Let's Bird!

Is "bird" a verb?  Hmm...

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  As Maggie mentioned yesterday, we headed out on a day-trip to go birding!  We went to Mom's happy place -- Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, stopping at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center on the way out and back.  It was a very fun trip for all of us, but we're also pretty wiped out, so today I'm just sharing iPhone pix with you - later in the week, we'll show you the cool birdies we saw!

Here is a shot of Maggie and me on the way down:

"Zzz..."
"Zzz..."

As you can see, we were hard at work.

When we got to the Kansas Wetlands Ed Center, we got to walk around for a while. We struck a nice pose for Mom:

Me and the Peep at the Ed Center

After that, we headed over to Quivira! We saw lots of birdies, and Mom was going crazy taking photos (being careful not to over-stress her wrists). When we got to the Big Salt Marsh (BSM), us girls got out to help spot birdies:

"I think I see ducks over across the street!  Wait ... no.  Coots!  I see Coots!"
"Are they old Coots?  Ha roo woo roo!"

Mom fired off a couple shots, then she and I went over by the BSM to look around.  I struck a pose over on the parking pad:

"Old Coots.  I crack myself up!"

It was pretty warm, so we also had a water break (and some snacks!) while we were there.

We drove around Quivira NWR some more, then headed back to the Wetlands Ed Center.

"Siberian pose on 3, Cam!  One ... two ..."
"Three!"

That was fun.

After we all stretched our legs a bit, it was time to head home.

"Hey, Dad.  If you're tired, I'm OK to drive."

Maggie is really helpful like that.  Dad said he was good to go, so we just hung out in the backseat and played the license plate game.  I think Mom found the most states, but she was in the front seat, so she had a bit of an advantage.

A great time was had by all!  More to come very soon!

Cammie!

Be Very Quiet!!!

[whispering] Greetings to all.  It's me, Maggie.  We're out stalking birdies today ...

Me, in stalking mode

We hope to have some cool pix to share with you soon!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher [end whisper]

Roof!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Our neighbors are getting a new roof, so about every hour yesterday, I told Mom I needed to go outside to use the yard.  Once out there, I did this:

"Ooh, look!  Roofers!"

I love watching people work! Isn't that why we're called "Working Breed" dogs?  I could be onto something here.

Anyway, that reminded me of an old joke. I'm not sure, but from what I've heard about my great-sister Amber, it was probably one of hers. So this joke goes something like this:

A guy walks into a bar with a small dog under his arm and sits down at the counter. He puts the dog on the stool next to him. The bartender says, "Sorry, pal. No dogs allowed."

The man says, "But this is a special dog -- he talks!"

"Yeah, right," says the bartender. "Now get out of here before I throw you out."

"No, wait," says the man. "I'll prove it." 

He turns to the dog and asks, "What do you normally find on top of a house?"

"Roof!" says the dog, wagging his tail.

"Listen, pal..." says the bartender.

"Wait," says the man, "I'll ask another question." 

He turns to the dog again and asks, "What's the opposite of soft?"

"Ruff!" exclaims the dog.

"Quit wasting my time and get out of here," says the bartender.

"One more chance," pleads the man. 

Turning to the dog again, he asks, "Who was the greatest baseball player that ever lived?"

"Ruth!" barked the dog.

"Okay, that's it!" says the bartender, and physically throws both man and dog out the door and onto the street.

The dog looks at the man, shrugs and says, "Maybe I should have said Joe DiMaggio?"

"DiMaggio!"  Ha roo roo roo!  No jokes like the old jokes!

OK, the roofers are still here today.  I need to convince Mom I need to go outside.  Have a great one, everybody!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Wildflower Walk

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  Yesterday, we all went on a really nice all-family walk!  Not only was it nice because we were all together, but it actually wasn't raining!  Whew.  Anyway, we saw lots of pretty wildflowers along the way, so I thought I'd share some of our photos with you.  Ready to get walking?  Get a drink of water, then let's head out!

Here we are, walking up the almost end of the first set of hills:

"No rain, but still plenty of puddles around for the asking, Cam!"
"I know!  Isn't it great?!!?  I love puddles!"

See?  We were just getting started and already there was something for everyone!

"Cool sky, huh?"
"We can see forever up here!"

It's really beautiful on top of our hills - we have amazing views!

Anyway, at the bottom of that hill in front of us, we turned onto the Hudson Trail.  We saw lots of pretty wildflowers along the route, like this:

Field of Prairie Verbena

Here's a closer look:

Prairie Verbena, also known as Dakota Verbena

Isn't it a beautiful color?

We also saw a few Daisies!

