“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost
Showing posts with label Guy Noir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guy Noir. Show all posts

Saturday, October 12, 2019

It's October...



It's October, time for pumpkins, black cats and tricks or treats!  I must celebrate my best furry friend and all time favorite Halloween decoration, my cat Guy Noir!  We've gotten through the worst of it together without our best furry sidekick Dot.



I took Guy to the vet the other day and he was afraid and didn't want to come out of the cat carrier. He always used to just bounce out and run around the exam room. It's the first time he had been to the vet without Dot in several years, so maybe he was just feeling insecure that his big sister isn't around to back him up anymore.  Otherwise he is doing well and thankfully got a clean bill of health!




Pumpkins and gourds are just everywhere aren't they?!  Snapped this photo at the market the other day.  Some of these are so unusual! Anyone remember back when pumpkins only came in that orange color?


And now how about a TREAT!

'Witches Brew'- A Halloween Cocktail

 Witches Brew - A Halloween Cocktail

This 'Witches Brew'- Halloween cocktail is so stunning. The vivid color is dramatically beautiful, but with a dark eerie feel perfect for a Halloween party.
To rim the glass
  • 1 fresh lime
  • 3 drops purple food colouring
  • 1 tbsp sugar

For the cocktail

  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1/3 cup lime juice (see note 1)
  • 1/4 cup raspberry liqueur

Instructions

  • Start by preparing the shot glasses.
  • Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice together into a saucer.
  • Add the purple food coloring and mix with a cocktail stick.
  • Place the sugar in a second saucer.
  • Dip the shot glasses into the lime juice and then into the sugar.
  • Set to one side.
  • Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add the ice.
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into the prepared shot glass.

Notes

  1. To turn this shooter into a long drink replace the 1/3 cup lime juice with a 1 cup of citrus soda and serve in a highball with crushed ice.
  2. Click for more info... (source

TRICKS, as in the Design kind.....

Fall Decorating Hacks! How to decorate your space for the fall with DIY ideas that will save you time and money. Why haven't I thought of these before? 



Hope everyone is having a wonderful autumnal season. We've already had a few snow flakes! Would like to see some warmer days again before winter sets in for good!

Happy October!
🍂 Diane


Sunday, May 1, 2016

Dancing Round the Maypole


I'm so happy that May has arrived. I'm as happy as these little critters dancing around the Maypole!

In early April I had sent out a tweet pic (of snow and sleet) with the message that 'April was the cruelest month.'  It turned out to be a crueler month than I could have imagined. We had been teased by the warmer temperatures in March and then April arrived, pelted us with sleet and hail and then rained purple tears all over us. I'm glad April is behind us.

Welcome May! Sun-kissed and sweet, May is the true beginning of spring up north. The flowers start to bloom in earnest and the green things leap out of the ground!

 Plum Blossoms 





 Purple Violets

What a pity flowers can utter no sound! 
A singing rose, a whispering violet, a murmuring honeysuckle, 
Oh, what a rare and exquisite miracle would these be!
                            
                                   ~~ Henry Ward Beecher


 Raindrops on the Bloodroot leaves

After raining on us for nearly a week the sun finally came out.



Guy Noir enjoying some sun...




 
I'm wishing for all of you fine weather 
and lovely new memories in the month of May. 
~~ Diane ~~



Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Whiskers Wednesday

It's been a busy two weeks since my last post! Family visits, increased sales in my shop (woohoo!), Super Bowls, etc., etc., ...... always something keeping me away from blogging!

I have been active on an Etsy Team and did a blog post last week (here) on Collecting Cookbooks, and apparently my old brain thought that I had done a post so all was well. After starting to catch up again in my CraveCute shop with packing and mailing items... I started to think what is missing? Of course I knew it was my bloggy pals. I saw a couple of Tweets and G+'s come through with new posts of some of my favorite bloggers and realized I had better get back over to my own blog and do a post!




We had a nice fluffy snowfall last night and Guy Noir and I went out for a walk this morning. One of the photos was just Purr-fect for a tweet pic with hashtag (#WhiskersWednesday). All of the other cat geeks post their cats pictures. I think Guy is one of the handsomest out there!














Here are a few other shots of our yard and snow. It was a light and fluffy snow that sparkled in the morning sun. I wish the camera had captured it better but take my word, it was really pretty!











Many of you on the East Coast have had to put up with tons of snow this year, while we here in Minnesota have barely had any.   We are about a foot below our average snow fall this year.  We may get another few inches by the weekend.  Finally we'll have enough to ski and snowshoe. It's been kind of an ugly winter, so this snow was a nice change!

I promise, I will be around to your blogs soon.  I hope you all have a lovely week and of course a wonderful Whiskers Wednesday!

 ~~~~ Diane ~~~~ 
Guy Noir ~~~~ 
~~~~  xoxoxo


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Black Cat Awareness Month

 I couldn't let October pass without talking about ...

 
The Black Cat

Humane association workers say black cats still encounter a certain amount of discrimination in the world, and many arrive every year at pet adoption centers because someone didn't want a black cat around the house. Luckily this perception is changing and black cats are now regularly finding good loving homes across America.



 My very own adopted black cat, Guy Noir.











 Guy posing as a black lion, perhaps?






 Stalking...... and that's why he wears a harness, collar and leash!






Black cats have been stereotyped for centuries. The "Halloween" hissing black cat with the familiar arched-back was the standard for those images. However, times are changing and most of the superstitions have fallen away.  Many black cats enjoy their time with a loving family and are no longer considered scarey.









