Albinos, Painted Deer — What’s Next?: Tea/coffee Date July 2021

July 2, 2021June 26, 2021 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 33 Comments

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Thanks, Coco and Deborah, I’m sitting here with my hot chocolate (whether it’s cold or hot outside!) and I have a lot of unusual animal sightings to share with you this month.

**Photo credit Lloyd Litt. Albie. Yes, his eyes are pinkish!**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I we did see the Albino squirrel again. He was hanging out in one of our pine trees grooming himself in a rain storm. Unfortunately Mr. Judy was unable to get good photos this time — although he actually went out in the rain to try!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you Mr. Judy also noticed a deer in our yard. The first time we’d ever seen a young deer in our yard was last year; we figured he’d gotten lost and we never saw him again. This was a doe and her adolescent fawn.

The interesting thing was that the doe had white blotches, kind of like a pain/pinto horse. I’ve never seen a doe that looked like that. They were running through the neighborhood too fast for Mr. Judy to take any photos, alas.

We joked what’s next? Bear? Tigers? Elephants?

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I was very excited when I saw this bird hanging out on top of the kennel. I thought maybe it was a baby hawk. My birder friend informed me it’s a fledgling Robin. Can you believe I’ve never really seen one? And he was big!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that a long time ago I had wanted to try an Amazon Firestick (we don’t have cable) but never did buy one. We got the light version of it on Amazon Prime Day. It came with several free months of both Disney+ and Hulu. We’re almost set for the Summer now.

We watched Nomadland, which I’d wanted to see. It was slow, and although I adore Frances McDormand, I was actually rather shocked she won the Oscar for that performance. It was still an interesting movie and I’m glad we watched it.

We have started WandaVision (we’re big Marvel fans) — I’d heard so many raves about that show, and I’m enjoying it so far. I also enjoy that the episodes are short!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I still want to get HBOMax so I can see “In The Heights” before it’s gone (7/11, in case you were wondering). My sister didn’t think it was that great, but I still want to see it and I think there are other shows on HBOMax we’d enjoy. My sister and my cousin both recommended Mare of Eastown..

Seen some unusual animals in your neighborhood recently?

Anything to recommend on Disney+ or Hulu?

Have you seen In the Heights? What did you think?

Also linking up with:

Case of the Mysterious Disappearing Tulips: Tea/coffee Date June 2021

June 4, 2021May 29, 2021 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 29 Comments

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Thanks, Coco and Deborah, I’m sitting here with my hot chocolate (whether it’s cold or hot outside!) and ready to share one of my pet peeves.

**The red tulips got moved from the back of the house to this plantings area up front — & now they completely disappeared from there, too. Weird.**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you on one run a while ago I watched a woman planting a bunch of red tulips. The next week I ran by the same home, and they were all gone — with other bushes planted in their place.

Mr. Judy has suggested she moved them to another planting bed — but why go to all that effort? ETA: it appeared she moved them to the planting bed above, but then they promptly disappeared from there, too.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I do not like invisible fences. They often don’t work (the dog is willing to take the shock to get at what it sees near its lawn) and it doesn’t protect the dog from being attacked by people/other animals.

**These are big & determined dogs (Bernese Mountain Dogs)**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you one house in our neighborhood put in an invisible fence. I never saw the dogs out in the yard. I have seen the dogs basically eating their actual fence, and I know how expensive fences are!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that another house in the neighborhood put one in, and their dog was still hit and killed by a car. Now the house across the street from the house where the dog was killed, which doesn’t have a great track record with dogs, is trying one.

They had an elderly (sweet) cocker spaniel who was forever getting out of their fenced yard. Then they had a Border Collie puppy pretty much doing the same, and that dog disappeared and we never found out what happened to it.

There were no dogs for a while and now apparently they have a new (large) puppy, and they’re trying the invisible fence. Another reason I don’t like invisible fences is that the dogs can run right up to your dog while you’re walking, if it takes the shock, which is exactly what happened to me on two walks with Bandit so far.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you we had these sorts of situations plenty of times with both Lola & Chester, and Bandit & Lola. It is not easy when there’s two of them, but much simpler one there’s one. The puppy and Bandit seemed fine, but Bandit is almost 13, and you never know when an older dog’s gonna get annoyed by a dog suddenly running up to it and getting all up in their business, even if they are both polite.

The woman came over and said they were trying to get the dog used to the invisible fence. I couldn’t see if the dog was wearing the shock collar, but it sure didn’t make a difference to this dog. This house is basically on almost any route we take with Bandit.

Ever had an invisible fence?

Ever had a run-in with dogs that have an invisible fence?

Any landscaping antics from neighbors that make you go — whaaaaaat?

Also linking up with:

Raindrops falling in containers: Tea/coffee Date May 2021

May 7, 2021May 3, 2021 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 47 Comments

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Thanks, Coco and Deborah, getting us altogether virtually for a coffee date. Raindrops aren’t falling on my head, they’re falling into glasses around here. Confused? Read on!

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you on our last get together I was telling you about all the vaccine appointment hoops I had to jump through. While my reaction to the vaccine wasn’t fun, it was relatively short. Since this time I knew it was coming, I also planned on some rest in the days after. I actually think that did me a lot of good, the aftereffects didn’t seem to linger on quite so long.

**It took all 3 of these to water about 5 plants**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you about one of my newest projects: rainwater harvesting. Never heard of it? Well, it’s simply collecting rainwater. I made it really simple and just put out containers I already had. It also took almost 24 hours of some pretty heavy rain to fill four of these containers.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I used the rainwater I “harvested” to water my indoor plants — just a few of them (plants, that is). It used up almost all the rainwater I “harvested”.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I also found out that in CO it’s illegal to harvest rainwater. I didn’t know you could legislate something like that!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
We are taking our first “trip” in 2+ years this weekend. Unfortunately it’s to finally bury my Dad (who passed away in January of 2020). My parents’ cemetery is on Long Island, which is a longish drive from here. I finally convinced Mr. Judy to rent an AirBnB.

I figured if we have to go to Long Island, I might as well get to be by the ocean!

Have you ever heard of rainwater harvesting?

Are you gearing up for any trips?

Also linking up with:

All the Seasons of Spring: Tea/coffee Date April 2021

April 2, 2021March 24, 2021 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments

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Thanks, Coco and Deborah, getting us altogether virtually for a coffee date. It may be Spring, with all that applies — swinging back & forth between Spring & Winter — so I’m still drinking hot chocolate. 🙂

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you a couple of weeks ago I was having serious vaccine envy. It seemed as though everyone I know — aside from my sister & BIL — is vaccinated. I whined to everyone about it and I apologize! The next week they opened it up to 50+.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you the day I learned that I would be eligible to try to make a vaccine appointment the next day — (3/22) — was also the first day I was able to use the Yoga platform in 2021. I got a little goofy trying to take photos of my wrap after I wrapped that practice. It was a good day! My appointment is 5/29, although I’m hoping to move that closer.

ETA: the day after I made the 5/29 appointment (3/24), I made an appointment for 4/26. It was at a site a bit over an hour from me; the 5/29 appointment was much closer. Then I made one for 4/15 (same place, longer drive). This was all the morning of the 24th. Then Darlene told me there was a more local place that had a lot of appointments for that day (the 24th — are you following all this?).

Yup, I made an appointment for that afternoon and prayed I wouldn’t have a reaction so I could go visit my mom the next day as planned, which also happened to be my Dad’s birthday. My mom is pretty stoic, and rarely mentions those sort of anniversary dates. Still I thought it would help brighten her day to have a visit. I knew it would brighten her day to hear I’d had my first vaccine!

On top of all that, my brother is in the middle of getting his vaccinations, and planning a trip out to see my mom in June. He hasn’t seen her in over a year. Plus I also have to fill out a jury questionnaire by the beginning of April; I don’t know when/if I might be called, but the thought of jury duty was definitely freaking me out. As long as it’s not on the date for my second shot . . .

**This photo was less than a week before the photo above — Spring is nothing if not changeable!**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I’ve been doing my best to ~~drag~~take Mr. Judy out for hikes. Any day that is even reasonably warm and dry (and by warm I’m including windy, cloudy, and about 50 sometimes). Bandit doesn’t need any prodding.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I have been jonesing for a cookie. I’ve also been busy and not baking. Then I spied a container in the freezer — lo and behold, it was brownies! I’m usually fairly good at mentally keeping track of what’s in there, but I had no clue they were there — and so happy they were!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
We started to watch Upload (Amazon Prime). The first episode was silly, but mildly entertaining, and it’s definitely light fare, but it got better after the first episode. Although I’m beginning to think we should consider an HBO subscription. You’d think Netflix and Amazon Prime would be enough, wouldn’t you?

Does your beverage of choice change with the seasons?

Have you been able to put away Winter running clothes? At least I’ve fairly certain I won’t need the stuff for 20 and below anymore, but I don’t want to jinx it!

What are you watching these days? Always looking for recommendations.

Also linking up with:

Signs of Spring: Tea/coffee Date March 2021

March 5, 2021March 1, 2021 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 42 Comments

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Thanks, Coco and Deborah, getting us altogether virtually for a coffee date. I may have to stop drinking hot chocolate as we move into Spring. Yeah, not happening, bwahaha!

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**The long & winding road up. Yes, this day was 50F!**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you the first time I stopped at Olana on the way to my mom since being sick, I had to pause to catch my breath multiple times on the very steep uphill back to the car. Normally I can make it without stopping at all.

Last week’s visit there was no stopping, although I did walk up the other side, which I think is less steep. My V02 MAX has continued to rise into a more normal level for me.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I wanted to get the Saucony Peregrine Ice shoes I heard about. But I couldn’t make up my mind. I couldn’t figure out what the right size was, and some reviews said they weren’t really that great on the slippery stuff anyway. Now we’re close enough to Spring, maybe I just have to make up my mind what I want for next year and see if we can get a deal.

**Eagle? Turkey vulture? Just a very large hawk?**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I spied a really large bird in the trees across the street last week. I often see hawks there in spring/summer/fall but I haven’t seen them recently. This bird seemed much larger. Mr. Judy got this photo but even with his big digital camera it was pretty out of focus. I think it was a young male bald eagle! So that was our excitement last week.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you we are really hoping that things will have settled down enough by the Fall so that we feel safe to travel again. We already have a loose plan for our anniversary in October. By that point in time it will be close to three years since I’ve had an actual vacation; of any length.

It will also have been almost a year and a half since Mr. Judy has seen his mother. She’s significantly younger than my mother, but she’s still no spring chicken!

**I wonder if he’ll stop the snuggling when it’s warmer? Apparently yes, he’s already mostly stopped**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you Bandit likes Outlander. I will sometimes watch an episode right before making his dinner. He’s taken to laying next to me and snuggling during it. I’m sure he’s just waiting for his dinner, but he lays quietly next to me so it’s all good.

Are your furkids snuggly — or only when they want something, like Bandit?

Do you have special running shoes for Winter?

Are you ready to plan something — anything?

Also linking up with:

Last year in the 50s: Tea/coffee Date February 2021

February 5, 2021February 1, 2021 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 34 Comments

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Thanks, Coco and Deborah, for inviting me and all the other bloggers to get together with the warm beverage of our choice and get caught up in what’s going on in our worlds.

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you the last couple of years have changed my relationship with running. I don’t know if it will change back when things are finally more normal. I never lived to race. Do I miss it? Sometimes. Sometimes not. I haven’t even really missed running much — not running opened up a lot of time to work on my passion projects and I got so much done — while still staying fit with other fitness pursuits.

**Winter running can be peaceful. It can also test your limits. Some embrace the cold; some “run” from it.**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you part of the reason I probably don’t miss running so much right now is it’s Winter. A relatively mild Winter in these parts (until this month, of course), but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some bone-chilling cold days and snow. Usually for me Winter is a time for maintaining my base.

Although I have been known to train through Winter, most of the time when I’ve done it I swear never again! I’m a sucker for a race around my birthday, though, which is next week. That means travel. Because who wants to run a half marathon in Winter in upstate NY even when times are normal? Well, some people do, but not this girl!

**Mason jars make me happy. Mason jars with healthy food even happier.**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you these brightly colored mason jars filled with healthy food: parsley — used to make pesto, not pictured but it’s also in a mason jar!, home made chocolate cashew milk, greens soup, vegetarian chili, cauliflower (which has been transformed into cauliflower leek soup), home made chicken bone broth — they make my heart sing every time I open the refrigerator door.

I’d also tell you somehow I got 2 things of parsley into my grocery order, and because every time you go back to adjust an order with that company, you have to enter your substitutions all over again, I just let it be. Then when it came, there were three things of parsley! One was used for the greens soup, another for the pesto, and I guess I’ll just have to make more of my greens soup!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I hurt my shoulder doing Yoga last month; the first time I was able to resolve it pretty quickly with self myofascial release (SMR), even though it was so painful I could barely lift my arm past shoulder height.

The second time also resolved pretty quickly, for the same reason. Although I had one night, after it was almost all better, when oddly I had a terrible time sleeping because I couldn’t get comfortable — despite the fact that during the day it was feeling pretty good. Weird! Luckily it was fine by the time it snowed and shoveling didn’t bother it.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I turn 59 next week. Of course I can’t tell you how I’ll feel when I turn 60 in 2022, but right now it doesn’t bother me. I think that’s because I’m the baby of my family — both my immediate and my extended family. Also there’s the fact my sister is 7 years older, so obviously she turned 60 long ago, although sometimes I swear I feel like the older sister!

How do you feel about big birthdays?

Oldest, youngest, middle child or only child?

What would you do with #alltheparsley?

Also linking up with:

Do you believe?: Tea/coffee Date January 2021

January 1, 2021December 28, 2020 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 29 Comments

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me and a bunch of bloggers for the first ultimate ~~coffee~~ tea date in 2021. I know we’re all crossing our fingers that 2021 will be a much, much better year. I definitely feel I’m overdue for a good year.

What else has been going on in my world?

Pull up some hot chocolate (because that’s my favorite hot beverage in the Winter) and I’ll listen to what’s going on in your world, then tell you what’s going on in mine.

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you Mr. Judy never seems to believe me, like the time I told him some states you can register to vote on election day — 19, in fact, and the District of Columbia — or the time I told him my Tracfone app said I have 40,000 minutes left on my plan. He was so sure I meant 4000, but nope, 40,000 is what the app said.

Out of curiosity I asked Alexa how many hours 40,000 minutes is: 666. We almost died laughing when we heard that! Yes, it’s a glitch in the app, I don’t have quite that much time.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you the story behind the scarf in the photo above, since I got a lot of admiring comments on it. Many years ago, while we were still living in TX, I tagged along on a business trip to Paris with Mr. Judy. A week in Paris? Yes please!

I had a lot of fun traipsing all over Paris, mostly on my own, since Mr. Judy was working. One day I took a walking tour of Montmarte, which turned out great, because it ended at Sacre Coeur Cathedral in such a way that you don’t have to climb up all the steps (if you’ve been, you know what I’m talking about).

There just happened to be a craft fair around the outside of the cathedral that day, and that’s where I bought the scarf. I don’t wear it often because it’s not very long, but I was so glad I wore it in the photo above because it was in the 30s that morning and quite cold hiking around Olana!

**Doesn’t seem that long ago we were eating outside but now it’s my fireplace (we don’t have one)**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that the infrared patio heater I bought for Mr. Judy for his birthday back in September, the one that Lola enjoyed so much in her last few weeks . . . I’m enjoying it right now. I’ve got it next to the recliner I usually sit in at night when we watch tv, and you better believe I’ve been basking in its glow! Supposedly there are a lot of health benefits to infrared heat, such as:

Improve blood circulation and skin complexion.
Strengthens cardiovascular system.
Improve detoxification.
Wound healing.
Relaxation and pain/aches management.
Immunity boosting.
Cancer support.

