A Swinging Memorial Day

Memorial Weekend was full of all kind of unexpected happenings. This was one of my favorites - going for a ride in the car to an unKNOWN location. I wasn't worried. See that white fluff to my left (your right)? That's Molly. I knew nothing bad would happen to me with Molly around.

So we chugged along for a while until we ended up here -

Watson Dog Park

This is the closest municipal DOG PARK to our house. We don't go too often, though, because FIRST the grass all died and then the small dog side was closed and then the BIG dog side cut in half for restoration so a LOT of big dogs come into the nicer SMALL dog side. It was really nice when it was new.

We didn't stay long, though, because this is what Molly and I did the whole time -

Note: we aren't even in the dog park cuz we wouldn't
PLAY with anyPUGGY!

Auntie B's Adventure WITHOUT Me

Memorial Weekend was pretty action packed for most of US - BUT not as much as for Auntie B. You all know my Auntie B who I love and adore and beg to visit all the time? She runs Auntie B's Boot Camp and when I stay at her place - well, let's suffice it to say I return a changed PUG.

Anyhoo, over Memorial Weekend Auntie B and her friend went over the hill to the beach - not Santa Cruz but south of there. Those are the BEST BEACHES ever. I went there last Summer with the FAMILY, remember?

BUT BACK TO AUNTIE B'S STORY, Sheesh!

Auntie B was walking along the coast looking for seashells when she and her friend saw this bird just sitting near the water line. It was clearly sick or injured. It was unlike any bird Auntie B could remember seeing before -

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Grebe/id

Later she found out it was a Western Grebe, rather common in Northern Cali but it is a water bird prone to stay in the water off shore. 

So the tide was coming in an occasional waves made it up to where the bird was sitting. Auntie B and her friend were not sure what to do but needed to do something before it floated out with a wave. They had always been taught to leave wildlife alone but this was clearly an unusual situation. What to do?

First they called the ranger to see if he/she could help. But the coastal rangers have no protocol for dealing with injured shorebirds although they said perhaps they could send someone down. So Auntie B waited 30 mins or more - no one came. She called the ranger again and was told perhaps it would be better to call one of the local rescue groups. So they did and managed to get a hold of someone even though it was a holiday weekend. The group said they could try and find a volunteer to come down.

So they waited some more. In the meantime, seagulls were circling, the tide was really coming in big time, and the sun was moving down toward sunset and the temperature was getting cool. Auntie B was jumping around trying to chase away the seagulls and even then was getting cold. Her friend called to say no one had shown up yet and the person on the phone said no volunteers could be found. 

Could they bring it in? They decided yes and were told to wrap the bird in a towel, put it in a box and bring it over. Well . . . their car was almost a MILE away! So Auntie B's friend took off for the car, a towel and a box leaving Auntie B to mind MR. GREBE and fend off predatory birds. At this point the tide was almost fully in and threatening to pull Mr. Grebe out to sea; so Auntie B made the ON-THE-SPOT decision to take off her sweatshirt (even though it was very brisk at this point) to wrap around the bird and carry it to the car.

She was fighting a cold wind, slippery sand, and panic but she eventually made her way to the CAR where her friend had just wrangled a box out of the trunk and was heading back. They made Mr. Grebe as comfortable as possible and headed to the rescue house. There they dropped the bird off with the rescue ladies and turned their car toward home. She prayed all the way home that Mr. Grebe would be comfortable and able to rehabilitate at the rescue home. She found our later that night that sadly Mr. Grebe did not make it.

Mr. Grebe

Auntie B is very sad that he didn't make it BUT she knows he had a better chance since she and her friend helped. 

If you encounter injured wildlife, FIRST find an authority to take care of it.These are people trained in handling sick or injured animals and birds. Usually they will send out one of their trained volunteers. If they are not available, follow instructions, like Auntie B and her friend did, to transport the animal or bird. http://www.nativeanimalrescue.org/found-an-animal/seabirds/

I love you Auntie B

This story tells so much about Auntie B's heart - that's why I love her so much!

Wordless Wednesday With a Swirl

Join in the FUN and click here: BlogPaws Blog Hop

SEW What?

