Squirrel antics

Trying to keep squirrels away from birdfeeders is practically impossible. I read in a magazine that if you hung your birdfeeder on a clothesline between a couple of empty plastic soft drink bottles, the squirrels would not be able to reach it. Once they put their little paws onto the bottle, it would spin around like crazy, causing them to fall off the line.

Maybe this will work!

Ah ha - this bottle doesn't turn. I think it's frozen.

Success! As if a few little plastic thingys could stop me! Ha!

Looks like the squirrel won this round. Next time I try this, I'll make sure I have 2 big soda bottles. That small water bottle didn't work. The squirrel jumped right over it, and it was partially frozen to the clothesline anyway.

Living on the Edge...

Front view... (awk - I just woke up!)

Back...({{sigh}} - do you think it will ever melt?)

Curly edges....

Notched edge....(you can barely see the notch, but it's there)

Many tall and frazzley edges....

Sharp edge....

Couldn't make it through January without spring flowers on my kitchen windowsill.

Actually, we've had a mild winter so far (keeping fingers and toes crossed). How about you?

Going "Green"...

Pulled into the self-serve gas station.
Put my credit card into the appropriate slot on the gas pump.
Pushed all the appropriate buttons (do I want a receipt? Yes).
Withdrew my card.
Unscrewed my gas cap.
Now to select a grade of gas.

Oh cool - a gas nozzle with a green handle. I'll pick that one. Maybe gas stations have decided to "go green". Now how would that work??

Tried to fit the green-handled nozzle into the gas tank opening in my car.
It did not fit.
What's wrong with this thing? Have they switched gas pump specifications or something??

Looked more closely at the "green-handled" pump and realized it said DIESEL in big letters!
Oops - no wonder the nozzle wouldn't fit in my car. It's a safety measure for people like me who don't bother to read what's on the pumps, but go for the pretty colours - in this case - Green!

Good thing too, as I'd have filled my tank with diesel gas!!

p.s. - still having computer problems and still trying to find my blogroll.

Icy stormy night..

Somewhere around 11:30 at night......sleepy, drifting, cuddled up to Hubby. Wind picking up outside our bedroom window, freezing rain knocking against the pane. A loud CRACK! Frozen tree branches hitting the roof before bouncing onto the ground.

"Who's walking on our roof?" Hubby asked sleepily.

"Santa's reindeer," I murmured, nuzzling the back of his neck.

Delicious sleep washing over me like waves. But something was nagging.

Go away!

Somewhere in the very back of my mind, I could feel something swimming through the fog trying to get my attention.

I was tired from all the Christmas busy-ness. Happy for the celebration and happy it was over.

Sleep was inviting, beckoning. Hubby was already in dreamland. It does not take him long...

The wind was howling. Did I leave a window open? Not likely in this weather. Something was still tugging at my consciousness. Would not leave me alone. I could hear "it" screaming. Screaming? Piercing shriek? An alarm? Yikes! Suddenly I was up like a shot!

No power! I should have known! That loud crack may have been a branch, but could have been a hydro wire snapping in the storm.

And no electricity meant no oxygen for Hubby. In a flash, I turned on the portable oxygen cylinder (which lies like a sleeping dog curled up on the floor beside our bed), popped the cannula up his nose and then took off downstairs to turn off that screaming alarm. I pulled the plastic tubing out of the now silent (and useless) oxygen concentrator, and reconnected it to a humongous cylinder hidden away in our dusty basement.

Fortunately, the oxygen company had just filled it the week before, so it would last the whole night through, if needed. While I was downstairs, I called hydro on the phone to find out how long this power failure would last. Then went back to bed. And changed Hubby's nose hoses (exchanged the smaller portable one for the long-lasting one).

Hubby was drifting off again, but by this time I was wired. I could not go back to sleep. What would happen if I did not hear that alarm?

I'd been taking sleeping medication over the past month, which would account for the deeper quality of my sleep; my brain sinking into sweet oblivion, instead of jumping at every little sound. But never, in the wilds of my imagination, did I think it would be possible to NOT hear that shrieking alarm.

If we had both gone to sleep with no electricity in the house, Hubby would not have woken up in the morning.

Guaranteed.

The wind continued to howl.

Once more during the night our power went off.

I connected nose hoses and machines and disconnected nose hoses and machines. And then did everything in reverse.

I did not get much sleep that night.

I Saw Three Ships...

I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing in,
On Christmas Day,
On Christmas Day,
I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing in,
On Christmas Day in the morning...

Merry Christmas to everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season filled with love and peace, joy and laughter.

I took this pic at the end of November on my walk around the yacht club. It was a cold and chilly day, but the sun was shining, making for a pleasant stroll. While looking out at the lake, I was quite surprised to see not only one sailboat, but three!! Who would be out on the water this time of year? Someone who doesn't mind a freezing wind whipping in their face - that's who! That Christmas song about "3 ships come sailing in" popped into my head, so I saved this pic to post now - along with the first verse of the song.

I was very disorganized this year and left everything to the last minute. Caught up in a swamp of baking, shopping, babysitting, and other responsibilities, I've hardly had time to sit down.

As well, my computer has been on the fritz for most of December. I'm not sure how much longer it will last - but such is life. Will get back to visiting and blogging after Christmas.

Thank you to all you wonderful friends who have emailed or stopped by to see how things are with hubby and me. We're fine. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and kindness.

My Name Is.....

Perfect Poinsettia! And I'm the Prettiest Christmas Plant in this home!

Oh Really? Well Ms. P.P., (pretty peculiar, in my opinion) my name is Christmas Cactus - Cute Christmas Cactus! And since I have Christmas in my name, then I'm the Best Christmas Plant in the house!







Oh well - you're not even red, like a true Christmas plant should be! (cute? ha. crazy is more like it!)

Pthhhhatt!









Oh yeah? Well just look at my shiny green pot. That makes me just as Christmas-y as you!








Hello? I just woke up. What's all the fuss?











Well, if it isn't Sleeping Beauty.
About time you woke up.





More like Rip Van Winkle, if you ask me.







Winkle. Tinkle. Sounds just like you, Ms. P.P. (not that I'd ask you anyway).






Well if it isn't Amicable Amaryllis just coming into bloom. Welcome! Your name begins with "A" - the first letter of the alphabet, so you're the 1st and that means the nicest!

Awwww, are you sure?








Absolutely!

First Snowfall...

For someone who doesn't like winter, I really get excited about the first snowfall.

Drab, bare tree branches, and boring brown left-over leaves are suddenly transformed, as if by magic! Feathery white powder covers those stick-like branches, making them look like ladies trying on lace petticoats (ha - there's an old fashioned word for you)!

Paths, stones, and front walks disappear - covered by a layer of white fluffy snow. We rummage through closets and drawers to find warm mitts and scarves. Frantically dig up winter boots from storage.

I had wanted to show my granddaughter how to make snow angels, but my plans didn't work out. And now (a day later) the snow has melted. But I'm not worried, there is no shortage of snow here in wintertime. One day within the next few weeks, we'll get a heavier snow fall and then I'll be teaching a course on "how to make snow angels". Who'd like to join me??