WARNING!!

Warning!! Strange long eared creatures have invaded my world!!! They are everywhere!
Some of them have 2 legs, some of them have 4 legs!!!

They come in many colour variations and seem friendly....actually very friendly....they kept following me around as I was trying out a borrowed camera. Perhaps they hatched in all the water we have lying around after days and days and days of rain, then snow, then more rain?????? Lucky for me (????) they only seem to be in my neighbors yard although some time after this picture was taken the white creature seemed to molt, then with a shake of her body "the ears fell off!!!" ...and then the creature followed me home???? She is awfully cute ...the long ears seemed to have been replaced with shorter floppier ones. Have you ever seen anything like it????

In Memory of Phantom

After 19 years of sharing our lives, Phantom peacefully passed away 2 years ago today. She has lived up to her name and still visits us - usually at night, we feel her walking across the bed. Both my husband and I have felt her presence. She came to us as a stray with her 4 kittens, and of course we kept them all (later we gave 2 of the kittens to my sister) They all lived long and happy lives with us but sadly all the kittens died before their sweet little mom. Everybody loved Phantom...we miss her still....

Cat Poem
They will not go quietly,the cats who've shared our lives.In subtle ways they let us knowtheir spirit still survives.Old habits still make us thinkwe hear a meow at the door.Or step back when we dropa tasty morsel on the floor.Our feet still go around the placethe food dish used to be,And, sometimes, coming home at night,we miss them terribly.And although time may bring new friendsand a new food dish to fill,That one place in our heartsbelongs to them. . . and always will.
- Linda Barnes
This metal kitty marks her gave beneath the pine trees where she liked to spend the hot part of the day during summer

Coldest Day Yet

After hours of combing out every little knot in Nellie's long coat, she was ready for a bath and haircut yesterday. She always looks like a different dog -she's white, with black skin that makes her look gray on top because it is clipped so close! It was soooo cold out this morning - -21C with a windchill of -27C -I put her coat on -most of the time I don't think she cares -she loves the snow and cold -but it makes me feel better -I had on the heavy boots, snow pants, hat and long scarf wrapped around my face for our morning walk -the wind was from the east -cold and damp blowing over the water.
Finished some snowflakes this weekend, and I always hang them up for a day or two to see if any adjustments are needed after looking at them awhile -I wish the sun would come out so I can see them sparkle!

We went to a Christmas Farmers Market in a local village on Saturday, got some Octoberfest Sausage, some locally made wine and a dark fruitcake made by some delightful senior ladies. I love dark fruitcake -my mom used to always make it, but I'm the only one in my family who likes it so I usually buy a small loaf from local ladies raising funds for something or other now
instead of making my own. On our way home we drove a different route and discovered a new art gallery in the country. We had a great visit with the owner in the dog friendly gallery and I fell in love with a number of paintings -turned out the owners father painted them. We left but went back -JJ, the dear husband that he is let me buy one! I have a frame that fits it with a few adjustments will take a picture of it once I have framed it -love it -an impressionist landscape with my favourites -rocks, trees, fall colours and sky!!! I love it!!!