Because of my inability to stop eating chocolate once I start, several years ago I came up with what I thought was a brilliant solution: I’d only buy Halloween candy that I didn’t like.
That meant I bought Nerds, Sour Patch, Skittles, and the grossest stuff EVER, Airheads. I don’t like anything that’s non-choc, so I felt no uncontrollable cravings.
I failed myself this year because in addition to some of those, I bought mini M&Ms and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. These aren’t even my favorites so I thought I wouldn’t be tempted so I hid them, hoping I wouldn’t remember where, but obviously I failed. I can’t stop, I have no impulse control, and now I have a headache.
With a rain event forecasted on Halloween, I doubt we’re even going to have very many trick or treaters, so I’m at my wit’s end about what to do with any leftover candy.
I’ll be haunted by nightmares of individual snack size portions of yummyyummy chocolate.
Do you have any suggestions that might help me? Before you reply, don’t suggest the freezer. I tried that a few years ago, but that didn’t restrict me for very long.
Do you have a favorite Halloween candy? Do you have willpower? Help!
I know a lot is happening in our country and cosmically with a full moon and many planets in retrograde, but I have entered a world that I never before knew existed.
I’m talking about Nate the Hoof Guy. I have no knowledge of cows or horses or hooves, but somehow stumbled across his YouTube channel and I’m OBSESSED. I wasn’t even aware that their feet looked like this, did you?
It make no sense that I watch vid after vid of Nate grinding, scraping, cutting cow feet/hooves using a variety of other healing modalities. I’ve only seen a handful of cows in my entire life, and I don’t eat any of their flesh or secretions, but I’m absolutely fascinated.
Nate the Hoof Guy (Nathan Ranallo) is a bovine podiatrist and professional cattle hoof trimmer based in west-central Wisconsin. He typically trims about 45 to 50 cows a day, working across multiple local farms.
Here’s what he does: Hoof Trimming: He travels to dairy farms to perform routine and therapeutic hoof care for cows living on concrete housing, where natural hoof-wearing does not happen. Pain Relief & Maintenance: He trims overgrown hooves, corrects angles and toe lengths, treats and cures lameness, removes lesions, and applies supportive rubber blocks and wraps to injured claws. Content Creator: Since 2020, he has filmed and posted educational videos of his work on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok (accumulating millions of followers), using his platform to bridge the knowledge gap between modern agriculture and the public.
Myrmecophobia: that huge word describes a fear of ants.
I don’t mind if they stay outside and it’s not like I have intense physical reactions like panic attacks. but I do admit to compulsive cleaning and excessive use of toxic chemical sprays to prevent any possibility of an ant infestation.
I read some articles about how to overcome a fear of ants but I don’t really want to do that. Overcoming this phobia isn’t my goal. I like that I’m diligent about NOT allowing an army of ants to occupy my living space.
Updated ant saga: After I initially encountered the scout ants in my bathroom and quickly dispatched them, the next day I walked into the kitchen and was shocked to see a MILLION ants. I’m not exaggerating. Well, maybe I am, but only slightly.
I had been hopeful that the scouts found in the bathroom had been successfully “dealt” with, but I guess a message was still able to reach the collective.
The colony decided to retaliate in a big way and war was imminent. It seems as if they gathered their forces and decided to descend on my kitchen counters and sink during the night. I awoke to large-scale hostility.
I had to take immediate action, and I’m quietly optimistic that this will be the end of the 2026 ant assault. All surfaces have been compulsively scrubbed and bleached and there isn’t a single crumb of food in the sink to attract another interloper.
The part that terrifies me is when I ruminate about how they breached my defenses and found a way to stealthily sneak in the house while I was asleep and vulnerable. Was it revenge for the “scout” episode? Are their tiny ant minds capable of such machination?
But why me?
A couple days have passed and the enemy lines have been drawn. It’s the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morningvand I check to make sure my perimeters haven’t been breached.
