Gulls Just Wanna Have Fun

This is a repost from a couple of years ago. I should be back to my regular schedule next post.

Wednesday was the first really warm day of the season. The thermometer reached a sunny 23C (74F) which prompted me to take a walk up to a small man-made lake a few kilometers from home. A pair of seagulls appeared to be dramatizing their young romance solely for my entertainment. Here's their story in pictures.


Once upon a time...

Boy meets gull.




First fight.




Boy loses Gull.




Alone.




Broken-hearted.




Boy drinks to forget.




And gets high.




Gull comes back.




Happily ever after.

Puzzle Solutions and Posts of the Week

The answers to Sunday's Wacky Wordies can be found below. The comments are now published and can be read at the previous post.

Wacky Words - Solutions:

1) Dark circles under his eyes
2) No one's perfect
3) A gross injustice
4) A parting of the ways
5) Enlighting
6) Feeling under the weather
7) A foot in the door
8) The start of something big
9) See-through blouse
10) Safety in numbers
11) Step-daughter
12) No end in sight

Congrats to Glo for pretty much getting all of them correct!

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.

This week's top two posts go to:

Tiny Realm
by Tammie Lee
at Spirithelpers


and


Dream House
by Cricket
at Cricket and Porcupine

Other wonderful posts are categorized below (they may well fit into more than one category but I'm only selecting one for each):






OK, So I'm Cracked
by Jinksy
at Napple Notes

HUSH
by Mami
at Unknown Mami






"Girls," Should You Act Your Age?
by Cloudia
at Comfort Spiral






Puddled Paths
by Dawn
at Puzzle Pieces

Spring Hoarfrost
by The Retired One
at The Retirement Chronicles

Quiet, Joyful Noise
by Deb
at Talk at the Table






Slam the Door, Please
by Steviewren
at A Little Birdie Told Me So

Happy Easter From the Yellow-rumped Warbler
by Glo
at Porcelain Rose

O
by Sue
at Photowannabe


Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you.

Wacky Words

I'm still away from home for a few days so my visits to your blog will be sporadic at best.

Here's something a little different today. Each of the squares below, contain a puzzle with a hint below each well-known phrase.

For example:

GIGIGIGIGI
-------------
CCCCCCCC

This would be "GIs overseas"

See how many you can solve. I'm going to turn on moderation so that won't see others' answers before you can attempt the puzzles yourself. Have fun!

I hope you enjoyed playing my version of Wacky Words. Solutions and your comments will appear by my next blog post.

Spring Trickles In

It hasn't been winter for a while, yet it sure hasn't felt all that springlike in the past couple of weeks. Despite the cold, and occasional flurry of snow or day-long downpour, it's still pleasant enough to get out for a walk every now and then. Of course, I always have my camera along.

This little sweetie fell truly, deeply, madly in love with Benny and did not want to leave his side no matter how anxious her person might have been to move along.

Eventually she decided to just sit and wait. She wasn't going anywhere until we walked along with them, or until Benny was out of sight and presumably out of mind.

Occasionally, there are a few true signs of spring - like these buds which are slowly emerging from a tree outside my window, in my neighbour's yard. I can see it from where I sit at the computer, and notice that its growth is painfully slow each day. But at least it is making progress.

Typically, robins are true harbingers of spring but for the past couple of years, I've been seeing them hang around late into December or early January, and then return again in late February, after a brief absence. Still, they're always lovely to see as they get busy for the nesting season.

After a particularly rainy day, water droplets could be found everywhere. I like how they gather and cling to these colourful, red branches. It helps to brighten up an otherwise dreary day.

That's it for now. I'm always happy to have you along for a walk. Thanks for joining me.

I'll be mostly away from the computer for a few days, but will try to follow up on comments and visits as time permits.

EGGceptional and Posts of the Week

Have an EGGceptional Easter.. Passover.. Spring!

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.

This week's POTW is a simple but delightful photograph which illustrates the power of both nature and nurture across generations.

Grandmother and Granddaughter
by Andrey
at Photo Album

More wonderful posts are categorized below (they may well fit into more than one category but I'm only selecting one for each):

Anticipating Zoey
by EthelMaePotter
at The Adventures of Fred and Ethel

Distances
by Betty
at Bossy Betty





Installing Spring
by Reb
at Sibu Pegasus Power

And Yet She Looks Perfectly Normal
by Pearl
at Pearl, Why You Little...






In the Mist
by Lisa
at Red Willow Photography

Sipping from the Cup of Sunlight
by Lady Fi
at Lady Fi

Sunny
by Daryl
at Through My Eyes

What If...
by Dawn
at Puzzle Pieces

Manatees
by The Retired One
at The Retirement Chronicles

Side Effects
by Daryl's Ray
at Out and About in New York






The Rendezvous
by Debbie
at Words on Wheels
Recommended by: Lailani

Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you.

Spring Sunlight

We've been getting our share of April showers but every now and then, the weather settles and the day invites me to explore...

Shortly after a rainfall, the sun peeked out from the recovering, hazy sky. My eye was caught by this captive feather waving in the breeze - a tiny droplet of rain clinging to its barbs.

Posing so pretty on a waterlogged branch, this lovely mallard gazes shyly into the camera, showing off her webbed, orange feet.

High atop a budding branch, this spring robin sings a beautiful tune to the late-day sunshine.

As daylight departs, the golden sunlight reflects upon the water of our local pond. It's time to bid my feathered friends "goodnight."

I'm glad you could join me.

Lost and Found

A few eye-catchers from around the neighbourhood. Some were lost. Some were found. All were interesting to this easily-amused blogger.

