Look who came to dinner

at........... the birdie feeder.

The only sparrow that didn't fly off was this Clay Coloured Sparrow...okay it is actually a clay sparrow ... but,  there is a sparrow called a Clay Coloured .. and, it looks pretty real doesn't it?  There are 3 on this little fountain.

The real ones quickly dived into the nearby juniper shrub and stayed there, quivering, 'til long after Curious George left the vicinity.

I got some photos of the cat and sent them to my neighbour to see if she recognized it.  We don't see many loose animals in our neighbourhood.  We live beside a golf course and do have coyotes and owls and hawks about all the time.  This guy would make a pretty good sized snack for somebody higher on the food chain..well, maybe not higher, but bigger.

He didn't get lucky ..   but, he was definitely checking out the menu.

Then, down he jumped and sauntered off in the direction of the next crescent ..where we think he lives.

Apparently, his name is actually George.  And I have no idea why he is out and about pretty far from home.  I would have thought people might be a bit more concerned for a lovely cat like this.  Looks like a Himalayan to me.  They aren't cheap.  Neither are vet bills.

So,  ....no actual birdies today on Wild Bird Wednesday...but, he is a visitor to the bird feeding station in my patio.
As usual, click on the photos to see them bigger ...what a beauty he is.

Bad George!  Bad CAT !!@

hahahah... yeh, as if I said that.  I just grabbed my camera and took his photo.

Check out real birds on Wild Bird Wednesday by clicking on this image.

Fluffy Friday

  Really..... this is Fluffy.  One of my sister's cats.

He was totally wild at one time... only showed up to grab some food if it was put out (by my sister as she loves ALL animals.... and, tries to help them all.

She was finally able to trap him...but, he fought it all the way... you can still see scars on his nose  where he hit against the cage many times... but, the vet persevered and neutered him for her on a trap and release program their community has... he took off when she let him go and she didn't see him again.  Until a whole year later.

One day he showed up on her porch...looked at her through her screen door...said "meow"... and, sat down to stay.  She has four other cats.  They weren't exactly happy to share their porch with an interloper.... but, she makes them behave.

It was a long cold winter and she worried about him in the little shed where he had to stay... he can't be inside as Mister Thompson and Shadow are the live-in cats...and Mister is the elder statesman... it just wouldn't be right.  So, she put a cat door in the shed for him to go in and out... I think his big fur coat made it pretty easy for him to stay quite warm really .... but, still she worries.... when it gets down to -25C it's pretty darn cold out there.  Some days I don't she gets any sleep at all...worrying 'bout the outside cats.... people drop off strays and newborns all the time.  How can adult human beings be so stupid?  How many barn cats do they think one person can handle?  Why do they expect others to step up and do the right thing?  I'd like to do the right thing and get rid of some idiots.

Now that he has been around for a bit...he has turned into a complete softie... purring constantly, loving to be brushed and groomed by anybody and everybody.... well, except one guy he doesn't like. Wayne.  Bad Wayne pushed him with his boot one day... he doesn't really like cats.  Fluffy will never forget Wayne.  And, he doesn't forgive either.

What a lovely boy he is...not Wayne... Fluffy...!

 Look at that face..... oh, my ...how could you  not love this guy?  I'm sure he will weasel his way into her house as well as her heart... maybe this winter....

She was trying.....

Sitting by the door....looking so cute..... almost begging in her most beguiling squawky meeaaowwww ......

I know better......

Her Mom would not be happy....see, she even has a sign to let me know the house rules and besides, I'd probably have trouble catching her... (not her Mom...  the cat).

Still....she persisted..........

and... more with the meaowwwing........


... and looking cute............ oh, boy did she persist.........

Talk to your pets

.. they probably listen about as well as kids... hahahhah.....

And they take it all in...absolutely!

Help!!!

Missing.  Hobbes.  An elderly lady kitty ...  still in fine shape... but, she needs meds twice a day... please call me if you have seen her.

Isn't she pretty?

Panicking a bit over here.  It's not even my own cat.  I don't have one.

I am looking after her for my neighbour for the week...and all has gone well for the past few days...but, this morning...I can't find her.  She needs meds twice a day.  She is not supposed to go outside...but....

There is somebody staying in the house this week, ... and the door to the downstairs is open...but, I wouldn't feel right going down there ...and Ms Kitty is deaf...so calling to her doesn't work.  I'm watching the driveway to see when the boarder leaves....I'll sprint over straight away and see if I can find her.  And, then...I'm putting a note on the door to ask that it be kept closed at all times.  And, I sure hope nobody let her outside ...oh, help@!  there are huge owls and also hawks around our area .... I don't want anything bad happening on my watch!!


