Last week, I had an encounter that I immediately identified as being perfect for a one-liner Wednesday post. I made notes and I took a picture to feature with the one-liner.

I’ve done this before, and often something else happens that’s a better one-liner. That happened this time, and it happened twice. Fortunately, the original one-liner circumstance has a nice shelf-life. Unfortunately, the other two do not. So, you get two one-liners today. One is mine, and one is courtesy of a small friend in the back yard.

One of the places we buy plants from announced a buy-one-get-one sale on certain plants. We needed to fill a hole in the yard, so we bought two Butterfly Bushes. They arrived on Monday. We decided to unpack them, set them in the yard and let them acclimate to New England. I pulled one out of the box, set it on the ground and cut the ties on the plastic bag around the pot. As I started gently pulling the bag away, but before I was able to life the pot out, a bee showed up. His one-liner is the caption in the image below.

“Thanks for having this delivered. I think I’m going to like this one.”

Regular readers have seen pictures of the pumpkin patch planted by the gray squirrel we’ve named Linus. He has pumpkin plants all over the yard, and two of them now have pumpkins! We have very sandy soil. Despite all the rain we’ve had lately, the yard is dry, so new plants have to be watered. When I was done watering yesterday, I offered the second one-liner to my wife.

Not only do we feed the squirrels, now I’m watering Linus’s pumpkin patch.

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, and would like to join in on the fun, you can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.

Don’t forget, tomorrow is Thursday and that means Thursday Doors. The URL for my post is listed in the sidebar under our beautiful badge. You can link up at any time. My post goes live at one minute after midnight in the eastern timezone. I hope to see your doors.

All five of my current books are now available in audio book form thanks to Amazon KDP’s Virtual Voice process. The voice is AI generated, but I can honestly say, it’s pretty darn good. The audio books are reasonably priced (all below $7 US) and, if you already own the Kindle version and want to add an audio version, you can do that for $1.99. There is a five-minute sample on the book page for each book. If you’re interested, click on any of the Dreamer’s Alliance book links below the image or on the link below for my latest book.

Bridge to Nowhere

63 responses to “Serving the Critters – 1LinerWeds”

  1. Ooh the autumn leaf❤️❤️

    Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You can expect to see more of them in the coming weeks.

      Like

  2. The Linus pumpkin patch is most impressive! I have to think that it comes as a thank-you for all the good stuff you’ve put out for your visitors (or residents, as the case may be). On the other hand, it could just be their way of getting some tasty pumpkin seeds. Your critters seem to be pretty sly. But they sure deliver some good one-liners!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. We’ve decided that, if the pumpkins get big enough to have seeds, we’ll let the squirrels have them. I just hope we don’t walk out in the spring and find our back yard full of pumpkins. Linus is so funny. When they raid the bird seed, most squirrels just sit and eat. This little guy eats a few and then buries the rest.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. He must have read the Bible!

        Liked by 1 person

  3. I can see it now: Dan Antion – Husband, father, friend, writer, craftsman, and critter server. :-) Happy Wednesday, and I enjoyed the chuckle seeing Linus’ pumpkins. The squirrels and chipmunks here sure wish you were the home owner. :-)

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I wish we could plant a garden and have someone else come and water it, Judy. The strangest thing is that these pumpkins are growing in a spot where we’ve never been able to get grass to grow. If he added fertilizer, I’m not sure I want to know.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Butterfly bushes are lovely, hope they do well. Critters planting pumpkins is impressive. Now if you could just get them to weed the gardens…
    or do the bunnies take care of that?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. We’ve been surprised that the bunnies don’t like the pumpkin leaves. They did weed the garden, when we had it in the ground (it’s in containers now), but they couldn’t keep up with the weeds. Now they tend to stand and nibble some of what’s growing. I’m hoping they don’t like butterfly bushes.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Our woodchucks walked right by the weeds and ate every leaf on every flower I planted in my raised stone bed.
        😖

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Go for the good stuff.

          Liked by 1 person

  5. Ginger Salvatore Avatar
    Ginger Salvatore

    LOVE both of your one-liners today! That bee looks very happy indeed! Linus’ pumpkin patch makes me smile. Perhaps next year you should fence off a small area and clearly mark it “Linus’ Pumpkin Patch” so he won’t plant them all over! 😂

    The bunnies are sooo cute, but the little beggar in the park takes cute to a new level.

    Old Glory at half staff for Sen. Feinstein is a very sad sight. Ginger

    Sent from my iPad

    >

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think the next step is for Linus to find a Sally squirrel and talk her into waiting for the great pumpkin. He’s got pumpkins coming up all over the place, Ginger. His best plants are in an area where we’ve never been able to get grass to grow – at least the plants are green.

      The beggars in the park seem to know I’m carrying peanuts. I only ever toss one, so they don’t get dependent on me – they live in a grove of oak trees, they should be fine.

      The bunnies don’t ask for much, other than water and for me not to kill off the weeds they enjoy eating. No worries there.

      It’s always sad to see the flag lowered, but a lifetime of service is a good reason. I hope you have a great rest of the week.

      Like

  6. The bad luck you had putting the posts together for today turned out to be a plus for us out here reading them!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks GP. The other idea will keep, but our temps are heading south. In the low 80s this week. Moving into the 40s and low 50s next week. I’m not sure there’ll be much left out there for the bees.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I noticed that drastic change in your weather on the news this morning – one extreme or the other!!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. That’s New England, but I think it’s almost anywhere now. My brother (Iowa) went from 93, 94 to 50-60 in a matter of days.

