Judy & Peggy (Peggy is actually taller than Judy but Judy wears high heels and has to stand up straighter so the birdie doesn’t fall off)
Tweeter, Woofer, Meowie, Squeakie & Grunter the Worm
Prisoner of Love
After retiring I have more and more time but, as you’ve noticed, there have been fewer and fewer posts on CURIOUS. I have a “tendency” to accomplish things when faced with deadlines and commitments. My other “tendency” is procrastination when left to my own devises.
Peggy, my co-collaborator on CATNIPblog, has provided both – deadlines & commitment. She sets up the posting schedule and my commitment to her provides the impetus.
Because Curious to the Max is my first love – been posting since 2009 – I’ve asked Peggy to help me schedule more CURIOUS posts. She agreed (without completely knowing what she was getting into) to help, although I have not relinquished editorial control. CURIOUS to the Max will stay true to: “Curious STUFF that makes me love, learn and laugh”
Meowie
The only good thing about Valentine’s day is the candy and I never get any. I sit alone, no valentines, no candy, no romance. The only thing I get is dog food.
___________________________________________________
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Published Poet
Michael Davis Ford’s Theater part 2
(Watch the secret service behind the President trying not to laugh)
Thanks Sharon M.! |
To all Human-beings: It’s time for my Halloween ORANGE-ALERT.
Example of suspicious clothing
Example of humiliation.
No matter how many times I HAVE TOLD HUMANS not to humiliate us because they want to be amused it happens every year. I prefer to think that Humans just aren’t very smart and have no memory retention beyond a few hours rather than the possibility they are simply insensitive creatures with no regard for our feelings.
Frankly,
Freddie Parker Westerfield, PIC&C
Protector of Innocent Creatures & Critters
Oct 31 Prompt MASK
Posting a drawing a day on Curious to the Max with a once-a-week Sunday-7 Day Retrospective on CATNIPblog for those of you who just want to click- off the dailies!
http://mrjakeparker.com/inktober
Oct 30 Prompt FOUND
Oct 26 prompt SQUEAK
Oct 25 Prompt SHIP
Strolling by the Stream
Oct 22 Prompt TRAIL
Oct 21 Prompt FURIOUS
The USDA recommends that healthy adults over the age of 19 consume between 20 and 35 percent of their daily calories from fat. Young children (ages 1 to 3 years) need as much as 40 percent of their daily calories to come from fat. If you eat a diet of 2,000 calories per day, ingest between 44 grams and 77 grams of total fat daily.
Oct 16 Prompt FAT – Sugar High
Oct 15 Prompt MYSTERIOUS
Oct 13 Prompt TEEMING
Oct 10 Prompt GIGANTIC – It’s the Cheesiest
Oct 8 Prompt CROOKED – Which Way Witchy
Oct 5 Prompt LONG – Meowie
Oct 6 Prompt SHY – Bashful Meowie
INKTOBER: 31 Days, 31 drawings, based on pre-set prompts.
Oct 3 Prompt POISON, Your Choice
Oct 4 Prompt UNDER WATER, Woofer’s Deep Dive
If you’ve followed Curious to the Max for a long time you know I’ve periodically participated in blog-challenges. Having a chronic condition like fibromyalgia sometimes derails me so I talked Peggy Arndt, my co-blogger from CATNIPblog , into participating with me in Inktober.
INKTOBER: 31 Days, 31 drawings, based on pre-set prompts.
Peggy & I have been doing ink sketches for CATNIPblog so here’s da plan:
October 1, SWIFT prompt, Meowie Rides Again
Oct 2, Divided prompt, Woofer & Meowie
Dear Freddie Fans,
Those of you who follow CURIOUS to the Max do not know about my continuing frustration with Peggy & Judy and CATNIPblog. A case in point:
So it is with delight that my fans are beginning to speak up and let Peggy & Judy know
that without me they and their “cats” would be up a tree.
My # 1 fan (at the present) is JOYCE K.* She alone has deluged CATNIPblog with cries for MORE FREDDIE! As a reward I have made her PRESIDENT.
Lick’n Good
I received your payment of one bag of Doggie Treats to join the Freddie Fan Club. The are quite tasty. Thank you. I have nominated you for president and duly elected you to that coveted office. Your official duties are as follows:
Frankly,
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CCT RET.
