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Nature photos Nature Writing Rambling Writers Site

Clouds, Blue sky, Ice, Snow and Bright Green Pajamas ~What A Great Day For A Walk!~

Early this morning, as I stepped outside, I realized that I forgot my camera. I crossed my fingers that Sano wouldn’t find the camera case with that dangling strap and drag it under the bed. After a few moments I didn’t care about the camera. I was having a hard time seeing. Even though the sky was a white-white- grey, I couldn’t see!  I was blinded by the bright white snow. I looked straight up and saw the clouds part above me exposing a blue sky and allowing the sun to reflect off the surrounding clouds. Snow blind in the middle of my yard…

Uriah was very happy; he raced around me and kept looking at my pockets. I nearly tripped over him. He acted like I was playing and tried to race around me that lasted a whole minute. He is getting older.

“Come on, Uriah! Let’s just walk. I can’t see!” I reached out trying to grab the air. “Stop trying to trip me!”

Uriah sat down to watch me. I blinked and tried to clear my eyes. It didn’t work. I gave up and shielded my eyes with my hand, and slowly walked into a snow drift. Snow poured over the top of my boots. I dusted it away and kept walking.

 Just as I reached the path, Uriah raced off into the trees. First I heard the deep squawking, and then I watched that elusive Pheasant fly awkwardly between the trees.  No camera, again! Heavy Sigh!

Later that afternoon we headed out again, this time I remembered the camera. The clouds had cleared, and the sky was a Cornflower blue. Instead of going around to the back, I wanted to see the pond in front. I believe it was January we had a thaw that inundated the land with water. During the past few weeks the water has evaporated and left ice connected to tree trunks, similar to a picnic table on top and Stalactites forming underneath.

I carefully stepped into the deep snow surrounding the pond, and felt the ice give way under my boots. I eased as close as I could to the ponds edge, trying to judge where I thought that edge should be. Stupid? Yes I am!  I didn’t get that close. Besides I was wearing my normal walking garb, a bright orange coat, grey knit hat, while dragging around ski poles. Almost forgot to add, I didn’t have on my normal blue jeans.  So the people passing on the road, there weren’t a lot of cars, saw me wearing my flannel bright green PJs, with a design of coffee cups and candy pieces.

 I looked fabulous! Just like an escapee from psych ward.    

I didn’t slip onto the frozen pond, nor did I get stuck in the deep snow. Not for the lack of trying by Uriah. He kept trying to see around me, without walking around me.  Instead he pushed me closer to the pond. I won that game by sitting in the snow. Uriah gave up and chased a rabbit he found. That didn’t last very long, the rabbit took off to the south, and Uriah ran to the north…

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Nature photos Nature Writing Rambling Writers Site

I walked towards the apple trees and decided the snow, which was making farting noises with each step, wasn’t amusing. My husband would find the humor in it! ~

Last night the snow started. I stood outside under driveway light and watched the misty rain change to snow as it fell. The blacktop was coated within minutes, a slippery mess only Uriah hazarded to walk across. The air was filled with dampness, and fog from the frozen ground and warmer air.  Even with the heavy darkness blanketing the house, sound wasn’t muffled and I could hear the coyotes racing across the farm fields, closing in on us.

“Uriah, hurry up and pee! We have to get inside!” I held tightly to my ski poles and tried to peer into the darkness. 

Uriah moved slowly, his arthritis was acting up with the dampness. Still, his hackles rose when we heard the howling start. He puffed his chest out and scraped at the ground with his back legs.

“Ok! You’re a big, brave dog! Let’s get inside!”

Uriah turned and raced into the open garage door. All bark and no bite…

This morning, everything was covered in bridal white.

Heart attack snow covered the driveway and deck. It’s the snow that one small shovel full can make a weight lifter grunt. The snow thrower will have a hard time with this mess.  Underneath was a grey slush, which will strain both me and the snow thrower. I walked down the drive to the road, where the snow plow had sprayed extra snow on the mouth of the driveway. I kicked at it and decided we are snowed in till spring.

The deck had about four to six inches of snow waiting to melt into the outside kennel. Uriah and I checked it out. I was able to kick around a four by four foot patch so it didn’t drip on Uriah’s head. The rest will be a waterfall if the temperatures keep rising, which according to the weatherman, the warm-up isn’t here, yet.

Notice the large pile of snow on the outside of his kennel. That should melt in mid-summer.:-)

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing Rambling video

Sanosuke And His Big Pink Mouse~

The vet appointment was changed to Monday, one day early. We were glad of this; Sano was showing signs of a urinary track infection.

What we learned about Sano on the fifth day;

He loves Michael, and he loves to cuddle with me( if Michael isn’t around)

He loves Kenshin, Tomoe and PJ. They love him back. When he was lured out of the living room by Kenshin, I thought Tomoe was going to have a heart attack; she raced around looking for him, then glared at Kenshin.

He is big on cuddles.

He gets angry at ‘me’ when he is given his medicine.

We can’t show him what we are eating, he tastes everything.

He doesn’t care if we hover over him anymore, he is feeling safe.

He is a big talker.

He decided the pillow on the couch is the best place to sit.

He can lie on his back on the floor and push himself around, while facing the ceiling.

He will cry until he gets picked up then gives out kisses.

I was playing with my camera’s  video and  irritating our new kitten. I was able to do a little editing. See how you like it, comments and advice welcome.

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing

My Valentines Gift Meowed~

Happy Valentines Day, everyone!!

Friday afternoon my husband announced we were going for a ride, and he refused to tell me where we were heading. It was a beautiful sunny day, and he drove south, which took us further out in the country. I was enjoying the ride. I felt like Uriah, except I didn’t hang my head out the window.

I could see the damage that this winter had done to some of the silos and barns, roofs needed patching and paint was wearing away.  The roads were warped from freezing and thawing. Most of the streets around here have streams beneath them, anywhere from a few inches, to a few feet; the flowing water cracked the blacktop and caused waves to set in, making the drive similar to a roller coaster.

We were headed in the direction of Sycamore, Illinois.

Driving along, Michael started mumbling. “Seems someone moved a building…!”

“If you tell me where we are gong, maybe I can help.”

He snapped. “You get lost in the living room!” Michael muttered gripping the steering wheel.  “I missed a turn somewhere.”

“Okay, so, if I was looking for something, what would I be looking for?” I kept my eyes forwards, because I knew he was slowly looking in my direction, he was getting miffed…

“Tails!”

“The animal rescue?” 

“Yes!”  Michael rolled his eyes as he replied.

“Why?”

A very heavy sigh came out of him, I was sure if I looked in his direction he would have deflated half his size. I didn’t look..

“You said Kenshin needs a friend. So for Valentines day I’m getting you a new cat.”

“You mean for Kenshin?” I said coyly.

“You’re on my last nerve!” He answered softly.

“DeKalb TAILS Humane Rescue is on the left, side of Peace road.” I pointed out. “Turn on Barber Greene Rd.” I motioned straight ahead and added. “It’s the second traffic light.”

Michael made a growling noise when I tried to read the road signs. ” Stop! I know where we’re at!” He signaled then turned left, then right into the parking lot. We passed by a volunteer dog walker, and slipped into a parking space.

Our thirteen year old who had been quiet the entire ride, piped up. “This is the same place we parked when we adopted Kenshin over two years ago.”

 “That’s a good sign then!” Michael opened the front door, and held it open as we walked inside. “Maybe someone in here wants to come home with us!”

Straight ahead was a counter and to the left, leashes and dog and cat food were for sale.

Between that area the doors were closed that lead into the dog rescue section, we could hear them barking.

A sweet puppy greeted us wearing a pink collar. She was a patchwork combination of black, brown and white. She wagged her tail happily.  After saying hello, she headed back to a big floor pillow and laid down.

