Patio Flowers

While I was taking all the hummer photos in the preceding post, I had to do quite a bit of waiting on the patio. It was very pleasant waiting: the temperature was 72 F, the sun bright but not overwhelming, I had a mug of ice-cold lemonade, and my wife was only an hour or so from home after five days on the road. Plus I was surrounded by the flowers in bloom on our patio, which is what these photos are of:

Chaparral Hummers...

For several weeks now, we have had our summer population of hummingbirds -- hundreds and hundreds of hummingbirds at our feeders. Currently we're keeping 7 feeders out, each with 8 feeding stations -- room for 56 hummingbirds -- but every morning and every evening (the most busy feeding times), all the stations are full and hummers are waiting in line. There's a kind of "hummingbird cloud" all around the feeders. The hummers are quite accustomed to our presence, and we can go out and stand right in this cloud -- they dart and buzz all around our heads, sometimes even landing on our hats, our ears, or our glasses!

One diminutive female seemed to like perching in our pampas grass -- she liked it so well that I was able to get quite close to her to take her picture. My lens was only a few inches from her when I took this photo! When I finally did get too close for her comfort, she whisked off at a blinding speed, straight through the heart of the (very dense!) pampas grass -- then whizzed around to right behind my head, hovered for a few seconds, and then zipped straight back to her original perch!

Another female seemed to be particularly fond of our potato flower. She had a regular flight pattern from the feeder to "her" perch in the potato flower tree, where she'd rest for about 60 seconds, then zip back to the feeder for another tipple -- and then back to the potato tree. If you follow the individual hummers, you'll soon see that many of them have such patterns, for at least hours at a time. I haven't yet figured out if they maintain these patterns over periods of days or longer...

Some more hummer pictures for your enjoyment...

Back from the Show!

Debbie was up in Pomona, California for the past five days, with all three of our field spaniels (Lea, Mo'i, and Miki). Miki (our one year old) was just there for the practice; he needs to learn how to behave in crowds of people and dogs. But Lea and Mo'i were both competing in agility...

Lea was the star of the weekend -- in her eight runs (four standard and four jumpers) she had four qualifying runs, three first places, and a title. She runs with the twelve inch dogs (meaning that the jumps are set at 12" high). Three of her qualifying runs were on Excellent A Preferred standard courses, which earned her the AXP (Exellent A Preferred Standard) title. She also qualified on one Excellent B Preferred jumpers course. She took first place on three of her four standard course runs -- she beat the second place dog by 12 to 15 seconds!

Thyroid medication is a good thing!

Mo'i had just one qualifying run, but that's not as bad as it sounds. For starters, he runs in the most advanced category (Excellent B) and he runs with 20" dogs -- mostly border collies, which are your basic nuclear-powered sports cars. Mo'i had no problem with speed, which is a big improvement -- he used to "stall" on the teeter and the pause table. Those problems are history -- Debbie reports that Mo'i powered over all but one of the teeters, and just a second or so hesitation at the pivot point on the one that wasn't perfect. On the pause table, his "sits" and "downs" were crisp and fast. Where he fell down was on the weave poles, where he was slow on Friday and Saturday, but fast on Sunday and Monday after a friend helped Debbie figure out why he was fast on the weave poles at home, but slow at the show. And Mo'i had several "extra credit" events, where he took an extra jump or other obstacle -- still making qualifying time, but at his level the course deviation disqualifies him.

All in all, a good show. Debbie is all smiles and quite happy with how things went...

Maka Lea

Maka Lea ("twinkly eyes" in Hawaiian) is also a rescue cat. In his case, our veterinarian, knowing Debbie's weakness for "challenged" cats, prevailed upon us to take this little fellow. He had an infection and a very high sustained fever when he was a tiny little thing. As a consequence, he's got some neurological damage that makes him walk funny, fall frequently, and rely on his front paws for almost everything involving motion.

He climbs using one front paw to throw his weight up, while he grabs a higher point with the other front paw. He can't jump; he just doesn't have enough control of his rear legs. And his leaps from high places are the absolute antithesis of grace -- he's as likely to land on his head as he is to land on his feet. When he does accidentally land on his feet, he looks startled, like "What happened here? I'm supposed to be in pain on the floor, but instead I'm up and about!"

But Maka Lea's real grace is his personality -- he's as sweet, dependent, and affectionate as our dogs. He'll follow us all around the house, demanding attention just like our dogs do (only even more persistently!). He comes to us when we call him, just as reliably as our dogs do. And he'll nuzzle and kiss you exactly like the dogs do -- very unusual cat behavior, and impossible to resist...

Halala Pala

Halala Pala (Hawaiian for "big mellow") is a rescue cat, but we suspect he's all or mostly Maine Coon. His appearance and his behavior are completely consist with everything we've ever heard about Maine Coons, and several breeders have written us in the past to assure us that he is indeed a Maine Coon.

But really, who cares?

Note the grumpy look on his face upon being bothered by the photographer!

America the Beautiful

Ray Charles sings it:

In Flanders Fields

For Memorial Day:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Memorial Day

Today, as every day, our American flag is flying. But today we will spend some time remembering those brave Americans who died while defending this great nation and its principles.