*Joyce is currently owned by several Canine Dogs. Her newest owner COOKIE Dog is probably my cousin. Joyce, please run DNA test.
Cookie K.
Papa’s Instructions Pome
Mama Cold, Papa Cold and their 3 virus babies
Baby 1
Baby 2
Baby 3
Children, it’s now up to you
judy is yours to do
Cuz Mama is weary
teaching how-to
with no app or Siri.
And your papa is tiring
of non-stop siring
It’s Mom & me off to find a new home
Hallelujah! you’re on your own
T’was the Day After Christmas Eve Pome
It’s true so they say that on Christmas day
old St Nick is always sick
from sugar, carbs, inhaling soot
and lunging sacks of children’s loot
Santa has to unbuckle his belt
to make room for cookies, and chocolate gelt
Popping antacids with each milk drink
he’s lactose intolerant, that’s why the wink
Up all night,
by mornings light he’s a fright
The chubby ole fellow, no longer mellow
Back’s in spasm, eyes are red
Climbing to chimney tops, legs like lead
When home he goes, the ho ho hoes
have turned to moans
the silent night filled with grunts and groans
No longer just plump he’s a fat grump
The reindeer too have lost their cheer
for all things festive in the New Year
His packed on pounds during the rounds
create huge drag for even a stag
They huff, puff and wheeze
looking for a stiff breeze
to help carry Santa over roof tops and trees
All the way back the reindeer pray
he’ll loose 50 pounds before next Christmas day
Cuz Rudolph et. al are running out of gas
hauling Santa’s growing ass
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET
https://doodlewash.com/2016/12/22/how-do-reindeer-fly/
Doodlewash is a blog I follow – both for Charlie O’s great water-colors but even more for his wonderful stories and descriptions about each drawing.
Today’s Doodlewash post inspired my pome.
Pome by judy
No one catches Santa on the roof
or in the snow sees prints
of tiny reindeer hoof
for Santa’s no bigger than a fly
and reindeer all the size of ants
ferry him through the Christmas sky
I don’t think it silly at all
to imagine reindeer quite so small
and know
how Santa slides down chimney flues
with nary much soot on his beard or shoes
So make your cookies the size of peas
and leave the milk in a thimble please
Limit the weight of gifts and such
to crush an ant
it doesn’t take much
* * *
Only 15 days till Chanukah! 15 days till Christmas! 22 days till New Year’s! Time for my yearly reminder on how to keep sane.
.8. Go to bed on the 23rd and get up on January 3rd.*
9. Only buy presents for Jesus.
10. Put a cover on the outside chimney opening so you don’t have to put out cookies and milk.
11. Watch your friends decorate (and take down) their Christmas tree.
12. Convert.
13. Stay in a 5-star hotel for 8 days and nights.
14. Use credit cards instead of gelt
15. Instead of gambling with a dreidle at home go to Vegas
16. Don’t give presents, do good deeds
17. Go to bed on Thanksgiving and wake up on New Years**
18. Bake potatoes instead of grating them to death
19. Eat macaroons with Ben & Jerry
Dear Human Beings,
Time for my ANNUAL Thanksgiving ‘Ode To Tom’ and tell you what I’m thankful for:
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Poet Laureateby Freddie Parker Westerfield
P.S. I was told to tell you that my Human-being wishes you all things to be grateful for in your life, like she’s grateful for me.
Dear Human Beings,
Do NOT, I repeat do NOT, believe everything you read. This article is a case in point:
“PET owners beware — new research has revealed that dogs don’t like hugs from their owners, which can make them (the owners?) more stressed out.”
“According to new research published in Psychology Today, Stanley Coren from the University of British Columbia, said dogs respond differently to humans who seek comfort from hugging others.”
“Coren, who studies canine behaviour, analysed a random sample of 250 pictures of humans hugging their dogs that he could find online through Flickr and a Google image search.” (skewed data – he left out Pintrest and Instagram where the animal pictures are more photogenic)
“In using photos where the dog’s face was easily seen, he looked whether the dog appeared to be anxious or distressed, relaxed, or showed a neutral response to being hugged.”
“He found that around 82 per cent of the photographs showed “unhappy dogs” receiving hugs from their owners or children.”
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Published Author
He said that dogs show signs of distress when they bare their teeth (called a smile when humans do it), turn their heads away from something ( just being bored and looking around), or they partially close their eyes (doesn’t everyone close their eyes when ecstatic?).
