Our homes may be far apart, but our hearts are as close as always!
There is always, always something to be thankful for.
Also, check out these turkey treats the Ladydoc made! 
Currently Reading: Mapmatics: How We Navigate the World Through Numbers
Category: Wildlife
Hawk Visitors and Rabbit Holes
Hawk decided to have a seat and hang out on the patio with me. These guy better leave our bunnies alone! 🐰 🐰 🐰 Got through a bunch more tasks today before the weekend. I woke up early again and got through some billing tasks, then I went to Target to pick up some things for LD. Got back and went out again to get gas, drop some food off at the food pantry, and then took another trip out to Lexington to get some more stuff for LD, including some more pumpkins. Unfortunely they no longer had this bumpy warty one that I should have got the last time I was there, but instead picked up a popcorn pumpkin and another one that was multicolored. Perhaps I’ll come across some more unique pumpkins elsewhere. Toward the end of the afternoon we roasted a 7-lb chicken in the oven.
In the early evening we just happened to be flipping around the dial and landed on the Chronicle show which was doing a piece on Devens, which brought back to my mind the time that I worked on projects related to the army base that was there. I did a bunch of the mapping for the gov’t reports that we’d do. Here was one such report, and if you scroll around to the figures you’ll see my initials “MSB” in the title blocks. God, that was so long ago. These graphics were all done by me in AutoCAD back in the day. It was probably version 12 or 13 at the time. I also think they were all originally in color. The basic idea was the army had to know where any contamination was and to remediate it before the land could be used for anything else. In watching the Chronicle episode last night you could see what became of some of it. Pretty amazing that I had a part in that, all those years ago. What’s also weird was just the other day I came across some old awards and such back at Earth-1 recalling myself back to that time as well. Nostalgia city!
Sunday Full of Pool, Goats and Kittens
What a full weekend this was! I think we might need to lay pretty low next weekend. After heading to the office to drop off some things it was off to the north to visit old G-town again. LD had seen that they were doing something with kitten so we said why the heck not. Since our friends also live in town, they were kind enough to let us have some of their pool time, so we floated there and hung with them and Mollie for a couple of hours. Then it was off to the farm. First there was some baby goat hang with some live music out on the lawn area which was actually pretty fun. After about an hour or so of that it was into the barn we went to do some yoga (which no one really does because you really just want to hang with the animals, at least in our case) although I did do some. I’m not as flexible as I used to be I am learning. Ouch! Oh, and then the kittens came out, so cute. Must only be a couple weeks old I’d imagine. Did you know that LD had never in her life held a kitten before? She had cats, but never from being a kitten, so this was pretty special in that way in that she finally got to interact with the little creatures. At then end we watched their mother nurse them as they were probably getting hungry and sleepy. So precious to see. We took well over 200 pictures from both events but I’ll just provide a sampling here for now.
Sure as a Trip to Sherborn
Haven’t updated in a while. Time flies! Saturday we had a nice lunch in the park after a quick visit to the office to figure out lamps and various décor. Then yesterday we visited some animal friends. LD had found out somehow that the town of Sherborn was having a thing where participating farms could be visited for free for a time so we decided to check it out. As a bonus our friend Em came along (sort of a out-of-the-blue-last-minute-want-to-hang-out for the afternoon thing, to which we naturally said “Of Course!”. We do like hanging out with Em, she’s super cool.
After all that we hit a Trader Joe’s and got a bunch of things, then we were pretty fried so we got some take out and settled in for the night with some television watching. We finally finished watching every episode of the Shield (amazing show!) and are now starting to look for some good things to watch.
Currently Watching: Under the Bridge on Hulu.
Gametime: CubeMerge
Happy Capybara Appreciation Day! My History With Them
Capybaras Rule and I learned today that it was Capybara Appreciation Day I had to make a post about it. I adore capybaras! My very first encounter with seeing these creatures was actually many years ago when we visited the Cape May Zoo in New Jersey, which is an awesome zoo and free to the public. Then years later I saw one on display in NYC when we were visiting the Natural History Museum. I recall seeing the bones and such and a write up of it’s jaws and a short history. Little did I know, that years later I would be enamored with these guys!
Visiting the Nantucket Serengeti
There’s this preservation area on the island which looks amazingly like an African Serengeti plain. It’s so strange to see such an ecology as that on a New England island!
Yesterday I noticed one of my car tires would keep looking low so I figured it might have a slow leak. I took it to my guy over at Earth-1 since I was heading there for the day anyway and they discovered that there was a nail in it, which they happily fixed up for me, so that was good. I ended up taking my mom to Revere Beach for an hour or so because I felt she might like to get out of the house and get some fresh air. She wanted me to ride her over to Wellington Circle for something and since the beach wasn’t too far from there I suggested we hang there for a bit. I think she had a good time so that was nice as well.
Piggy Yoga is Now a Thing
So much fun! I was surprised at how fun it actually was! Then it was an afternoon by the pool, a night of grilling and doing a fire pit. Beautiful day!
Gametime: Tongue Tied. Help the frog reach the stars! Pretty cool game.
Currently Watching: Brats. A doc about the Brat Pack of the 80s headed by one of them.
A Wonderful Discovery of Birding
I just got around to trying this app called Merlin which identifies birds just by listening to them singing and tweeting. This thing is pretty sick and works awesome! The Merlin app is free from Cornell. It will record and identify birds by their calls in a matter of seconds. In under a minute, it could identify 6 different birds from the backyard!.I really like using the Sound ID function, just sitting out back with it listening and seeing the different bird species pop up that it identified. It also seems to do a great job of ignoring any background noise. How did I not know about this sooner?? Download it!
Baby Bunny Sighting
Nice to see that at least one of the baby bunnies from a few weeks ago is still hanging around and seems to be doing fine. It was definitely going to town eating some grass.
Yes, I know I probably need to cut the grass again already due to all the moisture we’ve had over the last couple of days,
On another pleasing note, tonight is my work group dinner at a local restaurant, where we all hang annually and just enjoy each others camaraderie and maybe swap some war stories from our time in the field. We’ll see if I have anything interesting to share afterwards.
Currently Reading: The Lost Tomb: And Other Real-Life Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder. I had just finished the last book I read about Michael Lauder and this read should be lighter.
Typical Tuesday in Springtime
Yesterday was a busy day for me. In started off with me doing my weekly rounds around the town and having to deal with people. You need a somewhat tough skin for the job but also to keep being nice as the public face. I think I’ve found a pretty good balance of that.
Since it was so nice yesterday but supposed to rain the rest of the week I decided to tackle mowing the back yard, first time this year. The grass was starting to get a bit long back there. I ran out of gas for the mower halfway through so I had to take a quick jaunt to the station to refill up the can but after that I finished it up nicely.. As in years prior I did not mow this patch of wild buttercups that grow in the middle of the lawn as part of helping out the back yard ecology. I do mow that down after they’re finished blooming.
As evening neared, I prepared dinner: beef bolognaise with zucchini slices. I felt it turned out fairly well. We ended the evening by finishing all of the NYPD Blue episodes available on streaming, which totaled over 200. Admittedly, I did fall asleep during some of them throughout the course of the weeks we were viewing.
Carson has been “camping” in the sun room, refusing to go to bed. The last time he did this, baby bunnies were born in the flowerpot on the terrace. The fact that he’s starting to do this again has me wondering if Mommy Bunny is returning for another round. I went out there this morning to check the pot and see if anything had changed. I did observe that the hole was covered in thatch, and when I pushed it up, I noticed what appeared to be new fur lining, but it was otherwise empty, so I believe another round will be arriving soon.
Speaking of babies, a robin has been resting in the nest above the neighbor’s garage next door, where the morning doves had all of their offspring last year. I suppose she chose to use what they had previously constructed for her eggs. Smart little lady!
My mom is having her second cataract operation this morning, this time in her other eye. The first op was quite the success so after this one her eyesight should be pretty good. I’m going over there later this afternoon.
Sure Signs of Spring (Baby Bunnies Born Again!)
I awoke, to my utter surprise this morning, to notice that three baby bunnies had been born in the same old flowerpot that previous generations of buns had been born in, running around the deck, in between the various pots. I suppose we were first alerted to their presence when we realized that Carson never came up to the bed last night. He was watching the bunny action apparently. We put out some carrot strings in the afternoon and by early evening, they were eaten, most likely by the one bunny that is still hanging around, although after today, I would imagine it will be on it’s way to it’s life’s adventure.
