Category Archives: animals

May Day: The Traditions, the Mischief, and the Magic of May 1st

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🌼“Kids holding colorful ribbons as they dance around a tall maypole on a sunny May Day, with families watching from the crowd.”

I haven’t revisited May Day for a few years — fifteen, to be exact — but who’s counting. If you’re curious (or just in the mood for a laugh), you can see that original 2011 post here. May Day.

May Day is one of those holidays everyone’s heard of, but almost no one can fully explain — which is probably why it’s so much fun to write about. Depending on who you ask, May 1st is about flowers, bonfires, maypoles, ancient goddesses, or childhood memories of weaving ribbons around a pole without tripping over your classmates. And honestly? All of those answers are right.

🌸 A Holiday Older Than… Well, Almost Everything

May Day goes all the way back to the ancient world. The Romans celebrated Floralia, a weeklong festival honoring Flora, the goddess of youth, spring, and flowers. When they reached the British Isles, their festival collided with the Celtic celebration of Beltane, also held on May 1st — a fire festival marking the start of summer. Over time, the two blended into what we now recognize as May Day.

🌿 “Bringing in the May”

By the medieval period, May Day was the spring holiday across Europe. Villagers would wake up early to gather flowers and greenery — a tradition called “bringing in the May.” They decorated homes, barns, and even livestock with blossoms to welcome the season.

🎀 The Maypole (and the Competition to Have the Tallest One)

At the center of the festivities stood the maypole — usually a tall birch tree pulled into town by flower‑decked oxen. People danced around it holding colorful ribbons, weaving patterns as they went. Some towns even competed to see who could raise the tallest or most impressive pole.

đź‘‘ The May Queen

Many villages crowned a May Queen, a young woman chosen to preside over the day’s games, dances, and pageantry. Think of it as the original spring influencer — minus the hashtags.

🔥 Bonfires, Dew, and a Little Magic

In some regions, May Day included bonfires — a holdover from Beltane — and people believed washing your face in May morning dew would bring good luck and beauty for the year ahead. (Honestly, that one might be worth trying.)

🌼 And Then There’s New England…

Here in New England, the Puritans were not fans. When an Anglican merchant erected a maypole at Merry Mount (today’s Quincy) in 1627, the neighboring Puritans chopped it down and shipped him back to England. No sense of whimsy, those folks.

So while the Puritans may have tried to shut the whole thing down (party poopers, the lot of them), May Day survived — flowers, maypoles, mischief and all. And honestly? I think that’s worth celebrating. Even if the only dancing you do is from the coffee maker to the couch.

 

Kitty Shenanigans: The Continuing Saga of Life With Two Cats

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Cat Wrestling to start the day off right. What more can be in store for me?

The Morning Mayhem Begins

What a morning. My two tiny terrors have been in rare form. Usually the day starts the same way: breakfast for both kitties, followed by a full‑speed race around the condo. I try not to be in my recliner when this happens, because it’s one of the main sections of their racetrack. They’re just as likely to launch off my head — leaving tufts of my gray hair behind — as they are to springboard off the back of the chair. It’s truly a dangerous place to sit once they’re wound up.

The Post‑Race “Recovery” Phase

After that comes the recovery phase. Once they’ve burned off that first burst of morning energy, they each find a spot for a quick nap while they wait for me to clean the litter box. They supervise this process closely. As soon as I finish, they each reclaim a box — I’ll spare you the explanation. Then they get their morning treats, and normally I get a little peace to write, read, or even sneak in a nap of my own.

Balboa, Agent of Desktop Chaos

But today? Today they rewrote the script.

It started with Balboa. As soon as he finished breakfast, he came over to my desk to “see what I was doing.” He stretched out across the desktop, looking perfectly relaxed. That was just to lull me into a false sense of security. The moment I moved my hand from mouse to keyboard, a paw shot out like lightning. He grabbed for the mouse. I grabbed back. My typing came to a halt. Balboa was not deterred. His paw moved from mouse to keyboard, and the next thing I knew, I had a whole blog post of kitty gibberish.

This back‑and‑forth went on for a while. I was getting nothing done, and Balboa was delighted with himself. Fortunately, he has a short attention span and eventually wandered off to find some other form of mischief.

Banner vs. The Fitbit: A Rivalry for the Ages

Enter Banner.

My Fitbit was on the charger — and somehow, Banner knew. My Fitbit is his nemesis. He tries to chew it off my arm, he finds it when I hide it in the medicine cabinet during my shower, and no matter which charging station I use, he senses it. He has some sort of sixth sense for wearable technology.

Thus began my efforts to distract a determined agent of chaos. Banner has a much longer attention span than Balboa, and this was turning into a full morning of distraction. Cat 1, Hooman 0. The Fitbit barely survived.

Eventually, I gave up trying to charge it and put it back on my wrist. Banner gave me a tail flip — the feline equivalent of a rude gesture — followed by a disgusted look before wandering off, muttering under his breath the whole way.

Temporary Peace… Probably

Back to my work… I hope.

I quietly snuck the Fitbit back onto the charger. Both cats finally settled down for their morning nap/recharge cycle. And now I wait, wondering what they’ll dream up next.

Tiger Panther box war

Living with cats is like living with tiny, furry project managers — always supervising, never helpful, and absolutely convinced the world revolves around their schedule.

Banner and Balboa would like you to know this post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission — which they insist should go toward treats, toys, or whatever they’ve decided to knock off the counter next.

 

Hummingbirds Are Back: The Tiny Travelers of Spring Migration

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✨April Slips Away… and the Hummers ArriveMale Ruby Throasted hummingbirds have a brilliant iridescent red throat that looks dark when it’s not in good light.