Another sign of anxiety is when a dog’s ears are lowered or “slicked against the side of his head”. (Stanley, it’s just our coiffure)
He also said that licking lips or licking a person’s face can also be a sign of anxiety, like yawning or raising a paw. (I lick when it’s tasty)
Coren said the fact that dogs don’t like being hugged can be explained by their behavioural nature.
As “cursorial animals”, (cursorial? I swear I never curse) they are designed for swift running. When stressed, a dog’s first instinct is to run away.
It is believed that when they are restricted from moving with a hug, it can increase a dog’s stress level and potentially cause them to bite their owners. (or bite researchers)
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Blogger
So hug away you human-beings and always follow-up with a treat for us dogs (you got your treat with the hug)
Frankly yours,
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET, CDB
Canine Dog Therapist, Retired and Certified Dog Blogger
and now I’m sending it to you.
The Princess & the Pea- Dispelling the Myth
This watercolor by Kathrin Werner made me smile. Happy Easter and beyond!
Watercolor by Kathrin Werner
Kathi also has the best blog series – She’s created an alligator with attitude named Benni:
“As the landlord had forgotten to tell the other guests that Benni was a vegetarian, hardly anybody did sleep in that night.”
and you can brush up on your German when you read her blog:
“Außer Benni schlief keiner. Der Hüttenwirt hatte vergessen den anderen Gäste zu sagen, dass Benni Vegetarier war.”
Watercolor by Charlie O’Shields, Moustached Kingfisher Bird
Now back to washing the dishes and the soapy water that reminded me to water the flowers in the garden which reminded me about this video . . .
Is it a good thing . . . or a sign . . . I can no longer remember when my attention deficit was activated . . .?
Whoops, WRONG picture. Sorry Charlie O’ . . .
“Unfortunately, like many of this unusual creatures, this species is classified as endangered. Though an odd face, they’re generally good natured with each other, but due to extensive loss of vegetation, there are only about 1,000 of them left. The government of Borneo has instituted strict penalties for those who kill them in an effort to protect what’s left of the dwindling population.”
Watercolor, Peacock Mantis Shrimp by Charlie O’Shields
“Some mantis shrimp species are rather romantic, meeting their dream shrimp and staying together for life, which is up to 20 years. These lovebirds share the same burrow, protect their eggs, and help each other in hunting. When particularly aroused during mating rituals, the mantis shrimp will start to fluoresce. This means, you guessed it, they have glow-in-the-dark sex, which more than qualifies them as an uncommon creature.”
“Along with its spiky reddish-brown hairdo, it’s quite a sight to behold. It’s also a bird that you are better off viewing from a safe distance due to its other key characteristic that has earned it’s rather insulting nickname. But it’s an accurate one, as the stinkbird actually does smell like poop.”
Found a grrrrrrrrreat new blog doodlewash. The artist CHARLIE O’SHIELDS is good AND his subjects are weird and wonderful critters (at least the ones I’ve seen so far) My kinda guy! To make it even better the information he posts about the animals he draws is fascinating.
As those of you who follow my blog know I’ve been in a slump – physically, mentally and creatively. The minute I saw Charlie’s drawings and read about critters . . . well . . . it inspired the poet in me.
Watercolor, Long Eared Jaboa by Charlie O’Shields
“Caught on video for the first time in 2007, this little creature may look like an odd little rodent, but it’s really quite distinct. There’s no other animal of its exact type on the planet. Looking a bit like a mouse-sized kangaroo, it’s humorously long legs give it the ability to jump over 3 feet (1 meter) high.”
Lovey Dovey, Whenever I think of you I go crazy
Baby Boo, You are the lounge chair of my life. (Eames,no less)
Sweetie Pie, I could just eat you up!
My Love, Count on me to always watch your back.
Sweet Pea, I love you to the tips of my toes.
Baby, Take ALL of ME!
(Oh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees – days and days and days and daaaaaaaaaaays of celebration. You can send me gifts in lieu of flowers or cake per my birthday season RULES, #3).
To celebrate I slept-in late . . .
Oh nooooooooooooooooo – I have vertical ridges in my fingernails. So, of course, I googled “fingernail ridges”:
“There are many reasons for ridged nails but the most common is aging,” says Dr. Phoebe Rich, M.D, clinical adjunct professor of dermatology at Oregon Health Science University. “As we age the nail matrix becomes atrophied in areas resulting in longitudinal ridging of nails. I tell people they are like wrinkles in the nails.”
Bob Blobfish sez: “I’d be upset too if I woke up looking like a Shar-pei”
After 71 times it’s getting a bit boring . . . another birthday . . . Now don’t get me wrong I’m grateful I’m still around to celebrate but as Groucho Marx said:
The good news is my birthday SEASON** is getting longer . . . and so is YOURS. In case, you’ve forgotten the rules (because you are getting old and forget a lot of things) and want to celebrate your own Birthday Season I’m reposting my repost from my reposted repost that I repost every year.
Many years ago my good friend Bernice and I were sitting in a motel room (don’t go THERE – we were at the motel, attending an imagery conference) eating doughnuts for breakfast. We picked this motel because it had FREE doughnuts and coffee every morning. It was just before our birthdays which are a few weeks apart.
A bit giddy from not sleeping well on motel mattresses and slightly inebriated on chocolate covered doughnuts, we decided that if we were going to get older each year we would at least take advantage of our accumulating age. We created OUR BIRTHDAY SEASON.
“Doughnuts . . . . . . .Food for thought . . . “
My dear Curious to the Max followers,
I imagine there are millions of you (I have a big imagination) who wait with bated breath and quickening heart beats for my posts – I shall call you Group Numero UNO. You are keenly aware (due to your breath and heart rhythm) I’ve been bloggingly absent. The rest of you (group 2, small “g”) are scratching your heads (or other parts) and wondering what I’m talking about because your lives, breath and hearts have gone on nicely without my posting.
For Numero UNO: I just have lost my mojo, my energy, my focus – not interested in writing, reading, gardening, e-mailing, blog posts started and abandoned . . . I’m giving credit to a fibromyalgia flare-up because fibromyalgia should be good for something.
For the second group: I am LOST, DEPLETED, SUFFERING and you probably don’t care . . .
On a serious note (not that I wasn’t serious before) fibromyalgia along with many other chronic conditions has a mind of it’s own and takes over at unexpected and unpropitious times. After over 20 years of living with this condition I’ve still not got the hang of it. When I feel decent I go, do, get overly involved and then crash for days, sometimes weeks (or months, but who’s counting).
The BACK half
To better manage what energy I have I’ve decided to do half of the ten things I currently need or want to do:
That’s half of my plans so I’m not going to write the other five.
My New Motto (you can borrow it):
“This woman is half-baked”
Changing behavior is VERY hard work. I think conserving energy is very important in this hectic world and that’s why I’ve always tried to avoid toooooo much behavior change toooooo fast.
HOWEVER, as I get older there is less and less time to do all the things I want to accomplish. So this year I’m determined to keep my resolutions.
My 2016 Resolutions:
Wish me luck!
“There she goes . . . again”
Did you know you can train your brain not to wake you up at night to go to the bathroom? When you get the “full bladder” signal in the middle of the night ignore it. Trust me you won’t wet the bed. In about 2 nights your brain will stop signaling you that your bladder is full.
They call us “home”
our microbiome.
Our body spews
a cloud no one can see
Bacteria, viruses, fungi
intermingling you and me
Releasing microbes in the air
from head to toe where ever we go
Because they’re here to stay
Don’t waste your money
on bug spray
An excerpt:
“Each of us carries around millions of microorganisms – including bacteria, fungi and viruses — on the inner and outer surfaces of our bodies. Most of them aren’t dangerous. In fact, growing evidence indicates that they help us in lots of ways. Scientists call this collection of organisms our microbiome.”
‘”A lot of the recent work on the human microbiome has revealed that we’re kind of spilling our microbial companions all over our houses and our offices and the people around us,” Meadow says.”
“Meadow says the findings raise a number of possibilities, including, maybe, one day being able to identify a criminal by analyzing the microbial cloud he or she leaves behind at the scene.”
“We know that if you live with people, and even if you just work with people, your microbial communities come to resemble theirs over time,“ Knight says. “And in the past we used to think that was due to touch. It may be just that you’re releasing microbes into the air and some of those microbes are colonizing the people you’re with.”
