Cats and Dogs

 

Fulton giving D.O.G. a good-morning kiss

Now?  Are you ready to play now?

D.O.G. and Fulton sharing a meal

Fulton

We landed last week in Fulton, Missouri, consort's hometown.  We arrived looking forward to spending time with good friends and reacquainting ourselves with consort's old hangouts.  The first day, when we pulled into town, it was pretty late in the day.  We followed our normal routine of feeding and watering the livestock, and setting up camp.

Day two we headed over to the home of consort's long-time friend who we had been unable to reach by phone.  Consort walked up to the door, while I waited in the truck with the wee mangy mongrels.  After just a few moments, consort turned to me and hollered, They're not home, but look what I found!  The man was holding up a tiny black-and-white kitten.

About 20 years ago, consort and I had a long-haired, black-and-white, male cat who met with an untimely death.  We have mourned the loss of our cherished cat ever since.  We have looked, off and on, over the years for a new kitty that was similar to the old cat:  Must be a kitten, must be a male, must be long-haired, and must be black and white.  The kitten consort was holding up ticked off every must-have on the list.  What's a body to do?  We brought the kitty home.

Later in the day, we caught up with our friends who live in the house where we absconded with the cat.  The friends were aware of the stray kitten hanging around their porch and had been setting out food for him.  They already provide a home to three full-grown cats and knew that adding a kitten to the mix was not a good idea; they were overjoyed to learn we had taken the kitten with us.

Of course, the question on everyone's mind is, How are the dogs going to react to the kitten?

This is Annie checking out what the cat has to eat.  Other than making sure the new kitten doesn't have something better to eat, Annie doesn't care much about the cat.  The cat, who we've named Fulton, because that's where we are and that's where we found him, uses Annie's back as a jumping-off place to further his roaming.  The first day the kitten was in the trailer with us, he climbed up and was sitting on the counter.  Annie walked up to check him out and possibly let him know he's NOT allowed on the counter.  The cat eyeballed Annie, assumed the pounce position, then jumped onto Annie's back.  He rested only a second then leapt to the ottoman.  Annie had no reaction when the kitten landed on her back.  Once Fulton jumped off, Annie just shook her head and walked away.  Their only other interaction is the exchange of food.  Annie loves the dry kitty kibble, and Fulton loves the dry dog kibble.  

D.O.G., on the other hand, is in love with Fulton.  All of his fathering instincts have kicked in.  He follows the kitten around herding him away from what D.O.G. considers danger.  The cat walks up to D.O.G. and lays down on his back under D.O.G.'s head.  D.O.G. begins to wash the kitty with a tongue the size of Fulton's head.  Fulton squirms and leans into D.O.G. while D.O.G. gives him a spit bath.  The whole time D.O.G. is bathing the kitten, the kitty is batting the dog tags that hang from D.O.G.'s collar.  After bath time, Fulton darts thru the trailer with D.O.G. in full chase.  When Fulton lays down to nap, D.O.G. sits calmly beside him waiting for his new buddy to wake up and play.  We think it's fate.

I haven't mentioned Bella in almost two months.  Bella was our rescue dog; she was found on the side of the road.  She lived with us for six years and stole every human heart she came in contact with.  She is inquisitive and energetic.  Although consort and I think we're pretty active, there was no keeping up with Bella.

While in NE Tennessee, I had the pleasure of meeting K, the granddaughter of our good friends who own Roan Creek Campground.  K is the same age as my middle grandson and was looking for a loyal companion.  When she visited Roan Creek, she would come by the trailer and take Bella out for walks.  The two of them hit it off immediately.  After watching the two of them interact, consort and I decided Bella would have a fuller, more active life living with K.  

K and I spent about a week holding dog obedience school.  K learned obedience commands, and Bella learned to trust and listen to K.  At the end of the week, we let Bella go home with K.  That was one of the hardest things consort and I have ever done.  But we gave K, and her mother, an out:  We'll be in Tennessee another week; if keeping Bella is too much responsibility for K, she can bring Bella back, no worries.

Well, there have been no worries.  Bella is having a blast in her new life.  K's mom works at a marina, and the owner of the marina has declared Bella the company mascot.  She's allowed to roam all over the store; she is given treats and belly rubs by both employees and customers.  Bella is missed, but we are so happy she has found a place where she is the number one dog belonging to a little girl who loves to play.  We wish Bella and K long, playful days and warm, cuddly nights.  We look forward to seeing them next time we visit Roan Creek.

We love Pennsylvania!

Consort relaxing in nephew & niece's outdoor living room

We've spent the last week anchored down at Fox Den Acres, about an hour southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and we have had the most wonderful time.  We came to reconnect with our really good friends who also happen to be family. 

My uncle and aunt live very near downtown Pittsburgh, and we have spent about half our time with them.  We have laughed and exchanged ideas.  We have enjoyed mouth-watering meals and lively conversation.  It will be weeks before I digest it all. 

This aunt and uncle share their home with the parents of my mangy mongrel, D.O.G.  I am, of course, in love with these dogs.  Liza is a New Englander and Leo is from Hungary.  Both are purebred Pulik.  Liza is the most common color of Puli, black.  Leo's rusty-gray coloring, known as masko fako, is more rare.

Liza

Leo

My nephew and niece keep a permanent campsite at Fox Den Acres.  They've been camping here for quite a few years.  They have a beautiful new camper and a perfect outside living space.  We were able to spend two weekends with them and have thoroughly enjoyed catching up.  They have a group of friends they meet up with each weekend throughout the camping season.  Consort and I enjoyed meeting all of them.  Their stories of weekend escapades were completely entertaining; and, after meeting each one of them, totally believable. 

 Niece and Nephew's campsite at Fox Den Acres

Consort and I will be taking off in the morning.  We will be heading west and a little south to consort's hometown of Fulton, Missouri.  I'll catch up with you on the flipside.  Peace out.

Groundhog Day

The truck repairs were completed on Friday and, after one more stop at Mom & Pop's to stock the freezer on Saturday morning, we were back on the road.  We drove across central Pennsylvania and were delighted with the sights.  We had a beautifully smooth road that wound between mountains without ever taking us over one or through any quaint little towns for the majority of the day. 

As we neared Punxsutawney, we drove past quite a few Amish farms.  The farms are charming and well laid out, very picturesque.  We encountered two horse and buggies on the road and ended up following one for about a half-mile before we could pass.  As we pulled around the buggy, I rolled my window down, leaned out, and enthusiastically waved at its passengers.  I don't know whether it was my energetic waving or the massive fifth wheel/truck combo, but the couple in the buggy looked less than pleased.  I imagine it would be terrifying to be passed by an F350 diesel dually pulling a 40-foot fifth wheel while riding in a two-seater, horse-drawn buggy on a narrow road.  I also imagine that folks hanging out of their vehicles and gesturing to the passengers of the buggy could be equally terrifying.

Our sole reason for visiting Punxy, PA, is to see the home of Punxsutawney Phil, the furry, four-legged star of Groundhog Day.  As I began researching Punxsutawney and Groundhog Day, I learned that the movie was not, contrary to popular belief, filmed in Punxsutawney; it was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, about 65 miles northwest of Chicago.  There are just a couple of locations from the movie located in Punxy:  Gobbler's Knob and the town square.

The town itself has a pretty downtown area.  Phil lives in a burrow that is housed within the town's library.  At the town square where the library is located, you can view Phil at play or asleep through a glass wall.  It was quite a thrill.  Below are our photos of the day.

Gobbler's Knob is about a mile and a half from the Walmart where we are currently boondocked. There is a museum and gift shop, both closed due to CV-19; a stage where Phil makes his appearance to forecast the weather, and a short hiking trail with sculptures and interesting facts about Punxsutawney Phil.

My photos do not do the sculptures justice.  The sundial was, in my opinion, the most interesting.

From Gobbler's Knob, we headed into Punxy to the town square to see Phil.  He was sleeping peacefully in the late afternoon sun.

Across the street from the town square is the Fraternal Order of Eagles where there is a Tree Clock Glockenspiel.  The FOE celebrated its 100th anniversary with the addition of this rare tree clock created by Verdin Company of Ohio.  The clock features three clocks and a thermometer.  Every hour, four groundhog statues come out of the top, and the tree begins to play music.  A really beautiful piece of artwork.

All around Punxy you will find statues of Phantastic Phil in all manner of dress

If you put wheels under this one, I'll take it.  Seven bedrooms,
six-and-a-half baths, 4500 square feet. 
For sale:  $120,000

Loved the windows and stained glass of the YMCA
Bottom photo is of the Weather Discovery Center

Random Photos

D.O.G. and Annie taking a break from hiking

There was just enough wind to make the day perfect for walking in the woods

Fungi found while hiking.  The bite marks are from
neither consort nor I

The reality of life on the road

Consort and I left Maine earlier this week.  Our travels have brought us to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  The locals say you pronounce Wilkes-Barre one of two ways, either as a fruit or an animal:  Wilkes-BEAR or Wilkes-BERRY.  There's nothing more definitive in the way of pronunciation except that you never pronounce it Wilkes-BAR.  Fascinating piece of information, eh?

Our travel itinerary included a two-day stopover in Wilkes-Barre to see a list of different things, including an abandoned concrete city and the ornate décor of the Luzerne County Courthouse.  However, as we were pulling into Wilkes-Barre, the truck decided to do a shimmy-and-a-hop as it was going down the road.  Consort and I really weren't sure what was going on, and in my mind, I was certain we were losing our brakes -- as if I know, I am completely ignorant of all things automotive, but my mind always goes to the worst case scenario.

Luckily, we were less than six miles from our destination.  We cautiously exited the highway and headed over to a vacant Kmart parking lot we spied from the highway.  After pulling in and setting up, consort immediately got on the phone to make an appointment to get the truck checked out.  With the first phone call, he hit pay dirt:  A shop that could check the truck for problems and issues first thing the next morning.  

After a thorough examination by mechanics this morning, it seems we are in need of shocks, a hub, and ball joints -- at least that's my understanding of it.  Unfortunately, the body shop that diagnosed the problem was not able to repair the truck.  Consort got back on the phone and, after about a dozen phone calls, located a mechanic who was confident he had the necessary parts and could repair the truck today.

Living on the road, we sometimes lose track of days.  It was only after making five or six calls that consort and I woke up to the fact that it is the Friday before Labor Day.  Think about how impossible it would be to get your vehicle into a mechanic on the Friday before a long weekend and the greater impossibility of getting your vehicle back on the same day.  We think the problem is resolved.  I am sitting at the kitchen table in the trailer with the wee mangy mongrels; consort is at the body shop.  Fingers crossed.  *Update:  The truck is repaired! We're back on the road in the morning!

In the meantime, I thought you would enjoy the sights of our current location.  The pictures at the top of the blog showcase the empty parking lot of the defunct Kmart where we are parked.  Kmart is situated in a strip mall.  At the other end of the strip mall, there is a smoke shop and liquor store.




Back behind the Kmart store is a combo adult bookstore and movie theatre.

In front of the trailer and off to the left, in the same parking lot, there is major construction going on.

In the past three months, each morning consort and I have awakened to the sounds of babbling brooks and chirruping birds, waves crashing on the shoreline and the cries of seagulls.  That was not the case this morning.  Today's morning sounds consisted of rows of dump-trucks unloading, jackhammers breaking up concrete, and heavy-duty Caterpillar bucket shovels dropping to the ground and digging up the crushed pavement.

During our travels, it has become habit for me to look for the silver lining in whatever cloud happens to be hanging over our heads creating less than pleasant circumstances.  The silver lining in our less than favorable boondock site?  Mom & Pop's Pierogie is right across the street.

The word "pierogi" is plural for the Polish word "pierog," pronounced pye-ROOG.  Pierogi are said to be the most recognizable Polish food in America.  They are half-circular dumplings usually made from noodle flour dough, but can also be made from pastry dough.  Pierogi are stuffed in a similar fashion to many other types of dumplings, for example, Italian ravioli.  The most common base filling for the pierogi is potato.  After the potato, all manner of things can be added:  cheese, bacon, jalapenos; they even had pizza pierogi.

While I have been home waiting on consort to return, I decided to make the most of my time.  I walked across the parking lot to go shopping at Mom & Pop's.  The picture above is of the father-daughter team that runs the shop, really nice people.  I purchased pierogi, pasties, and kielbasa that are ready to be cooked, and four different types of already cooked pierogi.  You can boil, bake, or deep fry both the pierogi and pasties.  The four pierogi I purchased that had already been cooked had been boiled, and they were wonderful.  If you click on the link above, you'll find the homepage for their miscellaneous menus.  I could not begin to list all the deliciousness available for sale in the shop or the delectable scents emanating from the kitchen.  They will ship their delicacies anywhere within the US, so check out the menu and place your order.  You can thank me later.

Last notes and pics.

These cookies remind me of the beautiful pressed cookies
my friend J made for special events at our church

A shop in Bar Harbor with more colored glass in one place than I've
ever seen before.  These days I am satisfied with simply seeing and not owning.

Before we left Portland, nearly three weeks ago, I
stopped in a hair salon and asked for a trim.
This is what it looked like when I left.

In the Native American culture, cutting one's hair can symbolize separation from a life which is over and gone with the new hair growth representing the beginning of life after the separation.  Apparently, the stylist was determined that I should separate from my old life once and for all.

In my opinion, my haircut is very similar to that of Beaker, the shy, long-suffering assistant to Dr. Bunsen Honeydew of The Muppets.