A sketchy sketch skoo

Oy. I feel so behind in my blogging activities. There are so many back-logged stories to tell but I fear that if I attempt such a retrospective, then I shall never get back on track. I'm sorry. It normally takes me at least a couple days to write something I am happy with. I love doing it, but I am struggling with squeezing proper blogging into a 1.5 day weekend, on top of laundry, emails, feeding myself, and having a bit of R and R (Rum and Rowdiness). Plus I don't have a functioning camera anymore after my hot pink apparatus drowned; so my narrative facilities are greatly diminished. I feel kinda dysfunctional without it actually. I have to scavenge pics from other people which takes as much time as writing does!

Thus I think I just have to adapt my style and do sketches of what's going on around here. Here it goes - a week in review sketchy sketch skoos.

My teenage weed-whacking dream was realized strimming the Camp clearing. I have wanted to cut grass this way ever since I saw the machine in use at summer camp back in Canadia. The idea of being able to hold it just suspended above the ground, making it look effortless, appealed to me. What a power trip! And those kevlar pants will never go out of style. Now I think I am ready for a crash course in the chainsaw maneuverings.

weed whacker

Finally spotting the Macchabe skink after months spent rolling around on the forest floor right on top of it. Unfortunately, it dropped its tail at the sight of me. Oy. The abandoned tail wriggled and squirmed for 10 minutes diverting my attention from the escaping lizard. Darn. The tail looked like a little bait fish out of water! I was so confused, and mesmerized by it. So weird. If this tail dropping on demand isn't the best example of an anti-predation adaptation I don't know what is. Evolution rocks.

I met two more people who rub shoulders with Sir David Attenborough (aka The Sexiest Man Alive). They were filming our Echos at Camp for a new BBC nature show called "Miracle Babies" (to be released in early 2011). Can you say 6 degrees of separation?! It seems that I keep getting closer and closer to actually locking eyes with this legend myself. I wonder if Kevin Bacon has ever been in a wildlife documentary with Sir David? Hmm...

bbc

I am a baker, again. Exquisite orgasmic choux pastry cream puffs were successfully baked, assembled and devoured at the weekend house. I think making only one profiterole per person is ideal: it keeps them always wanting more... Putty in my hands! Hardy har har!!

kat

ewa and rich

rich

Calling in my first "dead" motorbike rescue on my descent of Chamerelle Road, the most curvaceous passage down a mountain side in the southern hemisphere. Turns out I was just out of gas...and all I had to do was use the fuel reserve...oops. Now I know for next time I lose the ability to accelerate.

Loads more of Echo chicks hatched and banded in the tree tops. Now all the wiener dog names I have been collecting over the years will get applied to my baby parrots. There goes Buffy and Spike!!

ewa up a tree

chick banding

ewa the bander

That's my week. Before I sign off for the week I wanted to wish my dad and my 3 year old twin nephews, Mitch and Jake, very very happy birfdays on Tuesday. I shall be thinking of you guys and perhaps even enjoying some cake in your honour.

echo cafeteria