but being great as well."

photo posted to 'net by "Julie", who loves EMBELLISHMENTS as much as I do

And when I left EMBELLISHMENTS, I was headed to RHINO ART, just down the road. RHINO ART used to reside in Solana Beach; I have been so happy to have them in the 'hood ever since they built the cool quonset-hut-style building they're in and moved here to Encinitas. Sure, I can pick up some supplies at Michael's {the big chain}. Sure, I can drive all the way into San Diego for a visit to Dick Blick and to Artist & Craftsman {and I have to say, I love them both}. But RHINO, it's right here. And they're so nice, and helpful, and if we can KEEP THEM OPEN by shopping there -- I say, let's do it. Let's spread what 'wealth' we do spend around.

YES, I shop online. But mostly for things I cannot find locally.

I sure hope it's okay with the 3/50 project folks that I shop -- both locally, at as many independents as I can ... and online for special gifts that can only be found, oftentimes, at places like ETSY. I do try to steer clear of the big-name vendors. Really, I do.

YES, I shop ETSY. But that's because everything there is either ONE OF A KIND, HANDMADE and/or VINTAGE. And I believe in supporting artists and artistic folks by shopping Etsy. Just take a look here at one of my favorite Etsy artists, Kelly Rae Roberts; and then, take a wander through any and everything else at ETSY that interests you. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25902293

But when it comes to shopping, say, for scrapbooking, crafting, and art supplies ... I have to say ... STAMPING DETAILS in Poway; SCRAPBOOK YOUR LIFE in San Diego; EVER AFTER in Vista; GIGI's in Carlsbad; and the aforementioned RHINO ART, ARTIST & CRAFTSMAN and DICK BLICK-SAN DIEGO are the best around.

I thank you for taking on THE PROJECT 3/50; please post a "comment" telling us which are your three favorite independently owned businesses in the community.

-- Davielle

# 280

Wow, the serendipity / coincidence of the number 80 ... just the other day I was posting my eightieth (80th) blog post on http://iamprincessmagpie.blogspot.com and this morning, I notice that this is my TWO HUNDRED and EIGHTIETH on this, my very first blog. Deep breath.

So here's just a bunch of "number 280" stuff, courtesy of Wikipedia - trivia - information - things you probably don't need or want to know, really - all relative to the NUMBER 280:

280 (two hundred [and] eighty) is the natural number after 279 and before 281.

The denominator of the eighth harmonic number, 280 is an octagonal number.

NOW that just sounds a bit mystical to me; doesn't it?

There are 280 plane trees with ten nodes. As a consequence of this, 18 people around a round table can shake hands with each other in non-crossing ways, in 280 different ways (this includes rotations).

OKAY, now what the heck does that mean (above)? why do the "ten nodes on 280 plane trees" (consequently) influence the whole "18 people around a round table" deal? huh? what is this!? PLS EXPLAIN TO ME.

280 is a base 10 Harshad number.

UM, what's a Harshad number?

AND NOW, for all you road-trip-loving folks ... this is good stuff from The Golden State:

Interstate 280 (I-280) is a 57 mile (92 km) long north-south Interstate Highway in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It connects San Jose and San Francisco, running along just to the west of the cities of San Francisco Peninsula for most of its route.

I-280 beginning at its interchange with State Route 1 in Daly City was built and dedicated as the JUNIPERO SERRA Freeway. One of the dedication signs (in Daly City) still indicates that the Junipero Serra Freeway is known as the "World's Most Beautiful Freeway" due to its scenic route though the San Francisco Peninsula. The portion of Interstate 280 between U.S. 101 and Interstate 880 is also named the Sinclair Freeway. This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System, and is eligible for the State Scenic Highway System.

Being the good, native San Diegan girl that I am, I most certainly DO know who Father Juniper Serra was ... I mean, he founded all our California Missions (well, most of 'em, anyway), including the amazing Presidio (above Old Town, San Diego) and the first church in California, the Mission San Diego de Alcala'.

http://www.sandiegohistory.org/serra_museum.html

http://www.missionsandiego.com/

AND AS IF ALL THAT ISN'T ENOUGH FOR YOU ROADIES, there's a bit more to be had:

In between San Jose and San Francisco, Interstate 280 passes through Santa Clara, Cupertino, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills before it settles along its scenic route just to the west of the cities of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Mateo County and just to the east of the Santa Cruz Mountains. I-280 re-emerges in a decidedly urbanized area in the city of San Bruno, passing through South San Francisco and Daly City before it runs across a southeastern swath of the city of San Francisco on the way to its northern terminus.