Often these men and women were so very young -- I've read that the average age of our fallen soldiers is just 19. Often they died in distant, lonely, and strange places; there's something particularly discomfiting about dying so far from home.

Today is the day we remember their sacrifices. Today we salute the bravery and dedication of the American soldiers and sailors, past and present -- they have kept America safe and free for over 200 years.

Thank you, one and all.

Here are some Memorial Day links for you:

Wikipedia

Paralyzed Veterans of America

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Memorial Day Links Roundup

Memorial Day History

Memorial Day Thoughts

Cal and Jamie Johnson, Part II

Jamie Johnson left an extensive comment on my previous post, and once again I will let her comment speak for itself. I have made some trivial formatting changes to make it more readable:

Thank you for the opportunity to set a few more wrongs right.

Yes, my husband has lost weight. Partially from the addiction and partally from the daily stresses of being self employed in a city that is corrupt and immune from persecution. As to my weight loss. In August of 2004 I underwent gastric bypass surgery in an attempt to better my life and reduce the health related problems I was enduring as a result of being overweight for more than 15 years. To inadvertently imply I may have been using as well shows the ignorance of society and the "jump on the band wagon" mentality that I have tried to overcome.

Secondly, our children's health has NEVER been disregarded. I have always been the primary caregiver when it comes to our kids and that has not changed. Our family life was not one of anger and rage. Do we punish our kids for wrong doings...yes. We ground them, we take away possessions, we do not torture, beat, threaten or abuse our children. don't you think if the police saw evidence of abuse, my kids would be elsewhere instead of at home with me where they are.

I also believe that persons under the influence of drugs should be held accountable for thier actions. At no time have I insinuated that I think my husband should be treated with "kid gloves" because I have chosen to give him the chance to make a change in his life. I will stand up in court and tell the truth and when asked if I support my husband I will say that I do. does that mean I don't want him to take what he has coming to him for these acts. Absolutely not. He will be spending time in prison for this, I do not delude myself into thinking that I can stand up and ask a Juadge to go lightly on him.

On the other hand, he has 100% committed to entering himself into intensive residential treatment for however long it takes. He will have to prove to me that nothing like this can ever happen again before we can even begin to try to heal our relationship. I have to give him the chance to get better and heal himself and as a result I can heal as well.

Our children are our first priority and steps have already beenn taken to begin treatment for their mental well being. I will never let my kids think that it is okay to treat someone in this manner. It has to be said that our family is not crippled with a continuing pattern of domestic abuse. This incident is the one and only exception to domestic violence. I am not saying we have had a perfect 23 year relationship, but at no time has my husband abused me prior to this tragic day. Has he called me names, yes. Has he yelled at me or raised his voice, yes. Has he lost his temper and said things he later regretted, yes, but who hasn't. I have too.

We have worked very hard instilling consequences and values in our kids and if you really know my family, you would know that as well. I don't excuse my husbands actions and simply blame his addiction. I was merely trying to say that absent the addiction this would not have happened. My family will need time to heal and my husband needs time to heal as well. He isn't going to be in Jamul for a very long time. His treatment is going to begin immediately upon his release from jail and will continue for as long as it takes. Cal knows he screwed up and he also knows that only time and a genuine committment to himself will begin the road to recovery. I can only hope and pray that he will be successful.

Now to set the record straight as to the false reports from the press and Sgt. Mary Helman. First and foremost, my husband had NO weapons on him when he was arrested. Secondly, he was not "on the run" for days. He waited until he was able to talk to me so that I could meet him and we could go together to the police station and he could turn himself in. He wanted his soulmate by his side and I in turn wanted to be there to support him and to let him know he wasn't in this alone. Our children asked me to be with him so he would not be alone and afraid. Selfless acts are the wings of angels.

Third, my husband did not torture me over a week, as stated by the prosecutor, or even 3 days as stated by the press. This incident began on that tragic day and ended on that tragic day. Fourth, at NO TIME did my husband threaten to kill our children. My comment to the police was that if they were to arrest my husband in front of our children...IT would kill them.

If you noticed the news reports made no mention of my husbands addiction. Why you ask. If one were to find out that perhaps an addiction played a role in this it might not be as sensational. He may not be viewed as such a horrible monster. Well, enough said.

Those that think you are immune from addiction and the pain of a tragedy...think again. Meth isn't predjudiced. It will take ahold of anyone that chooses to partake of it. The only thing that I can say may be my saving grace in all of this is that if one women can be saved from being abused by having this tradgedy brought to light then the humiliation and pain that I feel every second of every day since this happened is worth it.

To the young women who stopped that morning on Proctor Valley Road...I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are an angel and I will never forget you.

God bless,

Jamie Johnson

Jamie, thank you for sharing this with the community. I am reminded once again (for the bazillionth time) just how different the same events can appear when viewed from a different perspective, or in a different context. I hope that in some small way it is helpful for you to have a public forum for your thoughts and feelings.

We wish you and your family all the best as you move on from this awful day -- you, your kids, and Cal all have some real challenges ahead. Feel free to contact me (email at right) if there's any way the JamulBlog and its readers can help...