Thursday June 30th~ Our Backyard and Surrounding Area ~

Don't expect anyone to understand your journey, 
especially if they've never walked your path...

Talk about wildlife.  Coming from a city this sure is different. 

 Not so long ago, Arvid and I spotted a black snake crawling

 out from our backyard onto the road.  We both ran out.  I with

 the machete and a rake.  Arvid just ran out without anything.  

Not sure what he was going to do without any "protection.

We also saw the racoon trying to eat the food from

 our bird feeders.  Chased him away and the feeders

 are now covered every night. No more of that

In the area other "creatures" have been spotted.

  Not all bad.  The little fox is a cutie and there he is 

sitting on the neighbors car.  Calm as can be.

This morning looking out from Arvid's office we 

spotted a vulture.  Huge bird and very impressive that is,

 unless it has something in it's site.  Today he was just relaxing.

It's mating season for the turtles and they are everywhere. 

 I see them in the mornings from our deck and a couple

 have also been spotted in Andrew's garden at AHL.

There is no shortage of birds.  Thank goodness for that.  

They keep Sniff busy throughout the day and wear 

him out to the point that when he does sleep he 

just collapses into a very deep slumber.

I love waking up to the birds and just looking out and

 seeing them at any given time of the day.  They make

 me happy.  They remind me at times of my PR kitties.

We also have a hedgehog that lives in the backyard.

 We see him quite often.  He's kinda fat and cute.  

Our little Chipmunk who I have named Chippy has been 

coming around for about a month now.  The first time I saw 

him he was sitting on the concrete fence in our backyard.

I started giving him peanuts.  From that day on Chippy 

waits for me everyday at around 5:30-6:00 pm.  The time

 I would usually come home from work.  He has been there 

everyday and when I call him he comes running for his nuts.  

Yesterday Arvid said to me, "aren't you going to feed Chippy?"

The deer are always coming to visit.  Recently mama

 deer had a little baby.  The cutest thing you will see.  They 

hunt together and baby follows mama very closely.

One morning I also saw a beautiful black cat.  Standing

 on the same ledge as Chippy does.  This kitty only showed 

up that one time.  I still look for him all the time.

Who know what else there is to "discover" in our backyard/area. 

 Right now I am afraid to go walking because of snakes. 

 I don't care if they are the so called "good" snake. 

 A snake is a snake as far as I am concerned.

Looking forward to see what appears next.  Of course 

there are tons of squirrels, we did see a possum 😟

 and I think what we once saw was a beaver.

No matter how many "cuties" appear in our backyard, 

my cutie is and always will be my Sniff-Sniff 💜

Of course in my eyes Sniff is the most beautiful kitty there is.

The most interesting things in life happen 

just on the other side of your comfort zone...

~Nadiya~

December 25th ~ Merry Christmas

 May you never be too grown up
 to search the skies on Christmas Eve.

🎄 Christmas reminds me of what a wonderful 
childhood I have had, and what a lucky girl I am.  

Though we didn't have much, our home was always 

filled with friends.  Everyone having jolly good time.

The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood.

Making Christmas even more special, it's also my 

mom's birthday.  My dad would pamper her even

 more on this day.  We all did because she pampered 

us everyday, and continues to do so all the time.

It was and still remains the little things that

 makes life's special moments even more special.  

My parents could not always afford to buy us presents 

for Christmas, but one year they saved up and each 

of us had a doll.  Was the best Christmas ever.

Arvid and I have had Christmas in many a places. 

 Most have been warm and sunny, except for the time

 in Norway.  It was cold, but always a beautiful country.

Another cold but perfect December was Zurich, Switzerland.

2015 Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  At the time

 Arvid and I owned a condo there, but after a 

while we were no longer keen on it.  Sold.

We also spent Christmas in the Bahamas, 

where we also owned a house on the beach.  Our 

Lil' Red House.  It was beautiful while it lasted.

Of course most of our Christmases were spent 

in Florida.  Home after all.  A few also in North Carolina.  

Where my parents live, and where we all can be together.

My childhood memories of Christmas is of Puerto Rico.  

We were fortunate to spend last Christmas there.  The people 

are the happiest, and the festivities are one of a kind, and I 

was happy to share this experience with the one I love.

Because of COVID, we were limited as to what 

we could do, but at the time we had a regular "part"

 going on just by looking out from our balcony.

The best part was that we spent it with my sister

 and her kids.  Nothing like a quiet, peaceful time spent

 with the ones you love.  Unforgettable, and I will forever

 be grateful for the time we had in Puerto Rico.

Christmas would never be complete without

 a few pictures of our kitties.  Brutus and Shadow

 have died 😢, but Sniff is with us. and everyday

 he makes our lives better.  Sniff is just all love.

Because every picture tells a story. Some days 

the memory still knocks the wind out of me.

Christmas is doing a little 

something extra for someone...

~Nadiya~

July 1st ~ Hello New Month 😍

 Happiness is the only thing that multiples when you share it...

July begins with Arvid heading to Norway to see his 

family.  Due to the pandemic, like so many, Arvid has not

 seen his family in over a year.  He has not seen his mother in 

almost 2 years.  At least we were fortunate to see the girls, 

our granddaughters and their better halves last year.

I can imagine their anticipation and excitement right now. 

 I know it will be a beautiful time.  Time spent with family is 

always a good time.  Lots to catch up on in the next few days.

Sniff and I are good.  We have gotten into our routine 

without Arvid for now, and it's a good one.  It's really quiet

 at home, but I stay busy doing something everyday😍.

Yesterday I visited my sister and Kimsy 😍.  Spent 

most of the day together.  Did a little shopping and then

 had lunch with them.  Of course my sister always has 

a good supply of homemade passion fruit sangria.

  I finally gave in and ordered a few bottles from their

 friend who makes it.  Can't wait.  It's that good 😍.

Today be thankful and think how rich you are.  Your family

 is priceless, your time is gold and your health is wealth...

~Nadiya~