Pets at Christmastime

The older I get the more frequently my lens turns toward our family pets. This was Blackbeard's first Christmas with us, and his impact was immediately felt as no ornaments were hung closer than four feet to the ground (and no glass ornaments at all were hung this year). This is Gracie's twelfth holiday with us. She was a gift to our kids when she was three months old in 2003. I love these animals.

Each year Gracie gets a new baby for Christmas; one that she invariably will "love to death."

Generally not a fan of catnipped toys, Blackbeard
took a liking to this little monkey.

Usually inseparable, this is as close as these two
came to one another on Christmas morn.

Blackbeard's First Halloween!

Blackbeard aka Kitty contemplates his pumpkin's design. (10/30/14)

For better or worse, much of my free-time at home has devolved into watching our one-eyed kitten, Blackbeard, do silly things. Climbing screens, hiding in plain sight, playing with our dog, Gracie, and other such shenanigans. Last evening, the night before Halloween, my wife and I finally made time to carve our pumpkin, and is most often the case nowadays, we completed the task with the help of Blackbeard (or "Kitty" as most in the family have taken to calling him). Fortunately for Anne and I, Kitty is also a traditionalist when it comes to jack o'lantern making, favoring sincere old-school carving to fancy-shmancy gourd scraping and whittling.

Kitty manages Anne's gutting of the pumpkin. (10/30/14)

Ever conscious of the environment, Kitty insists on composting the pumpkin innards. (10/30/14)

A quick break to tease the dog. (10/30/14)

All done! (10/30/14)

Final jack o'lantern! (10/30/14)

Oooooh, scary!? (10/30/14)