Polly, Don't Change

I wiped up a bit of fur off my comforter and immediately Polly acted interested. The title is what we say to her on a regular basis.

 

Do you think pets act cute on purpose? Can you spot the extra toes on her murder mitten?

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An Acrobat's Controlled Fall

 

Waylaid

With a laundered comforter, basketful of fresh sheets and pillow cases, I intended to make the bed this afternoon. But upon entering I found Dandelion tucked between the balled up comforter and one of the pillows.

What near perfect camouflage…

I adore how one paw is curled over her upturned toes...

Who could roust such a pleased and comfy critter? Doesn’t the word camouflage have one of the most awkward spellings?

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A Day at the Park

I took my camp chair down to the Great Miami River again this afternoon. A dog walker I saw the last time appeared again. His pooch was unmistakable, though I wouldn’t have been able to pick the man out of a lineup. lol Seeing them approach today I spoke up.

“What a beautiful dog. Is that an Irish Wolfhound?”

“Yes,” he answered, seeming delighted.

“Can I come say hello?”

Heartily encouraged by the man, we two had a lovely nose to nose meeting with me scratching behind those soft floppy ears. Unfortunately I forget the three year old pup’s name and also failed to ask if he’s a show dog. I hope we’ll meet again.

Don’t even the healthiest and well cared for dogs often receive too short a life span? Did you know commonly bred pet store ferrets suffer the same fate, often succumbing to cancer?

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Pre-Vet Visit Nail Trim

Despite the side-eyed expression, she was a doll...

I Did it Again - This Guy is So Awesome...

The Water Bear

I adore tardigrades (aka water bears and/or moss pigs). The extreme tiny survivor endlessly fascinates me. This newly discovered article taught me lots I didn’t know. If you’re interested and have time, it’s an informative and often entertaining read.

I named my plush friend Snuffles...

Do you know how many types and levels of hibernation exist? Don’t you wish you could extend your life by sleeping through hard times or inclement conditions?

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My Little Baker

Terra definitely enjoys being the center of attention. My husband enjoys urging her to knead my flesh before I get out of bed. Waiting until my guy left the room a few mornings ago, she accepted his invitation.

Doesn’t she look pleased? Are you at all surprised that most of my smart phone usage involves recording our pets?

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Sweet Dreams

It’s always an endearing compliment when a pet goes into REM sleep. Dandelion went there the other evening. 

What do you think she dreamed? Have you seen the following video?

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Curled Up for a Long Winter’s Nap (Caution: this post includes images of a creepy crawler, however adorable to me…)

My husband helped me take down my heavy deck umbrella for the winter and it seems there was a little creature snuggled up inside. I found it lying on the deck floor, fully exposed to weather. Since we had another chore on the back patio, I carried the critter down with me to tuck in amongst some leaf debris.

Lady, put me down. This is actually my defense pose.

I’ve known these particular caterpillars as ‘wooly bears’ my entire life. Folklore states that if the central brown band takes up more than a third of its body length, we’re in for a mild winter. Scientists have determined that the segment colors tell about the creature’s past, such as weather conditions like humidity and the animal’s age.

A Better Photo: Credit to American Gardener

The larva (Pyrrharctia isabella) will emerge in spring as the Isabella moth. Our gorgeous and sweet blogger friend Katie Isabella should be flattered by sharing a lovely name with a beautiful flyer.

Does your region have similar weather related folklore? Are you aware of the flannel moth larvae?

Spoiler alert: The flannel moth caterpillar’s pretty off-white coat hides highly venomous hairs that cause excruciating pain. Yet the equally adorable fluffy adult is harmless to touch.

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Buzz, Buzz

Sharknado!

I don’t know if you’ve even heard about the spoof disaster series involving man eating sharks getting pulled into a waterspout and raining down on unsuspecting citizens. Seeing the first (also maybe second), I found the premise delivered a fun and silly popcorn movie night.

Well, Terra discovered my cute stuffed shark, an adorable reminder of those films. This is probably not the healthiest (communist Chinese made) human toy for pet play. However, she appears to use her paws more than teeth. I didn’t know cats batted prey out of the air like that.

