Birds and Buds

I found this nest out under the pine tree today. It was laying upside down with the strangest appendage protruding from it. Can you tell what it is? Look closely......

It's a dryer sheet! This mama bird wanted fresh smelling, no static babies, apparantly.

I walked out to the backyard and found that the peonies are getting ready to burst from their buds. The buds are huge this year! I heard on a gardening show that to get larger blossoms you should pluck off the smaller buds that grow around the sides. These buds are almost the size of ping pong balls. I can't wait until they open. My sister is in the hospital in Boston MA (we're in Vermont), so as soon as they open I will bring some down to her so she can enjoy them during her stay in rehab. She had one total hip replacement on Monday, June 8th, and the other will be done on Monday, June 22nd. I'll save that story for another time.

And, tell me, why do people dislike dandelions? I love them. They are gorgeous and cheery when they bloom, and even when they turn to fluffy, seedy heads they make me smile.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Mom's been gone for three months now, and today would have been her 78th birthday.

I love you, Mom. Happy Birthday....

Richard Henry Bolton - June 30, 1927 ~ May 27, 2005

Love you, Dad....

Happy Gotcha Day, Pheebs!

Six years ago today I was visiting my friend Amy in Maine and we went to a friend of hers that did cat rescue, and I adopted Phoebe Jane (then known as Sophia). She was a frightened little kitty back then, but is now a big, lovely, snuggly girl. I'm so blessed to have her in my life.

Phoebe and Raeka really adore each other. My two little black and white girls.

Happy Gotcha Day, Pheebs :)

I Hope You Were Waiting for Another Rat Fix!

Pnigel and Simon are eight and a half weeks old now and are just the most adorable little ratties ever! I have been handling them daily, and Pnigel is really coming around. He seems to enjoy walking on me and sitting on my shoulder. Simon is a little nervous norman and I have to chase him around in the cage to even catch him and then when I hold him I can feel his entire little body shaking. I will continue to work with him and I'm sure with time he will learn that it is safe to be outside his cage.

Here is Pnigel walking around on me. Notice how color coordinated we are with his little pink feet and my pink shirt!

He looks so much bigger in these pictures than he does in his cage. Such a handsome little man, isn't he?

Here is Simon. He's too nervous to walk around on me and I have to hold on to him so he doesn't just take a flying leap off into mid air. Isn't he the cutest boy ever?

And I have to share this sweet picture of Miss Lulu. She was sleeping in her hammock and in the perfect position for a picture, so I couldn't resist. I woke her up with the cage door, but she still didn't move so I was able to get some sleepy pics of her. She is so cute...

Lastly, here are just some cute pics of the boys. I apologize for the blurriness. I guess I was too close. Pnigel greets me at the door everytime I open it, usually from the hammock.

Simon enjoying a yummy pea.

That's it for this weeks edition of Raising Ratties :)

New Babies

Let me introduce you to Pnigel and Simon. My new babies. They were seven weeks and one day old when I drove to Woodsville NH to pick them up on Sunday.

Pnigel is creme colored with a white belly. He is a little wild man! He's also very friendly and curious about everything. I came close to calling him Spidey for Spiderman for the way he jumps onto the bars and runs along sideways.

Pnigel had a bit of mycoplasma when he arrived but his eyes and nose have since cleared up since getting him out of the pine bedding they were in and starting them on grapefruit seed extract in their water.

Simon is more reserved, but has started to come to see me when I open the cage door instead of hiding in the corner.

Isn't he just huggably, squeezably adorable?

I put a hammock in their cage and it only took them minutes to figure out what it was for. They sleep in it all the time. They have yet to discover that there is a pocket for them to climb into. I'm sure it's only a matter of time.

Sweet Daisy Mae

April 25, 1992. My darling Daisy Mae was born. It was to be the luckiest day of my life because she became my special girl. My heart and soul. My heart dog. There will never be another one like her and my heart still aches from missing her. It's hard to believe that she has been gone for four years now.

I love you, my sweetheart. And I miss you so....