NOW THIS I DO KNOW: San Bruno is where my mother and I once visited a great-aunt of my mother's ... I cannot remember her name, though. Her (then already deceased husband) had been a staff photographer for National Geographic in his day -- and she had thousands of images he had taken for NG. How cool is that? And because I was then, that very summer (it was, I believe, my summer between 9th and 10th, or 10th and 11th grades) taking PHOTOGRAPHY in summer school -- I was very engaged with this woman I had never heard of nor met before. She was kind enough to gift me with a black and white photo of a Black Bear, climbing DOWN a tree -- looking right at the camera -- that photo meant a lot to me, and some years later, it finally disappeared. I've been wishing I still had it ever since.

And because BEARS have long been a collection/passion of mine (in our household, we even have a saying: "All Bears Welcome" .. but that's a whole 'nother story!), I am including a link to Brown Bear info:

http://reliableanswers.com/seasonal/sugar_pine_bears.asp

Okay, enough, already.

Hoping your not bored to {280} tears,

davielle

Owlet Update

Well, my friend Victoria and I had quite an exciting evening watching the owls -- unfortunately, NONE of the photos that I took on Friday night came out worth a darn.

However, the shots I caught last night (Sunday, the last day of May) are "okay", and worth a quick post here.

Mark and I were quite surprised to see two of our owls (not sure if two owlets, or a babe and a parent ... so hard to tell from such a distance & in the dark) LAND ON THE BLUFF -- and how cool is that CA native shrub, whatever it is? it's silhouette looks like a violinist sitting, his back rounded to the left, facing the owls (to me, anyway - is it my migraine meds 'seeing' that !!???)

You'll have to keep in mind -- it was WAY DARK OUT, and my camera is just a Canon G9 -- so not capable of a lot of zoom, and not capable of great night shots --- I do have the most success using the ISO setting, which is meant for the inside of museums where you need a lot of light AND you can't use a flash.

how cool is this? one of them taking flight !

here we have ONE on the "power box" (closer to the pole) and one that just brought dinner (so, presumably a parent) sitting on the wire

These ALL had to be "edited" -- they have been cropped, they have had their brightness, contrast, and some even the color -- adjusted. But I don't have PhotoShop, so they're not all that great.

owl moved OFF power box and onto wire ...

Still, they're a testimony to our Great Horned OWL BABIES and their parents, and we're pretty stoked !!!

Thanks for following our owls - I know that a lot more of you read these posts than comment, 'cause I get e-mails about the owls and how cool you think the posts & photos are ... I sure wish you could comment on here ... bloggers LOVE comments, you know :-) !!!

-- D.

SOMALI WILD ASS at the San Diego Zoo

Take a look at this adorable baby ass ... photo courtesy of the San Diego Zoo e-newsletter today.


I mean, is that not the cutest foal you have ever, ever, ever seen?!


If you click on this blog title, you will be taken to a San Diego Zoo site, for information on their preservation program for the Somali Wild Ass(es).

You can also find out more here, at the St. Louis Zoo website:

http://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/mammals/hoofedmammals/somaliwildass.htm
I mean, listen. I am just crazy for this little one. Just look at those striped legs - like legwarmers, they are. Brings back "Flashdance" memories - er, nightmares.

-- Davielle
the adult who used to be the kid who went straight to the Przewalski horses at the Zoo, every time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Przewalski

500 Miles

My blogging mentor and artistic friend, Ann Deakers { http://www.adeakers.blogspot.com/ }

hit a milestone today - her 500th blog post! To celebrate, she posted a YouTube video that brought a big, happy smile to my face ... I hope it will to you, too ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeuNxMY_5Uo&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eadeakers%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

Just so you know ... it's THE PROCLAIMERS, doing a live acoustic version of I'M GONNA BE 500 MILES. You might know the song from the movie with Johnny Depp, BENNY & JOON. Or you just might remember hearing it all day long, for about a full year, on the airwaves - it was quite popular in its day.

Enjoy!

-- Davielle