The Grrrrrrrrrrrrrreat Flydini!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sit back and smile.
Steve Martin’s Great Flydini Amazing Magic Tricks on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show 1992
One of my favorite childhood poems:
Fishy fishy in a brook
Papa catch ’em with a hook
Mama fry ’em in a pan
Baby eat ’em like a man
Here’s my updated version based on new medical technology:
“Food for thought. “
Read this excerpt from the article that inspired me to wax poetic:
“Nanoengineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed 3D printing technology called “microscale continuous optical printing” that can print hundreds of microrobots within seconds, each one smaller than the width of a single hair.“
“Wei Zhu, a nanoengineering Ph.D. student who co-authored the report, wrote that “the microfish can doubly serve as detoxification systems and as toxin sensors.” When the researchers incorporated toxin-neutralizing nanoparticles into the microfish bodies, they found that their powerful swimming ability allowed them to efficiently clean out toxins from the solution. When the particles interacted with toxins, they emitted a red glow; the greater the presence of toxins, the greater the intensity of the glow.”
“The researchers are exploring the possibility of using this as a medical tool. They want to incorporate medicine into the microfish so that they can be injected into someone’s system in order to distribute drugs.”
Click on the title if you don’t believe me!
Since I spend a lot of time (off and on) writing this blog and attending a writing critique group I figured it’s time to learn the tools of the trade. I signed up for a free Emeritus writing class from the local junior college. (“emeritus” is a sophisticated word for anyone who qualifies for Social Security.)
The first assignment was to write a two page SHORT story about being unfairly treated or treating someone else unfairly.
(Names have been omitted to protect my image)
Unfair Treatment – Body, Mind & Me
By Judy Westerfield
“More! More!” my mind screams at me. Her desire reverberates throughout my body. Once again, I’m caught in the middle between body and mind, between hedonism and health.
The three of us — body, mind and me — have been together a very long time. Over the years the mind has grown bolder, louder. To keep the peace I usually do what she says, even though it’s often based on want rather than need. Today is no exception.
For the second time in less than an hour I retrieve the half-gallon carton from the freezer.
“More! More!” She is unrelenting.
“Calm down. “I’m scooping as fast as I can.”
I ladle from the carton to the soup bowl – 1/3 less fat, 120 calories, $2.99 on sale — spoonfuls of vanilla, chock full of chocolate chunks and ripples of golden caramel. Hard, too hard. I like it soft, just this side of starting-to-melt. Ten seconds in the microwave will do it. I’ve perfected the timing.
“More! More!”
“You will just have to wait 10 seconds.” I can be firm.
It’s creamy, cold, sweet and glides deliciously from the lips all the way down to the stomach.
“Ahhhh. Mmmm,” she purrs and declares it to be an invention ranking right up there with the discovery of fire, the wheel and Tampax.
The bowl is empty. She points out that there’s more in the carton, purposely left out on the counter, which is now just the right soft consistency.
“120 calories per serving . . . 12 servings per carton . . .1,440 calories,“ she calculates. “We’ll just skip dinner.”
* * *
“Why? Why?” My distended stomach cries out, pushing painfully against the waistband of my pants. Hips expand, thighs grate together, intestines grumble while impolitely relieving themselves of gas as I walk to the trash to throw away the empty carton.
The body unfairly treated, yet again, by me. And the mind . . . she’s still screaming . . .
“More! More!”
Bob Blobfish sez: “. . . I prefer ice cream cones – they’re easier to hold in the water”
Conversations with Kindred Spirits
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Master of Post-Painterly Abstraction
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My life disABLED with Chronic Ilnnesses, it just IS. Taking one moment at a time.
I rhyme to see myself, to set the darkness echoing. (Seamus Heaney, from Personal Helicon)
Fighting the monsters everyday of my life
New offsite pingomatic.com blog
Things that amuse and bemuse me as I wander the wilderness that is invisible chronic illness.
Just another WordPress.com weblog
An unapologetic marching band against the forces of darkness!
Bariatric, Bypass Surgery, Emotional, Psychological and Spirtitual Healing for Success
Stuff that makes me love, learn and laugh. ("It is good to laugh. Laughter is spiritual relaxation." - Baha'i World Faith)
Stuff that makes me love, learn and laugh. ("It is good to laugh. Laughter is spiritual relaxation." - Baha'i World Faith)
