Miss Priss

They (whoever "they"are) say those with pets live longer. Well, we here at the Garden Spot will live a very long time. I have introduced you to Stevie, The Wonder Bird, an aging cockatiel and Mr. Country; now meet little Miss Prissy Kitty, Jasmine. She came to live with us shortly after Country who arrived as a graduation gift to our youngest daughter from her boyfriend--the one we didn't much care for. I hinted that the ugly boyfriend went away. Without going into too much gory detail, our young daughter decided to take a road trip to Missouri where the fellow had moved to see what life there would be like. Just let me say that she made a good decision and came home bringing with her a little baby kitten for his sister. Just how Jasmine came into her possession is still clouded in mystery. I didn't really much care, for my young daughter chose her family over a creep.

Not quite a glamor shot; she wasn't in the mood to pose.

Jasmine had a growl like a bob cat for one so tiny. Early on she and Country were buddies, but in her old age (15 years old) she is picky, prissy,  and snobby. She barely tolerates the other 2 cats and has learned that Max the dog is not the enemy; however, she still exercises great caution when he is around, not quite trusting him. We laugh when she sneaks up on him as he sleeps to sniff his tail or his foot.

She is a hoarder. In the old house I had my office/craft room in the basement where she hung out a lot. When I sewed, I would find scraps of material and ribbon that she had drug up stairs. She comes alive at night, sneaking around the house looking for things to do when no one will disturb her. She likes to collect things and she chews paper.

We had a college student living with us in the spare bedroom in the basement. Shey was a classically trained ballerina. One morning she asked if I had seen her ballet slipper. We went through the whole list of did your look in your car, did you look in the trunk, did you look. . . ? She was really quite annoyed and perplexed because ballet slippers are very expensive and she would have to travel to Boulder or Denver to buy a new pair and she was very poor college student. She could have left it anywhere between home and the dance studio.

Several days later as I made by bed, I looked down behind the headboard and there lay a pink ballet slipper. Now if you have ever seen a ballet slipper you know that they have a block of wood in the toe about an inch in size, giving the slipper some weight. The tell-tale tiny hole in the satin ribbon tie pointed directly to Jasmine. I had to keep reminding Shey to shut the door to the basement  to keep the cats from going downstairs, but she didn't and Jasmine when exploring. She is a small kitty, but she managed to drag the slipper from the far side of the basement across the cement floor, up the stairs, through the laundry room, through the kitchen and into the my bedroom where she hid her little treasure under the bed. We had quite a laugh over the missing slipper. While Shey was convinced that her resident ghost who took her other things had hidden her slipper, the mystery of the missing slipper was easily solved.

 I don't know about everyone in blog land across the planet, but here in N. Colorado we need moisture--any kind will do: rain, snow, sleet. Instead we have had warmer temps and winds that dry the gardens out. The head gardener will have to do some watering today. He started sorting seed packets last night and making his list. We are going to start seeds this year, hoping to save some money. We buy the usual sets: broccoli, egg plant, tomatoes, cucumber, and squash. They are becoming very expensive, so we will set up tables in the basement by the large windows, hoping that there is enough natural light to grown healthy plants. He tilled the garden beds last fall, adding chicken do-do that he had cleaned out of the coop, so we will be doing some things differently come spring. Big plans for the garden: a strawberry bed and a new rose bed. What are your garden plans? Seems early to be thinking about gardening, but we can't help it can we?

Have a wonderful week.

There's a Bad Moon Arisin'

One thing I love about the Garden Spot is the wildlife. We are not exactly out in the country, more like a rural suburbia of very small town (pop. 1, 000+). Near farm fields with lots of open space, we can see fox, cotton tails, even a prairie dog ran through the yard once. The fox does not come around much; we suppose because of the dog. We do see sign of skunk and raccoon. Then there are the plethora of birds. Here is one handsome fellow I snapped yesterday. He is the main reason that our hens don't roam free.

We think it might be a Ferruginous Hawk, native to the grasslands. Its main diet consists of prairie dogs, which are plentiful just east of town. We see these large birds frequently patrolling the air space above looking for food no doubt. The little song birds at the feeders disappear from the feeders, taking refuge in the thick pines when this fellow shows up. I shot this photo from my bedroom window with the 70-300 mm telephoto lens.

Action shot: Stroke of Luck

There's A Bad Moon Arising. Any Credence Clear Water  Fans out there? Not quite a bad moon, but certainly a spectacular moon. Photo taken about 5 PM. It was large and pinkish and spectacular. I managed to get a clear shot through the trees, but couldn't avoid the electric lines. Another telephoto shot.

What do you love about your garden?

Classes at the university started yesterday. Since my classes are on Tuesday and Thursday, I will have Mondays off.  It will a very busy semester with 3 college research classes and a 4th class Writing on a Theme for education majors (future teachers). I have 2 75 minute classes back to back in the morning followed by a 75 minute break and 2 more 75 minute classes in the afternoon. A long, rigorous day for sure. 

Thank you all for the kind words on my post about Kenneth. Cousins are such special people. They become our best friends made more special because of that special bond of kinship.  

Farewell Sweet Kenneth

A somber post this Saturday evening. Our dear cousin passed away suddenly Dec. 10. We attended his memorial Friday in Denver. While he died suddenly and unexpectedly, Kenneth lived a full and wonderful life for 70+ years. I write a bit about him tonight to honor him and to honor the generations of soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. He served in the American Air Force for 23 years. While his ashes will be spread else where, he will be honored with a marker at Ft. Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

Kenneth loved family. He was actually my mother-in-law's cousin. He and his immediate family lived in Denver, about an hour away from where most his relatives live here in Northern Colorado. Every few months the cousins would gather for breakfast at the Village Inn in Greeley. The breakfasts began with just 4 cousins, but over the years the membership grew and grew with out of state cousins adding attending the breakfast as an  item on their Bucket List. The gathering grew from those four original cousins to 20+ on some Saturdays. Three other cousins preceded Kenneth in death, and a fourth cousin, my mother-in-law, is in a nursing home struggling with dementia, unaware that her family is passing along.

Those of us who do not have military background  do not understand the sacrifice of military service until a time comes when we must face the reality of military service. I had been to Ft. Logan as a young teen when my best friend's daddy was buried there 4 decades ago. I was too young to feel the impact of the rows upon rows of graves over acres and acres of gently rolling hills.

Most impressive were the young men and women who performed the flag ceremony. I recalled the days of my early childhood when we were taught to honor and respect the American flag. The reverence and respect this day was touching and emotional.

Finally, Kenneth was honored with the 3 gun salute, most emotional and moving, but not quite as much as when the ceremony concluded with "Taps."

We will miss Kenneth, but promised each other at the end of the day to keep meeting for breakfast at the Greeley Village Inn.

Farewell Sweet Kenneth.

King of the Cats: Country

This is the week to relax. I have my house in order, though the Christmas decorations are still up. I started a sewing project today, a patchwork valance for the guest bedroom to match the lady bug quilt I made several years ago. This afternoon I dug out the left over squares and sewed them together. As with most spur of the moment projects, this one now requires a trip to JoAnn's tomorrow before I can finish it. So tonight I will introduce another pet child, Country.

Country learns to ride the EzGo golf cart 

We use the EzGo all the time around The Garden Spot to haul stuff, including any pet that will ride with us. Cats generally are not so adventurous, so we were quite surprised when Country sat proudly on hubby's lap as we rode around the yard one evening. He seemed to rather enjoy the ride. Unlike the grandchildren, he didn't beg to drive!

Most parents who have raised a daughter have had to endure the Horrible Boyfriend. Just as the youngest daughter was graduating from high school, that boyfriend sat in my living room and announced that I would love his graduation gift. I answered that as long as it didn't eat or poop, any gift would be fine. He just sat there grinning. A few days later, Jen brought home a very pathetic little gray kitten. She named him Country because she was into country western music. After graduation, the ugly boyfriend went away; Jen got a good job in Boulder, where she rented her first apartment, taking the young cat with her. The job in Boulder didn't work out, so she and Country moved home. She eventually moved out again, this time leaving behind the cat where he has happy lived for many years. In the spring he will be 16 years old. 