Me, gently sniffing a Daisy

Oh. I know what you're thinking, but unlike a certain sweet, playful, lovable, bi-eyed member of the family, I do not try to eat flowers. (Just herbs in Mom's now defunct herb garden.) (Maybe.) (There is no proof it was me.). ANYWAY ... here's the Daisy:

Ox-Eye Daisy?  Maybe.  A Daisy of some sort.

We also got to walk up the Water Tower Trail:

"Something just ran across the path!"
"I saw it!  COOL!"

We saw some kind of small animal run across the path!  It was very exciting.  Mom didn't catch it. (Sadly, neither did we.)

Right - back to flowers.  Can you see the yellowy flowers up on the right side of the path? Here's a better look:

Prairie Groundsel

We also saw lots of Honeysuckle:

Me, checking out the Honeysuckle

Right. Sorry. Try again:

Amur Honeysuckle

It was a really great walk! We love seeing all the beautiful, colorful wildflowers!

"I see more puddles!"
"Score!"

Thanks for coming with us!  We hope you enjoyed our walk as much as we did!

Cammie!

Wordless Wednesday

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Who ... Us?

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  I have no idea why my mom thinks Maggie and I were up to something.

"Who ... us?"

I mean really!  We weren't doing ANYthing!

"Yep.  Nothing to see here, folks. Ha roo roo r-- Oooh, COPS is on!"

Well, there MIGHT have been some activities resembling Crazed River Otter Games ... but then Maggie's show came on.

Cammie!

Wedge

Hello, everyone.  It's me, Cammie.  Maggie curled up in the middle of our breakfast room bed the other day and wouldn't move over.  I really wanted to lay there and wasn't sure what to do at first. Then I realized I needed to choose a wedge.

"Maggie, just give me a little ... OK, no, wait.  I can fit."
"Zzz..."

Oh, not like the kind our dad uses on the golf course, a wedge maneuver.  It was the right choice!

Cammie!

Serene Sunday

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Guest Rooms

Greetings to all! It's me, Maggie. The way upstairs of Ao4 Headquarters consists of two guest rooms and a bathroom. It's perfect for when we have over-night friends - everyone has some privacy! Normally, Mom keeps a gate across the stairs so "someone" (???) can't go up there. This weekend, we were having guests, though, so she moved the gate to get everything prepped.

"No, I'm not done up here yet, Mom."

I helped, of course.  I have no idea why Mom thanked Cam so much -- all she did was laze around the main floor.  How is that helping?

Oh, well.  The guest rooms are standing tall.  Who else wants to come over?

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher 

Moping, Not Mopping

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie, picking up from where I left off yesterday!  As you may recall, I was all excited because our dad brought home a really cool thing!  In a box!  Anyway, I was right about ...

"Ooh, what is it?!?"

... here. Or there. Whatever.

We need a closer look at what's in that box!  I mean, the box was really cool, but a little on the "tight squeeze" side of the spectrum, should I have wanted to get inside. I was more excited about the contents for a change!

"Hey, this is really COOL!"

I thought it was a salad spinner at first, but no.  It was sort of an old school-style bucket and mop with a newfangled twist!  It's the O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop and Bucket Floor Cleaning System. I couldn't wait to try it out - nor could Mom! She splashed some Mr. Clean in the bucket, filled it with water, and ...

"What do you mean, I can't help?!?"

I couldn't believe it!  A new house-cleaning thingie and I don't get to help?  Unbelievable!

"Fine.  I get to help with the vacuuming, though, right?"

I did get to help with the vacuuming, so at least there's that.  Plus Cam saw that I was moping about the no mopping thing, so she initiated a round of Crazed River Otter Games with me.  Is she sweet, or what?  I have THE best big sister ever!!!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher 

Breaking News!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Today, I was all set to tell you about the really cool thing Dad brought home for me the other day ...

"How cool!  For me, I assume?!!?"

... but as the title of this post says, we have breaking news!

Oh. Right. Sorry, Mom. "Break" is a 4-letter word around here. Anyway ... to our story!

Guess what happened to Mom yesterday?!!? Here's a hint:

Orthopedic tech guy:  "Bzzzzzzz...."
Mom:  "Never have I been so happy to see a man with a saw!"

That's right - they sawed her cast off!  They x-rayed again, then said she could go cast-free!!!!!!

Sing it with me!  To the tune of "Born Free"!

"Cast free!!!  

As free as the wind blows!  

As free as the grass grows, 

cast free to follow your hearttttt...."

OK, cast-free, but not splint free.  She'll be wearing this for a month or so ...
 

"Don't worry.  Dr. Mags will make sure she doesn't overdo."
"YAY!!!"
"Oooh, are we going to get Sibe fluff all over that thing!!!  Let the coat-blowing begin!!!"

Even more good news is that she can take it off to shower and for when she has her occupational therapy appointments!  Needless to say, she is VERY, very happy!