Yesterday I spent much of the day over at Earth-1, helping my mom out with various tasks that she needed down. She had a cataract operation last week and is progressing great. Probably going to have the other eye done in a couple of weeks as well. While I was there, one of her cats, Laurel, decided to wear his bowtie. I wish I could Carson to wear one but there’s no way that’s going to happen at this stage in the game.
Baby Goats and Cambridge Bikes
Hanging out with these baby goats this afternoon at a place in Northborough, Massachusetts was simply, “Baaaaaaa-mazing!” The goat from the video below we were told was only 4 days old! He has quite a set of lungs on him! Another goat also got to biting my ear, which while kind of funny, also hurt a teeny bit! And then a third goat fell asleep in my arms- she was a sweetheart.
In the morning I headed out to Cambridge for a bike ride the city was running. Got to travel thru the city, mostly through Kendell Square, and down by Lechmere and M.I.T. As you can see from my stats it wasn’t a strenuous ride in the least, but it being my first ride of the season, my legs and back were a tiny bit sore after. There was no particular theme to this ride and the route had stretches that seemed a bit odd to me, like very narrow passageways which made all the bikes bunch up and the bottle necks. I did get to pass by where M.I.T. was showing off the the S.T.E.M. women orange statues which was something I had wanted to check out in the past. I might need to go down there at a later time to get a better look.
The Case of the Cute Cuddling Capybaras
We got to partake in an amazing experience yesterday. getting to cuddle and play with a pair of capybaras! I love them! Their fur feels like straw. I never thought in a million years I’d ever be able to play with a capybara, let alone two. I remember seeing this animal in a zoo a few years ago and only learned about their existence a few scant years ago. To me, they seem to be the next up and coming “big thing.” We also go to see a wallaby which had a baby popping it’s head out of her pouch every now and again, which was cool to see, and a special cat, some yaks, alpacas and, of course, some goats, but the capybaras were the stars of the show for me! We were lucky to even get into this experience as it is currently very limited but I hit it just right and was able to get us access. The location of all this wonder was down in Mattapoisett, a town down on the southern coast. It was a bit chilly.
Planning on checking out the Puppy Bowl later today. It’s an animal filled weekend!
Mama Knows Best
I was lucky and honored to be able to catch this shot of a mom and her cub off the coast of Chatham. This afternoon I also finally got to meet a little dog named Niko. What is it with me and dogs lately? I was never a dog person.
My Top 10 Moments for 2023! Another Great Year!
Top 10 of 2023!
Once again I thought it would be fun to list what I felt were the top ten moments of my life from 2023!
As always, it wasn’t easy coming up with this list and truth be told, with the exception of maybe the top two or three, any of these could be in any order. I’m sure I’m missing some things as well here and there, but these are the moments that stood out the most to me from the past year. I probably would have added meeting Jackie the House Duck to this list but you can read my previous post about all that. As usual the images I’ve taken during the year helped me to remember and capture some of the moments. You can click on many of the smaller ones to see a better view. And now without further ado, let’s get right to the list!
Number 10: Cold Weekend Getaway to the Cape!
We had an opportunity to spend a couple of days out on the Cape and recharge. Although it was partly cloudy for most of the time, the only really sunny day was extremely windy which it made it feel really cold, so I didn’t go crazy getting photos, but I was pleased with I was able to capture of which a small sampling is here on this post.
We had some great food and hot chocolates and spent a bunch of time just hanging out, relaxing and reading. One weird thing about the place we were staying at is that they had their own photos on the walls with you could purchase. Just seemed a little weird to me. Also we could never figure out how to get the automatic candles to light in the fireplace which would have been really cool, but it was a fun place to crash.
I had some interest in some of the cape photos from this trip so I’ve made them available on the store page. Check it out if you like my work. Ironic, don’t you think?
Number 9: Fourth of July party!
This was the day of the BBQ that I had been hoping for since early in the year! The weather was a bit overcast but that’s alright by me, as long as it didn’t pour on us it would be fine. In fact, maybe it would even keep down the heat of the day, although it was pretty muggy out. At least the plants are all loving this kind of weather – they are growing like gangbusters. As the festivities went on though the sun came out and stayed out. It ended up being a successful outing! I was a master at grilling dogs, burgs, salmon, corn, and veggies. Did a quick fire pit, admired the garden and relaxed in the sun and for dessert….I invited my mom and sister over to partake in the festivities. I think they enjoyed themselves.
Here are the treats we made last night for the days BBQ. Aren’t they cute?! LD can be so creative at times, as she comes up with these ideas or finds out about them and we try to implement them. They are little grills with food on them! It’s actually just Little Bites for the grill, some food coloring to get the grill lines and Mike and Ike candies for the meats and vegetables. The legs are lollipop sticks. Let me tell, these were not that easy to make, but they sure were a huge hit and totally worth it!
Number 8: Bristol Rhode Island Birthday Trip!
One this day we took an afternoon trip down to beautiful Bristol RI and I got to have a nice lunch by the water. We saw some herons and egrets too. I ended up getting a Del’s Lemonade Cucumber Spritz with Vodka and a nice Seafood Linguine. I would recommend this place called the Beach House. I found my dish to be super delicious.
The before heading back we took a detour to stop by Like No Udder down in Providence to get some ice cream and slush goodies.
I also got some cool books, and a neat bamboo cutting board that includes different mats for cutting different types of foods on top of it, which will replace the current cutting board I’ve been using for a long time now.
Number 7: Father’s Day Trip
On this day I was jonesin for a little bit of Kelly’s Roast Beef out in Revere Beach, so LD was kind enough to get us there. I also wore my Carson sweatshirt which was a gift from last year but I wear it only on special occasions because it is so special. It’s actually a hoodie, with the face of Carson on the front and the text “Carson’s Dad” all hand stitched from a photo that LD sent to a woman in the Ukraine who made it. Truly a one of a kind! It took a long time to arrive but I’m amazed it came at all seeing as there is a war going on over there! I enjoyed my roast beef sandwich loaded with cheese and sauce, but I did switch hoodies when it came to eat on the beach because I would not want to get the Carson hoodie damaged in any way! It only comes out now on special rare occasions.
Then we had some friends over for an impromptu BBQ and fire pit night. We ended up just getting takeout from a great Greek food place in town and then did the S’mores thing. It was supposed to happen on Saturday but the weather looked to be crappy so it all got moved up to Friday night and it was wonderful. We did need all of Saturday to basically recuperate from it all though. Being social can take a lot out of a person!
Number 6: Going on a Hayride with Goats!
Going on a hayride with baby goats? And then walking them after? Hell, yes! Thankful that all the rain we were supposed to have pretty much held out for most of the day up in Georgetown, Massachusetts! Good memories were made this day my friends! You can click on any photo below for a bigger look.
Number 5: A Visit to the Catskills!
Oh look, another entry with goats. Seems to be a theme! Back from a lovely Easter weekend in the Catskills of New York. We got to stay in a pretty cool Airbnb , pretty much a log cabin, with a wood stove fireplace and that is attached to an actual goat sanctuary across the way and they had baby goats, which of course we snuggled! We also got to “paint with goats!” Actually we got to do a lot of things there but one of the highlights was probably LD with a sweet baby goat that fell asleep in her arms for two hours. Pretty amazing to experience. Her name is Alora by the way and she is the cutest. Probably my favorite. Click on the pics for full length versions.
Afterwards we took a little drive over to the old Catskill Game Farm, where LD went to visit as a little kid. It’s abandoned now but we visited anyway. We also passed by the largest garden gnome statue in the world (at least up until 2007) on the way.
One cool thing about the place that I forgot to mention earlier is that it was fully stacked but also had this somewhat amazing gameroom in the basement, with Poker, darts, air hockey, basketball, foosball, and even a full length ping pong table. I also spent some time in one of the various hammocks around the property. The place was pretty cool, I would definitely go back, and the drive is not bad at all.
Oh, there wasn’t even supposed to be baby goats there. we lucked out on that one. They got some goats in previously and apparently one male somehow slipped through the process and basically ended up impregnating a bunch of the ladies one night. That goat was super busy. Is that what the kids mean nowadays when they say that goat had rizz? Anyways it worked out because baby goats are the best and it ended up being a great surprise and made the experience even better in my opinion.
Number 4: Prelude in Kennebunkport!
I know, this one wasn’t that long ago! This particular weekend we went up to see the Kennebunkport Maine’s Prelude festivities. We arrived at our Airbnb on Friday night, a place that we stayed a couple of years ago for Prelude. Yes, in Arundel again, the place with the sulfur water! But, for whatever reason, it didn’t seem half as bad this time, plus the place is great otherwise. They even have a microwave now. It is a bit on the minimalist side but it suited our purposes just fine. The bed is very comfy if a bit low to the ground. Very modern type of place/look. Anyways, we didn’t attend the actual tree lighting in the center because that’s bat-shit crazy town, but we met up with our friend “E” who grew up there for a nice evening dinner at a place called Ultramar. I ended up getting this seafood bouillabaisse which was very good. I’d have to say that all the restaurants in the area are pretty top notch. Hung there for a few hours having a good time. Then we went back to our friend’s parents’ place where we played with the dogs, Pippa and Boomer. LD loves Boomer – he’s a very large dog, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. When we got back to our place to crash I decided to be a little Zen, as you can see in the photo.
Saturday was the busiest day for us as we had a lot of things planned and I’m happy to say that we got to do them all and even a bit more! .It started out with us going to check out a donkey that was going to be visiting some of the little craft shops in a corner of the town. We were so excited to see him. His name is Sylvester of all things and his fur was so so soft and he such a gentle creature. Naturally we had to get many pictures with him, which we did. Both singularly and together. Some old lady also decided to get into some of our group shots but she was cropped out of Couse. Sorry lady, No beuno!
Then it was off the to the beach for a little bit because you can’t go to Maine and not have some beach time, plus LD needs beach time. “E” brought her dog and we watched as she played in the sand, chasing balls, and meeting other dogs. The weather was actually pretty nice and there was no rain throughout the day even though that was a possibility, so we lucked out there big time. Couldn’t stay at the beach too long though because we had reservations for a trolley ride!
After that it was to the Seashore Trolley Museum to take a ride along the tracks on an old 1920s rail trolley with our couple-friends (M&M) who came up for the day! The train ride itself wasn’t all that long but it was kind of neat to be on an actual rail trolley from back in the day. What I didn’t realize is that I though since Seashore was in the name, that this ride who go along the sea shore, but alas it just goes through the woods of Maine. Still, it was an experience and we got some great pictures there in the actual museum which hosts a bunch of old train stuff.
After that we all went out to lunch back in the center of town at a place called Old Vines Wine Bar. I didn’t have any wine but we did have chicken meatballs, and I specifically had Ricotta Herbed Ravioli. The baked brie was pretty amazing as well. After that there was a hat parade going on in the center, which we weren’t a part of but got stuck in with anyway. While that was going on, there was a couple of stops in some shops and a coffee/hot chocolate run.
After saying bye to M&M who had only planned to stay for the day we headed back to the Airbnb for a few hours to recuperate before the next round of activities. It’s a good thing we did too because we’d be really dragging and hurting if we didn’t. Age is catching up to us!
It started off by visiting the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust to check out this lighted meditation labyrinth in the woods. We eventually found it, although it was much further in than we had anticipated. But we made it and did the whole follow-the-path-to-enlightenment thing. Took some pictures there but it was pretty dark so they really didn’t come out all that well. You’ll just have to experience for yourself!
Dinner was at THE BURLEIGH, a place we had all dined at before, once again meeting up with our friend. It definitely has an interesting look as the bar area looks like Christmas threw up with it’s over the top decorations. I ended up having a burger there which was great. The fries were pretty great too.
By this point it was approaching 10 pm and most of the crowds had dispersed for the night. So it was a great time to hit the lighted bridge over by the Boathouse. We got some great pictures there of all of us. We also got stuff for Carson at a little pet shop in town that we like to hit up whenever we’re in the area.
Day three was a little more of the same, although less because it would also be the day we’d be heading back. We started out by going to a charity for dogs event at a place called Vinegar Hill Farm where you can win a Christmas tree or a wreath or something of that nature, and get a pic of your pup with Old Saint Nick himself. “E” brought Pippa and her dad brought Boomer, LD’s favorite. But Boomer apparently can’t really be in this setting because he’d be like a bull in a china shop and knock everything and everyone over, even though he’s a love. He just doesn’t know his own body size or strength. In fact, while taking pictures of Boomer outside with LD and Santa, Boomer got too excited and knocked both Santa and LD over. LD actually face planted, which wasn’t good and got some back and blue on her chin, but it could have been worse. Eighty pounds of Boomer is like a Sherman Tank. Don’t worry though, everyone was alright, thank goodness.
Before heading back a went around and grabbed a few scenic pictures of the area, hitting the famous Clam Shack by the river, the Love KPT sign of course, and the truck out in front of Batson’s. We were bummed this year that Batson’s didn’t have the outdoor fish shacks which is part of the reason we went to Old Vines instead. Oh, and just before leaving the state we hit up Yummies for some candy!
Did I forget anything. Most likely, we did so many things, and there were so many people, and there was so many laughs and good times. Prelude has gotten so big now that it’s been so publicized! It’s a pretty special place and we always enjoy our time there.
Oops! I did forget something! Before heading out we went out for brunch at a place called Musette, a little tiny café where the actor Patrick Dempsey (aka McDreamy) likes to hang out. We didn’t see him there that day bit the food was tasty and the vibe was small-town-ish.
Number 3: A Brew-Tea-Ful Day!
Reservations finally came through for a little get together at a fancy tea house to help celebrate our anniversary. The food was great! I ended up going with a white tea called the Bartlett Pear which consists of White tea, pear, apple and peach pieces, pear flavor, nutmeg, cinnamon, white cornflowers, peach flavor. I must say it was quite good, very pleased with my choice. We were seated in the cutest little room, very pink and very Marie Antoinette-ish, for my lack of a better description. It was fun day to celebrate our special day!
Number 2: First Ever Bat Mitzvah
Attending our first ever Bat Mitzvah. Let me tell you, our friends know how to throw a party! From the signature cocktails to all the custom everything! The service was wonderful as well. There was so much I’m having a hard time remembering it all. I know there was a ton of dancing, and some eating, and taking pictures and just whooping it up. It was a fun time. Will most likely do it again in a couple of years when the next kid has his!
Before I get to Number 1, how about some Honorable Mentions?
HM 1: Momma Bunny Pays a Visit!
This happened on a day that was spent cleaning out some of the kitchen cabinets in anticipation of the new work that was going to be done soon. While we were in the process of doing that, LD noticed that a mother rabbit was creating a new nest for babies over on the side deck. Not the greatest place to put one since we come in and out of that door all the time, but momma is going to do what momma wants!
We’ve taken to naming this mother bunny Katherine. I’m not sure why but LD came up with it and we’re going with it. In the end, momma decided not to use this nest (what a disappointment!) must likely we believe to be because a squirrel came by later and dug up around all the work she was doing. Perhaps it spooked her. It was still really interesting to watch the process though, and we’ve been really lucky with rabbits birthing their kids in out flowerpots many times now in the last couple of years!
HM #2: Biking the new GLX Line!
On this particular day I needed to run to Somerville and while I was there, I was figuring, since it was a rather cool day out, that I’d go and do a quick bike ride down the GLX and get some exercise in. So that’s one of the things that happened
I must say that they did a really nice job with this path. I mean, it took them long enough to build it, but the wait was worth it, I would say. It’s a straight shot into Boston so it’s very convenient. Plus the scenery along the way isn’t too bad either. It ends basically just before going under the Zakim bridge where it ties in to other bike/pedestrian routes there, over that park by North Point.
HM #3: Round Hill Beach Excursions!
Can you correctly identify these four creatures? Three birds and some sort of sea creature apparently with it’s arms up out of the water.
We had so much fun on this day, we did this a couple of times. The waves were better and we basically ended up staying there until closing, Once again, thanks to LD’s friend for allowing us to use her resident pass so we could access this private beach. For lunch we munched on a Jersey Mike’s but one thing I learned is you have to eat there kind of with your food hidden, because the gulls are pretty aggressive. In fact before I knew this I was divebombed by one of them trying to get the sandwich out of my hand! It basically crashed into my head, and it kind of hurt a little, I was more surprised than anything I suppose, but it ended up empty handed as I was able to hold on to my sandwich. I also find that I like swimming at beaches with boats in the background.
HM #4: The Kitchen Renovation!
This vid was taken when it was about 98 percent done! It’s all done now. Bought a bunch of new stuff to go with the new décor, etc. It’s been a little over a month of hard work but the results are paying off now! Everyone who sees it, loves the transformation. The backsplash is the real star. LD spent a very long time on all the details and it shows! This is where I prep and cook a lot of our meals now!