Our Mommys, Molly's and Mine, used the long holiday weekend to sew. They are working on a commemorative quilt for a friend and they have not made a real quilt in years and years. YET they volunteered to make the quilt to help out a FRIEND.

Molly and I wanted to be near them as much as possible so we stayed in the room, enjoying the sunny spots (not many, it was a gray weekend) and offering advice when we could. We have a very very good sense of design, believe it or not.

So the FRIEND gave them a bunch of fabric squares and said - GO FOR IT! These fabric squares were something ELSE. People cut up old clothes (would be okay except for the stains!!!!), old napkins, old dishtowels, and so on. Some people hit up JoAnn Fabrics and got small pieces of some pretty cool stuff! I helped my Mommy #2 decide what squares to combine together, which was tricky. The MOMMYS were looking for a cohesive look without being too monochromatic.

They hemmed and hawed over the best way to present them and finally Molly's Mommy said - EUREKA! I got it!!!

This is what she came up with. Looks pretty cool, huh?

They still have a ways to go on the quilt and are anxious to do more. They have a June 8 deadline and there are not a lot of days between now and then. I am confident they will do it soon and it will be lovely. I'll update you next weekend when the BIG SEW WHAT begins,

Memorial Memorandum

Today is the official beginning of the Memorial Weekend. Used to be a day, now it's a weekend. That's okay - remembering those who fought for our Freedom deserves more than a day. We should be remembering them DAILY.

from arlington national cemetary website

I have said it before and I will keep on saying it - Freedom is not something to take for granted. It is hard fought and hard won because it is worth more than ANYTHING to be free. We are lucky here in the United States because we enjoy (and we should cherish) great freedoms.

Lose any one of your freedoms for a day. . . 2 days. . . 3 days. . . and you will appreciate the value of this hard won FREEDOM.

So this weekend while all of BLOGVILLE is celebrating with picnics, soccer games, romps in the park - and so on. Remember those who gave up their lives for us all.

While you are at it,

• Remember those scarred from fighting for our right to eat BACON or anything else we desire.
• Remember those whose emotional well being is damaged due to fighting for our right to bark at the moon.
• Remember those whose families were torn apart because they were somewhere fighting for our freedom to roam our own yards.
• Remember THE FAMILIES left behind to worry about their loved ones sent to war torn countries, volatile societies, and unfavorable conditions so that we may sit in our living rooms watching hockey-baseball-BASKETBALL-soccer- Dancing With The Stars, etc.

Simply put - REMEMBER

messer.house.gov

Whackadoodle Weather

Dear Mr. or Ms. Weatherperson,

What is up with this weather? We had SUMMER in Winter and now we are having WINTER in Spring. Whatever are you planning for Summer and FALL?

I don't mean to complain or anything. I am very very very grateful for the rain we have been having of late. It makes the flowers happy and makes the air smell so clean. And Mommy's car got washed by the rain which it desperately needed.

But I had to pull out my winter coat yesterday and this is MAY. . .MID-May! I should be stylin' the flip-flops and sitting on the patio sipping margaritas. Instead, I am curled up in my bed, Hammish by my side of course, trying to keep warm. WHY? Because it is SPRING and the heater has left on vacation until next WINTER - which is silly because we never even used the heater this last Winter.

I think you get my drift here? This is crazy-makes-no-sense weather and I want it to end. I want to return to normalcy when Summer meant toasty temps and Fall meant blustery days. I need to be able to plan my wardrobe and activities without always checking on the latest BEST GUESS of what the weather MIGHT be.

I still respect you (for now) and deep down I know you will try to do the right thing.

Your FURiend,

Noodles

'SUP?

So Wednesday. . . . . . 

Blogpaws Blog Hop

You Too?

You all KNOW how my Monday started. . . not so great. I don't think it improved any.

Me sitting in the sunlight from a DIFFERENT day - a NON-MONDAY!

Here's how my day went:

1. Annoyed by the ALARM
2. Cloudy and GRAY day
3. Mommys had to go to WORK and SCHOOL
4. Home ALONE with just Molly and Sunshine to entertain me
5. HOME a long TIME
6. MOMMY decides to go to a CONCERT (U2)
7. Some STRANGERS came over to spend the night
8. I am put in my BIG ROOM for BARKING excessively
9. ALONE in my room most of the night
10. UNTIL MOMMY decides to COME HOME

I am incensed. . . . I think I shall think of a proper punishment

She said it was totally worth my wrath, BTW!

