Greetings everyone, its Wednesday afternoon , and thought it time to take a chore break and check in. I started pruning my roses today, so I feel pretty good about that. This time of year one must take advantage of any rainless opportunities that come ones way. Its cool and windy today but no rain . I took note of quite a few interesting happenings in the garden while I was pruning. Nigella is coming up all over the place already. Daphne is budded and about to open her wonderful fragrant flowers. Hellebores all budded or blooming. Everything else looks like h**l !
Tommorow its back to work for a couple of days and then the three day New Years weekend. No rain is forecast, so I hope to be able to get many more roses pruned, maybe all except the climbers .

Eden good vibes out to your Mom and so sorry to hear about Tim. Im with you on wanting to get rid of all the sweets in the house. Thanks goodness theres not much left here.If the weather holds Ill start my walking regimen again- I was up to 25 miles a week at one time, buts its difficult now when the days are so short.which reminds me
bug thanks for posting the Length Of Day link, I loved it ! I saved it in my favorites .

Monique, I hope you can get a good resolution to your bad dog neighbor issue. So many irresponsible pet owners out there, its just infuriating. I feel pretty fortunate here in my neighborhood.

Ei, that New Years cheese platter sounds mighty tasty.. might be worth a photo shoot like bugs cookies ?

Chelone, loved your photo of Rex. He looks very dignified how much does he weigh ? My little dog would not have fared well with Rex and your other dog guests-shes always been terrified of big dogs, and now that shes blind really wants nothing to do with any other dogs at all.

bug , good for you getting someone to clean your house , even if only a one-shot deal ! I keep up with it pretty well in the winter, but when spring and summer come I just hate to be cooped up inside. I would love to have someone even once a month. Oh well. I must say Im very partial to the photos youve posted of Charlotte

PM2 , I m afraid it was not only DS and DD on the mattress toboggan. I did it, BILs did it-all of us well beyond the big 5-0!

We all got Christmas checks from FIL , and I am going to use it to buy a camera. Im thinking a Canon A540. Anyone have one ? The other option would be to get DSs tide pool dropped camera fixed but were told it may be almost as much as a new one as the innards are fried.

All for now, and a wave to all I missed ---and yoo hoo to Marian if you are out there lurking !

Kathy in the Napa Valley

Rex tips the scales at about 100 lbs.. He's a formidable dog... the victim of no socialization at a tender age, a year and half of bullying his way into "having his own way", and NOW, in the canine equivilent of Camp Pendleton he's BEGINNING to fall into line. ;) A work in progress... !

Kitty pictures you say, eh? (hehehe...)

We have a new tradition here "on the compound"...
Bong hits for the kits:
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Followed by the "thigh master"
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And then there were the presents...
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Afterglow... ("good chit, man")
Mummy's "silken mauvekin"
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And "little missy Squarekins"
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And lastly, Mummy's Doodlekin Boy-boy...
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A splendid day was had by all!
:)

Good evening!

Chelone, there was certainly some kitty debauchery at your place! What a riot; they look pretty pleased.

'bug, I have to confess the iris pic was from last spring - everything in my yard is brown and gray now, nothing suitable for birthday cards.

Eden, good thoughts to you and your Mom. How frustrating not to know the test results, but explaining them in person does make sense. Sorry to hear about your Tim.

Cynthia, nice to see you here! Congrats on the addition to your family. I did read your story thread, I love it when your dogs tell stories.

Michelle that pic of the frost is beautiful, it looks like a magical ice world.

Norma, your ship is cool too. Clever of you to put the lettering on the boat!

Enjoyed seeing the pics of all the younger ones at Christmas. My DS (who is 9) has figured out the Santa thing this year, but he really did not want to let go. He still put out cookies and threw the reindeer food in the yard. On Christmas Eve he wanted to set up a "web-cam" in the living room to catch "him" coming down the fireplace to prove that he is real! My kids are so different - DD figured it out when she was 6, and asked us point-blank "Is there a Santa, or do the parents do it?" We told her the truth, along with a warning to keep the magic alive for her little brother. She accepted that, didn't really bat an eye, and never mentioned Santa again unless it was to talk to a younger kid that still believed.

Martie, I think we have the same village that you have (I had to go back and look at the pics again, I didn't notice it before). We only have 5 buildings, and a bunch of the little accessories. I showed DS your set-up with the "hills" under the white covering, he liked that.

I am listening to DD play the drums. My BIL, who has no children, bought her a drum set for Christmas. She is really enjoying it - the smile on her face when she plays is priceless. She and her friend that plays clarinet had a "jam session" this afternoon. They played "Mary Had a Little Lamb", with DD playing the song on bass drum and bass tom. DS said it sounded like "Mary Had a Giant Lamb".

The drum serenade is over for tonite, DD wants to go on ITunes and look for drum solos. She got an IPod for Christmas, and I have to say, that thing is amazing. It is a little bigger and thicker than a credit card. We loaded a foot-high stack of her CD's into the computer and onto her pod, and it is not even half-full. She has turned me on to podcasts, which I can listen to on the computer since I am podless. I found one by Ken Druse - I guess he has a show on satellite radio.

Have a great evening!

-Wendy

Boy you folks have been chatty today. Chelone, you crack me up with your "good chit". You sure you didn't go to HS with me?

Wendy, I got my DH an iPod for Christmas and he has turned into a podman. He's spent most of the last two days finding podcasts to download. I think he enjoys his new toy!

Monique, I forgot to add my birthday wishes last night! I hope you had a nice one. Here are my two favorite dogs to wish you many more:
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Eden, so sorry to hear about Tim. He was such a delightful chap. I did like Cynthia's card. I hope all goes well for your mom. How stressful to have to wait so long for the results. I once worked in an office where we would occassionally get wrong number calls for a doctor's office. One elderly gentleman called several times one day trying to get his test results. He didn't hear very well and wasn't understanding that he was calling the wrong number. We laughed that if he called one more time, we would tell him that we had the results and that he was pregnant. I did wonder if his hearing was so bad, how would he understand the results anyway?

Ei, I'm dropping in for the cheese platter also. It sounds lovely.

Oh yes, Chelone, after reading your catty captions, I think that you would understand why I occassionally call Mystic my "Misty-moo".

Now DH is teaching himself Spanish on his iPod... oh my.

Norma, I love the Chihuly boat. The colors are wonderful!

I know I'm forgetting ten other things that I should be saying, but I need to make a couple of phone calls. TTYL!

V.

Hey Wendy, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Lol, Drums huh? How neat.
She will really enjoy them I bet. Your DS sounds like he has a great sense of humor.
I was thinking I would like an ipod myself.

Chelone,nice photo essay of the kitty "partah"

Gb, how nice you could barter with friends and both get what you need. I think we are all looking forward to your family get together too. It means more fun pictures I hope.

N

Here's one of the ten things I forgot.

My nephew brough his PlayStation over on Christmas Day and we all had some good laughs playing Guitar Hero. You get a mini guitar with colored buttons on the fret, and you need to press the right button and strum at the right time - sort of like karaoke meets air guitar. I modestly must say that I was the best of the "grownups" and definitely got the most "style points" from the audience. What a riot! My son is worried that I will go out and buy my own!!!

Wendy, maybe there's a drum version out there?

V.

OK, where the hell is Marian?!

I "figgered fer sure" she'd have surfaced by now...

Can you hear me??? lol, Norma.

You guys crack me right up... never fails! ;)

DH very sweetly offered to take me out to eat tonight.

Eden, good thoughts and prayers for your mom and for your peace of mind.

V, funny but I have actually just recently played the Guitar Hero. Our DSIL has it. Neither Rick or I were very good.

Norma, the boat is fantastic, what an idea. The Mayo Clinic where Rick has doctored with his neck has 13 Chihuly chandeliers. It really is amazing.

Wendy, LOL on the webcam and Santa. Now thats tradition meeting modern technology.

Chelone, what fun to see the cats partying around the Christmas tree.

Martie, Id love to see a picture of your village.

Long time no see: )
The whirlwind of activity is slowing finally.
Chris' interview was long but very promising....and naturally they will make him wait until after the new year for results. I will let you know either way.

Michelle...you made me lol...yes,just how *did* I go from Martha to Nurse Ratchet-just when you think you know a person. Funny thing is that for Christmas I recieved a new KitchenAid mixer...Martha with nurse Ratchet undertones?

