Dream Beagle

 

Yesterday was an icey cold day in this part of Virginia and I was napping.  A mix of rain and sleet, plus wind and a light coating of snow made sleeping midday pretty cozy.

And I was dreaming.

I dreamed about a little Beagle dog who was crying to enter my house.

She was out in all that frigid weather.

And she was walking right by my window, looking in.

I awoke with a gasp!

And in spite of anticipated pain in my BigFoot from radical fast movements, I quickly got to my feet and actually rushed to the nearest window.

No Beagle.

Was it real, that dream?  Was there really a little dog out there begging for a permit to enter?

I was so sure it was real,  I actually staggered from window to window peering out and hoping.

But, No Beagle.

Last night I saw once again my Dream Beagle, and this time I let the poor pup in.

I have wanted to adopt a dog for so long now that the dream became an entirely plausible reality.

They say, “Dreams are wish fulfilments.”

I am still checking all around the house for my Dream Beagle.

But a Mutt would be fine too.

Daily Post WordPress Prompt –  

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/permit/

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Happiness Is

Receiving flowers from a friend’s garden.

Thank you Amy!

Entertaining the perfect guest.

Pichu stayed with us for four whole days!

Finding a pony at Herman’s Produce.

Was he in a parade?

 

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Neighborhood Watch

There were two hummingbird feeders on our deck this week.   Now there is one.

A Dine Until Dark Curfew has been imposed on the little hummers and the one remaining feeder is taken inside when the sun goes down.

What happened?

A mystery intruder  visited and vandalized our peaceful Virginia home.

If you are interested in solving mysteries, here are the clues:

1. A favorite old hummingbird feeder  was lying in three pieces on our deck,
2. amid a wide swath of sticky sugar water, 
3. replete with large animal footprints, and
4. unidentified animal scat on the deck stairs.

“What critter (or person) could it be?”we wondered.

Bill thought it was a raccoon.  I thought a bear. Can you tell by these observations the differences in our personalities and outlooks on life?

I Googled SCAT and found some that looked like ours (NO, NOT HUMAN).  Oddly, there are actual animal “poop charts” so you can compare and identify droppings!  Somehow I find this offensive to my sensitive senses.

Bear Scat

Anyway, that was as far as I got researching when an email came in from our immediate next door neighbors warning they had seen a mama bear and her two cubs in their back yard!

Mystery SOLVED!  IT WAS DEFINITELY A BEAR!!!  AND A VIRGINIA BLACK BEAR WITH TWIN CUBS!!!  Well, what did I expect when we chose to live in the country – civilization?

Then a second email came  and a third.  The word is out and we have a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH with friends sending email alerts!

• “We saw a mama bear and two cubs in our back yard this morning.  If you think this is information that should be shared with the neighbors, would you pass it on?”  
• “Yep! We had some work being done at our house a few weeks ago and they videoed two cubs and the mom on our property.”
• “Also I saw them crossing the hunt road, heading up the hill into the woods between the pond and the riding ring, just like last summer. My mare has indicated their closeness to our place too. I have not viewed them there personally yet (but, she doesn’t fib).”

It is certainly comforting to know there is a Three Bears Neighborhood Watch, but having the trio on my deck borders on disconcerting!

I have a plan though.,

The trick is stay close to the front door, or the back door, or the car door.

Or if the bear gets inside – to barricade in the bathroom with my cell phone!

So much for summer walks in the woods.

 

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Volunteer Collusion

There is a volunteer on my deck.

Is it the Spider or or is it the Sunflower?

 

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Zombie Hunting Expiration Date

Sign of the Times

Yesterday I parked next to a car with this outdated 2014-15 Zombie Hunting Permit displayed in the rear window.  Should I have left a note to remind the driver to renew?

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The Could-Be-Best Avian Hotel

Vacancy – Birds Only

Bird Hotel  Needs Restoration.

Rooms Available for Consideration.

Not Listed in Trivago but

Call for Reservation.

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Virginia’s Regal Redhead

The Virginia State Bird is the Cardinal

And here he is on my deck railing,

adding color before the onset of Spring!

