Happy Tuesday Rocky's 5th gotcha day

 Dear Auntie HiC,

I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since the Cat Distribution System delivered me to The Hill.  I arrived at 11:29, on a chilly April morning.

Mom said it was “Love at First Sight❣️”.

 I was exhausted from my journey & spent the first few days sleeping. But every time I woke up, Mom was right there to assure me she would never leave! 

I love Kat, Cali, my peeps, Auntie HiC, & all my blogging friends. Life is Good! 

Video from my first week here:

I quickly went from sleeping on the sunporch to

sleeping with my humans.

💓

 Rocky the Gingerbread Boy

Rocky this is proof pawsitive how a loving home filled with lots of loving staff and siblings can turn a Gingerboy's life around.  Auntie HiC says you were so very very brave and she is so proud of you.

Awww Monday with Birding Facts with Rocky



 We thank our Hostess Sandee at Comedy Plus   

Dear Auntie HiC,

Spring bird migration is in full swing here on The Hill. It’s alway exciting to see the variety of visitors at our feeders this time of year. 

Here are some interesting facts about bird migration:

About 4,000 species of birds are regular migrants, which is about 40% of the total number of birds in the world. 

Birds can reach great heights as they migrate. Bar-headed geese are the highest-flying migratory birds, reaching altitudes of 5 1/2 miles high. 

To prepare for their long journeys, birds enter a hyperphalgia state, eating massive amounts of food. 

Kind of like bears preparing to migration. 

Thanks to Merlin Bird app we are able to identify the songs of birds we aren’t lucky enough to observe. 

These birds were in our backyard today:

This is an incredibly cool website that allows you to track migration in your vicinity! Change add your county to the top. 

https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-GA-311

We did see a pair of male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks this week. The doves were not thrilled to share their feeders. 

❤️ Rocky

Dearest Rocky,

You know Auntie HiC is a lover of all our fine feathered friends...however, 

I must say the doves are really bird brains if they don't realize how very very special it is to have Rose Breasted Grosbeaks stop at your home for some R&R and food.

Lovingly your Auntie

Bryan thanks each and everyone of you for the very lovely birthday wishes.

Happy Birthday to my Hubby aka Dad of Angel Madi

Flashback to April 27, 2011 

Madi and I started her blogs in June of 2010...  

Today I am sharing her very first happy birthday post to her Dad  April 27, 2011.

Happy Birthday to Dad...he is the one in the purple shirt

Every year the last weekend of April there is a live steam meet in Apex, NC by a local live steam railroad club. The trains run on 7 1/2" gauge track and are quite powerful for their size.

Luckily it coincides with Dad's birthday (4/27). Mom and Dad attended

this year's meet on April 24.

Many of the engines are made by their owner's as in the one shown below.
This gentleman traveled from Kentucky for the show. Most burn coal, some burn
oil and some propane.


The meet is held on the property of one of the local members. Below are a few pictures of his
property. We aren't sure how many acres he has but there are 2.1 miles of meandering track

throughout lovely woods and gardens

below is on of the 3 bridges the trains cross over.

The engineer on our ride around the property traveled from Michigan.

Below is the train we rode taking on water drawn from one of several ponds on the property.

Below is a picture of Dad shortly before he was given the privilege of playing engineer for a day.

This train is owned by one of his close friends from Virginia.

and finally  picture of Dad just before became the engineer for a few seconds.  It was his first driving a live steam engine for the first time after many, many years of attending this meet. 

Snicker Saturday

 Spotted Monday, April 21 on my EMW in the neighborhood

Who knew dinosaurs liked Easter Peeps

Nature , Final Friday Feature and Feline Friday

Happy Birthday wishes Sunny today April 25th 

one of our hosts for Nature Friday host LLB Gang   

Mom Beth and the Girls made a beautiful new 
Nature Friday Badge honoring the Memory of our friend Gail

YAM Aunty tomorrow April 26th

Click here to visit YAM

 OUR HOSTESS FOR FINAL FRIDAY FEATURE  IS

YAM AUNTY, HER BIRTHDAY IS TOMORROW APRIL 26

🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

YAM AUNTY I SAVED THIS POST JUST FOR YOUR BDAY

Power lines as public art? Wait ‘til you see these sunflowers planned for Dix Park. By Anna Johnson November 8, 2023 8:00 AM Power poles over Dorothea Dix Park will be transformed into metal sunflowers Dix Park Conservancy Power line poles along Dorothea Dix Park will transform into large metal sunflowers, nearly 80 feet tall. The two power poles will become large-scale public art in a collaboration between the Dix Park Conservancy, Duke Energy and Raleigh-based artist Thomas Sayre. “This inspired project exemplifies both the creativity we aspire to foster at Dix Park

Thomas Sayre, the prominent Raleigh artist behind many of the city's most beloved public art installations, is bringing his work to Dorothea Dix Park.

Driving the news: Sayre, using private funding, will turn two power poles in the park into giant, steel sunflowers, the Dix Park Conservancy announced Wednesday.

• The 73-ft. sunflowers** — an homage to the park's sunflower fields — are near the entrance to the under-construction Gipson Play Park.

These photos were taken from the car

Click here

to see a WRAL News video about the Metal Sunflowers.  You will have to click on another link at the top of the page.

I don't think you can read the newspaper link below w/o being a subscriber.Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article281524403.html#storylink=cpy

In July Dix Park has a field of sunflowers that draws visitors from all over the State and beyond.  They were the inspiration for the Sunflower Power Pole ART

click here

More Nature

**Below is a picture from July 2024

A sea of cheerful, golden sunflowers stretch out in a Raleigh field for a couple of weeks each summer. The Dorothea Dix Park Sunflowers are a spectacular sight to see and not to be missed - though you'll have to plan your visit just right since the golden beauties only bloom for two weeks.

Click here Hostess Miss Mimi 

Feline Flash back April 2017

No tricks, no editing....for once mom's fingers were quick..

I'm not walking on  dresser as it appears...I'm in mid jump

I call this Downward Cat...