Warm, Appealing Turquoise.......Ants?!

       If you saw yesterday's post you know that there was more to the story of the Arnold Swartzeneggar sized ants in my backyard. And you also know that I wasn't able to load anymore photos to that post for some reason! But as you can see by the beautiful fine art travel photograph in my header photo, {I stand each day on the shore by honeytree} I'm back in the 'talking and photo loading business' this morning. ^_^
      And before I get into the ant story...which is not a pretty story...I thought I'd show you something that 'is' a pretty story. A pretty story created by Cindy, of CinLynnBoutique, by way of a pretty Treasury entitled Warm, Appealing Turquoise!

     It's so calming to look at....and after what the ants are doing, I needed some calm!!...Let me show you a few things that are in this treasury, starting with the item of mine that she chose, my Crochet Hand Sandal Bracelet.

     I am so thankful to see my little creation getting some love. :-) Thank you Cindy!
    Here's a few of the other things I liked...
        Bird Print Cushion Cover by ClassicByNature

     
  Vase and Bowl Set by marymestudio

   Flower Cabochons by dangsworld

      
   Simplicity-Fine Art Photograph by SherriConley

          Geometric Flower Pattern Oval Plate by emilydyer

   
            And this beautiful Bird Feeder by cherylwolffgarden

          Oh Yeah.....speaking of bird feeders....*sigh*...the ANTS! I mentioned to you yesterday that we got some 'help'...Ha!...with the ants. The ANT GUARD. Well, say hello to the ANT GUARD.

      I know....it's not a very good picture. (which is probably just as well!!) I'll tell you what it's suppose to do though. The ants can come down onto the top of the dome, and they can go around the outside of the dome. When they go into the hole underneath the dome, where the connecting loop to the feeder is, they can walk around the inside of the hole. But when they go up to try to crawl over and down the wire there's water in the cup! 
       So, the idea is that the ants are not able to....or are not 'suppose to' be able to...reach the middle loop. It's surrounded by water...

        But....therein lies the problem?!...*sigh*....

       These ants were spinning their wheels, going round and round the dome, while my hummingbirds came and sipped away at the nectar in peace, until....*sigh....Well, you have to see for yourself...{If you're squeamish about creepy-crawly things DON'T WATCH! LOL

        They couldn't figure out a way to get to the loop inside the dome, so they could follow it down to the nectar. Their little ant bodies were too small to bridge the gap because it was surrounded by that cup with the water in it. 

      So, they called in the 'Big Guns', the Arnold Swartzeneggar sized ants, the ones that had been to Ant and Body Basics Boot Camp! LOL They were so large that all they had to do was lean over and grab the loop!....Grrrrr!

     Once they figured that out, it was all done. As the day went on we noticed more and more ants down on the actual feeder! Then we saw the whole thing for ourselves, as to what they were doing. They posted 2 or 3 of the 'Big Guns' on the feeder, and when the 'little guys' came they would lay their bodies across the divide and let them walk across and climb down...*sigh*...Using your own body like a bridge...It was genius!!!...Who woulda 'thunk' it?!!.....Ants, that's who!!!! LOL

       Back to the ant repellent!....I'm sorry, but the hummingbirds deserve some peace too, don't they?!....Don't they?! ^_^

       I'm not gonna focus on it. I've got some crocheting to do. Nothing major, but I'm working on using up some leftover yarn....making flowers of course! :-)

         Sure wish I had some of that fruit from the open market right now! {Photo via Hither and Thither}

        Have a good day Everybody!! May it be ant-less!! ^_^

 Backyard sounds

Flitting, flying, flapping, creeping.
Swaying, floating, chirping, leaping.
In our backyard sounds are heaping.
Me and hubby always peeping.

They Make 'Organization' and 'Tenacity' Seem Like Bad Words?!!

      Yep! They're at it again!!...............And I'm not talking about the gorgeous summer fruit at the open market!

       These photos are from the blog Hither and Thither, a blog you MUST check out, if you haven't already! When I clicked over there the other day and saw these gorgeous photos my mouth starting watering. But instead of "Wow! Where are these located, so I can run and get me some!",  the first thing I thought...and it definitely shouldn't have been my FIRST thought!...was "I'm glad that gorgeous fruit is not in my backyard right now!!"

       I know... you're probably asking yourself: "Why would she say a 'fool thing' like that?!"...........Well, I hear you! ^_^ I mean...who wouldn't want the most delicious-looking fruits and vegetables you've ever seen in their backyard?!!

