Military Romance Author
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
The East Coast, New England and Boston are getting hammered by yet another snow storm. They are truly living the movie “Groundhog Day.” Well, it seems like one cat is taking this all in stride and has some pretty cool moves.
Don’t mess with snowball catching cat, he might just throw it back at you!
Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday.
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
The Super Bowl is over so it must be Spring. Wait one. Poor Punxsutawney Phil the Groundhog had to use an ice ax and a snow blower to even reach daylight yesterday, so seeing his shadow was a guarantee. More winter for all. While the East is under their thirteenth snow attack it seems, flowers are blooming here in Oregon.
At my writer friend’s house Saturday to carpool to our support group, she had a fabulous yard full of blooming camellias. Could not resist taking a few pictures, but I have no idea of the camellias names. An article in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago said the camellia in my backyard which blooms during the winter and sets off Spec Ops Cat’s allergies is a Yuletide. Makes sense since it is bright red with a yellow center.
I’d chop it down but the birdies love it. Plus Spec Ops Cat enjoys watching the birdies, Cat TV from inside, so it’s a Catch- 22. Since we had sun on Saturday and rain on Sunday, made me want to either take a nap in a sun spot or cuddle up in a blanket. Spec Ops Cat chose to sleep in the sun spot. Smart boy.
It might be the transition time of year here but we can always get another snow event, like we did in February 2014. Think it is the possibility of Spring that makes me want to run and break out my sandals. Too cold now, but my toes love to run naked when they can.
The Mamas and Papas song, “California Dreamin” comes to mind, but my version would be Spring Dreamin. I checked the planter full of bulbs and the brave ones are raising their little green heads above the soil. On Feb. 16, President’s Day, it will be time to cut back the roses.
The days roll on and suddenly we will turn the clocks back and then Spring will arrive. Spring is my favorite season with all the new growth and buds. And Easter bunnies! Here’s wishing us all dreams of Spring and warmer days.
And hopefully someone gave Phil the Groundhog a nice big cup of cocoa with mini-marshmallows to keep him warm until Spring arrives.
If you want to check on Phil: www.groundhog.org
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
I’m one of those folks who likes to be surprised, so it’s been quite the challenge trying to avoid the early release of the Super Bowl commercials. Mostly I’ve succeeded except for the whole puppy-gate dust-up about the G D commercial, (I am not giving them more press by using their company name.)
But an article in today’s paper about a commercial to broadcast during Kitten Bowl II sparked my interest, so here it is for your viewing pleasure. While we are all celebrating the kitten and puppy bowls, The Lucy Pet Foundation had a special effects pro donate 90 percent of his team’s time to make this important commercial about the importance to spay and neuter our pets. Bravo Lucy Pet Foundation!
And how did they EVER get those cats into mini football helmets? Have a safe and great Bowl weekend everybody. Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Drove out to the Columbia River for a car picnic with my Mom this past weekend. We packed a lunch, enjoyed the sun and river sights and stayed in the car. Unusual warm weather for January. (Sorry East Coast blizzard people)
We talked about photography and how much I enjoy it, plus the fact my current home computer must be replaced since it is out of memory and eight years old. Obviously the Windows self destruct program hasn’t activated. Yet.
Back at home I decided to print out a couple of my favorite vacation photos to take to the day job; scenic memories to give me a mini-vacation sun break time out. I focused on recent trips to Sisters, Oregon, with my friend Joann, one of my top five favorite places.
I rediscovered fun memories and a few good pictures I’d forgotten about. When I switched from film to digital photography in 2007, the whole “I can’t see my pics” problem began. It’s so easy to forget the fabulous pixels we have stored on our hard drives, which I also back up three other places since I’m paranoid.
Half of my digital photos are organized by date and the other half by topic. The goal is to switch all the pics into topic groupings, but I keep taking more pictures and not finding the time to sort, and now the computer memory problem.
But it’s time to take action soon and get a new computer with enough memory to last a couple of years. Then start the transfer and sorting of photos, video and stories. (This will require tons of peanut M&Ms to accomplish, just saying) Since I haven’t loaded new photos for the past couple months, who knows what wonderful photo gems I’m missing. Or not.
So here are a few pictures from one of my Sisters, Oregon trips to encourage you to frisk your computer hard drive and find some fab photos. Enjoy the trip!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
The teams have been training and the playoff games are almost decided. With the Combine looming in the distance for the NFL Draft, it’s that time once again before the big game. The Feline Football League Kitten Bowl II! While many folks will watch the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, the hands down favorite Kitten Bowl II on Hallmark Channel at noon before the Super Bowl is the true game of competition.
Click the link below to see latest promo with music by Katy Perry!
Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!
http://bcove.me/50olakdv
For more exclusive secret training videos, promos and player profiles check out www.hallmarkchannel.com/kitten-bowl
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
I’ve been doing a lot of projects lately. Granted, I always have projects to do, but these are the mundane drive me crazy kind of jobs. Feels great to accomplish them. Completed a rather sticky one two weeks ago.
A lucky bamboo plant a friend gave me a couple of years ago at work was trying to eat my desk. It started out as a few short well-ordered stalks and then just kept growing. I find this amazing since I can pretty much kill cactus, but aside from the hardy African violets at home, growing a plant at the day job under fluorescent lights seemed like a challenge. Bamboo appeared to be pretty happy after all.
So when the plant grew taller than my desk shelf I had to move it out of the corner, then it began to block my hanging calendar view. Next thing I noticed it was trying to escape on its own. The roots were growing out of the vase. Root bound. Not wanting to stunt its growth, I found on the Internet how I was supposed to care for my bamboo plant. I’d been doing everything wrong. Oh well. Obviously my bamboo plant didn’t care.
Read the re-potting instructions and launching the space shuttle might be easier. So I did what I normally do, I took the advice I liked and struck out on my own. Directions said not to get a new vase more than an inch higher and 1 1/2 inches wider. Accomplished.
Airlifted bamboo home in my car, it fit perfectly in my drink cup holder if you don’t mind driving with fronds in your face. Bought new rocks at the craft store. Assembled my tools and began to try to surgically remove the bamboo from the vase. Not budging. Okay. Rocks in there, tugging is in order. Major tugging. I may have shaved off a few roots in the meantime.
Long story shorter, planted in new vase and watered. Its been two weeks and the leaves are still green so I that’s good. Bamboo seems to like its new home where it gets light seven days a week instead of four. Now I just have to be careful it doesn’t try to eat my kitchen.
In fact, bamboo plant looked on while I watched the Seahawks pull out a miracle trip to the Super Bowl on Sunday. See, I had decided to sort my tax receipts during the commercials. Worked like a charm. Of course, during the Super Bowl that won’t work because the commercials are part of the show. Alas, football will soon be over. But there is basketball!
Do you need to be re-potted or moved or put in a different vase? A change of scenery can work wonders for bamboo plants and people. Especially if we get to pick the color of our own pretty rocks. Sunstones work for me. And diamonds. Rubies. Emeralds. Turquoise. I feel another project coming on…….
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