Dishwashers. I have owned several only because they came with the property.
They always made a useful extra storage unit.
Some (very strange) people like ironing. To me that always seemed a far greater chore than doing the dishes. If there had been an automatic ironing machine I would perhaps have availed myself.
Loading a dishwasher is much more trouble than washing up by hand.
“Improvements” by WordPress attempted to lead me astray here, but staying in focus, as I always do…
What I intended to say is that for me, washing dishes is always exciting, given the view from my kitchen window.
Even when the sky is not boiling up, or foliage changing hues, there is always some creature or other to entertain me. Here are just one or two…
“Goodness sake, husband. You’re making an exhibition of yourself!”
“Dust bathing is such fun!!!”
“You have to get right down in it!”
…”till it gets up your beak…yay!!!”
…”Husband, you are weird.”
“That is so immature!”
“Made me levitate!”
.
A few days ago, I glanced up to see a different shape.
Not wanting to scare it, I had to settle for a couple of quick snaps. But what a beautiful creature. It was just getting dark. Usually foxes aren’t seen in daylight, so this was a nice surprise.
.
That same evening, by the front porch, La Bandita.
Last night (above) she hit pay dirt…
We were tardy, bringing in the suet.
Why isn’t it hanging up, anyway?
When the hummingbirds returned, we had to make room for their feeder and I put one of the suets on the porch which turned out to be quite popular.
Grant finally put up another hook and back up it went.
So then we got complaints that we had moved it.
Being the fool I am, I gave in and supplied another. But because it melts in hot weather, it needed a saucer…
Our fluffy friend here could not believe her luck:
Raccoons are neat little creatures. If I had known she was coming I would not have “baked a cake”, but maybe I would have offered a finger bowl. Yes, they wash hands.
“Who’s that?” asked Blackie
She is bound to have met up with raccoons back in Washington, before she “came in”, but she seems to have forgotten.
Raccoons keep a careful eye out for other creatures and soon she heard one coming:
One of last year’s babies, we believe.
Recently four deer came by. The one on left seemed to be carrying a baby, judging from her round tummy.
These past few days, there has only been a trio but they are certainly not dependent on us. In the Fall they come by for the apples. Then, sometimes we have seen quite a few more. I always worry for them. There are so many dangers for deer.
Just a few of the reasons I stay near my windows.
I have never owned a dishwasher, nor wanted one. I can wash up easily, so why waste time and money on a machine that does it? Then again, I have only ever lived in a two-person household, or alone. And I never let it pile up. I wash up immediately after I have eaten, before I relax.
I admit to being lazy though. I leave the stuff to dry on a drainer, never using a cloth to dry it.
Nice raccoon.
In London, the urban foxes were so tame and numerous, you could walk right up to them just like domestic dogs. In Norfolk, foxes are mostly seen dead on the roads, killed by uncaring traffic.
Best wishes, Pete.
We’ve never owned a dishwasher either. I wash, my wife dries. We watch nature, put the world to rights, virtually assassinate all the nasty people in the world (and aren’t there an awful lot of them!), solve world debt, redistribute wealth and pay a living wage to every single person, and so on, and so on.
In the USA dishwashers come with most properties. Never used one either. Total waste of energy and my few dishes take a nano-second!
I confess to having a dishwasher! I love your dramatic sky photos and the adorable raccoon. x
Wonderful post, Carolyn! So many creatures! Thank you.
Joanna
Those clouds in the first two pictures looks really angry! Oh yes, give me an automatic ironing machine PLEASE! Lovely photo’s of the bigger animals – the fox, the racoon and the deers. Yes, this is a good excuse to find dishes to wash … you’re probably one of only a few enjoying washing dishes. I do too – never had a dishwasher (and seems I’m in good company here) 😄.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that feels this way. I have never owned a dishwasher and never plan to either. When I am preparing dinner, I wash as I go, often using a utensil for more than one task. When my meal is ready, all the dishes are in the drainer and will be dry in a short while to put away. Drying is not necessary.
Exactly my system!