     I'll tell you who!....The Wug! Owner of a backyard full of crazy-brain-making ANTS!!!

       UGH!!! They are so tenacious!! And now they're driving my hummingbirds crazy too!! The hummingbirds fly up to the feeder to get a little sip and....WHOA! What's that?! O_0...I see them back up, with wings beating like crazy, tip their heads sideways, and then try to go back in for a sip, and WHOA!!! MOVEMENT!!!...Then they get that crazy-lady-nervous-twitch....and fly off!! :-(
       I've hardly seen any hummingbirds for a couple of days now. The only things I've seen are these...

        And the ones I'm seeing the most now are not the little tiny ants that you  see in commercials or cartoons...NOoooo!! These ants are big Arnold-Swartzeneggar-sized ants!! They look all muscled up, like they've been at 'Ant and Body Basic Boot Camp' or something!! LOL

        And boy are they organized!!! They're like a well-oiled-nectar-thieving machine factory!!!....Uh! Can you tell I've about had it with 'em?!!...UGH!
      I know they're God's creations. And for that reason...and right now it's that reason ALONE...I admire their ability to work out a problem, organize a 'CAN DO' team to fix the problem, and then 'get right on it, and never give up!'
     But I've been known to be pretty tenacious myself!! Hello Mr. Ant...Meet your Wug equal!!...."They call me Wug....Poetess Wug! I like my backyard like James Bond likes his martinis.  Shaken, but not stirred!!" Grrrrrr!
      Something had to be done! I mean.....my hummingbirds should be able to come and get a drink...and give me endless joy (just saying!)...without having to worry about ants in there drink!....So, since we can't keep applying and re-applying ant repellent every time the sun comes out after the rain...(because, frankly, it rains at a drop of a hat around here lately, and who has time, or the memory, to keep doing it!!)
     Enter....................THE ANT GUARD!!! :-) And since blogger won't allow me to upload anymore photos right now, I guess I'll have to save the rest of that story for tomorrow!...Seriously!! Wouldn't let me load NOTHING!!!!!! UGH!!....Maybe I need to send blogger 'to' Ant and Body Basic Boot Camp!! LOL
    Okay....tomorrow then! :-)

Ode To Me, From Blogger

Don't be happy,

or at peace.

Don't rejoice

at sweet relief.

Don't 'gut-laugh',

or feel serene,

'cause if you do

it might be seen.

Don't relax

suspiciousness;

Just be on guard.

(Not 'you'. That's best!)

Don't be concerned

or even talk;

Just look for bad,

just like a hawk.

Don't think out loud

that things are good;

Please don't trust it-

even if you should.

Don't think they care,

'cause if you do

the things they do

give you a clue.

They're working through

some dings and dents;

But they're all done

at your expense.

To be annoying

is not their goal;

But this helps them

be in control.

And that control

is their real key;

And it makes me feel

I can't be me!

They switch things up.

I think: "What's wrong?"

The day-I know,

will be real long.

When all is calm,

I try again.

Their there for me.

Like my best friend.

I joke around.

I feel adored;

But that same day,

I get ignored.

I strive to share

what was my day.

My feelings seem

to be in their way.

This up and down

may work for Them,

But I am not

a jungle gym!!

I need to be happy

and at peace,

and to rejoice

at sweet relief.

To just relax,

and every day,

just be myself

in every way.

To be controlled

electronically...

It will not work-

No! Not on me!!

I will be happy,

and carefree,

'cause Thankfully

I still love me!

Even when Blogger

makes me moan,

my thoughts are in

the happy zone.

You'll find me laughing

with my friends;

Not changing moods,

just like the winds.

So, don't be happy,

or at peace;

Don't rejoice

at sweet relief.

But all alone

is what you'll be,

'cause I'll be happy-

being me.

Ahhh! The Good Old...PREHISTORIC...Days!

