Disney Princess Unlocked

Featured Amy23 Comments

Happy Saturday morning from these parts of the woods! This day is also known as Caturday, but the only cat I have right now is the one who visits my backyard naïvely thinking I won’t capture him and force him to go to the vet and live inside the house forever and ever. Oh, silly, silly boy.

Tom Cat stopping by for water and a meal – he was unsuccessful and the birds told everyone who would listen that he was there

In other news, Foxy Red is back. He thought he might have a little snack, but I caught him. Fox look like a combination of a dog and a cat in the same body. And their behavior is much the same. I heard from a neighbor there are two fox, so I deduce there are many more. I also heard from a neighbor there is a deer nearby and that a small group of them live up in some small woods behind a few houses at the front of the neighborhood. This makes me sad. I hate that their homes have been demolished for human greed. I have not seen this deer, but others have seen it walk through the yard of my neighbor directly next to me. I did see one deer walking down the middle of the road early one summer morning about three years ago. I thought it was hallucinating, because I’ve never seen a deer in this neighborhood, and I have lived here a long time. It walked so quietly it didn’t make a sound. And it didn’t notice me. It was a peaceful moment.

But I’m not here to talk about peace. I’m here to talk about a compact, pudgy, fluffy, black-and-white striped, armed with stinky solution in the rear ball of fluff. Yes, that’s right. I’ve got a skunk. And if you think he is not the cutest thing in the world, you are wrong. I’ve seen him on at least two occasions now and I have squealed both times. I got nervous because he crossed the street and did some weird investigating in my neighbor’s front yard. And it wasn’t even dark. But this skunk appears to be very well fed, so I suppose he needs to get an early start on the grub.

Squee!! 😍

I also have a bunny, but I’m not sure how long I will have a bunny, due to fox plural. And a stray cat.

🐇💨 + unhelpful 🐧 + 🐿️

Oh yeah, and a bunch of squirrel moms dropped off their crazy babies in my backyard and took off. Two of my favorite squirrels have taken off and left crazy babies in their wake. I don’t think that’s an equal transaction, but who am I to say? I just live here. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Good morning. I was waiting for you to open the blind and see me here. I have left you my children and I am going off to greener pastures. But before I go, do you have a moment to talk about your car’s extended warranty?

I also have plenty of flowers in bloom, and although one of the three late frosts that we had killed off the leaves on the weeping cherry tree, everything else seems to have come through okay. Everything is very slow to bloom, however. But don’t worry, we’re getting three or four 90°+ days coming up this week before returning to somewhat reasonable weather. I can’t wait because I don’t have any air-conditioning at the moment. I guess I’ll have that dewy glow, au natural.

The first penny bloom on one of five peony plants

I plant pink petunias around my mom’s tree every year because those were her favorite. 💞

I better go. I hear the birds in the tree outside the window and they know I’m late. I expect there to be a crowd on the porch when I open the door. And sometimes, the sparrows bang on the door for birdseed if I’m too late.

Enjoy your day/afternoon/evening wherever you are in the world.

And always remember: the Disney Princess life isn’t chosen, it is given. ✨💫✨

©️2026, itsamyisaid.com

animals · birds · blog · blogging · Flowers · Humor · Nature · spring · squirrels · Writing

Squirrel 1, Azalea 0

Featured Amy17 Comments

It’s been a very warm week. We’ve broken records and hit 9000°F. I’m sorry, it only feels like 9000° but it’s been 88°. Everything is blooming and it shouldn’t be. Not quite yet. We’re dropping down into the 30s again next week so I will likely be covering everything that’s starting to bloom that shouldn’t be. Sigh.

Speaking of blooming, the azaleas are in full bloom, and the squirrel teenagers are in full zoom. And I mean zoomies. The squirrels have been splooting – the term for what they do when they lie on their bellies to try to cool off – and they have been doing this:

Menace 2 Society

Sploot happens:

I brought out the ground level birdbaths and the hose, so now we have three functioning birdbaths/refreshing water sources. Yesterday, the mourning doves couldn’t figure out how to all get into the same birdbath at the same time, which is not surprising because mourning doves share one brain cell. They are beautiful birds, and they are very fast in flight, but they are afraid of me on foot, but not afraid of cars. They often walk to their destination, even though they have wings. And when they look at you, it gives you a feeling of the most beautiful creature with not much going on behind the scenes, if you know what I mean. Anyway, while the doves were trying to figure out how to all fit into the birdbath, a sparrow showed up. Sparrows are not shy, and it came in for a landing. The MoDo’s were not impressed. This was their reaction:

👁️👁️ 👁️👁️ 👁️👁️ 👁️👁️

It was really awkward. I, of course, recorded the whole thing and could not contain my laughter.

