The Grapevine

Oh, Yes We Can!

2010-12-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

For the first time in my life, I am pretty settled, and live in a house where I have my own garden. This, plus my undying DIY spirit has prompted my desire to finally learn how to preserve and can my homegrown harvest.

Not wanting to venture into this task all by my lonesome, I thought it would be advantageous to can with friends who had previously done it, thereby making them experts on the techniques and methods, able and willing to pass along their skills and knowledge to me through a hands-on, "quilting-bee" style of teaching.
Both times that I employed this method of learning from my presumable expert friends, we did not have the proper tools, ingredients, or recipes, nor did any of them have any more than a vague notion of what the canning process was supposed to be like. This was a great learning experience, but more along the lines of "what NOT to do" while canning. Although the end results in both cases were semi-successful, I concluded that the only way I was going to learn how to can was to purchase a canning book with exact recipes and explicit instructions.

Fortunately, and coincidentally, there happened to come along a Canning Workshop (free, no less!) at the Seattle Tilth's Harvest Fair over the summer, taught by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable Jessica Dally of the Seattle Free School. Jessica is a true "expert", having been certified as a "Master Food Preserver", and dedicated most of the class to food safety and prevention of food-borne illness. While this was not a "hands-on" class, and the students did not get to do any actual canning, I left the class feeling confident that I could take on any canning challenge that came my way.

For anyone else who may have a desire to dabble in food preservation, I thought it would be neighborly of me to pass along some of the tips that I learned from the workshop, and some that I learned from my trial-and-error experiments with friends:

1) Botulism is the Most Deadly Toxin Known to Man!
Botulism is a microorganism that, in itself is harmless and all around us every day. It is when the spores multiply in mass quantity in an ideal environment (low acid, anaerobic conditions, such as an improperly canned jar of string beans), and then release a neuro-toxin as they die off, that they become dangerous, causing serious illness, neurological malfunction, and death. In addition to being microscopic, it also has no odor, color, or taste, so it is not detectable to the naked eye (or nose or mouth)! This is not something that you want to mess with! No one wants to die by eating a jar of asparagus that was canned by well-meaning, sweet Aunt Pearl who was unaware of the dangers of microorganisms and food safety. Jessica's goal was to scare us all into practicing proper canning procedures, and I would say that she accomplished this, at least with me. If you are not convinced, and think we are being a bunch of worry warts or overly-cautious old biddies, I recommend doing your own research on the subject.

2) Only Use and Follow Approved Recipes
Although it's impossible to tell if botulism is present in any jar of improperly canned food, it is possible to control and kill this and other microorganisms by cooking and processing the food and jars to a specified time and temperature. That's what canning is all about. Approved canning recipes are those that have been commercially and scientifically researched and tested to meet the proper acidity levels and heating times & temperatures to successfully kill or prevent growth of harmful bacteria, molds, etc. (FYI-other types of molds are visible, and or smelly, and sometimes the lids will pop off if contamination is present--obviously, these foods should not be eaten!)

Two of the approved recipe books mentioned in class are: "The Ball Blue Book" (as in Ball canning jars), and "So Easy to Preserve", put out by The National Center for Home Food Preservation of the University of Georgia (one of, if not the only school in the country where you can still get a college degree in Home Economics!). Books should be the most current edition, as recipes often change with more research and new knowledge and testing methods.

The Ball Blue Book has a 2009, 100th Anniversary edition available now. If you can find it locally, it should cost around $8-$10. Otherwise, it may cost you twice as much, as the shipping charge at most of the online retailers seems to be about the same or higher than the cost of the book. I ended up ordering mine directly from Ball. At $5.49, it was the least expensive copy I could find online, but even there the shipping was more than the book-- $6.95! But even spending $12.44 is well worth it, considering there are over 500 recipes, plus detailed information and instructions on canning procedures. (I later found a copy at two local hardware stores for $10, so I recommend checking there first.)
So Easy to Preserve can be purchased directly from the University of Georgia for a total of $18, which is also much cheaper than you will find elsewhere online. (If you order 2 or more, they are only $15 each, so you might want to pick one up for a friend.) Unfortunately, they do not have an online ordering system. You have to print out the order form and mail in your payment. They do accept credit cards, but I chose to send a check-- if they're going to have an old-school style of ordering, then I am going to use an old-school form of payment.

3) Water Bath Canning vs. Pressure Canning
Most fruits are high acid, which means they are not a suitable environment for botulism. If Mrs. Crabtree from down the street presents you with a lovely jar of strawberry jam for Christmas this year, it is most likely going to be safe to eat it. High acid foods can be processed in a boiling water bath canner, as the temperature of boiling water is sufficient to kill any dangerous microorganisms in most fruits. Water bath canning is a pretty simple procedure, which is why my expert-canner-friend experiments were not complete failures. It is still important to follow recipes and process according to the instructions, which should give you a highly successful canning experience.

It is not necessary to purchase a special water bath canner, and if you have an electric stove, don't even bother with one. The ridged surface on the bottom of specialized canners causes uneven heating, which could negatively effect your processing. All you really need is almost any large cooking pot with a smooth bottom, and a rack that fits inside to keep the jars from sitting on the bottom.

Most vegetables, on the other hand, are low acid. And you know what that means, right? A perfect breeding ground for Botulism! This is a job for the Pressure Canner, which is a little trickier to use, but once you get the hang of it, you'll want to can everything you can get your hands on. A pressure canner gets the water hotter than boiling, which is necessary for killing microorganisms in low acid foods (with the help of adding extra acid to the food in the form of lemon juice, vinegar, etc.). Be sure to follow your recipe exactly, and process for the correct amount of time, with the correct temperature and pressure.

Ms. Dally recommends using a weighted gauge pressure canner as opposed to the dial gauge style. This is because there is no guarantee that your dial gauge is calibrated correctly, unless you get it done professionally (and those places are getting more difficult to come by), and there is no way to tell if the temperature is staying constant without physically watching it for the entire processing time. Considering a recipe might call for 1 1/2 hours of pressure canning, you could be spending a lot of time staring at that little dial. The weighted gauge, by contrast, lets you know it's working by steaming and rattling, causing a loud racket--thus giving you the flexibility to roam about the house, tending to other tasks while your canner is hard at work killing all that botulism. (Pressure canners can not be used on glass top stoves!)

4) Adding Acidifiers
If a recipe calls for lemon juice or vinegar, it is important to use the bottled, store-bought variety, rather than squeezing a fresh lemon or using homemade vinegar. This is because the commercially available acidifiers have been tested to meet specific levels of acidity. Since the acidity level changes (goes down), as fruits ripen, there is no guarantee that the juice you are squeezing has the level necessary to meet the needs of the recipe. Some recipes will specifically state "store-bought lemon juice" or "vinegar with at least 5% acid", as a reminder, but you should get in the habit of keeping the store-bought variety of both on hand, if you plan to do any low acid vegetable canning.

5) Essential Canning Equipment
Canning without certain tools can make for an inefficient, and often frustrating experience. While it may be possible to can using kitchen gadgets that you already have on hand, such as salad tongs; or even tools from the garage (channel locks?), I can assure you that it is well worth the small amount of money that it will cost to purchase a few simple specialized tools. (It's possible to open a wine bottle using a screwdriver and hammer, if nothing else is available, but obviously it's much easier and faster to do with a cork screw.) Even if you are just trying out canning one time to see if you like it, I would recommend purchasing a canning kit that will include some of these essential items. You will be more likely to enjoy your canning experience with the proper equipment. And even if you decide you don't like canning, you can always find someone else who does, and will be happy to take all the equipment off of your hands.

--Jars: The only jars that can be used for home canning are those that are specifically manufactured for this purpose (aka "Mason Jars"). They are designed to withstand the extreme temperatures and pressures that the canning process will put on them; and the edges are flat, suitable for the lids to form a proper seal, and the rings to screw on nice and snug. The most common brand is Ball or Kerr, but other brands are also available such as Leifheit and Bormioli Rocco (A brief history of canning jars can be found here). Jars can be used over and over again, for many, many years, as long as they are kept in good condition. Be sure to check that the rims have no chips or nicks to ensure a proper seal, and check for hairline cracks in the body of the jar to avoid unnecessary breakage and explosions in the boiling water.
--Lids: Canning lids are a two piece system. First there is the sealing lid that covers the top of the jar, and forms a tight, air-proof seal with the rubber coated ring on its underside. Then there is the metal band that screws on top, which holds the lid in place while it's sitting in a pot of bubbling water. Both pieces are essential in the canning process, but it is important to remember that the lids are NOT reusable!! Once a seal has been made, and then cracked open, it is a total crap shoot as to whether a proper seal will form again with a used lid. (Please re-read the Botulism section above if you want to know why this is important.) It is also important to note that all canned goods should be stored without the metal screw band. The bands should be removed once the lids have sealed and the jars have cooled. There are two reasons for this: 1) If there is mold or some other problem with the seal, you want the lid to be able to pop off if it wants to, so that you know not to eat that one--the screw band will prevent that from happening. 2) The outer metal screw band IS resusable. Once you take it off of your current project, you are free to use it for another batch of home-canned goodness.
If you purchase a set of brand new canning jars, the package will come with a corresponding number of 2-piece lids. New lids can also be purchased separately, usually in packages of 12, and with or without the bands.
--Jar Lifter: This simple, yet handy little device allows you to safely and quickly lift jars in and out of the hot water without burning your hands. (Trust me-- doing this job with a set of salad tongs and an oven mitt is not fun!) I put this on the "must have" list.
--Funnel: Since it is crucial to not have any food particles getting in the way of your seal, wiping any spillage off the jar rims will be a lot quicker and easier with this "must-have" tool. The wide-mouth opening of a canning funnel allows you to accurately pour your hot fruit sauce, syrup, or boiling water, into a canning jar without making a huge mess.

I hope this information is helpful to any beginner canners. I plan to post more articles on my canning experiences in the future, with links to approved recipes and other info that I come across. Until then, this should be enough to get you started, or at least get you thinking about getting started and preparing for the next harvest season.

