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Photo Journal: Beloved Pets
I was finally able to visit a friend I hadn’t seen in a while yesterday. I brought my camera so I could mess around with it some more and get a feel for the different lenses. I took pictures of her pets who are always a pleasure to see. She has one dog, Country, and two cats, Smokey and Bella. Her son was visiting as well and brought his pup, Ruby, for a playdate. Bella was hiding the entire time so I wasn’t able to get a picture of her but I got the other three. They are so adorable, as are most animals in my opinion. Ruby is a young, energetic pup that wanted to play and be in everyone’s lap. Country enjoys silence, order and naps. Smokey the cat is a big, fat love muffin. Just make sure you have your back brace on before you pick her up. She is a total Garfield!
I hope you enjoy their sweet faces as much as I do. What do you love about your pet? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week!
Until next time,
“Maybe the legend of dogs coming from wolves is jus… is just wrong. Maybe, like, maybe one puppy asked his mom, “Where did we come from?” And the mom said “Woof.” And the kid was like, “Oh wolves?” And she was like, “Yeah, fine.”
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The True Nermal
It’s a phenomenal feeling when your son tells you everyday for months that you got him the best birthday present he has ever received. This is usually the case though when it involves a kitten. It has been almost a year now since we have brought home that kitten for my son so I figured it was time to give her the spotlight.
Her name is Chloe. We told my son he could name her whatever he wanted. We were surprised when he picked a cute and fitting name instead of Mittens, Fluffy or something of the sort. I think he may have been inspired by the movie, “The Secret Life of Pets” but he denies this. It’s just coincidental that our Chloe also happens to be a gray cat like in the movie.
At the time, my friend’s cat had just had a litter that she was trying to find homes for. All the other kittens had been spoken for except one little gray dust bunny. About 80% of her was pure fluff with the remaining 20% being her actual body. She was only eleven weeks old and was so tiny she could fit in a tea cup! All Chloe wanted to do from the moment we met her was melt away in our arms, safe, cozy and protected.
Here we are about a year later and she’s still melting into our arms like an infant made of putty. She has her daily routine which consists of 8-10 naps throughout the day, only waking for the necessities that require moving. You know… eating and drinking , pooping, receiving attention. The three basic needs of cats. She rises after her morning/noon siestas, in a sleepy stupor. She realizes it has been far too long since she has had human interaction and tracks us down. With no mind or matter what we may be in the middle of, she meows every so sweetly and consistently until we pick her up and love her. She will also harass you endlessly if she can see a bare spot in her food bowl. There can be piles of food on the sides of the bowl, plenty for her to eat, but if she can see the bottom even the slightest bit she demands it be filled to the top. She then daintily paws out one piece of food at a time and eats it off of the floor. When she’s finished, she’ll paw out the next piece and eat that one and so on and so forth until she is satisfied. The same goes for her water. There cannot be one tiny hair in it, even her own. It must be totally fresh and filled to the top. When she goes to drink it, she has to shake her bowl so she can see the water rippling. In the process, she’s dragging her water dish across the kitchen floor spilling more water than she’s drinking. All the while, she’s not actually drinking anything because the water is sloshing around and she hates getting water on her chin. Life can be challenging for the domestic cat, let me tell ya!
Besides naps, she also enjoys a good round of cat and mouse. In this game, you are the mouse. She comes out of nowhere and attacks your feet, legs, long hair, whatever she decides must die at the moment. She loves hiding under the bed…silently waiting…to leap out at me latching onto my leg like an octopus! It’s always in good fun and she never hurts us when she’s playing but by George she scares the crap out of me! She loves her kitty toys. Mr. Owl, a stuffed owl who squeaks and is always covered in catnip, is a top pick of hers. Although, her favorite “toy” is the plastic seal you peel off of milk cartons and such. I had left one on the table and when she came across it (jumping on the tables like bad kitties do)she went ballistic! She was batting it around, chasing it and carrying it around proudly like a fresh kill. You could spend hours watching this cat play with garbage. It is absolutely hilarious. Especially since she is still in that young, clumsy stage. Now I always throw them on the floor for her to enjoy for a while.
She is a riot and we love having her around. I still find it irresistible to run up to her and pet her and squeeze her and love her just like Elmyra from Tiny Toons! Her fur is ridiculously soft and she is so trusting she will droop over your neck like a scarf, just hanging there. She will lay in your arms, roll around getting comfortable and expect you to catch her if she starts to fall. She would love to be chauffeured around the house, sleeping in your arms. The less effort she has to put in the better. Even when you try to set her down, she won’t put her legs down and support herself. She will just lay wherever you placed her, however you placed her. I have never met such a “lax-a-daisy” cat! Even as I currently write this, she is laying completely sprawled out in my lap, sleeping like a rock! I have to keep sliding the laptop closer to my chest because she’s gradually overtaking my bubble. Yet, I keep sitting here uncomfortably typing this to appease her. Damn cats…gonna take over the world with their adorably cute mind control they have over humans. “Awwwww….look at the adorable kitty cat!” After that, your hooked. They have officially taken control.
That is the story of how the true Nermal came to be. “The cuuuuutest cat in the world” and she very well knows it! Her little “cat”itude proves it. She is “paw”sitively spoiled. I am not “kitten” around. Ok…ok…I’ll stop. Thanks for stopping by this week! Hope you enjoyed meeting Princess Chloe.
What silly things do your cats do? Share your story in the comments below!
