The "Friends For Life" Story

The Gray Lady and Snickerdoodle relaxing in their box lids.

It was an ordinary day.  Watching our cats, The Gray Lady and Snicker- doodle, racing around the house, chasing each other.  It was after Christmas of 2018 that we brought these two little strays into our house one freezing week.  One was a male and the other a female.  

The Gray Lady rests along Carol's legs.

Not sure if they were from the same litter, but that didn't matter. They have become best friends and give Carol and me hours of entertain- ment and companion- ship.  The female we had spayed and during the procedure the vet found she had a few kittens in her which were lost since they were too young to survive.  Due to that, she hasn't grown to be the same size as her companion, Snickerdoodle.  He too was neutered with no problems.  

Snickerdoodle enjoying his monkey.

Animals such as cats and dogs were domesti- cated somewhere between 13,000 and 30,000 years ago.  Humans became accustomed and attached to dogs first, but it didn't take long before the cat was also accepted.  This past year scientists discovered an ancient cemetery near Siberia's Lake Baikal where thousands of dogs had been buried right alongside their human companions.  

Watching a video of birds and mice.

Valuable items were found in the graves leading to the thought that they were meant to be used in the afterlife.  It is also known that in ancient Egyptian times, household pets were laid to rest in elaborate tombs decorated with inscriptions, furnished with treasure and scented by incense.  Cats were first domesticated by the Natufians who lived in the Levant about 10,000 years ago.

The Gray Lady taking a "selfie".

 As cats began to congregate around settle- ments, they became more social, developing communi- cation skills needed to deal with humans.  Eventually someone did studies and found that pet ownership was good for human's physical and mental health.  When Carol heard about that, we were never without a pet.  For the two of us, the warm feeling we get when we look into the eyes of our cats is real.  Today about 68% of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, own a pet or two.  That's up 56% from the same study done in 1988.  Hey, we're holding up our part of the study.  Do you have a pet...and if not, why not.  There are many strays in most neighborhoods who would love to be your friend and companion.  They will teach you forgiveness, love and companionship as good as any human could do.  Trust me...I know!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The handsome Snickerdoodle!

The sweet and devilish Gray Lady.

The "Will Carl Be Legal?" Story

Foreword:  I wrote the story you are about to read the same day an article appeared in the local newspaper telling of a bill in Pennsylvania's legislature that was to be voted upon in the near future that would allow hedgehogs and sugar gliders to become legal pets in the state of Pennsylvania.  Three days later the vote took place and the bill was voted down.  Certainly one of the quickest votes in history in the state of Pennsylvania.  So fast that I never got to post my story in a timely manner.  I decided to post the story anyway so you can judge for yourself whether you would have voted for the measure or not.  

 It was an ordinary day.  Just saw in the newspaper that hedgehogs and sugar gliders are going to be dropped from the list of forbidden pets in the state of Pennsylvania.  For years the two animals were classified as exotic wildlife and thus, not allowed as a pet in the state of Pennsylvania.  But recently, one of Lancaster's state representatives has pushed a bill to allow the two animals to be dropped off the list so residents of the state can legally own them as a household pet.  

Carl Mencarini

So now, Carl will be able to visit with his grand- parents legally.  It was this past January that our daughter Brynn and granddaughters Courtney and Camille, visited from their home near Frederick, Maryland and brought Courtney's hedgehog Carl with her.  Carl was a neat little guy who curled up behind his wall of quills and slept most of the day, only to open his protective coat and wander around his box when darkness arrived.  

Carl's nose is always in motion.

His little black nose is constantly sniffing new smells and odors, trying to decide if he should be afraid of his surround- ings or drop his anxious mode and enjoy his new extended family.  For years my wife, Carol, and I had allowed our three children to explore the world of pets and therefore our family home had everything from dogs to cats to hamsters to fish to gerbils as well as guinea pigs and even a chincilla, but they couldn't have a hedgehog since it was illegal to have one in Pennsylvania.  

Daughter Brynn holding Carl.

The hedgehog is classified as a mammal which is native to Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.  It has prickly spines everywhere except their face, legs and stomachs.  Their lifespan is about seven years and they grow to be about two and a half pounds and can get close to twelve inches.  They eat insects, small mice, snails lizards and frogs and are primarily nocturnal.  They curl up into a tight ball when they are frightened to protect their body.  Now, getting a bill through the legislature has been tried several times before, but this time there are plenty of signatures on petitions that may help.  The petitions claim that hedgehogs pose no threat to our ecosystem and only benefit the lives of children and adults who adore these beautiful creatures.  

Carl the hedgehog.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission supports the bill which can only be a plus for the bill.  Our local pet stores carry hedgehog food, but not hedgehogs.  So, we will see what happens and whether Carl will have to be smuggled into our home for a visit in the future or if maybe he can enter legally.  My guess is he could care less, but then maybe he really does have an opinion.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Books Lost...Books Found" Story

My old book press from my teaching years.