And Now on to The Number One Top Moment, actually Moments,
Drum Roll Please
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It was the Summer Cape Trip This Year! But Specifically One Certain Day During
Did you ever have a day where you wish it would never end and you wished it would just last forever. That’s what this day was for me this year.
This whole week was pretty much amazing, but one day in particular really stood out. One of LD’s former colleagues also came down for a couple of days and happened to be there during this stint. The visit to Harding’s beach in Chatham on this particular day was incredible and one that I’ll remember forever. We swam and swam. The water was warm, warmer than it’s ever been it seemed, like really warm, almost crazy warm, the waves were high which made riding them and splashing or jumping over them as they came in quite fun, and I was having a blast. I think we all ended up staying there from like 1:30 to 6:30. It was just the most perfect day.
And of Course by the end of the day you have to check out the sunsets.
Rock Harbor never disappoints and I got what I consider to be a great shot and one that caps off this year for me personally. I decided to walk further down along the marshy area then I have in the past. I covered myself up appropriately so that I wouldn’t get eaten by any bugs too badly and that was a smart move by me. This isn’t my first rodeo! What’s really cool about this pic is how the sun’s reflection kind of forms the shape of a heart! The universe was telling me something that day.
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”
—Eckhart Tolle
Well, that’s the wrap. I also could have added the Winter Lights Outing, or the many visits to the sanctuary, the million little trips and jaunts we do, the various other hangouts with friends and family, the snuggles with Carson (that could be #1!) but I had to draw the line somewhere. Just keep following me and you will see all the craziness. It’s not all party and happiness all the time, there were some scary and sad parts, a couple of funerals to go to and the like, but I am blessed and extremely lucky that a lot of it is happiness. This post is one way for me to reflect on things and a chance for me to practice some gratitude. Growing up from the circumstances that I grew up in, I know how lucky I am but there was always love and that helped me and continues to ground me. Sooooo….
Happy New Year Everyone, let’s hope the new year is filled with more happiness and love and good stuff for you all! If you’d like to look back further into our adventures here’s the link to my top ten moments of 2022!
End of Year Trip and Jackie The Duck!
We decided to take a little small trip this week and get by the water. LD found this cute little place by the sea so we went! The pic above is the view from out back – the property is right on the water! Gorgeous! The weather was downcast for much of the trip so no sun, but at least there really wasn’t any rain to stop us and it was rather mild the whole time we were there. I didn’t even need to wear my jacket at all, although LD did feel cold at times. Maybe I just got used to the elements being outside a lot nowadays. It’s no too far from Paine’s Creek which is an area that I love so we checked that out, along with some other nearby sights and some good eats along the way.
The highlight, however, was meeting Jackie the Duck, who also lives there! Jackie the Duck’s story is actually extremely fascinating. He was essentially saved by the owner lady as he emerged from his egg. His mother had either killed or abandoned the chicks for whatever reason, and this little boy would very certainly have died if she hadn’t taken him in and saved him. Anyway, the act of doing so imprinted her on him, and he became a member of the family as a result. He is a pet, but he is so much more! Let’s see if I can recall any of the stories the lady told us about him.
He bathes in the house, but he must wait for his feathers to dry before proceeding with his day. He follows her around the house and rides in the car with her. He’s riding shotgun in a straw-filled tub. He wears a diaper in the house since ducks can’t manage their functions, and there’s reportedly a lady in Maine who makes these duck-specific diapers, so maybe this is a thing? When they’re playing in the ocean out back in the summer, she’ll toss him in and he’ll ultimately return back to her on the shore. In fact, when he’s finished swimming, he waddles right out of the beach and into the home. When he falls asleep, his bill is a little heavy, so you can see him drop his head every now and then; we witnessed this in person today! He really was a sweetheart, he even poses for you so you can take his picture. What a character! He has no interest in hanging with other ducks, and why would he, he’s living the life a of a king, even by human standards! I hope we’ll get to hang out with him again sometime (the lady liked us and said next time we’re in the area to give her a buzz!)
Squibbs Buffet!
Looks like all the squirrels are enjoying the last of the pumpkins that we had lying around for the fall season!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thankful for the food before us, the friends beside us, and the love between us.
That time of year again! Just a little gratitude can unlock the great fullness of love. Wishing you a wonderful holiday full of love and plenty. Happy Thanksgiving!
