Good morning!
The arctic hares have become a little less jumpy with my moving around inside so I could get more closeup pics of them this week. And--yes--there are two of them (at least). And two (or more) cottontails, too. They all really have their thick winter fur, that's for sure.
Allie doesn't want to be forgotten--lol!
The hares have been around in the daytime a lot more since it has been in the teens or single digits day after day.
The partridges come in at least a couple different coveys, too. I know I saw 17 at once that one time. Busy days at the Critter Cafe and going through a lot of seed. I had to go for quantity and they aren't getting the fancier seed right now but I don't think they mind one bit.
The desk pickup went great! Dagan and Leah showed up with a packed dinner for the boys (pickup was at 6pm) to keep them busy. They moved the desk into the hallway...and then actually moved it down to the front door for them. The lady handed over the money right away and they moved it into their vehicle with just a little assistance from Dagan and Leah. They were really nice, I guess.
Then Dagan ate with the boys while Leah ran back for my file cabinet that's been in her garage since we got it on sale a while back and she had forgotten it. Good thing they only live like a mile away.
They unboxed the file cabinet for me...took all the trash with them and out the door they went.
Dagan forgot his phone but I saw it in time to call Leah before they had left the parking lot. Nice! But because of all the comings and goings Allie was convinced they would be coming back yet again. She waited. Because of all the rushing about and furniture and boxes being moved she gave the door a wide berth...but she waited for quite a long time.
The big desk is now gone...and one of the seven similar black bookcases. Really looks more like I am moving now.
Love the new little file cabinet.
The box on top has the desk files in it that I still have to purge and put away in their new home.
I managed to drag that first packed box from the bedroom into the far corner of the living room.
I plan to stack boxes against the wall in here as they are slowly filled and labeled. Yup--only one still so far--lol!
I was definitely following the New Year's angel card this week and relaxing with nature. Aren't the hares beautiful! (Even if they--and all the rest of the critters--leave my patio covered with poop and pee spots.)
Look at the difference in size between a full grown artic hare and a full grown cottontail. Was sweet to see them eating side by side out there.
When the plow went down the walkway it uncovered a strip of brown grass by accident along the sidewalk.
The partridges began hanging out over there immediately...so happy were they to pick at the dead grass.
Besides the usual laundry and such I spent a quiet week. Always happy to see the hares.
I have never seen them a total white color. They look more white from a distance, but close up they have a speckled look to their fur. I love how their ears and faces always have dark patches.
I had grown Allie some more cat grass and she had been chomping away at it for days.
Two hares at once!
Anyways, I'd see the partridges out there on that strip of brown grass and it made me wonder if they would love the cat grass?
Lookie! Lookie!
Two hares on the patio calmly eating together and not chasing each other all over the yard!! A truce?
Rabbits don't pair off and stay together as far as I know...so doubtful they are a couple. Probably the abundance of food since I've been restocked. They even shared the patio with a cottontail!! And a few partridges!!
And flocks of little birds, too!!
Brings me great joy to see them all sharing the bounty.
Here's a couple of cottontails eating at the same time, too.
The cottontails have become so brave that the two of them didn't even leave the patio or even back up one time when I threw out seed!! And raced right up to eat before I was even done and ignored me! LOL!
Well, the idea of putting the cat grass outside kept nagging at me. Allie had begun to basically ignore it. (She prefers catnip, to be honest.) So three days ago I stuck it outside.
Allie seemed puzzled by this act of betrayal...
...but I piled some catnip on her toys and she forgot all about the cat grass outside.
The flocks of little birds came first...ignoring the green grass...
...as much as Allie.
Too busy rolling in delight.
This is why she scatters catnip all over the apartment...
...after she naps on the catnip, of course.
But the partridges came...and they ignored the cat grass, too!?
When I saw a cottontail out there I thought surely the rabbits will gobble down the grass.
But no.
Yet the partridges gathered along the sidewalk to sit on and peck at the dead, brown grass!
But then this morning it looks like somebody ate some grass during the night. I think the rabbits finally decided to take a chance on it--lol!
My guess would be the cottontails. I would think those huge arctic hares would have devoured more of it...but I could be wrong. Just know it was rabbits because they are awake during the night and the birds are all sleeping--lol!
Well, 2023 is the year for our 55 year reunion from high school. Going to be a gathering down in Fridley this fall where the old Maple Lanes bowling alley used to be...got the email. Wow! 55 years. That went fast! I haven't been able to attend for a couple of decades due to my health issues...but if I could have I would have been there. We have had them every five years.
Have any of you ever been to your class reunions? How often has your school had them? Our Fridley Class of '68 has faithfully had them every five years. I just got sent some pictures from Andrea Omen this last week of the planning folks' gathering...and I recognized almost every single person.
