What Children Like

I never get any protests from children. All you get are giggles of mirth and squirms of delight.

I know what children like. 

~ Roald Dahl

There is no shortage of adorable children in Peterborough. And of course, since kiddos come in all shapes, sizes and species, you'll find a few of the non-human variety here, as well.

I hope you enjoy.

Come away, O human child!

To the waters and the wild

With a faery, hand in hand,

For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

~ W.B. Yeats

These two siblings were having a bit of a tug of war on the dock, one evening. He wanted to stay and she wanted to return to the nearby restaurant.

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

~ Kahlil Gibran

She won!

Watch the littlest kids carefully; the biggest messages for the grown-ups are hidden there!

~ Mehmet Murat ildan

Closer to sundown on the same day, a younger pair peered into the water together while their mom watched over them from just outside of the camera's view.

I like dogs

Big dogs

Little dogs

Fat dogs

Doggy dogs

Old dogs

Puppy dogs

I like dogs

A dog that is barking over the hill

A dog that is dreaming very still

A dog that is running wherever he will

I like dogs.

~ Margaret Wise Brown

Bounding into the water just like a little kid, this dog couldn't be happier.

The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog. ~ Ambrose Bierce

And back out again with his victorious capture. He runs to his person to toss the ball into the river for another opportunity to swim and fetch.

A child's imaginary playmate just might actually be there. ~ Doug Dillon

Same river, different dog with his kidlet, having a late afternoon swim.

Your children will smash your understanding, knowledge and reality. You will be better off.

Then they will leave. You'll miss them forever.

~ Tibor Kalman

And then they moved on. The dalmatian was in a kayak with one of two adults (though only one of visible in this photo) up ahead.

A party without cake is just a meeting. ~ Julia Child

I'd hazard a guess that there were a bunch of kids enjoying a birthday party just inside this home.

Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Speaking of parties, the little cutie hidden behind the cup is one of Carol Anne's neighbours who recently attended her milestone birthday party.

A child is a curly, dimpled lunatic. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I suspect that this little guy has another pair of shoes much like this at home.

Cats are rather delicate creatures and they are subject to a good many ailments, but I never heard of one who suffered from insomnia. ~Joseph Wood Krutch

The only "kid" I have still living with me is my beautiful Zephyr.

The soul is healed by being with children. ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

This little sweetness was having fun exploring the sand and splashing in the water.

When a kid says "smell my hand," it almost never smells like cinnamon. ~ Brian P. Cleary

And finally, this exuberant little girl was feeling the evening music at an outdoor concert.

More photos coming up soon. I do also hope to get around to some blog visits before too long. See you soonish!

Furry Feline Friends

It's usually Benny who pronks into my blog posts from time to time. Most of you are well acquainted with him but less so with my handsome felines. Skittles and Zephyr were born fourteen years ago, in May and have been a constant joy in my life ever since.

Both of them are very loving, gentle and sweet. Their similarities end there.


Zephyr is the grey and white one on the right - he is a fearful cat. The day they both came to live with me, the two little fur balls hid under my bed. Zephyr stayed there for about three days, venturing out only for food, water and trips to the litter box.

Skitty, the tabby, stayed under the bed for a few hours then ventured out to play with my shoelaces.

The one in the middle is my son, Alex. He was nine at the time. These days, at 23, he's furrier than both cats put together.

Skittles

Zephyr loves food, belly rubs and sleep above all else.

Skitty loves all of the above plus sitting on visitors, checking out the dog, chasing imaginary mice throughout the house and being a part of just about everything we do (within reason).

Zephyr

Zephyr talks to us. He will keep a conversation going for a couple of minutes. For every word or phrase we speak to him, he'll reply with a counter-meow.

Skitty yowls at night - for no apparent reason. The boys have a bit of Siamese in them and that seems to be a common trait for that breed. But if we talk to him, he'll just stare back at us as if to say "You're kidding, right?"

 Skittles

 Zephyr is lazy. He rarely seeks us out but is always willing to purr on demand when we go to him.

Skitty is a near-constant companion.

Zephyr

 Zephyr is terrified of the vacuum. As soon as he hears it rolling out of the storage closet, he tears down to the basement to hide.

Skitty follows me around watching the attachment move back and forth and has actually allowed me to vacuum him, on occasion.

Skittles 

 Zephyr is a survivor. He has food smarts. And escape know how.

Skitty is smart. He gets that a woofing, ear-nibbling JRT is not a threat. An annoyance - but not a threat.







 Zephyr hisses at Benny every time he is near.

Skitty engages Benny in play and only hisses at him when he's had enough.








Both of my whiskered boys are beautiful little beings and I'm grateful that they share our home.

I hope every one of you has a wonderful, healthy and Happy New Year. 

You're Gonna Make It After All

Thanks to everyone who played along with "What's In A Name", and to those of you who left such lovely comments on my previous blog post. Those comments have now been posted and I'll reply to them shortly.

It looks like between all of you, you knew all but one character, and some of you were stumped by a few. The answers, as well as a few new photos are below. Please take the time to click on some links. You may just find a new blog to love.

1) Otis Campbell, played by Hal Smith was the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show, also known as Mayberry. He regularly drank to excess, and when even he deemed himself intoxicated enough for arrest, he used his own key to put himself in jail. Equally absurd was Detective Barney Fife's (Don Knotts) ineptitude in handling his gun. As a matter of safety, Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) insisted he keep his lone bullet in his shirt pocket.

Many of you knew who Otis was, but Dawno was the first to get this answer correctly. Dawno is a long-time writing board (Absolute Write) friend of Frank's, and she makes beautiful beaded jewelry which she sells on her Etsy site. You can find her wonderfully-crafted pieces by following the link from her blog.

2) Consuelo Lopez, played by Elena Verdugo was Marcus Welby M.D. (Robert Young)'s loyal nurse, secretary and confidant. The show also stared James Brolin as Dr. Steven Kiley.

Also new to my blog is The Accidental Bavarian who was the first to guess this answer correctly. She has an interesting blog which covers her travels with her husband through much of her home state of Washington, and beyond. She has traveled to 38 cities in 6 countries. I'm glad to see that one of her favourite destinations is Niagara-On-The-Lake right here in Ontario, as it's also one of mine.

3) Pinky Tuscadero, who was played by Roz Kelly appeared in the show Happy Day as a love interest for The Fonz (Henry Winkler). The character's sister Leather Tuscadero was played by rock singer Suzi Quatro known for a few songs, my favourite of which is Devil Gate Drive.

The Accidental Bavarian was also first to name this character but next was NJ of The Path of Least Resistance. She is a fellow Canuck and an empty nester who lives in Napanee, Ontario. NJ likes to knit, and she takes some lovely photographs. Her blog gives us simple, warm and inviting glimpses into her life.

4) Agnes DiPesto played the quirky receptionist to private detectives Maddie Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) and David Addison (Bruce Willis) in Moonlighting. The character, who usually answered the telephone in rhyming lines was played by Allyce Beasley.

Dawno was also the first one to name this character, but a close second was Tired Dad a first time commentator over here, and a blogger after my own heart. His site, A Tired Dad's Ramblings always includes a Pun of the Day, for those of us who are gluttons for Punishment.

5) Gil Chesterton. Nobody knew this food critic from Frasier, who was played by Edward Hibbert.

6) Jenny Piccalo was Joannie Cunningham (Erin Moran)'s best friend and partner in crime on Happy Days. As Suldog stated in his comment, she wasn't actually seen on the show for years, but for the last few seasons, she did become more than just a reference, and was played by actress Cathy Silver.

Leah was the first to answer this one correctly. Her blog, The Goat's Lunch Pail is a treat. Leah is a fine writer and photographer who has also shared some delicious recipes with us, so I know she's a great cook too. Join her for Gratitude Monday, Photo Finish Friday and everything in between. You won't be disappointed.

7) Georgette Franklin was Ted Baxter (Ted Knight)'s dizzy, soft-spoken girlfriend who eventually became his wife on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She was played by actress Georgia Engel during the last several years of the show's existence.

Once again, Dawno was first to identify this character but Russell of Iowa Grasslands dropped by shortly afterward, and also named her. Russell's blog is warm and welcoming. He lives in an old farm house out in rural Iowa with his wonderful dog, Bailey. He teaches law at a community college, has an affection for farm machinery and is a fine photographer. You'll always feel comfortable over at his blog so do yourself a favour and give him a visit.

8) Joe Gerard, played by David Groh, was of course married to Rhoda Morgenstern (Valerie Harper) of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda fame. As with many real life couples, their marriage ended in divorce, which gave a bit more flexibility to showcase the Rhoda character, and her sister Brenda (Julie Kavner, also the voice of Marge Simpson).

Accidental Bavarian and Leah did answer this one correctly but Suldog came along with the right answer shortly afterward. If you've never read his blog, do yourself a favour and subscribe to it right now. I guarantee you'll be entertained. Sully's stories are chapters of his own life, or are about family members who he brings to us in living colour. He's warm-hearted, clever and very funny. Just don't give him an award - it's kind of like feeding a gremlin after midnight. And don't let him fool you into sending naked photos of yourself. He's also very sly.

9) Gladys Kravitz was everybody's favourite snoop. She was the busybody neighbour who lived across the street from Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) and Darrin Stephens (Dick York and Dick Sargent) in Bewitched. Gladys was always peeking through the curtains at the Stephens household because she knew something strange was going on - something she told her husband Abner (George Tobias) every chance she got. In his comment, Suldog suggest that Gladys had been played by two different actresses, just as the character of Darrin had been portrayed by two actors, and he's right. The first performer, Alice Pearce passed away in 1966, and the role was taken on by Sandra Gould.

Dawno, Leah and Suldog all answered this one just before Daryl came along and also replied correctly. Daryl's blog, Out And About In New York City is a daily stop for many more than 45 of her readers, despite what her hubby seems to think. ;) She's a talented photographer and artist who has regular photo themes such as Waiting Impatiently, Sky Watch, Wordless Wednesday and Thursday In The Hood. She also entertains us with Toonsday Husbandisms - her cartoons featuring her hubby, which has women everywhere nodding with understanding. Daryl is a polished gem in city of New York. Give her a visit and see for yourself.

10) Dr. Alfred Bellows was the NASA psychiatrist on I Dream Of Jeannie. Much like Gladys Kravitz in Bewitched, Dr. Bellows, who was played by Hayden Rorke, was convinced that Major Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) was crazy, and was forever trying to figure out what was going on between Tony and Jeannie (Barbara Eden). He never did though, and Major Nelson's job as an astronaut remained safe.

Dawno, Suldog and Tired Dad all answered this one, but then along came Phyllis. So many contaminated foods have been responsible for various illnesses throughout the world recently, particularly salmonella. How are we to know which products are not safe for consumption? Phyllis' blog eFoodAlert.com has all the answers. She posts daily updates of food product concerns, wherever they occur around the world. Her tag line says "Your dependable, independent source for food safety news and information" and you can count on Phyllis to live up to that statement. Mark her page as "must-read" if you have concerns about food safety in your area. Oh yeah, she also happens to be my cousin.

11) Earl J. Waggedorn was the best friend and downstairs neighbour of Corey Baker (Marc Copage), the only child of Julia (Diahann Catroll) on the sitcom of the same name. Julia was a nurse who worked for Dr. Morton Chegley (Lloyd Nolan). Earl J. Waggedorn was always referred to by his full name. He was never just Earl. The adorable red-haired kidlet was played by Michael Link.

Only one person knew this character, and I'm so impressed! Sully, you didn't let me down. I expected my sister to know this character name, but she didn't play. I'm glaring at you, Andi! ;)

12) Kelly Kapoor is the somewhat unstable, immature, shallow chatterbox who works as a customer service rep in the current television program The Office. She's played by actress Mindy Kaling who also writes and produces the show.

Accidental Bavarian and Suldog both got this one correct.

Thanks again for playing along everyone. Below are some recent photos. Please remember to click on them to enlarge.



Until a couple of days ago, we've had quite an accumulation of snow. I live in a townhouse with a single car garage, so our driveways are narrow. This will give you an idea of how high our piles have grown with the numerous snowfalls. (please click to enlarge)



A branch which extends over the pond after yet another overnight accumulation. (please click to enlarge)




On the weekend, the temperatures warmed up and everything began to melt. When the night air dropped down again, thin layers of ice formed on the recently thawed surfaces. (please click to enlarge)




A near-full moon as seen late in the afternoon - before the sun even set. (please click to enlarge)




The setting sun shone brilliantly as if to remind us that Spring isn't too far off. It peeked at me from between these evergreens. (please click to enlarge)



A late night walk takes us around the pond which began its melt earlier in the day. These ducks were relaxing on the surface of refrozen glass ice. The Honda dealership across the road joins their reflections. (please click to enlarge)




Zephyr sits close to Alex and watches me as I prepare a blog post. How long do you figure it was until that bottle cap was on the floor? (please click to enlarge)



Skittles moves in even closer to one of his favourite people. (please click to enlarge)




Over at Frank's place, Lucy, his African Grey helps us play Cribbage. (please click to enlarge)

A Weekend With Benny

This weekend the sudden onset of colder weather brought a dusting of snow. I felt a pull to spend time outdoors, which is easy to do when Benny, the Jack Russell Terror visits. His extreme vigor settles down to mere boundless energy after he has participated in the day's activities - a nice long walk, time spent chasing my not-so-tolerant felines and tearing through the back yard with his girlfriend, Raven.

When Benny arrives for the weekend, his tail wags so hard, you'd think he could propel himself upwards and fly. I'd like to think that his excitement is directed at me - after all it's been at least a week since we've last seen one another. But I know better. Once he's set free, Benny flings himself out of the car and rushes right past me, and over to my neighbour's house. Behind that front door, waits Raven, a little mostly-black Schnoodle (part schnauzer, part poodle), and object of Benny's affection.

Together, the tiny terrors have learned the worst habits from one another. Raven has introduced Benny to new cuisine opportunities. While he was perfectly happy to ignore such mundane items as bird seed and his own frozen poopsicles, his canine partner-in-crime has shown him the joy of "waste not, want not". Benny, on the other paw, has taught her the art of escaping. No matter how well we cover the gaps between fence and ground, this furry Houdini can worm his way through almost anything. When the two of them are on opposite sides of the fence, Benny will encourage Raven to help him dig under it, and then he'll pull at the base of the chain link with his teeth, bracing his back legs for his one-sided tug-of-war, allowing her to burrow through from the other side. We've since allowed a space for them to go back and forth between the two yards.

As much as he loves her, there are times when Benny is not unhappy to see Raven go home. Those times usually follow a long session of her chomping on his rawhide bone, or settling into a lap which he has already claimed as his own. Once the two of them are apart, Benny is usually ready to take on one of his usual hobbies - bringing us chew toys so that we can wrestle them from his growling vice grip-like jaw, or if in a particularly charming mood, he plays Chase the Cats.

My felines are a work in progress when it comes to Benny. There are times when they can be nose to nose, without incident. There are other occasions when their mere presence triggers Benny's chasing instinct, which is quickly followed by disapproving hisses, spits and growls. I've gently suggested that Frank stop making those noises, for fear the cats will learn from his primitive behaviour, but alas, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Benny is doing a great job of keeping us all pretty active on weekends, since his twice-a-day walks get us out moving, no matter the weather. The small lake in the park across the street has been slightly frozen over throughout the weekend. It's just thick enough to hold the weight of a duck or a small breed of dog, if you don't give into the overwhelming temptation of allowing him to scamper toward where it thins. Benny knows what to do with water (bite the waves, of course), but he was quite uncertain about this new, cold and slippery, solid surface. His first few steps were tentative, before he busied himself by biting at the leaves and twigs buried just below the surface. I suspect that before too long, he'll be flinging himself across its icy cover for a long glide, which is pretty much how it happens when he chases my cats across the linoleum floor.

Occasionally we need to do the unthinkable, and go out for a short while without Benny. The commotion begins when he immediately senses that we're thinking about suggesting that we might want to talk about considering going out without him. Panic ensues. Pathetic cries begin to escape through his nasal passages. He senses doom. Life, as he knows it will be over. He is a dying dog. The cries turn to gut-wrenching screeches. Then forlorn howls. This is all before we have even put on our jackets. The struggle to keep him inside the house while not closing the door on our own hands or feet is near-impossible. If, by the fifth or sixth attempt we have successfully escaped, multi-syllabic squeaks will seep through from inside. If we hesitate before driving off, a quick flash of white tells us that he has taken a running dash at the front door, and leapt up to try and catch a glimpse of us through the frosty window, three feet above the ground.

I suspect he recovers quickly though. Upon our return, he's as calm as a Zen garden, having settled in nicely for a rejuvenating nap. By then he's ready to start the day's events all over again.

Once the day winds down, and all creatures are in their respective homes, Benny is near-lethargic, which for a Jack Russell Terror means that his energy level has dwindled down to that of an average tornado. With a gentle wag of his tail, he'll allow us to settle him in for the night. Like a toddler, he needs to take a toy to bed with him. He'll lie down on his blanket and give our hands a goodnight lick. Once asleep, I'm sure he dreams about Raven, ice gliding and the day when he'll get along well with the cats.

That last one might have been my own dream.

You can read more about Benny and his daily adventures with Frank over at Remaindered Random Musings.

Here are some photos taken from this past weekend. Click on any of them to see a larger image.

Raven comes calling for Benny. She often just appears at the back door, stands on her hind legs and jumps for joy. Here you can see that she's been feasting on bird seed (click photo to enlarge) from the snowy ground below the feeder. One of my nicknames for her is "Velcro."

Skittles is bored with being Benny's plaything.

Benny explores his new slippery world

Earlier last week, Frank went fishing near his place and caught some trout. He's been experimenting with a hot smoker, and this weekend, he brought it over to my place along with the fish. These fillets were just about ready to go into the smoker. Several hours later, they turned out yummy!

The best of both seasons come together. Colourful reds, golds and greens soak up the late-day sun and contrast against the icy water and snow-dusted grass.

I don't know what caused it to grow this way, but this bent tree bows gracefully to every season.

A dead thistle stands tall, watching over the lake.

A branch sits on top of thin ice and creates a shimmery reflection.

An evening walk around the lake to see the icy water glistening in the setting sun

Later, the full moon peeks out from behind a pine tree.

Night has fallen and a street lamp shimmers across the icy lake creating a silhouette of a curious duck.