Honey, I love you, but

the bed is only meant for one. Leon (the orange kitty) and Rachael are buddies. But, from the evil eye Rachael is giving Leon, there are limits. The bed is heated. Leon usually parks himself there first, but, yesterday, Rachael got there before he did. That doesn't deter my bad boy, however. He managed to squeeze at least part of himself in there. Shortly after this picture was taken, Rachael left in disgust.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall.

When my parents were young, right after WWII, they decided that they needed to have a basement area dug out under the dining room. All they had before that was a tiny area, under the oldest portion of the house, where the coal furnace was. Mom needed (wanted) to be able to hang her clothes inside, after they were washed.

So, they hired two young brothers, just back from the war, to do the job. The brothers dug out a basement that is approximately 12' X 16' lined the walls with concrete blocks and laid a cement floor, all for $300. In the process, they dug out many large stones.

Mom and Dad took those stones and built a decorative stone wall. It is still standing today. Though, I do have to figure out a way to get in there and do some straightening up. Those darn stones are heavy! And, there are snakes in there! Just garter snakes, but, still, they give me the heebe jeebes when I come on the unexpectedly.

Hah, I just happened to think about something. That's what happens when you start to tell stories of the old days. That stone wall was my stable area, when I was playing "horse." And, it was the boundary of Sherwood Forest, when "Robin Hood" was the game of choice.

Dang Memory!

As I was lying in bed this morning, relishing my "I'll get up in a couple of minutes" time, I thought of several great subjects for this blog. Now, I can't remember what a single one was. Oh well, I have some dusting to do today, and, maybe, as I do that, my weakened brain will recarve the pathway to all of those fantastic ideas.

In the meantime, help me identify what these flowers are. I had them in a hanging basket a few years ago, and want more this year. But, I can't, for the life of me, remember what their name is.

See, the memory IS going.

At the Birdfeeder

I've been puttering around the house all day. As I have done so, I have kept an eye out on the birdfeeder. It's been a busy day.

In for a landing. Look how the tail angles downwards, to slow him down, I guess.



I'm always amazed at how bright red cardinals are.



Besides Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal, I was very surprised to see this Titmouse on the ground. Usually, they land on the feeder, grab a seed and fly away, like the second picture.





They look like Christmas ornaments, don't they? They're always in the lilac bushes, if they're not on the ground under the feeder.



This last wasn't exactly a welcome sight. I have continued to be inundated with mallard ducks in the evening. You literally cannot count them, but I would guess that there are now 50 or more. This is, however, the first time I have seen them during the day. Let's hope that's not going to become a habit, as well.



And, a couple of random pictures, just because I love birds.

Cat on Lap

I'm sitting at the computer (in my ratty old flannel nightgown, so no pictures) with Gina on my lap. Having a warm, purring cat on your lap has got to be one of life's little pleasures. There's just something so companionable about it. And, it's especially great, as I was so worried about Gina a couple of days ago.

Beauty in the Mundane

Yesterday was a beautiful day. And, I needed to get outside and breathe some fresh air. I grabbed my camera, and went wandering around the yard. Winter is dull and gray, but you notice things that, in the other seasons, are overwhelmed by the more flashy stuff. I noticed how beautiful and different the bark of the trees in the yard were.

Norway Maple (replaced an old apple tree, that I had a swing on when I was a kid)



Locust (replaced a pear tree)



Lilac (this bush was planted by my Grandmother, when they first moved to the house, in the 1920's)



Pine (one of two seedlings that my Dad dug out of the woods when I was young)



Box Elder (I carved my initials in this tree when I was about 12. The initials are long grown over, but the tree remains)



I have known these trees almost my whole life. But, I rarely stop and really LOOK at them. I'm glad I did yesterday, because I found new facets of old friends. I like this blogging stuff. It makes me slow down and see what is around me. And, now that I have time to stop and look, I'm discovering all sorts of beauty, in everyday things.

Summer Visitors

All I'm getting at my birdfeeder right now are small birds, squirrels and that darn infestation of mallard ducks, which now numbers about 75 nightly. Even the occasional deer has stopped showing up, because the ducks strip everything clean. I do get some pretty cardinals.



But, I miss all of the different critters I see in better weather. I especially miss the raccoons. Varmints, I know, but the cutest things ever. Last year I had a Mother and her babies visit regularly.



Mom wasn't afraid of anything, but the babies could be a little shy, especially when another kind of critter came to the feeder. They could climb that tree really quickly.



But, eventually, they would all settle down to peacefully coexist. Don't you wish we humans could do the same?



One year, I had a fox family that would play in my back yard every evening. And, one time, I thought I had a wolf, but the DEC man assured me that it was just a big coyote, because there are no wolves around here. Ohhhhhh Kayyyyyyy. If you say so. But, I still wouldn't go out the door after dark, that summer, without making a big clatter first.

Sigh, isn't it great to live where you can look out of your windows and see critters of all kinds?