Lost: At the edge of the park by the side of a busy parkway, this cooler sat abandoned. Where did it come from? What was inside? Since I didn't check, I'll let you tell me what your imaginations dictate.

Found: On a street lamp around the corner, someone who cared found this cat. I hope he was soon returned to his people.

Lost: This was just beneath the "cat found" sign. A very strange thing to lose. I wonder if anyone found it - and where?

Found: A meditative tree gnome with hands lifted in prayer. I walk past this tree almost every day and photograph it often but I never saw this distinctive face in it before.

I hope you found them to be interesting like I did.

Cardinal Rules and the Posts of the Week

The sounds and sights of spring are in full swing now. Saturday afternoon, we saw this beautiful cardinal singing his heart out in hopes of attracting a mate. He sat high atop a tree in a patch of golden sunlight. Frank urged me to get in a little closer to try for a shot. He nudged, I snapped and the bird sang on. I love spring.

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.

This week's POTW goes to..

The Long Goodbye
by Cricket
at Cricket and Porcupine

More wonderful posts are categorized below (they may well fit into more than one category but I'm only selecting one for each):

There's a Reason I Shop Alone
by Michelle
at House of Lime

UNdignified
by Gary
at Gary's Third Pottery Blog






I'm Such a Klutz Sometimes...
by Jill
at Jillsy Girl Studio

Cactus on the Windowsill
by Steve
at Take a Look Around

Stop...
by MaggieGem
at This Life Thru the Lens

Treasure Chest
by Daniel
at Daniel's View






The Honeymooners (sort of)
by Jane
at Gaston Studio

Grandma's Hatpins
by DS
at Third-Story Window

Hubby's Best Friend
by Sandra
at Add Humor and Faith

I Have Never Understood
by Friko
at Friko's World

Donation
by Maggie
at Postcards

Different Words
by Diane
at The Blue Ridge Gal

Mornings With Hope
by Dianne
at Forks Off the Moment

I Am THE One. Lookie Me!
by Tabor
at Room Without Walls

Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you.

Benny's Back in Town

On Friday, after a five month absence, Benny made a return visit to our house. The cats received him in their usual manner - Zephyr with distance, and Skittles with a "Go ahead, make my day" kind of attitude. They all pretty much picked up where they left off last November.

None of you fine folks (except for Benny's dad, Frank) were following my blog back in the day when Benny first came around in the summer of 2007, so I thought I'd re-post my account of his first visit to my house. He was 6 months old at the time. He's now 4 years of age. The photos are from various other posts, all taken since that premier visit. I hope you enjoy them.

August, 2007:

This weekend we had a visitor. Having never left his part of the world before, he braved the endless hour-long trip across the city, secured in his crate.

His arrival was announced by the alarming sounds of his tiny body flinging itself against the the walls of his carrier. As it turned out, the rackety disturbance was a frenzied mere tail-wagging. He had energy to burn, and it appeared he might spontaneously combust if he couldn't explore his new surroundings RIGHT AWAY!

Benny is a six month old Jack Russell Terror Terrier. To human feline eyes, he's kind of like a large gerbil on speed. My cats are familiar with, and tolerant of the neighbourhood dogs when one or another of them come to visit. They each deal with canine intrusion curiosity in their own way.

Zephyr, who is a yellow-bellied cautious cat, tends to steer clear, and hide strategically place himself just beyond Benny's view - up on the fridge, or on a chair neatly tucked under the table.

For the most part, with Benny about, he stayed out of reach except when a bit of bird activity drew him to look out the back door. By then Benny was mildly less energetic exhausted and only had to be restrained and muzzled told to sit and stay.

Skittles, on the other paw, is a shit-disturber more adventurous, so he tended to be rather in-your-face visible and responsive to our interloper guest.

He loved nothing better than to punctuate Benny's incessant playful barking with an occasional hiss-lunge glance, which would send Benny yelping and running for his life.

It was as if the very teeth that Skitty bared to him were actually buried deep within his flesh. He was most yappy brave until the object of his terror showed signs of life.

Benny: WOOF (I'm so intimidating)! WOOF WOOF (You're terrified)! WOOF WOOF WOOF (I am SO the boss of you). Arf (Why are you looking at me?). Whimper (Make the bad cat stop glaring at me).

Skitty: Hisssss

Benny: YELP (I've been hit. I'm a goner)!

Skitty: (leaving the room): Mrrrow (Time to pick on Zephyr).

Benny: (chasing after him): WOOF!!! (I win! I am puppy, hear me roar!)

Poor Benny. He didn't really want to intimidate upset the cats, he only wanted to play. This workout, combined with catnip for Skitty made for a relaxing afternoon. He and Benny almost tolerated each other became quite content in each others' presence.

Like most hyper-active toddlers energetic babies, Benny slept well that night. I'm sure that in his dreams he was successful at either permanently banishing a frightened Skitty, or winning him over as his friend. I'm thinking that the latter might not be impossible one day, when Benny matures some, and settles down.

Until then, Skitty will remain top dog at our house.

ADD (Attention Deficit Doggies) JRT's (Jack Russell Terriers) are very difficult to photograph, since they rarely stay still for a decent shot. Benny's ability to scamper just outside of camera-range places him in the company of other hard-to-capture creatures such as Leprechauns, Sasquatch and the Loch Ness monster.

Skitty's nemesis, Benny. Does he look demonic enough capable of harming an innocent cat?

No creatures were harmed in the making of this weekend. All scars currently present on individual animals pre-existed at the start of this event and in the nearly-four years which have followed, nothing much has changed.