Friday, April 29, 2011

Me from A to Z (in a nutshell...and a little nutty)

Okay, so I totally saw this done on a non-pet blog weeks ago, but was too chicken to be the "first" pet person to do it. So all your "thanks" for getting all these juicy facts about me are owed to Lori over at According to Gus, because she wasn't chicken. Oh, and this is not going to be as good as hers, just sayin.

(Also, several other pet bloggers have already followed Lori's lead - before me - and I can't remember all of them here - except for Life with LuLu, who posted her fun list earlier today. And this won't be as good as hers either.)

*****

A. Age: My age equals the sum of 6. (Hint: The factors are 2 and 4.) You decide. Also, I married younger.

B. Bed Size: King (sometimes couch).

C. Chore I Dislike: All. (In my mind, if it's pleasant, it's not a chore.)

D. Dogs or Cats?: Dogs - 2, Cats - 4 (I was a cat person first.)

E. Essential Start to My Day: Waking up, then dogs in my face, then coffee.

F. Favorite Color: Butter Yellow (especially when I'm spreading it on warm bread).

G. Gold or Silver: Silver (especially if it comes from Tiffany).

H. Height: Between 5'8" and 5'9" (it's different each time).

I. Instruments I Play: Piano (Chopsticks is all I can remember). My immediate family members, however, play trombone, saxophone and double bass (all at the same time, when I'm trying to write blog posts).

J. Job Title: I don't receive monetary compensation; however, someone has to manage all these people and animals. It's too bad that I hate housework. Incidentally, I wanted to be a vet when I grew up, but instead I studied Economics, because it's so much more interesting.

K. Kids: Three, at home, and needy.

L. Live: In a house in Chester, Virginia, USA (near Richmond). Originally from Greensboro, North Carolina.

M. (Note: I changed this to suit myself.) Mother's Maiden Name: Vaughn.

N. Nicknames: None; however, I answer to "mommy" and most derivations.

O. Overnight Hospital Stays: Yes, three baby occasions.

P. Pet Peeve: I try not to have any, but please try not to get on my nerves.

Q. Quote from a Movie: Not appropriate for this blog, but it's in The King's Speech, you know, when Bertie (Colin Firth) is in a speech therapy session and, at his instructor's urging, spews a string of obscenities that would make your dog blush. (It's hilarious, people.)

R. Right- or Left-handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Yes, each gender.

T. Time I Wake Up: 6:45 a.m., generally.

U. Underwear: Yes, and I loathe undie lines.

V. (No one else did 'V', so I'm making one up.) Vacation Wish: Two weeks in the British Isles. Now.

W. What Makes Me Run Late?: Selfishness and poor planning.

X. X-rays: Many - I've broken, sprained or dislocated my collarbone, toe, wrist, finger, knee and shoulder.

Y. Yummy Food I Make: Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey.

Z. Zoo - Fave Animal: The American Bison that stuck its whole head in my car window HERE.

27th Letter (yet to be designated): I watched the Royal Wedding (live on TV, in its entirety), and I loved it. ;)

*****

Now that you know all my juicy secrets, feel free to share some of your own!

P.S. Be back Monday, if not before. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Toy Is Mine

As part of Jon Farleigh's and Dewi's naughty adventure yesterday, they scored an empty shampoo bottle from a Child's bathroom and found the cap to be quite entertaining. So much so, that despite my bad mood, I allowed them to keep it for amusement. Unfortunately for Dewi, Jon Farleigh wouldn't let it out of his sight - even when he had no sight. You see, the "toy" was his.

But before I show you the photo evidence, I'd like you to get the 1982 single The Girl Is Mine, by Michael Jackson and featuring Paul McCartney, in your head. If you can't (possibly because you were an infant or not even born then), you should click HERE to listen on YouTube. (I release myself from blame, however, should the tune get stuck in your head.)

And now for today's Feature Presentation: The Toy Is Mine

"Every night it rolls right in my dreams...


Since I chewed it from the start.


I'm so proud I am the only one...


With whom toys cannot depart.


The toy is mine. [hum, hum, hum, hum]
I said, the doggone toy is mine.


