What kind of tree is this?

I've seen a few these trees around town, but not very many ... and I love them! The bark is very unique, and unless I'm mistaken, these trees are fully mature and they don't grow very large. Anyone know what kind they are?

King of the Tree House

Roo came over to spend the day with me last weekend. I took him outside while I worked in the backyard, and, like every little boy that comes over ... he made a bee-line for the treehouse!

A Sweet Treat After a Very Stressful Week

Thing 1 stopped by while I was out yesterday evening and left me a sweet treat ... and an even sweeter note.

After an extremely stressful week, this little act of kindness made my heart swell :)

Ruined Plans

Thing 1 brought her dog, Roo, over while she and her fiance took a day trip. The first thing Roo did was run to the kitchen to see if there was any cat food in Olivia's bowl. Olivia just laughed at him. "Ha, ha, ha! There's no food ... they forgot to feed me today! Ha, ha, ha, ha ..." She paused mid-laugh as the reality of the situation became clear. "Hey! They forgot to feed me today!!!"

For the record, Thing 2 forgot to feed her, not me. Anyway, I gave Olivia her food and sat it on the small cabinet under the window. Roo has eaten Olivia's food before, so she knows he can inhale her entire bowl of food faster than a teenage boy can devour a plate of cookies. The mongrel's presence meant her plans for the day were ruined, as she would now be forced to spend her day on top of the small cabinet guarding her food. This is one of her favorite spots to "work", but she has other windows she's responsible for monitoring daily. And what about all those naps the cat-code requires? All that time she spent researching new places to sleep was for naught. Roo being here really disrupted her routine ... and she was not happy ... at all.

Roo is afraid of Olivia, so he kept his distance from both her and her food. He did, however, have the last laugh ... he got in her litter box and stole some of her poop while she wasn't looking ... and ate it. (That look on your face right now ... yeah ... that's kinda the face I made, too!) Roo seemed quite happy and proud of himself, but I almost threw up!

Today is International Free Hugs Day

The first Saturday in July is International Free Hugs Day ... so feel free to make a sign, hold it in the mall or a busy sidewalk, and share the love!

Thank You, Blueberries!

Greek vanilla yogurt, cottage cheese, blueberries, and strawberries ...
yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum :)

.. for without blueberries, I would not be able to have this patriotic breakfast of red, white and blue on this beautiful 4th of July!

I've officially given blueberries their long overdue thank you, but there's still others I need to thank. I hope to one day I hope to meet our founding fathers in heaven and thank them for their vision, dedication, courage, and wisdom when creating the greatest country in history. I'm sure I'll meet a lot soldiers in heaven ... many of whom gave their lives so that I could live in freedom ... and when I get to heaven, I will thank each and every one of them, too.

Hurricane Arthur Likely to Side-Swipe Ocracoke Island

For those of you who have never been to Ocracoke ... or have never even heard of it ... you truly do not know what you are missing. I fell in love with Ocracoke on the ferry ride over. The anticipation rose as I drove the fifteen miles from the ferry terminal to the village, the waters of the Pamilico Sound on one side, and the wide expanse of the Atlantic on the other. By the time I reached the village, I knew Ocracoke would be one of my favorite places on earth.

There are no McDonald's and no Walmarts. There are no big shopping malls, or even strip malls. In fact, there are no franchises of any kind. Instead, the shops and restaurants dotting the village are pretty much owned and operated by the people who call Ocracoke home. The shops all offer unique items, many by local artisans, and the restaurants serve some of the best food you'll ever eat! Vacationing on Ocracoke is like going back in time, except you still have all the amenities of modern-life. My time on Ocracoke has always been the most relaxing, most thoroughly enjoyable days of my life. It doesn't appear I'll be able to go to Ocracoke again this year ... but there is always next year!

And now, Hurricane Arthur, currently a category one, is heading for the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Unlike the other islands of the Outer Banks, the only way on or off Ocracoke is by ferry, boat, or private plane. Since the ferries cannot operate once winds reach gale force strength, it's usually the first island evacuated, so I was surprised to hear that there is a mandatory evacuation for Hatteras Island (just north of Ocracoke), and a voluntary evacuation order for Ocracoke. Hatteras Island does stick out further into the Atlantic, but not by much! The hurricane authorities tend to err on the side of caution, so they must feel pretty secure in the knowledge that Ocracoke will be relatively safe ... and that's very good news! The storm is schedule to hit on the 4th, so all of the 4th of July festivities scheduled on Ocracoke have been moved to Saturday the 5th.

In 2009, a truck loaded with fireworks exploded on Ocracoke, killing four and injuring one. After the tragedy, Ocracoke no longer has a fireworks display, but they do have a full day of activities planned ... the good, old-fashioned kind of fun you'd expect from a close-knit community.

My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ocracoke and Hatteras, and all the other communities along the Outer Banks. I hope the damage is minimal and they are able to enjoy what's left of the holiday weekend after Arthur sweeps by. Even with rain and hurricane-force winds, I think a bad day on Ocracoke is better than a good day most anyplace else!

Turkey Burger

A few weeks ago I ordered a turkey burger at a fast food joint. I figured it would be tasteless and bland, and that it would be the last turkey burger I would order there, but it was surprisingly delicious ... so I treated myself to another one a few days ago. It's even on a whole wheat bun. Eating right is easy if the food is tasty!

Flirting?

It doesn't look very fun to me,
but they seem to enjoy it ... so who am I to judge?!

Livin' On The Edge

Because life without risk is boring!