Puppy Times - 1st snow

We had some wintery weather recently
 Puppies being puppies had to be taken out into it.  Of course it was all new and exciting for them to be out in it.  They didn't know what to make of it but thought it was a game where they were suppose to catch the stuff falling down from the sky.  They felt that way until they jumped a couple of times and fell flat onto their bellies.  Then they decided it was just cold and wanted in.

The next day I tried to get some pictures of the bayou with the ice on the trees but didn't get much.

Puppy Times - Feb - doing laundry

Like any normal household sooner or later the laundry has to get done.  And boy do those puppies like to help with it.

 The one decided to jump into the basket.

 and his brother had to investigate.  He found some underwear and decided that would be the perfect thing to play with.

Next thing I knew they were having a tug of war with it. 

 I had to take it away from them and he decided to follow it.

 They seemed to say momma just look at us we're so adorable how can you get upset with us for helping you do the laundry.

 Please let us stay and play!!

 Later in the day they seem to come and want some more attention again.

 He had a look on his face and I called him.  He stopped and looked at me.

 Then he got that expression my kids get when they're saying - are you talking to me?

 This one jumped up and was like I'm a good boy, I'll do what you say.

Celebrating Mardi Gras in NWLA

It's Mardi Gras time in Louisiana.   I'm like everyone else and enjoy celebrating it.
I am a member of a krew and as such I do like going to their bal.  Here's a few images I took on my cellphone of it.

I know the images aren't the best but you can get an idea of how the costumes are and how we celebrated that night.  It sure was a good time.

Ducks in my yard

 I live on the bayou and love living there. Its so restful.  Its hard to believe I live in the city.  

  You never know what you will see especially the birds and the ducks.

Normally they are like these ducks - playing on the water.

Typical ducks in my backyard

 The other day I went walking.   I saw these usual looking ducks in the street and decided to take their picture.

After I took their picture I shooed them away from the street so they wouldn't get hit by a car.  I thought nothing of it.  But then a couple of days later, they decided to take up residency in my neighbors yard.

 Then we had some freezing weather.

And I noticed the one duck had moved from the front yard to the back yard.

 Which drove my puppies up a wall to see.

 They kept on barking.  Because this is what they were seeing through the gate. 

Ducks on the Bayou

 So he ended back in the front yard again and his friends came to join him.  I took some more pictures since they are so different looking.

 These pictures don't do them justice but the wing are very iridescent and reminded me of some minerals I used to look at but can't remember what they are called now.  The mineral I was thinking of was labradorite**. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labradorite. )  They change color as the wings are moved into different angles.  Mostly greens/blues to black.

I really liked the looks of this guy and was pleased to get this picture of him.

Unusual looking duck.

 What really got to me was the way they totally ignored my big cat even thought he was trying to get their attention.

But when the cat started to moved around some closer to them, they started to move too.

 They went to the drive way and settled by the cars.

  

 But the cat wasn't happy with that and got them to move to the neighbors yard.

 Then my cat went back to the front porch and was telling me this was his spot and he did not like ducks in his yard.  He stayed there for quite awhile but then moved on.

Then just to be defiant the one duck came back and sat right near the front porch after the cat left.
I got a chuckle out of that and am interested to see how long these ducks are going to stay in my front yard.

 

In the mean time my puppies don't know what to do. 

Here's a picture of my puppy watching them.


**  I was having a hard time coming up with that mineral name.  I thought it was labarite or something along those lines and had the hardest time finding it. Now I know why  - I was misspelling it.  But the internet is great.   There are a couple of geologic type blogs I like to follow one of which is 'Outside the Interzone' by Lockwood DeWitt.  Everyday Lockwood posts a geologic picture of the Pacific Northwest.  Since its a goal of mine to get out there again to the Pacific NW I love reading his posts.  I couldn't believe it when yesterday I went to read some of his posts for the week and came across his Thursday one on' Hart Mountain and Wagner Valley' which he had a link to a former post under 'plagiclase'  and I clicked on it.  It took me to his March 16, 2009 post on Labradorite and I read that and was amazed it was exactly what I was looking for - and that's when  I realized I was spelling it wrong. I just love being able to surf the net and find out all these interesting geological stuff.