Cassie-b

Smokey Joe

We have a new member to our family.  Smokey Joe is a rescued cat. 

A friend of mine found him, rather he found her, and she took him to a shelter.  The folks at the shelter and they said they would hold him for 3 days, but if no one claimed him, they would put him to sleep because he was unadoptable.  The reasons – he was too matted and had ear mites.

during the 5 weeks Smokey lived with them, she had him neutered, declawed, and all the shots and things one normally does for cats.  Also the ear mite problem solved. She had his very long, very matted coat shaved off.  It’s just growing in now. 

I believe that Smokey Joe is either all or part Maine Coon cat.  We’ve had one before, and he seems to fit all the criteria looks wise and behaviorwise.  I can’t wait to see him when his coat grows back! 

Quiet Weekend Ahead - I Think

There’s not a lot going on around here.  A nice quiet weekend, perhaps.

If you’ve stopped by, won’t you say hello?

and the weatherman says it’s supposed to be nice here in Bucks County, PA

Another Dove Story

I got an email from my friend M this morning with pictures of a new Dove family who has taken up residence in their hanging basket of petunias. 

According to M, it is not the same family that nested in the planter earlier this summer – “It’s not them, and I don’t think their offspring would be ready yet”

“These guys are young little critters.  And about 4 times as skittish.  The turkey baster is being applied yet again (for watering the plant), but not up to the point where I can water the entire plant without the bird flying away briefly.”

Salad, Anyone?

This time of year we eat a lot of salads.  We have a small garden, and we supplement the veggies from the garden with fresh veggies from our local vegetable market.

To make salads a little more interesting, I try to vary the salad dressings.  Here’s a recipe for a Sweet Onion Salad Dressing I found just recently that is really very good.  The recipe is in the extended entry of this post.

And this keeps in the refrigerator for a good long while.

Sweet Onion Salad Dressing
3/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 sweet onion (my choice is Vidalia), grated
3/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small saucepan, mix the first four ingredients. Add the grated onion, oil and vinegar. Heat until sugar is melted. Cool and refrigerate. Reheat and use to wilt lettuce or serve cold on salad.

Zinnia and Butterfly

Time for a new inspection sticker

I have been very timely this year about obtaining my annual State inspection sticker.

I have been ticketed twice for an out-of-date sticker. One of those tickets was pretty expensive.

My brother (when he was a teenager) was hauled off to jail for a having a counterfeit sticker on his car. 

I don’t think they kept him though. 

The bonus of going to get the car inspected now is that the dealership where we bought the car doesn’t charge us for the State inspection, AND they buy us breakfast at a local restaurant while we wait. 

And they even drive us to the restaurant and pick us up when we’re done.

A Hot but Great Day

Here’s where we went last week on my very first vacation day of the year.

It was a great day.  Much too hot, but worth the trip. 
There was lots of good food and lots of free entertainment-how nice!

One of the concerts we went to was Seamus Kennedy.  What a great show he put on.  His music is great and he’s an all around funny guy. 

Now I have to go out and buy some of his cds. 
I’d like to own a LOT of his music. 

The view from my Kitchen Window

My favorite kitchen window view.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.

Another reason why I love Kids

I was having a morning walk along the Atlantic Ocean in New Jersey with my very good friend. 

She told me the story of a little 4-year old in her family.  The little girl was drawing a picture of the beach, and she added a pipe that she saw on the beach. 

When she was asked about the pipe, she said that it was the pipe that they used to fill the ocean. 

I just love kids. 

Mother’s Rules

My mother was a strong, opinionated woman. 

Her favorite saying was, “I know I’m right. Don’t confuse me with the facts”.  I guess she thought it was funny, but it was also true.

She told me many things when I was a child and I always took what she said as the absolute truth.  After all, she was my Mother.

The one rule (and it was a rule) that comes to mind is that “Only Mommies with baby carriages can walk through puddles”

I was an adult before I realized that was not exactly true.

I believe that some people call that Parent contamination.