Critters I've seen this week (some on the internet!)

 

the thing about cats and boxes!

A couple of eager dogs pulling their owner out for their walk around the lake. No stopping to talk today!

My friends Teresa and Chuck just adopted Molly, she's a 7 year old Beagle mix.

I know, all the Tuxedo owners are going to want a better description for their little guys!

Jim Henson and Kermit

I love this artist's watercolors, but I forgot to copy her name. It might be Mary Whyte (Thanks to Tom I find the title is "Paper Snowflake.")

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Sharing with Saturday's Critters

Today's quote:

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

Annie Dillard An old photo: Hummingbird mask which I made, ceramic fired in raku kiln then wired-on beads and feathers added.

Around my town

 

Good news. The permits have been figured out and the building of our new gazebo is scheduled to start this week. We sure do miss our old one.

Early after it's installation, without the tree being very big behind it.

Taken from inside the old gazebo in 2023, where there was obvious graffiti.

Also this week, I glanced out my open front door, it was cracked to let in the wonderful cool air, and who should I see fluttering around but this lovely little one, (photo from the internet) either female ruby throated hummingbird, or juvenile. He/She kept trying out what blooms were available, and it sure wasn't much! Sorry little one, I didn't plan for nectar producing flowers this year. I should think hard about it for next year.

The geranium has nothing blooming, and they never have nectar that I know of. A sad little guy. 

But wait, speaking of wildlife! My neighbor on the same courtyard told me that as she walked past my porch yesterday in the afternoon, a bear came out from under the porch next to mine. We both have these raised porches to get up to our apartment floor levels. Apparently it was a small bear, because my neighbor just stood there and didn't know what to do she was so surprised! Bear meandered off around the building. 

Either that one or another proceeded to get into two different garbage cans that were full last night, so the maintenance man had to pick up what wasn't eaten. I think I'll put my garbage out in the morning when it's about to be picked up. Maybe having only an hour or two will be safe enough for my trash to be collected as intended.

Do you recognize this building? It is the new glass studio that's been renovated considerably. 

For a year we got to see this pretty mural which covered a lot of construction work.

Next year there will be real glass blowing, and sales finally in this building!

Sharing with Floral Friday Fotos

Skywatch Friday

Today's quote:

"That would be a good thing for them to cut on my tombstone: Wherever she went, including here, it was against her better judgment." Dorothy Parker

Reminiscing

Here's my last car purchase, on...

Saturday, January 7, 2017.

It's been 16 years since I bought my last car. (Purchased in 2000, a 1996 Toyota Corola)
I dearly loved the 100,000 miles I sat behind the wheel in it!

But a 20 year old Toyota Corolla, even with only 2 old women owners, sometimes needs to be replaced.

So now I'm going to be happily driving a 2004 Toyota Echo. And a friend and her mother were the only owners...if that helps in any way. My friend named it Grey Hawk, which seems appropriate.

And yesterday, August 25, 2022, I said good-bye to the little Grey Hawk, leaving her in an impound yard to be towed to some auction for parts. 

I didn't write down the mileage she had when I bought her, but she shows 158,608 when she stopped at that small accident a week ago. Apparently it was enough. (I wasn't hurt, and neither was the driver of the car I hit.) 

Over the years I'd decorated her with some of my favorite causes. I will miss those stickers, and wonder now if I'll do the same thing to my next car...

So I am feeling sad, but working on finding another car. One of my granddaughters has gone away from home to college, for the first time. She was feeling a bit home sick. But I bet when she starts classes on Mon. she may forget all about that feeling. Same hope for me...shop for my new vehicle!

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My Blog from 2016...ah the life I was living just 6 years ago! Anticipation

I don't post much over at Alchemy of Clay any more...since I retired the second time from making clay 2-1/2 years ago.

I did enjoy finding that post to share, and reminisce of course.

Oh, and here's a blog of the finished hummingbird platter. Hummingbird Platter out of kiln

Today's quote:

If they give you ruled paper, write the other way. -Juan Ramon Jimenez, poet, Nobel Prize in literature (23 Dec 1881-1958)

For the birds

 Yes, by the color you can tell, though my phone camera can't exactly focus on a Cardinal that far away.

The dogwood has just about lost all it's blooms, while the maples are decking themselves out in leaves as well.

 There's Big Windy (I think,) with lots of green on it's slopes.

And my first hummingbird on the feeder.



Today's quote:

Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.
Casandra Brene' Brown,