I am so sorry for Jerri's loss. I've been there too-my dad had a rare dementia. We lost him eight years before he actually died-it's no easier the second time. Give yourself time-you will still grieve the same even though you are relieved she is whole again. I can tell you I am grateful she went as peacefully as she did-that is a blessing. Hugs Jerri-always feel free to email me if you need a shoulder.

Oh Eden: ( I loved Timmy! Hope you guys are doing OK-hugs to you too!

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Monique I hope it was happy and fun like you: )

I miss all of you-hopefully I can finish getting all my thoughts out to y'all.

Chelone what the hell are you feeding your cats??!lol

~Babs
PS-Ei! The tree above is our Canaan fir...I'll fill you in more next time I come back...sorry-it's movie night! Where's the wine....better go before Chris flies over this cuckoo's nest; ) [I have no idea what that meant but It seemed right to say...no wine yet either!--that's scary]

Wait-forgot to say-I loved the pic of Sue Monique and Deanne! What a fun time you had: )

I'm going now-really.

Really I am

Ok I'll go---bye!

I am just mesmerized. This group can go from zero to 60 in 2 seconds flat! [g] No way can I read all these posts tonight or respond to everyone's stories, as much as I would like to. And all the photos! Let's see, kiddies, dogs, cats, food, Christmas trees,Christmas decorations, Christmas presents, I think I saw twin babies, more cats, more dogs, then we start in with flowers of every kind, along with butterflies and lest we forget, frost crystals, a squirrel, a dish of nuts and a canoe filled with balloons...lol. All of which I have found fascinating as I checked in throughout the day.

I'll come back tomorrow and try to catch up. Not that I have anything fascinating to add..lol. Nice to see everyone feeling up to posting and enjoying what's left of the holiday. I will say I am now missing having a cat and a dog..lol. It has been about 8 years since we had a dog and haven't had a cat in 25 years due to allergies in the house. I am also amazed at how well you all know your way around a computer and software programs. Lovely garden photos people have been sharing.

Quite a group! :-)
pm2

Chelone, here's a picture of my cats in that same condition after opening their "treats" last Christmas...

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Eden

Good morning, everyone!

Will get a pic or two of the Village up later today. Ky sets it up so all kudos to him for arrangement.

Thanks, Chelone, for filling in the missing pieces for PM2 re: January 6. We'll be burning together :-)

I want to be an Idyll cat in my "next life" and go live where the owners grow the Good Stuff. LOL

Those babies are precious, T. Such little men!

Eden - (((you))) and (((your mom))) to grant patience. I'm an advocate of Dr.'s offices with results calling to say: "Be here in a few hours" rather than making people wait. When my mom had her kidney out it took 10 days for them to tell her everything was AOK and that all Cx was gone. Those ten days could've been better spent, but I understand the necessity of it all.

Hi Babs, Wendy, and other Idyllers who popped in.

Running, this morning, but not before I say to Sue -- Didn't see the wave but up in 213 I'm sure the entire hall heard us. Rock on!!! Where on Franklin Ave??? (The best Italian food in all of CT, IMHO>)

Martie

T, where did those adorable little boy babies come from!? I guess I've missed a lot. They look like an Anne Geddes photo with those faces.

I see Babs has a new career and the boys grew up too.

Wendy, this cracked me up:
"My BIL, who has no children, bought her a drum set for Christmas..."

Looking at Sunrise and Midnight (am I close on the names?) I can't tell which one is the puppy anymore.

Eden, your Mom has a strong and supportive family and that's one of the most important things with any illness. (That statement has no scientific basis at all, I made it up but I know it's true.)

I really am sorry to here that Tim has gone. He was such an remarkable little thing and I loved his story. I was actually thinking about him a few days ago when I found one in the street at the end of my driveway and moved him with a shovel to the woods where I buried him with leaves.

Remember Finnegan? Finnegan

Charlotte and Minou and Meetoo look gorgeous in the sunlight! Chelone your cats reminded me of the friend who found a bag of marijuana when she was walking her dogs. I'm convinced it was catnip but she flushed it before I could test :-)

Fritz had a nice date with the potential adopter yesterday. I think he'd be a good match for her since he's a mellow boy. I brought the spinning chatty Katie down for a while so that she could see just how mellow that boy is. I think she's meeting to more greys this week and then will decide. He's been here two weeks and when I got up this morning he had pulled one of the dining room curtains into his crate. It got pretty ripped up with all the pulling. Agh. Those curtains are 6 years old and I can't replace just one panel.

This is just another good reason to move the dog crates to the cellar. There's a big finished room down there that's the warmest room in the house. Also has good light and I'd really like to have my dining room back. But I want to clean the whole cellar before I start moving crates down. Moving the crates will be the reward for getting it ALL done? I may get a fridge for down there too. Katie and Dannie do raw and I could free up space in kitchen by moving all of the food and Monty's dry bags down cellar.

Where are the Christmas pictures of Sue's two? And where's Rahji!!! Deanne????

Vacation is going by too fast. Hi to all....

Cynthia

Morning all,

Looks like we are finally going to get a bit of sunshine here today. About time! I'm feeling like I've been living in a cave for the last two weeks or so.

Eden, I'm terribly sorry to hear about Tim. That's so sad. I know how much you enjoyed his antics. That's awful. ~~ Also, I'm hoping for only good news for your Mom. I hope you both to try not to worry too much.

V. great to hear from you! I'd love to have been a fly on the wall to see you playing air guitar. LOL Sounds like it was a lot of fun. ~~ RE MIL, blow it off. You cannot ever please a preson like that. She is looking for fault because of her own issues. No matter what you do it will never be the right thing.

Welcome PM2, you've jumped in with both feet!

T, the twins are adorable.

Babs, how very neat to hear from you. I miss your posts. Glad you could drop by. ~~ BTW, how the heck do you grow lisianthus? I've never had any luck with it. It blooms a bit then fades away for me.

Wendy, drums? OMG ~~ BTW I've got some plants here with your name on them. I'm going to need to make room sometime soon so we need to plan to get together for lunch or something.

Loving all the sassy cats photos!

Norma, I use a combination of programs for the photo cards, I edit the pics in Corel Photopaint 11 and add the fancy frames with something called ArtBorders. I found it online and it had a library of fancy frames. Lots of fun to use.

Sue, what is that chartreuse plant to the front of the iris? looks like some kind of veronica but I've not seen one that color. Beautiful.

OK I've got to run and take some of the chunks off this house. I inherited the ham bone from the Christmas Eve dinner and we are having company for ham and pea soup Friday night. The house is a disaster and I need to so some cleaning and perhaps get that ham bone boiled down today.

Hello to everyone I've missed, sorry if I missed anyone but there was way too much to catch up on.

Deanne

PS Oh yes, Luke asked that I not show this photo of him being so undignified but since this is a 'Tell All about our Cats' thread I thought I'd show how Luke sleeps of a dose of catnip

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G'morning - loving the pics as usual.

Like Kathy, Im debating the "fun" of cleaning 3 bathrooms all at once or attempting to conquer the utility/garden room -- eeks - cant even get in thru the door at present. But me thinks I need some more shelving so perhaps instead I should go (again) shopping for shelving instead? LOL, nothing like avoiding work by shopping, eh? Decisions, decisions.

The week has flown by and I can't believe I have done so little on the to-do list....been chillin too much!

Great to hear from Nurse Ratchet at last ... Glad things are a-ok with you.

Cynthia -- heehee - by the time you have your basement re-equipped sounds like it will be an apartment! or you could rent it out? Hope you conquer the camera problem so we can see more recent pics of all. I had a TV & toaster oven die the week of Xmas -- it's amazing how those things seem to know when it's too late for gift ideas. The computer here too is on death's door; hence quickie posts before it freezes. Drat.

Chelone -- aside from the sated cats pics that have me rollin, I love that you have numerous nicknames for your "kids" -- have you ever counted how many "other" names they have? DD & I counted 28 sillies for our last (Frosty) -- my precious Chloe seems to only have 15... maybe I've become last creative -- but we're all animal nuts aside from gardenfiends arent we?

Well, have to get into some real re-organizing here so best decide about shelves, etc.

We have sunny and 50s here today - not bad; Im almost tempted to be distracted and go weed; but better try to accomplish at least 2 things on "The List"! Pleasant day all.

