Telling Tales AND True Colours Thursday - PINE GREEN!

Apologies bears, pups and 'Aunts' for going AWL after the excitement of the Christmas Cracker Pull.

But, my Head of Hug responsibilities took precedence.

You see, Mother has had a major misadventure.

She quite literally, went missing on us on Boxing Day!!!

After she had not come home for long three nights and three even longer days, after only going to Town for I imagine more Bear Treats, I feared the worst - ABANDONMENT.

Then, this strange, swollen, black & blue bruised faced person arrived.

The Hug and I looked aghast.

The younger Hug members even hid in fright @ this strange apparition.

I, though took charge of the situation.

After bravely interrogating her, I decided it was Mother after all.

And no matter what her appearance, that we were relieved to have her back with us, even if she did smell a touch of hospital disinfectant!

Later that day someone called a Locksmith, did strange things to our front door, before presenting Mother with a bunch of shiny new brass keys.

She said we were all now safe!

Am taking her word for it.

I am also, indebted to 'Aunt' BJ, who worried, had 'Aunt' Dina call and check in on of us.

Mother is sleeping a lot, and every morning she has interesting new facial colours, personally I do not think the look will catch on.

Infact for a while, I would recommend she to wear her Blue Venetian Mask to face the outside world.

Apart from that everything is good now.

SO, onto the days business.

There was only one choice for PINE GREEN - Grizzy Bear Lee.

His 'Gotcha' place @ Three Valley Gap, BC - is surrounded by Mountain PINE's, his Canadian Sweetshirt is GREEN, and he likes to fell small GREEN PINES!

Here we are together...

The day is so dark, we had to sneak upstairs and into Mother's bed by the window where the light was better for our photo shot, only please do not tell her.

Now you may recall that Christmas bag I had for Mother?

Here's part of it's contents - a rather special Fridge Magnet...

Does he not bare a striking resemblance to some bear???

Plus his hat and scarf contains, yes, PINE GREEN!

OPPS!

Almost nearly forgot, a very HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.

May it hold every bear thing you desire that 2009 did not.

Extra warm hugs,

xxx

The Big Christmas Day 'Pull' Report!

My Christmas Cracker event was 'cracking' success.

Master Mitch, always game, was first to show up...

I won!

Wowee!!!

Err - Sorry, got a touch carried away there!

My prize, a small notebook for my private mussings; a gold paper hat - see following pulls photo and this joke:-

"How does Good King Wenceslas like his pizzas?"

Of, course Mitch, champion pizza eater guessed the answer straight away.
"Deep pan, crisp & even!".

Next willing victim - Opps, willing participant was Willie, standing in proxy, for 'Aunt' BJ...

I lost this tug!

He got a giant paper clip for his efforts & another GREEN paper hat!

And his joke went like this:-

"What is BLACK & WHITE and RED all over?"

"A newspaper!!!"

Then, dear 'Aunt' Misses Peach >(^;^)< dropped into admire her two look-a-likes on Mother's tree...Being the gentleman Bear that I am, I allowed her to win her cracker pull - was actually thankful I did - the prize was a small vanity mirrow, a PINK hat and this joke, oh so meant for her:-

"What are BROWN & creep around the house?"
"Mince spies!"

And finally, Master Marlowe took time out from his own Hug celebrations to arrive in his Santa suit...This cracker was a 'Damp Squid' as pull as we might, we got no-where.

So, we called it a dead heat.

But joke was definitely designed for us bears:-

"How do you start a teddy bear race?"

"Ready, Teddy, Go!"

Well, hope everyone has had as much fun as me today.

Will report on the Hugs and my stockings fillers later.

Am, now off to share an after dinner Benidictine liqueur with Mother.

It was a Xmas gift to her.

Made by Monks from Herbs and Honey - she finds it excessively sweet.

So, is more than willing to share with me

Yesssssssssssssss!

Hugs,
x

True Colours Thursday - My CHRISTMAS COLOURS & GREETINGS!

Here it is late, late on Christmas Eve and I have only just managed to post!