April is winding down and we’re looking May right in the eye. That means one thing for Massachusetts nature lovers: the hummingbird migration has officially begun. The earliest sighting this year popped up during the week of April 20 — a tiny flash of iridescence announcing spring’s true arrival.

These remarkable birds spent the winter basking in Central America or Mexico. Olé indeed.

Daylight Flyers With a Need for Nectar

Hummingbirds migrate during the day, which means you can spot them flitting among early‑blooming flowers in search of energy‑rich nectar. And speaking of energy, these little dynamos are astonishing.

  • They can travel up to 23 miles in a single day
  • During their Gulf crossing, they may cover up to 500 miles at once
  • Their average flight speed is 20–30 mph, and during courtship dives they can triple that

The Physics-Defying Hummingbird Body

To pull off these long‑distance feats, a hummingbird’s body runs like a high‑performance engine:

  • Heart rate: up to 1,260 beats per minute
  • Wingbeats: 15 to 80 flaps per second
  • Breathing: about 150 breaths per minute

Tiny birds, enormous stats.

Fun Facts About Our Feathered Friends

A few more delightful tidbits to impress your fellow bird‑watchers:

  1. They remember every feeder they’ve ever visited
  2. “Hummer” is both a giant SUV and a birder’s nickname for hummingbirds
  3. They’re awake during the day and sleep at night
  4. There are 350+ species of hummingbirds
  5. All hummingbirds are native to North or South America
  6. They love sugar (relatable)
  7. Natural nectar is clear — no need for red dye
  8. Make your own nectar: 4 parts water + 1 part white sugar, boiled and cooled
  9. They’re attracted to the color red
  10. They eat insects
  11. They visit 1,000 flowers a day
  12. Their wings beat thousands of times per minute
  13. They can’t walk or hop — their feet are for perching only
  14. They take about 150 breaths per minute
  15. A group of hummers is called a “charm”
  16. You can ID them with the free Audubon Bird Guide app

Get Your Yard Hummer‑Ready

So — are you ready for your feathered friends? Clean out that feeder, plant those nectar‑rich flowers, and roll out the red carpet. The tiny hummers are on their way, ready to grace your garden with their zip, sparkle, and charm. The first sighting in Plymouth, right down the raod, was April 22!

They really are happy little jewels flitting through the yard.

Welocme back little Hummers

 

Happy Earth Day

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A Day to Celebrate Our Shared Planet

Every April 22, the world pauses—just for a moment—to honor the only home we’ve ever known. Earth Day began in 1970 as a national call for environmental protection, but by 1990 it had grown into a global movement, with organized events in 141 countries and a shared understanding that caring for the planet is something we all hold in common.

The Photo That Changed How We See Earth

One of the sparks that helped shape the early environmental movement wasn’t a speech or a law. It was a photograph.

In 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission, astronaut Bill Anders captured the now‑iconic “Earthrise” image: our blue planet rising above the gray lunar horizon. Small. Bright. Fragile. That single picture changed how millions of people saw the world. It reminded us that everything we love—every ocean, every forest, every city, every memory—exists on this one shimmering sphere floating in the dark. It’s hard not to feel something when you look at it.

More than 50 years after it was shot, Earthrise continues to be seen as one of the most iconic environmental photographs ever taken.

Earthrise photo by Bill Anders

Earth Day Close to Home: The Forever Farm

Closer to home, Earth Day feels a little more grounded.

The Forever Farm holds a special place in my heart. It was founded by my friend — and former supervisor — Nichole Botelho, one of those rare people who turns life’s lemons into something far sweeter. When the pandemic brought an unexpected layoff, she didn’t shrink from it. She dreamed bigger. What started as a quiet idea she once mentioned to me has grown into a thriving sanctuary for farm animals who deserve a second chance.

Celebrate Earth Day With the Forever Farm

And these aren’t the typical “cute and cuddly” rescues you see on posters. Nichole opens her arms to donkeys and pigs, chickens and roosters, and even a miniature horse named Miracle. Watching her take a dream and build it into a place of safety, healing, and hope has been nothing short of inspiring. The Forever Farm is a reminder that caring for the planet isn’t just about oceans and forests — it’s also about the creatures who share our daily world.

Small Actions, Big Impact

Earth Day doesn’t ask us to be perfect. It simply asks us to pay attention. To notice the beauty around us. To care a little more today than we did yesterday. And to remember that even small choices — recycling, planting, supporting local farms, protecting green spaces — add up when millions of people make them together.

A Moment to Reflect and Recommit

So here’s to Earth Day.
To the big blue marble in the sky.
To the places we love.
And to the people, like Nichole, who turn compassion into action and make this planet a little kinder for all who call it home.

 

Introducing MeoWant-A Cat Centric Partnership

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MeoWant Joins the Family

I got invited to be an affiliate for Meowant, a company that leans into the techy side of cat care — think automated litter boxes, smart cleaning systems, a sleek pet fountain, air purifiers, and a grooming kit. If you’re someone who loves automation and gadgets that make pet care easier, they’ve got a surprisingly robust lineup. Check out the full line up here

A must have litter box for your cat. Makes cleanup a breeze

Around here, we’re still using our trusty old fountain (it has a few good years left in it), and automated litter boxes aren’t the best match for Banner’s… creative output style. But plenty of cat households swear by automated setups, and Meowant has several options for people who like their pet gear on the high‑tech side.

For now, I’m giving them a cozy little spot in Dusty’s Picks — a soft hello while we see where the partnership goes and whether their catalog grows into something that fits our home even better down the line. In the meantime thier web page has lots of cute cat pictures. Check it out here.