Happy Canning!

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Putting the Vino Back in Aguavino

2010-11-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

This week, I am very happy and excited to announce the Grand Opening and Grand RE-Opening of my Etsy shops!

Hair of the Dog is my brand new creative endeavor featuring a collection of functional gifts, handmade from leftover beer, wine & liquor packaging, using a variety of DIY techniques. All products are made using recycled and/or secondhand materials, with eco-friendly additions here and there. Products include Pick Yer Poison Journals, a Hangover Helper, Soy Wax Beer Candles, Bring-Your-Own Coaster/Cozies, Brandy Bottle Soap Dishes, Goldschlager Candy Dishes, and lots more. You could say that Hair of the Dog puts the "vino" back in Aguavino! (Don't worry, there is no actual dog hair in any of my products!)

My original Aguavino Etsy Shop is also alive and well with a brand new assortment of handmade recycled light switch covers. I'll also be adding some new product lines to that shop in the near future.

What does all of this mean for you? Lots of great deals, a fun contest and exciting opportunities to win fabulous prizes and help out some rescued farm animals!! If that sounds intriguing, please continue reading.....

Happy Hour
Hair of the Dog will regularly feature Happy Hour Specials which may happen at any time of day, on any day of the week. (Please be my fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, join my Mailing List, or follow this Blog to be kept abreast of all Happy Hours in the future) But for now, to celebrate the Grand Opening, it will be Happy Hour ALL WEEK with 20% off everything! Use coupon code "HHBWEEK" to have 20% automatically deducted from your order. (This applies to Hair of the Dog only; does not apply to shipping or tax; and expires Tuesday, November 30, 2010.)

Barfly Bucks
If you've checked out my new shop, you may have noticed that there are a lot of items made with Crown Royal bags. If you drink a lot of Crown Royal, you may have a drinking problem.... but, you can cash in those bags for "Barfly Bucks" that can be used to purchase items in my shop! For every bag that you send in, you get $1 of credit. Limit 10 bags per customer, per year. Please email aguavino@gmail.com for more details.

Free Shipping
To celebrate the Grand RE-Opening of my Aguavino Etsy Shop, I am offering FREE Shipping on ALL items through the end of the month! To take advantage of this great deal, write the message, "I was born on a pirate ship" in the notes to seller. This one will not calculate automatically, so you'll have to wait for an adjusted invoice after you place your order, or a refund through PayPal. (Sorry, but this offer applies to US orders only.)

ArtFire, Too!
For those who prefer to do their handmade shopping on ArtFire, my shop is still active there, too! I will slowly be adding some of my new line of products to that site, but it currently has a lot of items that are NOT listed in either of my Etsy shops. So I am extending the 20% off deal to everything in that shop as well -- no coupon necessary for that one; the discount has already been applied to all items!

Warm Fuzzies -- Do it for the birds!
In addition to all the great deals above, I will be donating 50% of sales on many items to Pigs Peace Sanctuary! Any item with a bird on it (in honor of the turkeys) and/or any other item labeled with my "Spread the Love" icon. This is an ongoing donation program that I run through my shops. Just look for the Love Dove on selected items, and read more about it here.

Name that Bird DRINK
And finally, no Grand Opening event would be complete without some fun and prizes! I will be reinstating my Name that Bird contests on a regular basis. To celebrate my new shop, this one will involve birds and beverages :) Up for grabs this time is a set of handmade holiday themed coaster/cozies, plus a scary snowman wine bottle holder (definitely NOT handmade, but both are definite must-haves for a successful holiday season!). There will be TWO winners randomly drawn from all the correct responses -- the first one gets to choose which prize he/she wants; the second will get the other. So here we go......
Since there are two prizes, and two winners, this will be a two-part contest:
1) Name this drink that shares a name with a bird: Made with champagne, orange juice and grenadine syrup floating on top; served in a cocktail or champagne glass.
2) Tell me what drink you are most thankful for during the holidays, and why.

Please email your answers to aguavino@gmail.com with "Bird Drink" in the subject. Contest ends at Midnight on November 30, 2010.

Whew!! That's a lot of excitement for one week. But this should get you through Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and a little beyond to give you a jumpstart on your holiday shopping!!

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Clog Blog #2: Featuring The Girly-Man Skirt

2010-02-25T15:52:00.000-08:00

It's time once again for the Eclectic Cloggers to get ready to hit the road for the summer touring season! I am excited to be back in action after taking maternity leave as of last August. Even with five months off, I was able to enjoy nearly a full summer of shows, with baby Theo along for an exciting ride! His prenatal performances included University District Street Fair, Northwest Folklife, Shoreline Arts Festival, Yakima Folklife, and Olalla Bluegrass Festival.

Olalla @ 5 months

If you recall from my last Clog Blog, we are a diverse group of dancers, but experience a bit of gender identity confusion due to our disproportionate ratio of women to men. Last year we came up with a solution to this problem with the introduction of the Girly-Man Skirt: Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman! Making it's debut at the University Street Fair, the black skirt is worn by a lady playing the part of a gent in some of the dances. This helps the audience distinguish between the two roles, and allows the lady to still show off her bloomers!

Another way that we like to compensate for our shortage of testosterone is to do a little improvising, DIY-style. Using ordinary household objects, such as brooms, mops, and wine corks, we are able to create our own dance partners! Meet Slim and Jim...

If you've missed the Eclectic Cloggers in the past, not only did you miss pregnant dancing, broomstick gents, and girly men, you've also missed out on a lot of energetic, foot-tapping, hand-clapping fun! Plus, you never know when the roof might blow off the stage, a tap shoe might fly off mid-kick, or a suspender might unsnap mid-jump....

Be sure to check us out this summer! Here is a partial listing of where you can find us. And if you really "like" us, become our Fan on Facebook! We'll be posting more details and updates there as we finalize our schedule.

May 31 NW Folklife Festival
1:50 PM International Dance Stage
June 27 Shoreline Arts Festival
1:00 PM Shoreline Room Stage
July 10 Yakima Folklife Festival
2:00 PM
July 31 Lake Wenatchee Campground
Fireside show at dusk.
August 21 Olalla Bluegrass Festival
12:00 PM
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**Special thank you to Jenny Grand of CE Photos for all the great shots at the University Street Fair last year!!

Size & Batteries

2010-02-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

If I've learned nothing else from having a newborn baby around, I've learned these two very important lessons:
1) Size does NOT matter
Why is it that some onesies claiming to fit 0-3 month old babies barely fit over my newborn's head? If we do manage to squeeze one on, the sleeves are usually so tight, he looks like a mini metro-sexual. How long is a baby considered a newborn anyway? Cause seriously, items that are size "newborn" fit him for like a week. Even before he turned 2 months old, he was wearing clothes supposedly designed to fit 3-6 month olds. I have heard this same story from at least 3 of my friends who also have baby boys. I thought it was just because their children must be freaks of nature. Surely my Theo is no freak (although he seems to have inherited my ape arms), but we are experiencing the same issue. So my theory is that clothing manufacturers still use patterns designed 50 years ago when maybe babies were not as well nourished as they are today. Or they are made in countries who give birth to much smaller children. Certainly they are designed by someone who has no experience dressing a modern-sized, US-born, squirming baby.

Someone should do something about this. Until they do, if you need to buy a baby shower gift, I recommend that you buy big. Better for them to have something to grow into, than to only get to wear an outfit for one day, or not at all. I also recommend buying second-hand. Goodwill has oodles of baby clothes in nearly new condition for like, a dollar. Or steer clear of clothing altogether, and buy a toy. Kids love toys.

2) Keep lots of spare batteries on hand at all times.
I've never used so many batteries in my life! Nearly every accessory designed to keep a baby occupied or quiet requires at least 2 of various sized battery. Some even require more than one size of battery, and use an uneven number of them! One bouncy-vibrating-musical chair uses two different size batteries, and has a separate location for each size, both requiring a screw driver to open!! My question here is: Why do these items not also come equipped with a plug-in option? (Ever hear of AC/DC?) Granted, we do move some of the items around from room to room, or even outside on the patio, as needed. But for the most part, those places do have electrical outlets available, so I would save a lot of money by not having to use the batteries at those times. It would also save my sanity and back, when the batteries invariably die mid-play or, even worse, mid-nap and I realize we do not have any backups on hand. This leaves us to either deal with a screaming child, or become the human swing!!

Until this issue is addressed, I am forced to keep a full stock of batteries on hand, from AA-D. Oh, and don't forget the 9 Volt.

The Swing: 4 x Size "D" Batteries

Bouncy Vibrating Musical Chair #1:
3 x Size "AA" + 1 x Size "D" Batteries

Bouncy Vibrating Musical Chair #2:
3 x Size "C" + 1 x Size "D" Batteries

The Sleep Sheep: 2 x Size "AA" Baaa-tteries

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Flashback.......What a (Guilty) Feeling

2010-02-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

A few months ago a friend gave us a stack of old vinyl record albums that he no longer wanted. Mixed in with the mostly classical and folk music was this flash from the past:

I assume the movie Flashdance was rated R, and since I was only about 12 when it came out, I don't know how I was able to see it. But I vividly recall Jennifer Beals maniacally strutting around in her collar-less sweatshirt by night, and attending her day job in a full welder's mask.

Anyway, none of that really matters. The point is, if you look closely, you will notice that the album is OVERDUE from the Seattle Public Library by 23 YEARS!!

Tom intends to return it to the Fremont Branch from whence it came the first chance he gets. But will they accept it? Or even want it? Will they make HIM pay the overdue fee?

There is a very good chance that Gus has never even heard of the movie, let alone would listen to the soundtrack, so we can only assume it was his ex-wife, an old girlfriend, or possibly his sister, who checked it out of the library and is responsible for this egregious infraction. (We originally thought it might have been his daughter, but after doing some mathematical calculations, realized this was impossible since she was not even born when the movie came out, and was only about one year old when the album was checked out of the library.) In any case, this was in the days before computerized library records and scanning bar codes, so there may be no way of ever knowing who the offender is.