     I saw hubby's shoes yesterday and it got me to thinking...*I know! You're saying to yourself right now: "Uh Oh! She's thinking again!!"...^_^ Yes I am!*...I saw how the toe areas on the soles of his shoes are all 'threadbare', and how the rest of his shoes, on both feet, are leaning to one side, and it got me to thinking about how my own gait, my cute little 'escalator walk' from my childhood, is totally gone!
    Hubby's slow, upright, long-strided, lean-to-the-left, lean-to-the-right gait has changed too!...We're getting old!! `'_'` I'm slouched over, and move so slow it would make a sloth think I was trying to outshine his speed. And hubby's lean-to-the left, lean-to-the-right, while still slow, has now turned into a slightly up and down forward movement, with shorter strides and a grunt on occasion. LOL And he's blaming it on his shoes!...Of course! That's it...It's the shoes! ^_^
      Maybe all of this 'getting-older, need-some-new-shoes', stuff is why he stopped on his way home from the Kingdom Hall the other day and took these pictures of the dinosaur tracks along the river.  They're a kind of tourist attraction in our area...that is, if being able to stop on the side of the road and look at dinosaur tracks in slate stone is a tourist attraction. :-))

      Or maybe he stopped because he wanted to get me something interesting to talk about on my blog. :-) ...Have I told you lately how much I love him! :-)
        Frankly though, I think it's one of those things that you have to see in person to really appreciate. The contour of the slate and the depth of the impressions doesn't show up that great in a photo.

       See what I mean?! LOL Although, if you squint your eyes in a dark room, while leaning to the left and then leaning to the right, you can see the footprints perfectly!! LOL
     He did get a couple of good shots though. One being the one in the header photo. This is the other one...

      Pretty cool, huh?! :-) ... There's a couple of other photos, and some information on Wikipedia about Holyoke Massachusetts' dinosaur tracks HERE. If you're into fossils and talking about the past you'll love it.
      I'm into fossils and talking about the past too, but in a different way. And lately I find myself thinking and talking about the 'good old days' more and more! It's definitely because I'm getting old, I'm sure!...Or maybe I need a new pair of shoes. ^_^
       Anyway...thanks honey! 

           SOMEBODY in our house is gonna be getting new shoes today or tomorrow. ^_^ And SOMEBODY ELSE is not going to be thinking about how much money that's gonna cost, because they will be distracting themselves with a lot of tennis! :-)) 
          By the way, tomorrow I have to tell you about what's going on in the backyard......UGH!
                        Have a good day everybody!! :-)


Footprints of the Dinosaur

They've left a giant footprint;
Solid proof that they were here.
Imagining their size evokes
a prehistoric fear.

Big toes encased in slate,
holding water for the small.
A permanent reminder,
holding stories for us all.

Who can tell their story?
There's no one that we can meet.
No poet dinosaur.
No one with their big shoeless feet.

They've walked a path through time,
and left their footprints everywhere.
And we can turn the corner
and embrace them...if we dare!

For Summer...Stay On The Bright Side

     It was a pretty sleepless and low key weekend for me. I'll tell you about some of the other things that happened over the next few days...Don't worry! It's mostly good stuff!! ^_^ I'll leave all the part about how H-O-T I've been out! LOL ...Well, it is summer people!! ^_^
     Yes it is y'all!...It's summer!! And the Swarovski Pearl Pendant Dangle Earrings by marlyscreations in the header photo are the perfect thing to hang from the ears of somebody in the mood for a fun summer, don't you think?!...Me too! :-) And they're one of the things in etty2504's Treasury entitled For Summer.

      Since I got kinda 'deep' on you yesterday, I thought I'd keep it kinda 'light' on you today and just share some of the things from a couple of Treasuries  my crochet things are in...Is that alright?! ^_^ 
      Well, my Silvery White Regal Button Flower Necklace from my Wuglyees shop on Etsy was in this first one, about summer.

    One of the other things I just loved from this Treasury were these Rose Paper Flowers by JaneeLookerse!

      I love that they're flowers....made of words! :-) {If you want to see the other things she chose click HERE}
      The other Treasury, by BdayWishes, entitled Stay on the Bright Side, had me clicking and 'hearting' my self to death!! LOL

        My Salmon Orange Circle Scarf was in this one.

      Yep! Now you know why I 'went-a-clicking'!! ^_^ It's got my beloved 'salmon' color theme!!...............Here's a 'few' of the things I liked from this one!
    View From Mars-Leather Handbound Journal by Baghy

       hello shelley fine art print, with huge pink poppies against a peach sky, by MarianneLoMonaco

     Pink Flamingo Limited Edition Print by SeeChangeDesign

      Read-fine art photograph by shannonpix

      You and Me print by MursBlanc

      Gorgeous, huh?!....Wanna see the rest?!...Click HERE! 
     So, would you agree that these are some things that can help you stay on the bright side for summer?! :-)....Me too!....And our bright side starts today! Today is our day!! :-)


 Head High, Little Girl

Keep head high, little girl.
And your heart as an open book.
Think good thoughts of who you are,
so other girls can take a look.

