Struck my funny bone!

Birthday greeting from my dear friend:

The pen bit .... priceless! I could just see (and hear) Dianne as the first pen ran dry and she searched for another while Tigger and Sasha meow " Purrr Mommy", swish their tails and turn up their noses at the 10th kind of gourmet/prescription cat food she's tried to entice them with that day. I don't want more birthdays... I would much rather reincarnate ASAP and return as one of Dainne's beloved cats!

Another delightful birthday surprise...

A magnificent Birthday Bouquet from my dear friend Mary Anne, Detail of some individual blossoms- Beauty within beauty, reflecting itself again and again...

Having all the ingredients on hand, I baked a birthday cake, winging it as I went along, as is usual when I am in experimental baking mode. Peter, a ranger at Shawme-Crowell State Forest, (where all my favorite mushrooms grow) would celebrate his birthday on the 19th, the day after mine, so I baked this cake with him in mind. I should have measured and written down the ingredients, because this gingerbread-pumpkin-cocoa pound cake studded with walnuts, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips and preserved ginger turned out to be one of my best experimental creations. Frosted with a thin glaze of dutch & black cocoa, confection sugar, a pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, allspice and thinned down with Marsala and a drop of orange oil...the deep, dark flavor perfectly compliments the not-too-sweet gingerbread richly textured with the addition of the pumpkin. It's a very October cake.. a Libra cake. My decorating skills are a bit rusty, but passable. (Those are supposed to be mushrooms at the bottom of the cake, as Peter christened me "The Mushroom Lady" when I first began foraging at Shawme-Crowell.)

Sunday afternoon just before the 4 PM "changing of the guards", I headed over to the State Forest. As I drove through the entrance and immediately noticed the little station was empty and not a vehicle in sight, I realized my mistake. After October 16, rangers are there only certain days and hours, as this is the start of the off-season.

The cake is in my freezer now. I left a message at the ranger station, but if I don't hear from them by next week, the cake will end up as coffee break fare for the folks at the Sandwich Library.

Update: Peter did get his cake!

My Nocturnal Visitor

The little deck just just outside my kitchen door has been a favorite dining spot of local fauna since I have lived in this flat and began
feeding the birds. Birds flit in and out from dawn to dusk. Squirrels and chipmunks come right up to the door, demanding more seeds, more peanuts.. all day long. Wild turkeys have come to feed in the yard below for the first time this year.

Occasionally, a stray or neighbors' pet cats will stealthily climb the stairs, attracted by the busy avian traffic. The felines, though rarely make a return visit, as my dog has "cat radar" and barks nonstop at the hint of a meow. My visitors have become so accustomed to my presence that they no longer scamper or fly away when I cross the threshold from my space to theirs. There is something wondrous about wild creatures accepting you as a natural part of their existence.. They bestow a benediction and bless my life with beauty, grace and joyful antics.

After nightfall, the raccoons wreak havoc out there...clumsily tipping over flower pots and rooting around in the plants for leftovers the daytime diners have overlooked. For a while, I replenished the seeds and peanuts just after dark especially for these hungry critters until they became overly rambunctious, drawing attention from neighbors who take a different view of my visitors than I, considering them "pests". Sadly, they prefer television to the real life drama put on by Mother Nature just outside their window.

Recently, a new nocturnal visitor came upon the scene. Late one night my dog began pacing back and forth by the door, beckoning me to take a look. I turned on the dim outdoor light and there was an opossum! He froze as still as a statue the moment he found himself in the spotlight. I had rudely interrupted his sunflower seed snack. I stepped outside and expected him to scurry away. Instead, he remained completely still. Even his eyes were fixed as if hypnotized. As I inched closer and closer, he remained in place.

Finally, when I stood about 2 feet away with the camera held bit closer, he moved his head slightly as his eyes darted from side to side as if contemplating flight. He remained still long enough for me to get a good look at him, and he was a lovely creature! His face was beautiful.. especially his eyes. Feeling guilty about disturbing his meal, I took my pictures and retreated back into my flat, turning off the light. After a minute, he resumed his munching. I will never forget the sight of those dark and beautiful eyes, his delicately featured face, his little pink nose and feet..his white-tipped ears... and his tail! I waited for his return the following evening, but he has not been back..not that I am aware. Who knows how many enchanting creatures visit unobserved?

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I am grateful, though, that this opossum found something worth his venture up my stairs for a midnight snack!