-Cindy

Missing a Christmas report from Ms Saucy!

Wet white stuff falling from above...

I should be in the kitchen, but my knittting needles seemed more exciting.

My whole gang should be here at midnite tomorrow. Am I excited???

Phew! I think I am caught up on reading and know what's going on in everyone's lives. So much better to be caught up with that than caught up with housework!

We leave tomorrow morning to visit friends for three days, so I will get behind once again (or even more if you are thinking about housework!) We have very vague plans for New Year's Eve and I have no idea what to pack.

No snow here; in fact, we worked in the woods this morning and I was without my jacket most of the morning since it was warm. I even pulled some dame's rocket since the ground is not frozen. There's only about 4.5 million more to pull... The good news is that we are making great progress in removing the honeysuckle and buckthorn. My winter tree id skills keep improving all the time!

prairiemoon, I don't think I've said a proper welcome to you yet, so - welcome! I'm glad you jumped in. I'm also glad to see Cynthia posting again - I've missed you!

Marie, you should have a wonderful time with your DD and family. The sweater turned out great.

Well, we have a lot of vague plans that need to be firmed up and details nailed down. so I guess I'd better get to that. DH and DS are getting ready for a "boys night out" with the uncles and cousins and the clothing decisions are pretty funny here.

V.

Woo-hah ! Who knew that our Chelone was running a kitty opium den ! I've never seen such a giant jug of catnip in my life ! (uhh-it is catnip right ?)

Cynthia, I had never seen the Finnegan pics, they are awesome! Thanks for posting..

Hope you all have a great Friday ! I'm a working girl again so will just drop in till the weekend..

Kathy in the Napa Valley

Thanks for the additional photo cards for my birthday! Hubby told me that he'll take me out for lunch on Saturday to celebrate since we spent the afternoon at Animal Control on Tuesday.

Ok, the cat photos are very cute. Not as cute as all the dog photos, but close :o)

Cythia, loved the Finnegan story and photos.

Martie, I think they were out of The Path Hibiscus at Logees last January, so I bought a Hibiscus Morning Glory (pink and white), but it only made it a couple of days. We do keep it fairly chilly during the middle of the night in our house-55 degrees minimum. In contrast, the two Gardenias I bought are still going strong. They were outside for the summer and I cut them back before bringing them in for the cool season. Gardenias dont mind our chilly nighttime temps. The Rex Begonia I bought is also doing well. BTW, I forced a couple of Hyacinths one year in Hyacinth jars by keeping them in the garage. So, the following year, I tried to force a whole bunch of Hyacinths so I could have at least one flower in bloom for weeks and weeks. So, I bought more Hyacinth jars (should have got them cheaper on Ebay in retrospect), filled them with water, popped bulbs in the upper part, put them in a large cooler surrounded by newspaper in the garage. Well, it was a really cold winter. I checked on them mid-winter and all the jars had cracked from freezing. Upsetting to say the least. I should have put them in our extra fridge in the basement, huh? Live and learn.

Chelone, IMO Rally Obedience is much more fun than traditional Obedience. In Rally you can talk to your dog the whole time whereas you can only usually give one command in traditional. Yes, NOVICE Rally Obedience is done on leash. Otherwise, Ollie might not have gotten his AKC title. His attention span is very short and having him on leash helped. However, the next level up, Advanced Rally is off leash. I practice with him every few days, but still am not sure he would pay full attention to me or hubby in the ring. That is why I turned to Agility. If he has to be off leash I thought that running in Agility would hold his attention more. Hes had classes in obedience and agility, so were trying to home school at the moment. Heres the website for AKC Rally and then for the RallyO signs.

http://www.akc.org/events/rally/index.cfm

http://www.akc.org/pdfs/rulebooks/ROR999.pdf

Good really dark morning. Just a small hint of light in the eastern sky. No snow, either, and economically the area is feeling it. Ski areas have quit trying to make snow and the landscapers who depend on plowing income are having a very tough year. I have bulbs popping up all over the place. Very odd and a little unsettling ...

Anyhoo - Village pics will be in a few days. Camera is at a job site but when it comes home I'll take plenty.

So sorry about your jars, Monique! I tried not to laugh, because I've done things like that, too. Most recent was putting a little conifer gift from a client directly above a heat vent. Toast. What are we thinking sometimes? I've found that baby food jars work as well as "real" jars and if you choose carefully, you get dessert in the process :-) I've never been able to keep a Gardenia going for longer than the bought bloom. Good for You!

Deanne -- "chunks off the house" ????? Can't imagine your house not being in shape for friends/company. How are the fish? Thought of you while savoring a homemade Minestrone soup brought in by a coworker. Perfect Deanne food.

Is everyone habititating "Kidsvilles" still recovering?

T. -- Your twins really helped a friend, yesterday. She's pregnant with twins and in her 6th month. Why is the 6th month always a drag for expectant moms? Delivery seems so far away and you feel big and tired and like it'll never end. So, I pulled up the pics of J & J and reminded her that in the end, this is what she'll have. Got a bit of a smile out of her. Those babies are blessings in more ways than they'll ever know!

Sue -- Good to have a tentative date for the open garden tour. Both are on my calendar.

Marie - You must be ready to burst. Pic of DD in sweater, please :-)

Have been going through catalogs and am a bit taken back by some of the pricing. I expected increases and understand increased costs, but $22. for a Shasta Daisy seems a bit much, yes? Even a new hybrid? Since I don't jump all over the "new and exciting" stuff and my budget won't allow for such purchases, all bought plants will be the tried and true this year with a few extras thrown in.

Veggie garden planning is well underway and the DN's (dear neighbors) teacher signed off on their plan. I wish Rich needed sign off as well as he's got about 50 varieties of stuff he wants and "really, really needs." LOL Of all people on earth, I should understand this but since this is the first time he's veggie gardened in about 40 years, he's forgetting that plants grow fruit that needs to be cared for. I'm envisioning a farm stand going up on the cul-de-sac and many extra trips to the food pantry. It could be something worse, right?? Remind me I said that in August.

Today will be low key at work. I am so incredibly grateful for the past year in this "new" job venture. Amazing clients, great roads to drive, fantastic boss, effective product, and I learn something every single day. Those of us who worked this week will be having a little soire'.

Best to everyone!

Martie

Up early here. Yes Martie, ready to burst! At the moment I've turned the oven on to CLEAN mode. Next the litter box situation needs handling. Then maybe I'll get dressed and prepare for a morning of haircut, last minute errands and gifts. This afternoon, kitchen duty. Tonight, trip to the airport!
All the beds are made up, excitement is in the air! DS's stuffed pet alligator from about 1975, Allie, is waiting for DGS on his bed. A pile if DD's old books are at his bedside too. DS installed his old swing ("It's only on loan!") in the barn for him too.
There's a bit of confectioner's sugar on the ground outdoors this morning...
I'd better check the camera battery, right?
Hugs to all. You never know what burden others might be carrying. (((( ))))
'bug

Yes, that IS catnip, Kathy. The helpmeet grows it for them every year. Some years they "prune" the living daylights out of the plants periodically, others they don't seem to bother them at all. Even the matriarch, Floey, likes to get into the Christmas act (she's the tiger "bunnykicking" the present).

I had completely forgotten about Finnegan, Cynthia. It was fun to go back through all the pictures. How's the new "apartment" coming along? I was noting that the grey squirrels in this area are really grey; they don't have the hint of brown that Timmy did (there was a dead one on the road when Rex and I returned from the golf course). Interesting.

Speaking of rodents, it is VOLE CENTRAL around here! The cats average at least one/day and the characteristic "halfpipes" they use to travel are everywhere. The fringes of the golf course are full of them. I was fascinated watching the hawks while we were out. They'd soar overhead, circling, and then wing off, returning with great regularity.

Monique, if you're up to it, let us know what Animal Control said. I read 'bug's linked newspaper story with horror. I'm with you, a 16 month old dog that shows that sort of aggression toward a human is truly frightening. What must their owners have done/not done to allow that behavior to bubble to the surface? (Rex was just about that age when we got him, had been through 2 homes and 3 shelters.) And once more, the Rottweiler breed gets the black mark. This dusturbs me particularly because it is humans that have selectively bred for specific characteristics/traits. The goal was a powerful, intelligent, dog with a bold personality. And they are all those things. But just like GSD, Dobermans, and other working dogs they need a firm and calm hand to train. And, sadly, as their popularity grew, sound breeding practices went out the window; and to what result? dogs with genetic predisposition to unsoundness, and dogs of questionable personality that were frequently not neutered/spayed and were used to increase the breed population to meet "consumer demand". Sigh.

