Finding Contentment in Every Situation
Finding Contentment in Every Situation
By JM PerezWhile the kids and I were still asleep, my husband took pictures of a few Statues in the Snow.
Here is the one I love the most, it’s the one I’ve owned the longest, my Angel Cherub with a Bird.
By JM Perez By JM PerezThis morning we took down all the Christmas decorations (both indoor and outdoor).
I started taking down most of the decorations (Christmas Church, Village and town people down as well as the Angels, Carolers and the Nativity Set) on Tuesday except the Christmas tree, which I finally took down this afternoon. I took one of the two outdoor Wreaths down on Friday and the last one on the front door came down today along with the rest. It feels like I just got the Christmas tree up and I am now taking it down; I wish Christmas could last just a little longer! I’m glad I had my cheerful and energized little helpers around to assist me.
It’s been windy and cold all week long that we shut off the exterior water valve to the irrigation system to protect the plants from frost and prevent property damage during this freezing weather.
So, after putting the Christmas Tree and decorations away, we had a fun craft activity with the kids late in the afternoon. We made a set of Bug Walkers, which we will share in the next post.
It is raining tonight with a chance of snowfall.
It snowed three times in 2008 (January, April and December). It skipped 2009 and snowed in January of 2010, January and February of 2011 as well as February and March of 2012. The kids were looking forward to Snow and building a Snowman last December. I personally wasn’t looking forward to another Snow Storm and I am very thankful for the break, although the weather might decide otherwise. It’s astonishing how each year goes faster than the previous one.
By the time I realize it, it will be Valentine’s Day!
By JM Perez By JM PerezPomona, Sweet Pomona!
While touring the three stories of the Pomona Antique Mart, I found a lovely vintage statue for my garden! How wonderful. It’s a Little girl gardening with a duck (they are both looking at their empty planter). I am thinking about painting it; then again, I might just leave it as is. I guess, time will tell. I am looking forward to displaying it for Spring, along side the Gnomes collection, when my beautiful garden will be in full bloom.
Prior to leaving, we visited Cheryl’s Antiques, which is one of the shops across the street from Pomona Antique Mart. We’ve been there once or twice before, without giving it much attention as it was always closing time or we were in a rush rush situation. Today, fortunately for us, we had a little time to spare and we used it wisely.
I found a very old and rare vintage Christmas Tree Hugger amidst a pile of vintage Christmas decorations. As much as I love the vintage Christmas Pixie Elf Knee Hugger (and held back the urge to buy one); I am grateful that my patience paid off and I found something even more special. This particular Tree Hugger made my day.
My boys, on the other hand, were more interested in Micro Machines and found a couple that caught their eyes.
Cheryl’s Antiques carries a little bit of everything (jewelries, living room sets, office pieces, suitcases, paintings, lamps, dolls, home decorations, perfumes, children toys, display mannequins, gardening accessories, and so much more). Her pieces of furniture as well as decorative objects are Retro and Vintage.
Cheryl’s Antiques
275 E 2nd Street Pomona, CA 91766
1 (909) 623-5600
By JM Perez By JM PerezFor the past eight years we have owned freshwater fish, precisely, Blood Parrot Cichlids. Actually, we started out with gold fishes in 2004 and it didn’t work out. Even though we had a good filter, the water was always cloudy and dirty as goldfish produces too much waste. The following weekend, we went back to the Pet Store and instantly fell in love with the Blood Parrot Cichlids. We bought two and added a third one a few months later. Everything was wonderful until we moved to the High Desert of California. They all died by August of 2007 (almost four months after the move). We were devastated as we’ve had them as juveniles! We think that they might have grown too big for the tank size or something. So, what is a Blood Parrot Cichlid?
According to Wikipedia and other sources on the Internet, the Blood Parrot Cichlid is a hybrid fish consisting of the Midas Cichlid and the Redhead Cichlid that was first created in Taiwan in the late 1980’s and then introduced to the market in 1986. It is also said that as a result of inbreeding, the Blood Parrot Cichlid has several deformities, notably, its beak-shaped mouth that cannot fully close, which they compensate for by crushing food with the throat muscles. The main colors are bright orange, red or yellow. Young fishes are usually tan/brown with black spots near the tail and change color as they mature. Other colors, such as pink, green, blue, and purple have successfully been produced by dyeing the fish, which shortens life expectancy. It is said that an adult fish can grow to a length of 9 inches and reach an age of 10 years or older.
In 2010, we bought two juveniles Blood Parrot Cichlid and added two more a couple of years later (with the intention of upgrading the tank), which we unfortunately didn’t do and ended up losing the first two, which by then had grown so, so much. Again, we were devastated but not surprised. We didn’t follow through with our plans. We are now down to two and we intend to keep it at such with a tank upgrade.
The Blood Parrot Cichlid is a strange, yet adorable fish. They are quite aggressive (even amongst themselves, sometimes and would eat anything smaller than them). They are peaceful, friendly, responsive to people, entertaining and compatible with breeds that are of similar behavior (similar sized fish or slightly smaller than them). We’ve heard they get along with the following: Oscars, Arowanas, Corydoras, Clown knifes, Firemouth, Plecos, etc). Plecos or Plecostomus are omnivores (eating both animals and plants) and they make great additions to a fish tank as they clean them by eating algae, fungus, dead fish and whatever else they can find.
Click here to learn about fishkeeping.
Click here to learn about their Genetics.
Click here, here, here and here to learn more about the Blood Parrot Cichlid.
By JM Perez By JM PerezEstablished November 11, 1926, Route 66 carried refugees from the Dust Bowl to California, where the wretched sought hope for survival and the strength to carry on. John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath told of the heart-breaking story of these people who trusted the road to take them somewhere – anywhere – they could survive the Great Depression.
Greyhound Bus Lines/Amtrak Station
16838 S D St
Victorville, CA 92395
Telephone Numbers (Greyhound)
Main: 1 (760) 245-2041
Baggage: 1 (760) 245-2041
Telephone Numbers (Amtrak Station)
1 (800) 872-7245 – Primary
1 (800) 872-7245 – Toll Free
Greyhound Victorville, CA and Amtrak Station Victorville, CA.
Click here to learn more about Old Town Victorville.
By JM Perez