I’m not sure this heater does all that, but it does feel nice.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you when I got the humidifier from Doterra I’d ordered (which you can put essential oils in), I immediately showed it to Mr. Judy, although it wasn’t yet Hannukah. He’d been talking about buying a humidifier for years. He promptly showed me the humidifier he’d bought.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you don’t worry, the house is more than big enough for two humidifiers. Mr. Judy has his running 24/7 and he’s having to fill it every day. I only run the one in the bedroom for a couple of hours before bed, so it lasts a few days. I use lavender essential oil in there and have definitely noticed I sleep better when I run it.

Have you ever bought the same present for a loved one they bought for you?

Ended up using a gift you bought for your significant other?

Is there something you look for when you travel? For me it’s usually scarves, mugs, and earrings.

I am also linking up with the Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

bfridayfairy

What to Watch in a Pandemic?: Tea/coffee Date December 2020

December 4, 2020December 3, 2020 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 30 Comments

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me and a bunch of bloggers for the ultimate ~~coffee~~ tea date: It’s a mixed bag today, but that pretty much describes my mind most days.

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you we finished up watching The West Wing right about election time. It was perfect timing and totally serendipitous. I was amazed at how well this show stands up and is still relevant. I was also kind of surprised that I remembered the earlier episodes much better than the later ones — so weird.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you last month I told you about the green tomatoes I picked right before our first hard freeze. It took a while, but they did all ripen and I ate them all.

**They’re mine! Finally! They’re all mine!**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you Bandit now has his pick of way too many pet beds. Of course we did end up throwing out one that he had completely and utterly destroyed. We had to shoo him off the big pillow near our dining room table because Lola really loved it at the end of her life, but now it’s his. It’s all his!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you we should have a memorial tree grove by now. One of our vets sends us a seedling every time we lose a furkid. So that should be four trees. Except so far none of them has made it, probably because all the losses have been in Winter. I ought to tell the vet, but I kinda hate to.

This most recent seedling has at least sprouted

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that TV in the time of Pandemic is not so great for relaxing. I guess because of the shows I watch. But TV is a form of escapism for me — and watching shows that work in the pandemic to the show, which I suppose they really had to do — well, that’s what I’m turning to TV to get away from!

We did recently watch The Queen’s Bandit on Netflix (takes place in the late 60s, no Pandemic in sight) and we both really enjoyed it.

Do your furkids actually use their beds? Bandit often likes to literally lay around a bed.

Ever tried to save some veggies from a frost?

Can you recommend a great Netflix series to take our minds off the Pandemic? We tried Schitts’ Creek. Not my kind of humor, but we’ve only watched a couple of episodes so far.

I am also linking up with:

I am also linking up with the Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

bfridayfairy

Sourdough Fail: Tea/coffee Date November 2020

November 6, 2020November 5, 2020 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 36 Comments

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me and a bunch of bloggers for the ultimate ~~coffee~~ tea date: How do sourdough pancakes with that coffee/tea sound?

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you that they had just opened up inside visitation where my mom lives. Then a staff member in the assisted living there (my mom does not live in assisted living) tested positive. So much for that. I had planned to bring her her Echo Show (before Lola got so sick) and set it up for her.

It’s just a matter of plugging it in and putting in her Wifi password so hopefully I can talk her through it (I set up the device already at our house). In fact, I’m off to see her today. She’s going to have questions and I will be already tired from the visit! Lord give me strength.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I have some green tomatoes I picked right before our snowfall. I am not a fan of fried green tomatoes. I’m not sure they’ll actually ripen inside since they were still green? I guess it’s a wait & see. Like if the potatoes & carrots survived the snow (we did cover them). Obviously at least one tomato is ripening.

**It’s large enough for a frozen pizza (yes, that’s the first thing we cooked in it)**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you we did buy our toaster oven/air fryer (as I talked about in last month’s Tea/Coffee date, and in last week’s Weekly Run Down here). Mr. Judy had found a great deal on the model I decided on on Prime Day, but I was asleep and by the morning that deal was gone.