Mother had something called a camera battery crisis!!!

I ask you?

You would think, she would know by now that flash photography eats up the power and be prepared with a reserve stock but no!

Anyway, we or rather, I am finally back on track.

It seems those smart Airedale friends of mine, Maggie & Mitch and I had the same festive colour combination thought, that is RED & GREEN!

Do you not love my Christmas Bow, and that gift bag is for Mother...

I have already hung my personally hand knitted stocking by 'Aunt' Sue up on the tree and just hope that Mrs Christmas & that Elf Bear that has taken up residence there, have Santa's ear regarding my Wish List...

Only tomorrow morning will tell!!!

In the meantime, I send all my Bear, Cat & Pup friends and human 'Aunts' Greetings for a Merry Christmas!

Seasonal Beary Love and Hugs,
x

Who wants to share a Christmas Cracker with Me???

Putting my present grievances aside re interlopper Othello, I will more write on that @ a later date; I want to try in the Spirit of the Season, re create a Christmas Cracker Pull that Mother shared in 2007 with WFT Gussie...

I have set aside special crakers for the event....

Now all I need is four friends willing to do a pull on the big day!
Surely some Bears & Pups must be game?

Place: Virtual Blogland
Time: Christmas Day - 6pm Greenich Mean time [ Mother dines late!]
Reward: What is ever in the Craker plus a twee Joke!

Hugs,
x

True Colours Thursday - CRANBERRY!

Hallo, it's me Merry...Mother's finally home, but Sir Woodstock is in a terrible strop!

His nose has been seriously put out of joint by a new arrival & rival....

I think Othello is a sweetheart bear.

But his 'Growler' greeting did not go down well in certain quarters!

So, I asked Anna to help me out with todays post...

Here she is in her CRANBERRY ribbon top with her latest 'Find'...She really is a jewelery kleptomaniac!

First Grandmothers pearls, now a broach!!!

Hugs to all,
xxx

True Colours Thursday - AQUA!

A very brief word as Mother is away from home, she's been gone a week now and still not due to return!!!

The Hug and I are using the time to rest in preparation for Christmas.

This is little Beany Miss Flower, who being AQUA, chose a nice cosy spot on Mother's stripped AQUA fleece...

Hugs,

True Colours Thursday - CREAM!

After the excesses of my Bear-day on Monday, CREAM, especially CREAM based drinks, I can bearly, bear to think about!!!

In fact, thinking @ all is still a little difficult!

I avoided the demon LEMON as in Gin & Tonic's after last time.

Instead, I tried Bailey's Irish CREAM Liqueur cocktails @ my pawty!

NOT, a wise move, in hindsight!

First, was this simple one over ice - Mother's Christmas favourite...

But then, I got more adventurous ...

It was called an 'Ultimate Mudslide'
30 ml vodka

30 ml coffee liqueur

30 ml Irish CREAM liqueur

45 ml CREAM

45 ml milk

1/2 banana

grated chocolate

Place all ingredients, except grated chocolate, in a blender & blend until smooth.

Pour into margarita glass and sprinkle with grated chocolate.

Woweeeeeeeeeee - was that good!

After that, maybe I should have retired from imbibing and left the single CREAM shotters well alone...Google's images do NOT do justice to any of the drinks, all enjoyable @ the time, but seriously potent!!!

As a consequence my only CREAM bear offering today, is from Mother, who took pity on me! She found this handsome one recently, resting comfortably in a Store...Maybe, I should buy him for her for Christmas!
Hugs,

Wheelie Wednesday - Judy on the Bear-day Aftermath!

Hi, it's me Judy!

Just a quick post as I am soooo busy caring for a still poorly Mummy, an exceedingly 'tired' Woodstock, & clearing up after the pawty!!!

I imagine, you wondered where I was on Sir Woodstock's actual 1st Bear-day Celebration?

Well, dear Merry & I took it upon our-selves to help Mummy.

You wouldn't imagine to number of paw-martini's we made, even WFT Asta was impressed!

