Serene Scenery Sunday

Ha roo, pups and kit-cats.  It's me, Zim, here with some photos I lifted off my mom's camera that are bound to help you find that inner Zen of Zim Zone.  Are you ready to get going?

Yeah, so there I was, strolling across the open field ...

Just kidding.  That's a coyote!  A coyote!!!  Mom and her friend headed out to Tuttle Creek State Park again yesterday to do some birding and they saw my cousin there on the way in.  Isn't he handsome?

Mom saw this bird hard at work, building a nest on the walls of the outdoor chapel:

Mom isn't quite sure what kind of bird it is, but thinks it might be an Eastern Kingbird.

A lot of the birds there were apparently teasing Mom and her friend - they'd fly by real fast, then zoom off before they could focus and shoot their photos.  That would explain this shot:

"Quick!  Look!"

Mom said the Great Blue Herons kept doing fly-bys, so that could be what she missed there.  She did manage this one shot:

Great Blue Heron

They also saw Mrs. Red-Winged Blackbird:

Female Red-Winged Blackbird

... and her main squeeze, Mr. Red-Winged Blackbird:

Red-Winged Blackbird

He was nearby, watching over her.  Very sweet, Mr. B!

Here is a pair of Blue Winged Teal ducks that were swimming by:

Blue Winged Teals

Lovely couple, aren't they?  And remember - the family that dives together ...

... thrives together.  Or something like that.

"You have a little algae coming out of your bill, dear."
"Quack."

This shot is an Eastern Kingbird:

Eastern Kingbird

Mom said not only does she do better with slow, larger birds, but it's much easier when the leaves aren't on the trees, too.  I think she mentioned it took her 87 hours to get this shot.  Something like that.

Here's an Eastern Bluebird!

Eastern Bluebird

And here's another shot I got off her camera:

Border Collie Birds?

Hmm.  Funny looking birds, Mom!  Oh, well.  At least I know she and her friend were well-protected! Good job, Seamus and Moss!  I hope you two had a blast out there!

Mom was really happy to see some Baltimore Orioles.  They were hard to photograph, as they didn't sit still very long and hid in the trees ... but Mom and her friend were patient and persistent and Mom was able to get these shots:

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole

On her way out of the park, Mom saw one hopping around in the field and stopped to take some more shots.

Baltimore Oriole.  Must be an outfielder.  (Ha roo roo roo.  Baseball joke.)

He did some yoga stretches on a pipe:

Baltimore Oriole stretching

Then struck a nice pose:

Baltimore Oriole - Money shot

There are also a lot of wildflowers in bloom now, and Mom saw a new one to her:

New Jersey Tea

Mom thinks it's New Jersey Tea, Ceonothus herbaceus.  All I know is I bet it's tasty!  (Not that I'd try to eat it or anything.)

That's a wrap for this week.  We have tons more of serene pix to show you, so I think we'll be doing some nice peaceful posts this week.  If you'd like to see more of the shots Mom took yesterday, they're all in this set on FlickR. 

Remember to take in all the beauty around you - and keep it serene.  Have a great Sunday!

Play bows,

Zim

Armed Forces Day 2013

Armed Forces Day is a day set aside for us to come together as a nation and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

 

To all of our troops, past and present - we thank you, we honor you, and we ask for God's continued blessing on each and every one of you.

From all of us here at Ao4 Headquarters - Happy (especially to our dad!) Armed Forces Day!

I Am Not a Zimstigator!

Ha roo, pups and cool cats!  It's me - Zim.  Well, sure ... I am the Zimstigator, but I'm not always the one who stirs things up around here.  Really.  Take yesterday, for example!

There I was, minding my own business in the dining room, when ...

"Ohhhh, Zimmmmmie!!!  Want to plaaaaayyyyy?"
"Hey, Cam.  Nah, I was going to go run the vacuum so Mom doesn't have to."

Seriously.  It was just like that.  Or close, anyway.

"Wouldn't you rather do zoomies?!?!?"
"C'mon, Cam.  I've gotta vacuum.  Then I'm going to mow the lawn."

She tempted me again and again, doing this:

ZOOM!

... and this:

ZOOOOOM!!!

THEN, she posts part of this video to Mom's FaceBook page:

The problem?  Mom's friends assumed I was the instigator!  Can you believe that?!?!  Me!  Cam's got them all snowed!  She looks all innocent and stuff there, and Mom's friends assumed since I was the one panting that I was the one Zimstigating!

Well, two can play this game!  I put together a video of my own!  Check this one out!

Hey!  Hey, wait!  Someone edited the end of my video!!!  Why that little... CAMO!  Where are you?!!?

Gotta run.