I love you more than he..."

The End
I hope someone shares with you today.

Dedicated to the memory of Mr. Rufus B. Thumper, one doggone fine dog.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

With Captions: The Many Faces of 'Bumblebee' Jon Farleigh

Thanks to Taryn, LaviGeorge the Lad, Builder Mama, Ashley, According to Gus, Amber-Mae and Pamela for all the wonderful, funny and creative caption submissions! (To read them all, go HERE.)  It has been a fun exercise for me to see how everyone interpreted Jon Farleigh's faces (since oftentimes my mind's hovering just south of the gutter). :)

And on that guttural note, I thought I'd torture you all with some captions of my own.
(By the way, captioning "bee dogs" is hard!)

#1
Jon Farleigh immediately regretted having gone
with the spicy burrito from Taco Bell.

#2
"Hey, there; wanna see my stinger?" 

#3
"Ackk ackkk ackk...I gotta stop smokin, man."

#4
 "...la la la la la la la la la la la La...
Figaro Figaro Figaro Figaro FIGARO!!..."

#5
"heh heh...Pull my finger."

#6
Jon Farleigh refused to look at the camera until
his person agreed to refer to him as
"The Harry Hornet."

#7
Jon Farleigh just realized he could have saved 15%
by switching to Geico.

#8
"Psst. I see cat krispies under that rose bush.
Let's eat 'em and then give her a kiss."

#9
"Guess what? I peed in your shoes. Oh, my bad, you don't speak dog." 

Bonus: Double Head-tilt

#10
"Say what? Did she just tell us to do the Macarena?"

Toodles!

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Many Faces of Bombus Corgimus Fluffimus (Jon Farleigh)

I have never had the honor of knowing a dog bee with more facial expressions than this one. :)
He just cracks me up!

(Anyone want to take a crack at a caption?)

#1 "I'll trade you my life for yours."

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

Bonus: Double Head-tilt

#10

Happy Monday!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Let me tell ya 'bout the butterflies and the bees...and the flowers...and the...huh?

So for today's facts of life lesson, we'll be learning about the sordid business of shrubbery propagation. Ready?

"Otto Luyken" Laurel

This is the top of one of my laurels. As you can see, it's full of small white flower blossoms. These blossoms smell like an intoxicating mixture of honey and Easter lily, therefore, attracting tens of species of butterfly, bee and even moth on any given day. If you enlarge the photo, you might even notice a couple of bee specimens hovering above the plant.

Honeybee
This is a honeybee gathering nectar from my laurel for it's hive. As it works, the hairs on its legs and body pick up pollen from the flowers. This pollen is then transferred from the flower's male parts to its female parts as the bee moves about the shrubs.

[cue sound of screeching needle across vinyl LP]

Well, that was just a mess, no? Please accept these photos of other bees and butterflies in my garden as a token of my appreciation for your continued readership (despite my sometimes strange behavior).

Bumblebee (one of many species of the genus Bombus)

(I took all of these photos on the same day at the same laurel shrub.)

Wasp (ick)

Eastern Tailed-Blue Butterfly (genus Cupido)

This tiny butterfly is only one inch wide from outstretched wing to wing. In flight it appears light purple in color. This male is, in fact, blue on the top of its wings and...


...grayish-tan underneath its wings. The wings are also marked at the bottom with orange crescents.


One will rarely see the Eastern Tailed-Blue resting with its wings completely outstretched; it prefers to rest like this - with its wings at a 45-degree angle.

Rare Welsh Tailed-Blue Butterfly and Welsh Bumblebee

Never before seen in North America, these elusive pollinating insects prefer the nectar of only the rare Doofus Dewianium (black flower found in my garden).

Doofus Dewianium

How lucky am I?!

Intoxicated on nectar

Genus: Dewido

Bombus Corgimus Fluffimus

What a handsome pair!

