Saturday movie review: 'Lion Ark'

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Humans can inflict unimaginable horrors of cruelty upon animals. Thankfully other humans — better, kinder, compassionate humans — can lift those animals that suffer at the hand of the unscrupulous out of deplorable conditions and into a life that, though not what natured intended for them, is the next best thing.

Lion Ark the MovieThe documentary film LION ARK chronicles cat rescue on a grand scale. BIG cats. As in African lions held captive, tortured, neglected, underfed and abused in all manner of ways by the illegal circus owners of Bolivia. Even after...

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Holiday highlights... in passages and pics

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It was quite indescribable. It was like what happens when you shake a kaleidoscope. The parts of it are the same parts, but they are arranged differently; they are arranged in a new pattern...
~Agatha Christie "The Water Bus"

family at Christmas 

They err who thinks Santa Claus comes down through the chimney; he really enters...

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Unexpected guests and GRAND Social link party No. 82

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My family's annual cookie swap — which we started long before cookie exchanges were in fashion — took place yesterday at my sister's house. She lives relatively far up in the mountains, and life up there is a wee bit different than it is here in the city.

For one thing, during the holiday festivities, the neighbors came right up to the back door and begged to join our invitation-only party.

begging deer 

Needless to say...

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Grandmas don't get breaks on speeding tickets, plus other lessons learned

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Four things I learned this week

gavelGrandmas don't get breaks on speeding tickets: A few weeks ago, as I raced out of town on my way to Denver for a film festival screening, I was pulled over by a motorcycle cop and given a ticket. I admit I was speeding, so I didn't cry in hopes of getting out of the ticket (as I probably should have, considering I've had a clean driving record since 1993). My ticket was $90 and a $15 filing fee; my court date was scheduled for this past week or I could pay the ticket by mail.

"Don't pay it by mail!" is the adamant advice from those who've been there, done that. "You gotta go to court. It'll reduce the charge!" So I went to court Wednesday. My ticket wasn't reduced. In fact, $25 more was added to the fees to cover court costs. I was not happy. I did cry this time... in the car... after paying the freakin' fee.

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Local photos from a long-distance grandma

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I am a long-distance grandma. A long-distance grandma who likes to take pictures. Mostly pictures of of my long-distance grandsons.

Every once in a while, though, I'm reminded that I don't need to travel 812 miles to my grandsons' house to get photos that warm this grandma's heart. I don't even need to leave my house for that at all, as I have incredible photo ops right outside my windows, from morning til night.

I often start my day with sunrises that look like this...

Colorado sunrise

October sunrise in Colorado

Colorado Sunrise

End my day with sunsets like this...

October sunset in Colorado

And in between the sunrise and sunset are animals of a squirrelly sort galore. Just yesterday, in fact, I had the pleasure of photographing a mama brown squirrel taking a break from her ever-hungry babies — a mama who was none too pleased with my intrusion on her momentary peace.

brown squirrel at rest

unhappy brown squirrel

brown squirrel on the run

When the months between visits with my grandsons stretch long and lonesome, I must remember to focus on what I have right here in my own back yard.

And in my east- and west-side yards, too.

Vincent Van Gogh quote

Today's fill-in-the-blank:

This week I was reminded that __________.

Picture this: If you give a squirrel something sweet

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This is what happens when a squirrel discovers hummingbird food spilled on the deck railing:

squirrel

squirrel

squirrel

squirrel

squirrel

squirrel

squirrel tongue

satisfied squirrel

All cleaned up lickety split!

Today's question:

Considering yesterday's giveaway post for Munch! and today's post about licking, when it comes to sweets, do you prefer those you munch or those you lick?