Get Chronicles of Cardigan Delivered for Free, Plus a Dog-Inspired Amazing Weight-Loss Tip!

Have you heard the phrase: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is"? Yeah, so have I, but THIS ISN'T ONE OF THOSE TIMES!

You really can get all of my (or most anyone's) blog content delivered for free, straight to your inbasket, without having to do a thing (except sign up for email delivery or follow me on Bloglovin). But before I show you exactly how to do that (in pictures), let me share a WAY simple idea the dogs gave me for how to eat less, and therefore, lose weight (as I'm trying to do)! 

My Dog-Inspired Weight Loss Plan

Supplies you'll need:

• Internet
• Printer stocked with paper and ink
• Tape
• Dog or cat (optional)
• Camera (optional)

Step-by-step directions:

1. Obtain a photo of dog (or cat*) poop (you can get this from Google, or take a photo yourself, your choice).
2. Print it off (number of copies depends, but I'd make at least 10).
3. Tape one copy to the following places (not an exhaustive list): refrigerator, pantry/food cabinet door, your plate, all TV screens, bathroom mirrors, the book you're currently reading, computer/tablet screen, smart phone, the ceiling above your bed (or wherever you lie down to sleep), your alarm clock, the car steering wheel.

That's it!

(Disclaimer: Results not guaranteed, but considering I'm feeling queasy from just writing the directions, it just might actually work! *groans* Also, as with any new weight loss regimen, check with your doctor first. But, for the love of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, please don't tell your doctor where you got the idea!)

* If you have dogs, I do NOT recommend taping up pics of cat doody. Your dog will EAT your signs (or raid your cat box). 

*****

So, now that I've given you plenty of reason to never EVER miss another one of my posts, let me show you how to get them delivered to you 2-3+ times per week! (Really! You'll never have to remember to find me on the Internet again!)

Email Subscription (Easiest)

See that same exact box over near the top of my right sidebar (hint: you have to actually be ON the blog to see it)? Well, all you have to do is type in your email address and press Submit! That's all! You'll receive an email each time I publish a new post (the entirety of which, is in the body of the email) - NO SPAM! Nothing extra! And no fake names in the From field! Yay!

Follow Chronicles of Cardigan on Bloglovin (Easy, but not as easy as email)

See that button up at the top of my sidebar? Yes, well if you have a Bloglovin account, when you click it, Chronicles of Cardigan will be added to your feed list. If you don't, you'll be prompted to create one. Bloglovin, in case you don't know, is like a blog reader, with a few extras. If you opt in, it will send you a daily email digest of all the blogs you're following, including a blurb from their most recent post.  

 <= Wanna try it? Just click!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

So, will my next blog post be stakeout or DELIVERY? (No tipping, please. ☺)

By the way, have you seen Chronicles of Cardigan on Facebook? It's fun! Check it out!


Psst. Wait a sec. What do you think about my calling it the Shatkins Diet? ;)

The Post in Which We Go to the Birds

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I AM WILD ABOUT WILD SONGBIRDS. The sight and sound of them, in fact, (especially when I can watch them from up close, through a window) is like balm for my soul. So in spring, as it is now, when the birds and the bees are in full reproductive swing, I become a doofy, bird watching, nature gazing fool.

So far, I have counted four birds' nests in my yard, each with a brooding female - two Barn Swallows, a House Finch and my favorite songbird ever, a Northern Mockingbird. And because the mockingbird pair was especially hospitable to my intrusions today, I hope you will indulge me while I share a bit of the photographic evidence. :)

I didn't catch the mama bird on her nest this time (as I accidentally did the other day when I first discovered it), but I did get a good look at the three little blue-speckled eggs inside.

The shrub that hides the mockingbird nest

By the way, all these photos look much better enlarged.

Before I started taking these pictures, I looked all around to see if the parents were nearby. They weren't (or at least I didn't see them). A few minutes later, however, after becoming distracted by some chatting, I looked up to see both mama and dad watching intently from a small maple tree, not 10 feet away.

They both flew when I approached, but since they didn't fly far, I was still able to get a few photos.

The unmistakable mockingbird tail

Although my point-and-shoot (Nikon S9100) camera is limited compared to a DSLR, the 18x digital zoom makes for some pretty cool bird shots.

You might wonder, with its not-so-interesting gray coloring, why this little bird makes me so happy. So I'll tell you. This is half of the reason:

Its song.