Your self esteem, little girl,
should be pumped up wherever you can.
But shouldn't depend on prettiness,
or the sugary words of a man.

Your self esteem needs to be balanced.
Not arrogant or smug at it's core.
For the sun does not rise and set on you,
but nor is garbage dumped at your door.

So keep head high, little girl.
And your heart as an open book.
Your self esteem will then be lifted,
and the whole world will take a look.

Where Are Your Manners?!!...Beyond The Sea?!

      I had an incident happen to me earlier this week that I 'had' decided to just move on from, and chock it up to just a case of someone having bad manners...Then another incident happened!...Then I went by Blooming Lovely's blog last night and saw her post about what happened to her son Angus, and realized that I wasn't the only one this is happening to! 
        So, first, I wrote a poem about it...which you can see at the end of this post. Then I decided that enough was enough! That while I was trying not to talk about it because it wasn't a very positive subject, I was already annoyed and needed to get it off of my chest! 
      How do I do that?! First I prayed about it.......and felt a lot better! :-) Then I decided to talk about it here on the blog. Therapy for me!...So, here goes! And no worries. I'm going to be sure to do this...

        Incident number one involved a relative who shall remain nameless (but if you've been following my blog for a while you'll know who I'm talking about!....Grrrrr!)...My dad got sick again...very! I didn't know because the situation has deteriorated to where I no longer call his house...(where he lives with the person of the first part, who shall remain nameless! LOL) I don't call him. He calls me.
      So, after a HOSPITAL visit, and almost a week of not being able to find my number...because the 'party of the first part' apparently...{and I have to say 'apparently', because I didn't actually see it done with my own two eyes}...removed my phone number from dad's phone!...my dad called. He was sorry that he hadn't let me know what was going on with him...{See! 'He' has manners!!}

       Then he proceeded to apologize that he doesn't know my phone number by heart; that it was programmed into his phone; that he couldn't call me from the hospital anyway; and that he was sure the 'party of the first part' would tell me! :-( It made me so sad that he had done all of this fretting over it and...thanks to the 'party of the first part's' rudeness...apparently had to be concerned...while 'he' was in the hospital...about 'MY' feelings! :-(

       All it would have taken was a simple courteous phone call. I mean...he is 'our' father! {That's not talking about the removing my number from the phone thing!...Grrr!} I mean...how rude can you be?! Weren't you raised with some manners?!...Considering the fact that we were raised in the same house, I know the answer....YES! {There were some other problems, but manners wasn't the problem!}
       Since I could't do anything about it anyway, I 'had' decided to let that go...Then this week...another incident! A very loved friend asked if I would be her Bible teacher for a short time...to finish a book. I informed her that if I agreed we would have to pick a day that would work with both of our schedules, and that it would have to be set at that time each week. No flipping around!! And on time! I even told her that I wasn't sure this was a good idea...because of past incidents {I won't get into that!}.  "Are you sure you can do this?!....Are you sure you want to do this?!".......Yes! Please!

       So, the first week it went like 'clock-work'...so to speak. We were both prepared, she was on time. It was great! I thought to myself: "Whatever were you worried about?!"
    Then the next week...five minutes past the time she was suppose to be there I received a phone call saying she was on the way. O_0 She was leaving work....{work? HUH?! She didn't have a job set for this day before!}...and she would be there in about fifteen minutes.
     Now, I'll just say right here that maybe I could have been a little lenient and let her come, and go ahead and have the study for the remaining 30 or 40 minutes {It was an hour study}. But because of past issues with extreme tardiness on her part, I was feeling like: "Oh No! Here we go again!"