However, it appears that these militant ants have honored the agreement to stay outside (at least for now). My fears have slightly subsided but I am on high alert.
I woke up to this sexysexy tropical sky. Even if none of these heavenly clouds brought any rain, only extremely high humidity, aren’t they breathtaking?
I was never a Girl Scout for several reasons: I hate uniforms, especially ugly brown ones, and I don’t enjoy enforced gatherings and/or making weird crafty things to earn useless badges.
Don’t even get me started on how much I would LOATHE being forced to go door to door or stand in front of a grocery store to hawk cookies. That’s a firm and hard NO from me, at any age.
Yeah, I’m not a joiner of anything; I guess I’m a lone wolf by nature.
So…when I noticed a couple ants here and there in my bathroom, on the wall and in the shower — not a steady stream of them but a few that seemed to be aimlessly wandering around, I was perplexed.
A little research taught me something I had never known–these seemingly random ants are actually SCOUTS.
Scout ants are lone worker ants sent out by a colony to explore unfamiliar terrain, locate food sources, and assess potential nesting sites or threats, however, they chose the wrong location here because there’s no food in my bathroom!
They wander independently away from the nest using keen senses of smell and visual cues. When food is located, they consume a small sample and head straight back to the nest. Before they go, they leave a chemical scent called a pheromone trail on their return trip so other worker ants can follow the path to the food.
As fascinating as that info IS, I don’t want them anywhere near me. I get totally freaked out if I think an ant could possibly crawl on me in any way.
I don’t even care if the spiritual meaning of a scout ant represents a call to explore uncharted territory, to trust our inner instincts, or even to pioneer new paths before bringing others along.
I can admire their industrious nature, but stay away from me.
If you’re wondering what ultimately happened to these scout ants, the short answer is that these good little scouts are no longer able to bring back any info to their colony, which isn’t very animal-ioving of me, but I have my limits.
Let’s raise a glass to honor those brave, selfless little soldiers. RIP.
The Original Angel Boy and I purchased olive trees at about the same time from our individual Trader Joe’s stores, just as a sort of experiment to see what would happen.
While his tree is about five feet tall now with many little olives, mine is stuck at two feet and, after a couple of years, here’s my bountiful harvest! I’m so excited!
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Yes, I know you can’t eat olives directly from the tree because it’s extremely bitter and unpalatable due to a compound called oleuropein. Olives must be cured using salt packing, water soaking, or a brine process to make them edible.
I wonder who was the first person to figure out that it wasn’t a good idea to eat them raw?
And who first came up with these methods?
Dry Salt Method: Layer ripe black olives with coarse rock salt (about a 3:1 ratio of olives to salt) in a breathable container or a perforated bag to draw out the bitter juices over three to six weeks.
Water or Brine Curing: Soak the fresh olives in clean water, changing the water daily for two to three weeks until the bitterness fades, then transfer them to a salt brine solution for storage.
Rinse the cured olives thoroughly, then pack in olive oil, vinegar, or fresh herbs for final flavor enhancement.
There’s another method using lye, but that seems dangerous, so I didn’t include it.
I’ll let you know how delcious it is when it’s ready to eat and I arrange it on a miniature charcuterie platter.
In the midst of all the horrible stories swirling around this country, the talk of the town is the shiniest ray of light, #Jimothy, Seattle’s latest local legend!
I’ve named him Dr. Jimothy Sprinkles, since UW conferred an honorary Ph.D. on this special little guy.
Credit to creator, found on Twitter
Jimothy is a short-spined raccoon spotted thriving in Ballard, a suburb of Seattle, despite a rare congenital condition. He doesn’t seem to be in pain and it looks like he’s living his best life.
The Ferals (formerly Angel Kids) hope they get a glimpse of him because the sightings have been fairly close to their neighborhood.
Filming the creature with her cellphone Monday night, Kiana Hall was certain of only one thing: The tiny beast skittering out from under a car in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood was definitely not a cat.