*****

The Chronicles of Cardigan would like to wish everyone a wonderful weekend teeming with life, beauty and hope for the future! We will return in full force after the Easter holiday.

xoxo



It's a blog hop! Click HERE to join the fun.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Jon Farleigh & Dewi Do Busch Gardens Williamsburg, VA

UPDATE 4/19/13: The Pet Care Center at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (during the off-season) was improved with HVAC, providing heat and air conditioning to the entire facility, as needed. Because of these updates, the daily board fee per pet has increased to $20 ($18 for season pass members). 


Note: For my more recent (4/20/12) review of the Busch Gardens Pet Care Center (dog kennel), click here.

***

Well, at least the Pet Care Center at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, VA, a spectacular theme park only an hour from my home.

Voted "The World's Most Beautiful Theme Park"

My three kids are out of school this week for Spring Break (explaining my limited blog activity, and if you were here, the piles of rubble amongst the pet hair in all corners of my home). [sigh] So yesterday, wanting to enjoy the balmy mid-eighties outside and to have someone else clean up after them for a day, I loaded the dogs, my three kids (plus one friend) into my car and headed due east on I-64. It was well worth the trip.

Now in case you're wondering, Jon Farleigh and Dewi were not treated to pooch-sized thrill rides and funnel cakes; nope, they, instead, hung out in the Pet Care Center nestled amongst clusters of mature hardwood trees and conveniently located near the park's main entrance.

A view from the front

Since the Pet Care Center is located close to the main entrance, parking is choice (no tram commuting from parking lots afar). (A real bonus on days like yesterday with record park attendance.)

Kennel admission fees are paid at the main gate
 - with parking fees, if any.

Pet owners are not required to provide proof of vaccination; however, Jon Farleigh and Dewi are up-to-date (and just to be safe, I brought their most recent shot records with me). (I'd use strong caution boarding an animal with compromised or immature immunity.)

A side view (Jon Farleigh's and Dewi's kennel was midway
 down this side of the building, behind the hedge.)

The kennel building is not air-conditioned; however, because it's nestled in the trees on a breezy hilltop, the indoor temperature is always comfortable (even for a fluffy corgi on a hot summer's day).

"Hi, mom!"
Note: The floor is not dirty; it had recently been sprayed and cleaned.
Busch Gardens is an immaculate theme park, Pet Care Center included.

So here we are strolling back to the boys' accommodations after one of several potty/exercise breaks. (Kennel staff are not permitted to remove pets from their kennels for any reason other than emergency; therefore, owners must return periodically to walk their pets and/or provide a snack. Staff members do, however, frequently provide all dogs with clean, cool water to drink.)

Each time we have used the facility, the staff has been most pleasant and professional. Truthfully, Busch Gardens employs many local retirees during the park season, and the Pet Care Center must be a popular gig...but, think about it -- having someone's "grandpa" take care of your dog for the day just has to be a win-win situation.

I didn't get a good photo of the size of this kennel, but,
as you can see, it's large enough to comfortably hold
both dogs, with plenty of room to spare.
(My camera flash makes the space look darker than it really is.)

snacks, extra water, poop bags and leashes 

It's okay if you forget the poop bags; they're provided.

checking pee mail
bird watching
park entrance

So off we go to enjoy the park...

The Griffon

200 feet straight down at over 70 miles per hour

I threw up after this ride and we had to leave. (No, not really. I would never ride this -- darned inner ears -- but my kids do.)

Pint anyone?

I threw up after this attraction and we had to leave. (No, not really. I would never throw up in public after drinking irresponsibly in a fake Irish pub at a theme park.)

More...Pet Shenanigans

I did not throw up after attending this show and we did not leave...until much later. This is, in fact, an adorable show where former shelter animals of all sorts (dogs, cats, rats, parrots, ducks, pigs...and growing) perform amazing tricks for their loving trainers. (Seriously people, these animals and their trainers are amazing. Busch Gardens goes to great lengths to promote shelter adoption and wildlife preservation.)

*****

At the end of the day, Jon Farleigh and Dewi were happy to be sprung from the kennel and slept like puppies all the way home. :)

Should you be traveling near Williamsburg, Virginia with your dog(s) and want to explore Busch Gardens, I would absolutely recommend the Pet Care Center. Please contact me (comment or e-mail) if you have any questions.

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