I had loved school. Just being out of the house, to be honest. I had classes I loved (English--loved to read and write!) and ones I endured with much whining (Spanish, Stenography/Typing, Gym--anything I had no interest or talent for). I just plain loved people really. Knew everyone in our class enough to greet and say hi to at least. Was friendly with a lot of the teachers. But other than school activities I didn't socialize with people outside of school much at all. Except for my best friend in senior high--Patricia Nelson. I spent a lot of time at her house. We spent hours on the phone. (She was the only person I knew of who had her own phone line in her bedroom--and a princess phone!) We kept in touch with letters after high school for all the years until she died not long ago. I went to every reunion until I couldn't (25th? 30th?) and Pat went to none. (She was never a fan of high school--I cried at graduation.) I am so curious as to how people's lives have gone...what happened to them, you know? Every person has a story. All those people touched my life...so they matter to me.
But I was also very much a loner. Used to living in my room, my fort in the garage attic, being in the fields with my dog, lost in books or pen & paper. Even though being more social when I was in school...the rest of my life was quite solitary. Except for Linda Larson next door when we were in grade school and junior high...and Patricia during high school. (Linda and I still write and have kept in touch all these years, too.) And for a brief shining moment Diane Bartz lived across the street from Linda next to the dead end...when we were about ten, I think. She and I absolutely loved animals and being outdoors and we clicked right off the bat. (Diane and I have kept in touch, also, over all these years.) When I do get close to a person and they have touched my heart...well, if you want me around in your life, I will be there for you (at least on paper chats or the internet edges) till I die or lose my memory altogether. Truth. Somehow--even if we lose touch for a few years sometimes--we would connect and pick up right where we left off! Soul connections.
Not that if someone has hurt me so badly I haven't had to close that door to my heart. If we do not respect ourselves enough to stand up for ourselves...no one else is going to, right? Took me a long time to learn that. I do love people in general, tended to make excuses for them, know I am also flawed, and am a born optimist--lol! But if I expect myself to be held responsible for my actions -- so should the people I let in close to me be responsible for theirs. Otherwise I need to keep a wall around my heart where they are concerned or avoid them or eliminate them from my life altogether, if possible. Life is too short.
That's a huge topic.
Meanwhile, I spent a good amount of time on the Sanford website and found two internal medicine MDs that would be good for me for my regular doctor. Both also specialize in geriatric medicine. (Hey--I have to face the fact that I am 71--lol!) And I think I found the perfect oncologist for me!!! She's the only oncologist with immunotherapy listed as her specialty. Immunotherapy and cancer survivorship, it says. She sounds perfect!
So I gave Leah the names and she is going to start making calls this week and now she knows who to try to set me up with. I hope they are still taking new patients!! They sound perfect. Know more when I finally meet them.
Which won't be anytime soon. Had diarrhea three times last week...the last time was even to the watery stuff. But not since then...knock on wood. That's why I told Leah there's no rush. I didn't make my appointment with Dr. Kessler on Friday. Still not going anywhere. But I'm better....little by little...slowly...but better as far as the diarrhea goes. I have to think back a couple of weeks and then I can say--yes, I'm better than I was--lol! The mouth craziness is about the same. Sometimes a little better, it seems...but then the same. Regardless--I am relaxing. Taking it easy. Working on letters. Keanna is due to clean tomorrow again. Already two weeks have flown by. (And why I can say I am in better shape now than two weeks ago--lol!)
Wanderlust started for 2023! I really splurged on some supplies for WL (easily believed but not necessary) but also for tea drinking supplies (not so easily believed from an avid coffee drinker) this month. I'll show you when they get here.
Anyways, life is good! Rabbits ate some cat grass. The patio is quite full all day at the Critter Cafe. We might hit 20 or 21 degrees this week it says. And on my weather phone app the last month or two somebody has been really funny. You know how it will say the percentage of precipitation is 10% or 60%, etc? Somebody is putting in odd percentages and it cracks me up! It will say 12% chance of snow or 37% or 17%. I never noticed they were usually always predicted by multiples of five...until they weren't. I love a person with a sense of humor.
43% chance of snow tomorrow.
ROFL!!
Have a wonderful week, folks!!
May your days be filled with blessings and small miracles.
15 comments:
I don't believe I'd ever seen arctic hares before coming around to your blog. They are so big and beautiful and I just love all the photos you've been sharing of them! And, of course, the many other visitors to Critter Cafe.
Oh, couldn't forget lovely Allie. :)
I graduated in 1983, so 40 years! I assume there will be a reunion, but have never actually been to any of them and have no desire to participate this time either.
Glad to hear you've found doctors at Sanford that you'd like to see.
Have a nice week, Rita!
~Mary
You have quite a critter following! It sounds like you feel better and that is great!!
You are so fortunate to have this little wildlife park right outside your window!
