A blog anniversary and other randoms

View at Mountain Lake, Virginia, November 2003.

Happy Friday, dear readers! I hope you’ve had a good week and are looking forward to a good weekend.

As I’ve done for many months, I’m sharing my randoms on a Friday post. Nancy of A Rural Journal started many of us on this journey. Though the meme Random 5 Friday is suspended now, I still like to share random facts and bits with you.

One

Thursday was my two year blog anniversary. Is that blogiversary? Blogoversary? Bloganniversary?

Whatever, I am blessed to have spent two years writing about my life and sharing with you. And I am blessed to have connected with such wonderful readers and commenters and other bloggers. Thank you for your part in this!

Two

Earlier this fall, Tanya at Around Roanoke . . . A Daily Photo Blog posted photos from a visit to Mountain Lake, Virginia.

I loved seeing them. Larry and I went to Mountain Lake for our honeymoon 10 years ago.

In one of her posts about Mountain Lake, Tanya shared a link to information about the Thanksgiving buffet at the resort.

That got me thinking about a visit back to Mountain Lake. I discussed it with Larry, and we decided to do something different this year for Thanksgiving. We made reservations and are looking forward to traveling to Mountain Lake and enjoying their Thanksgiving buffet and the beautiful sights.

Click here for more information about this resort in Giles County, Virginia.

Thank you, Tanya, for inspiring me to consider something different this year!

Sunrise view from our cabin's deck, Mountain Lake, Virginia, November 2003.

Three

We have big oak trees in our front yard and woods border our backyard. So we usually have lots of squirrels running around our yard.

This fall, we’re not seeing many. I think it’s because the trees have yielded very few acorns. Normally, there are so many acorns, we walk with trepidation over the driveway and yard at this point in the year, trying not to fall as they roll under our feet.

We haven’t seen as many deer in the yard either. They eat acorns, too, so I don’t know if there’s a connection or not.

Larry usually rakes the acorns and piles them behind the shop, making a kind of buffet for the animals. Not this year.

I’m sorry that the food supply seems to be so poor for the critters this year, and I hope they can find a good source nearby.

I found this handout about things to consider before feeding wildlife. It gave me pause.

Squirrel in our yard, summer 2013.

Four

Our indoor critter, Chase Bird, is a delight. He’s such a sweet cat. I know you’re tired of me writing that, but he is.

He has taken to sitting on top of our chairs when we are in the den watching TV or reading. I usually sit in a recliner that I’ve had for years. He sits on top of the chair, near my head. Sometimes I can hear him purring.

Chase Bird hanging out on top of the recliner.

Five

Last weekend, as we shopped in a big box store, Larry and I strolled through the Christmas decorations aisles. We even bought some paper and bows. It’s the closest I’ve gotten to Christmas so far.

I usually hold off on listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. It’s a self-imposed, arbitrary rule of mine. But this year, I may break my own rule. I love the music of the season.