It was an ordinary day.  Helping my wife with the house cleaning.  Ran the vacuum on the first floor and grabbed a cloth to do some dusting.  For years I have been dusting the antique book press which sits next to an old desk we found at an antique dealer many years ago.  The book press was used for years in my classroom when we made hand-bound books, but when I retired and the new teacher didn't want it, the principal told me to take it with me.  I claimed the press plus the old floor model guillotine paper-cutter, wooden teacher's desk, a few dozen wooden California job cases and drawer after drawer of old wooden and metal type pieces plus metal engravings that were of no use to anyone.  As I dusted the book press I checked out the three books that have been a part of our home since we moved into our Beach House over 20 years ago.  As I looked at the small bound books I was stumped as to how we acquired them.  Carol and I found that one book came from the Martic Elementary School where she went to school as a child while the other two came from the Pequea Township School District.  All three have the little "Date Due" flyer in the back of them showing how many times the book had been read and in one case, what year it was placed in circulation in the library.  Somehow over the years we acquired the three children's books and placed them in our book press when we moved to our current location.  And, today for the first time in my life I opened them and examined them. The following information describes the really neat children's books what I re-discovered: 

• Far from Marlborough Street by Elizabeth Philbrook.  

  

  
  

  This book was published in 1944 and is listed as a book for juvenile audiences.  The book tells the story of Nancy Wadsworth who could hardly believe her ears when her grandfather suggested she, ten year old girl that she was, go along on a stagecoach journey from Boston to Springfield.  It was in the year of 1793 and the roads were rutty.  But, who else could go?  Someone had to take the mysteriously valuable box to Uncle Jonathan to get him out of trouble.  The adventures she goes through from catching a horse thief to buying a moose are all explored in this book.  This book was actually one in Oprah's Bookclub.
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.  
  
  This is book 1 on the Chronicles of Narnia and tells how Aslan, the noble lion, freed Narnia from the spell of the White Witch.  The novel is set in Narnia, a land of talking animals and mythical creatures that one White Witch has ruled for 100 years of deep winter.  Four English children are relocated to a large country house following a wartime evacuation.  They are sent to the countryside to live with professor Digory Kirke.  The youngest visits Narnia three times via the magic of a wardrobe found in a spare room.  All four children are together on her third visit, which proves that the youngest was telling the truth.  You must read the book to find what happens to the children.  The book all began with a picture in the author's mind of a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels in a snowy wood, but it wasn't until he was about 40 that he made a story about it.  After reading some online notes about the book, I fell compelled to read it myself, being a child at times in my mind.
• A Horse Named Summer by Karen Bendick.  
  
  The book is based on a diary kept by the author when she was 14, therefore the style of the book is very simple.  The sentences are short and declarative and the illustrations, also by the author, are clear and unadorned line drawings.  The devotion the author had for her horse, which her family had rented for her over the summer, is quite evident.  Miss Bendick called her horse Sil Summer Salt and tells details about his care and comfort as well as the pleasure she took in riding him.  As the entries in the diary near the end of the summer, they indicate her transition to a more mature view of her relationship to the animal, which she began to liken to that of a parent and child.  Young girls will love the book it is said.  As I leafed through the book, reading passages, it reminded me of my wife as a young girl who too had a horse that she cared for during her high school years.  

All three books are now back in the book press, but can be removed if anyone would like to read them.  Just type me a comment and we may be able to arrange for you to borrow the books.  All three books have probably entertained quite a few children in the past half-century.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A popular book titled "A Horse Named Summer" which was borrowed close to 60 times.  On the back of it, but not pictured, was printed in all capital letters: I LOVE JOHN. 

Inside the book, "Far from Marlborough Street", can be seen dates as early as 1963.

