More Christmas vacation pictures

Once We go to Kristie's in Seattle we wanted to get some local exposure. Kris and Andrew took is to Dim Sum and then Pike's Place Market. It was fabulous and fun. We bought Seafood and fresh pasta for dinner that night, we checked out lots of crafty stuff, were amazed by the Shoe Museum. This thing will blow your mind!

There was a Magic shop right beside the shoe museum, naturally

We didn't have to worry about feeling blue, not when FREE HUGS were offered outside

Andrew, unfortunately, does not like getting hugs that much

Since the drive to Seattle was snowy and slushy and muddy, Renato and I decided to give the FIT a good scrubbing. I believe this is the first photo of our glorious FIT, it is not beautiful!

Sorry

Sorry, I haven't posted in a little bit
This should occupy you for the next few days

An Inertia Break

Inertia gave me a rare photographing oppertunity. She believes her green pillow brings out the green in her eyes. I agree!

Christmas Continued

After my exam (well my students exam, that I had to watch them write and then mark) Renato and I took off for Seattle to spend Christmas and New Years with Kristie and Andrew! The cats were taken care of by some good friends, and the lizard went to stay with her breeder. All was good.
First we drove over the Rockies!


This was a strange thing. Right before Revelstoke they are building what looks to be a bridge... going from one mountain to another mountain. There does not seem to be towns on either sides... or roads... and its really high. I am hoping they are building a cross-country monorail!!

I'm finally posting some photos from Christmas!!
Lets start with my earle trip to Winnipeg. We went to visit Renato's family. We decided to bring the cats, and it worked out pretty well, except the first night, when we lost Inertia...we found her after 5 hours, hiding in the ceeling of the basement. The cats prefered to stay in our guest room after that. They really liked the bunk beds!
Driving to Winnipeg from Calgary takes 18 hours through flat, flat, praries. I liked taking photos out of the window of cute little farmhouses and grain elevators. Both ways we ran into some nasty weather. I took photos of truks gone off the road, but we did not go off the road
So far the new car (Honda Fit) is working out perfectly! I will have photos of it up soon

Inertia Started out uncomfortable

Renato and his family

The cats are OK now!

Driving back I took lots of photos

The cats had free run of the back seat, but they prefered snuggeling in their cage

Can you tell I was a bit bored?



This truck was off the road, not us tho!



Yellow and Red: Snowplow Ahead!

These are my 3 favorite shots

11.1.07

My Christmas Jewelry Exchange Present

I entered a Christmas jewelry exchange this year over WetCanvas; the bracelet I sent out is in the post below. This is what I got from the exchange!!! Isn't it beautiful!!! The Artist, Shirley Cook (http://www.jumpingjackglass.com/) made the glass leaf and woven cord herself. This piece is beyond beautiful. She also included one of her holiday leaves for me. I have been drooling over her lampwork for a long time, so I feel honored to have two of her beautiful creations now. Thank you Shirley!

Pan's Labyrinth - It Blew My Mind

I'm not kidding! Renato and I went to an early screening at the Uptown the other night.
See this movie!!! Its amazing, beautiful, scarry, sad, happy, Everything!
I had some strange dreams after watching it.
I hope it gets an Oscar

This movie is Spanish with English subtitles. It is NOT for children

The Diner of my Dreams!

This morning I was not feeling very good, I had a headache. Renato took me out to my most favorite Diner to cheer me up. Diner Deluxe!!! I wish I brought my Camera because the decor is so amazing. I had the Maple Fried Oatmeal with Lemon Curd and Cream. Yum!! I will definitely be going there again

Late Christmas Greetings!

Hello and so sorry for my absense! I finally got better and soon ehough I was off for a Holiday Visiting Extravaganza! Before photos of the holidays, I'll show off some pieces that were for xmas presents, ordered or from me!
These are some bracelets I made for my sister, Julie, to give to her friends:








Here is a bracelet I made for a christmas exchange

And finally, this is a Gold-fill bracelet I made for Renato's Mum:

Where has Hollie Gone?

Sorry, I'm sick. Very very sick. But antibiotics should clean me up by Christmas

Yummy Homemade Bread!

Crazy but true, I made bread today. The recipe was foound on the net, called no knead bread, and if it were not for the Not Martha blog I never would have found it. Its amazing the crazy things you can find on blogs.
Yummy Yummy Homemade Bread!

Yay Pat!

My former lab-mate Dr. Pat Druckenmiller is in the news! To read more, Click on the title above

New Copper Bracelet

It took me a Long time to think this one up, but I am super proud of it!
7.5" long (can be incresed)

Weekend Traveling

Yesterday we drove to go to Banff!! Goodness I love that trendy little town, not that I'm into shopping like that, but its always been a great place to go and cruse around. The drive up was, as always, beautiful. It was a little overcast...

In Banff we went to the Walter Phillips Art Gallery, to see a show about iconography, really great show! Our friend TJ had two pieces in it and they are great!
We than went to the Whyte Museum where my friend Julie works, and the 3 of us went out for Sushi! The Sushi House in Banff is my favorite because it has a little train that runs around the bar and you take plates of food off of the train. Bad news is, they have been orderd by health and safety to remove the train by December the first, even tho this shop has been open for like 15 years!! we signed the petition to keep the train. Next we had coffee with Kate and her friend. I bought some bearspaws at the Fudgery, Yum!. I haven't seen Kate an Julie in such a long time, it was so good to see them again. The trip was over tho, time to go home!
We saw a tonne of wildlife whiledriving through the town, a family of deer...here is a blurry photo of one

I also saw a flock of ravens hanging out down town, man those birds are big!!
Few photos due to some foggy weather. Not to worry, we'll be going again for sure!

My first Expert Inquiry

Today I got my first email from another researcher asking a question because I am a Wishbone expert. I feel so proud, not just because I got the question, but because I know the answer. What a great day!

Here's the scoop!

"Hi Hollie!

I figure this question is in your area of expertise . . . what is the name of the part of the furcula that is endochondral in origin? (see picture; double-crested cormorant). Hope your stuff is going well, and you enjoyed your Mexican conference."

Here's my response:

"Hi *, great photograph!

From what I understand, there is no part of the furcula that is endochondrial in origin. It is all dermal/membranous in origin. However, post ossification, cartilage does form due to friction (movement) in vivo. This cartilage is than ossified, causing the furcula to become thicker.

This info I remember came from one of Brian Hall's Papers (Hall, 1986, J. Embryol. exp. Morph 93:133-152). He immobilized chick embryos in vivo and found that their furculae were very reduced as compared to mobile chicks (that's an oversimplification, of course)

For information about the development of the furcula, the best paper is Russell & Joffe 1985, and all of the Hall papers on the subject.

Hope this helps,
Hollie
ps, Mexico was awesome!"