Today I had a WOW! moment which started with a little confusion.
I've had a horrid headache since last night, so I had the perfect excuse to gulp down an iced mocha. (For the caffeine, which aided the other perfect excuse to eat some powdered donuts. I can't exactly have an iced mocha without powdered donuts, now can I?)
So after enjoying my morning cup of mocha, I went downstairs to the kitchen and on the back patio I saw a rather large bird perched on one of the chairs. I never wear my contacts, and so... very stupidly... I initially thought to myself -
But then the vision center of my brain *clicked* and I realized I was looking at a hawk.
I called for my mother to see it, which in turn had my little pommie pup announcing to everyone in our zip code that, by way of my voice being raised a pitch, that something very exciting was in progress. To roughly quote Peter Pan, an adventure was happening!
Luckily, the hawk wasn't scared off by Izzy's tattle-telling so I ran up the stairs to get the camera. (Well, I walked actually. If I ran, Izzy would have gone even more ballistic. In this house, if we have no desire to have our ears assaulted by a high-pitched yappy bark followed by the other two dogs barking joining in, we can't make any sudden movements).
Isn't it creepy how it seems to SENSE us watching from just one room away?
I wish I had gotten video of it flying off, but luck was no longer on my side. The first time it flew towards the fence, the camera was literally one second away from recording. The second time, the camera refused to focus because of the tree branches in the foreground.
And what do you think Wendy Kitty was doing when all this was happening?
Sigh...
I'm a little disappointed in her lack of enthusiasm, but in her defense she is a vintage gal of 18. I suppose climbing out of her catnip-perfumed cozy bed, just to have a quick lookie loo at a bird of prey, does seem a little senseless. Her priorities have changed.
First, my brother sees a fox behind his house and today we see a hawk. And have you ever heard of animal totems? If not, click HERE to read a quick description of them.
If there are totems, I'm pretty sure my main one is the lion. I'm obsessed with them!
This is what I found online about the Hawk:
Hawk’s Message:
The hawk is a messenger of insight, adaptability and openness, it is also about visionary power and guardianship. Hawk’s meaning teaches us to be observant and to pay attention to what we may overlook. This could mean a talent we don’t use, a blessing for which we haven’t expressed gratitude, or a message from the universe. The hawk has keen eyesight, it is about opening our eyes and seeing that which is there to guide us. Hawk awakens vision and inspires us to a creative life purpose. Look to the world around you for there are symbols buried in everything.
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Hawk is the messenger, the protector and the visionaries of the Air. It holds the key to higher levels of consciousness.
This totem awakens vision and inspires a creative life purpose.
A Hawk totem is filled with responsibility because Hawk people seek the overall view.
They are aware of omens and spirit messages.
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A Red-Tailed Hawk Totem is special.
It has direct ties to the Kundalini, the seat of primal life force. It is associated with the base chakra. If you have this Totem, you will be aware of and work towards fulfilling your soul's purpose.
It reflects a greater intensity of energy within your life: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual forces will all be strong within you.
The Red-Tail Hawk is a permanent totem -- it will always be with you.
It is associated with the number "14" with the Tarot card Temperance. This card represents the teaching of higher expressions of psychic ability and vision.
I don't know if that was a red-tail/chickenhawk, but if so it's odd that the above passage mentions the #14... seeing how my birthday is May 14th.
I just hope this rare visitor didn't get to any of our birds. I've seen sparrowhawks around here before - only once, perched on our fence - but never this close. I think it was because we had taken down the tarp over the patio due to high winds a few days ago.
But no worries... we've since put the tarp back up and the birdseed we now place on the far side of the patio, where the curtains are. I think we've made it pretty difficult for the hawk to make a return trip.
Even our dogs we're keeping a close eye on whenever they go outside. I doubt this hawk could pick up Izzy or Abby, but we'd rather play it safe.
Well the world didn't end and there hasn't been a Zombie Apocalypse.
How about that? This is good, especially considering that tomorrow is my parent's 40th wedding anniversary.
And I did have a sort of 2012-ish dream last night.
I typed it out HERE on my Dreams Blog.
We have company coming for the next few days and I still have a little cleaning to do, so I think I'll mainly post a few random pics today.
Starting with updated photos of my little miniature tree that I have in my bedroom. I just couldn't resist adding to it. I've always wanted a pale pink or pristine white decorated tabletop tree in my bedroom, but I still don't have one so this year I decided to at least add a miniature tree or two.
I received another early Christmas gift the other day! It's one of those little stoves/heaters with the fake fire. I placed it in the corner of my bedroom.
This clock is just one of several goodies my grandma gave me recently. It's an antique, from the late 1800's I I believe.
I need to post better photos of the stove soon. These turned out terrible.
Here are the doggies and cat's Christmas gifts all wrapped.
Wendy Kitty was caught peeking into her Christmas present early, so I might have to do something to the tree like my nephew did. (This was at Luke's girlfriend's house).
Oops. I just found out today - Sunday - that my nephew's girlfriend has a brother that is also named Luke. His gal's brother made the tree monster.
All the same, you think turning our tree or her gift bag into a monster would scare her off and stop her from peeking?
Yeah, probably not. I think it takes a lot more than a monster face to intimidate a cat.
I've been seeing a lot of posts about favorite holiday movies and cartoons. We all love the classics, but here are some of my MUST SEE holiday specials.
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I've always wanted to see these window displays in person, but I've never been to Disney World at Christmastime like the rest of my family have.
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Went to Old Town Spring and a few stores the other day. We bought a couple lot more Christmas goodies, but I've taken very few pics of all that we got.
Went to see THE HOBBIT a couple days ago. I enjoyed LOTR more, but it was still a great movie. (This movie was a lot more childlike, but I think that's fitting). I really loved Martin Freeman as Bilbo. He fit that role perfectly.