Mockingbirds sing their little bird butts off. And not only their own songs, but they can (and do) mimic many other songbirds (and frogs) around them, building up repertoires throughout their lifetimes. 

Mockingbirds also have a distinct (battle cry) call for running off nest invaders and defending their territory from other mockingbirds. 

This call (I hope it didn't startle you), plus the tenacity and bravery these birds display when defending their babies, is the second half of why I love them so much.

They take no crap from nobody.

I have seen them run off birds of prey many times their size, mid-flight. I have seen them swoop over the backs of mischievous cats. And I have seen and heard them scream their heads off at me when I've gotten too close to their babies. (I guess the current pair doesn't view me as much of a threat. Or maybe they're saving it up for when the eggs hatch.)

Yes, I know I cut its feet off. I just like the cool way the branches (and that one punch of green)
add interest to the background. 

And that is all the mockingbird trivia I have for you (today).

If I can get some shots of the babies (without getting pecked about the head and shoulders), I'll post an update.

Have a great one!

P.S. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to post photos of our Barn Swallows and House Finches, too. One day soon.

P.P.S. I'm taking either tomorrow or Friday off the blog, depending on the weather. Sunny is good. :-)

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow - Thickets and Thickness

A couple days ago I took advantage of good weather and snapped gobs of a few photos of currently blooming flowers in my back yard. Here are a few.

Peony - I have three, one each of pink (like this), red and white. This particular plant has never bloomed in three years, until now. What a fun surprise!

Saying "hello" to the sun.

Can anyone guess what the purple herb is? Cat people? Okay, it's catnip (or Nepeta). I suppose I could harvest it for my cats, but it's actually in my yard for the butterflies. Certain species' caterpillars find it to be delicious.  (Back to the catnip, though. Did you know that not all cats have the "catnip" gene? Click here and scroll about halfway down the article for more fascinating information about how catnip affects cats.)

This is a close-up of my white Peony. See the ants? Peonies produce a nectar on their buds that is terribly attractive to ants. The ants are harmless to the plant and will leave the flower as it matures.

This is a Rhododendron. These flowering shrubs love part-sun to shade and thrive in the mountains of the eastern U.S.

This is my red Peony. Its flowers have a strong damask rose fragrance (unlike the lighter sweet fragrance of the pink and white varieties in my yard). It is heavenly.

I like the contrasting blue background here.

Just beyond the Peony is purple Salvia (nemorosa) in bloom. Just beyond the Salvia are two Butterfly Bushes, no where near ready to bloom.

By the way, in case you haven't noticed, I have a big thing for watching butterflies and bees in my yard. :)

In about a week or so, this bud will open up to be a bright yellow Daylily. :)

This is a wall/thicket of roses (Knock Out variety). My patio is framed with these stunning bushes.

There are still many buds waiting to open up.

And now, the reason for the title of this post: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow...

Flat roses. The night after I took the previous rose photos, the water weight from a soaking rainfall caused all the shrubs to bow down and kiss the earth. :( I've spent a good part of the morning trying to free each of the entangled, thorny branches in hopes that the drying sun will lure them all back into the upright position. [sigh]

And this is Jon Farleigh. :)  His fluffy Corgi coat is was a thick, unruly mess.  (Doesn't he look like he's channeling 1990s Fabio here?) Since I'm not nearly as brave as Pamela of Something Wagging This Way Comes or Lori at According to Gus, who recently blogged about their respective dog's DIY summer haircuts, I opted to drop my fluffy JF off this morning at "Salon de Bermuda Hundred Veterinary Hospital." Although he won't be getting the full-on summer shave (sorry RDM and UHM; I'm too chicken), he'll come home distinctly lighter and brighter this afternoon. :) (Pictures tomorrow)

This is JF's buddy Dewi wondering where the heck his bro has gone... (Actually, he's watching the neighbor's cat and probably not thinking about JF at all.)   :)

...But, I am.  ;)

See you tomorrow, as long as we're here and not gone. :)

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!

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.

The Dog Flowers in Spring

You might remember the dog in my yard that was not Jon Farleigh or Dewi. You might also remember that it was actually a Dogwood Tree and full of Dogwood flower buds.  The buds have just opened up and as promised, here are a few photos of my tree in glorious full-bloom.

And then there's this rare flowering dog:

Maybe it's a black Dahlia? No, too creepy. Black tulip? Uh uh, that's a book. Maybe a Canis Conifer? Or how about Doofus Dewianium?  Whatever it is, it's a keeper. :)

Hope you're enjoying some flowers somewhere, too!