If your days have been anything remotely as cold as it’s been at the Ranch, you’ve probably been shivering with a pet (or two) in your lap. A slow moving cold front with snow continues its grasp around our throats. It was so cold and treacherous yesterday, Norman and I were unable to make our visit to hospital and the Ranch Hands are now beginning to develop a case of cabin fever. Their new Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop treat dispensers have helped occupy minds that don’t quite comprehend that it’s too cold to go out on any kind of walk, beyond potty breaks.
Keeping dog minds busy helps them cope, but what about us uprights? How do I cope being housebound on these sub-zero days without walks? I like taking a digital trip to a warm place. No pesky TSA, long lines of complaining travelers fussing about having to wear masks and all the other indignities associated with actual traveling to an previously visited vacation spot. After going through my library of places previously visited, I decided to once again go back to the isle of Roatán, Honduras where the weather was perfect for a lovely stroll along a beach with crystal clear skies and an amazing reef.
During my digital trip, I once again can feel the warm water on my feet, hear birds in nearby trees, smell the salty air and enjoy the amazingly gracious hospitality of the locals. A lovely and magical trip then and now, again digitally.
A visit to the animal sanctuary also makes for another lovely diversion.
Do you go on digital trips in your mind when weather turns bone-chilling? We’ll remain huddled up on the sofa under the blankets and cruising through old photos from a past in-person trip while watching more snow fall today.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Lulu: “We don’t get that kind of weather here, but if we did, I bet Dada would want to take a trip back to Catalina Island!”
Charlee: “But Catalina Island is only 30 miles off the coast. If it were that cold here, it would be just as cold there.”
Lulu: “No it wouldn’t!”
Chaplin: “Why not?”
Lulu: “Because, uh …… the ocean.”
Charlee: “Oh, okay then.”
That harsh cold after signs of spring are always hard to take. Plus shoveling walks daily is no picnic when it’s below zero. 🥶 But at least we may reach into the 40’sF today. Woohoo!
Stationary bike and binge watching for me. 🙂
Sounds like time well spent.
It helps.
Sounds like a welcome distraction. Stay warm 😊
Yes, it was a very welcomed and tasty distraction! Have a wonderful weekend.
If you want to see an animal sanctuary, come to our house.
I would but only if you gave hugs like ‘Betty.’ 😍
Our weather, even today, has been warm, in the 60’s. But it’s about to cool off to the 50’s/20’s. I just love that sloth! Well, if sitting down to binge on my at that time favorite Netfix show is travelling, then I do a lot of that in the cold weather!
When you can’t go in person, that’s the next best thing, right?
Great idea to try to get away any way you can right now. We go from searing heat, to never-ending rain and we’re currently getting such a deluge I can’t help wondering whether the house is going to float away. Perhaps, I shouldn’t jest. It happens and our place is quite safe. I was in Northern NSW during the historic Brisbane floods and we received the equivalent rainfall there and it does make me uneasy. I don’t feel safe. Mind you, I am watching the TV coverage of events in the Ukraine today. I am a lot safer here than in the Ukraine. Nothing to complain about.
Best wishes,
Rowena
😍 Here’s hoping things on your end are looking better than ever.
What a wonderful shot of a sloth hug!!! Love it………..we haven’t travelled outside our immediate area but will be going to Maine in October…….hoping to go on a final river cruise in Europe next year but who knows…next year is AGES away and we’re not getting any younger!!!
Hugs, Pam
‘Betty’ was as gentle a creature as I’ve ever meet. She gave everyone fabulous hugs!
How exciting that you’re making travel plans. I’ve been itching to go back to Germany to see a dear friend. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻for both of us.
Just tell me when, I wil be there! Sounds and looks so inviting!
Digital trips are the best…planning and going can happen at the drop of a hat!
True!! And no worry about gas prices!
Right. Take that, airlines!
😄
Oh yes! Please, even to get into the suitcase as a stowaway! LOL!
We were 55 or so on Tuesday, then today we woke up to snow, ice and 17F…and a biting wind chill in single digits. Brrr. How rude!
That is a sweet sloth! II didn’t know they would allow interaction with the peeps who visit. amazing!
Have fun with your cabin fevered pups…I have a couple too, but they can come and go at will through a double set of doggy doors…so they actually do go and romp off energy for a moment before returning to the heat vents, LOL!
Rude indeed!
Betty the Sloth is one of the most huggable creatures around. So sweet and precious. She seemed to enjoy the attention and we sure loved giving it to her.
Norman is so anti-snow, he will hold it for ages to avoid going out. Betty (the sloth) was very comfortable with visitors and seemed to relish the attention. You’re always welcome on our digital trips, there’s never any limits on the number of accompanying passengers. 😉
Oh, brrr, sounds wicked! Hope the trend warms up soon!
Hopefully by week’s end we’ll get back to ‘normal’ February cold. Then 50’s and 60’s next week. 😜 Cray-cray weather!
