rainbow farmers

Mend Our Michael

2009-10-01T17:20:00.005-04:00

As many may know our dearest Michael is in the hospital with pneumonia. I've decided this guy needs a little extended love from family and friends. There is a link to donate money and gift ideas.

Favorites of Michael that will be added to the bag:

RootBeer
Comic books
delicious candy
cactus plant (with a name)
Books - this boy loves to read
Video games
Kiwi fruit
movie tickets
itunes movie downloads
gift certificates

...and any other suggestions you think he'd love

August

2008-08-21T15:36:00.000-04:00

Well, it looks like for the first time since we were married, we will actually stay in one location for longer than a year. It has never happened. I'm pretty excited. We have lived in Taiwan, Provo, Boston, California, New Mexico and Brooklyn. So, yes, we are staying in Brooklyn, but we are moving houses. So, I guess it still holds true, that we move every year. But, we found an amazing Brown Stone in Park Slope that is right across from Prospect Park. It's a dream come true, truly. We will move to our new home at the end of September. I will actually only get a few nights in the new place because I am off to Oaxaca Mexico with my sister Rochelle. We will be attending a Spanish Language Immersion Program for two months. After, we plan to take a our new Spanish skills and travel in Chiapas. I am going to meet up with Michael in Cancun before heading back to a cold, cold New York City. That's the plan. So, look out for some colorful pictures of beautiful Mexico. For now, here are some lovely New York pics. We love you, every one of you.

Pictures and tiny bits of typing

2008-06-08T17:35:00.000-04:00

Rochelle's Graduation from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont

Murakami at the Brooklyn Museum

Ol' Coney Island

Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Golden Shoulders at Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn

Pretty ladies, Beky and Di

Roller Skater's in Central Park

Michel Gondry Exhibit

Here we are...

2008-06-08T17:21:00.000-04:00

Oh goodness! So it's been awhile (again). But, I really want to start up the blog and share our New York adventures. Summer is here and New York is getting really fun. I love living in Brooklyn. There is such a strong community feeling here. I sometimes catch myself sining the Sesame Street "People in Your Neighborhood song," as I am walking around. It's great, I'm beginning to build friendships with so many new people.

Brooklyn

2008-01-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

Oh, hello friends and family. So, we two have migrated once again. Our last post was months ago (sorry) due to us both being inundated by work and grad school applications. But, things have settled and we are doing really well living in Brooklyn New York- reunited with many wonderful friends and yes it feel so good cause it's understood...
We live in an old Jewish Hospital that has an elevator that takes us up, up, up to the 9th floor where we reside in a two bedroom apartment that has an AMAZING view of Manhattan. Oh, and PS- there is this tiny extra room, the nook. It's a great place for reading, movie watching and is perfect for guests (hint hint).
We have been living here for a few months. Here is a tiny taste of April and Michael in New York:
1. Beky is our roomie. She recently returned from Thailand and needed a family, which was perfect because we needed a daughter.
2. We live close to the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Public Library, and Prospect Park.
3. After living here for a week, I saw Michael Cera sitting on the back of a parked truck holding a hot dog, about to film a scene for his upcoming movie. It was crazy because I was about to cross the street and I looked over to my right and he was there and I ofcourse felt like I knew him and squealed, "Hi". It was pretty exhilarating for me- cause I love him alot.
4. Comedy Night at Rififi's: Di says that the first night we went was the best night she had ever experienced. We saw Eugene Mirman , a producer from the Daily Show, Demitri Martin, and a bunch of other hilarious people. So worth the $5 dollars we paid to get in.
5. Craftacular put on by Etsy and Bust Magazine. Um, Amy Sedaris was there signing her book and selling cupcakes. Beky was so lucky- she found one of her hairs in the cupcake she purchased- normally gross- but this time great. We plan to clone her.
So many cute crafts and "do it yourself" treasures. Oh, I also saw Aaron and Julia Ruell. Aaron was Kip in Napoleon Dynomite. I have not seen them since before the film was released- they are wonderful people.
6. Serendipity 3 Yummersville http://www.serendipity3.com/
7. Oh, Suvi lives on the same street, although a few blocks down, but it's still pretty wonderful.
8. Trying out ALL the Bikram Yoga Studios
9. A new bike and bike riding around Prospect Park
10. MUSEUMS galore

From San Jose to Santa Fe

2007-10-05T18:36:00.001-04:00

Believed to be built on sacred earth with miraculous healing powers, the legendary El Santuario de Chimayó, is probably the most visited church in New Mexico. Each year during Holy Week thousands of people make a pilgrimage to Chimayó to visit the Santuario . Believers that make the pilgrimage claim to have been cured. We saw the walls of the church decorated with tons of discarded crutches.

Not far from the Nambe house is Bandelier National Monument. Here, we were able to tour ancient ruins of the Pueblo people whom built thriving communities 600 years ago. It was amazing to climb the ladders and enter the ancient dwellings along the sheer cliffs. PS we have some lovely companions: Ro and Lee and the Goods- yippeeee.

I think the Chimayo Chile is my favorite.

The Roasting of the Chile.
It's a very exciting time to be in New Mexico because the chiles are being harvested and roasted and incorporated inrto amazing foods. I made some great salsa with fresh green chile, yum.

Buddies and Pals

I love this dude. The most beautiful snake with pretty markings that matched the adobe house so nicely. I thought it very lucky that we met him.

We went on a drive to the Rio Grande Gorge up in Taos.

Dancing darlings at New Mexico State Fair

Chimayo

The Dream House in Nambe. Goodness, we were delighted to stay in this beautiful Adobe home near Santa Fe. It came with two hilarious and cuddley pups. I was very happy here all September.

Let me introduce you to Old Man Gloom. Every year in Santa Fe they have the burning of the Zozobra. He is a fifty-foot marionette that represents all the gloom and misfortune of the year. Everyone gathers to say good bye to their blues and watch him burn. It was quite an exciting event.

Unbelievable right? This picture is dedicated to the Takahashi family as inspiration for our holy pile.

Pojoaque Pueblo

El Pinto in my favorite restaurant in New Mexico. It was where I had my first dinner with Michael's family before we were married.

This is my beautiful friend Tehya and her precious bebe Isa. I love taking walks in the New Mexico rain with these adventurous lovelies.

This sky means we are in New Mexico

Funky Cement TeePee Motel

So, So Grand

A visit to the Grand Canyon, for my very first time. Miguel came when he was little and flew over in a tiny plane, fancy. It was cute to go together and watch the sunset in such a grand place.

This was "James Dean's last stop." It is somewhere near Barstow and um, they sell excellent pistachios here.

Big Sur is pretty dreamy. I am so glad we finally made it to the Pacific Ocean. We had a lovely picnic near the waterfall that is in the far left of the above picture.

Ladies

Most perfect family, the Moores. Amy and Josh are amazing, kind people and I want to be just like them one day. They have always been so good to me since they took me in and loved me when I was a little lost kitten in Southern California. Now they have a little lady, Olive, and I was so pleased to finally meet her. So, so cute.

The Rest of The Story

2007-08-17T15:13:00.001-04:00

Family Time in New Mexico

So, this is where we lost track of the blog. We were spoiled by the comforts of a non-mobile existance. We got all cozy staying in a real bed, eating delicious green chili everything, and participating in family TV watching marathons at Miguel's parent's house in Albquerque.

Oh the food of New Mexico...yuuuuuummmmmmmmmm
mmmmmm

July was pretty hot by the time we made it to the South West, so we altered the road trip and headed up to Utah to visit friends. It was amazing to see the Takahashi, McKinnley and Hess Families. We love them all!!!

We made to Nevada City California. We stayed with Ro and Lee at their perfect little twin-cabins home nestled back on Adams Street. Good street and good dude.
It felt so nice to be in the sunshine state, visiting friends and family.

Fair sisters, enjoying the animals, food and photobooths of the Nevada County Fair.

Rochelle was so dedicated to her final portfolio that she is working on in order to complete her masters program. We are so proud of her and her lovely brain!

Chinese element and animal search

Lee Bob= Water Rat
Miguel= Earth Horse
Ro= Wood Rabbit
April= Medal Monkey ( oh Yeah)

Oh peachy! Ski, Jack, Andi, Ro and I went up to the Sunsmile Farms to pick some juicy, hot wonderfulness. It was so beautiful there, and we pick and ate and picked and ate.YUM! Andi even caught me doing a peach dance- that's how good they were!

