Leap Day!

12 years ago today, my friends got engaged. It happened on our college campus at the statue of our mascot and his best friend arranged to have the moment photographed.

They go back every Leap Day and take a picture of the family as it expands and grows up.

I tell this story often….or whenever I pass the statue….

Why?

Besides the fact that it is sweet, adorable, etc……How can a story and a tradition like that not be shared?

Smatterings....

Smatterings That I Meant to Blog About….But Didn’t…

Weeklong celebration of my birthday - dinner with TGP's parents, 16 megapixels of fun, Ren Faire, my family get together and presents!

Hurricane flooding aftershocks – have to wonder if the people are panicking every time it rains

The memories that pumpkin spice coffee pulls from the far reaches of my mind.

My adventurer spirit – just pack up and go. I do like to plan ahead but the logistics do not drive me crazy for a spur of the moment road trip.

Fourth Letter…

I am trying not to worry…

Or think about what could happen….

Or how this could fundamentally change you as a person…

I have a package ready to go….

I wish that I could include a live hug in it….

Be safe.

************************************************************
That was meant to be posted after I mailed the package…then life got in the way and it was never sent.

So much for being supportive....but the sentiment is true.

Even though we do not see each other that often, my world would not be the same without you.

Welcome home my friend.

You were missed.

Raptors...

This past Sunday, we headed out on a Raptor Watch…not velociraptors but actual birds of prey. There was a promise of owls but the group had about 25 people so there was no chance of stealth…. And yes, even though I am usually the loudest thing in the woods, I can make jokes about stealth!

Turned out that the expected all day hike was a “drive to a location, spot the bird, debate about what it really is, then drive another 20 minutes to another site, watch people try to park and do the cycle all over again” type of an event. Not what we had been expecting but we did have fun.


I got to see a few birds that I have never seen before – Northern Harriers, Eastern Bluebirds and Pin Tail Ducks (they have nifty blue beaks!) Bonus find was a muskrat! (I thought it was a mangy cat)

It was really neat to spend time with a large group of people can ID on the fly – it was like having a live version of the Audobon app! Talk about instant gratification!!

The amusing part was also spending time with a large group of people who can ID on the fly…..”Look, it’s a wood duck!”….it wasn’t….”It’s a mink!”…it wasn’t…..and so on…

By the way, these are Cedar Waxwings...

I learned a lot and would definitely do it again – just with a bit more hiking!

Feed Me Seymour...

A "simple" amaryllis...



Something extra in there...two buds?

Yeah, two!

But wait...there's more!

The second bloom actually had four flowers - The fourth came out after these three were done!

When Pony Met Freya....

There was an instant connection....

More Beeps!

These cars were not visible from the trail - I only saw them in the distance after I got down to the level of the first car I spotted...

Remnants in the distance...

And then I turn and see this one....Not as old as the others but still worth mentioning....and it also brings up the question that I ask every time I see one along the trail - how did it get there??

Beep!

I had heard that there was another car in the woods and happened upon it during my hike to see the mine opening.

But wait! What is that in the distance??

Trail Find!

Hmm....





It ended up in a new location....

Mining....

I live near what used to be a substantial mining region and one of the things on my hiking wish list is visit all the former mine shafts that can be found. I took advantage of the fanstastic weather Sunday afternoon and visited the one that is easiest to find.

Batman? (It's a hibernation location for bats now)

I also trekked up the trail and checked out some of the foundations from the buildings that used to stand and discovered this pit too (probably not a pit).



The mines were full of iron ore and resulted in a rather large village near the mine. So, as you hike along, you come across a cemetary seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The storm that we had in October really did a number up here - sad to see and to also know that it is low on the priority list for cleanup.

Glimpses...Part 2...

Glimpses of the end of 2011...

Glimpses...

December 2011 in random pix....

Sweet Ride?

Stinkin' Cute!

Have I mentioned how stinkin' cute this cat is?

Eerie...

Tequila!

Getting ready for some fun with friends this weekend and this song popped into my head....

Definitely appropriate…..we will not be drinking our faces off – just dancing and singing and laughing…..and being the goofballs that we are when we get together!


Tequila!
I was at the bar with my drinking team
And it was me, Jack Daniels, and my homie Jim Beam
We were kinda blizted and we were tryin to behave, yo
When in walked a soldier, he was from the Fuzzy Navel
We were fallin', stumblin', crawlin'
In came the police, Captain Tom Collins
And the vato said, "Freeze!" (Freeze!)
He said, "Hands in the air and hand over your keys"
Now we did
And that was kinda simple
Now, here came Margarita and her friend Shirley Temple
I asked my friend 'bout Margarita
He said that Shirley was a virgin and I wouldn't wanna meet her
So I talked to Margarita, cause, yo, she was flyer
I took her to the couch cause I wanted to screw-drive her
Now I'm not one for a speech
But there was plenty of Tequila and sex on the beach, y'all
Tequila

T-T-T-Tequila
TEQUILA!

Here we go again and I'm not fussin'
See, I'm a French Mexican but I kick it with white Russians
At the bar with the drink in my hand
In walked Jose Cuevo, he was Margarita's man
I talked to the Wise Man, cause yo, he's distinguished
His name is St. Ides and he spoke in Olde English
He said, "You better think fast
Cause Jose, is kind of crazy and I heard he shot glass"
He gave me some advice and it went like this, yo
"Catch the Nighttrain and head up to 'Cisco"
I didn't wanna stick around
I caught the 151 to New York, the Greyhound
Now I'm at the Red Zone, everybody stylin'
Showbiz was sippin' Ice Teas on Long Island
I blacked out, the party came to a halt
Cause I was drinkin' the Tequila with the lemon and salt, y'all
Tequila

T-T-T-Tequila
TEQUILA!

I woke up in the morning and felt like a zombie
The Tequila Gold Label had bombed me
You see
I woke up late
I wasn't feelin' so great
And Mike said, "There's a Bacardi party starting at eight"
Yo, we walked in the party and started playing our games
We played tops, buds and quarters
With Bartles & Jaymes
Here came Shirley Temple and they told me to chill
Because the Mickey Brothers took her up to Strawberry Hill
They took her thousand dollar mink and she could barely think
Cause the Tequila that she drank had her tickled pink
Now, the music came on and I rocked the instrumental
There's a groupie named Mai Tai, a fly oriental
A groupie is a girl that jocks
She wore a def Black Velvet, and drank Scotch on the rocks
We had a Fake Marriage, now here's the Honeymoon
Yo, it's on, Vagabond
At the Blue Lagoon
Now everybody take a couple of words from the wise
A girlie and a bottle
Tequila Sunrise

Tequila

TEQUILA!

True...

I do love my furballs, but...


see more dog and puppy pictures

New Year...

Time for the “these are my goals for the new year” post!

I have a list of things but the main one is to try to be more in touch with everyone.

I have not been the bestest of friends…or the most in touch….

I also know that the friends that you have in your life will always be there whether you have been in contact recently or it has been a while.

There is some guilt over missed opportunities or things that could have happened last year but I know that I can’t be everywhere at once….or collect all the Coke points on the planet.…

Will be interesting to see how this year goes…

Merry Christmas!

This song makes me cry anyway and this is my new favorite version of it!

Bounce, Bounce, Bounce...

ABC Family has had some fun programming during their 25 Days of Christmas promotion...the one that really caught my eye was 2 hours of Pixar movie shorts....I had seen about half of them ones that they featured but they were still great to see.

Of course they included the first one....amazing how they were able to show that the baby lamp was so dejected when he flattened his ball......