What's happening in there?

Saw this sign when taking a walk one morning recently - it was on a low rent commercial complex.   Seems like the perfect way to conceal something really bad happening inside!

A music video with Spitfires!

A video from the grand old days of MTV - when music videos told a story along with the music!  I remember seeing this back in the day and liked it then and like it now.  I rediscovered this group and the video when listening to Sirius radio today driving the Missus home from the grocery store.  What's not to like in a music video with airplanes and Land Rovers!

Enjoy!

 

Happy Memorial day

Happy Memorial day 2013; I hope at some time today we can all stop and think about those who sacrificed their lives for us and our country in one of the many conflicts that this nation has been in since 1776.  Especially let us remember the many young men  and women who have given their lives in the ongoing war in Afghanistan.  It is truly the 'forgotten war' and the deaths of our service men and women gets a page four mention in the newspaper if at all.  Say a prayer for them and their families and remember their sacrifice in your heart.

Off road trip - Santa Barbara / Upper Oso campground

On Sunday the Grouch and other intrepid explorers journeyed to the upper Oso campground outside of Santa Barbara for some sightseeing and driving.  The area was pretty crowded being that it was the holiday weekend but we still managed to find some quiet areas.  Young Daughter and I took a hike in the area a couple years ago after some heavy rains and had to wade through a wide and deep creek to get to the trail head but not this time.  There was water flowing in the stream and many people having fun it it but we weren't there for fun, we were there to see and drive!

So, off on our trip:

As far as we could drive, time to get out and walk.

Starting the hike.  It's a nice dirt road and would've been fine for driving but alas only the Forest Service gets to use it.

Rugged country

Nice and green!

Don't know if this is from a fire or because it is in a rain shadow but a very different contrast to the green foliage  around it

After the hike we drove in a another direction and saw two mule deer grazing by the road.  Look at those ears!

There are at least two deer in there

We took a road that climbed up the mountain  and followed the coast.  That's the ocean out there.

The intrepid explorers taking a break

Beautiful country!

The high ground always gets some commo installations

Look, nature!

After we traversed the trail we dropped down to Solvang, bought some Danish pastries, ate at Pea Soup Anderson's and made the long run back to our happy valley.  A long and dusty trip but a good time had by all!

Old Iron

Spotted this Buick Roadmaster in the parking garage where I work and just couldn't resist taking a picture of  it.  Now, that is a car!

Bird business

I was out in the back yard the other day doing yard work, filling the bird feeders, and generally being the lord of the manor when I noticed a scruffy looking bird at the finch feeder.  The finches are greedy little birds and in their eagerness for a free meal will usually stay on the feeder until I am a couple feet way and then they fly off.  This one didn't seem interested in going anywhere so I walked closer until I was right next to it on the feeder and realized that the poor thing was blind.  One eye was missing and the other was completely white and sightless.  Was it born that way or lost them recently?  When I was about 6 inches away it sensed me and fluttered off to a nearby tree and stayed there so I got the Missus' camera to document the bird.  How it managed to survive like this is amazing!   When it flew it hovered more than flew purposefully and flew feet down ready to land.

The bird knew something was up as I took its picture

What an amazing survivor!  It later flew off.

For the past couple of months we've been finding feathers in the back yard and I've assumed that it was one of the many neighborhood cats snacking on our poor birds.  The cats are a menace and shouldn't be allowed to roam free but try telling that to a cat owner.  Can I let me dog roam free in their backyard?   Anyway the cats may be eating the birds but this hawk is definitely enjoying the larder.  I saw him come screaming in with a bird in its talons; it landed on the wall and commenced to pulling the bird apart and having lunch.   

Mother's day for the Missus

So, at last some photos of the great Mother's Day celebration for the Missus at her favorite restaurant!  In attendance were all of the California-based Grouch family plus Older Son's lovely lady friend.  A grand time was had by all!

The Grouch clan plus lady friend enjoying dinner.  The Missus sure looks a lot younger than me.  

Older Son and lady friend who made delicious cake-pops for the Missus as a  Mother's Day present.  She knows the way to the boy friend's mother's heart!

The Grouch family minus Older Daughter (in N.C.) with some of the Mother's day gifts.