A very nice, woman welcomed us and started pointing out the rooms. They have a small critter room, where we could see birds and rabbits. They even have a rat and a mouse.  This room was between two cat rooms. Both had older cats inside, they walked around, and watched us as we entered. A beautiful Siamese mix walked up to the glass door inviting us in. To bad, ‘she’ was a she. Kenshin needed friend to play with, not a female who would tell him what to do all day. That is Tomoe’s job.

The woman pointed out the large aviary type cage in the center of the room; it held black kittens, all female. The room to the left of the front door was closed off due to illness. Until the veterinarian gives them all a clean bill of health, that room will stay closed, a safety precaution for the rest of the rescue. 

We were taken along a hallway to the room that housed some of the younger residents.

I was interested in seeing one guy who I saw on their web site, Hooligan, an all black male, with gold big round eyes.

The woman took him and his brother, Trouble, from their cage. We thought they were four to five months old, but they were four weeks old when brought in, not four months old as their website had indicated. Now, they looked about eight to ten weeks old, and very tiny.
I turned and saw another pair of gold curious eyes staring out at me.

“Who is that?” I pointed up, “Is that a male?”

Quickly she said, “You don’t want him.” and walked with us back down the hall into a playroom. 

There we watched and interacted with the cutest little boys. They ran and passed off a toy mouse as if they were playing a football game. They were very careful with their claws, and so sweet!! But very small. 

Kenshin is nearly twenty pounds. He loves to grab his very old brother PJ in a head lock and slam him to the ground. PJ taught him that move, and now I think he regrets he had.

Another woman came in the room and started asking questions concerning the type of cat we were looking for. Michael told her about Kenshin, and she pointed us towards the older cat room.

The TAILS rescue is very warm; the cats need the extra heat to stay healthy.  I was melting…

“Can we see the cat I noticed in the cage across from these guys?” I repeated that request several times.

Instead she explained these young ones, Hooligan and Trouble, were brought in at the end of December with some health problems, which have since been cleared up and are now ready to be taken to a new home.

I was wondering about the large gold eyes I saw peeking out at me.  “Ok, so are there any males in that cage I’ve been asking about?”

She said there were two males, I asked to see them. Once more we returned to the kitten room and looked into a cage. That’s when she explained, fearfully, they were on the edge of being feral. When the cage was opened the intelligent looking cat we first noticed came forward, a male named Buddy.  The very cat we had been told we don’t want. His brother pulled back and seemed to scare the woman. She quickly closed the cage door and handed Buddy off to my husband as we headed back to the play room.

“This guy has never been in this room, and he’s never connected to anyone.” She said by way of warning and carefully backed out of the room and leaving us with Buddy.

He ran under one chair then peeked out at us, spotted Michael and ran under his chair. Michael reached down and lifted him on his lap where he sat and kneaded his very big paws. He never purred.

We started to notice the attention we were getting through the door.

The woman came in and said Buddy never reacted to anyone like he was doing with us. “But aren’t you sure you won’t like to see someone else?” 

“Ok.” I said and Michael rolled his eyes.
 Just a note here: Michael gets along with felines far better than he does with any other species, especially humans, and he’s proven to me time and again he knows a rare cat instantly.  (He made me add this)

We left our daughter in the room with Buddy, and we walked across to yet another room with older cats; very sweet, sad and lonely cats. It was obvious they loved the woman.   It was their nap time and one cat she pointed out was about two, but he loved to sleep. He was sleeping on a cat tower and just about to fall through the hole on top. We all laughed and she said, “He will fall through without waking! He can really sleep, not much for running around.”  Then a beautiful black cat came up and started rubbing and purring on Michael, but hissed when he tried to show him to me.

We quickly left that room.  Michael wanted to take everyone home. He pulls the “curmudgeon act” because he’s a complete “softie” at heart, when it comes to animals and his family anyway. Especially cats because; well, he is a cat, personality wise.  

A different woman came forward, and asked which cats we already saw. She turned and saw our daughter cuddling Buddy, she responded like the other lady, “He never reacted to anyone like that!”

Once we saw everyone in TAILS, Michael talked to the woman and I went back into the play room. I picked up Buddy, and stood near the window, where I could see Michael. The lady looked in and seemed shocked, Michael walked up to the glass, and Buddy meowed loudly. He reached for the glass and pressed his paw against it in an attempt to reach Michael, who pressed his hand on the opposite side of the glass…

Update:

He was put into a cardboard cat carrier for the ride home. We were assured he could not escape. But while the paperwork was finalized, which took ten minutes, he ripped his way out of the box. We borrowed us a plastic cat carrier:-)

I haven’t slept at all, since Thursday night. Buddy, is now called, Sanosuke, keeping with the anime flow of names. He stays in a cage, set up in the middle of the living room, until he gets a clean bill of heath from the veterinarian. He has an appointment,  Tuesday at three.

*

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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagara_Sanosuke

Tails Humane Society

2250 Barber Greene Road
DeKalb, Illinois 60115
Phone: 815-758-2457
Email: tailshumanesociety@tbc.net
Website: www.tailshumanesociety.org/index.asp

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing

Earthquake In Illinois~ Michaels’ Cat Knew Before It Hit! ~

I woke up early this morning to my husband’s voice.  Tomoe, his black half Siamese was standing on his head and pulling his hair. Her intention was to get him up, now! Just minutes before she was sleeping at the end of the bed.

I could hear, Uriah barking.

Michael sat up and started cooing to Tomoe, who had moved away from him to the end of the bed. 

 At that moment the room started to rattle! Then a booming sound hit the house! Immediately the bed started to shake…

  I jumped up yelling, “Earthquake!”

My husband was trying to get Tomoe out from under the bed, where she launched when the first rattle started.

Everything settled down almost as fast as it hit.

He stood up, “It’s the blizzard not an earthquake!” Irritated, he couldn’t reach his cat. Michael spoke slowly, for my benefit.  “The wind hit the house.”

 I hate when he does that…

Michael walked around to his side of the bed where he crawled back in. “You’re scaring Tomoe.”

“Where’s she at?” I asked grabbing my robe.

“Under the bed.”  He mumbled, as he yawned, and pulled his blanket over his head.  

“Uriah’s still barking.” I stood next to the bed confused. Something felt off.

“Uriah’s an idiot! It’s only the wind.”  Michael rolled over; his part of the conversation was over.

The house was quiet. I could hear the wind blasting the outside of the house. It did not sound like that booming blast that hit a few minutes before.

Not one of the three house cats appeared, as I wandered around the house.

 Pictures were off kilter. I noticed my purse had slipped off the table.  Other than that, everything seemed normal.

When I heard we had been hit by an earthquake. I was able to say to Michael, “Told you so!” I can’t do that very often…

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/10/illinois.earthquake/index.html?section=cnn_latest

When the sun was up, and today it did shine very brightly in a blue sky. I headed outside to check around the house. The only thing I could see was some loose siding and a couple of storm windows were crooked. If any major damage happened I may not see it until we thaw out, in spring…

Last nights blizzard covered everything with a bright, white snow.  Anywhere from four inches to fifteen inches of it whipped around the driveway and off the roof. I could see some higher drifts along the trees, I wasn’t going anywhere near them.

        I wanted to get back in where it was warm.

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing

Snowing Cats And Dogs~

The snow was coming down with a grainy flake  it looked, to me, like sand shifting out of the sky in a downward path. The first inch of snow had coated the world outside my window.

Kenshin, one of the cats my husband belongs to, turned in circles in front of the door, purring and talking away. He wanted to be carried outside so he could look at the snow. I slipped on my shoes. Pulled the door open and stepped outside. I turned, facing north so Kenshin faced the falling snow.

He tilted his face upwards and sneezed.

Holding, Kenshin tight I carefully let him feel the snow on the railing.  He started pawing at it. His fur rippled underneath my hands. I had to take him inside before he did a leap out of my arms.

I deposited him on the kitchen chair, and then I slipped off my shoes. I pulled a bowl from the cabinet and reopened the door. I was scooping up the snow, when Kenshin tried to slip underneath my arm onto the deck. Immediately I dumped the bowl of snow on his back, he turned, and happily chased the snow back into the house.  I scooped up fresh snow and carefully slipped back inside.

Kenshin was sitting on the throw rug next to the door. He had a wild look in his eyes as he watched me place the bowl in front of him. He stood up on his tiptoes; excited, he leaped into the bowl and started throwing snow everywhere. 

Uriah began to bark, demanding his time for a walk.

I measured out a handful of snow, and packed it into round snowball. Kenshin followed me into the hallway, Meowing and prancing.

“Are you ready?”  I asked, as he ducked his head low to the ground.

I rolled the snowball down the hallway, and laughed as he sailed with it into our bedroom.

I could hear Michael’s voice as he came over to see what Kenshin was up to. Before I reached the bottom step and my coat, I heard Kenshin racing down the hall, and a soft ‘thump’ as he slid into the coffee table.

Outside the snow muffled the sound from the road as the snowplow rumbled past. 

Trying to hide from the wind, I slipped underneath the branches of an old evergreen, where I stood quietly enclosed by snow, long needles and pinecones.

The air was filled with moisture and the sky heavy with grayish white clouds.  

Old Man Winter was trying to hold on tight. Fine with me, spring is nearly here. For now this snow will sink into the ground, replenishing my well and once the ground thaws, that same water will sink down deeper into the tree’s root system.

I turned on the video to capture the snow and Uriah came walking up expecting a biscuit. Time for my breakfast and coffee…

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing Poetry Rambling Writers Site

Sunshine Award Thank You~

I received this award from (so far) Seven unique individuals and I send my heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of them.

 

 

 

Some Sunshine from Jingle at http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/

 

Some Sunshine from Ishabelle  at http://ishabellemanalo.wordpress.com/

 

Some Sunshine from William at  http://williamm49.blogspot.com/

 

Some Sunshine from Ditrie at    http://sparrowsong.wordpress.com/

 

 Some Sunshine from drj3kyll at  http://drj3kyll.wordpress.com

 

 Some Sunshine from Datsme at http://justthinkingloud.wordpress.com/

Some Sunshine from Pttyann at  http://pttyann.wordpress.com/

 

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH! This is an honor to be nominated!

 

 

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.”
~Lord Byron

 

 

Here are the rules:

  • Put the logo on your blog above or below your post.
  • Pass the award to 12 blogger.
  • Link the nominees within your post.
  • Let the nominees know they have received the award by commenting on their Blogs. (this part may take a little longer, but I will get to all of them:-))
  • Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

I can re enter the ones who nominated me, but I won’t- even though I would love to…

I am doing something different. I am checking out new Blogs- Here they are. I have read their words and I love what I saw.

I nominate for the Sunshine award:

1 http://www.voxpoetica.com/Home.php  This site is full of opportunities. I didn’t see a place to comment so if you follow this link, and you add your voice let them know how you found them.

2. http://weaverofgrass.blogspot.com/  beautiful pictures and descriptions 

3. http://readerwil.blogspot.com/ Beautiful Blog with fantastic descriptions and pictures-  ***she no longer accepts awards but would love to hear your comments..***

4. http://wordsofwisdomfromasmartmouthbroad.blogspot.com/ First the name of her Blog caught my attention, and then I started reading. She is someone to know

5. http://dominicrivron.blogspot.com/ I love how he spoke of his father and showed clips of history 

6. http://newnatalie.blogspot.com/  Photos, art work and words.

7. http://seehaikuhere.blogspot.com/ Haiku poetry and a wonderful artist

8. http://havantaclue.blogspot.com/  A poet and writer

9. http://bythebecks.blogspot.com/  a writer you should know

10. http://bnhwelch.blogspot.com/ When I saw the picture of the peach tree in bloom I had to stop and read.