Heading out to the orchard

Ro plucks some deliciousness

Aren't they lovely?

Hurray for blackberry and peach pie and it's kinda pretty too.

Cheesy Bridge over water pose

River day followed by the BBQ and then the Lee Bob show. Ski and I cooked so much that night. Thank goodness we had the relaxing early hours of the day to swim in the cold, yet refreshing, Bear River.

Oh The Sisters, all backstage drinking the complimentary bottled water. Jodi and Ale' and their crew came down from Modesto to dance and swing to the music of Happy Mayfield. What a great show with Dana DJ times and the Jack and Ale running around feeling HAPPaaaaaaY.

clean across texas

2007-07-15T15:58:00.001-04:00

Texas is a big place.

The Rothko Chapel

Dan Flavin exhibit at the Menil collection in Houston. The Menil collection is a free gallery that has TONS of good stuff. If you want to know what they have go here:
http://www.menil.org/

Bell tower at the university of Texas at Austin.

University Austin Texas

Cute Clothes in Austin. SOOOO many good second-hand clothes stores. April was in heaven. Miguel was happy because they have not forgotten the social importance of the Aracde.

Barton Springs, in Austin, is a natural waterhole that has been a bit paved around the edges. The water remains a chilly 60-something degrees year round, but it feels nice when the heat index is 100 something.

Texas Tombstone

almost as nice as the Mazda.

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luckenbach, Texas - where there ain't nobody feelin' no pain.

This nest of baby birds and parents were located outside a bathroom at the KOA in Fort Stockton, TX. The momma bird would chase us away whenever we got too close so this picture was taken from far away with a bit of zooming.

Prickly Pear cacti in bloom. A sure sign we are getting close to Miguel's home.

Cherokee motel, western TX.

Road Runner

Into Carlsbad Caverns.

Roswell, NM

Famous New Mexico sunset and train and power lines and highway.

we got married in a fever: TCB

2007-07-11T01:03:00.002-04:00

So we went to Nashville. Our first stop was Vanderbilt University. Vanderbilt was founded with a large grant from one mister Vanderbilt who had never actually visited the south, but was concerned for their well-being after the end of the civil war. So far it seems to be working. Its a beautiful campus surrounded by a fun neighborhood.

more vanderbilt.

This is not a tree. This is a sculpture of a tree. What, you may (or may not) be asking yourself, is the purpose of sculpting a tree that looks just like a real tree? Why not just plant a tree? Well, if you look closely at this sculpture you'll start to notice things that aren't very tree-like at all like a human hand reaching out, goggles, kitchen shears, teeth, and other objects from a human context. Its more impressive and bizarre in real life.

This type of sign hanging in the bathroom stall should alert you to what kind of neighborhood you're in.

This urinal was almost too beautiful to use...almost. Both the urinal and the sign were hanging in a very "cute" café in Nashville called Café Coco. Rusty Miller will be playing on it's back porch on July 20th, so everyone drive to Nashville and support him.

The Nashville strip. This is Honky-Tonk heaven where all the windows and doors are open day and night, clashing out the sounds of young and old musicians all playing their plucky 4/4 hearts out for tourists and tips. great fun. we saw some amazing musicians, one guy played the maddest solo we ever heard while holding cigars in both hands.

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banjo.

Nashville club.

A lake outside of Nashville where we went swimming. The water was pretty brown and the rocks were pretty slimy, but we had fun anyways. And saw a Nashville deer.

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So after two nights in Nashville it was just about anniversary time. Off to Graceland with us. Now, we've never been huge Elvis fans. Its not that we have anything against the king - its just that, like the statue of liberty or any other overused & exploited American symbol, Elvis had become commercialized and by process, very hokey. We had decided to take part in the kitsch of the legend, and had no idea that we would actually become Elvis converts.

Only in Memphis: Peanut butter and banana reeses.

The pool at the heartbreak hotel. We stayed here for two nights, its right across the street from Graceland and they play Elvis movies 24/7.

Graceland. Living room.

Graceland. Mirrored stairway.

Graceland. mirrored bar in the TV room.

Graceland. Cattle skulls molded into the shelves in the TV room. Elvis did all his own decorating. And it was all amazing.

There are three TV's in the TV room because Elvis had read that the president watched all three news channels at once, so he did the same. Sometimes he shot at them with one of his many guns. The monkey is rad.

This is the pool room. The whole room is lined in folded oriental patterned cloth that is held together by a giant button at the center of the ceiling.

Graceland. The famous jungle room with waterfall, Elvis's spanish guitar, owl tiki chair, green shag, and giant panda.

guitar shaped pool at the hotel across the street. easy to sneak into for a swim.

Elvis designed all his own costumes. In the early 70's Elvis was really into his karate, so he, with the help of some fashion friends, created jumpsuits patterned after his favorite gi. Over the years they became more and more elaborate and inspired a whole disco fashion movement. Awesome dragon.

April at the rockabilly café in Memphis.

People in the delta area still wear overalls. a lot. These are pointer brand made in Tennessee. You can order some here: http://www.pointerbrand.com These were found at a massive junk shop on Beale street in Memphis called AW SCHWAB, i think. Its a hundred year old store, part museum, part surplus left overs from 75 years ago. You can still find washboards and fire heated curling irons in their original packaging. April bought a cotton slip and i got some red suspenders. woo hoo.

Beale street, Memphis. Juke joints for half a mile, blues past the planets.
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All along the street were blues kings and queens singing for tips, and locals, feeling a little tight and maybe a bit tossed, who were really caught up in the voodoo:

It was hard to find vegetarian options in the south. We mostly stuck to side dishes. But we found you can always rely on dessert. Raspberry Pecan skillet pie with vanilla bean ice cream on Beale street.

A small soul food restaurant outside of Natchez, MS.

House on stilts, Mississippi.

The crossroads where Mississippi state highways 49 and 61 meet. This is where Robert Johnson was said to have traded his soul to the devil to learn how to play the gee-tar.

Across the street from the crossroads, an example of why its hard for vegetarians in the south.

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This is a small red-eared turtle, about two-fists long. Dude was trying to cross the interstate, and had gotten halfway before he decided it was too dangerous and retreated into his shell. April stopped traffic and helped him along to the other side of the road where he kept on to wherever he was headed.

The M-i-crooked letter - crooked letter - i - crooked letter - crooked letter - i - hump back - hump back - i

Mississippi kitty and a shotgun house.

Beard black green.

Garden district, Nawlins.

Beaded tree. Nawlins.
Loyola University. Nawlins.

French Quarter. One of the most beautiful places in the states. Bourbon street was trashy, as expected, but the rest of the Quarter was perfect.

Voodoo mama's house in the french quarter.

Elsewhere, 1000 miles later...

2007-07-06T12:45:00.000-04:00

SO. we've been driving . lots. and, as you will soon observe for yourself, we are kind of dirty and gross and awesome. This is a little of what we've been into .

This, everyone, is Capitol Hill. It is where - if I remember my American Heritage class correctly - where some red-hot legislating is goin on. While there we found a lonely Bill sitting on the steps. We struck up a melodic conversation that turned out to be both fun and educational and - you can watch the actual footage that April shot below:

If you want to take part you'll most likely need to come to Washington D.C. I think there might be a dress code of a suit and tie and white and man and money. But still normal people make it in too. D.C. is both impressive and depressing. We wanted to feel like Mr. Smith going to Washington, but the out-skirts are really run-down and poor and the in-skirts are flowerless and littered. C'mon leader people, it's the capitol of the richest nation in the world - water the grass. But very cool, greek looking buildings.

So, my whole life I have been waiting to meet a panda and now I have met three. At the D.C. zoo when I first spotted little the baby I cried! Seriously- my love for pandas is that deep. It was a very happy magical day.
LUNCH!!!!

Two very dedicated missionaries with two very different ideas on how to solve the world's problems. The guy on the left has been camping outside the whitehouse back lawn since 1981. Dedication.

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This is Georgetown University. A beautiful campus up the Potomac from downtown DC. We stopped by to visit April's favorite anthropology professor Dr. Olsen who now teaches here. Georgetown is one of the countries oldest universities, founded by Jesuits in 17-something, and home of the first African-American president of any educational institution, Dr. Patrick Francis Healy, 1886.

These are revolutionary era houses in Georgetown. Miguel was inspired to do the Can Can.
If you have some spare change, in your underwear drawer or wherever, and you want to build an impressive looking church, ,this is a good template. Duke university is very hard to locate, immersed in Hemlock trees in Northern Carolina. When you do find it, its a treat.

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Chapel Hill in North Carolina is a potential home for my brain, it looked good to me. Also, we saw Tony Tost hanging out at the local co-op wearing a Charlie Brown shirt. Read his poetry, miguel says.

ok, finally a little bathroom graffitti that everyone can enjoy. Miguel is obssessed with the idea of grafitti (especially in the privacy of the toilet stall) as a conversation stage. The most intelligent and witty scribblings encountered so far were in the bathrooms of Ashville, NC a progressive little city in western North Carolina. While we were there the Smashing Pumpkins were doing a 9 day artist's residency at a venue/art house called the Orange Peel. Pretty fun. The whole town was into it.

Ashville TN is the cutest, hippest little town, just East of the Smokey Mountains. We had the best lunch at the Laughing Seed Cafe... ALL VEGETARIAN and so delicious. The town was filled with other vegan and veggie places and loads of darling shops.

Into the Old Smokies. There are lots of these 50's style hotels on the Cherokee reservation on the way into Smokey Mountain National park.

The Smokey Mountains.
Are you ready for this???
BAM!!! The actual General Lee at Cooter's Dukes of Hazard museum in Gatlinburg, TN. yee. haw.
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For Real!!

A soaked couple of critters at the end of a fun, hot day at Dollywood. We saved the water rides until the very end of the day, after the sun had started to set and were the wettest people in the park. It was a long, stiff walk to the car. We heart Dollywood.

Replica of Dolly Parton's childhood school house. so cute!
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So that's all for now. Next we're off to Nashville and Memphis, TN for our 3RD marriage celebration. Every year we can either agree or disagree to get married again. This year we both said 'i do' so it's off to the heartbreak hotel and graceland and the little chapel in the woods.

Heart Heart New York Heart City Heart

2007-07-01T23:06:00.001-04:00

Lady Di being our New York City vibe guide. We love this city and we love her.

Central Park

Greenwich Village Pretty Kitty in Pearls

Our favorite cupcake shop, Magnolia Bakery, in West Village.

The dog's name was Indiana

2007-07-01T10:33:00.000-04:00

So we were driving to NYC and decided to stop off at New Haven since neither of us have ever seen Yale and from what I here its an impressive example of neo-gothic blah blah. So we did stop. And we must have made some kind of Quantum Leap because when we arrived at Yale campus it appears that we had arrived in 1940 something. Check it out for yourself:

SO. we asked an old-timey looking bus driver what year i t was and what was with all the cranes and lights and he told us that they were "shootin' da new hahrrison fahd movie - yah know Indiana Jones?" We didn't actually see Mr. Fahd, because, as we learned, everyone was on lunch break for three hours or so. Nice job.
But Yale was a beautiful campus and excellent example of everything Gothic with multitudes of gargoyles and even some flying buttresses.

So far we've only eaten road trip food, and the bathroom walls are squeaky boring in New England - no creative adolescent vulgarity here. These young poets prefer paper to tile i guess. But i'm sure we'll find plenty of interesting food and vulgarity in the best city on planet earth. We're off to Manhattan to stay with our friend Di Cannon (forever famous as the girl from the glamour shot picture in Napoleon Dynamite).

UNOst JIAN

2007-06-28T19:32:00.000-04:00

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ok, friends and family. We're leaving Cambridge. If you didn't know we were even in Cambridge, then now you know - & we're leaving. This is the route. It might be jumping hot&weird. In the future you can check to see just how hot & weird. There will be five main aspects of American culture that we're watching for:

1) Food

2) Buildings

3) Swimming holes

4) Bathroom graffiti

5) Graveyards

And any other crittastic youknowwhats along the way.
To start with here is some pictures of Boston.
We love you all.
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We have turned the protegé into a true motel. By cutting our futon mattress to fit and removing the back seat we now have the perfect little mobile home for two skinny people.

goodbye Boston.
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