Play bows,
Zim

Thinking Thursday

Hello, everyone.  It's me, Cammie!  Our backyard, as I've told you, is a very special place.  We go there to play or to explore or to work on training or to run, run, run ... and to to all kinds of wonderful things!    It's a very beautiful, tranquil place where you can sit and take in everything ...

"Ah... the sweet smell of the Old Fashioned Lilacs!"

... and think deep thoughts.

"Hey!  Hey, Fluffy Black Cat!  Is that you?!?"

Sorry.  I thought I saw Fluffy Black Cat over there.  Back to thinking more peaceful thoughts ...

Me.

It was very tranquil out there.  Lots of birds singing, the fragrant lilacs in full swing, and a nice breeze going.  And the sound of Mom calling my name.  Over and over again.  Hmm.

Unbeknownst to me, Mom apparently thought we were out there to work on training.

"Yes, yes.  I'm comi---oh!  What's that?"

It's like she thought I wasn't paying attention or something!  Please.  I'm a Siberian Husky; I can multi-task!

"I DO see you over there, FBC!"

See?  I can think deep thoughts AND keep Fluffy Black out of our yard at the same time!  Oh.  And work on training, too!

Camo!

Wordless Wednesday

Camo!

Say It With Photos

Ha roo, pups and cool cats!  It's me, Zim.  Got a big story to tell you today, so as the title reads, let's say it with photos!

I knew the day was going to be interesting when I walked into the kitchen mid-morning to get a beverage and saw this:

A gaping hole, where once our magic cold box lived

I guess it was more what I didn't see.  But then I hit the living room and ...

The magic cold box

Yeah.  Most peculiar.  I had no idea why Mom and Dad put it there.

Then these other guys showed up and started talking about how they were going to get it out the front door.

"I'm a Drill Sergeant.  I know how to get things going.  Watch this."

"Are you going to move that thing outta here,
or do I need to put an ice-cold nose on the back of your knee?"

I thought that would get things moving.

Did you notice the front door?

They had to take it off the hinges in order to get the magic cold box out.  That would be why I was on a leash, and Cam kept Dave company while he napped in the bedroom.  Safety first!

The guys then wheeled a new magic cold box in!

Magic cold boxes don't fit through the door from the living room to the kitchen.  Please don't get Mom started about that.  These guys were very careful and even had a seatbelt for the magic cold box!

"I have to wear a seatbelt when I go for a ride, too!"

I made sure they hooked the water up, so we can have ice cubes and stuff, then I watched them slide the magic cold box into place.

"You're doing a fine, fine job, mister!"

Before I knew it ...

The LG is dead!  Long live the KitchenAid!

For the record - our magic cold box was not old.  We even posted about it when we got it in '07.  The problem?  The lights inside stayed ON, even when the doors were shut.  How did Mom figure it out?  An electric-y smell at first, THEN later that day, she went to get a Stinky Goodness Treat for me ... and the top of my plastic container was HOT!!!  The plastic housing around the lightbulbs had melted and there was a huge electrical problem.  Not a good thing!  So yes, if you're wondering, by asking for a Stinky Goodness Treat, I basically saved us from a major house fire.  Make sure your peeps check to make sure everything is COLD when they first open the door to the magic cold box, even the plastic shield around the lightbulbs!

Stinky Goodness Treats for EVERYONE!

Play bows,
Zim

An Invitation

Ha roo, pups and cool cats.  It's me, Zim.  I've made several trips to the Kansas Ocean lately, but I'm sorry to report that none of my duck or goose friends have been there.  Because my mom knows how much I miss communing with my fine feathered friends, she said Cam and Dave could keep an eye on Dad and ... we could hit Anneberg Park!  I love going there - almost every time I've been there, I've met up with some goose friends and sometimes even some ducks!

When we got there, I saw some swimming over across the Anneberg Ocean; I silently called them over, then looked to the side so they wouldn't find me intimidating:

"Come to me, gooses!"

Gooses appreciate quiet and not staring at them.  Sure enough, they started swimming toward me.

"Ha roo, goose friends!"

Mom did a couple quick portrait shots:

Aren't they beautiful?

There were a lot of people in the park, and my goose friends got a bit spooked by them.  They'd swim off, then swim back over to me.  It gave me an idea!

"You gooses should move to the Kansas Ocean.  Seriously.  There are hardly any people there ever!"

"There are fishies and froggies and lots of algae and bugs and stuff!  You'd love it!"

"There's an ocean in Kansas?"

"Wow.  Who knew?!?"

I couldn't believe they didn't know about the Kansas Ocean.

"You gooses need to get out more.  Seriously!"

"Maybe we'll see you over there sometime!"

Seriously.  If they move over to the KSO, I could come see them just about every day.  How cool would that be?!?  I let them know they have a standing invite to join me there!  I hope they take me up on it!

Play bows,

Zim