Peaks and valleys

Am back. What a trip. ( Cut for length and no-one-cares )

Walter did well at the boarding section of vet, though I immediately noticed he's got a bare spot on his tushie from chewing on it. He was a good boy, but not unstressed. The cats did okay with stranger coming in, except Pickle who melted down. When I came home she was huddled at the back of a closet and in the spare room - as Roy was eating her food, I advised the sitter to keep Pickle in that room with food, water and box. Not ideal, but that was the only way to guarantee she would get her food and not Piggy McPiggerson.

We are all back to usual, snuggling on sofa. I need to clean house and get laundry done, but due to the delays in travel I didn't get home till 3 AM and somehow awakened at 7:15. I am punchdrunk and not super inclined to move. Still, better have done with it.

December photos to come. This was all too much to dump in that post.

December

I didn't have much interest in photos this month. However, once I finally arrived at my sister's house to visit with her and my parents, I found some inspiration. A good part of their day is spent napping, playing solitaire, reading and bird watching. Sounds dreadfully boring but I have to tell you, as far as time off of work goes I enjoyed the pace and the time did not drag at all. Of course, there was also much chatting and food preparing, etc.

So, this is a bird centric month.


^But first, a cat.


^Either a plain ol' house finch or a purple finch. I can't tell.


^This pheasant is a frequent visitor at the house. My father named him Shorty, because his tail has been damaged. Apparently there is also a Long John and a Long Tom, too, but I did not see them.


^Downy woodpecker


^While I had never seen a cedar waxwing before one randomly landed in the field behind my office, apparently this earfull of them often stop in for a drink at this watering hole. I didn't know they like to travel in gangs.


^Cardinal in snow. There are a great many of them around. ♥ My father stated that earlier in December a male cardinal had rammed into the picture window and died. He didn't immediately handle the poor creature's corpse and said that the following day another cardinal came up to the body and poked around, as if trying to figure out why his companion wasn't waking up. I know that's humans attributing human emotion, but there was likely some kind of connection there, no?

It took me all day to remember to upload these photos. I am in zombie mode despite springing for a full caffeine latte. I wish I'd done the latte prior to shopping for some grocery items - I forgot milk! I had to pick Walter up by 9 and for some reason I'd woken up super early after only a few hours of sleep. After I retrieved him, I then walked for a couple of miles. Did another mile and a half later.

Yeah, point is. Plumb tuckered out. But it's good I walked when I did. We are having WEATHER. My house sounds like I'm inside a popcorn popper. Ping ping ping. Plus a hurricane. It's foul out there.

Hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday!