Looks Can be Deceiving

Jul 112012
 

We’ve got a cute little chipmunk that has been living under some boards that Rick has next to the garage.

I’ve seen him scamper around the yard looking for things to munch on, and he didn’t seem to be a big threat to anything (unlike the squirrels).

I was out in my garden checking the second crop of peas I’d planted for the season, because for some reason only 1/2 of them came up on the first planting.  I blamed it on the rain/heat/alien invasion and decided to give it another shot.

As I’m stooping down to look at the little shoots that are coming out of the ground, the chipmunk comes up to within 4 feet of me and starts sniffing around the plants.

I’m talking to the little fella (don’t judge), telling him how cute he is and asking what he’s planning for his summer vacation when all of a sudden he digs in the dirt and grabs one of my pea seeds and EATS IT!!!

Right there in front of me!  I was shocked, to see the least, but that wasn’t the end of it.  He scampers off after I yell at him, and as soon as I turn my back, he’s right back in the garden!

This dude either a) isn’t right in the head or b) has a death wish.  As I’m telling him that this is MY garden and those are MY seeds and to go play in traffic, he just looks at me with those big black eyes as to say “OK, crazy garden lady, I’m sorry.  I won’t do it any more.  You can trust me.”

Thinking we have a truce, I continue about in the garden.  When I glance back over to the pea patch, he’s at it again!  OK, this means war!  I’ve tried reason, I’ve tried friendship, but it ain’t workin’.

Off to the garage I go and grab the Liquid Fence (I don’t want to hurt the little bugger, just get him away from MY stuff).  I know this spray doesn’t work on squirrels (of course I tried) but I had to do something.

I approach the garden and the little shyster is right back in there digging through the dirt looking for booty.  I take aim and FIRE!  Dead hit and he takes off running.

Bwahahahaha!!

I douse my plants with the stuff and head back into the house with my little harvest of cucumbers and meager peas that my plants held.

After about a 1/2 hour I decided to venture back to the garden and see if the little buttmunch had returned.

Yes, yes he had.  Apparently the spray doesn’t work on chipmunks either.  I have a feeling I’ve just lost my second planting of peas, because in the spot where each of the seedlings were coming up, there is now a shallow, empty hole.

Guess I just figured out what happened to my first crop of peas.

 

Painting the Town

Jul 102012
 

People go to art museums to “Oooh” and “Ahhh” about all the wonderful pictures that people paint.

Here in the upper Midwest, we just have to walk down the street.

Some paintings will pay homage to unsung hero’s.

Or to pioneers that paved the way for new settlers and commerce.

Or it might just remind you of the type of town you’re in.

Whatever the case, it sure makes a walk down Main Street more interesting.

Now if we could just get graffiti artists to do stuff like this, think about how much more exposure they would get!

:::

Have you ever visited a town that did stuff like this?

Frank’s World

Jul 062012
 

We’ve passed this place a dozen times or so when we go to the casino in Bad River.

It’s always been on my Bucket List of places to stop at, but it’s always seemed to be closed when we passed by.  Thankfully, that streak ended when we took out little vacation (farther) up north.

I just love antiques and Rick & I just happen to be fans of certain TV shows (“Antiques Roadshow” and “American pickers” to name a couple) plus we love auctions, so we’re sometimes drawn to unique stores.

And really, how could you not want to stop here?  The place practically screams at you!

Frank Boudreau is the curator of this particular establishment and he fit the decor quite well.  His long grey beard, as well as his soft spoken voice made him blend into the background of his shop as if he belonged with the collection of antiques that he was selling.

To tell the truth, I missed him when I first walked into the store.

But I certainly didn’t miss this guy.  A real genius created this work of art!

I found quite a few items I loved, but the price tags for most of them were a little out of my range.

But these metal chickens just had to come home with me!  Once I can stop admiring them on my deck, they’re heading for the rock garden.

Of course, their not as bad ass as Jenny’s giant metal chicken Beyonce, but a person has to start somewhere, right?

 

A Cat Named Cranberry

Jul 042012
 

Going on vacation only an hour or so from your normal habitat can be an adventure.  You have  a chance to play tourist in your own backyard and meet some very interesting people.

Take for instance Cranberry.

This beautiful feline was accompanied by her human Tony.  They are natives of Texas and have forfeited the luxuries of a normal homestead for a motorhome and the highway for a different look at life and living.

Cranberry adopted Tony in a parking lot where she was fed fast food by this loving soul.  His soothing southern drawl as well as his down home personality leaves no doubt as to the reason that Cranberry chose his company.

Tony is a self-professed Beatles fan who has spent extensive time in England quenching his thirst for the Fab Four and has amassed an astonishing collection that is in safe hands in a friend’s storage unit while he and Cranberry travel the country.

But his real love always came back to those of the animal kingdom, particularly felines.  When I mentioned Big Cat Rescue shortly into our meeting and our conversation quickly turned to events of the organization, I knew that we had similar interests.  We spent hours going over topics covering the football rivalry of the Vikings and Packers, “Minnesota Nice” (which was apparently non-existent in Welcome, Minnesota) and politics in general.

This man has personality plus, and Cranberry was the compliment that rounded out this wonderful duo.

I hope these two have some wonderful adventures on the road and that our paths cross again in the future.

:::

If I  had to pick the favorite part of our vacation, I would have to say…  all of it.  You really can’t put a finger on the most wonderful aspect of taking time away from your normal routine and experiencing all that the world has to offer.

As Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz put it, “If I ever going looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any farther than my own back yard; because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

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