 11.  http://www.whateverradio.com/website/blogs.php Cooking and living life, wonderful photos this site makes me hungry

12.  http://rainsgallery.blogspot.com/ Her paintings, I don’t see where to comment.

 

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing

Imagine All The Pheasants~

The skies are grey and very dreary looking. I stood out in the yard next to the deck.  I really wanted to head back inside and drink my coffee hot today. Uriah ran up to me still holding his milk bone in his mouth, wagging his tail madly and looking towards the back path.

 I could hear him begging, “Come on! Let’s go! Let’s take a walk!” He sat down then stood up and turned in a circle.   

“Ok! Ok!” I grumbled and Uriah  happily turned and trotted away.

 I didn’t have my camera. I looked back at the house. Nope!  I’m not heading back inside. I could hear the Blue Jays screaming ahead of me, and the high pitch screech of a Hawk as he floated somewhere above me. No! That pheasant won’t be showing up today.

I carefully walked over the snow and broken ice, through the path and stopped. Facing the snow filled drainage area in front of me, I turned to the right and stepped over the muskrat holes.

Uriah had disappeared into the trees to the North.  Suddenly, he started barking. I could hear him crashing through the trees and  dry grass.

 Worried, I turned towards the sound. Just in time to watch the Pheasant fly upwards, out of the trees. It flew at least forty feet, complaining loudly and clumsy landed on a branch. From there, it perched unsteady and watched me, standing in the snow covered field.

I turned away and kept walking. Uriah ran past me, his hackles were up, and he looked very proud of himself.

I called after him and grumbled.  “You couldn’t have done that yesterday when I had my camera?”

He gave me a doggy grin and rolled in a patch of frozen snow.

*

Just and FYI- The photo above was taken on the 2nd. The Pheasant landed on one of those heaver branches, today…
Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing

Winter Walk In Illinois~

Yesterday afternoon I trudged out back with my camera. The sun was shining brilliantly and I thought I may just capture a picture of that Pheasant.

The snow was still brightly white. Not like in town, or further out on the highway, where the snows have changed to a dirty grayish black.

I walked over the low, beginning section of the path and followed the slight incline to the back.

It never dawned on me that there was even a breeze, until I walked past an evergreen and was pushed backward by the wind.  Looking at the icy snow ahead of me, I cut across the field; following Uriah’s paw prints and connected to the path heading back home.

The ground tilted upward, so I was just under the line of wind, slightly. That wind wasn’t skimming across the ground it was higher up in the trees. I watched the tree tops move when the gust picked up.  The wind was bitter cold. I was glad to be shielded by the trees.

Oddly, when I wasn’t in the wind, the air felt like spring. I even found some green moss  shining through the snow.

I stopped and decided to search out the nest of mice, that were living  in the tops of the Bog Willows. I wrote about them in an earlier Blog:

http://gerardinebaugh.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/hickory-dickory-dock/

 I was happy! The nest was empty…

As I headed back home, I turned on the video, which I really need to learn how to edit..

I found the Pheasants tracks and ironically followed them back towards the house. I didn’t see the Pheasant. Little bugger was probably watching me from the trees…

Categories
Nature photos Nature Writing Poetry

Touch A Shadow~

 

Beneath my bed,

                          dark shadows turn to liquefied silk,  

                                                                                  To flow into a feline form.

I search out her eyes.

Eyes which I know are closed against my gaze. I tap on the bed.

A glimpse of radiant green and gold flash and claws, sharp, pluck at the carpet.

With a whisper, I beckon a response.

Subtle, soft purls roll out from under the bed. Blackness unfolds, stretches in isolation. To form a sleek velvet puddle that touches my hand.

Claws retracted.  I feel only soft fur and pad.  

We lay. 

           Paw to hand.  

                                I sigh. 

She purrs.

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Link Back to Jingles Thursday Poets’ Rally

http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/thursday-poets-rally-week-4-feb-4-feb-10-2010/