The "It's In The Bible, So It Must Be True!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a variety of stories about human microchipping.  Much like our pets, we humans would be implanted with a microchip in our hand that with a wave of our hand we would be able to open the door, start the car or control our computer or smart phone.  How cool would that be!  But wait, could we be infected with a computer virus or hacked with a swipe of a scanning device?  A scientist at a University in the UK actually implanted a chip in himself in 2009 to control his office's electronic gadgets and thus became the first human infected with a computer virus.  The virus was replicated on the swipecards of staff members accessing his building which in turn infected the University's database.  The scientist still remained enthusiastic about what he believes to be the technology of the future.  Then in 2013 scientists at Stanford University created the first purely biological transistor that was made entirely of genetic material.  The breakthrough was needed for a biological computer that can operate within living cells and reprogram living systems.  Today in Sweden biometric scanners/radio frequency identification chips (RFID) are already used in college dining halls and some amusement parks as well as being used in Africa to keep track of who is being vaccinated.  The RFID chip is being used in your cell phone to track your every move and the phone's camera can be remotely activated by authorities.  And, wouldn't it be cool to be able to swipe your hand over a scanner to buy a pizza or go to the movies?  How about buying a pair of really cool shades.  The younger generation may be more apt to be willing to try the new technology since it will be very convenient and will lend an illusion of power to them.  With just a wave of their hand they will be able to open a door.  In no time it will be our new "social security number."  But, will the government be able to compel you to be chipped.  Will the government be able to predict an individual's behavior with computer algorithms and with science being able to decode thoughts and intentions, who knows what power the government may have.  Did you know that it actually talks about this in the Bible when in Revelations 13:16-17 it says: “And he caused all, the small and great, rich and the poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”  An article that I read actually started with this Bible verse and pointed out that human-implanted microchips won't just be popular in the future... they'll be mandatory.  Scary...so it is.  Sounds as if the "he" in the Bible verse may be the government rather that a Diety.  Then again, for years we have been embedding chips in our pets so their name, address and owner will know just where they may be.  How neat would it be to have all your medical data, your credit card number, your passport number, your driver's license number and your Bonus Card number from the local grocery store rewards card accessible with a swiipe of your hand over a scanner?  Maybe they could add a cell in the implanted device to turn off your home security system and open your garage door all at one time.  Folks, this can all be done by imbedding a chip in your hand or arm with a syringe!  Will I ever see it in my lifetime?  And, do I ever want to see it in my lifetime?  For me, the jury is out right now.  I'll wait and see what the verdict is before I undergo the needle.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "What About Carl" Story

Carl the hedgehog!

It was an ordinary day.  Holding Carl in my hand.  Now, I should tell you that throughout my lifetime I have had a variety of pets; dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horned toads, tropical fish, white mice, white rats and even a pigeon that had a broken wing.  My parents were animal lovers which in turn made me one also.  My children also had a variety of pets; dogs, cats, hamsters, tropical fish, parakeets and even a chinchilla.  Now my grandchildren are picking up the slack with pets such as cats, dogs, hamsters, fish and now a...hedgehog.  The hedgehog is classified as an exotic animal and thus may be illegal to own in some states in the United States.  In the state of Pennsylvania it is illegal to own one, but in neighboring Maryland they are legal; and my granddaughter Courtney, who lives in Maryland, is now the owner of a hedgehog.  

Courtney and Carl.

During the holidays Courtney and her family made a three-day visit to Lancaster, PA and brought along their dog Rocco and hedgehog Carl.  Pretty neat little guy with many, many spines.  He seems to be afraid of me and therefore stays curled up most of the time while making a hissing sound.  When he does unfurl he has a white body with tiny little feet, a long snoot with black nose, dark brown ears and hundreds of black/brown/white spines.  The spines are soft to the touch, but I imagine that if he makes them erect they could pierce the skin and cause some painful puncture wounds.  There are 14 known species of hedgehogs in the world with three of these, known as desert species, native to North Africa and the Middle East.  

Carl relaxing

There are four long-eared species which are native to China while one specie is found in Ethiopia.  The species found in Western Europe, Scandinavia and the British Isles are known to be tame while a variety of African hedgehogs can make good pets.  Courtney's friend, Carl, is an African pygmy hedgehog which is known to make a great pet.  The pygmy variety you can safely and conveniently hold in your hand.  When Carl is happy and relaxed his quills are down and he feels soft to the touch, but get him mad or startle him and in a tenth of a second he can be a prickly ball of stiff thorns.  

Carl getting ready to eat a mealworm.

Hedgehogs actually can be found in a variety of colors with the snowflake hedgehog completely white.  Cinnamon hedgehogs have cream colored quills with brownish red bands.  These hedgehogs are referred to as champagne or apricot hedgehog.  The mocha variety has coffee or chocolate and cream colored quills, usually with a dark mask.  The cream hedgehog has quills that are off-white or ivory with eyes that very light in color.  If the hedgehog has a mask and dark legs, but its quills are between white and pale gray, it is known as a smoke point or silver hedgehog.  Finally, those that defy a description based on color, but have definite patterns in their quills, are known as pinto hedgehogs.  Hedgehogs are very susceptible to heat and can have a fatal stroke if they get too hot.  Therefore, a wire-mesh enclosure may be the perfect place for them.  Keeping them in a shoebox can be cruel since they like to scurry about, looking for items to eat.  Wood chips make a good bedding material, but make sure they are dust-free as well as unscented.  

Neat shot of Carl showing his small feet.