Sparrow: “HEY, YA’LL! 🤠” MoDo: “Darlene, is that a sparrow? Tell me that is not a sparrow sitting right there next to us?!“ 🧐

These are two couples (not seen: Daryl, who made an early exit after being pecked by Dave.) Doves mate for life, so tensions were already brewing between the two couples and the fact that they couldn’t figure out how to all fit into the birdbath without ruffling feathers. I mean that figuratively and literally. One of the doves got too close to the other dove and got pecked. This caused an indignant, awkward hop out of the birdbath as one couple *had* to leave. And then the sparrow showed up. It was utter chaos.

It’s Saturday morning as I’m writing this, and don’t for a second think that the birds and the squirrels don’t know that I’m already awake in here. I’ve been sleeping with the windows open, which is necessary because I don’t have air-conditioning at the moment and it has been very hot. I would also like to point out the trees are pollinating and all of the yellow stuff you see on your car is now in my nose and eyes when I wake in the morning. But the birds and the squirrels don’t care about any of that. They just know that I’m awake and that I should be refilling the fuel sources and the watering holes, and they will come knocking if I’m late.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

Hello, can you spare a morsel? Also, umm, i think maybe…you’re a little late…

p.s. still obsessed with the Bleeding Heart

animals · blogging · I love trees · Nature · Nature photography · non-fiction · Oak trees · Photography · spring · squirrels · Trees · Willow oak trees

William and the Squirrel

Featured Amy6 Comments

William is as majestic as ever this year. He’s probably taller than last year, but I can’t tell because he’s so tall, so…I don’t know. I was snapping some photos of my bleeding heart plant and this little squirrel became spooked by me. She’s young and she’s wary, which is a good thing, because the Cooper’s Hawk is around quite frequently, as is the fox. In any case, when she saw me, she decided to seek William out for shelter. I have many times sought out William for shelter and I have communed with him to get grounded. For it is definitely so that his roots reach as far down as his canopy reaches to the sky. To touch a tree that is at least 100 years old and is likely sustaining most of the trees in the neighborhood through its root system, is nothing short of magical. When I am feeling especially anxious and my vertigo is especially bad, I will lean on William and I feel better, at least for that moment.

Have a great weekend everyone, and if you need grounding, touch a tree. Talk to a tree. Trust me, it works.

Oh, here’s the bleeding hearts. I had to cover them with a tent-like contraption for two nights straight because we had a freeze warning, but as you can see, it was worth it.

animals · blogging · Humor · Nature · spring · squirrels

Ma’am Says Hey

Featured Amy15 Comments

She’s doing very well and has babies again. If you see this video anywhere on the internets, it’s mine. I had that surprise this morning. I was watching a short on another platform, and the next short was this. Except it wasn’t from my account and it had thousands of likes. The good news is now Ma’am lives on the internets forever. I’m not going to talk about the bad news, because the good news is Ma’am now lives on forever. I hope everyone is doing well, and guess what?

WE MADE IT TO SPRING!

animals · birds · blogging · daily prompt · Photography · squirrels

There Are Strategies?

July 26, 2025August 8, 2025 Amy28 Comments

What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?

I wish I would’ve known that sooner. Jokes aside, it’s very difficult to maintain health and well-being in these days and times. Whatever you’re doing, and it’s working for you, and it’s not hurting you or anyone else? Do more of that.

I talk to the plants and the animals. I feed the birds and the squirrels. When it’s really hot, I fill up the birdbaths at least three times a day. Note: birds know when you wake up. Just like cats know when your eyes pop open first thing in the morning, birds know when you’re awake. They can hear you in your room when the alarm goes off and you start reaching for your phone to snooze it. They hear it. As soon as a bird knows I’m awake, it’s in the tree outside of my window chirping at me to get out of bed and do the right thing. And the right thing is to feed it. As I open the blinds, I see many pairs of eyeballs staring at me. So of course I have to feed them.

