Feeding Time

Of course I admit my cats are spoiled.  But I'm not always the one who does it.  They are used to getting fed at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, when the Handy Husband gets up to go to work.

This causes problems on the weekends when one wants to sleep a bit later.

Homer woke me bright and early last Saturday.  I left this note for the rest of the household, because sometimes when Homer encounters the next person to get up, he lies and says he hasn't been fed.

And there he was at 10:00, looking up at me with those big kitty eyes, saying, "You wouldn't have a little extra sausage there for me, would you?"

Why yes, I did.  

Favorite Things

Apple-flavored yogurt for breakfast.

Sleeping cats.

Purple flowers.

Smiling faces.

(It's official.  He changed his Facebook status to "in a relationship."  We love her, too.)

Life is Beautiful.

Thanks, Jen, for the idea.

Easter Flashback (Time Warp Tuesday)

I was looking for something else and came across these photos from Easter 2005.  

Ernest was in third grade.

Time for the hunt.

This one is well camouflaged.  

Maybe he'll think this is just a flower.

Nothing behind this gate!

OK if I eat one now?

Thanks, Jenn, for tagging this for Time Warp Tuesday.

The Egg Project

I finished that project I teased about a while ago.  I'm not completely satisfied, but at least I finished it.  I would have liked some tighter branchier twigs  But this is what I could find in the back yard.  I have at least half a can of pink spray paint left over -- let me at those classic metal yard chairs!

A few of the eggs have faces.  Were they family portraits?  Who knows?

Maybe this was me?  I do have nice eyebrows.  

Back in 2007, this small beard could have been Frank.

This bigger beard could have been the Handy Husband.

And undoubtedly, this curly hair was Ernest.

Happy Easter!

Cassi Renee has some beautiful eggs, too.

Saturday PhotoHunt: Wind

July 2007 was a windy month.

Windy at the beach...

Windy at the park...

I think I lost my hat!

Good kite weather, though!

Please visit the Saturday PhotoHunt for more WIND links.

Shivering Hummingbird

I was rushing out of the house Tuesday morning, on my way to Zumba and cutting my time very close because of course I had spent too much time on the internet, when I saw a teeny bird on the windowsill.

This is the first time I have ever seen a hummingbird sitting still. It was a chilly morning and he was shivering.

I didn't know what to do. Homer was eyeing him, but Homer's robustness does not allow him to jump quite that high. I would have mixed up some nectar but as I said, I was short of time.  So I went on my way.  When I got home, the bird was gone.  I checked around and could find no evidence that Homer was responsible for any mischief.

I was greatly relieved the next morning when I saw a hummer flitting around the peach tree.

Today's task:   Clean windowsill.

Bye Mom Again

Ernest dressed up for an event, so I felt I simply HAD to have a picture of him.  To be extra sure we got a good one, I handed the big camera to my husband.  He got a picture (but I cropped it down to this because he didn't know about the zoom lens).  I like my hands and phone in there!

Then I grabbed the big camera myself.  But it was already too late, he was all Bye Mom, I Gotta Go.  We could retitle it Catch Me If You Can.  Gone in 60 Seconds.  Gone With The Wind.

See ya.  Whoosh.  The tail of the trench coat flowing around the corner.

The next day he packed up for a 5-day climbing/backpacking trip with his class.

Time Warp Tuesday: Face Painting

Thanks as always to Jenn for hosting Time Warp Tuesdays.  She gave me the idea last week, with her Danger Boy's cute painted face.

Painted face pictures!  Oh my!  Frank had so many!  His pre-school was obsessed with painting faces, and pretty soon Frank was too.  I never knew if he would come home as a lion, a tiger, a bear, or a frog.  He wanted painted faces on weekends and vacation, too.  Batman, Two-Face,  a monkey and hyena.

So cute, right!  But all the face washing afterwards!

Yesterday at Dusk

While Homer sniffed around outside yesterday at dusk,

the moon rose.

And the cranes landed.

Lovely birds, aren't they.  I won't disillusion you today with a picture of the mess they leave.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

We had a big taco fest last weekend which left us with quite a bit of leftover chicken....hmmmm.....soup? Frank felt that my traditional chicken soup is rather bland, so I said, "How about chicken tortilla soup?" It was a winner.  Holy guacamole, was it good!

(I think I need to search for some unchipped bowls.)

Thanks to the leftovers and pantry items, I didn't have to shop for anything! I love it when that happens.

Saute onion and garlic.
Add chicken
Chicken broth
pinto or kidney beans
corn
tomatoes
cilantro
salsa
chili powder

Tortillas - cut into strips and fry until lightly golden. Sprinkle with salt.

Simmer for 1/2 hour. Ladle into bowls. Top with crumbled cheese, avocado, and the tortilla strips.

The fresh crispy tortilla strips make all the difference.  I have tried crumbling chips on top but it is NOT THE SAME!

Not Your Ordinary Bow-Tie Pasta

Oh, my Handy Husband and his sense of humor. I had made lasagne for dinner on Sunday and he started playing around with the leftover pasta.

O

Signs of Spring 2013

I freely admit I am not much of a gardener.

Fortunately for me, some plants reliably come back every year.

Vinca minor groundcover.

Some type of tazetta daffodils (several blossoms per stem).

I hope we'll get a few peaches this year.

I haven't found any volunteer tomatoes but I have volunteer something growing in this little pot.

Homer's dandelion has reached proportions almost as vast as Homer himself, growing as it does next to his outdoor lavatory.  (Homer uses the area to the right of the tiny fence.)

Time Warp Tuesday: I Love Mom Frame

Doesn't every mom have one of these frames?  It used to sit in a place of honor on my desk, when I worked in an office.

Frank is 3 here.  The year of Batman shirts was over and I was able to convince him to wear this adorable Aladdin costume for Halloween.  I was Princess Jasmine, of course.  I love his printed pectoral muscles!  But Batman was not abandoned completely.  I daresay that touch of black around his neckline is a Batman shirt.  

I was curious to see if there was an older picture underneath...  Jackpot!  Frank cruising the furniture just before he learned to walk.

Cat rain haiku

As the rain falls down,
House cats are happy inside.
Homer hates wet fur.

Please share your pet or weather haiku, too.

Daily Patrol

You may think Homer's a lazy fellow who spends all his time sleeping, eating, shedding and pooping soiling the litter box.

But in his position as man cat of the house, he is responsible for home security.

Each day, he faithfully patrols the perimeter.

Nothing out here.

But wait!

Bird alert!

Cheez it, I better scram, thinks the bird.

All photos taken from the safety of my dining room window.

I'm a little jealous of Aunt Snow today.  The chicken is back!