Monday Is For The Birds!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Today is for the birds -- or rather the birdies we saw on our most recent trip down to Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge!  Finally.

"Buckle up, there are a bazillion birdies out there!"
"Ready for take-off!"

We hit Cheyenne Bottoms first.  Here are our highlights from there!

Great Blue Herons, a Red-Winged Blackbird, and American White Pelicans

The Blackbird seemed to be some sort of bouncer for the Pelicans, driving the Herons out of their fishing spot.  Here's the new fishing hole one of the Herons found:

Great Blue Heron

There were so many different members of the Heron family out there!  The smallest of the white herons were these Cattle Egrets:

Cattle Egrets on a fly-by

The next smallest were the Snowies:

Snowy Egrets

If Maggie and I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Snowies.  You know.  Because SNOW.

Mom shot a whole series of this guy on take-off:

Double-Crested Cormorant

Here's a Snowy posing on a post, showing off his bright yellow feety-feet:

Snowy Egret

How about another Great Blue?!?

Great Blue Heron and Barn Swallow

The Barn Swallow kept dive-bombing him.

After a sweep through The Bottoms, we headed down to Quivira NWR.  That place was teeming with  Sandpipers - like these:

Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs

This little guy was quite the poser:

❤❤❤ Snowy Plover!!!!  ❤❤❤

Guess who put the hearts in there?

There were also quite a few Ibises at Quivira:

White-Faced Ibises

AND Stilts:

Black-Necked Stilt

The Stilts were squawking at every other birdie out there, were flying all over the place, and were just agitated as can be!  Quite possibly because ...

Black-Necked Stilt baby

That's right - there were Stilt puppies in the area!  They were just protecting their young, and I can totally relate to that!  The White-Faced Ibises challenged the Stilts quite a bit.  This guy mixed it up with two Stilts:

"Hey, Camera Lady.  Watch this!"
"Stay away from my babies!"

The Stilts double-teamed the much larger Ibis and eventually won the day.

"And don't come back!"

Don't mess with anyone's puppies!

We also saw large groups of the largest of the white herons:

Great Egrets

It was such a birdie-packed paradise!

On the way home, we saw more Cattle Egrets -- hanging out with Cattle!  Dad turned around on the highway so Mom could get out and take a few shots:

Cattle Egrets and Cattle

They were quite a distance away.  Mom was careful not to encroach onto private property - and she certainly didn't want to disturb the cattle!  It was really cool to see them together!

That's a wrap for this trip!

"Time to head back home!"
"That was a LOT of birdies!!!"

We hope you enjoyed seeing some of Mom's photos.  Please visit our album on FlickR for the full set, if you're interested!

Thanks for coming birding with us!

Cammie!

Serene Scenery Sunday. More Or Less

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Cam and I had expected to treat you with Mom's birdie pictures from our most recent trip down to Quivira NWR and Cheyenne Bottoms.  But do we have those for you today?  No.  No, we don't.

"Would anyone like to explain why that is ... Mom?!?"
"Well, I ... uh ..."

I get it.  She hasn't decided which ones to use yet.  But come on!  We were counting on it.  Now it's up to me to strike a few poses out in our gardens.

"Fine.  It's not easy, though."
"You're a rock star, Mags."

I'm a Working Breed.  And a professional.

Speaking of pros, tell me I don't look like Cammie here:

"Mom, check it out.  This is my Cammie look."
"Hey!  That IS a Cammie look!!!"

While I'm doing impressions ...

"Hey, look at me!  I'm a Snowy Plover!!!  Ha roo roo roo!!!"
"Very funny, Maggie!"

"Fine.  Pose on the rocks by the gate.  Whatever."

I thought that was a pretty good Snowy Plover.  Anyway - birdie pix coming soon.  I'll hold her feety-feet to the fire!

Have a serene Sunday!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Deck Play

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Yesterday morning, after we'd had breakfast and our walks, we decided to go help our mom clean off the decks.  It was shady and she was using the hose, so we knew we'd be plenty cool!

After some Crazed River Otter Games on the lower deck, we played Queen Of The Stairs for a while.  Here are a few shots:

"The landing is mine!"
"YOU'RE mine!"

"I don't think so!"
"Gotcher foot!"

That little one can be VERY fast!

"Hey, where are you g---"
"ZOOM!"

Mom didn't think to take a video until we were winding down, but here's a short clip:

To play on YouTube, please click here.

After that, we went to the upper deck to check in on the neighborhood:

"I don't see anyone."
"I don't either."

We are thankful to have a shady deck where we can have some early morning fun!  It was already toasty in the sun - it wasn't long before we all went inside.

Stay cool, friends!

Cammie!

Staying Busy

Hello, everyone.  It's me, Cammie.  Like so many of you, we are experiencing a heat wave (temps over 100, heat index in the 110s) -- or as we like to call it here in Kansas, Summer.  Anyway, Mom has been helping Maggie and me stay busy.  Take the other afternoon, for example ...

We were hanging out in the living room, looking as innocent as two Siberians can look:

"Mom's coming!  Quick!  Do a cute pose, Mags!"
"I ... wait.  I wasn't ready."
"Awww!  Look at how sweet you look!"

Maggie had just enough time to do a "sit and face the camera".  Whew.  And our reward?  Toy time -- with treats inside!!!

"Oooh!  The orange one!  I haven't played with this in a long time!"

"This one's trying to make a run for it!"

It was fun to play with toys we haven't seen for a while!  

Cammie!

Being Specific

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  Maggie and I have great communication skills and can be very specific when we want to be.  Take this morning, for example.

"Umm ... girls?  I thought you needed to do something."
"I just said I wanted to go outside."
"Yeah ... I think we were pretty specific, Mom."

We didn't say we needed to do anything. We merely said we wanted to go outside. We had already gone on our walks, but wanted to just check out the scene out front.  That's understandable, isn't it?

Stay cool, friends!
Cammie!

Wordless Wednesday

Cammie!

A+

Greetings to all!  It's me, Mags.  Some of you might be wondering how Cam and I like the new carpet now that we've had it for a couple weeks.  It's really great to nap on, and to play Pickles on, but as for Crazed River Otter Games (CROG) ... let's look at some product testing, shall we?

"Hey, Cam.  Wanna do some product testing?"
"Do you mean napping?  Playing with our Pickles??"

"I had something a little more action-packed in mind."
"Oh... like some CROG?!?"

"Yeah, that's right!  CROG!  Tag!  You're it!"
"Get ready, Mags!"

"I was born rea----"
"BOOM!!!"

Yeah.  So ... it's AWESOME for CROG.  Great traction, lots of padding for when you get taken down, and we don't even leave zoom marks in the carpet!  We give this stuff an A+!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Testing ... Testing!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Our projected temps for the week are over 100, so even though our plumbers came by and did their scheduled maintenance on our air conditioning, I thought it was important to do some checking of my own.  I started with the vent by the garage door.

"Testing ... testing ... is this thing working right?"

You can see how seriously I take my job!

"Yeah!  It's ON!"

What a relief!

Cam and I will do our best to stay cool - we hope you all do the same!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  This morning, I thought I'd just share a quiet, peaceful scene with you:

Just me beside the Wildflower Garden.

Stay cool, friends, stay hydrated, and keep it serene!

Cammie!

Selfie Saturday - The Half-Juarez!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  I thought I'd take a selfie after our walk this morning to share with you --

Selfie shot!

The pose is a little something I call the "Half-Juarez" -- named after Champion D'Azul's El Presidente -- Juarez -- my biological father.  He also likes to do the paw tuck! And guess who turned 15 two days ago?!!? Happy belated birthday to my dad and Cam's half-brother!!!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Strike A Pose!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Yesterday, we all went down to Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge to do some birding.  We'll share birdie pix soon; Mom has a lot to go through!  On the way home, we stopped in Ellinwood to do some walking around and for snacks and beverages.  Cam and I struck this pose in the amphitheater:

Me and Cam in E-wood

Isn't the mosaic pretty?!  The amphitheater was built in the 1930s in the art deco style.  You can see a full photo of it in this pic from a year ago (click here).

I'm sure the locals driving by appreciated our pose - what a great trip!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Me To The Rescue!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Sure, hikers in the Alps or wherever are relieved to see a Saint Bernard carrying a flask of brandy ... but here in Kansas, when you're out sweating in the garden, Mom said this is the sight you most want to see:

"Dad?  Time to replace some electrolytes!"

I'm sure Maggie would bring Power Ade to bipeds, too, but she was enjoying an air conditioning vent at the time this photo.  Remember to stay cool and stay hydrated!

Cammie!

Wordless Wednesday

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Diversion

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  The other day, Maggie and I went downstairs to help our mom in her Studio.  She was engaged in a very tedious, long, irritating process called "ripping out".  It seemed to involve removing 4 very lengthy borders from a quilt she is making.  Mags and I thought she needed a pleasant diversion!

We did our best to entertain her with a round of CROG (Crazed River Otter Games):

"BOOM!"
"BOOM!!!"

Does Maggie look more like she's playing Shark Attack there, or was it just my vantage point?

Mom seemed to enjoy watching us play and even put down her seam ripper (backwards sewing tool).  That's when I made my move.

"Break time, Mom?  I think you know what to do!"
"Wait ... let me get into position!"

She knew exactly what I needed - and I knew it would help her relax, too!

"Oh, yeah, Mom!  Right there!"
"Me next, OK?"
"My sweet, sweet girls!!!"

"This is so wonderful!  Just what I needed!"
"Don't forget about me!"
"Let me put down the iPhone, Mags ..."

Mom set down her phone and did double-duty.  It was so relaxing!  Before we knew it, Maggie and I were totally rejuvenated and ready for Round 2!

"A little more CROG action, Mags?"
"You're on!"
"And ... back to ripping ..."

Mom said we were the perfect diversion and had all of her borders taken off before she knew it!  What can we say?  We are Siberian Huskies and we are a Working Breed!

Cammie!

Monday Morning Meeting

Greetings to all.  It's me, Mags.  I'm here with Cam, trying to lay on some plans for the day.

"It's hot.  What do you want to do today?"
"I dunno ... it's hot.  What do you want to do today?"

Now that we've had our exercise for the day, I think we're just going to be chilling out.  What are you going to do today?

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie.  For Serene Scenery Sunday, I thought I'd take you into our Friendship Garden.

I don't think I need to really add anything. Let's just enjoy the beauty, the peace, and the quiet.

Have a wonderful Sunday,
Cammie!

Serenity On Saturday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  On our walk this morning, I found quite the serene spot!  Check it out:

"Oh, this feels SO good!!!!"

A nice, cool sprinkler puddle!  The water was flowing and it splashed on my legs and belly!

"Let's just stand here for a minute before we head up the hill, OK?"

It was so serene!

I hope your day is going just as well!!

Cammie!

Mystery: Solved!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  I hope everyone had a safe and happy Independence Day!  I want you to know that I haven't forgotten about  the mystery  here at Ao4 Headquarters - I've put all the pieces together and have solved it!

Monday morning, I thought things were looking mighty good.

"HA ROO!"

I mean, the whole living room and dining room were EMPTY!  Talk about lots of room for Crazed River Otter Games (CROG)!  It was awesome!  But then the doorbell rang, Mom put me on a leash, and ...

"Hey!  What the fluff is going on out there?!?  And why can't I help?!?"

Anyway, these nice guys we met a while back came and ripped out a bunch of our carpeting!  And the pad!  It was crazy!

Before the end of that day, all the old stuff was gone from those rooms and the stairs, and we had new carpet and padding!

"Well!  This is mighty comfy!  And mystery SOLVED!"

That's right - the mystery was that we were getting new carpeting!  Wow!

While Mom and Dad moved stuff back in, Cam and I acquainted ourselves with the new carpet.  They had picked carpet they thought would not only look nice, but that would stand up well to Siberian Huskies.  Whatever that's supposed to mean.

"Maggie, I really like this!  There's only one way to truly test it out, though ..."

You know where Cam was heading with that - right?

"How about a round of CROG?!?"
"YEAH!  Before Mom and Dad bring all the furniture back in!"

It was crazy-fun!  And we had so much room to play!  Mom and Dad were still moving stuff in, though, and some of it was stuff I didn't really think belonged in the living/dining rooms.  I moseyed on into the bedroom to see what they were doing in there and ...

"What the ..."

Yep.  Apparently we were doing the bedroom, too; the guys would be back the next morning to do that room and the stairs.  Do you know how exhausting it is to watch your parents move stuff all over the house?  Cam and I needed a break!

I chilled out in the kitchen; Cam wasn't quite ready to get off the new carpet yet.

It was cooler in the kitchen, but wow, is that carpet comfy!  Isn't it, Cam?!?

"I give this new carpet the Siberian seal of approval!"

We all are really happy with it; Mom and Dad are even happier that it's DONE.

Mystery:  solved!  

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Independence Day 2019

From all of us here at Ao4 Headquarters to our fellow Americans, Happy Independence Day!!!!

"I think this calls for watermelon!"
"I'm celebrating my independence by not looking at the camera."

Today, we celebrate our freedom as a unified nation. We give thanks to those long ago who envisioned and fought for our land of liberty, and we honor the men and women who still fight to keep America standing strong.

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." Psalm 33:12

Please celebrate safely - and stay cool!

Cam and Mags

Wordless Wednesday

Cammie!

The Ottoman Empire

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  Still more crazy stuff going on here at Ao4 Headquarters.  I have made one discovery, though.

"Want to know what it is?"

"OK.  Let me make sure I've got this right ..."

"Yep.  Yep, this is one thing I know for sure."

Ready?  Here it is:  the ottoman is not only comfy, but I look really cute on it.  Not to brag, but if I didn't, I'm sure Mom would have been doing that funny "NoNoMaggieNoNo" thing.

Conclusion thus far:  I otto-be allowed on the ottoman!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

PS:  Still working on the rest of the mystery!

Safety First

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  More craziness here at Ao4 Headquarters - but fear not!  I'm on the job!

"Careful up there, Dad!"

Don't worry - I had the ladder when he was climbing!  You know.  Safety first and all!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher