Pouting

Today I was reminded again of a story I mentioned in a previous article.  I was still in Memphis and another adventure was on the horizon with the GK's 1 and 2. 

There was a couple of reasons we were there and one was to take care of my mom.  This morning was one of those great-memaw days for the my grand kids. The boy's and I were going over to visit and bring her some lunch. GK1 was stung by two or three dang wasp on her front porch two days prior. I thought I had killed them all, after they got me, but apparently not. He was scared to death to go back over there. The GK's wanted me to buy them both a Gameboy game to play while there, "to make them braver". Now, just picture two little boys 6 and 7, big brown eyes, bottom lips just a quivering and a little cracking in their voice. I said no because they have so many games as is and they should just take one they already have.

Well, two new Gameboy games later we were having a good visit with mom. Mom gave them 5 dollars a piece. As soon as we got back into the car, they were begging to go back to Game Stop for a used game. NO, I tell them, it is hot and we needed to eat.

Well, one more game later, we were heading to KFC. We passed a park and they wanted to play.  I told them I don't want to stop it is just TOO HOT.

Well, forty-five minutes later we're leaving our picnic and play time at the park. This time I was determined to not give in to any other demands. I told them we were playing the quite game all the way home and who ever wins gets a dollar.  "A DOLLLLLARRRRR??" they asked.   "How 'bout 5.00 and we got a deal.", said GK2.

Well, 10.00 later (it was a tie),  I realized somewhere between the 2nd trip to the game place and the park that I was fighting a losing battle with them and to cut my losses with any sum money they demanded. I did enjoyed silence all the way home.  Big brown eyes, pleading little voices, hugs and many many kisses are just too hard for me to resist. -so shoot me-

Here at the bird house I see this daily between parent/child and gparents/child.  We have the cutest little bird and insect stuffies from the Audubon Society.  Each little bird or insect, makes the correct corresponding sound of the critter it is representing.   Guardians start out with no, no, no. The next thing I hear from them is how CUTE they are.  Then they start trying to talk the kids into getting the ones they love the most.  Thank goodness I am in good company. I too have been known to try to get my favorite via the kid!

Until next time,
Ruth
Store Manager for The Bird House
203 James Canyon Hwy
P. O. Box 117
Cloudcroft, NM 88317
575-682-6902

It's True

I was going to tell you another story about my GK's this week but we have had so much interest in The Bird House garden that I thought I would tell this story first.....

I love those scented softsoap shower gels.  Not only does it make your skin feel great, they can make bubbles for miles in a jetted tub and they have an aromatherapy effect that can rival any spa.  Really I can't say enough about them.  Tonight was another bubble bath night.  I needed a memory to kick in so I could stop fretting about what to write.  It seems there are two sure fire ways to get my mind in gear and that is a snow storms or a warm bubble bath. 

The bubbles were at least 18 inches high.  The bathroom had a heavenly aroma of cucumber with melon and pomegranate oil. The dogs opted out of the bath time show tonight so there were no worrisome whines to get in the tub with me.  Nothing at all to cloud the mind.

(insert cricket sounds here...no really you need to make the sound)

There is nothing in this head of mine.  And that is nothing short of astounding.  I think I just heard half of my friends hit the floor!  Anyway, I decided to relax and try to remove the perils of the day.  Five minutes later...(again with the crickets).  I can not get my head in the game.  It was not long before my eyes came to a rest on the faucet at the tub.  I got to thinking about those old television shows and movies which shows the hot chickie in the tub and she has her toe stuck in the faucet.  How in the world does a real person get their toe stuck in such a large opening?   And so starts the stupidity of it all.

I tried it.  I stuck my toe in and out it fell. Hummm.  It entered my mind that if this were Myth Busters, they would keep trying until they proved it to be plausible or busted.  At that moment, I decided to really give this as much attention as Jamie and 'what's his name' would have given it on their tv show.   I schooched down a little bit to get a better angle.  Nothing, it fell right back out.   I wiggled down more and crammed my  toe way in there and left it.  It started to feel like it was going to work.  I left it for a few minutes longer then it hit me.  If my toe really does get stuck, my husband is going to have to help me get out of it.  The first 10 years we were married he thought I was one of the smartest women alive. ( I...am a fantastic actress )  In the last ten years he has changed his mind.  It appears he might be right because the next thing I do is pull my toe and it's stuck.  WOW it's true!  No problem, I will just relax and it will fall out.  NOT.  I laid there thinking about this situation I got myself into.  I think, maybe it is like Chinese handcuffs.  So I push it in further!  Yeah, not like Chinese handcuffs.   It now hits me I am really STUCK.  I can't call my husband; I just can't!  I decide to stand up.  That in itself was a little bizarre. Arms and legs flailing in the air trying to stand with one foot stuck and soap bubbles everywhere.  I found myself standing but I was at a loss as to what to do.  I thought maybe if I can twist the faucet upward, then I could pour some of that Pomegranate oil in the space between my toe and the metal.  And so, I did and I waited.  Crap! the dogs started scratching the door down trying to get in.  I guess all the splashing to stand up gave them some cause for alert.  I couldn't get to the door to let them in.  About that time I hear footsteps and they are coming my way.  I am pulling with all my might to get that toe out.  THEN....out it pops.  The door cracks open and the dogs rush in then the door closes.  I never saw a face but I hear my daughter mumbling as she walked out.  She was tired of hearing the dogs beg. Toe is free, free, free at last.  A little swollen and red but all in all not bad. I will NEVER do that again!  

I was thinking the closest thing we have to a faucet is one of our bamboo fountain pumps.  They are so nice.You can take any water tight container attach the fountain pumps and waaa laaa instant zen. 

Did you know, at this time of the year, birds will flock to water faster and more often than seed feeders?  Sounds from the water gentle falling into the container will attract birds near and far.  We also carry birdbath cleaner that is safe and effective.  Next time you are up here come check out our fountains.  Don't worry the birds here are smart.  I doubt you will find one of their toes stuck in the pump.

Note: Fountain shown above is one made from a root ball of a tree, rocks from the land, moss, a kiddie pool and a pump.  We also have our bamboo fountain pumps, left, running in two of our three water features.  We used a lined wooden barrel added rocks and a pump then planted flowers for the butterflies.  Get on in here we can't wait to show you how easy it is to have a little zen in your garden.

Until next time,

Ruth

Store Manager for The Bird House
203 James Canyon Highway
POBox 117
Cloudcroft, NM 88317
575-682-6902
Summer Hours:  Mon-Sat 10:00 to 5:00,  Sun 9:30 to 3:00

Flying Things

If you follow our blog, you have read about my dogs Mutt and Jeff.  You also know that I have changed their names to protect the not so innocent.   Maybe it is time you put a face to the pseudonym.  Mutt is the big one.  She is a cross between goofy and gentle. I bet you thought I was going to give you a couple of breeds didn't you?   Jeff is a tiny Pomeranian .  He is not a cross between anything.  He is straight up bossy, which can lead him into the wrong direction and that brings me to this week's story...

Shortly after moving into our home we adopted Jeff.  He was born head strong.  He always walked his own path and was just plain hard to warm up to. He was and still is a strange dog with some odd peculiarities.  When he was a baby he only wanted to be petted with your feet.  Petting him with your hands would drive him crazy and not in a good way.  Lord forbid you pick him up that would send him over the edge.   Some of his peculiarities have disappeared over the years, some intensified and some are the same like hating ANYTHING that flies.  Birds, bees, flies, you name it, if it flies he wants to catch it, defeat it and eat it.  Many, many days I would be cleaning the kitchen, look out the window and see this crazy dog running in circles barking and jumping in the air for no apparent reason.  (I always looked to see if the neighbors were watching him do this.  They already think he is a little rabid he-devil.  Seeing Jeff preform this ritual would seal the deal.)  After closer inspection, I realized he was chasing little flying insects. It seems his favorite were little sweat bees.  Many times he would come in the house after a good day of chase with a blown up snout.  Before I really knew what was causing it, I thought maybe allergies.

One evening I was sitting on the back porch with Mutt and Jeff.  I noticed Jeff's head bobbing back and forth.  After a few seconds of bobbing, he would stand perfectly still then pounce the ground with his front paws.  At first, I could not see what he was after but I could smell it.  He had found a stink bug.  It didn't take long before  I saw that it .  It would crawl a little bit then try to fly.  Of course, that would drive him crazy.  Stink bugs have sticky legs with tiny barbs.  They can hang on to anything for as long as they want.  A few times it would stick to his snout.  Oh my, that would send him into orbit.  I kept telling him to stop messing with the bug.  He would, for about 2 seconds, then go right back at it until I made him go in the house.  A few nights after that incident with the stink bug he was wanting out into the fenced back yard.  I let him out while I stayed inside to watch a movie.  Around 2 hours later, I noticed he was not back yet.  I opened the door and found him sitting on the step.  In he walked, then he stopped in the middle of the floor.  As I watched him, I noticed something seemed to be stranger than normal.  He was staring into space and swaying back and forth.  You know that dipping deep kind of swaying.  The kind that almost looks like you're  leaning into a strong wind while trying to climb up a 90 degree hill.  All of a sudden, he rared up straight then fell over stiff.  I FREAKED OUT!  OMG What is going on?  MY DOG!  I raced over and held him in my arms crying like a baby. I could not figure out what was wrong but I did notice his breath.  UGH!  He had the strongest stink bug breath I had ever smelt.  In no time at all, he popped out of it and was looking at me like, Why are you touching me with your hands???  I was so confused.  I went outside and looked around.  Nothing,  I found nothing but I smelt that nasty bug smell.    I followed my nose until I came upon a hole in the ground.  There I saw the remains of hundreds of dead stink bugs.  Jeff had dug them up and eaten them. Apparently, stink bugs can make a dog drunk!

The next day he was showing no signs of illness.  In fact, he was barking his brains out chasing another flying thingy.  I ran out to make sure he did not have another stink bug.  One heart attack a year is all that I can handle.  As I got to him, I noticed it was not a stink bug but a little butterfly.  It must have not been as exciting nor as enticing as the stink bug because he spat it out on the spot.

(And here is where my ADHD comes into play..... )

Butterflies? Did I say butterflies?  At the Bird House, we have all things butterflies.  From butterfly houses to feeders, butterfly nectar to plastic butterfly yard stakes and beautiful butterfly books.  Come on in to The Bird House for a look see.  You would be surprised at all the things that are available for the care and love of butterflies.  If you mention this post I will give you a one time 20% off anything butterfly while you are in the store.

Until next time,

Ruth

A quick note:  Kazumi and I want to welcome Chris to the Bird House.  She will be working on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays for the rest of the summer.  Please stop in and welcome her.