Monday Mantra X2

“By golly, life's too darn short to waste time trying to please every meddlesome moron who's got an idea how I ought to be! I don't need advice! Everyone can just stay out of my face!”

Bill Watterson

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."
~William James

For Pix and For Fun

My sweet friend Pix at http://sweetdaysundertheoaks.com/ ( if you want to see stunning photography stop by and visit) has challenged me to reveal 7 things about myself to you my blogging friends. Hmmmm, lets see.

1. When I first started college I was a Poly-SCI major: I wanted to be a lawyer, lobbyist or in the CIA.

2. You may already know this one but.....Clowns make my skin crawl. I was twice attacked by clowns.

3. I could care less if the toilet paper hangs over or under. Not in the slightest.

4. I once ate Menudo and almost threw up.

5. I have tasted all my bunny meds and all their food. Yes I have and it still wasn't as gross as the menudo.

6. I constantly have dreams that my teeth fall out.

7. I think I saw a dead guy hitchhiking along a road.

There ya have it.

Blog Action Day

I wanted to take part in Blog Action Day. You can read about it here:

http://blogactionday.org/ if you are inclined. The topic is about food. You can discuss it in whatever fashion you want. There are participants from all over the world writing on various issues regarding food. I have read quite a few of them. I am not a writer like some of these folks are. I can say a few clever things, make a point, completely screw up the punctuation and move on. I usually write about what I love and food is easy.

I love sweets. Always have. I love comfort food and southern food. Italian is another favorite. Wine, pasta and bread can make me very happy. As can the pecan pie pictured above. But what I want to talk about for a minute is the fact that we have too much food and spend too much time griping (especially as women) about having too much.

Lately I have been reading a lot about the famine in eastern Africa. It was all over the news for about a minute. Yes, for a minute. I don't like seeing the pictures so I didn't post any. My blog is not political and it is my personal safe space. But I really want to take part in this conversation. My topic? Too much food.

I have too much food. I eat too much food. I eat far too many sweets. I love veggies but don't eat enough of them. I find comfort in food. Then I complain about the 30lbs or so I need to lose. There are children all over the world today who have had nothing to eat. I will go to bed with my stomach full. My bunnies tummies will be full. I have never in my entire life had to go without food for 1 single day.

Women all over today will look in the mirror and gripe because they are eating too much. They are "fat" and their butts are too big, their thighs, their arms. Here is the good news: If you catch the flu or some other relatively benign virus you will live through it and survive in part because of the extra weight.

We are too fat of a nation in America. We are killing ourselves with food. Obesity is a huge problem. We are also doing harmful things to our food. Pesticides, hormones and antibiotics are doing incredible amounts of damage to the humans and the animals. There are problems with too much farming.

Large parts of our day are spent thinking about food. Where will we eat, what will we cook, what we are hungry for....

Think about it a little today. When you look in the mirror be thankful that you have enough food. Don't look at the wiggly parts but be happy that you have them. Think about the people today that would be happy to have a bowl of plain white rice or a plate of beans, a cup of fresh clean water or even a couple of plain crackers. Be grateful.

Thanks to Blog Action Day for letting me participate and Thank you to Crafty Green Poet for letting me know about it. You can check out her blog here: http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com

My Very Favorite Tango Story ( Reprint from May 2008, Heartland's blog)

You Tawkin To Me?




Tango causes a lot of fear and trauma when I take her to the vet. Everyone is very alarmed by her. Anyway, today was nail trim day for Tango and Nemo. The puppy spa is about a 1/2 a block from my house. I tucked Nemo in my hoodie and zipped up and off we went. Easy, easy done in five minutes and back home.

The lady that usually does it was out and her husband was there. I told him I was going home to get my big girl and that she was a handful. He said "no problem, I have trimmed a raccoon's nail so a little bunny wont be a problem" I told him I just wanted to warn him but he didn't listen. So I go home and get Miss Tango and put her in the carrier. (she wouldnt fit in my hoodie and would whip my butt if I tried) When we walk in I told him we needed to go into a room and that I needed her carrier to be on a table when I took her out. He seemed skeptical still. Poor man. I reach in to get her out and she does her usual growling and thumping at the back of the carrier with all her might. His eyes got big as saucers."Is she growling"? "I have never heard a rabbit growl before" (his voice shaky and squeaky suddenly) So I get her out and he says "holy crap". I tried to tell him!!!!!!! Every time he trimmed a toenail she grunted and tried to bite him. I honestly thought he was going to cry. It was over pretty fast. He didn't charge for it because her back feet didn't need trimming and I am fairly sure he just wanted her out. He said as I was leaving " Do you have anymore like her at home"? I laughed and said yes but I wasn't bringing Mojo in because she didn't need a trim. (Mojo is big but NOTHING like Tango but I wanted him to worry a bit.) Next time I think I will bring them both at the same time and see how he reacts. Cant help myself. It was so much fun. Tango doesn't scare me at all but she sure scares the heck out of everyone else. Raccoon Smaccoon. Just had to share that story with you all.

When Tango was spayed her vet Dr. Rachel leaned down to open her carrier. Tango rushed from her carrier and jumped on Dr. Rachel's back. She ran willy nilly around the room, grunting and honking and it took 4 or 7 (lol, depending on whose version of the story you believe) to catch her. They dreaded seeing her at the vet. I learned very quickly to trim those nails myself. Tango eventually turned out to have the sweetest disposition of the trio.

Miss you so much sweet girl. Miss you so much.......

Tango Girl

Sometimes without warning things happen. My beautiful baby girl Tango left suddenly for the bridge early this am. Without a sign of illness. We played until the wee hours last night and she gave kisses and ate her dinner with gusto. We are left scratching our heads and with heavy hearts.

Loved you with all my heart big girl. Rest In Peace

Monday Mantra

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

When Rabbits (and Squirrels) Attack...Among other things

My lovely friend Michelle at http://theraspberryrabbits.blogspot.com/ is a Textile Folk Artist. She made these sweet pumpkins and when I commented on her blog how much I like pumpkins.....she sent it to me. I have received so many wonderful handmade items from my fellow bloggers. I envy their creativity.

Big Thank You to Michelle. Stop by sometime and visit her bunnies: Sir Walter Harrington and Lady Hannah Goldenhare

Millie was out and about in the yard a few days ago. She always goes to the bushes in the back where I feed the birds and squirrels. While I was trying to talk her in to coming out from under the bush out of the corner of my eye I see a squirrel just a few feet away. Mr. Brushy Tail was sitting up and watching her like a hawk. He did NOT appreciate her proximity to his peanuts. I was concerned he might charge her but I should have known. Mille lunged at the squirrel. I caught her quickly and he fled in outrage and fear. What WAS this big white creature with the ticked off look on its face?

I was mowing a few hours later when something hit the top of my head. I looked up and a pecan nailed me in the forehead. Mr Brushy Tail was throwing green pecans at me. Yes, he was aiming at my head. Now I made sure he had food and water all through the summer and this is the gratitude I get? PFFT....Squirrels must be a lot like bunnies. I swear I heard him laughing.

Mills and Whoosh despise each other. Whoosh spends his nights finding ways to break out of his playpen and tussle with Millie Mouse. They both sport bite marks. The little stinkers. I have NEVER not been successful at bonding dammit! These two clowns will be the death of me.

As you can tell by the changes my favorite time of year has arrived. My pumpkins are out and so are my mums. Love me some Halloween. Let the ghost hunting and spookiness begin!

One of my fellow bloggers is going through a tough time right now. I am sending her a big ole hug and a reminder that sometimes despite our best intentions things dont work out like we hope. I cant say who she is but I want her to know I think about her everyday.

Everyone enjoy your weekend and the cool fall air.