Let’s play.

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Time to brush off the brain cobwebs.

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I was supposed to be 4 to enter preschool but since my birthday is in December, I was 3.

Because I was an only child, my mother always signed me up for “social” experiences and in 1967 she thought half a day at preschool with other children was just the thing.

I remember we were told to bring something to lay on the floor for nap time and while other kids had blankets or towels, my mother – being my mother – went shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue and I showed up with a large, extremely plush and colorful Humpty Dumpty oblong egg rug. I remember rolling it out and all the other kids oohing and ahhing… but not in a nice way. We all laid down and the next thing I knew some ratty little bastard pushed me off Humpty and stole it. I cried and pointed at the pint sized felon but was told to hush up and go to sleep.

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I don’t remember what happened later, though I’m sure my mother gave the teacher a good tongue lashing…but even after Humpty was returned the next day, preschool was never my happy place again.

How about you?

What’s your very first memory….

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Random nonsense.

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A few more sunrise photos, because if I’m up early?

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There better be a show.

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😊

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Any idea?

It’s Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots – Disco Duck.

Which admittedly, was pretty darn bad.

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I might have to argue with this one.

It’s Soft Cell’s Tainted Love, which I found rather annoying.

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The birds.

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I admit this surprised me.

Coffee and tea.

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Ugh.

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I don’t drink coffee and have never ordered hot tea on a plane…. so I’m safe.

Are you?

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Can I get an awww for baby River?

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As promised… I went looking for an old photo of myself sitting on the floor of my childhood home playing with a battery operated Apollo 11 capsule. I was five years old and the country was space crazy.

I wish I had that old toy now, it’s worth a fortune.

I also wish I had the picture, but apparently it disappeared… along with my youth.

But while combing through files and old photo albums? I did find the following which I thought I’d share.

Little River with her dad.

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And a beagle named Hiram.

When I was growing up all our pets had names beginning with H’s, I have no idea why… but at one time our house had a Herman, a Henry, a Herbert, a Horace and a Hector.

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Me, sporting some sexy red shoes.

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Taking Hiram for a walk in a sailor coat and another pair of red shoes.

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Rocking a pair of purple striped bell bottoms. How groovy is that?

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I have a vague recollection of not wanting to have my picture taken here and only agreed to pose if I could have my alligator sitting next to me.

I was an odd little girl who hated dolls but loved dinosaurs. And apparently, reptiles.

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How odd you ask?

That’s me in my nightgown, ready for bed… but prominently displaying a weird bug my father had just found in the garden.

Ah, youth.

🤣

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Today’s post is for the birds.

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Pardon the nasty dead section under our bird feeders. We may be seeing a little green grass but warm gardening temps aren’t here yet.

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That being said, the bluebirds don’t seem to mind.

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They’re such bright little creatures.

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And we weren’t the only ones who thought so….

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Because this Kestrel showed up shortly after the bluebirds fled.

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The smallest hawk, he’s not one we see often.

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But he made himself at home that day …

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Flitting from the deck railing…

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To the bird feeder post.

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Fortunately for the bluebirds, he went away hungry.

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News you can’t use.

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Because it’s Monday and I never run out of foolishness.

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I don’t know about you, but octopus sex is something I rarely contemplate.

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Worry not dear readers, that is a map I will happily omit from my other blog series.

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Hard pass.

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I love dinosaurs, but teal T Rex leather?

No.

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Because if you can afford to own a home on the Nantucket coast? You can afford to let it slip away.

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While America is stripping rights from its humans.

It’s a crazy world.

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There are no Red Lobster restaurants in Maine, because… well, it’s Maine. We know what real lobster tastes like.

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Proof that if you work hard enough….dreams do come true.

😊

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Sunset, tots and Momma Chuck.

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There’s beauty in living in wide open spaces.

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Sunrises out your back door and sunsets like this out your front.

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❤️

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We tried a new pub recently.

Front Street Tavern and Grill in historic downtown Bath, Maine.

The building was old but lovingly restored with lots of exposed brick.

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The garlic Parmesan wings were so good we had to order two batches.

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And sometimes you just have to go for the tots with your turkey club.

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Sadly the menu was a bit too “pub food” heavy for my full meal wanting husband so I doubt it will be on our regulars list, but they made a nice raspberry margarita and I’d recommend it for lunch.

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Momma Chuck is back.

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And making up for lost winter meals.

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She’s a great salad/veggie scraps recycler.

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We don’t throw much away when she’s in town.

❤️

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Random food related nonsense.

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Because I like to share tasty recipes.

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This one is quick, easy and delicious. Use fresh ginger and fresh lemons for juice and zest… you won’t be disappointed. I used chicken tenderloins because I didn’t have breasts and served it on a bed of jasmine rice with fresh steamed green beans. Yum!

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Being a born and bred Yankee I’d never heard of this.

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And while I don’t drink soda very often, I admit I was intrigued.

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A steep price to pay for a six pack, but curiosity got the better of me.

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As did the Amazon seller who bought a local 12 pack out west and cut it in half for the idiot New Englander who was willing to overpay.

🥴

And while I’ll probably never buy another one, I did like the flavor. Not overly sweet with a nice pineapple tang. Guilty confession? My first thought was… add some vodka for a nice summer cooler.

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I don’t know why, but I’m always searching for meatloaf variations. It’s a humble but satisfying meal if done correctly and this one sounded interesting.

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While it was tasty, if I make it again I’d ditch the crock pot and just bake it instead. Way too difficult to remove once it was cooked.

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Here kitty, kitty…

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We have a lot of interesting backyard visitors at Casa River.

Some are regulars… deer, skunk, fox, raccoons, woodchucks… some show up less frequently … owls, ducks, woodcock, porcupine, ring necked pheasant,

But last week?

Even we were surprised to see who was hanging out by the bird feeders.

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At first we thought it was the neighbor’s cat Silas who drops by now and then. But on closer inspection?

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We realized this was a different type of kitty altogether.

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A bobcat!

He was beautiful. And we were thrilled.

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In 22 years of residence, this was our first encounter.

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Stocky, with big paws, pointed ear tufts and a stubby tail.

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He was a gorgeous wild boy.

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And yes, our domesticated feline was on high alert.

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The bobcat sat by the feeders for a good ten minutes, where I noticed him licking his lips. I told the husband that was a sign of feline nausea but he didn’t believe me.

Until the bobcat walked across the back lawn and puked under our bedroom window before trotting off to the woods.

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I’m hoping this elusive and rarely seen kitty felt comfortable enough to come back someday.

💕

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Maps

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Questionable statistics for your viewing pleasure.

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Mess with Mother Nature at your peril.

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Humans.

We never learn.

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We spent two weeks in France with my very rudimentary knowledge of their language. I can personally vouch for that one.

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Medium rare for me please.

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Bet you never thought about that before.

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I’m calling foul on Yukon.

Just, no.

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Sounds like a lot of stripper and porn star names to me.

🤣

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