Be sure to tune back in tomorrow to hear about my super-cool new mop!!!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher 

Wordless Wednesday

Cammie!

I Think I've Got It

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie. Cammie and I have never done the "Tongue Out Tuesday" thing, but I thought I'd give it a go this week.  Check it out:

Is that about right?

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Bad Boys! Bad Boys! Whatcha Gonna Do?

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie. Many of you already know that I have a penchant for TV -- especially British detective shows. I do like some American TV shows, too.

So there we were the other night ...

TV:  🎶 "Bad boys! Bad boys!  Whatcha gonna do? ..." 🎶
"Oooh!  COPS!"

I like that show a LOT! Oh, not for the K9 units they sometimes feature -- although those episodes get Cam interested! I just like the show in general. Here's a very short clip of me watching:

To watch on YouTube, please click here.

Yeah ... just not buying it at all!

Do you like to watch TV?  What shows do you like?

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

PS:  Oh. Well, anticipating your question -- yes. I went over and gave my mom a kiss. It's who I am.

Seriously Serene Sunday

Hello, everyone. It's me, Cam. This week, for your dose of serenity, we're showing you our serious side.

"Get our serious side, Mom."
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's my brown-eyed side."

"Do you think she knows what she's doing, Mags?"
"No.  But she has treats, so just keep doing your Serious Look."

Serious Look, serious treat dispensing, seriously serene!

Have a great Sunday!

Cammie!

What I Had In Mind

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  So ... guess where we got to go on today's walk?!?

"Ah!  The Kansas Ocean!"
"Smell that sea air!   Feel that breeze!"

It was wonderful -- so much better than yesterday!

"Are you two happy now?"
"I need my sunglasses, Mom!"
"Yes!!!  Much better route, Mom!"

What a great walk, a great day - and a great way to kick off the weekend!  Have a good one, everybody!

Cammie!

Flower Friday

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie, here with Flower Friday!  Let's start with some beautiful flowers Cam and I saw on our walk this morning:

"Cam!  Check these out!"
"Whatever."

Don't mind her -- she was a little bit ... mopey because she didn't want to go this way this morning. True, we went this way yesterday, but c'mon!  There's always something new to see!!!

"Look at all that purple and pink!!!"

Well, Mom and I liked it.

Right here at home, our Redbud Trees are finishing up, but still have little clusters of blooms on the trunk:

Redbud Tree blooms

In full bloom are our Pink Lily of the Valley:

Our Maggie and Mitch Lily of the Valley

You can read the special story behind them at this link.  We love having flowers from our friends!  Speaking of which ...

In addition to our M&M Lily of the Valley, we have regular white ones AND some large white ones from our friend Beth!  They're in bloom, too!

Beth Lily of the Valley

Not only are we growing some of Beth's Lily of the Valley, but as we showed you on our last Serene Scenery Sunday post, we planted some of her White Lilac cuttings a few years ago -- and it's blooming!!!

First blooms on our Beth White Lilacs!

Our Old-Fashioned Lilacs are just about done for the season, but it still has some wonderfully fragrant flowers:

Can you almost smell the Old-Fashioned Lilacs?!!?

Out front, our Dwarf Korean Lilacs are just getting started!  Here's a shot of Cam beside those:

"I really wanted to walk past the Kansas Ocean today..."

I think I'm going to need to cheer her up with some extra Crazed River Otter Games later on!!!

Moving right along, even though they haven't fully opened yet, they're already quite fragrant!  Mom was giving them a little sniff - and I couldn't resist sticking my snooter in, too!   Then ...

"Oh, yeah, Mom!  Tasty, too!"

We moved over to the other side of the yard after that. I have no idea why. 

Anyway, over here, one of our favorites is about to bloom:

Me in front of the Snowball Viburnum Bush

Yep. Our very own Snowball Bush!  I can't wait for those babies to open up, so Cam and I can have a snowball fight!!!

Those are the flowers in our neck of the woods this Friday; we hope they brought you some smiles. (If not, swing by later and join me and Cam in our round of CROG - that always makes everyone around here smile!)

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Carrier Landings

Greetings to all. It's me, Maggie. The other day, I was once again practicing my aircraft carrier landings (my touch and goes) and Mom had her iPhone handy. Let's take a look at how she did!

"Did you get that one, Mom?!?"

She missed.  I took another lap around the living room/dining room and flew in again.

"Woo!  That was a good one!  Did you get it?"

Yeah. She missed my approach again.

"When is that cast coming off, Mom?  It's cramping my photo shoots!"

She wasn't able to get any good shots of the real action -- but she did get some decent shots of the "touch" part of the "touch and go" equation!  

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher