Tag Archives: photos

Let’s play.

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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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He’s baaaack….

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Continuing with the I love my state theme, the giant rubber duck is back in Maine.

And this year he brought friends…

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Yes, Belfast harbor is the place to be.

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Times three.

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This is the quirky kind of thing that makes the long winters and mud season worth while.

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Rubber ducks for everyone!

And if you’re wondering just how large the ducks in the harbor are….

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Pretty darn large.

❤️

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Miscellaneous Maine

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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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It’s weird, but it works.

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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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It’s Dudley’s fault.

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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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Hum-azing .

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In all the years we’ve fed hummingbirds… 17 years in North Carolina and 21 years here…. we have never had more than two on a feeder at a time.

Ever.

They’re territorial little buggers and don’t usually tolerate companions when feeding. So when I snapped a picture of three hummers on the nectar together last week, I was thrilled and thought I’d seen something special.

And then yesterday I saw this…

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I have no idea why… but we are currently in the middle of a hummingbird population explosion.

Every day there’s a literal flock of the little darlings buzzing around our deck.

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I didn’t manage to capture a photo of the six, but I did get a few of these 5… which for me was an absolute delight.

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I don’t know what we’re doing right.. but I’m going to try and keep doing it.

👍

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