I laughed out loud at Luke in his fleece nest. I don't think there's anything that epitomizes "relaxed" more than a cat who's "out like a light". :)

Nicknames... oh yeah, we have a TON of them. And here's the other aspect of the nickname thing, we use a different tone of voice for each of the animals when using them. Friends who don't have pets look at us as though we've lost the last of our marbles, but then are amazed to see them respond.

Our bird is sick. Larry is 17 years old and has an infection. He went to the vet. yesterday and has an antibiotic, but he's not eating well and isn't drinking much, either. We'll hard boil an egg, clean his cage, and see if we can't tempt him into a meal. He is approaching the end of his lifespan and this may well be "it" for the little guy. :/ .

I have to pay some bills today, balance two checking accounts, and maybe I'll do some cleaning, too. MAYBE. :)

Okay...I am caught up! Phew! Have to speed this up though, have to get going in a few minutes.

What's boxing day? Christmas in Canada?

Norma...thanks for all your comments on the snowy scene photo, bird ornament and camera. Yes, I am sure I will be boring you with tons of photos soon enough..lol I was going to ask how you got balloons in your boat, [g] until I read further and saw the chihuly chandeliers that michelle posted. I guess it is an artist I am unfamiliar with. Quite unusual and fun. :-) BTW, what is the significance of screen name?

GBug....hope your day goes by fast, waiting for your family to arrive. Looking forward to lots of photos soon. :-)
BTW, Loved the photo of Charlotte on that pretty rug. Also LOVED the photo of your roses and foxglove on your BD card to Monique! Can you share the name of the rose and the foxglove? I also loved the card, what software program are you using? No need to answer until company is all gone home. :-)

babs clare...what are you going to be using the mixer for? Are you a baker? Loved your photo of the children with the Christmas tree. Very pretty scene. :-)

deanne....thanks for the welcome. Nice to meet another fellow New Englander. Yes, I am ready to be done with these gray days. Looking for sunshine today too!

veronicastrum.....Thanks for the welcome, nice to meet you and are you actually living on a prairie? .....loved your dog photos...That guitar playing game sounded like fun, actual musicians in your house? Sorry to hear you have all that honeysuckle and buckthorn in the woods. What a job! Would love to see photos of your work there and progress you are making. How large an area is it?

martie....thanks for the explanation for the bulbs. It actually sounds much easier than I thought. I am going to have to try to find some bulbs at the store this weekend. One a day, great idea. :-) I wouldn't have room in our fridge and I sometimes wish I had a second fridge in the basement to do something like that. I am sure I would forget to take them out too. lol You have bulbs outside popping up already? I will have to check mine. I am just starting to go thru the catalogs too. I have been in sticker shock for a couple of years with plant prices. Growing from seed more and even those are very expensive. I did see a 'collection' of shasta daisies in the Bluestone catalog for $18 or so. I think it was 6 plants. I will have to compare notes on what your husband is planning in the veggie garden next year. He sounds excited.

eden.....Your photo to Monique very pretty...that hibiscus...is so pretty, but is it growing and blooming in that small container and at such a small size? Is that a coleus and huechera growing in the pot with it?....loved your cat photo. :-) Sorry you and your Mom have to wait until the 5th! I also feel that is too long for them to ask you to suffer over it. So stressful waiting to know. I hope it goes by fast. :-)

cynthia...nice to meet you, too. :-) I would love to start digging out our cellar soon too. I don't want to call the furnace company to come, it is so packed with junk down there! Love your cat's name...very nicie that you foster dogs. Is Fritz a grayhound? ..love the photo w the pink coat....Can't believe your dog pulled the curtain into the crate. What they will do to entertain themselves. [g] Katie and Dannie are your children? We don't do raw, but we do eat a lot of raw fruits and veggies and we juice. I know what you mean, the fridge is always packed. I keep prodding DH for a fridge for basement, but so far..he is holding out.

cindy..pretty hellebores :-)

just t...twin grandbabies...Jake and Josiah...love the photo and the names..

Ei...putting in a floor in? What kind? ....husband used to say that to our kids...'put hair on your chest'. They still laugh about it. Your cheese platter sounded so good...fig spread? I think my DH has tried that before and liked it. I will have to get some again.

michelle ...Loved the photo of the chihuly chandeliers!

monique....very surprised that your family manages to remember your BD in the Christmas rush season. Poor brother though. That is a switch!

Kathy...pretty rose photo :-) I am not surprised that you and BIL went down the stairs too. Who could resist, when kids enthusiasm is so infectious. [g] Your story reminded me of a time my brother and I tried that down a very long stairway in a sleeping bag. I think you were very smart to use a mattress! lol Wow, the bruises and bumps lasted awhile. We didn't try that again. lol I bought my DD an A540 for Christmas. She hasn't used it yet though. I got an A630 and just love it so far. I have heard good things about both cameras. I'll let you know when she starts using it, how she likes it.

wendy...drums? It sounds like you have some musical kids at your house. I would be thinking up an interesting gift to give BIL next year though. [g] Son got ipod for Christmas. Also wanted to put all his CDs on it. Seemed to be the gift to give/get this year.

So the catalogs are arriving. What are your favorite? I usually order seeds, more than plants? Last year I liked the prices and quality at FEDCO seeds in ME.

We managed to go to one sale and picked up a new cedar window box at half price and another new pot on sale too. I didn't really need a new one, but if I buy just one new one every year, I think that is reasonable.

The birds have come back to the feeders. :-)

No time to review or spellcheck. [g] I'm sure I missed something...sorry. Have a great day! :-) pm2

TGIF!

Hello to all! Sorry I haven't been able to keep up as well as I'd like. It's just a very busy time at work and will be now til at least the middle of February. My boss is out today so it's like a vacation day for me. Yesterday I got the bulk of the invitations in the mail for Tom's party. Hopefully they won't send any confirmations or contracts to the house. Perhaps I'd better call.

Monique, what sort of luck did you have with animal control? I know people who have had dogs killed by other dogs and unfortunately had little recourse beyond taking some sort of legal action. It appears that there are fairly strict laws for dogs who attack humans but when it comes to attacking dogs the laws can be non existent. At any rate, I agree with Chelone about there being no bad breeds, just bad breeders. People exploit inherent personality traits of certain dog breeds. Our friends have three rottweilers in their immediate family. All three were at their Christmas Eve party milling around with the guests including toddlers. Two have been trained to respond to hand signals. The third wishes she was a lap dog...lol. Our friends actually returned a rottie puppy to a breeder once because she started growling at people the first day they brought her home. They went to a different breeder and the one they ended up with is a marshmallow.

Chelone, I was LOLOL at the stoned kitty shots. It looks like you all are better pet parents than me when it comes to picture taking. My rats need to be groomed right now. I cancelled their appointment Tuesday night because I had that concert event going on. So far the date has not been rescheduled.

Marie, enjoy your time with family.

Martie, we had dinner at a place called Chef Eugene's on Franklin Ave. It's not a place I would pick on my own but one of the guys I work with knows the owner. Not alot of ambience but the food is fabulous.

Deanne the plant in Monique's BD shot is the spring foliage of Caryopteris Worcester Gold. At the rate the weather is going around here, stuff is going to blooming by February.

OK, gotta trot of and get some work done before my lunch date.

Sue

A quick good morning here,

There is sunshine and there are birds outside, the camera is calling my name. Lately it has been no birds with sun or no light and lots of birds. Ive got to take advantage of the light and opportunity this AM.

Yes, Martie, this house needs a thorough cleaning, LOL. Ive caught a miserable cold and havent felt like keeping up with things. Also Ive though I should take some time off from everything and just chill out so that is what Ive done this week.

Sue, thanks for the info on that plant. I know Ive loved it in all seasons. Im going to have to find a place to plant that one. I hope I can do better with it than I have with Caryopteris in the past.

PM2, I just caught that you are a New Englander! (Where have I been?) Cool! You should come up to our February Thumb our Noses at Winter Party. Last year, Sue, Tom, Monique, Les, Wendy and V made it and a good time was had by all.

