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We have stinky visitors every night.
(Pardon the picture quality, I was shooting through a window in the dark)
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Thankfully they rarely spray each other and reserve their perfume for the raccoons or fox who get too close.
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But when I flip the deck light on and see four of the little striped darlings jostling each other for access to food?
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I want to holler tails down please!
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And enjoy a scent free evening.
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I recently joined a FB group that shares photos of Maine wildlife… and seeing that we have a backyard full, I was anxious to add my critters to the mix.
I started with our chuckers eating watermelon because what’s cuter than that?
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This post was well received with dozens of comments and over 400 likes on the first day.
After that resounding success, I thought I would share my helpful hint about putting mint leaves on hummingbird feeders to repel bees naturally and without chemicals .
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That’s when things started to go wrong…
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I never said they didn’t.
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I’m not killing bees, just stopping them from driving my hummingbirds away.
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Bee feeders? Well good for you, but I’d rather not attract stinging insects to my deck.
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I don’t use red dye, I make my own nectar and put it in a red glass feeder.
To be fair the majority of comments were favorable and quite a few people tried it and thanked me. But it’s like they say, no good deed goes unpunished.
🤣
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Lobster? Yes.
Blueberry fields? Sure.
But a Longhorn riding shotgun? Never.
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But that’s what you might have seen if you were cruising down the highway in Nebraska the other day.
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I’m guessing Howdy Doody would have been happier with a larger seat.
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And from the looks of this last photo…. a car wash attendant with a large sponge.
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Because you’re here, and it’s required.
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While I love palm tree clad tropical beach sunsets and the idea of cute cabana boys delivering endless margaritas, the reality of the heat which accompanies that fantasy makes me cranky just thinking about it.
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Great cities? They have a heartbeat and are filled with numerous ways to entertain, not to mention five star restaurants. The museums alone can keep me keep blissfully occupied for weeks. But the older I get? The more I appreciate a crowd free venue.
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My vacation choice is the mountains. Crisp, cool, pollution free air. Scenic vistas and breathtaking views. Unspoiled nature. That’s the vacation that lowers my blood pressure.
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These pictures were taken on our trip to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee 5 years ago.
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That’s my perfect vacation.
Where are you headed?
Beach, mountains or city…..
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My husband was teleworking yesterday and someone was helping.
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Lord Dudley Mountcatten loves my husband and follows him everywhere. The kitchen. The bathroom. The bedroom…
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Naturally this includes the office and the government laptop.
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And because His Lordship is a cat?
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He had to attack the mice.
😉
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You never know what summer in my state will bring. Last year it was hot and dry, this year we’ve had rain every other day. July was brutally hot and humid but most of August has been pleasant.
The other morning?
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It was downright brisk, which I love… but by noon it was almost 85 degrees, which I don’t. They say if you don’t like the weather in Maine wait a minute. Or in this case 6 hours.
Have you ever had a Facebook memory make you cry? Mine did today when it reminded me we lost our beloved Huffington 11 years ago.
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He was run over by a speeding car in front of our house and I swear I still haven’t gotten over it. I know you shouldn’t have favorite children or pets, but this little guy was special and is still very much missed.
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Talk about overkill.
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I like boats as much as the next girl, but this offends every New England frugal sensibility I have.
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Random backyard woodchuck shots…
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Because I can.
❤️
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My creaky knee, my bunions and my menopausal joint pain ridden body isn’t as limber as it once was and though I’m still active enough not to embarrass myself… I often look upon His Lordship with envy.
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If I slept with my spine twisted like that I might never get up again.
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Cats.
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They’re bendable creatures.
💕
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I’ve been battling bees on my hummingbird feeders for a while now. Once they find a sugar source, they’re hard to get rid of… but I think I’ve found a solution.
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Mint leaves.
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Bees hate the smell and hummingbirds can’t smell at all so it’s the perfect deterrent.
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If I can get the hummers used to the new leafy attachments.
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They kept buzzing around, not sure what to make of it.
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I didn’t think it would be a big deal. They drink nectar from flowers and flowers have leaves.
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A few brave souls have made peace with it so I’m hoping the rest will soon.
The bees?
Gone!
👍
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I saw this on FB the other day and had to share because it’s so….. me.
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It’s probably not a good idea, the little devils are tunnelers and chewers, but you know if I did adopt one of our backyard crew…
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I would totally give him a bath.
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This is simply off the charts cute.
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And now I totally want to do it!
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❤️
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I took Lord Dudley Mountcatten out for a walk the other day.
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Or rather, I tried to… as all he wanted to do was sit.
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Granted we’d just had rain and things were a little wet, as proved by this photo of our newly completed deck I lined up and photographed.
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As this was happening, His Lordship spotted a woodchuck in the day lilies and it started squealing.
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I pivoted, climbed to the second step, took a picture and then the Tasmanian Devil I had at the end of the leash decided to wind around my legs and make a dash at the chuck. This resulted in me stumbling off the steps, getting wrapped up in the leash and falling butt first in the flowers.
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See the large depression to the left? That was me and my ever expanding posterior.
I’m not sure who scared off the woodchuck, but I’m guessing it was the sight of my giant behind coming straight at him that made him beat feet.
No worries. I picked myself up, dug around the bushes for my phone and went inside where all was well.
Until I woke up the next day with intense pain on the right side of my bad knee.
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Something’s torn or strained or pulled because walking is painful and flexing my ankle makes me grimace.
As you can see, Lord Dudley was completely unharmed.
🥴
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River's world..... 