Ending week festvities

The past two weeks have been spent in much artistic splendor while my daughter Eve has been on her Spring break. We did a variety of creative and fun tasks together including cooking, painting, shopping, looking through old family photos, contemplating items for the house design, watching films, listening to books on tape, taking photos and drooling over pretty things at such wonder filled places like Anthropology.

Sunday morning we decided to venture once again to the Rose Bow flea market. I think this will become a monthly excursion for us. I very much like walking around looking for treasures. It's also a darn good place to people watch. During our excursion a Style Blog approached Eve to do a spontaneous film interview. They asked her about what she was wearing and her personal style, including who are her style icons? What a great question! I've been pondering how I would answer this question and will share soon.

Last month at the Rose Bowl flea market I found a small "shabby chic" type shelving unit for my studio. This time I found a sweet wrought iron bird bath that I will use as a prop for photos and events as well as in the garden. As I mentioned back in September I am shifting the style of our home and the finds at the Rose Bowl are great additions to our "Bountiful" style.


That night we choose to make "Pan de Yuca" once again, we made these delicious little rolls back in August after returning from Eucador. Yuca is a popular staple in the diet of the subtropics. While we were in Ecuador last summer we were served the root regularly. Yuca root is derived from the woody shrub Manihot esculenta, also termed Cassava. To make the Pan de Yuca look for Yuca flour at Latin markets, it can also be found at specialty stores as Tapioca flour, which is the same thing.

Ecuador: Hacienda, Into the Amazon, Amazona, Cotopaxi, Indigenous #1 and #2, Orcidarium
Bountiful in Venice
Anthrolpology
Rose Bowl Flea Market (be warned the link has a loud obnoxious ad, turn volume off or low)

Images: Photos taken at Bountiful in Venice, Anthropology in Pasadena and a clothing store in Glendale ©RVilla

Wabbits in the Woodlands

In these wood land hills we spot little white, furry tailed bunnies regularly. Especially at twilight amongst the leaf litter of the native oak trees. There has been quite a lot of development in our area over the last ten years which has impacted the native flora and fauna quite a bit.

Most notable has been the lack of native quail. In the past we would see entire families of quail wondering about our land and surrounding area. The biggest impediment for the local wildlife with all the building is the removal of the oaks combined with everyone fencing off their property.


Here in the perfume apothecary I spotted a bunny among my solid perfumes, specifically Cimbalom. At first I thought it must be the Easter bunny, especially after spotting the little brown Rabbit with the chocolate perfumes!


Turns out the bunnies name is Barbara, an obvious lover of natural perfumes. In the meantime, not knowing where she'll turn up next, I've hid my stock of carrot seed and parsley essential oil.

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Below are the answers 2nd graders gave to the questions below:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is located.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom the same like he made me...he just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds, angel hair, and everything nice in the world, and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she liked me a lot more than other people's moms liked me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.