I took it as a sign that we were meant to get the other, more expensive model we’d been thinking about. Mr. Judy was not thrilled, but he did buy it and so far we’re really happy with it.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I did a search to link up last week’s post. I searched on “RIP”. It came up with Lola, my Dad (both in 2020), and Chester. I wrote about Gizmo, too, who passed in 2019, but I titled it something different. Cause you know I’m always going to write about the furkids, even if right now it’s only furkid.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I tried my hand at sourdough starter and was successful. Sort of. Wouldn’t you know I did it the week Lola got sick? So it was bubbly and doubling and I successfully made sourdough pancakes with it.

**We did get sourdough pancakes out of it a couple of times before it got moldy. They were definitely sour!**

Then I forgot to feed it and it got just a little moldy. My research tells me I probably could have started new starter with just a little bit of it (it was just a little mold) and that that rarely that happens. But it is 2020, #amiright?

What you don’t know is that I used to bake bread from scratch all the time. Back when we were first married and I lived in VT. Kneading is really therapeutic! Then eventually we got a bread machine, and I used it so much it eventually broke.

I will try sourdough again, but right now I’m still recovering from the past month or so.

Where are my sourdough bakers?

Ever tried to save some veggies from a frost?

Does it bother you when you miss a good deal?

I am also linking up with:

I am also linking up with the Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

bfridayfairy

The one with dogs, rabbits, & cows: Tea/coffee Date October 2020

October 2, 2020September 30, 2020 ~ Chocolaterunsjudy ~ 25 Comments

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Pull up a chair and mug with Coco and Deborah and me and a bunch of bloggers for the ultimate ~~coffee~~ tea date: I’ll be talking mostly about animals. Wild and domestic!

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I’m happy that the two stroller gals I often see on the sidewalk can get together, but at the same time, they take up the entire sidewalk. Sometimes more than the entire sidewalk as one will angle her stroller towards the street as they’re chatting and wrapping up their stroll.

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If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
Then there was the guy (same sidewalk) walking a Doberman. I have absolutely nothing against Dobermans — any dog, really — it’s all about the training — and this dog clearly had none. His owner’s “he won’t bother you” was so far from the truth as the dog was lunging toward me.

Then recently one of our neighbors was walking her small dog on a flexi leash (the ones that can extend — I hate those things!). The owner was engrossed in her phone. The dog had almost tripped me up before the owner noticed that she’d extended the leash like 6 feet and gotten underfoot. At least she was extremely apologetic.

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell we’ve been enjoying the West Wing again on Netflix, and I had pretty much forgotten the long list of celebrities who made guest appearances on it:

Laura Dern
Christain Slater
Mark Harmon
Marlee Maitlin
Mary Louise Parker
Matthew Modine

And many more. You can always tell a popular show by the quality of its guest stars!

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I saw a recommendation for the Almond Cow (you can buy it here — no affiliation!), which led me down the rabbit hole of looking at nut milk makers. I was leaning towards asking for one for our anniversary, even though we’re planning to buy a toaster oven/air fryer.

I like to do my due diligence, though. As I was looking at cheaper models, and reading reviews, I came across one that said that she thought making it in her Vitamix actually made a creamier almond milk. I guess I’m finally going to try to make nut milk in my Vitamix!

**These are actually still standing (front yard) but you can see they were nibbled on before we moved them**

If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
. . . remember those black eyed susans I was worried about on our last coffee/tea date? Oh, the rabbits took care of that problem. Well, Mr. Judy thinks it was the rabbits. He moved one of the plants, which seems to be hanging on, but the other two were completely taken out.

He did research that says rabbits love black eyed susans. My research had the same results as my research on whether or not they were toxic to dogs: some places said rabbits will eat them, others said rabbits won’t. All I know is something ate them.

Have any dog friendly garden flowers you love (that rabbits don’t eat)?

Do you ever rewatch older shows? We actually don’t much (well, Mr. Judy does all the time), but we had come to an impasse on what to watch. I’m really enjoying being able to watch the West Wing without having to wait a week (or weeks) between episodes).

Ever have a “run-in” with a neighborhood dog?

I am also linking up with:

I am also linking up with the Fridays with Fairytales and Fitness from Fairytales & Fitness.

bfridayfairy