 

The northern cardinal is so well loved that it has been named the official bird of no fewer than seven U.S. states. Bright red cardinals are easily identified by even casual bird watchers, and are often seen frequenting backyards and bird feeders. When foraging elsewhere the birds eat insects, seeds, grain, fruit, and sap.Cardinals, also called “redbirds,” do not migrate and have traditionally been more common in warmer climes such as the U.S. southeast. However, in recent decades they have expanded their common range north through the United States and even into Canada. This population growth may be due to an increase in winter bird feeders and to the bird’s ability to adapt to parks and suburban human habitats.

Only males sport the brilliant red plumage for which their species is known. The color is a key to mating success—the brighter the better. Females are an attractive tan/gray.

Cardinals are active songbirds and sing a variety of different melodies. Males can be aggressive when defending their territory, and they frequently attack other males who intrude. This tendency sometimes leads cardinals to fly into glass windows, when they charge an “intruding bird” that is really their own reflection. Cardinals are fairly social and join in flocks that may even include birds of other species. During mating season, however, groups dissolve into pairs. Male birds feed their monogamous partners as they incubate clutches of eggs—typically three per season.

From: National Geographic

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Goose Convention in Williamsburg, Virginia

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Freedom and Other Weekly Pleasures

I know it’s only Wednesday – maybe too soon for Random Randoms, but this half of the week is special!

First, the snow came – and finally went.

And then we had a sweet doggy visitor overnight.

This pup now thinks we are Camp Pichu (Pichu is his name) and we are the solicitous counselors.  He fits right in and we love him.

And finally, my Big Foot (although still nominally big) can be sans the big ßoot for short periods of time.

In fact, my podiatrist says not to come back just to tell him things are looking good.  Things ARE looking good and  I’m done with the foot doctor! I must admit I will miss him, but he says to let pain be my guide now and  continue to wear the boot at my own discretion!

I am so happy even though it is raining “cats and dogs” outside.

I am delighted not only for freedom of life and limb (a bootless life and a painless limb), but for sweet visitors, and emerging grass for foraging deer,

And because I just learned my foot malady

is common and more commonly found in ATHLETES (not old ladies)!

And now I can say, “I must have contracted Bone Marrow Edema from extensive running in  marathons!”

Look closely and you may find me in this bunch!

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The Cheers that Linger

Yes, Christmas is over but not necessarily at Dor’s house.

We are having the longest, most extended holiday ever and maybe the nicest.

Christmas Eve Cheers

On the night before Christmas, my niece arrived from California, joining us for dinner at the sweetest little restaurant (the Bistro on Main) in Lexington, Virginia.

We couldn’t help laughing along with all the other diners in such high spirits.  There were little kids in pajamas with excitement in their faces, and the food was wonderful too.

What else could make for a perfect Christmas Eve?  We watched It’s a Wonderful Life when we got home.

Christmas Day Cheers

I don’t usually scream “Look what I got!” about gifts received but one of my most precious gifts is a robotic thing from Star Wars that is meant to serve as a “pet” since we don’t have a dog anymore.

This crazy gift  doesn’t work yet but it is supposed to follow me around, absorb my personality,  make odd noises, and project things on my walls.  There is a mamoth list of instructions in six different languages!

Thank you so much to our friend, Scott.  You have succeeded in making us laugh.  Maybe our grandgirls can decipher the instructions.  Bill has a blank look.

Christmas morning our niece left to join her husband and his family in Richmond, but later friends arrived here to share memories.

B is English and she and her daughter came bearing English chocolate and other home cooked delicacies to add to Christmas dinner.  They stayed with us two nights and what a joy it was to reunite with cherished friends.

New Year’s Eve

There is a tradition now.  We meet with  friends and neighbors at our house for laughter and libations and then head out for dinner.  This time it will be at the Sheridan Livery Inn in Lexington, Virginia.  Actually it used to be a livery where you could park your horse and go shopping but there are no longer any lingering horsey smells.

After dinner we head back to my house for dessert and a movie.  Every year our challenge is to find a movie that will keep Pete awake.  We only succeeded once I think, but when the snoring gets too loud we just nudge him.

We rarely get to midnight before disbursing but there is always hope.

 

The Year is Done but Christmas Cheers Linger on New Year’s Day.

Our son and grandgirls are coming on New Year’s Day!

Now Christmas should be over and the tree coming down

but our son and three grandgirls are coming to town.

The tree is still lit and the gifts laid with care

 and there are cookies and candies and turkey to share.

 

Happy New Year my friends.  I’ll be thinking of you too.

And may all your fondest dreams come true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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