What I Do in the Wee Hours of the Night

I pet raccoons! We discovered these cute little raccoons on our front porch eating peanuts from the big container we used to store birdfeed. After several nocturnal visits, they are starting to get friendly -- they are letting us pet them and feed them by hand! Check out these photos!!!

This little guy has a deathgrip on our door handle. Poor little thing was terrified to let go! Dan wanted to just pick him up and help him down, but he was too afraid that the baby coon would rip him to SHREDS if he even thought about it.



Dan finally got the lid off the birdfeed container and used it as a platform for the terrified little guy. He took off pretty much right away, so he didn't get to try out the delicious apple slices that we brought out for them.


His sibling was not as timid. He chewed down on apple slices and peanut butter. I would wager a guess that this was damned near his favourite meal -- with the notable exception of the steak bones he pulled out of a long surgical hole he ripped in the bottom of my garbage a little later in the evening. grrrrr.




Let me tell you, their little hands are amazing. This little guy reaches out so daintily to take the apple right out of my hand and eats it like one of my kids would eat an apple -- by shoving as much of it as absolutely possible into it's mouth.



They like to be petted, but they are still skiddish if you put your hands too close to their face. Best for your hand to approach from the side, slowly and gently. Their fur is so soft and thick it's everything a person can do to keep from pulling them onto your lap for a cuddle.



When they have had their fill, they run for the spruce tree for shelter. Watching us from the safety of their high perch, I get the impression that we are being scolded for not having more peanut butter and apples for them to eat.

Its All About Me!!!!

Well, it's been probably over a week since I have had the chance to sit down and write in my blog. So, this is post number two and most people still know nothing about me except that I have five children, a husband, and a computer. So I suppose you want to know more about who I am....

That is really hard to answer. This is a question that most interviewees detest and interviewers love. What a person says about themself is quite probably less informative than what aspect of their life they choose to discuss!

Anyways, philosophy aside, I guess I should try to tell you a bit more about me. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so here is a picture of me with my littlest one, Peanut. She is sooooo adorable. She is only just learning how to walk. She lifts her legs like a prancing pony with every step and grins from ear to ear with every successful step. In this picture, she had been walking around the house firmly holding my fingers in a death-grip. She was exhausted by the time I took this picture.

I live in a small town in Southwestern Ontario. I work in Toronto. It is quite a drive, three hours in each direction with the winter weather here. Thankfully, I have a great boss who says I can work from home most of the week. I manage some staff, so I have to go to the office every once in a while. It is a great job. I love what I do and the people I work with. And it pays great, too! (check it out: http://www.ultimatebet.com. Best place to play poker for money or for fun!)

The only problem with having a full time job and a full time family is that I do not have a lot of time for things such as blogging!! I end up dividing my precious spare time between several of my favourite things to do. One of those things is playing a game called Oblivion. I am a junkie. It takes every bit of willpower I have to NOT play this game when I am working from home. For anyone who likes to play any of the games from The Elder Scrolls series, check out this website: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Main_Page. This is the BEST site for anything to do with Arena, Daggerfall, Oblivion, etc.


I also like to read. I am currently reading the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan for about the sixth time. I LOVE this series. Robert Jordan has had some health issues for the past while, but he is still churning out book after amazing book!! If you like fantasy books, I would highly recommend the Wheel of Time. Pick a comfortable spot, bring some snacks, and start reading. Make SURE you have a comfy spot, though, cause you will be there for about six months. There is a lot to read and worth every second of your time to do it. Check out: http://www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/ This is Robert Jordan's personal blog.

My other passion is scrapbooking. I am not as prolific as my mother, Katz, or my sister-cousin, Tink, but I have a few pages I really like. I generally head over to my mom's place to do my scrapbooking. Mom has GREAT supplies and magazines and inspiration. Mostly though, I go for inspiration. (I seem to be missing a good picture of my mom right now. Bummer.) Maybe my next post.

Anyways, I guess I will stop for now. I have to go to sleep now. Later everyone!

Dryad

Nuts!!!

Dryads take care of trees. They are connected to their trees in a way that defies definition. Without their trees, dryads would wither and die. I am the same. My family is my orchard and to my five little trees, I am connected in a way that defies definition. Without them, I would wither and die. I spend a great deal of time tending my orchard --- watering, caring for the roots, and even a pruning from time to time. I sometimes think that I am the only thing that stands between a fruitful, well-rooted orchard and the untamed wilds of the jungle!

I am Dryad, a blissfully happy married mother of five. Between my children, my husband, and my three cats, I am surrounded by nuts!

The oldest nut in the family is my husband, whom I refer to as my mighty Oak. He also helps me tend our unruly forest of children. Tall and solid he shades us from the burning sun, shelters us from the driving rain and bitter winds, and grows deep roots for us all to cling to when we need. With his branches held high to the sky, our little grafts can climb high to reach their dreams knowing that he is there to catch them if they do not make it on the first attempt. He is an Ent (shameless LOTR reference) who keeps us all safe and secure.

My oldest sapling, is Almond. A tall 8 year old boy who is everything I could have hoped and prayed. He is quite smart -- sometimes too smart for his own good! He helps with his sapling-mates a lot, including learning how to change diapers.

Next in line is my daughter, Hazel. She is a bright, albeit shy, little girl. She loves ponies and butterflies and getting her older brother in trouble. She loves helping out with her little sister. She is going to drive the boys crazy, she is so beautiful.

My middle sapling is Cashew. His smile is big and bright and lights up what ever room he is in and the heart of anyone who sees. His mission in life is to do everything his big brother can do.
I spend a lot of time with him on my lap easing his frustration.

Pecan is my baby boy, now 2 years old. Holy Sap, is that boy 2. Ten feet tall, bullet proof, old enough to know better, and young enough to still have those big beautiful innocent eyes to melt mommys heart.

My littlest sprout is Peanut. She is a year old and beautiful in every way. She has an infectious smile that she uses liberally and the gentlest touch when she holds out her tiny little hand to touch me on the cheek. She is the happiest child I have ever seen, probably because she is doted on by all four of her older sapling-mates.

Well that's it for now. I will tell you more about life in my little orchard later.

Dryad.