Code2High
One hour past Nowhere, CA
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Joined: 12/21/2004
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Retirement is not what it's cracked up to be! People who are looking forward to having "more time" are in for a shock.
susan
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a wabbit, Fuzzy Wuzzy had a dandelion habit! RIP little Wuz... don't go far.
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kokosfriend
Nashville, TN
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Joined: 09/06/2004
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There is no time to rest in retirement!!
Barb
Barb and the 4 chocolates
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Another beautiful day, where the morning was so cool we could open the house up. It's still open, and the breeze is just enough to keep things pleasant. We will have to keep watch, lest MDL stick her nose in the door...
The boys are both sleeping on the porch furniture, and I plan to join them out there in a few minutes. Some nice relaxation before working at the library is called for, after a serious morning workout.
Even though I'm sometimes busier than a one-armed paper hanger, this is a great life. My arm is improving so much that tomorrow I plan to start editing WLToo's fifth book, in between fire watch sessions. It's a lakeside community, so the Houston and San Antonio folks like to come up here and fire off all the fireworks they can't shoot in town. Wildfires frequently result -- at least it's not near as dry as the last two years, but we'll still be on watch.
WLToo needs to go to the hardware store, so later, y'all.
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Czarny, black cat
Rainbow Bridge: Spotacus, Alexander the Grrreat, and so very many more
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Had a small setback, so I'm not yet editing books. Sigh. Still, the arm is improving, just not as fast as I'd like.
We put out a second hummingbird feeder on the south porch, so some can feed in relative peace, well away from the nasty one that tries to keep the north porch feeder all to itself. At least one on the south porch is so unafraid of humans that it sat on the feeder less than three feet away from me.
MDL left a fair amount of corn in her bowl today. That's unusual. Will keep an eye out for her tomorrow and see if she's ok.
Spot still prefers outside, even with highs in the 90s. He moves from one shady spot to another as the sun moves. At the moment, he's trying to get us to let him out -- not gonna happen. It's dark now. He'll have to settle for sleeping under the ceiling fan with us.
I finally dug out Alex' "birth" record. As near as that vet could figure, he was born in June 1997, making him 16 this year, much younger than I'd thought. Explains why he's still so agile. Right now, Mr. Agile is asleep on his catnip mat. He gets drunk, playful, mean, then falls asleep. A cat who's a mean drunk is quite a sight to behold...good thing it only lasts a few minutes.
Bedtime. Later, y'all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Today's the last upper 90s/lower 100s day for a week. Highs will be in the 80s the rest of the week, with possibility of rain. We're really looking forward to that.
The second hummingbird feeder is a big hit. We get more to watch and can almost see their colors now, where the north porch makes them all look black.
We did have to kill a yellow jacket nest near the second feeder, as it was too close to the door and they were buzzing the birds. Since yellow jackets are territorial, we'll leave the nest in place, so other wasps will not build there. That technique has worked nicely in other spots around here.
All our barn swallows are flying now, and when they come back to the nests, it's quite loud. Very entertaining. We really miss them when they leave -- which will be next month. We'll wake up one morning and the silence will be very loud.
Speaking of loud, the lake has been heavily populated with boats of all kinds. Even though we don't get winds from the north all that often in the summer, we've been able to hear lots of boats this summer. They're far enough away to not bother us, but we notice each time a new sound appears.
I see MDL coming up the slope. Time to get her corn. Later, y'all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Doin' the happy dance. It rained today, a nice soaking rain. Forecast is for more; we even have a flash flood watch. Woo Hoo!!!
At the moment, Spot is laying on the top of my recliner. Most of him, anyway. His butt is on my shoulder and he keeps trying to poke his tail into my ear...
We had at least ten bucks in the meadow at sundown, with three does and two fawns. Some beautiful racks out there.
WLToo thought he saw a red-headed hummingbird, but he's not sure which kind it would be. I'll keep an eye out.
Kinda tired, off to bed. Later, y'all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Three days of intermittent rain, nearly 3" fell. Might rain more today. I'd do the happy dance again, but I have a bad case of tired and groggy. Just may join Spot on the bed for a nap.
Alex and WLToo are snoozing on the sofa. Hmmm, WLToo decided we should get rid of the sofa and put both recliners there, so I ordered a 59" wide chair/love seat/whatever it's called to go where I'm currently sitting in my recliner. Wonder how well he'll snooze in a mission style recliner? I slept in mine just fine for ten days after an operation last year, but I can sleep pretty much anywhere...
A hummingbird landed on my head yesterday. Didn't stay long, so WLToo couldn't get a photo. Reminded me of the time in Virginia when a 17-year cicada landed on my nose -- he couldn't get the camera up fast enough. Meanwhile, I found out just how LOUD a single cicada could be - nearly blew my eardrums. The three women shrieking and running away weren't so loud...but definitely sillier.
WLToo said the doe with twins tried to jump on top of MDL as she was eating her corn yesterday. WLToo stepped out on the porch and scared that doe away. He stayed beside MDL until she finished all the corn. The other doe is way too aggressive - not even going to let her get MDL's corn.
Well, that nap is calling. Later, y'all.
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kokosfriend
Nashville, TN
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Joined: 09/06/2004
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I really enjoy the stories of what is going on there!! Have a great nap! It is like a blog
Barb and the 4 chocolates
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CA POPPY
Santa Clarita, CA, USA
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Joined: 07/07/2003
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HELP! I am doing something wrong with my hummingbird feeder and figured I would go to the expert. How the heck does one mix 3 parts water and 1 part sugar? Do you boil 3/4 cup water and dump in the sugar and mix, or does it all need boiled together? This feeder holds 8 oz. At first, the hummers were fighting over it, but recently we've been boycotted. There is no mold, I wash it every couple of days, no soap, only hot water. I realize I am kind of pitiful to mess up a recipe with two ingredients. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/rolleyes.gif "rolleyes")
Judy & Bud (Judy usually the one talking here)
Darcy the Min Pin
2004 Pleasure-Way Excel TD
California poppies in the background
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Put one cup of sugar into four cups of room temperature or warm water. Stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes to get all the chlorine out. Remove from heat and let cool. Makes one quart. Store in the fridge.
Try moving your feeder to a new location, or add another feeder.
We put out a second feeder on the south porch because one hummer was so aggressive that no one could approach the north porch feeder. Now it's barely in use, mostly by that one hummer, and the other feeder gets refilled every day.
I was wearing a bright yellow shirt and red shorts when refilling that feeder on Monday. I got buzzed by four hummers. After I hung the feeder, one hummer kept hovering at eye level, checking me out. If Alex hadn't started rubbing against my leg, the hummer might have landed on me to see if I was edible.
Spot and Alex are very much inside cats right now, since the heat has stayed in the 90s and 100s the last few days. Spot does lay in overwatch position on the pool deck early in the morning and shortly after sundown, but retires to our bed during the day's heat. Alex isn't even interested in going outside.
Things will be very interesting today and tomorrow. We're dogsitting and Scrappy will have to stay inside due to the heat. She's a sweet, very old medium size (30 pounds?) of indeterminate breeding, very submissive and prone to separation anxiety. She lives with cats and basically ignores all but the one that's her playmate, so if Alex and Spot will just ignore her, all will be fine. If Spot decides to play with her, she'll be happy to oblige. If either cat goes psycho, will be interesting... She'll sleep in the spare bedroom, with the door closed for her safety, at bedtime. There won't be a problem with her needing to go outside, since WLToo still can't sleep more than an hour or two at a time.
We're dogsitting because Nephew returns from his second Afghanistan tour tonight, and his folks and brother want to be at Hood when he lands. We decided not to go, in case whatever WLToo has is contagious (probably not, but he just feels awful). So even though Alex will be unhappy/angry/prone to stalking that poor dog, it's best if we take care of Scrappy and let Nephew's direct family and girlfriend welcome him back. We're sending a card with his Mom, when she drops Scrappy off.
WLToo just said lunch is ready. Later, y'all.
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