Yep. . . It IS a MONDAY

You know how some days JUST DON'T START OUT RIGHT?
Well that is true almost every MONDAY.
ESPECIALLY THIS Monday
I suspect it is because the day dawned gray and cold.That makes it SO HARD to get up out of BED. I was all warm and toasty snuggled up next to Mommy#1 when all of a sudden -
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The alarm sounded and I knew my little dream of chasing baby carrots and romaine lettuce bits was ALL BUT DONE.
Sigh.
I am so ready for a NAP.

R.I.P. BB and Thanks for the Rain

First, I want to say farewell my inspiration - Mr. BB King. Never was there a more iconic bluesman than him. His talent will be missed.



I downloaded this video from Youtube - Eagle Rock - thanks for sharing it.


A lot of you promised to perform RAIN DANCES for us in CALI. Well I am here to say thanks - it totally worked!!!!

We got about half an inch of rain yesterday which is really fantastic! We are pretty close to normal rainfall for the year, thanks to yesterday's storm. It won't erase 3 years of drought and we will still have water restictions all over the state - but it helps. A lot. Mommy's car got washed for the first time since our last storm. . .  the trees and flowers look happier than they have for a while. . . and the air smells so fresh and clean. Oh! Even the pollen levels dropped some so maybe my nose will quit running.

And it's all thanks to YOU for helping us out with rain dances.

Happy Friday everyPUGGY and may the sun shine on you whatever you are doing.

Singing the Blues

I got dem BLUES

What should I doos

I look around for yous

Hope you do toos

I got dem BLUES

I think I'll snoozes

I dream of zoos

Cuz it rhymes with BLUES

I got dem BLUES

Looking for my chews

They's in Mom's shoes

I wonder if she knews

I got dem BLUES

The Case of the Missing Cat - Wordless Wednesday Edition

Be Sure to HOP along with

ME!

Fake Out

This is NOT ME. This is a FAKE!

Woke up this morning feeling FINE

There's something special on my MIND

WAIT!!! Those are not my words. Those are SONG lyrics and they have invaded my BRAIN. Why can I not think of anything ORIGINAL? I mean - 

Whatever happened to Tuesday and so slow, Goin' down to the old mine with a transistor radio? 

Wait, those are more lyrics, aren't they? OMP! What am I ever going to do. I can't write a whole blog without a single original thought! It just isn't right!

It's okay, Noodles. . . you just have to . . .

You don't have to try so hard

You don't have to, give it all away

You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up

You don't have to change a single thing

Oh, no! It is happening again. Maybe this is who I REALLY am - not Noodles the original thinker but something darker. . . more sinister? Or could I have a SPLIT personality?

One part angel and one part danger

But, oh, the kind of crazy I like

You got me losing my mind

I'm losing my mind!

You know, this is getting too weird. I think I will just

Give it up

You can't win

Cause I know where you've been

Such a shame

You don't put up a fight

That's a game that we play

At the end of the night

It's the same old story

But you never get it right

Give it up

Noodles - OUT!

* My thanks to Herman's Hermits, Van Morrison, Colbie Calliat, Daughtry, and Ariana Grande

Mindful Meanderings

I got sorta busy over the past weeks and so I have a few things on my list today - I think I will just address them all. 

Isn't my tail SPECTACULAR? This isn't on my list but when I saw this photo. . . well. . .

Mommy does not often let me post a picture of us. But she let
me this time on account of Mothers Day

How was your Mothers Day? Did you treat your MOMMY right? I sure did. It was pretty low-key which is how Mommy #2 likes it. We did fun stuff like SLEEPING IN, SITTING ON THE COUCH, SITTING IN THE SUNSHINE OUTSIDE, EATING, and so on.

A happy Sunshine

This is Sunshine in her new bed. Isn't it PERFECT for her? She has been sleeping in it constantly since her birthday on Thursday. She also got some special food and lots of hugs. My Mommy even let her sit on the couch with us even though she, Mommy, then had very little room to move around. It was Sunshine's birthday though, so she toughed it up.

Do I hear the pitter patter of rainfall?

