Found Origami In The 21st Century

My revamp of my 'Found Origami' site is finally complete and the new look is uploaded, yay!
http://jackshenhouse.com/FoundOrigamiHome.html

I hope to God it works on everyone's browsers and devices.  It was certainly one damned PITA struggle working out the kinks, although I learned a lot in doing it, and it's always fun to learn new things and expand on what you already knew.

Next will be the chicken site, which is already under way but is MUCH larger than the origami site and promises to be the big boss battle.

Ghost Birds!

So last night into today the snow has been falling, sometimes with great force and a little too much malignance to suit me, thankyouverymuch.  But overnight we got a couple of inches of it, and when we got up, the local birds had been by.

We normally spread bird food on and under this table, the quail had come by and roughed up the lawn hunting for goodies.

The front porch was full of tracks, including those from a little one-legged quail we often see.  His track is the one with the drag mark from his leg stump, he hops to get around and does fine.  You can see the tracks from a two-legged quail nearby.

A sparrow had also hopped along the porch.

...and then taken off.

An Evening Out!

So this evening, just after dark, the town had scheduled an outdoor concert/fireworks show at one of the local parks.

There is 2 inches of snow on the ground, it was 13 degrees outside and rapidly getting colder, with our next really cold storm expected tomorrow.

We went anyway, just like a bunch of other damned fools.  It was fun.

Some forward-thinking soul had placed 6 big 55 gallon drums lit with roaring bonfires here and there in the audience area, so we all cheerfully stood warming our hands with our feet in freezing slush denying that we were cold in any way.  There was a huge horse-drawn sleigh giving free rides and hot coffee, soup, cocoa and popcorn in abundance.

Husband went to the rest room, got back and nonchalantly reported, 'There was a dog in there, just watching me.'  Presumably to make sure he washed his hands.

Several local kid's groups got up on the gazebo stage and sang Christmas carols, then after they were done there was a small electronic lightshow set to holiday music, done very nicely.  After THAT, it was time to spirit the horse away, since horse + 20 person sleigh+ fireworks could equal loads of runaways, panicked screaming and lawsuits.

The fireworks were very nice and once you got into it and went with the smalltown groove of red/white/blue fireworks and country music-flavored Christmas songs, was fun.

Then suddenly in the midst of the medley of songs was a decidedly punk-themed barrage of only mildy holiday-themed music...it went on for a minute, then suddenly it was back to the country stuff.  This went on for a minute, then it was BACK to the punk music.  Then back to country.  It was like a weird Battle of the Bands, holiday-style.  We all started giggling, wondering if someone was hacking the music program...

Anyway, after the fireworks it was time to go, and no one had to tell people twice since it was damned cold.  We returned home to hot soup, warm crunchy bread and a good fire to thaw ourselves out in front of.

Snow!

We had out first real snowstorm yesterday, it's cold enough that I expect it'll stick around long anough for the next storm, expected this Saturday, to add more snow to what we got yesterday.

 To say that the chickens were NOT happy with cold stuff falling from the sky goes unspoken.  This was just about half an hour after it started, we got about 3 inches in as many hours.

Although the quail out front cheerfully forged ahead and scoured the ground for seed.  I tossed fresh bird food out front, which was met with a chorus of excited little 'Urk! Urk! Urk!' noises from the unseen quail in the hedges nearby.

And the snow made pretty patterns on one of the patio tables.

By this morning, the quail trails across the front lawn were evident.

You could even see their peculiar 'run run run *hop* run run run *hop* run run run' mode of travel in deeper snow, like little fat snowplows.  Having short legs is Hell.

And the icicles on the chain link fence sparkled prettily.

Meanwhile back indoors, Pidge spent his time wisely, wearing a chunk of newspaper as a hat and cooing into it.  Because...well, that's what pigeons do and it makes him happy.

'What?'

He went right back to it.  We should all be as uncomplicated to be happy with something this simple.

Mid-Century Chickens!

So Terry over at HenCam http://hencam.com/category/thevintagehen/ has been posting pictures of her vintage apron collection--my favorite is the pink and turquoise happy little rooster on wheels--and got me inspired to share some of my own obnoxious vintage chicken-themed linens.  I had been telling her about my favorite chicken apron which is a 1950's 'black with pink/orange chickens and chicken wire' monstrosity.

So as promised to Terry, here is my more-50's-than-50's chicken apron:

I *DID* warn you.

Such a happy little orange-pink-green chicken family!  I'm sure that they aren't actually staring at each other, aghast with sheer horror...

I don't wear this apron much, my go-to cooking apron is one of those full-front things (still chicken themed of course, in the style of a baby chick feed bag) since when I cook I require more of a drop cloth affair than an apron.

Among my collection of vintage table linens I also have a little tablecloth which looks to be from the early 1960's.

In each corner are these cheerful, clueless rooboys, who clearly have no idea they are standing next to a cooking pot.

There is also this saucy little fellow in the middle.  He is presenting us with his backside, which is what all chickens do the minute you point a camera at them.

I'll have to get pictures of my other tacky chicken decorations, I love me some tacky crap so I've got some doosies.

He's The Happiest Little Snowman!

This morning I found that the kid had created a snowman last night.  There was only a light layer of snow about half an inch at it's deepest, so this snowman is snowball-sized and rests atop the old rabbit hutch.

I like how he's got a snowball in each hand, obviously ready for a snowball fight with any other micro-snowman who happens by.  Heck, he's even got legs.

But the best part is the huge smile she gave him.

Arg Fargl...

So the kid has been out back playing in the little bit of snow we got today, and just came in the back door while I was making enchiladas.  I hear her ask from behind me, "Do I have snow on my head?"

I cringe.  I know my child well enough to know that I probably do not want to turn and look. *sigh*  I do anyway.  "Yes, you do.  Go OUTSIDE and brush it off."

She does so, then returns and races down the hall.  "Imgoingrightbackout!" she calls over her shoulder.

Meanwhile I shove the enchiladas into the oven to do their thing.  I glance at the sliding door and outside is Dusty, covered in snow.  "Geez, the dog is covered in snow, too!"

The kid calls out, "That's because she's been rolling in it!"

Oh, swell.  I leave the kitchen and head into the living room.

"I have, too!"  chirps my child.

AUUUGGGHHHHH...  I don't realize that I have actually voiced my anguish aloud until the kid says, "What?"

"Nothing."  I grump.  "I'm sure there isn't an ounce of dirt in your hair."

...so does anyone make industrial-strength shampoo?