Chelone glad the Lukie gave you a laugh.~~ Sorry that Larry is sick. Thats sad. I hope he gets better.

GB, Ill bet you cant wait to get to the airport tonight!!! Have a great time with your family!

Monique, so glad that Les is going to take you out for an alternate Birthday Lunch.

OK Im out of here, off to make soup, clean house and take a few bird photographs.

Deanne

Good Morning Idylls, I'm in a subdued and contemplative mood this morning. Life is feeling like a very fragile thing to me this week for various reasons. News on my mom is that my dad threw a bit of a fit with the Drs. office and the Dr. was able to see her late yesterday afternoon. The test picked up a shadow on her spine and they don't know what it is but she'll have two MRIs next week to check it out. She sounded relieved to know more of what's going on when I talked to her last night.

Prairiemoon, that picture is from early in the season last summer before the container gardens started filling in. I have the hibiscus under lights in the basement now, being neglected with all of the other tropicals. Poor things! I think that coleus is Peter Wonder and the heuchera is Key Lime Pie.

Marie, it does my heart good to hear your excitement and about all the special preparations for dgs. Enjoy your family and make some great memories while they're visiting. I can't wait to hear all about it.

Michelle, I'm sorry to hear about you losing one of your kitties.

Deanne, feel better soon. The soup will do you good.

Chelone, I'm so sorry that Larry's sick. I hope he's able to recover and be with you a while longer. The squirrels around here are grayer in the winter when they have their winter coats on. They do vary though. We have one that comes to the feeder that looks like a strawberry blonde, lol.

Babs, what a great picture of the boys, can't believe how they're growing up, especially AJ!

I'm going to go read Bella a couple of stories before morning naptime. Today's Brad's and my 28th anniversary. He's working a lot this week though, 12 hour days so we'll celebrate it over New Years.

Big hugs to those that need them today!

TTYL, Eden

A tough morning here as I filled 4 bowls with kitty food but there were only 3 kitties to serve breakfast to. Mikey died peacefully last night. I found him curled up with his eyes closed on Katie's pillow when I went to the bedroom at 11:30. I put him in the greenhouse for the night, and then worried that he would 'wake up' so went back out to check. I felt about 6 years old last night :-) Better this morning, but then I automatically filled all of those food bowls :-(

{{gwi:190551}}

Remember Idy and his Idyll creator?:
{{gwi:190553}}

I'll find a spot in the garden for him today. Funny how we deal with things. I searched the web for causes of 'sudden death' and then searched (and cleaned!) all of the cat boxes at 3AM looking for 'a sign.' In between I was checking the other kitties, (all older than Mikey), to make sure they were all ok.

____________________________

I've forced bulbs in pots outdoors that are buried in leaves up against the back of the house. That provides enough chill and the pots won't break because they're in a little micro climate of leaves and foundation.

Luke! I forgot to ask about him before, remembering the athletic and silly Rahjii instead. Both beautiful boys.

I support 'Dangerous Owner' laws over Danger Dog laws, or Breed specific bans. It's all about the owner and what actions he or she does not take when dealing with any dog. In Maryland, a dog can be labeled dangerous if it kills or inflicts severe unprovoked injury on another dog.

Cindy, please tell me your hellebore photo is from LAST spring :-) The Hellebore foetidus have been blooming here for a week now. I love their shapes and shades of green-ness. But the orientalis won't start budding for months here.

Martie & Sue and others working this week, I feel for you when so many of us are off and enjoying...uh...housework.

Cynthia

Another rainy day here unbelievable weather. Fortunately we seem to be missing all the snow.

Eden, Im sorry to hear that your moms scan wasnt perfectly clean. I hope the shadow isnt a serious sign. Happy Anniversary to you and Brad!

Cynthia, ((hugs)) Sorry to hear about Mikey. Thanks for the Finnegan link how precious.

Deanne, that pic of Luke is hilarious. We wont tell him you showed it to us ;o) Im looking forward to some bird pictures.

Babs, you will love the mixer. I got one a few years ago. What a great picture of the boys with that beautiful tree. Did you cut it down yourselves?

PM2, we love photos here and surely wont be bored. Youre right, this is a very interesting forum and you never know what you will see or read here.

Chelone, I didnt realize Rex was part Rottweiler. The dog we have now and our last one were both Rottweiler/lab. Cody was a male who weighed in at 100 lbs. but what a pussy cat. Jaden is a female and much smaller and so very sweet. Sorry to hear that Larry is ailing.

Bug, definitely check those camera batteries we demand pictures ;o) Have fun!

Sue, Ricks 60th is coming up but hes pretty adamant about not having a big party. I think that it will end up being just family. Although, that could be nearly 30 people.

Michelle

Cynthia, so sorry about Mikey. How old was he?

Eden, hoping that the shadow on your mom's spine turns out to be no big deal. Glad your dad spoke up-I think it is awful to make people wait such a long time for results.

Regarding dogs, I definitely do NOT support breed specific bans that we hear so much about these days. The AKC does not support them either. The owners have to be responsible and do what is right. If they don't, then there should be stricter laws about individual dogs.

I'm very sorry to hear about Mikey, Cynthia. It's so sad when a family member dies. :( On our property we have buried 3 cats, 3 parakeets, one dog, and spread the ashes of 2 others. We have markers for the cats, a shrub for the dog, and lots of bulbs.

Sometimes you have to make a bit of scene when dealing with the medical establishment. It's hard for them; they have to be "detached" to be objective about things, but too often they fail to appreciate the very real toll the stress of waiting exacts on the patient. My best thoughts are sent your way and your Mom's way. Very often what looks suspicious on one "picture" is cleared up with a more in-depth look. Try to relax and keep a positive outlook.

I'm another one who objects to breed specific bans. It's just so unfair and it really misses the real issue, which is owner responsibility. Our neighbor right next door has an American Stafforshire Terrier (nearly the same thing as a Pit Bull). Bentley is a creampuff. He is always on his leash, but he and Rex have played together a few times and they get on famously. He's a wonderful dog; much loved.

Rex isn't part Rottie (he's shepherd/bull mastiff). But there is a Rottie/Bull Mastiff cross at a local convenience store who is a total creampuff, too. And, like Sue, I've known a few Rottweilers that have been wonderful dogs. The real issue here is OWNER RESPONSIBILITY. And Woody nailed it on the other thread... isolate and confine a dog, esp. one with a predisposition to defensiveness, and what do you get?! DUH, it's a no-brainer. And the owners must be held accountable.

I've been a good do-bee with respect to bills and financial matters, not nearly so assiduous in my attention to general housekeeping (though I did manage to roll $160 worth of change!). Have to make lunch for Mum now.

Just back from my walk with Rex to learn that Larry Bird is no more...

He is now bulb fertilizer for a bunch of Mt. Hood narcissus.

Very sad... in a house that is very quiet. He lived with us for nearly 17 1/2 years and is the last link with my apartment over the fabric shop... it all seems so very long ago now.

:(

Hi there! Just time for a quick note. It is so good to see so many posts when I checked in!

The twins' parents caught the horrible stomach/intestinal virus going around and it also appears that the twins have a touch of it, too. Wednesday morning I received an S.O.S. phone call from DD that she was too ill to care for the boys and would I come quickly to help. The 'bug' hit hard and fast. I spent the night as it was obvious that she wouldn't be able to take care of the twins the next day when her DH went to work....but in the wee hours of the morning, my SIL was hit hard (and quick) by the virus, so he had to call into work sick. I felt a bit overwhelmed in helping 2 adults that are using toilets and buckets at the same time.......and two little tykes that are feeling a 'bit' off. The doctor's office told us what to keep an eye on for the boys and, thankfully, they did not get it as bad as their parents did. They asked me to spend another night to help them out, but I headed home at 10PM last night when I thought I was coming down with it. My DD was recovered enough that she thought she could handle taking care of the boys by herself ... so I drove home quickly. I still have not gotten it, so I feel guilt over leaving her (the boys were very fussy all night and she is still having some symptoms). I spoke with her about 8 this morning and she sounded awful, the boys screaming in the background (I interrupted their breakfast)...but at 10:30 she was sounding much more like herself. Her hubby is still quite ill and she is weak, but on the road to recovery. This is one nasty bug!! Jamie was down with it for 2.5 days, finally feeling like eating when he awoke this morning. From what Jamie's doctor's office said, this is hitting the entire USA hard and is very contagious. :o(

I'm so sorry to read about Tim's death... (((Eden))), and Mikey's passing (((Cynthia))), Larry's illness, Ollie being attacked again,.......and especially was concerned about Eden's mother when I read that post. I'm glad she was able to see the doctor sooner and prayers being said for her here. I hope I didn't miss anything...if I did, it is not intentional.