Some of you asked about our weather and how bad is it. I suppose it could be worse. If we were a less populous state then the lack of heavy rainfall would not be as dire. But A LOT of peeps and pups live in this golden state of ours and THAT is why the drought is so significant. Oh, and California produces a lot a lot a lot of the nuts, fruit, and other produce consumed by AMERICA. Almonds, for instance, take so much water to grow that they are in danger of becoming scarce.

But the good news is we are getting small amounts of rain this week which helps. Thanks for all the rain dances you all are doing for us. . . and wishes for rain. . . Blogville help cannot be UNDERSTATED!!! Helps a lot more that the Sierra Nevada (our mountains to the east which border Ca and Nevada) are getting some snow which is of more importance than rainfall. Not drought-ending yet, but something to stave off the fire season.

And it is Monday - not a fan of Mondays but they do bring new hope for a good week, new adventures, exciting discoveries. . . I can't wait to see what the week brings.

Too Early For That

San Jose is a temperate climate kind of place. We average temperatures in the mid-seventies throughout the year - occasionally much lower, occasionally much higher. You know to expect SUNNY skies most of the time - and afternoon FOG to cool off the Summer heat.

If you look on a map, San Jose sits at the bottom of the San Francisco Bay and is nestled between two mountain ranges, The Coastal Range and the Diablo Range. This location is what gives San Jose the warm summers from being sheltered by the mountains - and the natural airconditioner from the fog drifting in from the ocean and the bay. 

Springtime in San Jose

I live in the FOOTHILLS of the Diablo Range. As Winter gives way to Spring, we usually watch our hills change from gray to green. Then the mustard greens and CALIFORNIA poppies start blooming and the green hillsides are then dotted with patches of yellow and orange/gold. It is beautiful. During a NORMAL year, this is how the hills will stay until mid to late Summer when they turn GOLDEN. It is incredibly beautiful in August.

The picture above is how the hills usually look in July - turning golden with some green still visible. But this picture was TAKEN yesterday!!! It is ONLY MAY and the hillside should be GREEN. Yes, it was raining yesterday but only a little. Not enough to change the persistent drought conditions we are experiencing. Not enough to stop the FIRE SEASON which has been declared TWO MONTH early. 

If ever there was an indicator of how bad the California DROUGHT is, my hills are definitely it. Please keep us in your thoughts as Summer and increased fire danger quickly approaches. If you know any rain dances, do them. . . and send them to me. I think I need to freshen up my routine.

We've Had Sunshine for Twelve Years

Of course I mean SUNSHINE THE CAT. Today is her 12th BIRTHDAY. She has been a part of our family since she was about 6 weeks old - maybe younger we DON'T KNOW! She was a stray who was wandering in a friend's yard. After a few sleepless nights because of the kitten howling for her mama, our friend rescued her and brought her to OUR HOUSE. She knew we needed another kitten (okay, admittedly this all happened WAY before I was born, , , but I feel she is part of my story so. . )

She is a little slower these days, but just as willful as ever.

Happy Birthday Sunshine - you're the BEST SISTEROID ever.

What Could It Be?

It's Wordless Wednesday and Blogpaws Blog Hop Day

SO

www.blogpaws.com

It Just Goes Together Like PB & J

The stars have aligned to make today the most perfect day EVER

How could THIS have happened in my lifetime? I am so excited! I know Cinco de Mayo has become something of a Hallmark Cards kind of holiday. In Mexico, it is not really a holiday at all. It is a more a day of remembrance. BUT HEY! It's okay! TODAY is a celebration more of our DIVERSITY as a country than anything else.

But to THEN have the day FALL on a TUESDAY when we all know Tuesday is TRADITIONALLY TACO Tuesday in Blogville? It just screams for a mondo celebration all around!

And I say WHY NOT?

I am all for sitting down to a platter of tasty tacos followed by a game of PINATA chaser as I HUNKER down by the TV to watch some PLAYOFF BASKETBALL.

May the FOURTH Be With You

Obi Wan Pugobi

Happy May Day

May First is the day to celebrate

1. Flowers
2. Beginning of warmer weather (in the Northern Hemisphere)
3. International workers
4. Preparing for Cinco de Mayo (the rebellion at Pueblo, Mexico)
5. Maypoles

What will you be celebrating in May?