In Which Fuzzy The Squirrel Seems To Blame Me For The Snow

February 24, 2015February 24, 2015 / Ally Bean / 26 Comments

IT’S NOT LIKE I HAVE ANY control over the weather.

However, during this last cold snap I’ve gotten the distinct impression that Fuzzy the Squirrel, our resident goofball + star of many posts, has begun to blame me for the snowfall and wants me to suffer because of it.

I say this because he’s been consistently unwilling to get with the blogging program and permit me the honor of photographing him. He knows that he is a favorite feature on The Spectacled Bean.

~~Idiot squirrel.~~

~ ~ • ~ ~

THIS NEW BEHAVIOR IS PECULIAR BECAUSE Fuzzy is by nature a show-off who in the past has adored having his photo taken.

Pausing… so that I can get the camera angle adjusted in a way that flatters his well-maintained physique.
Positioning… himself around the grounds so that I can create a glorious tableau vivant.
Pondering… his world so that I can snap a close-up profile shot that flatters his ruggedly handsome features.

~ ~ • ~ ~

SO WHEN I NOTICED HIM CLIMBING Tree #3479 to his home the other day, I hesitated about grabbing my camera. I wondered if he’d be in the mood for a photo-op, but I decided to try, figuring that Fuzzy couldn’t hold out much longer.

He needs attention.

Thus it is with great pleasure, and the implied blessing of a narcissistic squirrel, that I give you my latest photograph of Fuzzy the Squirrel, titled: ~~Rodent With Bad Attitude In Winter~~ Our Dear Friend Enjoying Winter.

In Which We Learn Whether Or Not I Can Upload A Photo & Then Write About It

October 30, 2014August 29, 2018 / Ally Bean / 22 Comments

Let’s pretend that my last post didn’t happen. Okay?

Which is to say that if you’ve arrived here expecting to see a post about me having lunch, I deleted it. The post, not lunch.

I didn’t delete the post because I said anything bad, but because the photos, which made the post interesting, looked hazy. Not pretty.

In fact, when I uploaded them yesterday the WP system wouldn’t let me upload them in the normal way. I had to revert to an older way of uploading photos to get them here.

And once here, not so clear.

So now, today, this very morning, I decided to upload a test photo to see how the WP system is working today and to see how my photo looked.

And wouldn’t you know it, today’s photo, of two of my mother’s old recipe booklets that I keep in one of my desk drawers, is the epitome of clarity. And coconut.

Thus proving that I’m tenacious, I can upload photos, I can write a post of the fly, and that I’ve kept some rather unique items that belonged to my mother.

For no discernible reason. Which seems to be the theme of this post.

In Which Sergeant Major Pouncey McMouserton Climbs A Tree

October 23, 2014October 23, 2014 / Ally Bean / 14 Comments

The other morning I happened to notice that something unusual was going on in the woods behind our house.

I saw that the neighbor’s cat, who I call Sergeant Major Pouncey McMouserton, had climbed up a tree where he seemed to be stuck about 15 feet above ground. [He’s the tiny white dot that you can see in the middle of the photo above. Look closely.]

He was sitting on a branch up in the tree like he was the Cheshire Cat, except that he wasn’t smiling. At all.

Knowing that this was a wonderful blog post in the making, I grabbed my camera and snapped a few photos to document McMouserton’s process of getting unstuck.

He wasn’t panicky. He wasn’t howling. He wasn’t graceful.

But McMouserton was entertaining to watch as he slipped/tumbled/grabbed/backed down the tree and eventually plopped onto the leafy ground below.

Then with a scowl directed at me, he walked away from his adventure and vanished into the woods behind our house. [He’s that slight white smudge behind the leafy green forest undergrowth that you can see to the left of the almost leafless brown bush. Really, he was there. I swear.]

Again With The Five Senses Friday

September 26, 2014August 29, 2018 / Ally Bean / 15 Comments

• • •

FEELING: organized. centered. jovial. ready to have a productive and fun weekend. nice weather predicted. a neglected garden to weed. a new vegetarian recipe to try.

HEARING: with the windows open, traffic from the interstate. going fast. no sirens. just a nice lull in the background.

TASTING: water. cold. fresh. keeping me hydrated as I seat here typing. adding vitality to my life.

SEEING: trees with red leaves on a few of the branches. green grass tinged with a bit of gold. blue skies with white clouds. a relaxing natural color palette indicative of change.

SMELLING: a new parfum called fresh life. its scent has lingered in the air after I applied a dab of it from a sample card onto my wrist. light floral. citrus-ish. clean.

[This meme, which I think is a wonderful idea, originated a long time ago on a blog that is now defunct. If you wish, you may play along in the comment section below or on your own blog.]