Black cats and dogs are still some of the last animals adopted.  If you find that you are going to be adding a cat or dog to your family in the future, please consider a black one.  Please share any stories you have about your own black cat! 
~~ Diane and Guy ~~

Next time I'll be sharing more photos of autumn leaves and some scarecrows that I saw at my recent visit to our arboretum!



Saturday, July 26, 2014

Barefoot Days


Hello friends! I know I have been in and out of blog land for a few weeks now.  I am trying to find time to enjoy all of the beautiful joys of summer while I can.  In this part of the country our summers are fleeting and will be just a memory in a few short weeks!

I hope you took a moment to read the poem above, it is from my favorite vintage book Poems for Boys and Girls, illustrated by Lois Maloy.  I think the poem Barefoot Days above, sums up my thoughts about this full and lush season, even the roses, which are beyond beautiful, are adorned with bees!




I thought I would share a few garden pictures with you today. My daylilies are really starting to take off!  The one above is a favorite called Orchid Corsage.



This peachy-pink one is called Pink Monday. I am happy to report that this year our bees have been returning and I've even seen a few more honeybees mixed in with the dependable bumblebees!



If you look closely in the middle of the image, you will see a small bumblebee on this vervain plant.












The vervain (tall plants in back) and catmint (forground) are loving the abundant rain we've had.  The bees have been covering them for weeks now!







 Another of my favorite day-lilies called appropriately, Summer Wine!






This is another favorite (OK they are all my favorites), called Lemon Custard! I love the color and the frilly ruffled edges.




A blue clematis adorns a trellis next to the house. I've forgotten the name of this one.





This daylily is called Grape Ripples and has stunning dark purple blooms! Well that is the end of my garden tour, except for an update on my two year old cat, Guy Noir.





Guy has become afflicted with a condition I'm sure many of you who have dogs and cats have heard of. 

It is called
 Chipmunk Fever!





Symptoms may include: Inability to focus on anything other than chipmunks, severe agitation, yowling at the door to go outside, ears twirling in various directions while listening for chipmunks, unable to eat or sleep without thinking of chipmunks, thinking that any moving object is a chipmunk. Unable to sit still for photographs and of course.....
Dreaming of chipmunks....







Pleas share any anecdotes you have of your encounters with chipmunks in the comment section!! I would love to hear them.

I will be taking a few weeks off from blog land to enjoy the summer and take care of some projects, but if I have time I will stop in and visit.  I will be trying to organize my disaster of an office and get all sorts of goodies photographed and ready to list in my Etsy shop.
And remember this summer to go out early in the morning, barefoot where the ferns grow curly, to feel the cool grass between your toes!!

~~Diane~~




Monday, October 28, 2013

Black Cat Awareness

October is Black Cat Awareness Month. 
Black Cats are beautiful! 
Sharing a few photos of my very own black cat, Mr. Guy Noir!









Guy Noir, admiring the trees and sky.






Guy, rolling in the grass and playing with the leaves.






"Did I hear a squirrel?"










Capturing an oak leaf.






Feeling like the luckiest black cat in the world! I was so inspired,
I even wrote a poem!  I found some Louis Wain illustrations that go
with it perfectly!










Black Cat Dance

Black Cats Dancing
In the forest at night
Spinning in circles by
The warm firelight

Only in the misty evening
will you see them, whirling, weaving

Dancing cats all black as ink
twinkling stars above them wink
Mysterious, wondrous!
What do you think?

Black Cats dancing in a row
Tails all flying to and fro!
Watch them, watch them,
There they go!

Black cats prancing
 all around
Nothing else like
this is found
anytime but Hallows Eve...
Maybe now's the time to leave!

~~ CraveCute














Working on his pose for Halloween!




 

Dot, showing only her "Black Side"! Haha!


For more on Black Cat Awareness Day click here.


Please note, Guy was never off leash in any of the photos.  I edited out the red leash for a nicer photo.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Getting a Jump on Spring Planting

As you know if you have been reading my blog lately, the winter here in Minnesota this year has been long, very, very long.  Just a week ago we had about 10 inches of snow and then after that melted we had another four inches of snow.  Just a few days ago we had snow showers that looked like a winter blizzard. Thank goodness it didn't stick this last time. Anyway, one of my good bloggy Etsy friends felt my pain and sent me a painting to cheer me up.  I was so thrilled to have it arrive in the mail on one of our dreariest of days. Thank you so much Stacy!


Spring Baby Crow from Stacy - Magic Love Crow






Not to be outdone by all of this 'spring is in the air' mood that was going on, Guy decided he was not going to wait for me to start on those gardening projects. He jumped in feet first, literally! 
Or should I say head first!



These photos were taken on April 23rd, so thankfully 
now our snow is all gone and our grass is green!


Dot wanted nothing to do with this activity and headed down the sidewalk to the back door. 
Guy got back to work and believe me the dirt was flying!



Guy digging deep and clearing out those old dead annuals from this container.









He was really into his gardening and worked at this for almost ten minutes. 
I guess when a cat wants his cat grass, there's no stopping him!




What? Lets plant that cat grass!


Guy looking at me for approval and encouragement! Of course I told him his was 
doing a great job, just don't try this on my plants inside the house!





One last note about the April giveaways.
The winner of the Pim book is Kylie from Lucy Violet Vintage. Congratulations Kylie, I look forward to seeing what you do with the Pim illustrations! Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaways. I will be doing more down the road.

Now I must start writing up my gardening list of things I need to pick up at the garden center.

First on the list:   Cat Grass Seed






Thursday, April 11, 2013

Spring In Minnesota

Looks a lot like Winter!!!











Hi all! While we wait for the snow to melt, I will be planning my second giveaway this week. Check back to see who the winner of the "Smudge" book is in my next post and enter the new giveaway.