happy birthday to me

Say hello to the world's best birthday cake EVER. Thanks, Bill Rhodes Bakery!

life imitating art

Jarrod gave me a really great birthday gift this year - a stained glass picture of a cat perched on a windowsill watching a bird. And for any of you who know me/Owen, that's one of our favorite things to do! So I decided to hang it on the window that faces our bird feeders....and well, right after I hung it Owen decided he wanted to sit and watch the birds. Good thing I had my camera on me!

happy holidays

This blogger would like to wish all her loyal readers a happy holidays. Also, consider this post your Christmas card!

the animals officially hate us
but we just looooooove them!

yard stuff

There's not too much happening in the yard these days other than plants freezing and wilting. Below are a few notable plants from happier days aka 1-2 months ago. Both plants originate from my Grandmother's yard.

Four o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa) found a home in the ivy


Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia)

close-up shot of the pod
note: the blooms come out at night, so it was pitch dark
out when I took these 2 shots
hooray for the first bloom!

We had a lot of buds after this first bloom, but none actually bloomed due to a frost a few weeks ago. Oh well - there's always next year!

owey and marge misc.

Marge just killed this beaver

Owey standing on Marge's food station

Margey's nook under a table

Owey's nook on top of the dryer

Marge loves walking on these rocks

it's a cat in a box...

If there is a box in the house, Owen will find it. And wherever Owen goes, Margot will surely follow...and make sure he isn't having any fun without her.

best.cheese.drawer.ever

I just had to take a photo of this cheese bonanza that we created ahead of our cabin trip with the Berrongs and the Blanks in November. Our favorite is an aged gouda that we were introduced to in Amsterdam - it's called Reypenaer.

And if any of you ever feel the inclination, please purchase me the amazing Reypenaer cheese guillotine pictured below and found here. It would be a gift straight outta cheese heaven!