Shelta Bat Watch

The first Shelta Bat watch was this evening. The violets were out in force, peppering the little hill in between the two entrances. Ronny, Paul and I counted 15 bats as the sun set behind a thick wall of overcast sky. 15 doesn't sound like much but just a few years ago we were only counting 2 and 3. So 15 is a pretty good number to start the year with. Statistically the middle of this month is one of the high points of the count so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more than 50.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Part 2)

This is an ornament Christin gave me ages ago in highschool.

And a little batty ornament.

Here are some more highlights of our wondrously nutty Christmas:

My Dad and I going incognito at Lowe's. (We did actually buy one of these buckets to put the live Christmas tree in.)

This is a doll that my Mom's Mom (Mimi) made for me long long ago. I can remember snuggling up to it on many a night. Mimi got sick and never was able to finish it. Poor kid had been partially bald for at least 15 year! She finally got the rest of her pretty blond yarn hair this Christmas!

Paul was a bit jealous so she said she would share - although she didn't really think blond was his color.

Ta Da! Isn't she cute?

Paul in his totally sweet Utilikilt. This was one of my big presents I got him. He didn't really say "I want a man-skirt for Christmas" he didn't even say that they were cool...but I thought they were pretty cool - Not to mention he's got some hunky-good looking legs and he can totally pull off a kilt with me hanging on his arm. (Just don't tell his Mom and Dad!) Go watch some of the Utilikilt Mockumercials - they are darn funny!

Here's my dad staring down Christmas super...

And here's his "Happy Plate."

And then there's the dog... in a pair of my clean underwear. Paul did it. They went directly into the dirty pile after this photo was taken.

My Dad at the Birmingham Museum of Art. We went to go see the Pompeii exhibit there. It was really spectacular. They had so much phenomenal jewelry and several walls of frescos. And then the plaster casts... very very eerie. But awesome! If you haven't seen it - I highly recommend going there. Its truly a once in a lifetime exhibit!

Here we begin the Alabama fried foods section:

This is the famous Mickey Mouse okra from Gibson's Bar-B-Que.

And then we have the Christmas ornament onion ring from Soul Burger.

Here you can see my Mom and Dad discussing the highlights of the Christmas ornament onion ring.

Look for both of these fantastic food icons on ebay very soon.

(Letterpress and New Years highlights coming soon to a post near you!)

Coolest "caving gear" ever!

Very rarely do I truly get excited about clothing. I am not a heavy-duty clothes shopper. I don't often look unless I have something specific to hunt for. Enter Libertine.

We were walking up to the check-out line at Target this evening and I happened to glance back at a rack and caught site of... are those bat wings? I completely freaked! I was truly excited. And there was no way i was walking out without owning bat pants. I got the groceries and Paul bought the shorts for me. (bonus cool points for Paul) Wild thing is they aren't even a Halloween item. (There were some Halloween shirts already out - this is August, right?) I am WAY stoked about my totally sweet shorts with green screen-printed bats!!!