Hares vs rabbits always confuses me. I guess in the end they are similar but hares are bigger with longer ears and legs and are less communal than rabbits. I just had to look it up finally (hopefully finally) to get it straight in my head.
I am so amazed at the critters you attract to the Critter Cafe, I also have never seen an arctic hare before.
Glad that desk got passed off nicely. Bless your McFamily.
I went to my 10 year reunion and I didn't recognize anyone. I think ours is every 10 years.
Hope you feel better soon, Rita. I am GLAD you are relaxing, at least.
Moving progress! It must be encouraging. We don't get any of the same wild critters you do. It's such fun to have my virtual patio visit with you :)
I went to the first couple of high school reunions, but so few people I knew went and the ones who were there were the same ones who ignored me back then lol I don't think I'll go to another one.
I wish your health issues would resolve so that you could take care of dr appointments. Maybe soon...
It sounds like you are indeed doing better, other than the diarrhea problems. That always makes things harder to deal with, but hopefully that will get better, too. Love all the pictures and commentary. You are still in my prayers, every day. :-)
What a nice, newsy post with lots of good photos. The arctic hares have beautiful fur. You certainly know how to make The Critter Cafe popular. I'm in touch with 2 friends from high school. One of them visited for a weekend several years ago and we talk on the phone occasionally. The other is strictly a phone relationship. I haven't seen her in about 40 years, but I feel very close to her. I also have a few Facebook friends from high school. We're not really in touch. I confess I don't remember how often reunions are held. At first I think it was every 10 years and now maybe every 5. I have no reason to go to reunions. Some of the people I knew the best are on the deceased list, which is sad, of course. When I look through most of the names (our high school class has a Facebook page), some of them are familiar, but I don't remember what they looked like or anything specific about them. I enjoyed debate and forensics in high school and remember those people, but the rest were not very friendly. It was definitely a school with cliques.
Love,
Janie
A good post with bloody nice photos that made me feel good
Hi Rita. Somehow, I missed your post a couple of days ago so I am glad that I went back and found it tonight. I enjoyed seeing the pictures from your critter cafe. So glad you have found some doctors that fit the bill for you. I hope Leah can get you in with them. I loved reading your high school memories. I went to my 40th reunion in 2017. It was nice, but honestly, I don't see myself going back for the 50th. I feel like everyone's lives went in different directions and I really don't have much in common with anyone from high school. So glad that everything went well with the selling and pick-up of the desk. Yes, it certainly does look like you will be moving soon. Glad to see that things are going pretty well and that you have had an upbeat week. See you again soon!
What an assortment of wildlife now with the Arctic hares and rabbits coming quite regularly to the Critter Cafe, Rita, and the arctic hares are beautiful and large. And, of course, always great to see Allie photos. Good news too on the desk pickup and file cabinet being moved in. My parochial high school only had 96 graduating seniors and I can’t honestly say that those 4 years were the best years, but I will elaborate more in an email. I only attended the 25th reunion and there were quite a few others who did, since then there have been a couple of others, and some former classmates have a FB group. I have only kept in contact with 2 former classmates, one now in CA and the other in PA. Like yourself, I am slowly learning that I need to distance myself from those who don’t connect as often as I try. It’s a hard decision, but as you said it is important to value yourself.
Glad to read that you have found a doctor who seems perfect for your needs and hope you can get a future appointment. Also good news that the “d” issue is somewhat better despite the occasional setback.
More in an email, my friend.
We had a bunny catastrophe here a couple of days ago. One of our bunnies became a victim to an owl or something. We did not see it but we saw the aftermath. A sad day here in South Dakota.
When you say you went to Fridley, do you mean Fridley, MN? If so, we were neighbors of sorts as I went to Ramsey in Roseville. In the 40 something years since graduating I have not been to one reunion.
We got a coating of snow tonight. Mostly ocean effect. 7 miles away at work Hubs got nothing. Tomorrow's storm is expected to start off as snow then turn to rain (and 54 degrees!)
My surgery was pushed off until Mid February. I planned it in January so I wouldn't have to deliver mail in snow and ice. But they way the season is going... you never know. Fingers crossed when it does come we don't get walloped.
I just love all those creatures outside - so wonderful how they flock there. And you're doing your bit to help them through the winter. I wonder if the partridges were pecking at the old grass because of tiny insects or bugs there. They are tuned to that stuff!!!! The rabbits must have been amazed to find real grass there, maybe a little bit suspicious until they forgot to be. LOL! I am glad you have discovered a doctor who is a good fit for your problems.
Well, first of all, those rabbit photos are knocking me out. I love how they all come to your house -- they know it's a safe place with a good meal! And they are knowing you a bit more now. And also so relieved that the desk hand-off went OK and that you are now finding a list of docs at the new center who look like they will be a good fit for you. I hope they are taking new patients, especially the oncologist. (And you DO look like you are moving!)
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