“I got very confused at what I was seeing,” Hall said. “I just have never seen any other animal like it.”
She also didn’t know her five-second video clip would turn a teetering trash panda into an overnight internet celebrity.
Hall, 33, and her partner were strolling near the Ballard Goodwill about 8:30 p.m. Monday when she spotted what she thought was a cat under a car. She took out her phone to film the animal, then watched in disbelief as a decidedly different critter crept from the shadows.
Smaller than a house cat and unusually round, the gray-furred creature loped on long legs across a patch of grass and up a nearby staircase before climbing over a fence and out of sight. Hall guessed it was a raccoon based on its masklike facial markings. She also suspected it had short spine syndrome, a rare congenital disorder she had learned about online.
Hall published the video the next day on her Instagram, naming the creature “Jimothy” because, she said, “he looked like a Jimothy.”
Within hours, Hall’s video started going viral, garnering more than 5 million views and thousands of comments by Thursday afternoon. A Ballard resident who saw the video recognized Jimothy as an oddly shaped raccoon their security cameras had captured last month crawling on their patio. The resident posted their footage Wednesday on Reddit, attracting hundreds of awed comments, including ones comparing Jimothy to mythical creatures like cryptids and chupacabras.
And thus, Seattle’s latest local legend — a belovedly bedraggled raccoon — was born.
Seattleites’ adoption of Jimothy as their scrappy hometown hero has brought Hall “a lot of joy,” she said in a Thursday phone call.
“I think times have been hard for everyone, so I’m really happy to have posted something online that reaches so many people and makes them so happy,” Hall said. “I just hope (Jimothy) continues to live his life freely and I hope he can be healthy.”
Jimothy’s prognosis seems positive, despite his unusual appearance, said Marcie Logsdon, an associate professor at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Logsdon could not diagnose Jimothy based on reviewing the videos of the “kind of crazy little thing.” But she said the raccoon was likely born this year, and that its abnormally shortened neck is likely caused by a congenital deformity of the spine.
Jimothy appears to be functioning well and “very spry,” excellent signs for his survival in the wild, Logsdon said.
“The fact that he’s made it to this age tells me that he’s managing and that he’s adapting,” she said. “I was surprised and honestly a little bit inspired that he’s that resilient.”
Jimothy is likely best off “left to his own devices.” Anyone who spots him and is concerned about his health should call a local wildlife rehabilitator before trying to intervene, she said.
“Raccoons are amazing because they have done an amazing job at adapting to and sharing urban and suburban areas,” she said. “But respectful sharing needs to remain just that.” (Curated from Catalina Gaitán, Seattle Times breaking news reporter.)
This is my personal fave cos Angel Boy (only slightly feral) teaches at UW.
Twenty-four hours early, but Happy Bio/Step/Deadbeat Daddy Day, whichever one applies.
Today, June 20, is International Surfing Day. This global event brings together an estimated thirty-five million surfers and ocean enthusiasts worldwide. It celebrates surf culture while driving awareness for ocean conservation, and highlights the need to protect coastlines, reduce marine pollution, and keep beaches safe and accessible.
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Along with International Surfing Day and Father’s Day, it’s pretty cool that June 21 is also the longest day. The Summer Solstice occurs at the moment the earth’s tilt toward from the sun is at a maximum. On this day, the sun appears at its highest elevation.
Spiritually, the summer solstice is a powerful energetic turning point that symbolizes illumination, abundance, and the triumph of light over darkness.
As the longest day of the year, it represents the peak of the sun’s life-giving energy, encouraging us to awaken our inner power, celebrate our growth, and nurture our spirits.
Happy Summer Solstice , International Surfing Day, (and Father’s Day)!
On Thursday afternoon, I saw a white van parked DIRECTLY across my driveway, completely blocking it. For a minute, I thought it might be a delivery, but I wasn’t expecting anything.
After noticing it didn’t move and no one came out with a package, I walked outside. Never one to shy away from direct action, I went around to the driver’s side, tapped on the window, and a man opened the door.
