Thursday, September 10, 2026

Buckle up - a rant is coming

Though I do try to stick to happy things like beautiful dogs, cats, and wildlife, or gardens and blossoms, every now and then, I must be true to my cranky old lady self. And lately it has struck me, yet again, how thoroughly sexist our language and our attitudes are to women. 

There are so many words to describe women who somehow don't live up to the absurd pristine image they are supposed to maintain (not that men have to). Slut, whore, bitch, cunt, and lately the infamous Karen. The only derogatory terms for men are bastard and Male Karen. Male Karen!?! So they couldn't come up with a suitable male name for jerks who insist on being entitled, racist, or just plain assholes? No, they had to remind people that really it's awful women who should be chastised. 

Some other things to think about:

Why is it the paternal line for babies when women do 90 percent of the work? 

The idea of marriage and taking the male name. Fortunately more women are keeping their own last names (even though that's because Daddy gave it to them), but too often women succumb to the idea of their married name. And don't get me started on the term, "maiden name." And while we're on the subject - why marriage at all? Why not have partnerships without the formality? Yes, the government has made it profitable to marry, but what if you simply had a contract you drew up yourselves. No paperwork, name changes, or status to worry about correcting should you split. Mmmm.

Spinsters or old maids are chastised but bachelors aren't. And why are single women called spinsters/old maids in the first place? Why aren't they just referred to by their names? Then there was the whole thing about childless cat ladies (though no mention of childless dog ladies) as if that were a bad thing. No, it is simply a choice, and frankly, the whole concern of planetary overpopulation should be a huge issue. Instead, governments are trying to shame women into having MORE children. 

The modern "We're pregnant." No dude, you and your partner may be expecting a baby, but only SHE is pregnant. SHE has to go through morning sickness, changes her body never recovers from, and pushing out a watermelon through a hole that was only meant to contain a corn cob.

Trad Wives online are not traditional housewives - they have an online BUSINESS and probably make more than Hubby. Ballerina Farm as an example.

Master bedroom/bath. What master would that be? What if only women live in the house? It has become fashionable of late to refer to those rooms as primary, though I confess I don't know why they need a name anyway. They're just rooms.

On the good news front, what used to be an automatic use of "he" to indicate someone who was of unknown gender, "they" is becoming more common. It's a bit awkward, but at least an attempt is being made to use a neutral term.

Now, before you throw up your hands and say "OK Boomer," I would like to point out that Boomer women, along with Silent Generation women, made many things in life for women much more equitable and easier to achieve. Prior to the 1970s, women couldn't get credit cards on their own. Only married couples had access to birth control. Equal pay for equal work was unheard of (and pretty much still is but that's another story). And, last but not least, women who were forced to wear skirts/dresses in school and at work, can now wear, GASP, pants. Oddly, women wearing pants to classes and work did not end civilization.

And so, those of you who made it this far - rant over. Doesn't mean there won't be more forthcoming on various topics, but for right now you are free to go about your business. 



Tuesday, September 1, 2026

A fence with pizazz

Fences make good neighbors - so they say. Mostly though they keep dogs safe or people from wandering around on your property. Most gates are simply there. Wooden or iron or chainlink. Nothing particularly noteworthy. Every now and then, however, people take a more artistic or fun approach which I have been documenting. Well, here's another one that shows a bit of whimsey.



Friday, August 28, 2026

Couldn't resist this face

Yup. Back to cute statues again. Couldn't resist this one:


And just for fun, a beautiful blossom too:



Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Hand someone some chalk and take it as a challenge

This seems to be the new thing in the neighborhood-- sidewalk art challenges. They're fun and a bit crazy and also brighten up some drab areas. Behold the latest challenge:



Saturday, August 15, 2026

Do you think they like dogs?

I've posted about this yard's statuary before, and they've changed it up a bit to feature soooo many dogs. They still threw in a couple of birds as well, and there's even a squirrel (if you squint had enough). My kind of place.



Friday, July 31, 2026

Incredible mosaic art in an unexpected place

It pays to take a different route every now and then. I was looking to investigate a branch library down a street Nellie and I have walked a few times, but never down toward a major, busy street. We decided to venture farther than usual because curiosity won out. We found the library situated in a beautiful park and were astounded by the setting. It was on our way back home, though, that we discovered this mosaic on a school. Now Nellie really didn't have an opinion (she rarely does about anything other than treats), but I was entranced. So buckle up.





Monday, July 27, 2026

Garden design with an artistic flair

As gardens are being revamped after the big fire, the landscaping is becoming more native friendly and a bit less bushy than in the past. Today's example is the coming trend. The only downside is that people are still using landscaping cloth (BAD) as the underlayment for mulch or stones. On the plus side, they put some thought into how it plays out.




