Tag Archives: humor

Baby buck.

 

Our resident buck with the felt covered mini rack has flown the proverbial coop, which is a shame, because I think most of you…. some of you?…. alright, at least one of you… was enjoying the fuzzy updates on antler growth progress.

But never fear.

 

IMG_2050

 

Our old doe, who we call pregnant because she always seems to be, has last year’s progeny with her on a daily basis now.

 

IMG_2051

 

So we’ll start from scratch.

 

IMG_2052

 

Baby buck antlers.

 

IMG_2053

 

At this point, they’re just little nubs that he keeps rubbing on trees and rocks.

And can you blame him?

The poor little guy looks like a four legged Frankenstein.

 

 

Reason #56 why you should always have your cell phone nearby.

 

Hello my name is River, and I’m an addict.

A cell phone addict.

I always have my cell phone.

In my purse, in my pocket, in my hand. It’s rarely more than 10 feet away from me at any given time…. which drives the husband crazy.  (This could be because he’s always doing something photo worthy, but that’s another blog entirely.)

The other day as I was sitting on the barn porch with a book and a cheaters bottled cocktail…..

 

IMG_4229

 

A fly had the audacity to do the backstroke in my margarita.

 

IMG_4230

 

This will not be tolerated, so after removing the thirsty Esther Williams wannabe?

My cell phone saved the day….

 

IMG_2116

 

And the rest of my  I still don’t feel comfortable going to our local pub for a real one  margarita.

Reason #56 why you should always have your cell phone nearby – cocktail fly blocking.

You’re welcome.

 

Grill shopping.

 

The unthinkable happened last week.

Our beloved… and only 3 years old damn it… Weber grill died. Not wanting to spend a summer without one, we immediately went hunting for it’s replacement.

I wanted a small one without a side burner, so naturally all the husband looked at were large ones with side burners.

Ah, marriage.

 

 

Have you been grill shopping lately?

Holy crap!

I’ve paid less for cars.

 

 

Here’s the husband taking one for a test drive.

Literally driving it…. he spun it around a corner and had it up on 2 wheels.

Because Christ, at over a thousand dollars? That bastard better taxi us to the pub on its day off.

I found one I wanted.

Really wanted.

 

 

It came with wine!

But no. The husband dragged me to 5 other stores and ended up choosing one from Tractor Supply.

 

 

Large?

 

 

Oh yeah.

 

 

Much larger than we need, but it has stainless steel grates and radiant embers.

What the hell are radiant embers?

I have no idea….

But I bought some lovely filets and we’re going to find out tonight.

 

Well, he thought he was done.

 

The baby barn.

 

download

 

Now that we’d finished the  holy crap did it really take that long  construction and paint, it was time for me to begin the beautification process. This meant doing something with the empty flower bed and border.

The ground has always been uneven there… and when I mulched, it tended to wash downhill. So I gathered up a bunch of the old weathered bricks I love and started stacking.

While the husband was watching.

Best.

Idea.

Ever.

 

IMG_4151

 

Before I knew it?

 

IMG_4150

 

 

He was on his hands and knees telling me I was doing it wrong.

 

IMG_4156

 

And while I normally don’t react well to that statement… if it means someone will step in and do all the work?  I can swallow my pride.

In no time flat it was being done properly.

 

IMG_4157

 

As he gleefully pointed out how my eyeballed straight line wasn’t so straight.

 

IMG_4162

 

Look at him with his little level.

 

IMG_4158

 

Isn’t that special?

 

IMG_4165

 

I damn near burst out laughing when he started trimming the bush with a pair of scissors.

Who is this man, and what have you done with my husband?

 

IMG_4168

 

Be still my heart.

He actually dipped into his sacred pile of dirt that’s been behind the baby barn since we built the big barn years ago and…  look!

He even spread it.

 

 

I don’t mind telling you the rare sight of my husband gardening was positively orgasmic.

While he loves to mow the lawn and chop down trees…. anything resembling planting, weeding, mulching, bordering… aka gardening?

 

images

 

It was a miraculous sight.

 

IMG_4169

 

Unfortunately it used up a lot more material than I had, so I sent out an SOS for additional bricks.

 

IMG_4173

 

Next door neighbor to the rescue.

 

IMG_4175

 

They have a lovely old farmhouse with a huge 3  (4?)  story barn.

 

IMG_4174

 

Which the husband was scoping out while I loaded bricks into the truck.

 

IMG_4176

 

She had enough to let us  (and by us, I mean him. All I did was take pictures and moan with pleasure)  finish.

 

IMG_4178

 

And I’m quite pleased with the results.

 

 

 

Another miracle.

 

Strange things are happening at Casa River this year.

First, the husband wanted to clean out the big barn  ( Okay, he didn’t really. It was just a bit of organizing… but I’m counting it.)