One of our concerns when we moved to The Garden Spot was how well the cats would adjust. Country made himself right at home. He discovered the neighbor's weed patch where he would sit for hours waiting for some little critter to emerge. He brought home two dead voles those first weeks at his new home. He is a lover and a cuddler, but he is also very demanding for food and affection. He sleeps with the head gardener most of the night. His favorite spot in the house is to stretch out in front to the flaming fireplace. I am sure that the heat feels good on his old bones. While he is not the only cat in the house, he is the King Cat, keeping the other two in their place. He welcomes visitors, granting them the honor of his presence in their  lap for some special attention whether they appreciate cats or not. The old adage that we don't own cats, cats own us, is quite true. Country has us well trained, especially hubby who spoils all the pet children. He is also hubby's little shadow out in the garden, tagging along when he goes out to weed in the evenings or feed the hens--who look at him with some suspicion. How does he get along with Stevie? Ignores him, thankfully. Stevie has been a part of the house for so long that the cats don't pay any attention to him. Country has been a gentle spirit in the house for years and I can't imagine the house without him. 

Meet the Pet Children: Stevie the Wonder Bird

With the holiday festivities not quite over (we will have friends in for dinner New Year's Eve), I am growing weary.  Are you warn out with holiday yet? I have reclaimed the kitchen after the big food blow-out Christmas Eve. The fridge is so packed with left-overs that  I finally called my sister-in-law to come get a few things since she has a house full of kids and grandkids who will eat up the goodies. Hubby and I don't need extra calories. So for a change of pace, I thought I would spend the next few days introducing you to our pet children. Each comes with his/her own little story.

Meet Stevie the Wonder Bird, named after Stevie Wonder simply because he used to dance on his perch bobbing his head up and down as he chattered, reminding me of the great singer.

Stevie's leg band dates 1987, indicating that he is 24 years old. I bought him some years ago from my sister-in-law because she needed money to take her cat to the vet. I never expected him to live so long.  When I was very young, a neighbor gave me a parakeet, and I have had birds ever since, mostly parakeets. I had a pair of canaries that hatched two little babies. I lost one and gave the other, a male, to my friend who sings his little heart out for her. So while other birds have come and gone, Stevie has thrived. Cockatiels are great mimics, much easier to teach then parakeets. He used to bark like a dog because our neighbors had a dog that barked constantly. We began hearing our microwave beeping at odd times and figured out that it was Stevie. He began laughing, too, mimicking the conversations we had when we had friends in. He even learned to repeat "Pretty Bird." These days, though, he is quiet. Occasionally he appears to have a convulsion and I am sure that he is done, but he rallies. Because we have 3 cats, Stevie is confined to his cage. I have always enjoyed the chatter and singing of little house birds.

Birds make good company, adding color and a certainly liveliness to the house with their chattering and bird song. Birds are great pets for children too. While they do require cleaning, they are easy to keep. Taken care of properly, little birds can bring years of companionship and entertainment. However, they are not trouble free. They must be kept safe from other pets, especially cats. My cats learned as kittens to leave the bird alone and now they pretty much ignore Stevie. They do need to kept out of drafts and away from fumes, especially the fumes that teflon cookware gives off. If they are they only pet in the house, they might be let loose to fly about, just as long as there aren't any open doors or windows. My daughter 's husband caught small parrot in his backyard that had escaped. And I have seen a parakeet at my bird feeder hanging out with the sparrows, but generally these little birds won't last long in the wild. Now, if I could just teach Stevie to say "I tawt I taw a kitty cat."

Glad Tidings

The Christmas celebrations are in full swing. I would like to say that I have all of shopping done, but I don't. I would like to say that I have all the gifts thus far purchased wrapped, but I don't. I would like to say that I have all the baking done, but I don't.

But the tree is decorated and the house is in order.

Snow Man Pillows: Courtesy of Kohls. 

The Barbies have come out to dance the Nutcracker and show off their holiday fashions and give Santa a helping hand.

The children anxiously await a special visit.

 HO HO HO

Santa's Helpers. (always one has to make a make a goofy face)

Merry Christmas to One and to All.

