Previously in Monika's life...

So what have I been keeping myself busy with... ? Well, a lot actually. I was lucky enough to have a great deal of hard work recognized and got a promotion earlier this year (so I've been working even more), successfully cohabited with some of our favorite people for four months (and stayed friends), went back to Washington (to visit, work and celebrate), and I got a bike (pretty much so I can ride around the neighborhood to find feathers and the like). The list can go on and on...

Home and Away: More Home...

First and foremost, allow me the opportunity to apologize for the following offenses;

1. There are many instagram photos in this post, but it is not an insta-sista installation.
2. This is yet another post about a. Burbank and b. Jay and Dawn now living with us.
3. There are many furry faces in the following post

Now that I have apologized in advance I don't feel any recourse for asking you to observe Olive's cute neck accessory (pink and white stripped tea towel) that makes her look like such a lady. Enter, my current life...

Home & Away: Getting ready in Burbank

So very soon (as in next Friday soon!) Dawn and Jay will be arriving in Burbank. Not only are we super excited for our friends to be living in the same town as us, we are equally (perhaps misguidedly) excited for them to be living under the same roof as us (until we find our new large castle to commune in).

So last weekend I spent some time doing some cleaning, arranging and beautifying the homestead to get ready for their arrival...

(new welcome mat above, I think it should do the trick)

Home and Away: Halloween

As I write this I can hear several things: the drums of the haunted house two doors down, the screams of people anxiously waiting in line on the sidewalk, and the happy candy-fueled conversations of the hordes of kids shuffling along the street. It's Halloween in Burbank...

Home and Away: Bronson Caves

One definite perk of living just over the hills from Hollywood is that there are really neat landmarks everywhere you look! One of my favorites is Griffith Park. When you visit the park there are so many different areas to explore--it's home to the Hollywood sign, the inspiration for Disneyland, the Griffith Observatory, the old LA Zoo, and the Bronson Caves, just to name a few. So, in honor of the month that channels all thing spooky I think it's a great time to visit the caves... 

Home and away: California

While California is home for Monika, it's certainly away from home for me. I saw lots of amazing things during my minibreak there last weekend--including dolphins! Take a peek...

I live in a land the Praying Mantis love.

Recently, Ben and I started seeing these little guys around town. Praying mantises! This is a new experience for me, and I'm super-excited. Side-note: I have a cricket in my office (which is, apparently, good luck?). I don't exactly want to hurt it, but I also don't want it in residence any longer. I'm thinking about bringing in a praying mantis to do the vile deed. I would, of course, catch the insect assassin and release it back in to the wilds of Los Angeles. As for the mantis above? It was the first one we saw, just hanging around our hibiscus tree while I was succulenting in the garden beds...

Found Nest.

You may remember these pictures from Christine's Instaweek: California Edition 1, I have borrowed them to set the scene for my brief story about how I found a birds nest. It all started at a little park in Burbank...

Overlooking Forest Lawn Cemetery, final resting place of Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, and Walt Disney,

to name a few.

The park also borders the LA River, majestic, no? Anyway the very brief story goes like this; Ben and I took the scooter to this park to eat our Healthy Bites (amazing Mediterranean food), and enjoy the weather. I got to enjoy more than that because on the way to the picnic table I found a abandoned bird's nest!

It was on the ground and there was no sign of its owner. I would never take a nest out of a tree, but if the nest is empty and laying on the ground, then yes, it will become mine. I love it because you can see all sorts of different materials that the bird used to construct it. Little amazing birds.

This little dear now lives on my mantel under a glass canister (you know so the bird lice can't get out), on a pretty plate. Maybe I should set some of my ceramic birds next to it...hmm, I just might.

It's oh so quiet...it's oh so still...

Yesterday my beau and I went up to the beautiful Burbank Hills and took a stroll. It was very lovely, and very serene. The path we walked on went from canyon to crest of the hills surrounding the valley. It was a wonderful day in November, 80 degrees and sunny with a nice cooling breeze. Through out our visit we happened on several creatures and treasures. No mammals, but we saw numerous reptile and raptors. Please enjoy a brief and pleasant journey down this lovely little path in the shadows. On our way up we were able to stop and enjoy some beautiful vantage points. If you look in the distance you can see L.A.

We also made a new little flying friend. I noticed this hawk after I heard him screech to his lady hawk and then they flew around like the crows at the end of Rats of Nimh. It was lovely except they should have had some pretty colored yarn to make aerial hearts with. Next time.

I almost stepped on this little friend, but didn't because I thought he was a skittle. He really didn't choose the best shelter as he was lying on top of a small flat rock in the dead center of the path. He really should have seen he was exposed with all of his prominent eyes.

Oh, I had found this before the spider. It's a very special treasure! This is the only one I could reach off of the tree without falling into some brush that was making some rustling noises. No doubt a mammal, though we didn't see any.

It is lovely and has four cavities separated with thin walls. By the look of the prickly spikes on the exterior, the interior must have been something pretty coveted and amazing.

This is the treasure that Ben found, well he found others, I found this one as my gift to him.

Another lovely little hill.

All in all a nice, quiet, warm afternoon in the desert.

fin.