Update on the 'critters' here....Claude is feeling his age and not venturing out into the pasture with the other goats each time when they go. He still does go out to eat, but he is slower to leave the shelter in the mornings and he is lagging behind as they graze. It is always sad to watch them age and slow down. The goat, that Boo stepped on, has never regained full use of his leg. He will walk on it occasionally, but quite often he is only using 3 legs. We never could find a 'sore' area so didn't believe it was broken, but it has been long enough that muscle damage should have healed. Poor guy. The other 3 goats (Tall, Wide and Caramel) are doing fine, as is Boo. I'm sure that was important for you to read (about the goats & horse's injuries/health, LOL).

I got a kick out of seeing the kitties all tuckered out from their o.d. on catnip....our old kitty never has seemed to be interested in catnip, although we have had others, over the years, who haven gone ballistic whenever they've gotten a catnip toy.

I did get my new zoom lens (Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM, if anyone is camera geek enough to be interested ;o) ). I've not gotten a chance to play with it yet.

DH began tearing down the hay/storage shed that has been in my photos (down in front of the house). It began as a shelter for the horses years back, then it turned into a hay shed, then the extra bits and pieces of junk/treasures began being stored in there..... DH is dismantling it and putting it back up out in the pasture. We'll add to it and make a much nicer shelter/feeding station for the animals.

Well, I've spent over two hours in trying to get this written, I keep getting interrupted. I'm just going to give up and quit trying to write more.

Hello to all!!

Well, this isn't turning out to be a very happy week petwise here on the Idylls. I'm sorry to hear about Larry, Chelone. It will be hard to get used to the quiet after having him for so long. That's very sad.

T, I hope you don't catch that bug. We were all together here Chrismas eve and day and Jen came down with it Christmas night but none of the rest of us have gotten it so there's hope for you. It is a nasty bug, Jen still isn't back to normal but she's feeling stronger every day. I always think these bugs are worse during warm winters. I don't know if that's really true... I'm glad the goats are all ok.

Bet Marie's just waiting for that plane to land, only a few more hours now!

The new PDN catalog is out. Check out the link below. I want that plant!!

Eden

My Molly passed away this afternoon. She was 10.
Here is Molly with Zach. They were both loved very much.

{{gwi:164040}}

Jerri

Oh no, Jerri! What terrible news and I'm so sorry to hear it. There's no doubt they were very loved, knowing you. How are you doing? It's been such a rough week for you.

What I came back to say was that Smith & Hawken has the little greenhouse that I have on sale. It's only half the price I payed for mine a couple of years ago and well worth it. I'm positive that Deanne needs one!

Eden

Oh my goodness. Tim and Mikey and Larry and Molly and Michelle's kitty are all together in Pet-Idyll land. I hope it's warm and sunny there. I am so sorry to all who have lost their precious pets this week.

T, I've been waiting for the updates on the goat's and horses health, that's actually why I'm back. Well that, and the Elk updates. I hope they maintain their health and you yours. Just how wide is Tall? You are an awesome mom and grand mom :-)

Good heavens!!!

Jerri, I am so sorry to read about your kitty. You've had a very rough month! Sending you good thoughts!

Chelone....sorry to read about your bird not making it.

Eden, I'm glad Jen is feeling better---hope no one else in the family picks it up. It seems like they would have the symptoms by now if they were exposed at the same time Jen was or had 'gotten' it from her.

I've not called my daughter again, I didn't want the phone to bother them if the boys were napping and they were taking advantage to nap also.

DH has a nice fire going in the family room, but this room is too darn cold to sit here any longer. I guess I could start a fire in the living room woodstove, but it is easier to go sit near the fam. room stove and warm up there. ;o)

T.

Yeah, Jerri, I want to know how YOU are doing. Losing your kitty must be like a swift kick in the gut... I'm so sorry.

Seems as though there're a lot of us out there feeling the pang of loss... . But it'll be OK, because it HAS to be... if it isn't we'd all wither up and blow away. (((HUGS))) to all my cyper friends who are missing someone the love. This is precisely why I've liked this forum so much, even when I've not had the energy to participate with any real gusto.

Larry is bulb food in the makin'. We "planted" him in proximity to the Viburnum we planted in the fall. He was just starting to get stiff, but I made an effort to close his eyes. We kissed him good-bye and put him in the hole. I asked the helpmeet if he wanted me to cover him with dirt, but he said, "no" and did it himself... then we added the bulbs.

I still can't believe his house is gone... the window looks so empty... I wonder how long it will be before it becomes "normal"?

:/

Gosh, so sorry to hear about all the sudden struggles and losses.

Eden so sorry to hear the worrisome news from your Mom's test. I hope they can quickly take more tests and get to the bottom of it.

Jerri...such horrible timing to lose your cat too. Thank you for sharing their photo. Both your cats are gorgeous and I love the name Molly. It is such a sweet name.

Cynthia's cat, was that a photo of Mikey above? It looks like he had blue eyes, is that right? Did Michelle's cat die too? I don't think I saw a photo of your cat Michelle. I seem to have missed that. Then chelone's bird. Gee, I am sorry for all your losses. I have had lots of pets in my lifetime and I remember how hard it is to lose them. They give such uncondtional love that it really leaves a hole when they go. Having lost a dog to epilepsy, I have to say that it really is a blessing that they died peacefully and I hope that brings you some comfort. :-)

I don't think we have had a bird for long. I can't believe you had Larry for that long a time Chelone. How did you keep him healthy for so long? You did a great job with him.

With all the struggles going on here, I think 2007 just has to bring some better days. :-)

pm2

A memorial bouquet for Tim, Larry, Mikey, Molly and any of the other pets that have been lost this week {{gwi:190555}}

So ironic that we had such a flurry of pet postings this thread with wonderful pics and stories and yet so much loss. Whenever I have lost a pet I have tried to rationalize it a bit by turning the loss into an opportunity for another pet to come and live with me-one who perhaps would not have been lucky enough to live in a home where pets are cherished, cared for and members of the family. I know that there are differing opinions on replacing a pet , and by no means do I advocate my approach as the right one- only the one that makes me feel better . And I think we all enjoy the companionship that our pets provide to us in the garden. My cats go where I go in the garden - Im never alone.

Martie, I am really looking forward to having a real veggie garden , I hope next year if the budget allows I will be able to get rid of the RV parking area and turn it into veggies ! I always grow a tomato and lots of herbs but I crave many more filet beans , crookneck squash, Armenian cukes, onions etc etcdo you get the Cooks Catalog ? Great veggie seeds there. Also Territorial Seed Company.

Chelone hugs to you ! 17 years is way long to have a pet . Larry must have been a brave soul to live in a house with all those stoned cats ! What kind of bird was he ? You have inspired me to attempt to grow catnip once again. It seems like they always want to lie on it and it gets squished . Maybe the secret is to have multiple plants , hoping that they will overlook one or two of them.

bug I second PM2s question-what rose is that in your card to Monique ? I guessed Comte de Chambord

Eden, I hope all goes well for your Mom. Believe me I know there is nothing scarier than what you and your family are going through .

T have a cat who could care less about catnip too---he views the others rolling about euphorically and wanders off with an air of superiority ("by God, Im no lush like those guys!!) Hope your family and the babes are feeling better .

PM2 , Boxing Day is the day after Christmas and there seem to be lots of divided opinions on its origin. If you Google it youll finds lots of info. Some say it was the day that the "poor box" was opened in the church and distributed to the needy of the parish, to others it was the day off for the servants who were in attendance during the festivities of the upper crust on Christmas Day.

Deanne, enjoy your house cleaning. I felt pretty good when mine was done. Nothing like a little ambiance at home !

Hello, hello to everyone else-I am off work for the next three days and hope to finish pruning the roses

I'm worn out. The loss of so many pets...just does me in! How did they know to wait until after Christmas? I want to hug them all.

