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

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Nanny's Table and Chairs



Rex's folks gave us this fabulous 50s formica table and chairs that belonged to Nanny. Thank you! It fits our humble 1954 "cowboy country" house perfectly. I thought Johnnie would especially enjoy seeing what they look like in their new home. Now we just need the right curtains and dishes! The retro clock is from Target and the hamburger paintings are by yours truly.

Friday, June 20, 2008

El Ranchito















I've been a busy beaver working on the pad in Alvin. The front porch has a couple of new Adirondack chairs, a new outdoor sconce, and hanging baskets. We drink our coffee there every morning and wave to the middle-aged bikers as they roll by. In the back, I replaced a tacky mosquito-infested pond with a mini-tropical garden of bamboo and ferns. Let's see if it survives longer than my blisters. Click on the tiny "before and after" picture below to see the fruit of my labor.

Fetch? Yeah, whatever.



I think Esme is getting old.