We’re fans of Kokopeli, an ancient subject of petroglyphs and pictographs throughout the southwest. Last week, we got this nice new doormat to place on the front porch in honor of Verna’s birth state, Arizona.

Now that it’s cold outside, I like to find a patch of sunlight coming in and sit in it to get nice and warm. I will sit here until I hear the Mama working in the kitchen. When she goes in there, I know there will be FOOD for me right after that.

I’m not allowed in the kitchen, so I will go back and forth from one door to the other because I don’t know where the food will come out. The Mama calls it “Kitchen Kabuki” when I do that.

Pretty soon, one of the hoomins brings out my dish with my breakfast. I like mornings because I can sit in the sun and then EAT!

It took me a couple of hours with the electric chain saw, but I managed to get the first cut at removing this fan palm. It took root there several years ago, just after we had the Brazilian Pepper tree removed (it was rotting and messy). At first it seemed to be a nice little palm, but it quickly got out of control as you can see from the ‘before’ panel on the left (click image for larger).

California Fan Palms are like weeds in our part of the state. You can see them growing everywhere - between the cracks in the sidewalks or in vacant fields and even in between the railroad ties along the seldom used spurs.

Eventually, I’ll get these completely removed. In addition to the major trimming I gave the one in the photo, I also dug out a stump from one I cut back a few weeks ago.

Ahhhh . . . the joys of home ownership . . .

When the hoomins came home from shopping today, they brought me a new bed. At first, I didn’t like it. It smelled funny and I didn’t know what it was for. The hoomins kept putting me on it and I kept getting off. I ran away and hid behind the sofa.

After a while, they put it under the Mama’s desk, where I like to take my naps. I kept going over to it and smelling it, but I didn’t get in.

Then, the Mama came and got my blanket and put it under the desk. The blanket made the bed smell more like I’m used to, so I decided to get on it and take a nap. Hey! I like my new bed now!

Our tradition every “Black Friday,” is to put up the Christmas Lights. After many trips up and down the extension ladder, this is the result. Click the image to enlarge.