We can only hope it has as happy of an ending as the 99 year overdue book!
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Bird Day Thursday--Tribute to a Fellow Birder

2009-11-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

William Belton, Self-Taught Ornithologist, Dies at 95

Read the article in NY Times. Be sure to click on the audio clips for a couple of samples of his bird recordings!

Bird Day Thursday-- Natural Bird Feeder

2009-10-15T20:34:00.001-07:00

This summer marks my first ever successful planting of sunflowers. Well, perhaps it's because I wasn't the one that actually planted them, so I won't really take credit for it. Nonetheless, they have been a source of great beauty and enjoyment for me throughout the summer.

I don't know how many hours I spent observing, photographing and videotaping the steady supply of bees that are attracted to the abundant pollen of these monster flowers.
But now, even though the bright yellow sunburst petals and ginormous, perky green leaves have been replaced by drooping, browning, decaying parts, they continue to attract my attention on a daily basis. The bees are not the only critters that love sunflowers.

(And I mean they REALLY love them!)

Now that harvest season is here, and the bees have done their work collecting and spreading all the pollen, the sunflowers are now producing seeds, which attract a whole new lineup of daily visitors. I don't know why anyone would spend their hard earned money on expensive bird feeders and bird seed when they can just plant a little sunflower garden instead. If you look at a bag of store-bought bird seed, guess what one of the main ingredients is? Sunflower seeds! That's because sunflower seeds are highly nutritious, providing an abundant source of unsaturated fats, protein and fiber, and important nutrients like vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, folate, iron and phytochemicals.

Among the many visitors to my Natural Bird Feeder is on everyone's list of favorite birds: The Chickadee. What could be more satisfying than providing a healthy little afternoon snack for one of the cutest, most loved birds on the planet?

Next in the lineup is, in my book, one of the most stunning backyard birds in the Northwest: The Stellar's Jay. He may not be on everyone's "Top 10 Feeder Birds" list, as they are sometimes viewed as bullies that prevent other birds from getting their fill, but he is a welcome visitor to my backyard any time.

Now, I know that most sane people do not regularly put up a bird feeder for the benefit of the neighborhood Crows. And why should they? Crows are one of the most well-adapted urban species around, and seem to have no trouble finding food in anyplace where humans also inhabit, providing an endless supply of bread crumbs and fast food leftovers.

Well, even crows need to eat healthy once in a while. The Crows in my backyard seem to enjoy the harvesting process as much as the food itself, and it's an interesting experience to watch the adults pass along their skills to the younger ones.

The last sunflower-loving critter on my list is definitely not a welcome one to anyone's bird feeder. That's because he is not a bird! Bird feeder people try every trick and contraption in the book, both store-bought and homemade, to keep Squirrels out of their bird feeders! Squirrels need to eat, too, and they're going to find a way into your bird feeder no matter what you do. The nice thing about a Natural Bird Feeder is that the seed is not costing you any money, so it really shouldn't matter who is enjoying the tasty, nutritious food. So you can sit back and enjoy their acrobatic show as they go in, out, through, and under the various parts of the plant to get to their coveted treat.

I realize that my Natural Sunflower Bird Feeders will not last forever. But sunflowers are just one example of the many plants that can be used to attract birds to and/or feed birds in your backyard.

Another successful planting in my garden this summer was my tomatillo plant, which was a daily stop for bees and hummingbirds.

Other than attracting pollinators (birds, bees, butterflies) to your garden, there are many specific native plants and trees that can be planted in your yard that will provide food (seeds, nuts, fruit, insects), nesting habitat or shelter for different types of birds during each season of the year. To find out what types of vegetation can be planted in your part of the country, check with your local Audubon Society, and look for books specific to your region.

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We Want Answers!

2009-09-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

Oh my! It seems as though it's been quite some time since I have written... Readers are demanding to know why. Plus there are Name that Bird answers to reveal and winners to announce. In this blog post I will attempt to answer these questions, and quell any worries that the Grapevine may be disappearing.

Fear not! I am still here, only there is a little more of me now... apparently there is a little bun baking inside my oven that has been demanding even more of my time and energy than my loyal readers!

Unfortunately, this means my photography and art have been severely neglected. Crafting time has been replaced with all things Baby-- doctor visits, reading pregnancy and nutrition books, preparing the nursery, etc. I did have one last, very successful craft fair in July; and I may still find the time to list some new items before the holidays, and before the bambino arrives (which happen to be around the same time). I'm not promising any sort of regularity, but I will also make an attempt to keep the Grapevine active.

Now for the fun stuff. The last online version of Name that Bird was all the way back in May! This one was a straight up bird identification with a video and photo of the "mystery" bird. This is not one of your common backyard birds or a cartoon, so it was a little more challenging than some of the other contests. The bird in question is a Purple Martin.

If you couldn't identify this bird by it's physical features, another clue would be the gourd-shaped nest boxes. Purple Martins are a type of swallow that migrate north from South America during the breeding season, and nest in secondary cavities, such as old tree hollows or cliff ledges. On the East coast and in the Pacific Northwest, they have become dependent on human-provided nest boxes, usually in the form of a gourd or multi-compartment wood or metal house. The gourd style houses are usually man-made, but were originally made from actual gourds that were dried and hollowed out by Native Americans.

In other parts of the county, including the mountainous regions of the west, and along the California coast, the birds have not taken to the artificial nest boxes, and still use natural crevices of trees and cliffs to breed and raise their young. For more detailed information about Purple Martin migration and breeding, you should check out the Purple Martin Conservation Association. Congratulations to Sarah W. for correctly identifying the mystery swallow, and winning one of my handmade recycled photo tiles!

In July, I also held an in-person Name that Bird contest, at the Wedgwood Art Festival. Up for grabs this time was a copy of "A Spring Without Bees" by Michael Schacker. Rather than a handmade goodie, the prize was a little different this time, as a tribute to my dog, Lily, who passed away one year ago on July 7th. You are probably wondering what the connection is between bees and my dog. More specifically, it is the disappearance of the bees, and the cause of their disappearance that makes the connection. Lily died from cancer, which I believe may have been caused from the use of chemical-based flea medications. Despite my better judgment, and my usual adherence to natural remedies and an overall healthy alternative lifestyle, I did sometimes resort to these types of treatments to deal with those pervasive pests. While we can never know for certain what caused the cancer in the first place, it is known that some chemicals found in these flea remedies are carcinogenic, and coincidentally, the same chemicals found in the agricultural pesticides that are responsible for the disappearance of the bees!!

If you think this is a stretch, I encourage you to read the book. In addition to shedding light on the "mystery" of Colony Collapse Disorder, this book has strengthened my resolve to stick to organics and natural products even more so than before.

If you are Matthew K. from Wedgwood, then you get the chance to read it for free! Lots of people correctly identified the Cedar Waxwing from a photo display at my booth, but Matthew was the lucky one this time. Congratulations, Matthew!

Cedar Waxwings can be identified by their prominent black mask, slight tufted light-brown crest (sometimes more apparent than others), pale yellowish bellies, bright yellow tips on the tail feathers, and sometimes-hard-to-see brilliant red "wax droplets" on the wing tips.

They are a big fan of berries, so look for them in forested areas with lots of fruiting trees or flying over water, where they also like to feast on flying insects.

Another type of waxwing, which may cause some identity crisis, is the Bohemian Waxwing. The two are very similar in many ways, such as the black mask and yellow tail tip, but also have some specific differences that you can look for when trying to distinguish between the two:

The Bohemian Waxwing has a reddish brown head, and no white above the mask. Bellies are gray, rather than yellow, and the body is grayer overall. The under tail is reddish brown, rather than gray.

For more detailed information, photos, and voice identification, check out the Cornell Lab of Ornithology "All About Birds".

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I Did It!

2009-06-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

First off, let me apologize for my lack of posting lately! Lots going on at home, that I will fill you in on later. For now, I just wanted to make the announcement that I finally caved in to all the pressure from family & friends to do something I have been resisting for a very long time....

I joined Facebook!

This sudden jump into the latest craze of the technological revolution came, not from the promise of great riches, nor the desire to get in touch with long lost high school friends, but from an invitation from my 84 year old grandfather to view HIS Facebook profile!! I simply had no choice.

So now you can "Be a Fan" of Aguavino for all the latest and greatest news about my art and crafting. Well, maybe not very many updates for now, cause I still have no clue as to what I'm doing, or how best to use it for biz promotion. But having some fans will encourage me to learn and explore.

Next step: Twitter.

I still refuse to get a cell phone.

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Name that Bird -- Spring is Here!

2009-05-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Now that Spring is finally here (sort of), the bird scene has changed a bit. All of the Spring migrants should be at their northern destinations building nests, attracting mates, and starting to make babies!

To celebrate Spring's arrival, this month's Name That Bird Contest features a spunky little Spring migrant that I ran into this past weekend out on the Hood Canal of Washington State. See if you can identify this bird with a little audio AND video...

To enter this month's contest, you must correctly identify the bird in the video (common name). Either email your entry to aguavino@gmail.com, or post a comment on the blog (comments will be hidden until the end of the contest).

Increase your chances of winning by following this blog, and/or signing up for my newsletter! (One extra entry for each) Be sure to put a note in your entry to let me know if you are already one or both of these, or a new subscriber.

Contest will end Tuesday, May 19th at midnight PST. One winner will be drawn randomly from all correct entries.

The prize is one 4 x 4 Recycled Photo Tile of the winner's choice from my Etsy Shop.

Good Luck!

Here's one more look at the bird in question:

Bird Day Thursday-- Dancing Cockatoo!

2009-05-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

I don't condone the keeping of wild birds as pets--they should be flying free in the jungles. This cockatoo is from Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service, a non-profit bird rescue and sanctuary. I don't know anything about this organization, but you can find out more about their famous dancing bird and the organization on their website. But for now, please enjoy the show (even if you don't like the Back Street Boys):

Eat Like the Bird--Easy Vegan Recipes: "Simple Smoothie"

2009-05-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ways to start off the day is with a very simple, yet delicious fruit smoothie, created in my own blender. This is my standard recipe, but it is easily altered to create various taste sensations that fit your mood, or to use up a particular fruit that you have on hand.

Ingredients:
1 Banana
3/4 Cup Blueberries
3/4 Cup Strawberries
2+ Cups Vanilla Soy Milk

Put all of the fruit into a blender. Add enough soy milk to cover the fruit. Put lid on blender(!), and turn on low to start. Once it gets going you can switch it to high. Add more soy milk if necessary---you want the consistency to be thick, but thin enough that you could drink it through a straw, sort of like a milk shake. When you are satisfied with the consistency, turn the blender off and pour your tasty beverage into a glass. This recipe should fill two pint glasses (that's 16 oz each).

Now, my secret to this recipe is that I use all frozen fruit. I buy bags of organic frozen blueberries and strawberries to keep on hand in the freezer. I also buy fresh bananas, and freeze them as well, by peeling and then cutting into quarters or thirds, and storing in a zip lock freezer bag.

As I mentioned, you can experiment with different types of fruit. In the summer I get a bountiful harvest of blackberries from the back yard that I freeze. Raspberries, and other summer time fruit that you can pick yourself are a scrumptious addition to this recipe.

You can make a "tropical" blend with mangoes and papayas. I sometimes add a dash of pineapple or cranberry juice to the mix as well.

Another little tip-- if you only have plain soy milk, you can add a little dash of vanilla extract, and a couple dashes of cinnamon to spice it up a bit.

She's Like the Wind

2009-05-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

I've never been a particularly huge fan of Patrick Swayze, nor do I have any idea whether my new computer is a he or a she. What I do know, is that I LOVE my new little netbook! After researching online for many hours, and testing out various models at Best Buy, I finally decided on the MSI Wind, for my latest technological advance into the 21st century. I spent about $100 more than I had planned because I opted for the larger hard drive, battery, and screen. I don't spend a lot of money on toys or worldly possessions, and am sometimes accused of being Amish since I have no cell phone or television. So I think it's acceptable for me to splurge once in a while, especially since I got the computer in order to increase my productivity, both for my full time job (inventory & ordering spread sheets) and for promoting my art. And the total cost, including tax and shipping, was still only about $430! So far everything works great, and I have NO buyer's remorse, which is usually a factor in my anti-consumerist attitude!

I found the many customer reviews of this product extremely helpful in making my decision, so I thought I would return the favor and offer my own review for potential buyers.

Basic Specs:
MSI Wind U100
160 G Hardrive
1 G Memory (upgradeable to 2 G)
6 Cell Battery
10" Screen
MS Windows XP operating system

Keyboard: Pretty comfortable (although if you have extra large fingers you may find it a bit of a challenge). All of the keys are in the normal keyboard position (I tested some that had the shift key way out in Neverland, and L/R mouse buttons to the sides of the touch screen, rather than the bottom) The touchpad is pretty sensitive, as I think most laptops tend to be, so that is something to get used to. (My cursor sometimes mysteriously teletransports itself in mid-typing, to other parts of my document, creating many humorous non-sensical sentences). The keys themselves are really comfortable.

Screen: This is a 10" computer, which means the actual viewable screen is 8 3/4" x 5 1/4". That's pretty small if you're used to a full size desk top monitor, or even a regular sized laptop. It's totally sufficient for its purpose, but I'm really glad that I did not go for one of the even smaller ones like the 8.9" Acer, which would have made the viewable screen even smaller! The picture is crystal clear, and easy on the eyes.

Battery: As I mentioned, I opted for the model with the larger 6 cell battery, which gives me up to 5 hours of use. This is a great feature for a laptop. If you're out and about, trying to get things done, you never know whether you'll have access to an electrical outlet. And when it is plugged in, the battery charges pretty quickly.

Operating System: With all the negative reports of the newer Vista, it was a nice surprise to see that many of the netbooks on the market are going with the older XP operating systems. This was definitely a factor in choosing this model. I'm not ready to venture into the world of Vista; and prefer to stick with what I know.

Other Features:
--Blue Tooth
--Intel Atom processor
--1.3 megapixel Web Cam
--4-in-1 memory card reader (compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick, and Memory Stick Pro)

One thing to keep in mind is that these NetBooks do not have an optical drive-- so no DVD or CDrom players/readers. Leaving these out of the equation is how they get 'em so tiny. If there are any software programs that you need to install on the system, you'll either have to do it with a flash drive, or download from the internet. Or you can always get an external optical drive that attaches with a USB port, for around $100.

One thing I thought strange, was that there were absolutely NO instructions included with this machine. Granted, the only thing that needed to be done was to install the battery, which was charged and ready to go. But another minor detail that could have been mentioned in an instructional booklet, is that you have to hit FN + F11 to turn on the wireless internet. I only knew that from reading another customer's review of the product, so I am including it in my review for anyone else who might not know this "intuitively".

The computer came with its own little carrying case, which I thought was a nice feature. I wouldn't call it a bag, as it has no handles on it. But it's a padded case that can easily fit inside of a backpack or other bag, for easy transport. I love how tiny and portable this little guy is, and can't wait to take him on his first trip! (hey, I guess I DO know what gender my computer is!)

If you're interested in buying a netbook, I encourage you to read lots of customer reviews, and "test drive" some at your local computer store if possible, to find the one that best suits your needs and comfort. You can click on the Amazon link below for more details about this specific model, and all the helpful customer reviews.

Clogging up the Works

2009-04-26T21:46:00.001-07:00

As you may or may not know, I've been dancing with a group called the Eclectic Cloggers for about a year and a half. Summer is our busiest time of year, with lots of performances at bluegrass and folk festivals throughout the state. To prepare for our upcoming summer shows we've been working on some new routines, and brushing up on old ones.

Our summer tour schedule can be found below, but first I thought I'd share a few tidbits about clogging.

First of all, we do not wear clogs!! Our group practices traditional Appalachian style clog dancing, which is very relaxed, energetic and fun, and includes a lot of chugs, stomps and "woos!". We wear regular tap shoes for our fancy footwork and percussive pounding, and (almost) always perform with a live band playing traditional folk and bluegrass fiddle tunes.

Like tap dancing, there are some basic steps involved with clogging. These basic steps, such as shuffles, steps, and chugs, are then combined in various sequences to create rhythmic and/or flashy moves, often named after the person who made them up. It's fun to imagine the ancient characters coming up with their signature steps. I often wonder if they had any idea way back 200 years ago, that their "name" would be carried on through all these years in the form of a clogging move. Here is a list of some of those steps, so you can see if you have a clogging namesake:
Betsy, Earl, Eddie, Bertha, Mark, Pearl, Rita, Paul, Old McDonald, Hoochie(?), and Cotton Eye Joe. I'm sure there are lots more, but I am fairly new to the sport, so my knowledge is still limited. (Coincidentally, there is also a move called The Grapevine, just like my blog!)

In our group, the women tend to outnumber the men by quite a bit. This means that sometimes a lady will have to play the part of a gent. When there are 3 or 4 "same-sex couples" practicing a new dance, it can sometimes get confusing. In an attempt to avoid any gender confusion issues, we sometimes call the roles "A" and "B". That doesn't always make things any easier, especially in dances where there is a lot of partner switching. (Not only are we bi-sexual, we're also swingers!!)

We may look a little hokey in our baggy bloomers, tiered pioneer skirts, and red suspenders, but we try to keep things as authentic as possible, while still expressing our eclectic selves. We are also having the time of our lives, and getting great exercise while we're at it!

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If you're in the Seattle area (or Yakima, or Olalla, or Lake Wenatchee), please come check out one of our shows this summer:

Sunday, May 17th
University District Street Fair
University Way, Seattle
2:00 pm

Monday, May 25th
Northwest Folklife Festival
Seattle Center
International Dance Stage
6:50 pm

Sunday, June 28th
Shoreline Arts Festival
Shoreline Center
18560 - 1st Ave NE
Shoreline Room
12:00 pm

Saturday, July 11th
Yakima Folklife Festival
1:00 pm

Saturday, July 11th
Lake Wenatchee
Campsite Fireside Show
8:00 pm
(tentative)

Saturday, August 15th
Olalla Bluegrass Festival
Time & Stage TBA

Bird Day Thursday--Vegan Eggs?

2009-04-23T12:31:00.001-07:00

Last week my chickens were featured on EtsyVeg's "Pet of the Week". Lots of people commented that they would like to see a picture of their eggs.....so here they are:

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Don't forget about the Etsy Veg
Earthly Riches Giveaway, which ends 4/28
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and my Super Spring Cleaning Sale,
going on through the end of the month!
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Earth Day Giveaway & Spring Cleaning Sale

2009-04-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

In lieu of doing a "Name that Bird" Contest this month, I am participating in an even bigger giveaway-- the EtsyVeg Earthly Riches Giveaway-- It's sort of an online scavenger hunt to celebrate Earth Day. There are 20 prizes in 5 prize categories, with multiple chances to win. You will find one hidden Earth image in 20 shops, including mine - if you find them all you can earn an entry for the grand prize, worth over $100! (Including a $25 Gift Certificate to my shop!) You can also earn FIVE entries for the grand prize by spending $25 in my shop, and FIVE entries for the first prize for spending $10 (please see rules for details)!

For complete rules and details on how to enter, including a list of shops participating and prizes, please see the EtsyVeg blog. The giveaway runs from April 22-28.

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While this fun and excitement is going on, I am also running a HUGE sale in my Etsy shop, which includes the following deals:
Earth Day, 4/22, ONLY:
**FREE Shipping on all orders over $20
From 4/22 through 4/30:
**25% off all Sustainable Photography Art (Photo Collages and 4x4 Recycled Photo Tiles)
**25% off all Jewelry
**$2.00 off all 4 Packs of Snail Mail Greeting Cards
**$4.00 off 10 Card Gift Box Sets

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Have fun & Good Luck with the Earthly Riches Giveaway!!

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Meet My Girls

2009-04-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

My chickies were featured as "Pet of the Week" on Etsy Veg this week.

Check out the Etsy Veg Blog for more photos and the story behind them.....

Vegan Sample Bags--On Sale Now!

2009-04-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

The first batch of Vegan Sample Bags is now available! This is a collection of sample size items from various artists and crafty-type folks-- all without the use of animal products or ingredients. Heather, from Holistically Heather came up with the concept for this a few months ago. After countless hours of work, (including making each bag by hand!), and donations from over 30 awesome vegan merchants (including yours truly), the bags are now up for sale here.

For just $25 you get a beautiful handmade, reusable tote bag filled with 15-20 items. That's a bargain if you ask me. Plus 10% off all sales goes to For the Animals Sanctuary! Vegan Craft Samples are a great way to test out some vegan products that you've been thinking about, and also make a great gift! (Think "Mother's Day"). For a list of all the participating shops, and detailed descriptions of their sample items, you can check out the Vegan Samples Blog.

Get 'em while they last. They are already selling like hotcakes!! And we all know how fast hotcakes sell.....

Bird Day Thursday-- Bird's Eye Review

2009-04-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

So far haven't done much promoting of my own Etsy shop in these blog posts. So for today's Bird Day Thursday, I am going to feature one of my personal favorites from my shop, and give a little background info.

"Hidden in the Holler" is a photo that I took a few years ago while visiting my family in West Virginia. On the long, winding dirt road that leads to my Dad's cabin, deep in the heart of the state, I came across a group of Turkey Vultures (or buzzards) sitting in the newly-turned Fall foliage. The "holler" is what the locals call hollows, the deep valleys that run through the countryside, creating scenes like this one-- the dirt road was at a higher elevation than the trees, giving me a rare "bird's eye view" of the tree tops and the bird's perch. [For a more detailed definition of the term "holler", I came across this blog ]

I love this photo on a personal level because of the wonderful memories of visiting my family, and the fact that Turkey Vultures are such an inaccessible bird to me (I usually only spot them soaring high up in sky). Artistically it's a favorite because of the brilliant colors of the Autumn leaves contrasting with the dark tree trunks and nearly hidden silhouette of the large vulture on the branch.

Currently this photo is only available in the Photo Tile format--The photo has been mounted on a 4" x 4" recycled ceramic tile, with a hanging wire that is also recycled--hand-fashioned from wires reclaimed from an old chandelier. But I will be offering many of my photos as prints and in other formats in the near future....so stay tuned.

Since my immediate family (and some extended) resides in West Virginia, many people make the mistake of thinking that I am from there. I grew up in New York State, in the Mid-Hudson Valley-- Poughkeepsie-area, specifically a smallish town called Wappingers Falls. My family, including my Mom, Dad, and younger brother and sister, migrated to WV in 1992. I stayed in NY with my aunt, and then moved to Seattle about 6 months later. So I have never lived any part of my life in West Virginia. My paternal Grandma, aunt, and cousin soon followed my family to WV, providing me with a convenient one-stop visiting situation. For about the past 12 years, I have been making the trek, usually by train, back to the East coast about every year or two, giving me lots of great photo opportunities that I don't get here on the West Coast.

Blue Star Art-- April '09

2009-04-04T11:50:00.001-07:00

Her most recent photographic series titled, “The Urban Landscape” captures the vivid colors and textures of the city; from concert posters and flyers to hand-drawn sketches and works of art, these images show us the beauty, complexity, humor, and life found within the urban landscape, all without digital manipulation or retouching.

Several of her Urban Landscape photos are on display at the Blue Star Cafe throughout the month of April. There will be no artist reception, so please stop by sometime during the month to check out her work. You can also check out her website to see her full portfolio; and keep up with her comings and goings on her blog.

Blue Star Cafe & Pub
4512 Stone Way N
Seattle, WA 98103

The Blue Star is also a part of the Wallingford Art Walk, which is on the first Wednesday of every month, from May through October. Also look for "theme" months where we will feature the works of several different artists that fit into a selected theme!

Please check in with The Grapevine every month to learn about the latest featured artist. You can also sign up for my email newsletter, so you won't miss a thing!

If you would like to be a featured artist at the Blue Star, please send me an email, including some samples of your work. We encourage customers and friends of the Blue Star, and those in or near the Wallingford area to apply, as we like to keep this as a community event.

Bird Day Thursday--Bird of Paradise Video

2009-04-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

Not to be confused with the flower Bird of Paradise

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Martha & McGyver -- Tips for Winos #384

2009-03-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

Picture this: Martha Stewart is doing last minute preparations for a huge dinner party. Everything is perfect-- the handmade cloth napkins have been embroidered with each guest's name; and neatly tucked into the laquered walnut shell napkin rings. The centerpiece of a mini replica of Alderson Federal Prison, is perfectly placed on the dinner table, between the array of hand thrown ceramic plates, fresh from the kiln. The only thing left to do is open the bottle of 1984 Marsonnay that she had been saving for just the right occasion.

Can you imagine the look of horror that comes over her face when she realizes that her wine opener/corkscrew is missing?!?!

Fortunately for her, one of the dinner guests is Richard Dean Anderson-- the extremely resourceful secret agent, MacGyver, from late eighties prime time television. And he happens to be the first guest to arrive! MacGyver makes a quick assessment of the situation and immediately whips a plain old ordinary screw from his pocket. He screws the screw into the cork of the seemingly unopenable bottle, and instructs Martha to fetch her tool box, which is conveniently located underneath the kitchen sink. He uses another ordinary tool-- the handy hammer, claw side hooked on the screw, to ease the cork out of the bottle. Voila! The party is saved!

While the above story may be fictional, the act of using a screw and hammer to open a bottle of wine, should a corkscrew not be handy, has been employed as a successful technique on more than one occasion in my lifetime.

This story was inspired by actual events involving a couple of underage thieves who came to my bar recently and asked if we could open their bottle of wine, as they did not have a corkscrew. My first instinct was to help a neighbor in need, so I took the bottle from the young-looking lad, (who seriously needed to pull up his pants). But then the skeptical, responsible bartender in me took over, and for fear this may be a trick by the ever-lurking liquor control board, I insisted that they show me their IDs before proceeding. Since neither boy was able to provide proof of legal age (or any proof of identity at all), I refused to give them back the bottle of wine. And it was concluded that most likely the bottle of wine had been stolen.
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Relaying this little tale to friends has sparked many other resourceful, McGyver-esque ideas for opening a bottle of wine, sans corkscrew. In addition to the "Screw & Hammer" technique, here are a couple of others that were presented:

--Pushing the Cork:
This involves pushing the cork down, inside the bottle. Not ideal, but a good solution in a pinch.
--Tapping the Bottle:
This one is a little trickier, potentially more dangerous, and requires some patience-- Lightly tap the bottom of the bottle against a tree just right, and the cork will eventually work its way out of the bottle through some magical law of physics.

I have not tried either of these other 2 methods, but would love to hear any success stories you might have with these or any other techniques.

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Bird Day Thursday--Favorite Bird

2009-03-26T13:12:00.001-07:00

The end of the week is always the busiest part for me at work, so I don't have much time to devote to my devoted readers. So Bird Day Thursdays are a way for me to share just a quick tidbit of bird business to help you make it to the weekend.... It may be an interesting bird fact, a song, a photo, a video, or a "Secret Bird Sighting".

This Bird Day Thursday, I am actually taking the night off from work to go see a band called "Bird Show of North America". I have never seen them before, but the band booker at the Blue Moon insisted that I come to the show. It appears that all of their songs are bird-named, and they have an artist on stage painting birds while the musicians play their tunes. At the end of the show, the painting are up for sale. Sounds like a show this bird nerd should not miss!

So I leave you with this photo (not one of mine; although I wish it were!)

I think this is my new favorite bird: The Blue-footed Booby. Have you ever seen a funnier-looking, or happier-looking bird? I have not. And they live in the Galapagos Islands. I wish I were there right now.

Chicken Victory!

2009-03-25T11:32:00.000-07:00

Today truly is a Happy Bird Day, with the news that BOCA, manufacturer of many faux meat products, has just announced that they will be eliminating eggs from ALL of their products! This is great news for vegans, giving us lots more options to choose from their extensive selection, which was previously limited due to their use of eggs. But more importantly, it's great news for the many hens that suffer every day in cramped, filthy cages to produce the massive numbers of eggs used in our over-consumptive society.

This change came about as a result of a campaign by Compassion Over Killing, in collaboration with Mercy for Animals, the Animal Protection & Rescue League, and the phone calls and letters of lots of caring consumers. After less 2 months of campaigning, COK received this statement from Boca:

"I am pleased to let you know the BOCA brand will be eliminating eggs in all of its products by the end of this year. We anticipate all BOCA products will be egg free in 2010."

Combining this with the recent campaign successes with Morningstar Farms and Lightlife, who both agreed to REDUCE the number of eggs used in their products, it has been a great few weeks for hens and for veganism.

“Morningstar Farms has committed to reducing its egg usage by an estimated 500,000 eggs in 2009, which is in addition to the already 1 million fewer eggs in 2008.”

“Egg whites are being removed from two more Lightlife products. Both our Veggie Burgers and Mushroom Burgers are being converted to vegan products with a completion date of June 1, 2009.”

Please take the time to contact Boca to thank the company for making this great leap forward for the animals, and setting a huge precedent for other large food producers. You can find out more about COK's Boca Campaign at the Boca Egg Facts website.

Lucky Bird-- Winner & Highlights!

2009-03-23T01:01:00.000-07:00

There were a lot of great entries in the latest Name that Bird contest. Lots of hummingbirds, but also some other interesting ones. The most original entry was for the Peeps. Although I do not endorse these, as they are not vegan (they contain gelatin, which is derived from animal collagen), they did technically qualify as a "green bird" :)

Here are a few of my favorite entries:
(You can find them all in the comments of the original post)

The Wild Parrots of New Orleans & Brooklyn

Green Jay
Green Violet-Ear Hummingbird

Hand-fed Hummingbirds!

