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| Tom and one of the herd.
Living up in the woods we have given up big box stores, brand name restaurants, and convenience of getting anything fairly quickly. We have gained an appreciation for nature, God's beautiful handiwork, the ability to be to at one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the time most of you drive to work, and a realization that you can survive without having any of the amenities mentioned in the first sentence (although I drooled at a picture of a menu from Hickory Park).
As we drive through the woods it always is fun to see the herd of deer on the side of the road. In Montreal we have well trained deer and they generously wait at the bridge by the river to cross as travelers on the highway zoom on by. We have seen a bald eagle sitting on a carcass by the side of the road and also in their nest up in the Porcupine Mountains. We watched the black bears cross the highway as we were traveling.
Along with seeing these critters along the road, I have gained an appreciation to feeding the birds as they migrate and some that winter here in the woods. This winter with the feeding of my feathered friends I have attracted a few new critters to the group, 2 gray fox, and a rogue turkey. The deer still come to graze under the apple trees for dropped seeds. The woodpeckers, finches, grosbeaks, nuthatches, blue jays, and turtle doves also are normal visitors, but Tom the turkey has made me smile, watch in wonder, and laugh out loud.
Tom seems to be a fairly young turkey, but very bold and quick on his feet. He knows the deer highway well as he ventures between our house and 4 others. I don't see ears, but as soon as I have filled the feeders he waddles up the path and hangs out on the deck eating my spills. Surprisingly the deer herd gives him wide birth and hop off the highway as he moves from house to house. I have be told that normally there are several turkeys together, but Tom seems to be alone. I am hoping he hangs around through Easter so that Cayden and Levi will get to see him as he comes up to visit.
There is give and take in every place you choose to live. I feel we have definitely gained more than we lost with the wonders of nature that are all around us up in the UP of Wisconsin.
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Thursday, March 14, 2013
Tom and Friends
Saturday, February 16, 2013
New hound ... maybe or not
I know we can never replace the little one that we lost. It would be a mistake to even try, but that does not mean that I don't miss the pitter patter of little feet around the house and the wet nose and big doe eyes.
There are my winged pets that squawk in the morning when I don't have their favorite treat tore up and laying on the deck for them to eat, the woodies that like the suet and don't mind me watching as they eat, and all the other little feathery folks that stop by. Along with the birds I have my own personal herd of deer that faithfully come up the deer highway in the backyard to look for dropped seeds and maybe corn or other handouts. These are all fine, but they do not replace the unconditional love that comes from a hound.
My friend in Minneapolis has 4 chihuahuas, all adorable. I would get another chi in a heartbeat. They are independent, loving, and funny. A friend in Ironwood has one that is a spring, but loves to be held.
Not that I am against other breeds. Yes Barb, if I would switch a basset hound would be my next choice. I don't know how they would do in the woods, but if a chi could make it so would they. Maybe that would be the ticket, a little something different.
So don't tell my other half, but a hound is on my mind.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Little Things That Make Me Smile
Sometimes I get too wordy (so I have been told by the man of the house) and I was sitting here thinking of my good mood and what made me smile this week and decided I would share my list.
A beautiful redheaded woody woodpecker looking at me through the glass while he sat at the feeder on the suet log.
Hearing my son's voice on the phone saying "love you Mom" as he says he is in Superior, Wisconsin heading up to Copper Harbor and will see us Sunday.
Sharing some time with friends that I don't see enough while we made cards for sick children.
Receiving cards from Iowa friends.
Getting a hug (I am a hugger...).
Watching a little buck in the backyard stomping his foot at me to get off the deck while I shoveled the snow.
Sharing devotions via e-mail with a friend.
Remembering that February 1 will 21 years shared with my guy.
Lots of things made me smile.
A beautiful redheaded woody woodpecker looking at me through the glass while he sat at the feeder on the suet log.
Hearing my son's voice on the phone saying "love you Mom" as he says he is in Superior, Wisconsin heading up to Copper Harbor and will see us Sunday.
Sharing some time with friends that I don't see enough while we made cards for sick children.
Receiving cards from Iowa friends.
Getting a hug (I am a hugger...).
Watching a little buck in the backyard stomping his foot at me to get off the deck while I shoveled the snow.
Sharing devotions via e-mail with a friend.
Remembering that February 1 will 21 years shared with my guy.
Lots of things made me smile.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Best appendage ever
If somebody would have told me saying goodbye to my little buddy would be so horribly hard, I don't know that I would have signed up for this.
What a treat it has been being this little guy's "mama". A 3-pound little bundle of love and joy. My protector, my comforter, my confidant, and appendage.
Pablo was Jeff's hound. He picked him out, named him, and in the beginning took care of him. Shortly after Pablo's arrival in our home that all changed. I was home for 8 weeks following surgery. At first Pablo went to grandma's during the day. He loved her and terrorized her cats. He learned that he was definitely a lap dog with blankets to keep him warm. He knew when he was turning the corner on Grandma's block and would get excited to get out of the car. First business was always to let the cats know where they could be or could not. What a treat it was seeing the little one boss a 19-pounder and a 23-pounder around. Eventually he decided the 23-pounder was okay and that cat was allowed to sit with grandma and him on the couch. When I was up to taking care of him he came home and the pampered pooch continued and our bound became permanent.
He has numerous names, Pip Squeak, hound, Boo Boo Peewee, Sweetie Pie, and big guy. When I was not giving him the "proper attention" Jeff would tell him about his bad mama and he should pack his bags and head down the road always threatening to make him a nap sack.