Anything which makes you feel warmer is welcome on cold days! I won’t tell you how hot is it here….
I’m going to guess somewhere in the 80’sF? Swoon. It’s up to 12F now 😉
I do a lot of things in my head, like travel. Sometimes I accompany it with pictures and sometimes just memories. Lucky us, it’s bumping 70 here (very unusual) but will drop back to the seasonal 30s by Friday.
No doubt the arctic front that’s been here all week will make it’s way to you soon enough. Find the warm gloves now-you’ll be needing them!
Mom and Dad haven’t traveled anywhere in a long time. Hopefully this summer. They are still waiting to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary – maybe before it is their 75th!!!
Woos – Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Goodness , we sure hope so! In the meantime you can come along with us digitally if it’ll make things easier. 😉
Wasn’t that the sloth that got mad at you because you were moving so slow? 😈
Not quite, but the line to hold her moved fairly slowly. 😉
What a great hug that must have been from Mr. Sloth!
It sure was, but it was actually “Miss” Sloth (Betty), the sweetest creature ever to give out hugs.
We have cold too. Not as bad today at 10F. Tyebe goes out in spite of the cold weather but Shoko only goes out to ee first thing in the morning. Go figure!
Even peeing in this level of cold is a challenge. And I don’t blame them one bit! Stay warm(er).
Mee-yow wow what a furabuluss troppycal foto!!!
AN Miss Monika iss that a SLOTH you are snugglin??? What a cutie!!!
Wee back inn deep freeze an iss snowin…Winter iss makin up for fnot visssint inn Novemburr an Deecemburr 😉
**nose bopss** BellaDHarma an {{huggiess}} BellaSIta Mum
Thanks BellaDharma and BellaSita. The tropics make cold days easier on the mental joints.
Yup, that’s Betty; she’s a superstar at that sanctuary and loves to hug people. A real sweetheart who knows how to give great snuggles and bring smiles to anyone willing to accept them.
As you know from my blogs, at present I’m constantly re-living our trip to California and back last year, because I’m still blogging about it. It’s FUN!
Death Valley may be a good place for me to digitally revisit this week. I could use temps with double digits! 😀
oh that looks sooo nice, and a sloth too! We have cabin fever also. We went to Petsmart yesterday just to get out and it helped but I bought a few extra treats and things that Chester wanted. It’s not the same as a warm beach though!
If I could have gotten out of my garage I might have done it. Bored doggos are not the best companions on a snowy cold day. I’m running out of creative things to do with them! 😊 You’re always welcome to accompany us on a digital trips any time.
Going someplace warm when it’s ever so cold outside is a wonderful thing. I came along with you.
Have a fabulous day, my friend. Scritches to the pups, a smooch to Norman and a big hug to you. ♥
Always thrilled for your company, Sandee! Hugs and tail wiggles.
I’d love to dip my toes in that water. But not so at the Golden K where we froze overnight and we woke up to a frosty 22 degrees. No walks for the girls today! Alas I must go out for several meetings and errands. I’d much prefer a roaring fire (in the fireplace of course 😉) it’s my book and a warm brandy (later in the afternoon of course 🙃🤓). Stay warm as possible at The Ranch. I presume their will be a lot of snuggling with the ranch hands in that effort.
22ºF would seem like a heat wave compared to what we’ve ‘enjoyed’ lately. The last time it was 30ºF I saw several peeps walking in shorts. With puffer jackets-go figure. Stay warm, enjoy that book and brandy!
we come with you… immediately… ;O)
Great! the more The merrier.
Well thank you, Monika! You have just brought me back to Roatan where I cannot believe it will be two years next month that we were THERE… Yes, I could easily allow my memories to drift, making me go to my digital archive and dream..
That’s right…it’s two years for me this month! Digital dreaming is particularly satisfying on days when ‘highs’ are in the single digits. 🥶 Stay warm and enjoy your own special memories from that lovely vacation spot.
That’s right! You went just before me 🙂
It is. And we barely saw anything of Roatan since it was a stop on our cruise. I should like to find myself elsewhere right now.
You and me both. We managed to pack a great deal into seeing the sights with a top-notched guide. Luckily it’s a small isle where you see a lot in a short period of time.
We had wanted to snorkel in Belize but there were problems with the boat to get us to the good spots so we ended up doing it Roatan – so beautiful!
Some of our group snorkeled in Roatán as well. I opted for the beach and that animal sanctuary as well as some off the beaten track sights.
The beach was ridiculously crowded! You couldn’t even walk between lawn chairs!
Interesting. Our local guide was adamant about the out of the way spots. It was much appreciated and we saw things beyond travel brochures glossy stock pics where a lot of those people are photoshopped out.
This is normally something we do. We did take a good drive to be far away from the beach to do our snorkeling. It’s when we came back that we were disconcerted to see the sardine-situation!