I visit with my trees and give them pats and scritches on their bark. I sing to my inside plants. I tell them they are beautiful, and when they are flowering I congratulate them on their children. They haven’t complained yet, but maybe it’s because I can’t hear them complaining. I don’t speak plant. Yet.

I very carefully watch for bees and then walk through the grass. It’s very important to be grounded to the actual earth during these times. If you’re not grounding, you may be getting lost in the ether.

I avoid news. I know enough to be informed, but other than that, it’s a detriment to my mental and physical health to invest in anything harmful that has the ability to enter my brain via sound waves and visual recordings. Once taken in by the brain, they can never be taken away. I have learned this the hard way. I must also be careful with reading the written word. But there is slightly more control over getting your news via the written word.

I keep a routine. Routine helps the brain feel regulated.

I like to go outside and see what I can snap a photograph of. There’s always something, if you’re looking close enough. One of the reasons my mother always kept creating new – and sometimes judged as wacky art projects – was to keep herself occupied and uplifted. It kept her from falling into anxiety and depression. Some may say that’s a little bit nuts, but I think it’s very wise. I have learned this wacky creativity lesson from her and I try to utilize it via photography and in other creative small projects.

I watch shows and films that are comforting or interesting. I will re-watch shows I like specifically for the comfort factor. I try to avoid heavy drama because if I wanted heavy drama, I would not be writing about how to maintain my mental physical health…

Since Susie died, I have been rearranging and repurposing things in the house to make the house more “me.” I have a very tight budget, but this is a new phase of life and with a recent birthday, I’ve decided now is the time to switch things up a bit.

What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being? Comment below!

animals · blogging · Frogs · Humor · Nature · Nature photography · Summer

Prince Charming

Featured Amy3 Comments

In case you’re wondering, he is still a frog

Advice · animals · birthday gift · blogging · cats · daily prompt · Grief · Love · Writing

Discernment

July 12, 2025July 26, 2025 Amy18 Comments

What do you think gets better with age?

The ability to judge what is worth pondering or taking on. The insight and intuition to decide that something isn’t for you. The capability to decide that if something isn’t for you, you can leave it and go on about your day.

The wisdom to own your own shit and know that other peoples’ shit is not yours to own. To not give a fuck if people don’t like that you curse.

To determine it’s perfectly acceptable to water your plants wearing your bathrobe and your slippers. To go out in a very nice outfit, but not wear a stitch of makeup on your face. (This is closely related to wearing a bathrobe to water your plants.) Also, with age comes the knowledge and the understanding that what people see on the outside is not who you are on the inside. And who you are on the inside is much more important than what you look like.

My birthday is tomorrow. One more trip around the sun. Susie passed away in my lap this past Monday, and my best friend’s mother died about five hours later. It has been a difficult week, and I have scaled it alone, save for several good souls. And I have made it through. With age comes inner strength you didn’t know you had.

With age comes discernment. With age comes the knowledge that grief is love. You learn people can only ever treat you the way they feel about themselves. Sometimes you can do everything possible, but if you are misunderstood by others, it won’t make a difference. And you have to just let that shit go.

I have learned pets are a gift from above. Animals do not offer conditional love, theirs is only unconditional. They love simply because that’s what they do. For people who don’t know the love of a pet, or specifically a cat, I’m sorry. Your life has not been enriched in the way that mine has. Tiny humans grow up and they begin to place conditions on their love. It’s what the world does to us. But a pet never does. A 17-year-old cat still loves unconditionally, the same as when they were a tiny baby. My birthday wish is that humans may strive to be less conditional with their love, and be more like “animals.”

In honor of Susie, Happy Caturday, friends.

animals · blogging · Humor · Photography · spring · squirrels

Table For One

Featured Amy9 Comments

You may not know this, but Ma’am has her own container of walnuts. No one else gets these walnuts but her. I keep it fully stocked. Yes, she is spoiled. She stopped by the café this morning and nicely requested a table for one, so I easily made the accommodations. Not even the starlings knew she was there for 40 minutes snacking, and the starlings know everything.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

Table for one

animals · blogging · Humor · Nature photography · Photography · squirrels

Ma’am on Mother’s Day

Featured Amy4 Comments

She doesn’t come around often, but she did visit on Sunday. She had a snack and a sploot. Splooting is when animals lie on their bellies to cool off on a hot day. Ma’am has perfected this.

Happy Wednesday, everyone. Sploot if you need to.