OK. I think flight delays ARE THE PITS! DD & family, supposed to arrive at 11PM, are now scheduled for 12:49am. And so we have not even left for the airport yet. Tomorrow will be chaos, but happy. Also, DS will have to leave on Sunday rather than Monday because of weather predictions. He, understandably, does not want to drive through freezing rain, but that means only a single day of the whole family together. Boo Hoo!

I have prepared several dishes for our big meal with company, but early in the morning I must deal with other foods too. I hope DD isn't too tired to help.

The rose in Monique's birthday photo is Mary Rose. Some years it does well, others not. I don't have names for the foxgloves. They pop up randomly here.

Off to chew my nails....
'bug

I KNOW that Larry would've done his damnest to facilitate the arrival of your family, 'bug.

But he can't, and that means I have to send extra special good thoughts and wishes your way...

Close your eyes and B E L I E V E.

Larry would like that...

:)

Morning!
Sorry to hear about Larry and Molly. Parakeets were the pet of choice when I was a single mom. I think we had 3. They don't seem to be long lived. I know what Chelone means about the quiet, as birds do make their presence known. When my brother would come, they drove him nuts. He would move the cage to the bedroom and shut the door. DD also had a rabbit after we moved to the farm. Fluffy the cat was one of the farm cats but one of the more affectionate ones. She was one that would roll over on your hand if you were weeding like saying "pet me"
Actually, one of the other cats was missing the same time as Fluffy died and I wondered if something happened to her too, but she's back. As for pictures, I really don't take many pet pictures. None of mine pose real well. LOL

T, I hope everyone is feeling better and you don't get it.

Kathy, the rose memorial is stunning. What rose is it?

I think we are off to the city today for a few exchanges and a nice meal at a resturant that we got a gift certificate to last Christmas.

Michelle

Golly, it is ironic as Idyll pets are celebrating w/ pics here for the holidays, others pass away -- Im sorry for all the sudden losses - it certainly makes the season very bittersweet. My condolences to all. Change comes in all forms -- lots of it not so pleasant.

Eden, Im glad your Dad got your Mom in to an earlier appt -- it is one of the most stressful things -- the waiting -- I never quite understand by drs & techs dont seem to understand how frightening that is; I've heard of people having to wait 2 months to get in to see a specialist; it freaks me out -- how do they expect people w/ heavy diagnoses to "wait" for months for information. And on the other hand, many times the experts just leave you hanging, thinking the worst, and then you learn it was "nothing." Im sure your Mom will feel better when she gets the MRIs done.

As usual, I seem to be dawdling more than working or cleaning... where does the time fly? Today will be just a few chores & then off to have tea w/ a girlfriend at "the Ritz" -- we used to do this a couple times a year; but since her remarriage, it's hard to find the time (for her). And as she hopes they'll be moving to SC to retire as soon as their house sells, this may be the last one. Another bittersweet time. The RE market has been tough here though and they may be waiting til the Spring as they've had no real nibbles on the place yet.

And yes, those are hellebores from last year - altho w/ the temps the way they are (& I see daffs poking up about 3 inches) -- they said warmest December in this region since 1871! -- I may soon be seeing those same hellebores in reality. Craaazy. It must have been the purchase of that down coat that did it, I think! Temps have been in the 50s-60s ever since......

Time to laze some more and finish up the paper. Again, I wanted to say how sorry I am on all these pets off to Idyll Heaven. A sad end to 2006.

--Cindy

Where else could I share this story?

Monty is 11 1/2 and needs to empty his bladder on a very precise schedule. After a meal he has about a one hour window of opportunity or there will be wet bedding in the crate :-(

Three weeks ago I needed to leave the house early on a Saturday morning to pick up Fritzoid from the haul. My three guys were all settled in their crates with breaky as I left. I suspected there might be an accident, but not much I could do. When I returned 3 hours later, the food bowl in Monty's crate held an inch of urine. There were only a few drops on his place mat and the bedding was dry. Hmmm. All of my dogs are brilliant of course,(not), but was this a concept his pointy head had really figured out? Pee in bowl = dry crate, or was this just a happy accident?

This morning I was busy trying to burn down the house with the garbage disposal and the dogs got to stay in their crates for 2 hours after breakfast while I dealt with that. (I'll need a new garbage disposal, but not a new house thank you.) When I decided things were safe, I let them all out of their crates, and there in Monty's bowl, with not even one drop on the bedding was an inch of pee :-)

So, it's not an accident, he has invented the concept of the 'crate toilet'!!! Perhaps I should start feeding him in the bathroom? I do think he's about the right height for the toilet. What a good boy :-)

___________

Kathy, your memorial is gorgeous and generous enough for a lot of sadly missed pets, but I do hope this is it for now :-( A tough week for our critters.

Michelle, I remember a wonderful photo that you took of kittens or cats outdoors. I can't remember what made it so special, I only remember thinking that it was adorable and calendar worthy.

I'm off to make more progress on the basement. Organizing is actually fun, there just isn't usually enough time for this. It's staying organized that seems to be my weakness down there....

Another warm day here, 46F and expected to go to 50+. Hope it's warm where you are too :-)

Cynthia

Hi Everyone!

I haven't been able to post for a long time because shortly after Thanksgiving my brother went into the hospital ER with pneumonia. To make a long story short and to not make you read the awful details, he was in the ICU the weekend after Thanksgiving, only going to a normal floor this past Tuesday. The doctors told us two weeks ago that he was in a semi vegetative state, and that he would never be able to recognize us, or function in anyway again. We didn't agree with that. And it ended up that they wouldn't let us see him without a security guard. They got the idea that someone in the family was going to remove his life support. Sort of embarrassing in a way, but we got him out of that hospital. Actually we disagreed with just about everything they said. Anyway, long story short, it was an absolute nightmare. He has been transferred to a different hospital now. He still has a feeding tube, and can't move his arms or legs, but he does know who we are and is able to communicate except his voice is gone, but it is coming back more every day, now that the respirator is out. It has been an emotional roller coaster. Family came in from all over the place, a bunch of times... my sister who hasn't seen him for 15 years came home. We were at the hospital all hours of the day and night. It was emotionally and physically exhausting. He has such a long way to go, but at least he is here with us. They are not sure how much progress he will be able to make. He is able to communicate a little. I don't know if you remember, but he has psychotic episodes during which he sees scary things. So I was worried that he was scared and couldn't tell anyone, because he hasn't had any of his psych meds since this happened. Hopefully he will continue to improve. He is over by where I work now, so I can walk to see him on my lunch, so that is really good. I knew there was a reason I ended up working there. When you combine that whole thing with 5 birthdays and Christmas plus work... I am whipped. But much better:) I highly recommend a living will. Eventhough he had one, there were still issues.

I have missed so much here, wanted to tell everyone who has lost pets how sorry I am for you. Kathy, I love that rose! Eden I will miss seeing Tim's antics....The next time we have a couple of orphaned baby squirrels in our back yard, I will give you a call and deliver them to you.

Jerri, so sorry about your mom. I hope you are doing okay.

Cynthia! Go Monty!Great to see you posting. I bought an agave this past summer because I loved yours. I will have to post a picture of it. I got the variagated one. I brought it inside this fall, and so far it is doing okay.

I will try to get caught up with the news and make a longer post soon, plus birthday cards.. in the meantime, thanks for the pictures. I have many times only had time to quickly look at pics, and it has really given me a bright spot and a feeling of normalcy to see the idylls on days when all I could do was cry buckets.

Drema

I was just going to pop back in to see Eden's clem at PD that she posted & I forgot to look at - when what do my wondering eyes behold but -- a post from Drema!

Wow -- Drema -- you've got amazing stamina - I do remember being whipped by those roller coaster emotions -- Im glad to hear your brother is doing better - and you are nearby -- Congrats. I'll be thinking of you. Great to hear from you. You've had a horrible couple of months it sounds - I hope it's on the uphill for 2007 now. You're lucky to have lots of family to gather round, though. Feel thankful for that.

And wow, Cynthia -- that is a hoot re the crate toilet. Now, I think maybe you need to get him 2 bowls in that crate - one for pee, one for eats.... and Monty will be set - worthy of a Phi Beta Kappa degree for sure.

