woodpeckers, spinning wheels, mattresses

Mr. Puffer by Nathaniel Rodgers
Mr. Puffer by Nathaniel Rodgers

So, a numerologist on TV said that 11.11.11 (yesterday) was an auspicious day to begin a new chapter in one’s life. It turned out to be the day that Nate & Shea finished packing up their belongings, loaded up a U-Haul truck, and took off to make a new home for themselves in Georgia. I tried so hard not to cry, but it proved to be impossible.

Making the trip with them is Mr. Puffer (above), Nate’s petpuffer-fish. We got attached to him when we fed him while Nate & Shea were away on vacation last summer. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he will make the thousand mile journey safely in his special traveling cooler/tank under Nate’s watchful eyes.

I’ve made some good progress this week at chopping vegetables, and then the knife slipped and I cut the index finger on my left hand, but that should heal up more quickly as it was a clean little slice. One morning I got up and rearranged the shelves in the refrigerator to accommodate storing our new food choices and am so delighted with the new sense of organization and purpose.

But I’ve promised a few more fairy tale birdhouses at the Florence Griswold Museum from October…

#3. “The Beat of a Different Drummer” by Judy Preston, based on How Drummer the Woodpecker Came by His Red Cap.

10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut

#5. “Spinning a Yarn” by Bill Vollers, based on Rumpelstiltskin.

10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut

#50. “Pea Snoop” by Jennifer L. Johnson, based on The Princess & The Pea.

10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut
10.26.11 ~ Old Lyme, Connecticut

16 thoughts on “woodpeckers, spinning wheels, mattresses”

  1. Hi,
    Mr. Puffer is sure a little cutie. 🙂
    I haven’t heard of these carry cases before for fish, it’s amazing the different things they have out today, you wouldn’t know existed unless you went looking for something specific.

    I love these photo’s of the bird houses that you have been showing us, they really are magnificent, the time and work that must go into them, the people that made them are truly talented.

    1. It’s amazing what a little internet search will turn up for resources and ideas on anything, including how to move a fish! Happy to report that Mr. Puffer made it to Georgia safely!!!

      I learned that every October the museum invites artists to create an outdoor exhibit – I wonder what next year’s theme will be…

  2. I feel for you Barbara. Its so hard to let our kids fly the coop…. My son is visiting us this weekend. He lives right across this huge continent – too far to drive – and hasn’t been home in a couple of years. Oh boy it’s good to have him at home.

    btw I didn’t get the email alert that you’d posted something new. I just popped in after visiting Mags.

    1. Thanks for understanding, Rosie. I keep telling myself most parents have kids that live far away, but somehow I never dreamed Nate would leave New England. I hope you are having (or had) a wonderful time with your son! We’re already planning a train trip down to Georgia, just need to find a time that will be good for everyone.

      Grrr — Sorry about the subscription problems. I don’t understand the subscription part of my new dashboard and I’m afraid if I fiddle with it I might inadvertently unsubscribe others. Will bug Nate about it when he gets settled in his new Georgia digs…

  3. I would have cried, too. It’s sad when our bebs strike out for new territory, even though it’s fun to go visit them there. Where in Georgia might they be headed? We’re going to Athens (north-east of Atlanta) in December to visit Barry’s folks at Christmas.

    1. A new place to visit is definitely the positive aspect of all this. It looks like Kingsland is about 300 miles southeast of Athens – it’s almost to Florida, down near Cumberland Island National Seashore. A new seashore for me to explore!

      Now you see, Barry’s folks in Georgia have a son very far away in Michigan. And you have a son very far away in California. I can do this. I can do this…

    1. Mr. Puffer definitely has a personality, Sheryl! He looks very friendly and cheerful but I was told it would be unwise of me to put my hand in his tank – very aggressive and territorial! He’s very aware of what is going on outside his “window.”

  4. Mr. Puffer must be very well cared for, I’m glad he made it safely to his new home. It sounds like you’re managing as best as can be with all the changes. And what lovely, inspired bird houses these are!

    1. Thank you, Cait! We had a great time exploring the birdhouses and there were so many of them to see. Mr. Puffer is much adored – nothing but the best for him! 🙂 It will be great to see him again when we go for a visit, and good to see his human family, too.

  5. Glad Mr Puffer survived the trip. Before we sold our house in London to move to Wales several years ago, we had a tiny pond and several fish that we didn’t want to take with us as we didn’t know quite where we’d end up (we rented for a couple of months while looking for our new home) so we had to rehome the fish and eventually found an organisation called ‘Fish Orphans’ that took them! I didn’t know at the time that there were travelling containers for fish… not sure if it would have changed anything or not though as they were too large for an ordinary tank.

    Love the fairytale bird houses… something I’d wanted to do for years was make an ‘adventure playground’ for birds… but now, well really, we’re all living in an adventure playground called nature! 🙂

    1. Wish we had something like “Fish Orphans” here. I’m afraid many fish get flushed down the toilet when a move must be made. Nate is very attached to Mr. Puffer, though, and he would have done anything to bring him to the new place safely!

      Do any of your birds live in birdhouses I wonder? Or do they all build their own nests? Hope you’re feeling better soon, Val. *hugs*

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