Oh, and also, Happy National Jukebox Day! Maybe we’ll blast some tunes this weekend and wake up the neighbors!
Home for Some Quick Updates
Just a little quick update in some photos to explain the week.
First up is this picture I took of the Nauset Light. Now since it’s September, it’s the time of the year that my Duxbury photo is featured in their official calendar . Green Harbor is closing for the season on Monday so we had to get in one last lobster roll for the summer. These two hawks better leave our bunnies alone!
Planning on doing a firepit tonight so there could be an update to this post afterwards and there’s something big happening tomorrow.
Gametime: One Many Nobody – cool puzzle game where you need to clone yourself to escape the levels.
Couldn’t Save the Bird in the Fireplace
We heard sounds this afternoon of something flapping around in the fireplace. This had happened once before years ago and it was a crazy time with a bird flying through the house in a panic, smashing into windows and scaring the cat as I hit the floor as not to be divebombed. We tried calling various agencies but they were pretty much useless. By the time we decided how to go about trapping the bird, getting Carson squared away, and trying to figure out our plans it became too late. When I opened the grate to access the fireplace (which we don’t use and am pretty sure the flume is closed), I saw the little bird stuck underneath the metal thing that holds the logs. I scooped it out and it was breathing but it didn’t look good. We put it outside and I cleaned it off but the bird basically was a goner in a few minutes. At least I was there as it took it’s last breaths and I petted it’s little head (I was wearing gloves of course) so at least it didn’t die alone. We feel terrible but that’s the way of the world sometimes. I ended up burying it and saying a prayer.
Round Hill Beach Day Number 2
Can you correctly identify these four creatures?
We had so much fun the other day, we had to go back yesterday and do it all over again. This time the waves were better and we basically ended up staying there until closing, Once again, thanks to LD’s friend for allowing us to use her resident pass so we could access this private beach. For lunch we munched on a Jersey Mike’s but one thing I learned is you have to eat there kind of with your food hidden, because the gulls are pretty aggressive. In fact on Thursday before I knew this I was divebombed by one of them trying to get the sandwich out of my hand! It basically crashed into my head but ended up empty handed.
I have so much yard work and gardening maintenance to do today and I want to do it but my body is tired and I don’t feel like it. Two beach days in a row apparently take a lot out of me these days. I’ll try to force myself in a little bit, at least to do a little.
A Friday in the Middle of Summer
I think we saw two squirrels having sex this morning in the back yard. I mean, they were rolling around each other in a display that we have never seen before in our lives. I suppose they could have been playing but I don’t know. It was quite a scene.
According to the weather reports, it was supposed to rain all day today, however it’s been nothing but sunny here. Which is good, because I purchased a bunch of new firefly lights for the back yard. I think I’m going to have them line the back fence. I think it’ll look pretty cool. I also bought some more ink for my photo printer. I do like to print out a lot of my photos and place them in sort of a portfolio.
Serenity Now!
Well, I forgot to mention yesterday another thing going on over at Earth-1. Contractors are ripping down the old industrial laundry building behind my mom’s house. What a giant mess that is! They’re making space for, what else, some new condos. I saw the skeleton of the stairway exposed that led from the front door up to the old iron pressers on the 2nd floor. I remember going up and down those stairs many, many times when I was a wee lad bringing those ironed shirts down from there and across the street to the dry cleaning operation, which is now gone and also replaced by a condo. Interestingly as a side note, before it was a dry cleaner building, it used to be a Dairy Queen and I can remember being 4, 5, or 7 and my aunt coming over and giving me a dollar to go get an ice cream from there back in the day. Eventually the prices started the climb and I’d still get the dollar, but my aunt didn’t seem to realize that a buck didn’t buy as much as it used to. I appreciated the gesture though!
Some of the tiger lilies are staring to bloom in the garden, What an explosion of color! I need to do some more weeding around that area though. It’s on my to-do list! Also can hear another baby hawk squawking all day long again! You might remember from last year, all the adventures I had in dealing with those creatures!
Busy day at the mansion here today. The new countertops are installed and what a day it was seeing how the process goes. They look super awesome and they even got the muted veins to match the slabs where they cut Amazing. It’s really going to look sick once the backsplash tiles LD selected go in. Anyways, every day it’s something happening! The plumber is set to come tomorrow to get the new sink up and running and get the dishwasher all back online and integrated into the new cabinetry.