Another beautiful snow photo for you...

looking out the neighbour's window....

Did ya miss me?

What??  You didn't even realize I was gone? ...hmpf.....Well.....

But, then, why would you?  I'm so irregular with postings that a week or two here and there wouldn't seem out of place.

So, I was away... visiting my sister in the next province... a 7 hour drive away....

Look what she has been saving for me... of course, for non fabric crafters it won't mean much...but, to the stitching group I belong to ..and those that know about fabrics and crafting with it.... it's a great find!

Two vintage blouses..one hand made.  She had very elderly relatives who used to make their own clothing... they were very frugal ladies ... pioneers in the area many years ago... and learned early on how to sew for themselves and get by on little or nothing, but, still look good doing it..

This one is a very soft cotton fabric in equally soft yellow colour, with an interesting panel down the front as well as on the sleeves.  You can hardly see the button ..but, they are all still there and are cute little swirls in clear plastic... still in perfect shape.  Somebody hand laundered this blouse at least 973 times, I'm sure. .... it is so soft and fragile feeling... the cotton is pretty much transparent now, but, still plenty sturdy enough to use for pin pillow trim and the like.

We also checked out her local thrift store in the tiny town she is near.  It's always very busy .. plenty of folks in the area shop at thrift and second hand stores... we love to shop there because it's so much fun and hey, we always come away with bargains and stuff we can use.  She likes to buy her "farm clothes" there.  Why buy new stuff to shovel poo or paint fences?  Pants, shirts, boots and jackets that are used but still plenty serviceable are a necessity to farmers.  I like to check out the corner with little trinkets and bits of sewing stuff...this time I got 5 metres of lace for $1.50 !  Then, we went to Winners and found Ralph Lauren slacks for $30 ... it was a pretty good shopping spree....

Then, we had a sandwich at a local little restaurant, went home to pet cats .... and went for a walk down the road to check out some cute crazy goats.

They look all civilized in the shot below...but, they are totally nuts!  they race up to the fence at breakneck speed... stick their heads out through the squares of wire up to their shoulders and their heads are hard as rocks... if you are standing too close? ... well, you could get hurt....

They just about had the fencing stretched out of shape...all for a bit of grass.... which, by the way...they had in their enclosure but, preferred the longer, greener, moister stuff...I guess.

Her grandson wasn't taking any chances and I don't blame him.... better safe than head butted...
one tried to eat my camera....

Photo of the Week

"Favourite things" is the theme this week.     " favourite - something regarded with special favor or liking" .   That meaning (of several I found) seems to be a good one in my case.  Lots of little or pretty simple things in my life interest me ... make me smile ...give me a giggle, and it seems I tend to list them as favourite things. Where to begin?  I have lots ....      food (baking and cooking) ...  flowers.... bears.... dolls... golf ... ACEOs (art cards, editions and originals) .....

Sometimes it's not even necessary to say too much..... some photos speak for themselves...... however, let me just say something about these beautiful tiny pastels done by a Russian artist and friend that I met online several years ago.  She sent the pics to see which one I wanted...how could I not want both? ... The cat is her own.... she drew many pics of Czenia... and I now have both of these.  I'm sure you'll agree that they are pretty darn amazing.  Click to biggify and see the detail ....

Peonies from my garden...

Buttercup...needle felted from KoolAid dyed wool.  Beads for "dreds" ...

..of course, Scratty Eddy and his cute and interesting little face ...  and his tea drinking buddy Scruffy....

..speaking of tea.... how 'bout tea and scones?  The name of my other blog...and another favourite thing...baking....

...simple, yet very effective... for Christmas...my fav season just for the glitz; the glamour; the beautiful decorations .... the fun creating ...... the perfect way to break up the toooo many months of cold weather....

Let's not forget breads. Brother ....I could go on all day couldn't I?
I've just learned to bake breads the past few years...and oh, YUM....how I love home baked breads!  My very most "favourite-est" of favourites .... ..... lol....... and, now...I'm off to do some jumping jacks....hahahahha ........ NOT.......!!

Panettone anybody?

There you are.  I better stop.  Never just one for photo of the week with me...always several.  I should do something more organized with my photos some day...... I have hundreds...nope....I have thousands..... and I just can't hit the delete button..............