Wouldn’t she make a great huntress? Do you think I should be on the safe side and take the stuffed animal away?

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This Woman Groomed the Tiniest Poodle in the World

This video is not short but I couldn’t resist sharing. Feel free to just enjoy the opening.

Do you tend to notice that men often walk the tiniest pooches while women often have more massive pets? Do you think it’s a security issue for a lone female out walking?

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Kitty Nicknames

The sweet kitty lover over at the Eastside Cats blog shared this post regarding nicknames. I commented about hearing somewhere that the more nicknames a pet has collected the more love the animal receives.

I don’t know if that’s true but like the theory. The idea popped into my mind to share all our kitties’ aliases, whether gone but not forgotten or living here today.

Then I realized the list would soon become a tedious read and I don’t want to bore anyone. Heh… So, I’ll share the latest our Dandelion earned.

I have resisted all temptation to neaten my novice, ragged job...
She obviously does not care that her fur looks lopsided...

Friday morning my husband told how she woke him at 2am just like clockwork. It made me think of the creepy, dark and dystopian film “A Clockwork Orange” released in 1971.

Without hesitation, I called Dani “Clockwork Pink” and my guy cracked up. Her pink skin really is showing through since dear Strayer recommended a pet grooming tool.

Do you or have you in past had any nickname(s)? Isn’t it rather sweet that some coworkers back in the nineties called me Flower Child?

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My Cutest Spider Yet

This happened just minutes ago and I am sorry but I just had to share. And I wish its itty bitty stripe pattern showed up in this clip.

Is this not an adorable start to a gorgeous October day? Are you enjoying nice weather today?

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The World’s Tiniest Ninja

I’ll warn anyone with a dread of spiders that this is my little ninja’s species. The creature, smaller than my pinky fingernail, landed on my laptop lid the other day. My photo turned out fine. The video, however, showcasing its skills is blurry.

I apologize in advance. So please scroll down if you want to see my miniature visitor.

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Can you spot the thread of silk between the abdomen and rear back leg?
I dragged my finger over the line to set the jumping spider free...

Is that not an adorable animal? Aren’t you glad these fierce hunters don’t scale up to predate humans?

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A Big Win, One Loud Scream, & a Gigantic Squee Over a Teensie Weensie Itty Bitty Critter

Our heating and cooling service offers gift cards via raffle in exchange for reviews. Winning a twenty-five dollar (US) for Kroger purchases delighted me. Imagine my thrill upon learning the stakes were higher. Instead of several small awards, the company owner decided a single $300 card would be offered. No doubt you know who won this time around.

Woo hoo!

My husband has been napping every midday, which leads to my second title point. He fell into a deep sleep until Polly ran under my feet. I shrieked upon feeling multiple kitty legs underfoot. Thank heaven she did not get any broken bones, nor even cry out in pain. How I kept my weight off her without falling is a mystery.

Referring to my critter encounter, a garden perusal led me to finding a few pickling cucumbers and the tiniest amphibian I’ve ever seen. This creature would fit fine on my thumbnail.

"I am huge in my sphere."

Do you think this tiny animal is a frog or a toad? Have you ever heard the song ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikini’?

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Beans!

 

Terra curled up on the bed and I could
not resist this phot op.

Can you tell I trimmed her nails?

Tenacious Terra – 9

Terra is so clever that I am always looking to create fun little puzzles. Putting catnip in this box provided no real challenge but she was still fun to watch.

And I just had to grab my camera upon finding this sight. I’m glad she sat on empty my laptop bag.

She stayed still and posed for me!

Doesn’t this kitty look comfortable? Do you think the nylon bag made her feel cool on that sunny summer day?

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Creature Feature

For the first time, I found monarch butterfly caterpillars on a milkweed plant. The tall perennial isn’t particularly attractive and that’s okay.

I collected some seeds and gave them to an interested neighbor passing by. Meanwhile, my husband found this informational article from the US Forest Service.

Did you know that releasing commercially grown butterflies can disrupt useful studies of the struggling natural population? Would you visit one of their famous overwintering sites?

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