Then, there was the entrees to serve & the ice-cream to scoop out - it was busy, busy but loads of fun.

The aftermath, not so much!

Fancy pawty hats were left everywhere!!!

And, then there were the feathers to collect, due to the tipsy pillow fight between bears & 'wheelie' pups!

Thankfully, Woodstock's beloved Miss Rosie more a tea- mistress than a imbiber departed early, so didn't see that!!!

As for Woodstock him-self, he had such a 'good time' he's been sleeping it off ever since...

Anyway, Merry & I are finally getting on top of tidying things up!

But, what worries me is Woodstock has his first Gotch Day looming and Mother's going to be away!!!

Whispering here, hopefully, he won't remember it.

Till next time,

Foxy love & wheelie wishes
xxx

Time to Celebrate!

Happy Bear-day to me,

Happy Birthday to Sir Winston,

Happy Bear-day dear ME,

Happy Birthday dear Sir Winston,

Happy B-day to US!

There is no prize for guessing what to day it is here?

My Hug is fancy pawty hat ready as my invitations specified...

Yes, it is my very first ever my Bear-day celebration!

Mother, hiding behind her Venetian mask, wanted to make it special...But I fear she now regrets it's technicalities!!!

[Blue here, without the help of friends below re images all gratefully received, I would have done a 'Woodstock Regrets' post re this 'madness' on my part, as I have felt so unwell this weekend it has been a real struggle to get my act together!]

Back to me, the bear-day boy!

Not every bear can celebrate his day in such fine company!

My Hero, Sir Winston Churchill was born today in 1874 @ the Big House there in Woodstock!

And a 'wheelie' friend joining us is named after him too!

It fell to this wartime prime-minister, to cement my country's alliance with the US, where I now have many good friends!

The son of an American mother & an English father, his eloquence - yes, he was a fine speaker, with a way with words, just like me - endeared him nearly as much to Americans as to the British!

This oil portrait of him is by Douglas Granville Chandor 1946...

And this me, a digital photograph by Mother 2009...

Now, the pawty really can start, the caters have delivered!

My cake has arrived, not from the Shop but it is chocolate...And, my presents marched in...Followed by my many friends.

Master Buttons, smartly attired in business suit was first @ the door... The Rocky Creek Scotties were next...Followed by, Maggie & Mitch plus Miss Autumn and Kipper & Hazel...WFT's Miss Fergi, Jake & 'Wheelie' Winston...

Bob T Bear, esq came over without his famous pants on head...

Charlie Bear, Sally Ann, Mack & Taddy teleported across from the USA...And, Diva Asta as usual dressed to impress & took centre stage...Then played the piano beautifully for our dances and my Bear-day chorus...Before setting up a Las Vegas style gaming table to showing off her card tricks... Ginger Jasper in very fetching green, hoped the luck of the Irish was with him when he sat down to play poker against her...

And, we must send Greeting to his Dad, who has the honour to share his Birthday with little old me!

My personal guest of honour was of course, my lady bear friend dear Miss Rosie - we shared a private moment over a paw-martini, after I had reclaimed her from Master Buttons company - I think she admires a gent in a suit...She arrived with apologies from Aunt Misses Peach, who is still away on her honeymoon with Mickey.

Moving on, Mother has lite my cakes candles - look @ them burning brightly - I am not saying how many...

Everyone please take a deep breath, think of a wish & help me blow them out - one, two, three woooooooooooooooooosh!

And, may I say 'Thank-You' to you for all coming to share my day and making it so memorable, now, lets pawty some more.

Hugs,

True Colours Thursday - ORANGE and Happy Thanks-Giving!!

I kept this ORANGE Pumpkin lantern of yours truly, handsome self, especially for today - it seemed appropiate...My earlier Google Image search re ORANGE did produced this fine fellow having his own Thanks-Giving feast...And, Mother, whilst shopping, encountered this youngster in his ORANGE jumper with sweeties...So, all that remains for me to say now is...
Happy Thanks-Giving to my all friends across the pond!
Hugs,