Throughout the years there have been a few people he connected with, otherwise he was strictly a mama's boy. Shelley, my crazy friend, there was not an animal alive that did not like her. Charlene, Pablo decided she was a great place to stop for "coffee". She broke her no dog rule when we rented from her and he loved the lazy condo life and made her one of his chosen friends even liked being called Paco. He also connected in a very special way with Kim and sitting with her was a treat he enjoyed. Jerry was one of the very few guys he liked. Pablo was spoiled during his stays at BluffView often getting house privileges as he was her smallest boarder. During the summer he would camp in the trailer with Paula's parents.
As we say our final goodbyes this afternoon there will be tears, but when their little bodies get sick and they are hurting, saying goodbye is our responsibility.
Thank you Pablo for 13 years of unconditional love.
What a treat it has been being this little guy's "mama". A 3-pound little bundle of love and joy. My protector, my comforter, my confidant, and appendage.
Pablo was Jeff's hound. He picked him out, named him, and in the beginning took care of him. Shortly after Pablo's arrival in our home that all changed. I was home for 8 weeks following surgery. At first Pablo went to grandma's during the day. He loved her and terrorized her cats. He learned that he was definitely a lap dog with blankets to keep him warm. He knew when he was turning the corner on Grandma's block and would get excited to get out of the car. First business was always to let the cats know where they could be or could not. What a treat it was seeing the little one boss a 19-pounder and a 23-pounder around. Eventually he decided the 23-pounder was okay and that cat was allowed to sit with grandma and him on the couch. When I was up to taking care of him he came home and the pampered pooch continued and our bound became permanent.
He has numerous names, Pip Squeak, hound, Boo Boo Peewee, Sweetie Pie, and big guy. When I was not giving him the "proper attention" Jeff would tell him about his bad mama and he should pack his bags and head down the road always threatening to make him a nap sack.
Throughout the years there have been a few people he connected with, otherwise he was strictly a mama's boy. Shelley, my crazy friend, there was not an animal alive that did not like her. Charlene, Pablo decided she was a great place to stop for "coffee". She broke her no dog rule when we rented from her and he loved the lazy condo life and made her one of his chosen friends even liked being called Paco. He also connected in a very special way with Kim and sitting with her was a treat he enjoyed. Jerry was one of the very few guys he liked. Pablo was spoiled during his stays at BluffView often getting house privileges as he was her smallest boarder. During the summer he would camp in the trailer with Paula's parents.
As we say our final goodbyes this afternoon there will be tears, but when their little bodies get sick and they are hurting, saying goodbye is our responsibility.
Thank you Pablo for 13 years of unconditional love.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Heaven has a new angel.
She fought a brave battle, non Hodginkin's lymphoma, breast cancer, total body radiation and chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant, graft verses host disease, broken bones from the disease, and blindness. She no longer has to fight.
I know we all have that one friend that you can say you have had forever and ever, the one that you lose contact with, but when you touch base again there is no getting reacquainted it is like putting a comfortable pair of slippers. That was Shelley.
Wild, crazy, domestic, caring, give ya the shirt off your back type of girl. We met when we were 15 and 16 (she was the older and wiser(?)) at the Ritz Supper Club. She showed me the ropes and we became friends that summer, unseparable. Our folks would tease us that they did not know they had twins. She was the oldest in her family of 3 kids and I the youngest of 2 kids, both having just brothers. I was the city kid. She was the farm kid. We were both daddy's girl. Life became the best of both worlds that summer.
We have come and gone our own ways and reconnected over the years. Each time we were back together like comfortable old shoes. Through our college days we partied like rockstars. With the birth of my son, she became the crazy friend that every child wished they had. She was the bread butter when my son graduated and made sandwich after sandwich while I had a migraine and Jeff had the flu. When my dad died she was my rock. When her mom died, I was hers. Through her chemo and total body radiation we became computer chatters and when she got home we had great hopes that all that she fought for would give her a new start. Unfortunately that would not be the case, but through it all she tried to be upbeat and positive.
Some called her the animal witch of Ventura because the strays would show up at her house and never leave. She loved them all. She had a green thumb and taught me a lot about gardening and started me on my love of canning.
I will miss my friend, but I know she was tired of the fight. She told me so during our last phone visit. She was not able to learn the braille or how to get around her home without somebody being there any more and that was very hard for her to accept.
She is driving that fire red mustang and Fred the one-eyed red frog is in the back window, go get em girl!
I know we all have that one friend that you can say you have had forever and ever, the one that you lose contact with, but when you touch base again there is no getting reacquainted it is like putting a comfortable pair of slippers. That was Shelley.
Wild, crazy, domestic, caring, give ya the shirt off your back type of girl. We met when we were 15 and 16 (she was the older and wiser(?)) at the Ritz Supper Club. She showed me the ropes and we became friends that summer, unseparable. Our folks would tease us that they did not know they had twins. She was the oldest in her family of 3 kids and I the youngest of 2 kids, both having just brothers. I was the city kid. She was the farm kid. We were both daddy's girl. Life became the best of both worlds that summer.
We have come and gone our own ways and reconnected over the years. Each time we were back together like comfortable old shoes. Through our college days we partied like rockstars. With the birth of my son, she became the crazy friend that every child wished they had. She was the bread butter when my son graduated and made sandwich after sandwich while I had a migraine and Jeff had the flu. When my dad died she was my rock. When her mom died, I was hers. Through her chemo and total body radiation we became computer chatters and when she got home we had great hopes that all that she fought for would give her a new start. Unfortunately that would not be the case, but through it all she tried to be upbeat and positive.
Some called her the animal witch of Ventura because the strays would show up at her house and never leave. She loved them all. She had a green thumb and taught me a lot about gardening and started me on my love of canning.
I will miss my friend, but I know she was tired of the fight. She told me so during our last phone visit. She was not able to learn the braille or how to get around her home without somebody being there any more and that was very hard for her to accept.
She is driving that fire red mustang and Fred the one-eyed red frog is in the back window, go get em girl!
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