everything is bigger in Texas...

...except the trees!

And it's true.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of their teeny little trees - but take my word, they look like taller than normal bushes.  Definitely not trees.  Which leads to the more important news...

...last month I visited Texas for the first time EVER.  It was grand.  Austin is a GREAT city.  Our Wind Ensemble at UNCG was invited to perform at the CBDNA (that's college band directors national association, for you non-music folks) National Convention held at UT. Hook 'em Horns.

It totally rocked!  All the big name band directors were there, along with some big name bands and big name composers for band too.  We performed new pieces by no less than Carter Pann, David Dzubay, and Joel Puckett.  (Who are all wonderful - if you've got time, Google search them - you'll find sound clips of their works. Working with them over the past few years was a real treat. Awesomeness!)  The concert was by the far the most exciting and rewarding performance I have ever been a part of - oh yeah, and we played really well too. :-)  Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the trip... (and no, I didn't get one of the Bikini's sign. *wink*)

SNOW DAY IN NC

it's almost that special time of the year...

...spring cleaning!

And I've been doing a lot of self analysis as to my cleaning habits....

this swiffer sweeper that I am in LOVE with - really isn't so eco-friendly since every time I use it I end up throwing away a couple of non-biodegradable cloths.

And you know, good old Tide laundry detergent must have some horrible chemicals in it, since its been around long before "being green" was even a recognized phrase!

What ever happened to those good old fashioned things called brooms? and mops? and making your own cleaning products out of natural products like vinegar?

Sometimes I think that our grandmothers really knew the truth about everything afterall....

So... in my online research, I came across this article on one of my favorite eco-how-to websites (www.grist.org)... maybe it will help you have a greener spring clean too!

CLEAN GREEN!!  happy cleaning!

MOUSE WARS - EPISODE II

The battle has now ended.

After discovering yet another destructive reminder that I had a little friend in my house, things took a turn for the worst.  I had no option left, than to set death traps.  We found ones that look like a little cave... where the mouse crawls in, eats the bait and gets whacked - hidden from outsiders view.  The real question, however, was what to use as bait.

Peanut butter: failed.

Cheese: failed.

Chocolate: SUCCESS.

We caught our guy, red handed, going for the sweet stuff.  I thought we had reined victorious!  But no.... there was another mouse. We had MICE! AAHHHH!!!!!

After catching mouse #2, we have yet to find another one.  It was a tandem team assault - two against two.  And we managed to regain control of our house.  The Jedi Hocks have suppressed evil Darth Mouse!!!  VICTORY!!

p.s. - if any other mouses out there happen to stubble upon this post..... please stay away from my house!  I don't want to kill you... but I will if I am provoked!  Bwahahaha!!!

MOUSE WARS

I can remember as a kid, living on the farm, every now and then a tiny furry four legged creature with a long tail would find its way into the house and munch loudly on things (normally paper) in the middle of the night.  We would set a trap, and within a day or two said mouse would meet its end.  That was the way it went.

Well.... apparently not in this house.  And not with this mouse!

I have a fearless mouse in my house. Before the holidays this mouse first made his mark by eating ALL the chocolate in my candy jar... and leaving only the wrappers behind.  But he didn't leave the wrappers IN the jar... he hoarded the chocolate away in little hiding places and I periodically discover empty candy wrappers where he has gone back and eaten the hidden candy!

Then one night, as I was sitting on the couch with my computer checking emails, I see something scurrying in the corner of my eye.  I look up - nothing there.  Go back to the computer.  In a few more seconds I see something again - and this time, I find out what.  This mouse - this big earred, twinkle eyed field mouse - is sitting beside me on the couch.  Just looking at me. NOT SCARED!  He stares at me... I stare at him.  Like he's studying me, trying to figure out who I am, what I'm thinking, why I exist.... ugh.  He looked like a smart mouse.  So I decided to find out who he thinks he is... I said, "Hi. Who are you?"  And he twitches his little nose and runs off the couch.  I couldn't find him.

Needless to say... the mouse traps go out. (The nice kind though - that doesn't kill them!)  And this smart little mouse, doesn't take the bait!  I don't catch him.  Days go by, and I hear and see nothing of this little mouse.  I was beginning to think that maybe I had scared him away!

I proceed to go visit family for the holidays and return home... to a mess.  This little mouse found a packet of Orbit gum in a jar on my desk... and he proceeded to pull it out onto the desk, eat the WHOLE thing, and apparently suffered from horrible diarrhea in the process, judging by the amount of mouse poo he left behind. Yuck.  So... he's back - and it's now officially war.

The safe traps go out again... and with the same result as before.  But now, I've gone another step beyond that.  Anything containing sugar, that I think could even POSSIBLY smell appetizing to a little mouse, went into the cupboards or solid jars with lids or other indestructible contains.  But mousey is still here, and still hungry... so he starts eating my soy candles! SOY CANDLES!!! REALLY?!!!  I'm at wits end now... this mouse has to go. GAME ON!!

Mousey may be winning the battles, but I WILL win this war.....