A drip-bottle is a great source of liquid for the hedgehog and a small litter pan and small cardboard box for sleeping are welcome.  Another source of privacy for the hedgehog could be a piece of PVC pipe with a 90 degree connector attached.  A perfect temperature would be in the 70 to 90 degree range.  Hedgehogs are carnivores and need both a diet of of vegetables and meat.  Crickets and mealworms are a great source of meat for them.  Hedgehogs can be entertaining, but placing two males together usually is asking for trouble.  A male and a female may look as if they are fighting, but will more than likely be parents before you know it.  Before getting one for a pet, make sure it is legal in your state.  Now, as far as Carl is concerned, he is pretty neat and loves to be petted.  I have never seen him walk around much, but he always seems to have his quills lowered.  My granddaughter is learning more about him all the time and enjoys his different moods, socialization and watching him eat.  He definitely is not type of pet to take to bed with you...unless you care to have to pull a few of his quills from you after rolling over on him.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The End Of 'The Greatest Show On Earth'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got off the phone with my friend Jerry who I call every Sunday evening; unless I forget!  Tonight we talked about our week's activities and then Jerry asked, "Did you see the news about the circus?"  Wasn't sure what he was talking about so I asked.  Seems that the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will end "The Greatest Show on Earth" this coming May after a 146-year run.  Wow!  When Jerry was younger his dream in life was to work on the circus tour.  I'm sure it's no longer on his bucket list, but geez, if it is he only has a few months in which to get going so he can cross it off his list as having done that.  

Jerry's "Circus Train"

He already has made an entire HO train with about a dozen cars as well as an HO sized circus with a tent and the whole works.  I'll tell you, it's really neat and extremely realistic.  I've taken photos of the train and miniature circus more than once while visiting him and posted the photos in stories I've written.  

A closeup of one of the train cars holding circus wagons.

Back in 2010 Carol and I visited with Jerry and Sue at their home in State College and our main reason for that visit was to go to the Bryce Jordan Center to see the same circus that will be history soon.  We arrived early and were allowed to be on the arena floor and visit with the entertainers and performers.  

LDub as part of the entertainment at the circus.

Even had a performer put a bathroom plunger on my head and spin a plate on the handle.  It was back in the 1800s that showman Phineas Taylor Barnum partnered with ringmaster James A. Bailey to entertain the public with an animal exhibit and human oddities.  It was during this same time in history that the Ringling family from Wisconsin had their own touring variety act.  They eventually merged and the result was what we know as the "Circus".  They toured from city to city for decades by train, setting up their big-top tents in towns of all sizes.

Jerry's miniature circus complete with "Big-Top",
sideshows, sleeping quarters for entertainers, etc. 

 I can remember visiting the circus with my dad when they came to Lancaster in the 1950s.  So why is the circus pulling up their tents for good soon?  Seems the railroad is getting too costly as well as the many battles the circus faces with animal rights activists.  Circus goers want to see the elephants, lions, and so forth, but recently the circus has had to operate without them due to court battles charging the circus with animal cruelty.  

Jerry's detail is remarkable!

Their accusations must have been document- ed, since the animals seemed to have disappeared from the circus and who wants to see a circus without the animals.  Another reason for the demise of the circus is a multitude of movies, video games, television and internet that seems to have captured the youth of today, leaving the circus without the visual impact it needs to survive.  

A closer view of the "Big-Top" at the Herr Bros. Circus.

At one time in history the circus was so important to our society that President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave Ringling Bros. special permission to use the rails during World War II.  Its going to be a sad day soon when the huge colossal canvas city will no longer track across the country and entertain kids of all ages; myself and Jerry included.  But, I guess every good thing must come to an end.  Future generations will only have miniature representations set up in HO train yards to see what the circus was at one time in history.  Certainly the smells, sounds and excitement of the circus will live on only in our dreams.  So sad!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "So, What's Up With The Easter Bunny?" Story

Ceramic Easter Bunnies my wife made.

It was an ordinary day.  Helping my wife put her Easter decorations back in the small plastic tub that holds them during the remainder of the year.  Then I began to wonder why most of the decorations have a rabbit theme to them.   What does a rabbit have to do with the death of Jesus on the Cross?  Well, I just had to "Google" it to see.  Seems that the Bible makes no mention of a long-eared, short-tailed creature who delivers decorated colored eggs to those who have been good, or reasonably good, in the time between Christmas and Easter.  Now, I must admit, I did make up those conditions myself, but why can't I when someone else came up with an Easter Rabbit!  Seems that the Easter Rabbit arrived in America in the 1700's when German immigrants settled in my backyard (Lancaster County, PA), so to speak.  

A trio of Carol's rabbits.

They carried with them their tradition of an egg-laying hare called "Osterhase".  Their children would make nests for this mythical creature to lay its colored eggs and place carrots next to the nest for the hare.  Sound like Christmas to you to?  Eventually the general public picked up on the idea and commercialized it while including chocolate, jelly beans (which date back to a Biblical-era concoction called a Turkish Delight) and the whole works to go along with the rabbit and eggs.  In Lancaster we actually have an Easter Bunny that you can visit at the local shopping mall and have your photo taken with him, or her.  