Mo. One of my helpers.

 County. Helper # 2. Cats love boxes and containers, don't they.

Lucy is my little baker. She takes baking very seriously.

Perfect little Christmas Trees.

Part of the audience at the Christmas Program. Mom Jennifer chaperons.

Angels in the making: dip ice cream cones in melted white chocolate. Chips work great. Cool in fridge. Make heads out of almond marzipan.

 Halos: vanilla waffers dipped in white chocolate. A bit of white chocolate to glue on to the body. I let it dry a bit before glueing the halo in place. A bit tricky to get it stick, though.

  Wings: pretzels. I hand dipped these this year, but you get nicer ones if you buy them already dipped.

I am not an artist, but I used black icing gel to pain the faces.

Hair: dyed coconut. The silver dragees are edible, but not sold in California. You can find the complete instructions for these little angels by going to foodnetwork.com and searching cone angels on Sandra Lee's page. 

 Finally, the new oven. Bakes very evenly 

Little Angels ready to go.

With the Santa party over, the grandkids gone home, I am resting today. I will wrap packages and just hang out to gather speed for the next gathering Christmas Eve. The grandkids will return. It is Jen's birthday, too, so it is a big party.

A Merry Christmas to all.

May your holidays be blessed with good cheer, joy, and peace. 

NOEL NOEL

Let the Season Begin

Well, hello. I hope no has given up on me. The end of the semester is always crazy and stressful, but it is officially over. I ended this semester in very good shape. I had all of my grading done and grades uploaded to the system by Friday noon. Grades are not due until this Wednesday, so I feel like I have gained a few extra days. So now it is time to get ready for Christmas. Let the season begin.

We traveled to our friends out in Northeastern Colorado for their annual Christmas party over the week-end. We are not always able to go because I always have final essays to grade. Sherry had a lovely party with lots of good food, and her home was totally beautiful. She has The Touch--the decorating touch.

So here is my holiday To Do List:

Put up Christmas tree. The tree is finally up, but I had a rough beginning. The pink lights wouldn't work. Bummer. I called Target late Sunday night to see if they had pink lights, which they did, so today I made the trip to town to get the lights and a few other things. You just don't go to Target and come home with only what you needed. I did get more gift shopping done.

Look at the chaos. I wondered last night if I would ever get done.

I hate clutter.

Max was little help.

A few years ago I surrendered the live tree and bought pre-lit artificial tree. I do a pink tree with pink lights. Only this year not all of the pink lights lit. 

The village has been up for a couple of weeks. I love all of the little trees that I have added. The village grew this year from a 6 ft. table to 8 ft. I added a little train. More photos later.

The village across the way from us. All of the neighbors have decorated their homes. Quite a lovely sight from our side of the road.

Max must have moved. He loves the fireplace. Santa is a long time tradition. My mom made him in her ceramics glass for our daughter's first Christmas in 1976. For 37 years he has been under our tree. 

And Wahlah. The tree is finally done. The new pink lights are LED and I am not too sure that I really like them. They seem more purple. I shot the photo without the flash. The flash makes the photo too white. Does anyone have any suggestions on getting really great Christmas Tree pictures?

I still have chaos. Nor do I have my stove yet. Hopefully it will be installed by the end of the week. Sunday Santa Clause will come for the children. We will have about 11 children who will get a private sitting with Santa. Such fun, but I don't think I will be serving any baked treats.

Most of the gift shopping is done. The carpet cleaner is coming tomorrow to clean the furniture. I still have plenty to keep me busy, but not too busy to read your blogs.

Back in the garden, we have a new visitor, a wood pecker . Any ideas as to what it might be? He is about the size of flicker, but much different coloring.

We had fun watching him. He'd go to the bird feeder to get a sunflower seed then fly to the infamous Russian Olive where he would bang the seed on the tree trunk to open it.

I do hope that your holiday plans and preparations are going according to your plan. Stay calm and enjoy the season. We will be thankful and grateful for the wonderful blessings, for the good health of our family and friends, and we will try to share the joy of the season. Now I have to catch up on reading my blogs.