Posts filed under ‘Mike’
For The Birds
Our rescued falcon
This time last year, my friends Carmina and Jeff that work here at the dental college in the I.T. department, found a nest of kestrel falcons up in the ceiling above their work area. Our building maintenance guys were thwarted in their efforts to get an exterminator to get rid of them when they discovered that the falcons were endangered, protected wildlife. My friends contacted Kathy Rogers, the wonderful woman who runs Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in the Dallas area. She came to the college and rescued a couple of the falcons and my friend caught the rest and brought them to the center, total of five falcon babies rescued from the ceiling. Pretty exciting stuff for us here at the college.
Yesterday, another falcon was discovered in the same area. Building maintenance guys supposedly closed up all the gaps and potential entrances last year, but obviously they were outsmarted by the bird brains. So, after work, Mike & I accompanied my friends to Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to turn the rescued little falcon over to their caring hands.
Carmina and Jeff had told me last year what a cool place Rogers was. I had read about their work with rescued birds before, but I had no real idea of the extent of birds on the grounds in various cages/pens and out walking about. I now know why Carmina and Jeff were so enthusiastic about their visits to the center, Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is the coolest place I’ve been to in quite some time. It’s like a bird zoo/hospital and if you live in the DFW area, they always need volunteers and donations. Check it out. All my photos here are from yesterday’s visit. (more…)
Dinnertime
In a house of five cats and two dogs, dinnertime is always an experience. It’s never dull here around 5:30pm. The most vocal and insistent critter demanding to be fed is Mickey. These two video clips of Mickey give you a glimpse of the fun that occurs daily at our place. Mickey is one entertaining pup. Enjoy.
Sunday Afternoon
Just a lazy Sunday afternoon photo, nothing exciting happening at the house. Mike picking a record to play and the cats all lazing around. There are four cats in this photo. Can you find them all? (more…)
Mike Rocks Again
My husband Mike‘s band The Big Guns is playing this Saturday night in Dallas at Lee Harvey’s, our favorite dive bar. Always a fun time especially when the roller derby girls are having their after bout party as they are this Saturday night. If you live in Dallas or are lucky enough to be visiting, do drop by. You won’t be sorry. Here’s a fun little video of The Big Guns from a few years back for your enjoyment.
Mike Rocks Onstage
You may remember a few months ago I posted a story about my guitar playing husband’s new blog of his new music? Sure you do. Well, Saturday night he took it to the stage and rocked the house. Really he did. Here’s a couple of video proofs of said rocking. Watch them both, you know you want to. I’ll let you know ahead of time when he hits the stage again.
Enjoy.
Mike Rocks
HotKlub 30TH 7-24-10 photo by Erin Arthur
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but in case you’ve forgotten, Mike, my husband is a fabulous guitar player. He also writes great songs and records them at our house in his studio. He has finally decided to start a blog to share his music with everyone. Me and the furry kids will no longer be the only ones to hear his great music. The link to his blog is over there in my blog roll, but to make it easy for you, click here. Keep your eye on his blog for more rocking hits to be posted. And check the credits on the songs already posted, you’ll find me listed as background vocals on one.
Goodbye and Hello
We recently convinced a big orange tabby male feral cat that he really didn’t want to live outdoors anymore. After the vet assured us that he was disease free and healthy, we brought him into our house of six cats and two dogs. So far, so good. No bloody fights, just some complaints from the other cats. Now Ozzie, the formerly feral cat, just doesn’t like dogs and is determined to beat them up. He’s a big cat, but I don’t think he could take them. But the dogs are keeping their distance, just in case. When Ozzie takes a swat at Mickey, the dog he goes after mostly, Mickey reminds him that he can bark loud and has bigger teeth. They then go there separate ways.
Two weeks into this new seven cat arrangement, our most senior cat, June, passed on. She had been ailing, but hanging in there. She was 18 years old, almost 19. We miss her. She died in Mike’s arms. We’re grateful that she went on her terms and not through the dreaded last vet visit.
So we’re still a six cat, two dog family.
Goodbye June. Hello Ozzie.
Busy Weekend
If you’re in Dallas to visit or you’re lucky enough to live here, let me 
recommend a couple of fun events you ought to check out this weekend.
Friday night, my guitar hero husband will be playing in two bands: The Big Guns and Bag O’ Wire, at the Lakewood Theater for Live At The Hot Klub, a punk rock club reunion type gig featuring reunited punk bands of course. If you’re a Facebook user, check this link to view a promotional video for the event.
Then, early Saturday, from 8am until 1pm I will be selling my critter creations at the White Rock Local Market.
Hope to see you at one or both fun filled events.
Lead Vocals
Once upon a time, many years ago, I used to sing in a band. Both here in Dallas and in Raleigh, NC. Mike played lead guitar and I was the vocalist and many other members came and went. We were called, at different times, The Leopard Society, The Miss Patti Band and The Big Gundown. The Big Gundown was the most recent incarnation and that was over ten years ago.
About half of our material was instrumental, focusing on Mike’s fabulous guitar playing. Along the way, I grew weary of singing in bars. When yet another bass player left and we were about to embark upon finding his replacement, I suggested that the band become instrumental, no singer, no me. And I offered their name, The Big Guns. The rest is history. The Big Guns have been rocking ever since.
There is a reason I am dredging up all this ancient history. An upcoming reunion event is resuscitating one of Mike’s old punk bands, Bag O’ Wire. The lead vocalist for that band now lives in Nashville and will only be able to get here the day before the gig to rehearse. The other guys live here and want to rehearse more than once. Do you see where I’m going with this? I’m the fill in, the substitute, the temporary lead singer.
So singing with a band again took me down memory lane and I dug up a couple of mp3s of The Big Gundown for you to download. One’s an original tune by Mike and me and the other is a cover. Enjoy.
photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jf-sebastian/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Huichol Beaded Necklace
image by kreimermusic
Back in March, Mike and I went to the Dallas Guitar Show. I’ve been to the show many times before, even worked a booth there a few years ago. Mike not only plays guitar, he sells them. He’s a manufacturer’s representative for Godin Guitars. So we basically live in guitar world. Therefore, a trip to a guitar show is not usual for us. Discovering fabulous Huichol art at a guitar show, well, that is very unusual.
There was a booth set up for the Hermes Music Foundation. They had on display several guitars that were beaded by Huichols, some beaded guitar straps and some fabulous beaded necklaces. A television was playing the story of the Huichol people and explaining how the foundation was helping with aid of 
food, supplies and musical instruments.
There was a photo of a wonderful beaded guitar that was given to Carlos Santana. It was spectacular. The guitars on display were available for purchase/a donation. But, unfortunately, it was well beyond our financial comfort zone. Although we both agreed a Huichol beaded guitar was just what our Huichol collection needed, we also acknowleged the money thing. We didn’t have enough to splurge on a beaded guitar.
But we did have enough to purchase this wonderful necklace and it not only hangs on display in my bedroom, I get to wear my Huichol art out into the world. The skill and talent of the Huichol people always amazes me.