Second, the husband helped me make a garden bed.  ( I would have laid money on that never happening. )

And a week ago…

 

IMG_4206

 

I looked out back….

 

IMG_4207

 

And saw the husband planting a tree.

Planting! Not chopping down.

Somewhere in America, pigs are flying.

 

IMG_4209

 

Okay, he didn’t buy them.

 

IMG_4239

 

And only one of the three stands taller than my knee, but hey.

It’s still a miracle.

 

IMG_4241

 

He dug them up from the wood line and I seriously doubt he got enough roots to make them viable…. which is why I told him they were going to need lots of water for the first few weeks.

 

IMG_4242

 

Shall I give you one guess who has to drag that water to the far reaches of our property line because we only have 200 feet of hose and it won’t reach?

Yeah.

I didn’t think so.

Apparently even miracles have limits.

Behold the majesty.

 

The majesty  (and the God damn miracle I’m not divorced)  that is the completed baby barn remodel.

And yes even though it’s as small as a shed, there was a horse living in it before we moved in, so it’s a barn.

A baby barn.

And I have the hay holder thingies to prove it.

 

 

Please note ‘hay holder thingies’ may not be the correct equine term, but I was born in Jersey. The only thing I know about horses is who placed in the fourth at Belmont.

We started with this….

 

IMG_4776

 

And finished with this….

 

IMG_4084

 

Looks a little better than before, eh?

No comments on the empty garden bed, that has yet to be redone.

Before….

 

IMG_4775

 

After…

 

IMG_4082

 

Before….

 

IMG_4774

 

After….

 

 

And to think it only took us a 10 mere months.

 

IMG_4085

 

Which shouldn’t be a surprise.

We started it’s larger father in 2012…. and haven’t really finished that yet either.

 

rush

 

Yup.

That’s our motto.

 

I love trees.

 

So, can you see it?

 

IMG_2008

 

Look closely now.

 

IMG_2009

 

Not until you get near enough to look up.

 

IMG_2010

 

There.

The neighbor’s tree adjacant tree house, hidden from sight by trees.

I love trees.

 

IMG_2011

 

Here’s the husband for size reference, holding the enemy of trees. The chain saw birthday gift I’ve lived to regret.

I neither know, nor want to find out what he was cutting down there.

I shall just enjoy the leaf cover those glorious trees provide.

And maybe do this –

 

TREEHUG-monsieur-123_Design-07

 

 

 

 

 

Grocery store oddity.

 

Yesterday was a relatively uneventful trip…. which is almost anticlimactic at this point. It’s been such a rich source of blog fodder these past few months.

There was ample toilet paper, meat and soup so maybe the panic buying is finally subsiding.

There was however this sign –

 

 

And while I consider my vocabulary larger than your average bear’s, aseptic juice did give me pause.

To my mind the words and septic and juice are not a good mix, for obvious reasons.

Because if I’m thirsty? I don’t usually head for the tank out back that holds our bodily wastes.

 

 

But thankfully the word aseptic has a different meaning:

Aseptic processing is a processing technique wherein commercially thermally sterilized liquid products are packaged into previously sterilized containers under sterile conditions to produce shelf-stable products that do not need refrigeration. 

Whew… that was close.

My Ocean Spray cranberry almost got crossed off the list.

What’s all the fuss about?

 

I heard some Hellacious  (Yes, that’s a word. At least in Maine.) chattering the other afternoon.

 

 

IMG_2080

 

Looked out back…

 

IMG_2085

 

And saw momma red squirrel perched on the plant hanger.

 

IMG_2093

 

She was flicking her tail and screeching like a Hollywood starlet who ran out of Botox.

 

d59f1e17d3baba17b968690540525843

 

She screeched so hard a seed fell out of her mouth.

 

IMG_2079

 

It only took me a minute to figure out why.

 

IMG_1978

 

The other visitor.

 

IMG_1979

 

No worries readers, momma escaped unharmed.

Stupid products.

 

They’re everywhere.

 

 

 

Call me crazy, but I doubt this chicka is beating the men off with a stick.

 

Do I need to feel like Judy Jetson when I dispose of that slightly blue, mold covered cucumber that got pushed to the back of the crisper drawer?

No.

I do not.

 

 

Again with the space age crap. If I don’t know what year it is when I wake up?

I need to stop drinking, not buy a new clock.

 

 

Oh, yeah. These are sexy.

Perhaps she can double date with that hot Trekkie at the top.

 

 

Zero gravity?

I’m pretty sure if I ever find myself there, writing a grocery list or a thank you note won’t be my top priority.

 

 

And while I don’t need a dehydration light to flash in my water bottle…. this product might have adult beverage applications.

“Drink! You’re starting to sober up!”

Okay.

I’d buy that.