Chocolate Easter bunnies.

I did pass on that this year, but I did take notice that the White House had their annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn on the Monday after Easter.  That first began in 1878 when Rutherford B. Hayes was President.  Remember that guy!  Today, Easter is the second best-selling candy holiday in America, after Halloween.  And naturally, the chocolate bunny is one of the biggest sellers.  That, and the marshmallow Peep made in all colors.  And, guess what .... the marshmallow-flavored peeps are made in Pennsylvania by a company called Just Born.  Easter is named for a Saxon goddess who was known by the names of Oestre, or Eastre, and in Germany by the name of Ostara who is the goddess of the dawn and the spring.  So, you see, Easter is much more than our celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead following his death on Good Friday.  It is associated to unrelated practices of early pagan religions.  Easter history and traditions that we practice today evolved from pagan symbols, from the ancient egg-laying hare called "Osterhase" to the ancient goddess called Eastre.  Wow!  And I thought Easter was about the death and resurrection of Christ!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Phew! It's The Dead Smell Again" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife had just walked out of our laundry room holding her nose and saying, "Phew!  It's the dead smell, again!!"  

The little decoration inside our rear door tells it all!

For years we have entertained a variety of critters that enjoy making visits to our rear deck to sample the edible fare that fills the ceramic dish on the deck.  Both Carol and I love animals and can't bear to see them starve to death.  Well, I'm afraid it has finally happened.  Sometime in the past week or so, one of the critters must have starved to death directly under the deck that runs the length of our "Beach House."  Might have been a raccoon, skunk, cat, but more than likely was an opossum that kicked the bucket.  Only half of our home has a basement, since the area where our house is located was at one time a quarry and made it impossible to blast and make a basement under the entire house.  The area that has no basement has crawl space under it with metal grates placed around the area for ventilation.  And ... that area is under our  family room, kitchen and laundry room.  Also attaches to the other part of our basement through a small door than can be opened to allow one to crawl in the crawl space.  Imagine that!  Anyway, have you ever smelled a dead animal?  We have!  And, it reeaaallllyyyyy smells!!  Really gross smell!  And, we have 11 guests coming for Easter Dinner.  

"Larry" is one of our visitors who
stops to eat on a daily basis.

For years we have had a air purifier in our basement to remove any odors from our kitty litter box which we keep in the basement.  Works great.  But the odor that comes from the dead animal, through the grates of the crawl space, through the miniature door and into our heating unit, that pushes the odor through the vent in the house, is horrendous.  What to do?  I unscrewed the small door to make sure nothing had dislodged a grate and entered our crawl space, but found nothing.  So, I placed the air purifier directly under the door, in the furnace room, and turned it on high.  Surprisingly, it has worked.  Kind of!  At times we get a whiff of dead animal smell, but it does go away.  We "Googled" dead animal smell to see how long we can expect the smell to last and it all depends on the outdoor temperature, weather, season of the year and the size of the animal.  Could take weeks!  We are hoping that the odor from the Easter ham, sweet potatoes, scalloped potatoes, pineapple stuffing, etc.  will overpower the dead animal smell and make for an enjoyable Easter dinner.  If not, we may have plenty of left-overs.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Discovery of Green Fruit Loop" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading in the local paper about a mother who was preparing lunch for her kindergartner in Princeton, New Jersey when she made a rather unusual discovery.  A green anole appeared from under a tatsoi leaf, looking around at the kitchen and the woman who had found it.  

The leaves of the Tatsoi plant

Tatsoi, in case you never heard of it, as I hadn't, is a vegetable much like spinach that forms in a rosette of petite leaves and is pale lime green in color.  The woman had purchased the tatsoi at a natural food store and luckily didn't freak out when the little critter appeared cold and lifeless from the center of the plant.  She realized that critters come with the territory when buying vegetables, especially organic vegetables.  The tatsoi came from a farm in Florida which is part of the anole lizard's region.  

This is "Green Fruit Loop" in his new kindergarten home. As
you notice he has changed color to blend in with his surroundings.

The lizard more than likely had been hibernating in the rosette due to recent cool weather in the southern states.  She shared her experience with her daughter who took the reptile to school the next day in a vented Tupperware container and gave it to her science teacher.  The lizard was named "Green Fruit Loop" by the kindergarten class and is now the class mascot.  The teacher told the students that even though it was green when it was found, it can change it's color to brown to blend in with its surroundings.  When Carol and I travel to the Caribbean, I enjoy taking photos of lizards of all sizes.  Some of the largest ones I have found in St. Martin while one of the most beautiful green lizards I found a few years ago during a trip to Hawaii.  Can't imagine what I would think had I found one in a head of lettuce found at the grocery store.  I know I would definitely take a photo of it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "My Good Buddy" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Watching my buddy sitting in front of the back door, studying the mounds of snow that are foot high against the outside of the back door.  The same door that back in 2011 he was on the other side of during a very nasty snow storm.  After that storm I opened the back door to go out and shovel and in flies this big orange and white stray cat over the mounds of snow that had then gathered against the door.  He continued through the house and down the basement.  

