Tag Archives: animals

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I’m festive damn it!

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Since 2014, I haven’t done much holiday decorating. My mother adored our house when it was decked out in red, green and gold, but the year she died my heart just wasn’t in it. The following year we started traveling for Christmas… a different destination each time… and there didn’t seem to be any reason to decorate an empty house.

It doesn’t look like we’ll be hitting the road in 2022 and after hearing how much the neighbors missed our displays, I caved and decided to put out a few things to get into the spirit. Wreaths on the windows and doors, white candles and snowflake lights, a lighted deer and tree on the front lawn.

Outdoor finished, I only planned on dressing up the tables. Dining room with Charlie Brown Christmas tree….

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And kitchen with mini tree and snowmen salt and pepper shakers.

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I thought I was done, but I bought a poinsettia.

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And then I thought why not put that garland with the pinecone lights on the kitchen shelf? And while you’re at it add a few reindeer.

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And if I dragged that garland out, I might as well decorate the mantle too.

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And if I did the mantle, I should probably do the hearth.

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So much for just a little decorating.

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A snowman Christmas card box, a few randomly scattered reindeer, tea towels in the guest bathroom, a red jingle bell heart wreath on the kitchen door and I was finished. Yes. Definitely.

Well, except for my line of rampaging, pitchfork wielding snowmen.

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But that was it, really… I was done. Until the husband walked in, looked around and said now we need a tree.

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Lord Dudley Mountcatten was ready.

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But once the tree was in the house … I began to worry.

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Please note the little devil is literally licking his lips. That can’t be good.

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Shiny colored balls? Please mom, hang them now!

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Alternating white, red and green lights. Alternating garlands of gold leaves and weeds. Red, green and gold ornaments, a star on the top and it was done.

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I can’t swear to it … but I think Lord Dudley was waiting for us to go to bed.

Day tree –

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Night tree-

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Decorating the tree this way takes a lot of time and effort. But I’m always pleased with the results…

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The problem is…

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So is Lord Dudley.

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And now I’m wondering if I can stay awake every night until the New Year when it’s time to take it down.

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Random nonsense and something for Mark…

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Because there’s never a lack of ridiculous things to talk about.

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Do I need to color rainbow animal poop? I do not, but speaking of pooping animals…

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The required new Lord Dudley Mountcatten shot.

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Another item has been added to the husband’s man cave display of torture implements old tools. A hobbler as seen on the upper left. He says it’s for cows, I’m wondering if it will fit in my purse so I can use it on him the next time we go antique shopping.

And lastly, something for Mark…who has a thing for flamingoes and likes to decorate for Halloween.

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I’m always thinking of you buddy.

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🤣

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Day two: Truck envy, The Champlain Islands and cows.

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On our second day in Vermont we headed for New York. Seems crazy, but stick with me … it was worth it.

Of course we didn’t make it very far before my husband had to turn around and check out an old Ford truck.

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It looked just like his… same year, same color except this was a 250 instead of a 150. Price tag, for a truck made in 1994? $22,000. That is beyond insane (and made me want to list his for sale as soon as we got home).

Back on the road, we pointed the car towards the Champlain Islands.

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If you’re unfamiliar with this area, Lake Champlain is large. 107 miles long, 64 foot deep. There’s often talk about adding it to the Great Lakes but nothing ever comes of it.

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There are a few ferries that cross it from the Vermont side, but the ride is pretty and we weren’t in any rush.

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South Hero, North Hero….

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And Grand Isle.

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Miles and miles of nothing but farms, mountains and lake. (spellcheck changed lake to kale. No one wants miles of that!)

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Peaceful doesn’t begin to describe it.

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And hey, look….

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COWS!!

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It’s like they never saw Terminator.

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No good can come of this. Mark my words.

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Get a poodle instead, the world will thank you.

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Am I the only one who finds this creepy?

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When the headless version started walking around, I shivered.

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I didn’t understand half of that description, but the mere thought of first grade coders running amok sends a shiver down my spine. Keep little Johnny away from the computer… teach him to be a plumber. For the future safety of the planet, not to mention your leaky toilet.

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An udderly strange traffic hazard.

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I always see news reports of the traffic jams in California and sigh. While I grew up in New Jersey and saw my fair share of highway clusterf*cks, I have to admit the traffic issues in rural Maine are much more pleasant to deal with. Like this one we came upon the other day…

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Someone got loose and decided the grass was indeed greener on the other side of the fence.

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While it wasn’t a heavily traveled area, that section of road was a straightaway and people tend to fly by. Not wanting to see a large pile of hamburger on our return trip, we tried to coax the soon to be road block back into the field.

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That did not go well so we knocked on the farmhouse door. No one was home, so we tried a neighbor.

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No luck there either, so we tried again to convince the bovine to rejoin the herd.

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Ever try to argue with a cow?

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We lost the battle, but left a note on the farmer’s door.

The road was happily pot roast free when we came back from our appointment so that’s a good sign.

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Random photo dump.

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A cat and his mouse is a beautiful thing.

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Lord Dudley Mountcatten hasn’t caught a live one in quite a while but he does enjoy sleeping with his toy version.

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On a recent trip to the orthopedist I began wondering if he has voodoo doctor credentials.

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Crystal bones are made for throwing.

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Note to self…

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Buy bigger bird bath.

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Even he has no explanation for those ugly things…

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Things I don’t need.

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My Facebook and Apple News algorithms are always coming up with ridiculous products they think I need to purchase.

I’m passing on all three of these.

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#1…. Swimsuit season is not approaching quickly in Maine, unless you count the Polar Bear plunge in February and I’ve never be crazy enough to do that.

#2…. My derrière is awake as it’s ever going to get. No caffeinated butt cream required. 

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No.

Just… no.

While I spoil Lord Dudley Mountcatten far more than my husband thinks I should, even I have limits.

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Do I want to carry around a 28 ounce gelatinous pouch of my own urine? I most assuredly do not.

Also, I spent my teenage years on an island in Maine where there were no public restrooms. I’m completely familiar with pissing in the woods if necessary.

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Hope springs eternal.

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These sparrows have it in for our poor cat and are seriously driving him crazy.

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All of a sudden there are flocks of them gathering on our back deck and Lord Dudley Mountcatten is positively beside himself with angst.

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He cackles, he cries, he paws at the window and howls to go outside.

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And then runs right to the bushes where they hide when I oblige.

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His Lordship is not a graceful feline and more often than not falls flat on his face.

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Unless he’s sticking it in the bush on purpose.

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He’s on a leash, but there’s not much walking going on.

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Those birds should be ashamed of themselves. Before long Dudley will be needing kitty Valium.

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