Italian Capers

Hail in this area can be the size of golf balls- and just as hard. Storms pelt down these rocks and do a lot of damage....to cars, wildlife, anything outside. I got a call from my good friend right after a storm. Apparently, there was a bird sitting in my friend's yard and she was afraid her dog might hurt it. The hail must have knocked the nest and the bird out of the tree. Well, I asked, is it a baby bird, a fledgling? She wasn't sure. I suggested she try to keep her pooch away from it and see if the mother bird is taking care of it. Mother birds take care of baby birds better than anyone else- a useful tip : ) The next day, she gave me an update- the bird was still sitting there, and she wasn't sure about the mother. The next day, she reported that flies were laying eggs on him- what should she do? Okay, clearly intervention was needed, so I asked her to bring him over and pick up some canned cat food on the way, and we'll have a look. A little while later, she and h

Lucky for the world, children are usually very forgiving. We went to the library this year to visit with Santa. I thought it would be nicer for the kids to see him during story time than to attend a crowded party and have to wait in a seemingly endless line for a chance to chat with the guy in the red suit. After a short wait, Santa arrived. The children sat enthralled (well, as enthralled as little kids can be) as he read them "Twas the Night Before Christmas." He never showed them a single picture from the book. This Santa must have been sleeping during the Santa Story Hour 101 refresher course. Then began the age-old (and somewhat troubling) tradition of sitting with Santa and asking for gifts. H and Z were patient, even timid. Finally, it was their turn. Z asked for a new pair of PJ's. H asked for supplies for her Baby Alive doll- to include diapers and a changing mat. (note her distrusting glance...really not a bad instinct) As you can see, Santa was equally enthral