Creamsicle in a quiet moment by the fireplace.

He sat scared behind a TV cabinet as he watched me come down the stairs with a bowl of food for him.  After eating, he came back upstairs and managed to run outside once again, but that was the start of a friendship that has lasted for over five years now.   As he sits watching the snow today I wonder what he thinks.  Does he have the capacity to remember years ago when he was on the outside looking in at me.  Creamsicle, as we call him, is one of the most talkative pets we have ever had.  He is constantly talking to us about just about anything.  Meal time is a real treat around the kitchen island with him telling us what he wants and then complaining if it isn't exactly what he preferred.  Then shortly after he eats he reminds us it is time for his heart pill which he eats with a spoonful of baby food.  He sits by the back door and tells us he needs to go out and check the back deck for marauding thieves.  At bed time he sits next to our recliners reminding us that it is time for bed and naturally his night-time treat.  But, with all this conversation comes the companionship that both he, Carol and I relish.  

Creamsicle keeping a lookout for intruders.

Being empty-nesters for years now, and with a series of other pets that made not a sound, he is a welcome addition to the household.  At times it does get rather annoying, but he seems to sense those moments and walks away until we have a chance to regroup.  The other day I did yell at him for being to vocal, but after seeing some blood in his stool in the kitty litter pan, I felt terrible for yelling at him.  The blood has subsided and we believe it was from the bird he caught and devoured after offering to us for breakfast a day or two ago.  For those of you who have pets, you know how attached you can get to them, especially one who likes to talk with you.  It's almost like having a child and listening to them as they learn to speak.  Only problem with Creamsicle, I know he will never be able to speak my language.  At least I don't think he will!  For now I will have to imagine what he is telling me as he looks over all the snow on the other side of the door.  I'm sure he likes this side better.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Chapel Of The Pigeons" Story

The pigeons that roost at the Cristo Chapel.

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to make my way through what appears to be about a couple hundred or more pigeons.  My goal is to reach what is known as the Capilla del Cristo or  more commonly known as the Cristo Chapel located in the city known as Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.  I must admit that when I rounded the corner at the bottom of the street and saw the chapel for the first time, I was disappointed.  It had just stopped raining and the cobblestone street leading to the chapel was wet and glistened in the sun which appeared from behind the clouds.  On each side of the cobblestone street were pigeons of varying colors, all wet and huddled together. 

The beautiful Cristo Chapel in Old San Juan.

Wasn’t sure if I should try and make my way through the flock of birds which didn’t seem to be afraid of my approaching them.  I managed to wind my way through the motley looking crew to the chapel which was encased in a screened area.  The chapel was built in the 18th centrury and came about because of a miracle which happened at the location.  Seems a young horseman lost control of his horse while racing another rider up the hill during the fiesta of St. John's Day and plunged off the cliff.  One version says the chapel was built to block off the street to prevent the same from happening again while another version says that the secretary of the city, Dom Mateo Pratts, was so moved by the accident that he invoked Christ to save the youth and the chapel was built to commemorate the miracle of his living. 

The pigeons dominate the chapel's arches.

The exterior of the small Chapel is beautiful, but my biggest disappoint- ment came about when I found it was not Tuesday, the only day the Chapel is open to the public.  I didn’t get a chance to see the gold and silver altar and the Campeche paintings that adorn the interior of the small chapel.  But, I did get to see the multitude of pigeons waiting in line to greet the Lord next Tuesday.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Is It The Scent Or The Compassion?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Fourth or fifth day of vacation in paradise.  We are occupying the second floor in a condo in the Caribbean Princess Hotel along Orient Beach on the island of St. Martin.  As we sit, eating a breakfast of mango juice and French croissants, we hear this soft, familiar sound.  "Sounds like Creamsicle," Carol says to me.  "I think it's coming from the front door," I replied to her.  We unlocked the front door, opened it, and there stood one of the most pathetic little cats we had ever seen.  Then as we stood looking at the cat, two more appeared from around the curved stairwell.  For years, while visiting on the island, we would feed the sugar birds, but we never had any cats make visits to our villa high above Orient Bay on the hill overlooking the beach.  Seems no matter where we go we attract the local homeless animals.  Not sure if it is our scent or the compassion that we have for those poor creatures that have no home and many times no food or fresh water that draw them to us.  