Saturday, July 25, 2026

Street art made

As promised, the sidewalk artists hard at work. I'm guessing the age range is not on the adult level. 



Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Street art in the making

Gotta say we have a very vibrant artistic community. Walking down one of our favorite streets tonight, we came across this enticing invitation to create sidewalk art in the frames helpfully provided. If I could draw a stick figure that would even remotely resemble a person or other creature, I'd be picking up a piece of chalk and getting the ball rolling. Alas, my artistic skills are confined to swirls, loops, and geometric shapes, so no go. As things get added to the gallery, pictures will be forthcoming.


And now, to finish off the day, Bailey with the biggest grin showing just how happy she is with her life.



Thursday, July 16, 2026

Trees are so amazing

Whew! You're avoiding my diatribe on how trees might have intelligence and feelings. Lucky you. This time it's about the amazing growths and patterns trees have. I'm sure a botanist could explain all these things, but all I can do is wonder at how magnificent they are. There are two trees next to each other that are displaying the same bumps. How does this happen? Inquiring minds want to know (well not enough to actually look it up and try to understand the science).


Then there's this tree trunk with the most fascinating spirals. Nature is flat out amazing.



Again with front door obstacles

Scratching my head again why someone would put an obstacle right in the middle of the path to the house's front door. What is the purpose other than to discourage visitors and mail carriers? Ideas?


This one is so dense it has an Addams Family feel to it:


Wednesday, July 15, 2026

An arty village just keeps growing

The same house that built the amazing little library (June 3 post), has now created an amazing little art scene that is inventive and charming. It certainly brings a smile to my face every time Nellie and I pass by (which is almost every day on our morning walk). I can hardly wait for their next addition.


Dragons clearly like books as much as retired librarians.


I've put in two pictures of Snoopy because he apparently been very busy on his book and he needs appreciation for his efforts.


Saturday, July 4, 2026

So, you invite someone over only to give them the finger?!?

There are a couple of houses on our daily walks that confuse me no end. Imagine for a moment that you are invited to this house. The path to the front door is up a dirt slope on uneven ground and the steps are uneven sizes. The driveway side is blocked off with a concrete wall. Makes you wonder whether they have any friends who have mobility issues. I'm willing to bet the family only uses a back door.


 Then there's this obstacle course. At first it looks like an interesting swale to make the garden pretty. 


Upon further inspection, you realize this is the path to the front door. Yup. And no way from the driveway either. So, anyone who is not very dexterous or balanced (like those who might need a cane or walker), have no safe path to travel. Again - what were they thinking? Or were they thinking?


My suspicion is, they are simply telling the world what this trimmed tree is so eloquently showing:


Now -- to demonstrate adequate front door etiquette, this front door entry that is actually inviting:






















Friday, June 12, 2026

Frank BetaMax saga continues

The good news is that Frank BetaMax is being fed - confirmed by a neighbor who has been looking out for him for some time. The more interesting news is that Frank has not accepted the new terms at Nick's house. Nick's Mom explicitly told Frank he is feline non grata at their home, that his behavior (swatting at a wobbly dog) is unacceptable, and he is not welcome in these parts. Frank's response:


 Flopping down on the porch at the front door. The NERVE.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Cats in sticky situations

Frank Betamax has returned to put up his regal nose at the food offering. We're guessing he's receiving better fare elsewhere, though that doesn't explain his slim to skinny physique.


He apparently drops by just to hang out and make people feel guilty that they haven't figured out what he wants from us other than pets and attention (albeit briefly). However, on his last visit, he made a HUGE mistake. He took a swipe at Nick, who is now called Mr. Wobbles because he's none too steady on his four paws. Nick fell over, traumatized his Mom, and is now officially banned - that is, until he can apologize profusely and charm his way back.


On another sad note, a friend in Washington state sent this picture of a neighbor's beautiful cat who is now in search of a home along with other siblings. The tragedy of the death of a family member is too often compounded when the fur friends are then left without a planned family to take them. Fortunately my friend goes over and makes sure all is well while looking for another home for this gorgeous creature. Let's hope she's successful soon.


Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Now this nuttiness I can get behind

We have multiple Little Libraries in our neighborhood, and as has been posted before, some have wonderful decorations. This new one is quite the eye-popper and clearly the person responsible likes squirrels as much as I do (even though they are destructive little creatures, they do steal your heart with their cuteness). As an avid reader, and one who has had a career in encouraging reading, it's always good to see this type of community engagement.



Butterflies work too.