We’re having a slow start to our day since I’m feeling a bit under the weather.
We went in the dining area to take our pills a few minutes ago to find SIX hummingbirds dancing around the feeder! We didn’t catch a picture, but the one above gives you an idea of the delightful sight.
This season was a slow starter for the sweet hummingbirds. I don’t think they liked our cooler, MUCH wetter spring this year. We usually have three or four feeders hung up around the deck, but have only one this year. We’ve had up to 4 hummingbirds at a time for several weeks now, but haven’t seen this many. :0)
We sat at the table, motionless, trying to agree on how many we were seeing.
Something to raise your spirits for sure!!!
Filed under Amazing Animals, Arkansas, Delightful Surprises
Anita Opper – Zen to Zany via Cathy Ruggiero
I can’t imagine life without a dog or cat or fish, or several of all three.
Losing a pet is one of the very hardest things there is. You find yourself sobbing, guts hanging out for all to see. Fewer things in life hurt more.
Some people decide, after losing a beloved pet, that they just won’t get another. They don’t want to open themselves up to that kind of hurt again. You give to a pet unlimited love. You talk to them about everything because they’re so understanding and compassionate. You become co-dependent, feeling lost and alone when one of you isn’t there.
My husband and I have been lucky enough to have several pets over the years. Each time we lose one we’re devastated – inconsolable. For us, though, the only thing that helps us is to go right out and find another.
Even though we aren’t sure we really want to, if we’re lucky enough to find another sweet animal to come live with us, we’re FORCED to reach out to meet the sweet little thing’s needs. We CANNOT withdraw into ourselves. We must feed it. We must take it outside. We must make a home for it, with bed, water and food bowls, a collar, tags, shots, spaying or neutering – the whole 9 yards.
In the process of doing this, we have found that, although we don’t miss the beloved pet any less, the new wriggling furry bundle of joy has helped our hearts heal a bit. Our new addition has forced us to go on, reacting to each other as well as the fuzzy little animal, filling a void with someone who needs us.
Yes, “Dogs are Miracles with Paws.” Anita Opper has said it perfectly. I love the bright little eyes on this guy, running to us, hoping he’ll be accepted…
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
drjbs.com
This wonderful photo shows 6 hummingbirds, but it gives you a good idea of how rich our morning was.
We were treated to an especially nice show as we ate breakfast this morning.
For the first time this season, we had four hummers at one time dive-bombing each other to get to the feeder. The fact that the feeder has plenty of spots for many more than 4 at a time is immaterial. They want to have the feeder all to themselves, one at a time. They put on quite a show, making us laugh with delight.
While the hummers were doing combat, we also had a beautiful male cardinal flying in an out. He appreciated the seeds on the shovel bird and flew back and forth from the seeds to his place in the group of three evergreen trees to one side of the civilized part of our back yard.
A squirrel was eating his fill from the small amount of seeds left in the main feeder. He apparently was entered in the ‘most athletic squirrel’ tournament in the Olympics, hanging down from his toes to below the feeder with both of his hands grabbing seeds and stuffing them into his mouth. My husband was hoping the cardinal would challenge the squirrel, but the squirrel left on his own, apparently satiated.
We think the show was a celebration of the slightly cooler temperatures and little bit of rain we’re enjoying this week, with humans, animals and birds all in agreement.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Delightful Surprises
unknown
vanessuhh
Wolf Dog Blog
Wolverinedoge
Thanks to Emily Davis, trendingly.com
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thirdimmortal
Tibor09
unknown
unknown
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This is Abby. She was listed in the paper as a “Lap Kitty.” We adopted her and have felt very lucky to get one of the sweetest cats we’ve ever had.
Smoke
I saw Smoke at the vet’s office. I went over to the cage to say, “Hello,” and she immediately tried to nuzzle me. She talked to me and was very affectionate. I was a goner and convinced my sweet husband that we had room in our family for a second cat.
She has proven to be a real hard-head. She doesn’t know when to quit and still digs her claws in or bites occasionally, even though she receives bad feedback each time she does either.
Poor Abby has felt besieged by Smoke, who jumps on her relentlessly. There is a lot of hissing and spitting (all from Abby).
I found them on the dog bed today. (Actually, they’re on BOTH dog beds, as the blue one is Bambi’s and the white one is Molly’s. I guess they wore each other out…
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Peteryork124
snodialove
swedishfrog
tazzydw2
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Filed under Amazing Animals
“Give a man a fish, and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll buy a funny hat. Talk to a hungry man about fish, and you’re a consultant.”
― Scott Adams
I introduced you to Freckles awhile back. I bought him, and a goldfish I named Sushi almost a year ago now. I bought them after babysitting with a friend’s tropical fish while she was on a trip. I found, after returning him, that I really missed seeing him.
The fish did fine for awhile, and then poor Sushi died. I decided to just have Freckles by himself, unless he showed signs of missing Sushi. He’s been happy by himself, getting active and blowing bubbles at me every time I come into the room. He doesn’t say much, but I enjoy him a lot.
One amazing thing is how much he’s grown. When I bought him, he was the smaller of the two fish, at about an inch and a half long. Now I’m estimating he’s over 3 inches long. I hope he doesn’t get much larger or I’ll have to go with an actual aquarium. I would like to stay with this bowl, since Freckles is a messy fish, needing his water changed every other day.
To date, Smoke has NOT discovered Freckles…
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
“Herding cats is like trying to nail jello to a tree.” – Unknown
This is Smoke, the young cat we’ve adopted into our pet family of two dogs and another cat.
To say that Smoke has a mind of her own is a vast understatement. She radiates confidence and has no common sense about when enough is enough. Abby, our older cat, puts up with things as long as she can stand it, then starts hissing and spitting. Smoke studiously ignores Abby’s rejection and continues to attack her.
I used to have a bunch of ‘dust catchers’ on our dining area window sill. Smoke decided to get up there, mindless of the knick-knacks, causing several to crash to the floor. I removed all of the surviving breakable stuff. Then I tried to grow some herbs in pots. That’s a great place for plants due to the sun. They lasted about a week. A crash and a half hour cleanup of ruined plants and shattered pots killed that idea.
I have two unbreakable things on the window sill now. Both have ended up on the floor.
In desperation, we have put mousetraps all along the window sill. We came home from errands a few days ago and two of the traps had been triggered and were on the floor. Smoke was no worse for wear and acted as if nothing had happened.
We’ll look like a fortress until “Miss Hardhead” learns that this place is a “NO-NO.” If it doesn’t work, I’m thinking about how I can spruce up the mousetraps so they look a bit more decorative…
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
jumperposse
kelldog24
This one is for Butter, Mary Lou.
NotMyRealName14
OwlForTheNight
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imgur.com
Jeff Hanson 368
Jen Pilion
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imgur.com
imgur.com
imgur.com
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Brak KILIC
DITK
Gaston Enria
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