And as for Thorin... what can I say expect that I now have a crush on a dwarf from Middle Earth.
This was my favorite scene in the movie:
I'm going to see it in 3D next!
Oh! I almost forgot to mention that I had a little laugh at one of the commercials they played before the movie started. It was this Old Navy commercial.
It made me smile because of two things:
1). My grandmother was a HUGE Johnny Mathis fan.
2). When I was in high school I was swooning like mad over Jordan Knight.
I couldn't help but find it humorous that both my grandma's and my own "crushes" were shown together in a commercial like that. It kind of felt like she was there with me.
I guess I'll get back to annihilating the dust bunnies and sweeping up the kitty litter that never seems to completely go away.
I hope you're having a lovely day, your Christmas shopping is at least almost done, and that you remember to hug your loved one's.
A little while ago I copy/pasted older Christmasy entries from my old website. This will be the third one, from a really old blog which only I ever saw. I didn't exactly advertise it, and back then blogs weren't as common as they are today.
And to be quite frank, I really only had them as an excuse to feed my obsession with posting pictures I'd found... especially the holiday one's. (Some things never change).
If suffering from insomnia or just plain bored, click HERE to read my previous entries for Christmastime Past. (And yes, I realize that entries written in November isn't exactly Christmastime, but it is in our family. That's just how we roll). This particular blog post I'm about to share was written exactly 4 years ago today.
November 15, 2008
I spent a very long time yesterday attempting to take good pictures of our Christmas village. This camera has a gazillion different settings, but still the pics turned out blurry. This camera has taken good pics before (just not of the village), so in lieu of tossing it in the Brazos River I took video of the village instead.
Alvin and The Chipmunks insisted on serenading during the filming, so if cute talking chipmunks wearing glasses and designer clothes aren't your thing, you might want to turn down the speakers.
Note: If you fit the above description, WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU? How can you not love them, little Theodore especially?
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12:27 pm .... Sunny... Glorious 57 degrees (Hey, I like documenting the important things on historical days)
I just this second got off the phone with my sister. My nephew went to region band tryouts today. Would you know that out of 70 trumpet players, he made FIRST CHAIR?!
FIRST chair out of ALL CENTRAL TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO LUKE!!!! See, thinking you did bad on TAPS the other day was all in your head. I'm very proud of you. Even if you got last chair, I'd be proud because you always do your best. If you're enjoying band, I hope you keep it up.
Your Mom sure is proud of you. I could have sworn she needed an oxygen tank to keep breathing.
Wise Favorite Aunt Advice:
I think this would be a good time to ask your parents for an early Christmas gift.
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(Picture taken Christmas Day 2005)
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Don't be fooled by that innocent face!
My very own Wendy Moira Angela Darling has started eating the miniature Christmas tree from our dining table display. The snowpeople and birds shared with me that they've been ignored thus far, but fear being a midnight snack just the same.
According to SnowWoman Mae, Wendy "has sharp teeth and possesses an insatiable appetite for greenery and fake snow!" Her Christmas wish this year is that the gray-striped feline never catches on that she and her friends are comprised of fake snow, too.
The purchaser of the Christmas display, whom goes by the name "Mom," had comments too crude to share here in her daughter's blog. Close sources reveal that her latest threat was, "I'm gonna kill that $%&# cat!"
The snowpeople and snowbirds report that they can only hope that's true.
So we put up the big Christmas window display a few minutes ago. My father and myself climbed up the ladder about 100 feet to the window ledge with the spirit of Christmas thrumming in our hearts.
Okay, so that relates to me. Dad was just doing what husbands and fathers are supposed to do anyway: climbing great heights (literally) because we told him to. If not for Mom and me, Dad's yuletide cheer would be comprised only of an empty bag of holiday-colored M&M's wrapped in fancy Christmas packaging. A Coca Cola can with Santa drawn on it might accompany the snack, but nothing else. I doubt he'd even have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
We were going to wait to put up the display, but Grandma is coming here on Monday and Dad might be sent out of town when it comes time to put it up. We aren't setting the timer for the lights just yet though. It's too early for that, and besides.... the homeowner's association around here is a big pain in the butt and wouldn't allow it. They make stuff up just to send out those notices and feel all superior. (They are all on Santa's naughty list).
All we need to do now is tweak a few things before showing it off. One of the crates and the tree need to be standing on something else to be given more height. I'll post pictures once it's all done and the snowflake twinkle lights are turned on. It's really cute.
And back to the present.....
1. If youwant to impress me, forget the fancy pants jewelry and buy me books instead.
2. When I was a child, every Saturday morning those little blue smurfs were alwayssinging la la la.
3. I have to ask youwhy it's a physical impossibility to lick your elbow.
4. You don't want badvices;aka badhabits.
5. I didn't have timeto wait for really cold weather, so I put up all the Christmas decorations early.
6. A quiet countrysideis something I love beyond all reason.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward tosleep, tomorrow my plans includehaving my brother and his new lady love over (which I've never met)and Sunday, I want torelax!
Hmm... looks like I won't be participating with the above blog hop anymore. Apparently, and for some reason completely beyond my comprehension, they think I'm either a spammer or psychic. (Rule change AFTER the new meme was posted, and they told select people about it... but not me as my link was just deleted. So either they have no etiquette, or think I have "all knowing" powers when it comes to last second rule changes).
And while I certainly understand being weary of having spammers only wanting to sell their products, I am NOT a spammer. Are there any products for sale on my page? Are there any ads? Did I make that "Ad Free site" button just for kicks? Are spammers fond of posting Marjolein Bastin pics and boasting about their affection for their niece and nephew, Walt Disney World and Mickey Mouse?
Cool Clicks Thursday 