Until next time,
“You just woke me up from a very deep catnap. Even a great beauty needs her beauty sleep.”
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Photo Journal: Summer Sendoff
I can’t believe summer is over. I am very excited for fall to begin. The summer weather seems to be sticking around for a little while longer though. Sometimes they just don’t know when to leave, ya know?! Now don’t get me wrong, summer does have some wonderful qualities. I greatly enjoyed working beside the bugs and critters in the flower beds this year. The cicadas and frogs played quite a concerto for us. The flowers were radiant thanks to the abundant rains. It was insane to see how much everything grew this year!
I would like to honor the summer of 2017 one last time with a photo journal of all the magnificent treasures I saw during the season. I hope you all had a remarkable summer as well! Share your story in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time,
“If you vote for me, it will be summer all year round.”
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Photo Journal: Bugs & Botany
The creepy crawlers have been plentiful this year. Everyday that I work outside, I find a new critter to marvel at. I have seen quite a few cicadas and cicada killers. The butterflies have been fluttering about and I have even seen a group of hummingbird moths this year. There has been an abundance of spiders as well!
With all this rain we have been getting, the gardens are full and vibrant. I can’t help but take a photo everytime I’m outside. I have compiled a few of my favorite bug and botany photos from the season. What a beautiful year!
Snow on the Mountain (Euphorbia Marginata) Cicada, latin for “tree cricket” Salsa Red Cone Flower (Echinacea) Cicada Killer (Sphecius Speciosus) Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta) Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar (Lophocampa Caryae) Be careful around these guys and don’t touch them! Their hairs will get stuck in your skin and irritate you the same way poison ivy will! Itchy!! Purple Vein Ray Petunia Striped Petunias – Petunias originated in South America and there 35 different species. A Bumblebee enjoying Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) Black Swallowtail, female (Papilio polyxenes) also known as American Swallowtail or Parsnip Swallowtail. Knock Out Roses, a hybrid from the Rosa genus. Unidentified Moth, possibly a White-streaked Prominent – (Oligocentria lignicolor) Thanks for stopping by this week! I hope you enjoyed my collection. If anyone can identify that last moth, please feel free to leave a comment below! Or if you have any stories about creepy crawlies you have seen this summer, please share!
Until next time,
“Ladies and gentlebugs! Larvae of all stages! Rub your legs together for the world’s greatest bug circus!”
Bloom where you are planted.
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Photo Journal: Kayaking at Round Lake
I tried out my new kayak the other weekend at Round Lake, NY. It was a beautiful area, especially following down Anthony Kill (Tenandaho Creek). There was an abundance of water lilies and dragonflies as well as other marshland critters. The air was cool and the sun was shining. We kayaked all the way around the lake, down the creek and back. It was a total of about 5-6 miles and we sure felt it afterwards! It was worth it though and still very relaxing.
It’s definitely a place I would visit again. Thanks for stopping by this week! Do you have any favorite spots for kayaking? Share a comment below. I would love to check out some new places!
Until next,
“The rainstorm and the river are my brothers.”
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Photo Journal: Father’s Day Kayaking
Happy Father’s Day! I hope everyone had a great one. My family and I went kayaking at Nassau Lake on Sunday. My husband and son tried out their new kayaks. It was a hot and humid day but on the lake it was cool and breezy. We had a blast. My husband said his favorite gift was teaching our son how to kayak. ♡♡♡
It was very relaxing to listen to the water flowing and the birds chirping. Now that we have kayaks we will be taking many adventures down streams, rivers and across lakes everywhere! I need to get a waterproof camera soon! I recently got a Canon Powershot ELPH 190 to hold me over until I get my big rig! It’s treating me pretty good so far. Take a look!It was a great day and I can’t wait until we do it again! What is your favorite outdoor activity? Share your story in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time,“Today’s special moments are tomorrow’s memories.”
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Travel to: Put in Bay, Ohio
Did someone say party?
My best friend did so we traveled to Put in Bay, Ohio for a combined bachelor/bachelorette party! A group of us met at Miller Ferry and rode the ferry to the island. It was about a twenty minute ride and the weather was beautiful!
Once we arrived, we took a taxi to the Island Club where we all pitched in to get a cabin for the weekend. The cabin was spacious and had two decks with picnic tables. Even though it was Memorial Day weekend and many of the cabins were occupied, we were nicely tucked into the woods and still felt a sense of privacy.
As with most bachelor/ette parties, we hit the bars! There were many to choose from of course. Mojito Bay had a great atmosphere. It featured an outdoor tiki hut for a bar and sand as the floor to give it a beach setting. To top it off, they served drinks in coconuts! They were tasty! Another great spot was The Beer Barrel Saloon featuring the longest bar in the world. It truly was the longest bar I had ever seen. They also had a stage with a live band and an outdoor area with umbrella tables.
One needs more than just alcohol to survive. Luckily, there were plenty of restaurants to choose from as well. We stopped at Frosty’s for breakfast. I ordered some of the best french toast I have ever had with a side of sausage links. The coffee was great too!
There was so much more that I didn’t have a chance to check out such as a nature preserve, a cave, and a butterfly house. So much to see, so little time!
It was a great time and I am overjoyed for my BFF and her fiance! Next time I see them, they will be Mr. and Mrs. It’s about time! Love ya guys!
Have you ever partied down in Put in Bay? If you remember it, share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week.
Until next time,
“Never cry over spilt milk. It could have been whiskey.”