Yellow-throated Vireo

The winner of the Lucky Green Bird Contest was Heather, of 3 am Art, whose favorite green bird is the Green Budgie. I was so happy that her name was picked! Although I don't know her in person, she is a hoot on email/forums and VERY supportive of all her veggie teammates. Congratulations, Heather! Check out her Etsy shop for some great nature inspired photos. You can also stop by her Blog to congratulate her for being the lucky bird!

Her name was picked randomly from a bag that I had just purchased from Vegancraftastic. It's the cutest little squirrel bag you've ever seen, and really well-made. I bought it for a friend, but it arrived just in time to use as a "hat" for picking the winner of this contest. (My friend LOVED it, btw.) Please check out Vegancraftastic's Etsy shop for more awesome handmade items. She is also hosting a giveaway on her blog for a similar bag, but with a really cool skull & knitting stick cross bones pattern. Perfect for your favorite knitting pirate!

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Bird Day Thursday--Secret Bird Sightings

2009-03-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

The end of the week is always the busiest part for me at work, so I don't have much time to devote to my devoted readers. So Bird Day Thursdays are a way for me to share just a quick tidbit of bird business to help you make it to the weekend.... It may be an interesting bird fact, a song, a photo, a video, or a "Secret Bird Sighting".

This week you get a Secret Bird Sighting! Whenever I am out at an event, I am always on the lookout for "birds" -- on clothing, accessories, or in any other form other than the real live thing-- a new type of birdwatching! Then I surreptitiously take a picture to add to my "life list". Almost as fun as real bird watching, and a way to spot some species that you normally might not see in your area... For example, while at a show at the Blue Moon one night last week, I came across these two Secret Bird Sightings:

Roadrunner Shirt

Songbird (wren?) Earrings

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If you live in the Seattle area, the Blue Star Cafe and Pub in Wallingford hosts "Bird Day Thursday" every week, featuring drink specials on all "bird" beverages (ie: Blue Heron Pale Ale, Grey Goose Vodka, Wild Turkey Whiskey). So come on in for a drink, and save a buck or two on your favorite bird drink!

Blue Star Cafe & Pub
4512 Stone Way N.
Seattle, WA 98103

Happy Hour
4-6 pm Mon - Fri

Daily Drink Specials
4 pm - Close All Week

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Bird's Eye Review

2009-03-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's the weather, or what, but this winter I have been spending money like it's going out of style (and maybe it IS going out of style, but I'm definitely doing my part to stimulate the economy!) It's ok though, since our trip to Mexico didn't happen this year, I've been doing nothing but work, work, work. So with my extra little stash o' cash, I have made some great Etsy purchases-- no buyer's remorse on these delightful handmade items:

Martin's Chair Collection
Limited Edition Print by ZukZuk
"This is a picture of Martin the rooster's beloved chair collection. He's the kind of guy who can't drive past a chair on the side of the road without taking it home and fixing it up; well, sometimes fixing it up, a lot of the time they just get added to the ever growing brokeny tree forest in the garage. Miriam the hen finds this all very vexing."

I fell in love with this drawing the moment I saw it! It was the perfect Xmas gift for the BF because 1) We have chickens, and 2) He is always complaining that I bring too many chairs into the house! Plus I found a perfectly fitting frame for it at the thrift store, complete with matting.

Vivid colors and whimsical characters with endearing stories are a constant theme in ZukZuk's work of digitally colored pen and ink drawings. She currently lives in Canada, but her upbringing in New Zealand is a definite influence in her work, especially with the types of birds she features. My second favorite piece is "Birdland". Having visited the famous jazz club in NYC last fall, it was a close second choice...maybe a future purchase.... I highly recommend ZukZuk's shop--not only is she a very talented artist, she is also super friendly and a proud member of Etsy Veg. Unfortunately (for buyers) she is on vacation right now, so she is not taking any orders. But you can check out her work in the "sold" section, and please bookmark her shop for the future!

Swallow in Flight Necklace
by SilentLotus Creations

"A beautifully-detailed brass swallow in flight is suspended from elegant brass chain interspersed with smooth and faceted aqua-green Amazonite. All pieces have a vintaged, honey-toned patina for an aged look. The brass has been purchased from wonderful Etsy sellers and is solid, unplated, and nickel-free. Necklace clasps with a handfabricated hook clasp "

I'm not a huge jewelry wearer or purchaser, but decided it was time to accessorize when I saw how beautiful and well-crafted this necklace is! Kylie, the gal behind SilentLotus has a wonderfully artistic eye for combining naturally beautiful gems and minerals with sterling silver and pure brass to create a unique selection of necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. If you're looking for a little pizazz for yourself, or for a gift, I'm sure you'll find something you love from SilentLotus. But wait... that's not all!! She is also a talented painter, and offers several of her Chinese Brush Paintings in her shop as well.

Although SilentLotus is an Etsy seller, I actually purchased this necklace through 1000 Markets, a newer online shopping site for handmade items. (So I justified this purchase as "market research" to test out the shopping cart & procedure of the new site, to make sure it is user friendly for buyers....It is!) Kylie is also super friendly, and a member/leader of Etsy Veg (I'm starting to see a pattern here), so please check out her shop(s)!

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Lucky Green Bird Contest

2009-03-08T01:25:00.000-08:00

With St. Patrick's Day quickly approaching, this month's challenge comes a little earlier, and will be a little shorter than usual...

The prize at stake: A Lucky Irish Green Gift Package! And what, exactly is a Lucky Irish Green Gift Package?? It is a collection of handmade goods and thrift store treasures, guaranteed to make this year's St. Patrick's Day the best one ever!! The winner will receive:

1) One Green Energy CD-- the newly released album by The Irish Experience, which features clogging tracks by yours truly :)

2) One Clover-Adorned Mug, one of my latest thrift store finds

3) One set of wacky Clover Leaf Antennas! (You can't properly celebrate the holiday without them)

[special thank you to Noah for being such a good sport]

4) One "Good Luck Wood Duck" handmade photo greeting card
(This one is doubly GREEN-- made with recycled green card stock and secondhand thread, and comes with a 100% post consumer recycled envelope)

I would also include my Irish Drinking Socks in the package, but they are too dear to my heart to part with. Plus I don't think I would get very many entries for a pair of old stinky socks...

(Irish Drinking Sock--NOT included!)

To win this collection of fabulous green prizes, all you have to do is tell me what your favorite GREEN BIRD is and why you like the bird. A link to an online photo of the bird must also be included with your entry. The winner will be selected randomly out of all the entries.

Entries can either be emailed directly to me (aguavino@gmail.com) with the subject "Green Bird", or you can post your entry in a comment here on the good old blog. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you're the lucky bird!

***DOUBLE YOUR LUCK*** Become a "Follower" of this blog, or subscribe to my mailing list to get a double entry to the contest! (that means I put your name into the hat twice)

This contest ends @ noon PST on (lucky) Friday the 13th!

GOOD LUCK!!

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Knitting Challenge

2009-03-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

According to the National Craft Association, March is National Craft Month! Hooray for crafters!

One of my fellow Etsy-ers from Team Veg, Jennifer of Pretty Haute, brought this to the team's attention, along with a creative challenge.

Knit-a-square.com is a project of the Soweto Comfort Club, which collects 8"x8" knitted or crocheted squares from all over the world and assembles them into blankets for thousands of African babies and children living in poverty. Many of these children are orphaned because of HIV AIDS or are themselves infected with it.

Jennifer's challenge is to make 4 squares to send this month, to celebrate National Craft Month. That's only one square per week. (or if you can make more, even better!).

Complete instructions are on the Knit-a-Square website, including types of yarn, gauges, knitting tutorials, patterns, etc. They prefer wool but for those of us of the vegan persuasion, who do not wish to support the wool industry, they will also accept acrylic, bamboo, etc. Just be sure to follow the instructions on their website.

Jennifer put the challenge out to the Etsy Veg team, but I am passing it along to ALL crafty types (especially those that know how to knit and/or crochet). It's a great way to use up those scraps of yarn that are just sitting around in your yarn bin. I've also gotten lots of yarn for FREE or CHEAP through Craig's list, garage sales, garage sale leftovers, and thrift stores.
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Since knitting is already a 'challenge' for me, I'm not sure if I will be taking on this one myself, or not. For example, it took me about a year and a half to complete this blanket for my "new" nephew. I started it before he was born, and finally gave it to him this past xmas. (He'll be 2 in April!) I would like to say that it took me so long because I am a perfectionist, and it is the best blanket ever made, but as you can see from the photo, it is far from perfect! Although, it was made using all recycled, secondhand yarn, which I knitted into squares, and stitched together. I finished it off with a crocheted border (also a newly acquired skill for me) and sewed on a Sesame Street back with a secondhand sheet from a thrift store.

Name that (Cartoon) Bird Answers & Winner

2009-03-03T12:38:00.000-08:00

Here are the answers to last month's Name that Bird contest:

1) Chilly Willy -- Penguin
2) Heckle & Jeckle -- Magpies
3) Foghorn Leghorn -- Rooster
4) Tweety Bird -- Canary
5) The Roadrunner -- Roadrunner (duh!)

We got a lot of entries for this one, and nearly every one had all the correct answers! But, alas, there could be only one winner. And that is....... Kylie of Silent Lotus Creations, and also the fearless, tireless leader of the fabulous Etsy Veg Team! She wins a 4 pack of my handmade Photo Greeting Cards--any 4 selected from my Snail Mail Gallery. Congratulations, Kylie!!

