Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Jolly January


I am so excited to be linking up with some of my favorite memes - jolly, even.  What better way to celebrate the end of the first month of 2019?  Let's take a look at some of the highlights!














CRYSTALS: You only have to stick your nose out the door to find a winter wonderland here.

Or you can just look through the window.


It's been a light year for snow, but when it arrives, you know about it.  One night, in less than 9 hours, a foot of snow.














This ski season, Spousal Unit and I landed roles as Ambassadors at the Whitefish Mountain Resort.  We are blessed to have this view from our 'office.'  Yep, we are in a deep love affair with winter!
Chicken Cacciatore - not a fan of the recipe

COMFORT FOOD:  Do you remember those Campbell's commercials in which the little boy/snowman comes in and melts as he slurps up tomato soup?  In winter, that's what comfort food is all about - a veritable tantalizing aroma that wafts out the door and beckons you home.

I have continued my once-a-week cooking regimen (almost), and two of the three are keepers.

We constructed Meatball Bombs in the midst of the playoff games, so I did not make the time for any pictures.  I borrowed this shot from the Internet, 'cause these are SOOOO good and easy-peasy to make!  (And destined to be a kid favorite with the word 'bomb' in the name)

And - drum roll - my favorite of the three - a recipe I found on Pinterest under the label Taco Pasta.  Since it reminded me of my Mom's goulash with a bit more heat, we have re-named it Mexican Goulash.  It only took one pan and 30 minutes to make - give it a try!

CATS: even our furbabies have adapted to the crisp temperatures (and they have fur!)
Maggie gets a little warmer-upper on the vent

Josie helps with my cross-stitch
Of course, there's no place like a lap or the couch near a human …

This month, we had a health scare with Josie, the younger of our two furbabies at the ripe old age of 15.  She has been urinating outside the litter box (sorry to be graphic, folks), mainly on our new wood floors.  Suspecting a urinary tract infection, off to the vet we went.  Long story short, she has a stone in her bladder that would cost $800 to surgically remove.  Gulp.  Hard to justify at her age, especially with no guarantee that it would solve the problem.  But we also cannot afford to have our floors ruined - what to do?


We opted for some behavioral solutions … and they appear to be working.  One: I am cleaning both litter boxes more frequently during the day.  Two: when I see her use the litter box, I give her a treat and lots of affection.  Three: we put some liquid-proof pads on the spots she had been frequenting, and she has not repeated there or moved to other locations.  My heart is glad - the prospect of the unspeakable had me crying my eyes out!  Wouldn't you, looking at this adorable face?




CRITTERS: Outdoor animals seem to be thriving despite the depth of the snow.  My trail cams may capture different creatures than in the summer, but wildlife is still abundant!
Upper left: Bobcat  Upper right: Coyote
Look carefully at the upper picture, about midway on the left-hand side.  It's an ermine with a white coat for the
winter!  Another day I only got its tail in the picture!
For the last couple of weeks, I didn't realize I had wolf photos.  It wasn't until I was flipping through a bunch
of pictures that my eye caught the dramatic size difference!  These were taken one day apart in the same
location - do you reckon the coyote (top) and the wolf were smelling the same thing?
Do you prefer video?  The other day, I was minding my own business, gazing out the window at the falling snow when a Flicker landed on the logs and started eating flies who had died in the effort to gain entry.

While snowshoeing, an American Dipper kept me entertained with his bobbing and swimming.  Never mind that the stream water must be near freezing!

On that same outing, I took a picture of the lake and realized I had deer in the frame.  Here they are crossing the frozen lake …

CAMEOS: Some of my December pix deserve a cameo appearance in the post.  Just too good to let them pass us by.

This mural is in downtown Cincinnati, on the side of a parking garage.  I have since learned it is called the Singing Mural.  Designed by nationally renowned artist and Cincinnati resident C. F. Payne, the mural is a tribute to the Queen City's vibrant arts community.

Did you or a family member have an Erector set as a child?  During our visit to Union Terminal, I was delighted to see this display.  We had an Erector set, and I can still remember little fingers attaching metal beams with nuts and bolts.  Endless hours of fun constructing and dis-assembling - long before video games or cell phones!!!
If you read my January 19 post, you know about my Mom's 90th birthday.  What you don't know is that our family home was burgled some 20 years ago (before she moved to her current cottage), and one of the items stolen was the cameo from my father that she chose to wear on her wedding day.  Coming full circle, my oldest sister gave her a very similar cameo at the birthday celebration - just a few tears that day, happy tears.

What made you jolly in January?





Linking to:

Weekly linkup - welcome ❤︎
Join the fun.
Our World Tuesday Graphic
Wandering Camera Photo Linky Party

39 comments:

  1. That's a good amount of snow out of one system!

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  2. I always enjoy seeing the variety of wildlife captured by your cameras. There's a lot goes on that we are so unaware of. We had a skiff of snow over the weekend, and it's been colder than normal. More snow is in the forecast in the next few days. I like to see at least one good snowfall during the winter.

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  3. Beautiful snow photos and how good is it to see all those animals and birds! Love the singing mural.

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  4. Great winter scenes! So many wild animals, my goodness!

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  5. Hi Angie! Lots and lots of fabulous photos and general goodness in this post. I just adore everything you shared! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  6. Hello, pretty snowy/frosty images. Cool captures of the wolf. The comfort food all looks delicious. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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  7. So many likes on your post....the outside animals are so amazing. I especially like the bunny photo. The inside animals are sweet. It is difficult when a fuzzy face family member needs medical help. I am with you on the comfort foods. We eat a lot of soup during our Winter.

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  8. Your photos are stunning! What a view. So sorry about your little cat, glad the solutions are working. Such cool trail cam photos. What is wrapped around the meatball bombs? Hope you have a wonderful Thursday.

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  9. Look at all that wonderful snow! And you had a wolf??!! Wow! The most wildlife I have gotten is raccoons and deer. Great photos and I hope your kitty is going to be okay. I understand what you are going thru. Hard decisions. :) Kit

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  10. The last two comments have not gone through...Happy Birthday to your Mom.. Holy cow..happy to see the ermine in the wild and not as part of a coat...My cats use the heating vents in winter too...Michelle

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  11. Great photos of winter! Those meat bombs look soooo good. Comfort food. Keep warm!
    mary

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  12. Those meatball bombs look great. Snow and crystals are pretty. Love all your wildlife (and the not so wildlife kitties). Lots of good stuff.

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  13. Hello, the snow situation is more or less like that here in Finland too!

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  14. Your photos are spectacular. The crystals are amazing and your trail photos and videos are like a wildlife documentary. It must be an amazing to live so much in the heart of the natural world. I'm glad you've found a solution for Josie. She does look adorable and an operation would be very intrusive at her age. I hope you all keep warm and I'll look out for more of your photos :)

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  15. I always love visiting you and viewing your beautiful photos. Your food makes me hungry but it's the nature and wildlife that makes my heart flutter. I'm glad your oldest fur baby is doing better. I'm saying a little prayer for her. They are so precious!

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  16. Loved reading all your descriptive short write ups and the grand looking shots which added up to the reading pleasure.
    Snow covered surroundings look so scenic.

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  17. Your wildlife photos are so awesome! And I love seeing the wolf and the coyote in back to back shots-it's neat to compare them. I'm so glad you're finding solutions for your kitty that don't involve the expensive surgery, that's such a challenging thing to deal with.

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  18. I love visiting your blog and all the gorgeous pictures. Oh no poor kitty. Bobbin had a kidney stone about the size of a ping pong ball. I couldn't bear to see how much she hurt. But after what felt like a bazillion dollars, many different meds she is back to her Bobbin self. Now she is on a special diet and no more bacon!

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  19. That's a perfect comparison between coyote and wolf!

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  20. A very impressive post. Such variety and such keen eyes to catch all that. Thank you.

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  21. ...al that snow look mighty nice, but I'll stay put here on Maui and tough it out.

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  22. How beautiful your winter landscape looks. The sight of all that comfort food makes me rather hungry. Those meatballs look delicious. So glad that your fur baby's little problem seems to be solved. What as sweet face she has....who could not love it. My goodness there are a lot of critters that go bump in the night at your place, isn't there.

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  23. We have the same amount of snow. At first it made me jolly, but when it keeps pouring all the jolliness has disappeared. My husband feeds the birds and a hare that comes to eat every night.... Hugs to you cute cats - I wish the problem does not repeat. Enjoy your Winter Wonderland!

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  24. Your winter scenes are beautiful. I have never experienced that deep foot snow.Maggie knows the best place! Adorable!
    Stay warm and have a good weekend.

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  25. This post is so rich with wonderful experiences! Yes, I found the Ermine, watched the full screen vies of the videos, and so enjoyed the variety of wildlife and beautiful scenes!

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  26. Stunning photos of your winter wonderland!
    I love the pics of all the animals and the birds that have passed by.
    Your kitties are sweet.

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  27. Hello, Angie, I love all your birds and critters. I hope your sweet kitty is feeling better. The Ermine is pretty and blends in well with the snow. I like the Flicker, Dipper and the deer on the lake. Wonderful photos and videos. Thank you so much for linking up your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your day and weekend. PS, thanks for visiting my blog and for leaving a comment.

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  28. We are in a deep love story with winter in Finland too!...
    Enjoy it!

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  29. These are some wonderful winter scenes! It took me a while to find the ermine, but I finally did :)

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  30. Pasta, in all its forms and manifestations, and across the cultures where it is served in one form or another, must be one of the world's ultimate comfort foods.

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  31. Hi Angie, I love those photos of the coyote and wolf! Wow! I love the cameo your sister gave your mother, how lovely!!! Have a great week!

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  32. Thank you for another entertaining read Angie. As you know, I'm not a fan of snow so the thought of a foot of the stuff in a few hours is quite frightening. I think it's the thought of the actual cold temperatures, heading off into it on uncleared roads and then the messy slush of the eventual thaw. As a country we just don't prepare.

    I am so jealous of your coyote and wolf and stoat in ermine. That's quite a trio to enjoy through the dark hours.

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  33. I saw your link on the Good Random nad the Fun, today, Angie! I must have missed this post when I was on a blog break. Love your critter cam photos and bird videos. Seeing a wolf was exciting! I'm sure you heard about the Colorado man who strangled a mountain lion that attacked nim on a trail--it was big news here!

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  34. It's not often I find someone who is also in a deep love affair with winter! LOVED seeing your photos and perhaps even a tiny bit jealous :) There is so much life too if one looks closely. I love comfy winter food too and don't forget hot chocolate!
    I am so incredibly happy to hear that you found a solution for Josie! Treat is such a great idea. You get a great cat-mum sticker from me. Josie is so adorable indeed.
    The cameo posts are fabulous! Happy Birthday to your mom! What a wonderful gift! I can easily imagine the happy tears.

    Thank you so much for linking up this lovely post on Wandering Camera!

    -Soma

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  35. oh what a fun post. Frozen Fly-pops, critters, good food, and a recovering cat... I know I know... Can't they hit it with sound waves or something? Poor kitty, good for you to go to the vet quickly too.

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  36. I love snowy images! I would love to say I embraced a snowy winter, but I'm not sure that would be correct :)

    So glad your kitty is doing better. We adopted an older cat--had been hit by a car resulting in a wonky leg and (we're sure) some brain damage but he's just too affectionate!! After a couple of years, he didn't urinate on the furniture but he would defecate *smh* so we made him a high-sided box (as his leg keeps him from squatting) and it seems to be working.

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  37. I love your shots of the ermine, especially the one with just its tail. I wonder how many thousands of years it took for the wolves, deer, coyotes, birds, and others to get used to very cold snowy temperatures. I don't want to think where we would be without them in our world.
    Your Josie is purrrrrrty. I hope the stone will pass naturally.

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