      So I said for her not to come; that we'd just wait until next week at the agreed upon time...Cut to a week later...
     AGAIN, this time five minutes before the agreed upon time, I got another phone call from her saying she would be late!!...My patience at this point was rather thin, I must admit. What ran through my head was her repeated disrespect of other people's time...not only mine, and the fact that I had WARNED her that I would be very strict about my time. I had to be. Not only because of her, but because I have a fixed schedule of my own and some health issues...including a tendency to forget things that aren't on a regular schedule for me!
     She said: "It's not my fault!"....O_0 Really?! Well whose fault is it?!...It's not mine! ^_^ I didn't say that to her though. That would have been bad-mannered. LOL ... I could tell she was annoyed with my refusal...again...to have the study. Especially since she offered to go a little past the time if necessary.
     I said no because, frankly, I wanted my 'yes' to mean 'yes', and my 'no', 'no'! And I also was exhausted and needed a nap!...You know how I am at nap time..^_^....and having her study at the agreed upon time was a little too close to my nap time in the first place!!
     We agreed to re-schedule....UGH!!!!! It was to be the next morning....EARLY!..8'O clock a.m. early!! And considering the fact that now her schedule was not going to allow her to have the study at the first agreed upon time, this early 8 O'clock time was going to be the new agreed upon time....*sigh*
    I asked her to call me the night before to just re-remind me. {I knew I might lose track of this new time from Monday to now Saturday morning} She said she was setting her phone timer...or something...to remind her to call me...Cut to Saturday morning, an hour before the NEW agreed upon time for the study.
    I DID NOT get a phone call the night before, as I was told I would. But thankfully I had not forgotten!....*taking a moment to smile and pat myself on the back*...But seeing as I had not gotten my 'Don't Forget' phone call, I was wondering if the study was still on...{as I sat there at 7 a.m. preparing, pulling my reference books out that I would be using to show her how to do Bible research.}
     So I called her. She was in a good mood. Yes! The study was on, but.....{Uh Oh! I didn't want to hear a but!}...her husband, at the last minute, had decided that he was going fishing this morning. In fact he was already gone. And now two of her four children, and her grandmother who recently came up from out of state, would be with her....*sigh*

     Somebody needs a guide to good manners. And I don't think it's me this time!...But again, I was annoyed. What I thought would be a quiet hour, focused on her learning, was now going to be frantic, 'mommy-juggling-too-many-balls-in-the-air' time! Especially since her littlest one DEMANDS her attention at all times...*deep breath*...What to do? What to do?!
    I knew that this would turn into an hour of her talking to and entertaining her kids and grandmother, and not so much about her learning. So, in as polite a way as I knew how to, I told her so. And I suggested that we re-re-reschedule the study again for the next day, late afternoon...again at 'MY' nap time!!...but before our meeting.
     She didn't like that I was changing it. I could hear that in her voice. But I'm a realist...and honest with people I come in contact with. As I want people to be with me!...She agreed.
    The next day I was waiting. Tired, but waiting...at the agreed upon 3rd time!! And you're not going to believe this, but SHE NEVER CAME!!!...Not only did she NOT come. She did not call to say that she was not coming!!!!!!!!!!!
     Now that's the truth....the whole truth.....and nothing but the truth!....I found out later that day that she had an excuse said something wonky happened and she ended up with the kids and.......blah! blah! blah!
      All due respect to her, it could have been totally true. But I think she was just mad that I didn't accept her coming the day before, and she decided to 'make me pay'. And SO I DID!!! LOL Because even if something wonky 'did' happen, she still could have called me!!! And instead of being rested and wide awake at the meeting, I sat there tired and having to keep trying to focus my brain securely on what the speaker was talking about!
    The end of the story is that I called her later that evening and told her that she hurt my feelings; that I thought what she did was really disrespectful; and that I didn't think that I deserved what she did. I also told her that I love her, but she's gonna have to find someone else to study with her. Clearly, if we are going to keep our friendship, she needs to have someone study with her that can 'go with the flow' of her schedule without argument or frustration....and that is NOT ME!!...She agreed. :-)
     So, after a little lightening up with a movie theme, and a poem....


Bad Mannered People

You would like to just excuse them,
but your feelings have been hurt.
They take your anticipation
and make you somehow feel like dirt.

Do they mean to be that rude?
All that we can think is: "Why?"
All they had to do was call.
Was it a manufactured lie?

The world's becoming more bad mannered.
"Please" and "Thank you" both have died.
"I am sorry" is forgotten.
It's been replaced with "Well, I tried!"

For the 'mannered' generation
it all feels just like abuse.
And disrespectful, rude bad habits
doesn't give them an excuse.

I guess all that we can do now
is treat them like a pup,
put some paper down and
wait till they grow up!


      THE END! :-)

        {Credit for above photos: Thanks A Lot Lilac Notecards by sparrownestscript; Mind Your Manners print by johnwgolden; Mr. Mokudu Hand Drawn Greeting Card "I Am Sorry..." by tzuyuyang; Mind Your Manners Collage, 5x7 Framed by AJthePurple; Say Please and Thank You Custom Wall Print by mateoandtobias; Sorry, I'm Latte-Print by ilovedoodle; Sesame Street GROVER'S Guide To Good Manners by thishandmadelife.}