Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Danielaphant vs. Nature



This is one of those metal Corona beer pails that you get in a Tex-Mex restaurant filled with those cute mini Coronas and crushed ice. When we inherited it from the previous owners of Cowboy house, it was filled with motor oil. I didn't know how to dispose of it environmentally correctly, so I let it sit for a while in the backyard. One morning, I discovered a dead frog floating in it, which made matters worse. Then it rained, so the pail is now filled with a weird stew of dead frog and frothing goo. Please rid me of this toxic eyesore!



My minions and I built 4 raised beds for growing vegetables. We had to carry all those very heavy cement blocks, move them about, fill the beds with countless wheelbarrows full of dirt, rake, fertilize and mulch. I am now officially "swole".



In the front yard, we have two Sago Palms. The are not technically palms, but some ancient dinosaur plant. They are sharp, spiny and send out these bulbs at the roots called "pups" that are next to impossible to dig out. It took me three days of pruning to get the Sago in the foreground to look clean and architectural. The one in the background is waiting for the same haircut. Any volunteers?

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Recontextualization baby!



I've been checking out the local antique scene in Alvin this summer, but I haven't purchased anything until today. I saw these rustic old folding chairs at Dixie Bell Antiques a month ago, but I didn't need any chairs so I walked away. Then I went to this hip florist in The Heights and they were selling a turquoise version of this chair for 125 bucks! So I popped back to Dixie Bell, and there they were; two for $49.00. I've decided to use them as objets d'art instead of things to sit on. If El Ranchito has an aesthetic, they seem to match it.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Hill Country Beauty

From Neal's Lodges...

This summer we went for the uncomplicated vacation. We rented a cabin in the Texas Hill Country; walking distance from a cold spring-fed swimming hole on the Frio river. Julian brought along his friend Everett and we met up with grandparents and cousins. It was relaxing, unpretentious, and fun. Rex's folks treated us to some fine cooking at Neal's Dining Hall and at night we went to the outdoor jukebox dance at Garner State Park and tried our best to two-step. We are already planning a return trip next summer. By then, perhaps my sunburn will have healed. Let us know if we can book y'all a cabin too!

Click on the slide show to see bigger pictures.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Rolling Stones Live in 1967



I've been strangely obsessed lately with late sixties Rolling Stones music. There is something raw, fun, and pure Rock n' Roll about it. Makes the Beatles seem wussy by comparison. Please note that Keith Richards wasn't always scary.

Top 5 tunes from before 1970

1. Paint It Black
2. She's A Rainbow
3. Back Street Girl
4. Dandelion
5. Street Fighting Man