We cut up some lunch meat we had in the fridge, put it in a few dishes and opened the door once more to feed it to the homeless felines.  Then the meowing started.  Almost deafening!  They couldn't believe their good luck.  Well, we made a trip to the local Super Grande Marche for a small bag and a really big bag of cat food.  The small bag is for the half dozen hungry cats that now call condo A-2 home during our stay while the really big bag is for delivery to our friend and island native, Geraldine, who takes in any stray cat or dog that wanders to her small rum store at beautiful Paradise View, a five minute drive from our condo.  I know some think it is terrible to feed the strays, but we just can't bear to see them starve to death, for they are one of God's creatures just as we are.  Are they not?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Endangered Tiny Bog Turtle" Story

Area in the US where the Bog Turtle is found.

It was an ordinary day.  "Googling" the bog turtle to find out if what I had just read was really true.  Seems that the Federal Government has just paid a Berks County, PA developer $1.3 million to NOT build 300 homes on a 102-acre area in northern Lancaster County.  The developer is selling a permanent easement for the land so that the tiny turtles can spend their life burrowed into the mud of the damp, grassy fields along the edge of Adamstown and East Cocalico Township.  The turtle, that can live for up to 80 years, was discovered by self-taught botanist and clergyman Gotthilf Heinrich Ernst Muhlenberg who was from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Photo of the little Bog Turtle.

Seems he was conducting a survey of the flora of Lancaster County when he discovered the tiny turtle in the 18th century.  In 1801 Johann David Schoepff named Muhlenberg's discovery Testudo muhlengergii.  Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, named after Mr. Muhlenberg, has a bronze turtle statue on campus.  The bog turtle is the smallest North American turtle that measures slightly less than four ounces long when fully grown.  It is listed on the threatened list at the federal level and therefore protected under the United States' Endangered Species Act.  It is considered threatened in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania as of November 4, 1997.  Invasive plants and urban development have eliminated the turtle's habitat.  

Photo by George Gress showing the environment
in northern Lancaster County were the bog turtle
can be found.

The turtle has a low reproduction rate with females laying about three eggs a year.  It has a dark skin color with an orange-red wash on the inside of the legs of some of them.  I read that the bog turtle is what is known as diurnal which means it is active during the day and sleeps at night.  Wakes in early morning, basks in the sun until fully warm, then begins its search for food.  In colder days the turtle will retreat to dense underbrush, underwater or bury in mud.  It has the ability to survive without oxygen.  It hibernates in small groups in dense soil or root systems from late September until late March or early April.  The Berks County developer is more than willing to take the $1.3 million in order to preserve the bog turtle's environment.  Think I might be also. Hey, we are all paying this guy not to build, so I guess we are essentially conservationists. Bravo to all of you!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.   

The "Guess What We're Having For Supper" Story

Creamsicle at home on my desk.

It was an ordinary day.  Heading to the back door to let Creamsicle in after his morning trek around what he now considers his property.  Creamsicle was homeless for quite a few years, but hung around our house so that he could eat the food that Carol and I placed outside for all the homeless animals in the neighborhood.  One cold snowy winter day he decided it was time to visit with us inside the house and after seeing the rear door opening, darted into the warmth.  Wasn't long before we took him to the vet for a check-up and to make sure he had all his shots and was neutered.  That was a few years ago and now he is a regular member of the family.  Spends more time indoors now that outdoors, but does love to walk the perimeter of our property to keep tabs on the other cats and varmints that hang close to the house.  Well, this morning he is looking in the back door, waiting for someone to open the door to allow him to step in for his morning nap.  I opened the door and was about to let him in when I noticed he leaned over and picked up something in his mouth.  "Oh no, you're not being him in here." I shouted in a voice that scared him.  He was standing at the door with a dead squirrel in his mouth.  

Getting' ready to find dinner for mom & dad.

Poor little thing had no chance against the great hunter that Creamsicle had become while fending for himself over the years he was homeless in the neighborhood.  Creamsicle gave me a bewildered look and slowly carried his catch off the rear deck and around the side of the house.  Carol was upset that he would kill a squirrel, saying, "There's no way he is hungry with all we feed him."  This isn't the first time he has brought a dead animal to the back door.  This past summer he dropped a dead chipmunk on the rear mat, waiting for us to open the door so he could bring it inside.  A few birds have been left by the back door over the last year or so.  My guess is he is trying to repay us for all we do for him and this is the only way he can think of to do that.  He probably thought squirrel potpie would have been good on the menu for tonight so he was ready to present us with the main part of the meal.  After taking his catch along the side of the house, Carol managed to entice him away from the dead squirrel so she could pick it up and dispose of it.  We know more will come, but hope he will someday realize he doesn't need to help out with the food supply in the house.  We love him without all the extra help he is now giving us.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "I Was Happy, But Sad" Story