As a side note and bit of trivia, I was very sad that I was not able to include my favorite cartoon bird of them all: Woodstock. Apparently there is no definitive answer on what type of bird he is supposed to be! Some people surmise that he may be a dove because the Woodstock music festival used a dove in its logo. Although Charles Schultz, the creator of The Peanuts, did acknowledge in some interviews that the name "Woodstock" came from the music festival, the (nameless) character first appeared in 1967, two years prior to the festival. This, and the fact that he looks NOTHING like a dove, make me think he was not a dove. I always thought he was a canary because of his color, but I guess we will never know for sure what type of bird he was fashioned after, since Schultz never told us. Maybe it doesn't matter, and we should all take a lesson from Snoopy:

[From wiki.com:]

Snoopy has often wondered what type of bird Woodstock is. Snoopy attempts to identify him using his "Guide to Birds." The birds which Snoopy suggests and Woodstock attempt to imitate are: crow, American bittern, Caroline [sic] wren, rufous-sided towhee, yellow-billed cuckoo, Canada goose, warbler, and a mourning warbler. Snoopy finally gives up trying to figure it out, and hurts Woodstock's feelings by saying, "For all I know, you're a duck". Snoopy takes it back with a quick hug, at which point it becomes clear that it doesn't matter what type of bird Woodstock is; the only important fact is that he's Snoopy's best friend.

Check back soon for the next "Name that Bird" contest, and also a product review for a Silent Lotus bird necklace!

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Happy Bird Day

2009-03-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Today I would like to wish a very Happy Bird Day to two special people: First to my boyfriend's mom, Phyllis. This past Friday, Feb. 27th she turned 83! She is still an active little woman, and a huge fan of the birds! And today, March 2nd is the birthday of one of my best birding buddies, Sally Anne.

What better way to celebrate a Bird Day than to go on a little birding excursion? Well, that's exactly what Sally Anne and I did on Saturday. The main goal of the trip was to see the Bald Eagles that winter along the Skagit River near Marblemount, WA, to take advantage of the chum and coho salmon spawning. In the peak of the season, the river is lined with a spectacular congregation of hundreds of eagles. We knew it was the tail end of the season, and chances were pretty good that there wouldn't be very many eagles left, but we decided to take our chances. We saw two. Well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but not many more than that.

Still, it was a highly successful trip-- We got to see lots of other exciting birds, including the other large migrating birds-- the Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans that congregate by the thousands in the open fields of the lower Skagit Valley. Plus, two of the eagles we did see were totally doing it in the top of the tallest tree! Eagle whoopie! Not a sight you get to see every day....

Highlights from the trip:

Erotic Eagles

Thousands of white Trumpeter Swans in green fields with gorgeous mountain backdrops (it was only partly cloudy all day, and no rain!)

Snow Geese as far as the eye could see...

The "Wizards of Ooze"

Juvenile Bald Eagle: Apparently, while Mama and Papa Eagle are gettin' it on in the tree, they send (not so) little Eggbert out into the field to catch some rodents....

If you'd like to wish someone a "Happy Bird Day", check out my selection of photo greeting cards made especially for that occasion in my Snail Mail Gallery, and my latest snail mail creation: SNOOKLETS!

What's a Snooklet?? You'll have to click on the link to find out....

Spay Day USA

2009-02-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

This Tuesday, Feb. 24th is the 15th annual Spay Day USA-- an annual campaign of The Humane Society of the United States to inspire people to save animal lives by spaying or neutering pets and feral cats. Every year, millions of cats, dogs and rabbits in the US are put to death due to a severe overpopulation. Spaying and neutering is the only solution. Please visit the HSUS website for more information, and SPAY & NEUTER YOUR PETS!!

This year, members of Etsy for Animals and Etsy Veg are helping to promote the campaign by offering special sales or donations in their shops.

***I will be donating 20% of all sales from my Etsy shop that day to Pigs Peace Sanctuary***

Here is a list of all the other members' specials, with a link to their shops. Please show your support by shopping with these caring crafters and help spread the word about the importance of spaying and neutering!

1. Nancy - NanjoDogz.etsy.com - 20% to Illinois Doberman Rescue
2. Jen - DragonRags.etsy.com + jlynnpro.etsy.com - Free Shipping
3. Heather - aktie9.etsy.com - 50% of all sales on Spay day to the EFA charity of
the month (Rainbow Connection Animal Foundation)
4. El - elephantdance.etsy.com - 100% donations of profits to paws-saipan.org
5. Michele - mvegan5.etsy.com - 25% of shop sales to the EFA Charity of the Month (Rainbow Connection Animal Foundation)
6. Marjorie - WHSKR.etsy.com - giving 50% of my sales
7. Meghann - littlestudiojewels.etsy.com - 25% of the total sales to the Lanark Animal Welfare Society
8. Holly - silverrosedesigns.etsy.com - free shipping, and 50% of shop sales to German Shepherd Rescue
of New England.
9. Eva - alilsumptinsumptin.etsy.com - 25% of proceeds divided equally to HSUS & SCGR Rescue plus Free Shipping
10. Linda - AllAboutCats.etsy.com - Free Shipping
11. Lynn - LolaLynn.etsy.com - 10% to the EFA charity of the month (Rainbow Connection Animal Foundation), 10% to Sophia the dog for her heart surgery and Free Shipping
12. Emily - punkybunny300.etsy.com
13. Heather A. - creaturecomfort.etsy.com - Free Shipping and 10% to the EFA Charity of the Month (Rainbow Connection Animal Foundation)
14. Kim - veganessa.etsy.com + midnightrabbits.etsy.com - Free shipping on that day and 50%
of anything sold will be donated to: friendsoftheanimals.co.uk/neuter.htm
15. Kylie - silentlotus.etsy.com - 20% off all purchases, with proceeds being split between
the HSUS and a local Pittsburgh animal organization
16. Cynthia - kittyanydots.etsy.com
17. Bonnie - wovendreams.etsy.com - 10% off on dog leashes, plus many items 100%
donation to Dance with the Bunnies Rabbit Rescue
18. Julie - jbirkemeierphoto.etsy.com - Free Shipping
19. Lynn - aguavino.etsy.com - donate 20% off ALL sales that day to Pigs Peace Sanctuary
20. Ashley - NYCrochet.etsy.com - Free Shipping
21. Christina - KnittyKrissy.etsy.com
22. Cari - LoveLuca.etsy.com - 50% to an animal charity
23. Ginger - BarkingDogBlankets.etsy.com - 100% of the proceeds on the small blanket sale to spay day
24. Wei - WeiOpenSecret.etsy.com - Free Shipping
25. Gina - claynfiber.etsy.com - Free Shipping for orders of $40 or more and donate 100% of the proceeds to HSUS.
26. Akire - Lacewood.etsy.com - Free Shipping on most items $20 or more, and 10% of *ALL* sales on Spay Day will go to Little Miracles Rabbit Rescue
27. Rebecca - beckynot.etsy.com - Free Shipping
28. Ann - AnnRan.etsy.com - donate 25% of any of my reproduction prints ( http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5532445&section_id=5316177 ) or earrings ( http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5532445&section_id=5306725 ) sold on Spay Day to one of my favorite local critter charities. Some of my listings already specify a charity - for those listings I’ll donate to that charity. For the listings that don’t specify a charity, I’ll pick one.
29. Maria - pocketfulofsunshine.etsy.com - 100% of all sales from my “DT” Collection and 25% of all sales from the rest of my shop will be donated to the Florida Boxer Rescue
30. Karen - TheFaerieCupboard.etsy.com - 50% of total sales on Spay day will go to Patriot Siberian Husky Rescue
31. Nita - ApacheMoon.etsy.com - Donate 50% of proceeds on two items (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9681161 and http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15483972)
32. Shari - CiaoHound.etsy.com + PetsJubilee.etsy.com - 20% Discount
33. Stephanie - LuLusPhotography.etsy.com
34. Renee - BelleSirota.etsy.com - 20% of sales will go to the EFA charity of the
month (Rainbow Connection Animal Foundation)
35. Gena - Dogonwear.etsy.com - 100% to spay day
36. Annette - dragonhouseofyuen.etsy.com - 20% from every Baby Hare sold will be Donated to The Rabbit and Guinea Pig Welfare in Rugby, UK to help spay their incoming rescued bunnies

Catching Up With Christmas

2009-02-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

Oh, I'm so far behind....this is my first of many product reviews that I will be posting here. These are items that I received as gifts this past holiday season:

My Vegan Etsy Team coordinated a Secret Santa for any members that wanted to participate. This was a really fun activity for me, and a great distraction from the usual hustle and bustle of the holidays (craft fairs, birthday parties, family get-togethers, etc.) We were all (secretly) given the name and address of a fellow teammate to whom we were to send a handmade gift (our own creation, or something purchased from another crafter).

My Secret Santa was Bashley of Bashley's Uncommon Threads. I was so thrilled when I opened my package, which contained a handmade, decoupaged box featuring a collage of BIRDS(!) and accented with beautiful bird pins (see photos below). The second part of the gift included a donation in my name to a chicken sanctuary! -- The Chocowinity Chicken Sanctuary in North Carolina. It is one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received, and this was from someone who only knows me through our online connection with Vegan Etsy! It was especially impressive considering handmade boxes are not even the craft that she sells on her Etsy site, which is kitchen aprons! Please check out her site and show her some love...

Here are pictures of the box-- from every angle:

The recipient of my Secret Santa gift was another Lynn!--Sparklynn, who makes really beautiful handcrafted jewelry and hair pins. I was worried that it would be a challenge deciding on an appropriate gift for someone that I do not know in person. But after reading in her profile that she has a few pet snails, it was an easy decision. I gave her one of my box sets of Snail Mail Greetings-- a handmade, recycled box with a selection of my handmade photo greeting cards (including, of course, one of my Snail photo cards!) She was very happy with my gift, and I received this message from her:
"I just received my present today and I LOVE it! I was just looking for a snail picture to frame and it just appeared in the mail - how cool is that?! I love the cards and the snail is going into my office at work. Thank you so much! I adore my present. Your pictures are so beautiful!"

Hymns for a Dark Horse
Another gift I received was from my friends, Rob & Eleni of Beloved Binge (band) and Binge Cafe (blog). It's an album by the Bowerbirds. Eleni thought that I would really like their music style, and she was right! And it's not just because of their name or the many bird references throughout their songs. I'm still trying to figure out who the lead singer reminds me of. Names that come to mind are David Byrne, Clem Snide, and Thom Yorke, but I think there might be someone else who would be a better reference point. Anyway, they definitely have a unique music style which combines acoustic folksy melodies with hints of world music sounds, and interesting lyrics. They mix in a lot of different instruments including guitar, piano, violin, accordion, drum, banjo, and upright bass. All equaling up to a highly pleasurable listening experience! Check out the Bowerbirds!

Name that Bird Contest #2

2009-02-14T00:33:00.000-08:00

This month's contest is a little different, and another multi-parter, but should be pretty easy (and fun!) for everyone. Pictured below are five photos of six famous Cartoon Birds (one of them is a pair). To enter this contest, you'll have to name all six birds, and tell me what kind of bird they are supposed to be. (Cartoon birds don't always do justice to what they look like in real life, although some of them are awfully cute!)

The prize for this contest will be a 4 Pack of Photo Greeting Cards of your choice! You can choose from over 100 different cards, now on display in my new Snail Mail Greetings Gallery. The winner will be selected at random from all correct entries. Contest ends at midnight, Feb. 28, 2009.

Please email (aguavino@gmail.com) your entries with the subject "Cartoon Birds".

Good Luck!

(Click on image for a larger view)

Bird Nerd

2009-02-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

I wish I had a Whooping Crane

But only got the Cough
I really want to get back to work
But doctor says stay off

Five more days of Quarantine
I think I might go mad
Turn Lemons into Lemonade
And maybe not so bad

This poem really has no rhyme,
But for to mention the bird
If it were not certain before
I am officially a nerd.

Blue Star Art -- Feb '09

2009-02-08T18:26:00.000-08:00

Since September 2008 I have been the volunteer coordinator for the Art Wall at The Blue Star Cafe and Pub. Each month features a different local artist and usually an opening or closing night artist reception. The remaining walls and rooms of the restaurant are covered with the many "olde time" black and white photographs that are part of the owner's permanent collection. These feature scenes of early Seattle and the surrounding area, including the customer favorite of the bar scene with a count down to the start of Prohibition.

The featured artist for this month is Kristian Rickard. Her vibrant colors and bold, over-sized acrylic/mixed media pieces are a great contrast to the black and white photos on the other three walls of the back room. The smaller pieces add a wonderful balance to create an aesthetically pleasing scene that you won't want to miss! Please come in sometime during the month and check out her work. The artist reception is a great time to come so you can meet the artist, mingle with other art appreciators, and enjoy drink and appetizer specials! Check out Kristian's website for more details about her art.

Artist Reception:
Sunday, Feb. 15th, 7:00-9:00 pm
Blue Star Cafe & Pub
4512 Stone Way N Seattle, WA 98103

The Blue Star is also a part of the Wallingford Art Walk, which is on the first Wednesday of every month, from May through October. Also look for "theme" months where we will feature the works of several different artists that fit into a selected theme!

Please check in with The Grapevine every month to learn about the latest featured artist. You can also sign up for my email newsletter, so you won't miss a thing!

If you would like to be a featured artist at the Blue Star, please send me an email, including some samples of your work. We encourage customers and friends of the Blue Star, and those in or near the Wallingford area to apply, as we like to keep this as a community event.

Spread the Love

2009-02-07T00:45:00.000-08:00

This month I started a new donation program through my various crafty marketplaces. From now on I will be featuring selected items as "Donation Items", which means that 50% of the profits from those products will be donated to an animal rescue sanctuary. Currently I am donating to Pigs Peace Sanctuary in Stanwood, WA, a non-profit organization that takes in animals that have come from abusive or neglectful situations. Among the many pot bellied pigs residing at the farm are also rescued llamas, horses, chickens, dogs, cats, turkeys, and sheep.

This is a group that I have been volunteering with and supporting for many years, and am happy to be able to continue that support through my creative endeavors.

I am launching this new program appropriately with my new Valentine greeting cards: Llama Love and Valentine Piggy are both made with photos taken at the sanctuary, and can be purchased online through Etsy, ArtFire, or 1000 Markets. So, spread the love-- give a card to your special valentine, and help animals at the same time!

Also, if you live in the Seattle area, you can now purchase my greeting cards at Sidecar for Pigs Peace, Washington state's only totally vegan grocery store and boutique! There are cards for every occasion (well, maybe not EVERY, but a lot): Birthday, Bird Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thinking of You, Wish You Were Here, Thank You, I'm Sorry, New Home/Address, Congratulations, Valentine, Easter, Spring, etc., plus lots of blank ones; all featuring my wildlife/bird/nature photos. Another way to spread the love!

Sidecar for Pigs Peace
5270 B University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Name that Bird Answers & Winner

2009-02-04T13:55:00.001-08:00

The bird in question, from last month's contest is Alex, the African Grey Parrot., who became famous for his astounding vocabulary and cognitive abilities. He died unexpectedly and prematurely on September 6, 2007. Everyone who entered got both of those correct! The NY Times ran an article about him after his death. The NY Times Magazine also published a beautiful tribute to both Alex the Parrot, and Washoe the Sign Language Using Chimpanzee, who also passed away that year, less than two months after Alex. But an official Obituary was published in The Economist, and that was the answer I was looking for. Only one person who entered guessed the third part correctly, and that was Jean White from Bellevue, WA. She wins a four pack of my handmade photo greeting cards! Thank you to everyone who participated, and Congratulations, Jean! Please check back soon for more fun contests and prizes.

Recommended/Related Reading:

	Alex & Me, by Irene Pepperberg This is the story of Alex the Parrot, in layperson's language. It's also a very quick read. You'll be flabbergasted by Alex's accomplishments, and charmed by his personality. It'll make you laugh and cry. This is a great book for anyone who was a fan or follower of Alex; for anyone who is a lover of animals, birds, parrots, or African Grays; or anyone interested in language studies or animal behavior.
	The Alex Studies, by Irene Pepperberg If you're looking for something more technical, then this is the Alex book you should read. It's goes into more scientific detail about the language and cognitive studies in which Alex participated. Also available in hardcover
	Next of Kin, by Roger Fouts This is the story of Washoe the Chimp, the pioneer who helped break the language barrier between species. It was written while she was still alive, but there are still parts of the book that will wrench your heart. Another encouraging story that maybe someday other species will be treated with the respect they deserve.

Green Energy is Here!

2009-02-02T02:19:00.000-08:00

Tom's band, The Irish Experience has just released their second album, Green Energy. It is a lively collection of traditional Irish and Appalachian folk music, featuring lightening electric fiddle by Joe Bowbeer; rocking guitar by Tom May, and the energetic thumping of the upright bass by Tom Hotchkin. This release also features some unique and fun instruments (tabla, cajón, djembe, dunun, bongos, congas, harmonica, synthesizer), plus a special Clogging appearance by yours truly! This summer I had my very first studio experience (at Egg Studio!) and recorded my fancy footwork of Appalachian Clogging, taught to me by the lovely and talented folks in my group, the Eclectic Cloggers.

Green Energy is available at lots of online music retailers, where you can download individual tracks (14) or the entire album, including:
iTunes
CD Baby
Rhapsody
Amazon MP3
eMusic
Shockhound

OR, you can purchase a hard copy of the album directly from us! We'll even give you a sweet deal: Only $8, including shipping!! We can accept payment through PayPal, Amazon, or Google Checkout:

PayPal

Come dance a jig with The Irish Experience this St. Patrick's Day at Finnegan’s Irish Pub in Renton, WA.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Two shows: 3 pm and 8 pm
201 Williams Ave S,
Renton, Washington 98057

DJ Liar Bird?

2009-01-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

My friend, Carl, recently sent me an email with a link to this YouTube video of an Australian lyre bird and his amazing vocal abilities.

"at the beginning i thought "ok.. that's neat"... then the bird starts doing car alarms and buzz saws and i was speechless..."

Apparently this bird can imitate up to 30 other bird calls, and splices in other sounds that he hears in the forest, such as cameras, water drops, chain saws, car alarms, and music from a radio, to create a unique symphony designed to attract a mate.

If your valentine can beat that display, I'd love to hear about it!

Famous!

2009-01-22T01:01:00.000-08:00

Just about everyone in the family was featured in various blogs this month:

Noah was the Pet of the Week for Etsy Veg. Check out his cute pic and find out what he's been reading lately. Also be sure to check out Etsy Veg and the shops of all their members in the Crafty Veggie Marketplace.

You can find Tom and Roadrunner the Chicken at Binge Cafe. (Please don't report us for animal abuse--she really doesn't mind sitting on top of his head! We let the chickens sleep in the house one night during an unusual cold snap that hit Seattle last month.)

And, one of my light switch covers is featured in the latest treasury for Etsy Veg.

You can also find a review of one of my necklaces (and my first Etsy sale!) by Molly of Vegan Etsy from way back in September.

Check out both Etsy teams for fabulous handmade cruelty-free items.

Name that Bird!

2009-01-17T15:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the NEW Grapevine-- the official blog of Aguavino!
I have purged my old blog posts in order to offer you a more focused attempt at entertaining, intriguing, promoting and prompting.

Your first test: Name that Bird Contest. I will be featuring this contest periodically, so check back often, put me on your blog-watch, or sign up for my newsletter (also called The Grapevine) so you can win fabulous prizes!

Do you know who this bird is? Maybe so, but this one is a multi-parter, so pay attention. To enter this month's contest, please send me an email with the Subject: "Name that Bird", and the answers to the following 3 questions:
1) What is this bird's name?

2) What type of bird is it?

3) What prestigious publication ran an obituary for this bird?

Winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received by Jan. 31st., and will receive a FREE four-pack of my handmade photo greeting cards! (misc. selection)

Please be sure to check out my photography and other handcrafted items on Etsy, Artfire or 1000 Markets! (More products coming soon!)

Keep an eye on The Grapevine for more glimpses into the world of Aguavino.....Coming soon -- handmade product reviews, interesting bird facts, tips for winos, and lots more!