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Lord Dudley Mountcatten is enjoying our new coffee tables.
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More specifically, he’s enjoying the shelf on the bottom of the tables.
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He sleeps there and often brings a toy along.
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But as cute as we think he is, I admit he does have a bit of an overbite problem.
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Dracula kitty.
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🤣
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten caught a mouse yesterday.
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Pulled it out from under the day lily undergrowth just as proud as could be.
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Not that he knew what to do with it.
We have a lot of mice here in the country, and yes… they’re sweet, but they also try to find a way in our nice warm house in the winter and that I can do without.
His Lordship’s mother would prefer he catch and quickly dispatch the rodents to Mickey Mouse heaven but Lord Dudley is a pacifist and prefers to make friends instead.
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He and his new buddy hung out like this for a while … and then went their separate ways.
Sigh.
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My husband needed something in the little storage room at the back of our garage the other day.
We rarely use it, but the woodchucks certainly do.
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It was all he could do to open the door…
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And even that required a shovel.
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From one little access point, they sure did make a mess.
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Once things were removed we found this:
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Tiny shredded strips of a tarp that used to be whole.
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An entire morning was spent putting things right.
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And not without my husband spouting a few choice words for our furry little digging friends.
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🥴
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Being that I’m the annoying person on road trips who always announces cow! when one is passed, you know I thoroughly enjoyed the bovine section of the fair.
Cows of every size, shape and color were on display and I was a happy camper.
This is Fred.
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We petted Fred and Fred didn’t mind.
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This prize winner was sectioned off with multiple warnings not to touch. And as hard as that was… his coat was delightful!…even my has to touch everything husband obeyed.
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There were stocky legged cows…
( I feel you buddy, I really do)
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And Oreo cows…
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And tufted ears cows.
Isn’t that the sweetest!
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I did feel sorry for this particular cow.
Poor thing had the worst name ever.
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This next lady also had a do not touch sign.
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And with those horns it was easy to comply.
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Want to feel small?
Spend some time in the ox barn.
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Room with a view.
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Cow!
❤️
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What’s a fair without a livestock show?
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Boring, that’s what.
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So we found ourselves in the bleachers for the dairy cow beauty pageant.
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My husband was raised on a dairy farm and provided a helpful running commentary.
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There were multiple categories and weight classes and we enjoyed a steady parade of bodacious bovines.
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A winner having her portrait taken.
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After that show, my husband headed for the pulling ring.
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This is my least favorite show because I hate to see the animals straining. Thankfully our timing was bad and it was over shortly after we arrived.
😉
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A boy and his oxen.
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Is it me… or do llamas look snarky?
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I mean, look at that face.
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Pure attitude.
😊
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The alpaca? Not so much.
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But this guy on the left?
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You know he’s telling his owner where to stick it.
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Chickens are hard to photograph at the fair. Too many cage bars and if you try to get closer? You get pecked.
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Or in this case, fluffy butted.
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Pigs on the other hand, rarely give a damn.
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My late father had a pet pig as a child. He and my mother collected weird little pig oddities when I was young so I’ve always had a soft spot for piggies.
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Clever names aside…
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This poor momma was busy.
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Leopard print pig?
Interesting.
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Can I get an awww?
💕
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If it’s October… it’s time for the Fryeburg Fair, Maine’s largest and last of the season.
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It’s west of us, towards the mountains and that usually means pretty fall foliage.
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Trees started turning early this year and aren’t as bright as they normally are…
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But it’s still a lovely burst of autumn color.
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Our favorite part of the fair is always the animals.
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First up were the large horses that pull the fancy wagons.
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We missed the show by 15 minutes which was a shame.
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But as we entered the barn this family was getting undressed.
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It must feel good to have all that removed.
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It weighs a ton.
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We met the family patriarch and it was clear he loves his horses.
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So you know my husband had to start up a half hour conversation.
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I tried to talk him into sitting here while I continued walking around the fair, but he wasn’t amused.
😉
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Please excuse the quality of these photographs. I was shooting through windows at night and some have annoying reflections…. but four skunks and two raccoons are too good not to share.
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We have nightly visitors like this all the time but every time I try to sneak outside for pictures they run off.
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They don’t mind me flipping on the deck lights…
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But as soon as they hear me, they’re gone.
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You’d be surprised how fast a skunk can run.
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Yes.
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I love our backyard…
💕
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It’s nearing the end of the growing season but my geraniums are in peak form. Go figure…
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Construction on the shed extension is progressing slowly.
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And look, it be fancy.
Windows.
🤣
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten finally decided the new porch wasn’t dangerous and explored.
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The stone was particularly interesting and warranted much sniffing.
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As did the new door’s glass panels.
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Please note Polly the Polyphemus moth is still cocooned … weeks past her/his hatching date. I fear we’ll have to keep it safe until next spring now.
🥴
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Poles and more poles are going up across the road.
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I can’t tell you how much I’m dreading seeing those giant greenhouses. Losing our nice view is depressing.
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Entire pitcher of sangria worths depressing.
😉
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She’s still here.
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And claiming the back deck for her own.
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Surveying her domain and deciding what she can chew through next.
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Everyone thinks she’s cute and harmless…
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But I know better.
😐
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River's world..... 