Okay - off to look at that clem. (P.S. I meant to say to Martie - I too have been somewhat shocked at the prices coming out in the catalogs -- Bluestone is a real, real disappointment - their prices pretty much puts them in the league with others now I think; so, smaller plants for same prices, not much to decide there.... I think Im going to try to restrain myself more this year (if I can) - I actually have not yet seen much that really jumps out & says HAVE to have this year (at least not yet).

--Cindy

Can you believe it's 48F here?And it's almost January? So odd,isn't it. Yesterday I was surveying what was happening in the gardens and whenever I smell that earth smell I just want to dig and plant! The weather feels like I should be taking the winter mulch off and start pruning back old growth-funny how these temps throw you off yet I know full well that frozen weather WILL come...it's just a matter of when.

I'm so sorry for all of you who have lost pets suddenly. I don't do well when I lose a pet(childhood experiences)and I think that's why I don't have any-it hurts so much to say goodbye...this sounds terrible but the closest we have to a pet is AJ's new Robopet...it even pees with no residual fluid to clean up: ) Cynthia did Mikey actually have aquamarine eyes? In that pic they look very aqua-he was pretty.
Chelone you don't think the kittys slipped Larry some of their stash,do you? Just kidding. Wow over 17 years seems to be unusual for a bird? I don't know the norms on birds.
((Jerri))-how rough things have been for you and now your Molly too! Remember we are here if you need us.

Michelle & Eden-I just marvel at how grown up Kenzie and Bella are these days with their longer locks and sweet faces-hard to believe they aren't the tiny babies they were just a couple months ago-lol.
Oh Norma-Wyatt did it too and looks much older: )I remember a chubby face and wisps of hair-what a handsome boy he is.
T! That pic of the twins is adorable-I was wondering how many shots it took to get them to both look at the camera. I bet Jaimie had a great Christmas-he's at that perfect age for wonderment.
Boy, I hope you(and all of us) can stay clear of the bug going around-that sounds horrible. This warm weather really seems to make stuff hang on. That laryngitis I had took forver to leave and I still cough up a lung or two in the mornings. The Dr. says these viral respiratory things are lasting up to three weeks long.

Michelle & Prairie-I've waited 15yrs to get my Kitchenaid since we could never afford one. I've been using my mom's hand me down Sunbeam that at one time produced a puff of smoke and then went from a 12 speed to a 10 speed: ) I grew up with a KitchenAid and no other mixer worked as nicely.
Prairie,at Christmas I like to make biscotti which I've been mixing by hand(that gets hard real quick when you double a large recipe). I also want to make bread-something I used to do before I had kids.(We'll all be getting fat here). I also like to make whipped potatoes with the mixer...and a zillion other things.COOKIES: )

Kathy-I loved hearing your story of your mantel mirror-that really is a special piece. How sad your DH was very young to have passed away when he did. It must have been so hard for you.
Oh your roses are stunning! I always admire others who can grow roses-I have way too much shade.

VERY nice pics here of all the pets, bday cards and celebrations. Norma tell me about the card you posted-that's Chihuly glass,right? I love that.

Eileen-since I am short on time I will just link you to some info about Canaan firs. I will say that this tree isn't highly fragrant but for us that's good because AJ and I are especially allergic to a more fragrant tree-I don't know why the scent affects us but certain trees are worse than others. A fresh cut Canaan holds it's needles nicely and isn't painfully prickley(say that three times fast). I think you asked if Canaan was related to the Douglas-fir...I read somewhere that Douglas-fir isn't actually a fir at all but a false tsuga. Anyway our tree was just 30.00-much cheaper than a Douglas. If I didn't have deer here I would really like to grow a Canaan.

'Bug-good luck & have fun with your visitors-we'll wait for pics.

Deanne-lol I must confess those are not my lisianthus. I think that lisianthus enjoy the cooler weather-hot sun might not be what they like-I did have some as annuals but they were planted late summer(did nothing)and looked their best in mid september. I do want to try them again. The flowers in Monique's card are from the Chicago Botanical garden during IU3! It was really cool-this weekend's newspaper included a shot of CBG's walled English garden-so neat that I can say I was there with my idyll friends.

I have to seize the day~

~Babs

Afternoon all,

Im still a bit under the weather with this cold. I felt pretty good yesterday afternoon and evening but woke up with a cough this AM. What a drag! I guess I stopped taking the Zicam a bit early. Didnt get too much house cleaning done and I dont much feel like it at the moment so I guess it can wait until tomorrow. (or the day after that)

Its finally snowing here, the first of the season, incredible. I believe this is one of the warmest winters here as well.

Im so very sad to hear about all the losses. Thats just terrible. Chelone, so sorry to hear about Larry, and Cynthia, Im so sad to hear about Mikey. His photo with Idy has made me cry.

Jerri, Im so sorry about Molly. I surely hope this is the end of bad news here.

Kathy, it sounds like your Christmas festivities were wonderful and fun filled. I loved hearing about the mattress rides down the stairs. Too funny!

Martie, love the Christmas photos! Your tree is lovely and the tables beautiful. Looks like you had a wonderful day.

T. so sorry to hear about the stomach bug affecting your DD and family. I sure hope everyone gets well soon and that you dont get it. ~~ Hope you can play with your new lens soon!

Eden, sorry to hear about your Mom. I sure hope it turns out to be nothing. Thats a real worry. ~~ Thanks for the shopping tips. I do need that greenhouse and that Clematis! Beautiful. I need it too!

Babs, what a treat to get another post from you. Thanks for the info on the lisianthus. Id like to give them a try again too as they are so beautiful.

OK Im going to rustle up some lunch and get a cup of French Roast. Have a great afternoon all.

Deanne

Hidy Ho Babs, Good to see pictures of Ryan and AJ again. Love Ryans Santa hat.

pm2,The screen name Triple Creek comes from the three creeks our property is named for.

Sue , hope you can keep your head above that mountain of work.

Deanne, glad you popped in. I understand needing chill time. I hope you get back to feeling better soon.
After the first though I need to get some organization going around here.

Eden, Happy Anniversary. I hope the MIRs show nothing serious. At least she knows what she is worrying about now. Not much comfort I know. But the unknown seems more stressful.

Wyatt has something going on. He just seems to be well and then he is sick again. Runs a fever and gets a strange rash. He has been to the doctor, but I guess she will take him again. The doctor did say he needs his tonsils out soon.

(((Hugs Cynthia))) it is never easy. What pretty eyes Mikey had. I know he will be missed.
I enjoyed the Finnegann link.

Michelle I am sorry to hear you lost a cat too. ((( )))s
I can see that any celebration in your extended family turns into an event.LOL

Awww, Chelone, I can only imagine how much you will miss Larry. A bird can be quite a presence in a household and 17 1/2 years is a long time.
Quite a rash of pet passings this thread. Things do seem to run in groups here. Lets hope it is done for awhile.

T, I'm always happy to read whatever you feel like writing. You always make it interesting, Sorry to hear of the stomach bug. Hate to hear it is that contagious and could hit here too.

(((Jerri,))) and now you have lost a cat too.Drats! Kitty Heaven must have needed some mousers.

Ahem! Eden, are you being an enabler? LOL

ROTFLOL, Cynthia., not that your disposal sucumbed but that Monty is so clever. Kudos to him.

Drema, Don't worry a bit about trying to catch up. You have been through quite an ordeal. I'm just happy to know you are okay. I hope your brother will continue to improve. Life sure gets tough sometimes.

Babs, yes its Chihuly. It was on display at the St Louis Botanical garden this summer. DIL and Jake and Wyatt went with me to see it. We had a fun day even though it was hot that day. Jake was a riot he took more pictures than I did. And Wyatt took a picture of Jake and I together that turned out nice even if we are off kilter. LOL I would love a Chihuly piece. But its to rich for my pocket book. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened to that glass if there had been a hail storm. Except for a few other displays, most of the glass was displayed among the plants in the climatron(sp?)

Well we certainly have been chilling here today. I'm almost bored. LOL Yesterday I went shopping for a new guitar. Not sure of what I wanted yet but wanted to see what was available. I did find one I want but will need to save my money awhile longer yet. I do have to say that I was treated quite well by some of the younger generation everywhere I went. I figured they would just blow an old lady like me off. Not so they were very friendly and helpful. I comend them.

Well this is turning into a book. Waving to all. Norma