Click on drawing to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Laughing with my wife after just pinning a new photo to our "Fun" board on Pinterest.  If you are a fan of Pinterest you know what I am talking about, but if not, Pinterest is a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests.  After you set up an account you can start to pin photos from others to your boards or you can add your own photos.  If you care to start your own account, just Google Pinterest and follow the directions.  You'll have a fun time, but prepared to get hooked on the site.  Well, the pin my wife put on our fun board was a drawing that a grade school little girl had made of her mother.  The picture she drew looks as if her mother is doing a pole dance and men are all around her offering money to her.  The words that she added were:  When I Grow up ... I want to be like mommy!  I have posted the picture so you can see it as well as read the letter that the girl's mother wrote to her teacher, Mrs. Jones.  After Carol and I stopped laughing she said, "Remember when that happened to us?"  Wasn't sure until she began to tell her story about when our daughter was in elementary school and had an assignment in her 1st grade class.  She had to write and add an accompanied drawing about:  I was happy about ......  but I was sad about ......  Her teacher was Mrs. Stoner and when we went in to visit we got to see the picture hanging on the wall of her classroom with the accompanying story.  Picture was of her cat Gladys whom she had received for Christmas from Santa.  Words on the top were:  I was happy when I got my cat for Christmas .... and underneath the drawing said:  But sad because she was in heat. Our daughter had drawn spray droplets coming from the rear of the cat and running down the wall in the drawing. We were sure she had no idea what being in heat meant at the time, but she was sad about it.  I think my wife was somewhat embarrassed by the drawing, but I couldn't stop laughing.  Our daughter did such a great job with the drawing and she was proud of what she had drawn.  After returning home from out meeting with Mrs. Stoner we told our daughter that we saw her drawing on the wall and thought she did a good job, but maybe she shouldn't draw anymore photos of her cat.  Oh the joys of parenthood.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Building For The Future" Story

The Sugar Bird or Banaquit

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting at the outdoor table at Villa Jeluca typing a story to share on my blog.  Along the three foot high concrete wall about ten feet straight ahead of me sits two salad plates, a white bowl and a bright red cup.  The plates are filled with sugar granules while the cup and bowl are full of water.  For years Carol and I have been feeding the sugar birds (Banaquit Birds) during our trips to St. Martin.  On our first full day on the island we make a trip to the local Super Grande Marche (supermarket) to by essentials such as eggs, butter, lunch meat, cheese, drinks, snacks and of course a two pound bag of sugar.  

Sugar birds eating the sugar.

We don't use the sugar for coffee, tea or drinks, but to feed to the sugar birds.  These little birds have a dark grey, almost black, back with a black crown and sides of the head, grey throat, yellow chest and belly with a yellow strip on either side of the head, white rump and and black beak with a red stripe near the eye.  

Before long we had dozens of the colorful birds visiting with us.

Their beak is slender and curved in order to take nectar from island flowers as well as eating insects at times.  Both the male and female look the same, but the younger birds are duller in color intensity and have only a partially yellow eyebrow and throat.  

Rainy days we place the sugar on our outdoor table.
Here the sound of the shutter attracts their attention.

They range primarily from the tropical South America north to southern Mexico as well as the Caribbean islands.  As soon as we returned from the store we dig out the plates and sit them on the wall and fill them with sugar.  Doesn't take long before we have half a dozen or so of the neat little birds eating sugar from the plates.  

Nest that was being built in tree near our pool.

We add sugar as needed and last year we added the cup and bowl with water so they could bathe before or after eating the sugar.  And, they love it!!  Two days later, after word (tweets) got around that there was sugar at Jeluca, we had almost three dozen of the birds fighting for a spot on one of the plates.  

Sugar bird flys in to deposit it's find in the nest.

By the end of vacation we had purchased two more bags of sugar to feed the little guys and gals.  But, this year for the first time, we got to see a nest being build in the bush right next to our pool.  One day, after spending the better part of it at the beach, we took a late dip in our pool and Carol pointed out what looked like a nest in the bush next to the pool.  

If you look carefully in the lower-middle left
of the photo, you will see a sugar bird
entering the nest.  You can
just barely see yellow.  Click on the image
to enlarge it for better viewing.

Then, as we stood neck deep in the refreshing pool water, we watched as a few birds took turns taking just about anything into the underside of the nest and pushing the sides from the inside.  They stayed busy until after the sun was sinking in the sky and darkness began.  It took them almost a week to finish the nest, but it weathered a five inch rainstorm a few evenings later.  The sugar bird lays up to three eggs and we only wish we had been able to stay longer to see the young birds feeding in the dishes we had placed on the wall.  Our morning and evening entertainment was at the expense of our neat little sugar birds.  I'm sure they missed us when we left the island, but we missed them just as much.  Thanks for the memories little guys and gals.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.