          Liked by 1 person

  7. I get such a big kick out of you and your squirrels!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. We do enjoy their antics, Liz. I’m glad you like them.

      Like

  8. It looks like the bees approved the Butterfly Bushes.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It showed up so fast, I wondered if it was in the box!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. You did get a stamp of approval from the bee. Terrific photos, Dan

    Liked by 1 person

    1. We did buy them to attract pollinators ;-)

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Thanks for this image leaf.Anita

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You’re welcome, Anita. I love autumn leaves.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Your squirrels are the gift that keeps on giving, Dan. That little pumpkin is so cute! I’m excited to watch it grow. Linus should be very proud of himself.
    Photos taken through the screen are so pretty, I think. They give a soft-focus look to the photos. Bunny looks even cuter this way.
    Heading over to John’s place now. I saw he has a ‘special visitor’ today.😉

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Lois. That pumpkin needs a serious growth spurt if it’s going to be ready for Halloween. I do like the pictures through screens.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Two great one-liners, Dan, with the bonus of the “Peanuts” reference in the second one. :-) 🎃

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Dave. I think Linus would like his namesake.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Those are great one-liners and the photos are lovely.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Dale. I’m glad you enjoyed them.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. I love it that you got a YES vote from a bee before you had even planted the bush. And free pumpkins — what’s not to like?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s good to know the bee approves of the plants. I kinda hate to tell him we plan to put them elsewhere in the yard. Free pumpkins are great, especially since we can’t even get grass to grow in that spot. We are planning to give them to the squirrels (if they get large enough to contain seeds worth eating).

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Retirement can be hard work!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. At least my new bosses seem to appreciate my effort.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Linus PLANTED the pumpkin patch?!?!
    I’m sorry I missed that story, LOL!

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    1. Yes. My wife mixes raw pumpkin seeds in with the no-waste bird food we toss out in the yard. Birds and squirrels all wander around feasting on the various items. One squirrel eats a few, but then takes the seeds and buries them. We’ve seen him burying the seeds, but we never imagined they would grow. All of a sudden, pumpkin plants were popping up all over the yard. I was mowing around them. We got lots of blossoms, but no fruit until last week. Two pumpkins are growing on the plants he planted in the worse piece of dirt in our yard – we can’t even get grass to grow there. So, we named him Linus. I think the Great Pumpkin would be impressed.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh, I love that story, Dan! What a happy, industrious squirrel–he gifted you back with the pumpkin patch. The name Linus is perfect. Thanks for bringing me up to speed on the saga! 😆 🎃

        Liked by 1 person

  17. I enjoyed both those one-liners, Dan, and thanks for including them in one post, not putting out another one. I struggle to keep up with the blogs I follow at just one per day, ignoring many multiple postings. Life must be lived. :-) I love butterfly bushes and miss the one we had in Illinois. But there are plants here that attract butterflies and, in larger numbers, bees, so I’ll go with them. Native plants work best, especially in the desert. See you tomorrow.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks Janet. I can’t imagine ever posting multiple times a day except to reblog something – but I think I’ve only done that a few times in all these years. I posted yesterday (rare) and I feel like it was too much. I don’t want people to feel like following my blog is work. It’s a delicate balance, and you’re right, life must be lived.

      Like

      1. I know. I feel bad if I post twice on Saturday or Sunday in order to do “Six-Word Saturday”, “One Word Sunday”, and the current “Len-Artists” challenge! A number of bloggers I follow post three or more times a day. I go to one of each because I’m not willing to give more time to being online.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. This is why I don’t mind when people include Thursday Doors in with other challenges. No one has enough time :-)

          Liked by 1 person

  18. Two perfect one-liners! I love that the squirrel planted the pumpkin seeds and now you have pumpkins growing!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. He’s quite the gardener, Darlene. We’re impressed. It’s amazing what happens when you let nature be what it wants to be. All the animals like it this way.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. That bee showing up so fast has to be a good omen! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It did feel good to see him show up.

      Like

  20. Great one-liners! Want me to send you a truck load of clay soil to mix with the sand? ;)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ha! No, I think we’re ok. We mix stuff in with the new plants, but it’s nice knowing that the rain isn’t going to pool up and swamp us.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Thanks for sharing this idea Anita

    Liked by 1 person

  22. You are well-trained. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s pretty much how we feel, Kerfe.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. How adorably funny about Linus Squirrel and the pumpkins! I’ve got a “nutty” squirrel here. I’ve never seen him, but I don’t think he’s all there… Sometimes I find his pecans lined up — perfectly straight under the living room window (not buried — he’s a confident little bugger). He also pulls up the ant stakes, turns them upside down and lines them up.
    Wonderful photos, Dan. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Sounds like a bit of an OCD going on with him. That’s too funny. The ones around here always make us smile.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Good job feeding them critters Dan ! Those butterfly bushes should be pretty next year !

    Like

  25. Aren’t you being the rebel this week! Writing posts that don’t follow the rules. I like the bee photo.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Technically, I don’t think I’ve ever come close to a one-liner by the rules post. I’m glad you liked the photo.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Good stuff. Visiting critters like Linus start to feel a bit like pets after a while, hm? I’ve never had a butterfly bush and may well envy yours.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I hope they make it through the winter. We have to find a place for them.

      Liked by 1 person

  27. Well I’m a rule breaker so… great two-fer Dan. Sorry I missed this one!

    Like

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