I pointed at my driveway and calmly stated, ” You’re completely blocking my driveway.”
He replied, “I’m just on my phone.”
Still calm, I responded, “You can’t block a driveway. MOVE. NOW.”
And he did move but parked directly across the street and kept staring at my house while still on his stupid phone, now with the door open.
Once again, it might not have been the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but sometimes I have ZERO impulse control plus I know the assistant police chief lives a few houses away, if needed. I only regret not getting the license plate number.
Honestly, I don’t know what’s wrong with people, do you? First of all, there are literally dozens of miles of sidewalk unencumbered by driveways, and secondly, how in any entitled universe does HIS phone call justify illegal parking? I am convinced that there are more and more selfish people who think the whole world revolves solely around them, and I’m not sure why or how to navigate these life experiences.
Another random event happened at TJ Maxx as I was standing in line to pay for a couple of cute and sparkly t-shirts for Angel Girl. A woman with a full cart pushed in front of me as if I was invisible. As if I didn’t exist! The hubris!
It took me a couple of seconds to fully realize the situation, like what just happened here, because first, she was behind me and then she wasn’t. I looked around; aghast, as the other customers in line also noticed and I’m sure wondered how I would handle the situation.
This time, I chalked it up to the full moon. I shook my head, turned around, got out of line, put my items back on the shelf, and left the store. It didn’t seem to be the right time to have a confrontation over something trivial and I assumed the universe intervened for a good reason, so I listened.
Finally… my city can’t seem to figure out what to do with an intersection on my street near an elementary school. For many years, there were two stop signs, then they put in a dangerous and ineffective roundabout. Last year they took away the $20,000 waste-of-money roundabout and put in a four-way-stop. I don’t know how much it cost to remove the roundabout and cement in four stop signs, but that’s how they spend our tax dollars around here…
Yesterday, I pulled up to one of the stop signs, preparing to turn left. I noticed two cars that completely ignored another of the four stop signs and turned right, not even bothering to slow down. Since no one was behind me and I was early for a dental appointment, I sat there and watched at least SIX other cars completely ignore that same stop sign. Stop means stop, right? A couple of them even glanced my way as they barrelled around the corner, exceeding the 25 mph speed limit.
What part of STOP don’t they understand? Are they the same people who don’t comprehend that NO means NO?
I decided it might be wise to spend the day at home, in the garden, where it’s slightly more peaceful, although there’s STILL construction noise from next door. I’m trying to tune it all out, but it’s permeating my soul in a not very positive way.
I’m exhorting myself to BREATHE and listen to the birds who’re busy building nests in the mulberry tree.
…and an interesting and coincidental fact about (of course) Leon Russell.
Eleven years before there was even a hint of a thought about any baby, even one as wonderful as Angel Boy, Leon Russell released his self-titled debut solo album on March 23, 1970.
The album featured the classics: Delta Lady, Dixie Lullaby, A Song For You, Hummingbird, and Prince of Peace.
Leon played piano, guitar, bass guitar, and vocals. He was backed by an impressive list of friends, including Klaus Voormann, Mick Jagger, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Alan Spenner, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Delaney Bramlett, Eric Clapton, Jim Horn, Bonnie Bramlett, Steve Winwood, Jim Gordon, Chris Stainton, B.J. Wilson, Joe Cocker, and Merry Clayton.
What was I doing on March 23, 1970? I was in high school and I’m sure I bought that album as soon as it came out, probably at The Wherehouse or Licorice Pizza, two cool record stores that no longer exist.
He’s still the same person he’s always been; a voracious reader and writer, loves to garden, is kind to animals. He’s got a wicked sense of humor, and now that he’s a dad, he skateboards with the Angel Kids and finally realizes why I worried so much about his safety.
Could he really be all grown up? Nah, he’ll always be my Angel Boy and I’ll always be the proud Boy Mom.
