July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Petting skunk was highlight (02/16/2009)
As I See It
By By DIANA DOLECKI-
The highlight of last weekend was getting to pet a skunk.
I should start at the beginning. The round of garden and home improvement shows has begun. We skipped the Home and Garden Show in Indianapolis this year but attended the one in Cleveland last weekend.
As usual they had the most wonderful displays of hyacinths that perfumed the air with the smell of spring. These were the color of a deep blue summer sky. They were in almost every display.
There were the usual daffodils, tulips and cyclamen. Elephant ears in ponds were popular this year. There was one display with daffodils and chrysanthemums, which I found to be jarring as they usually bloom at opposite ends of the season.
The other thing we found unusual is that in one exhibit was what appeared to be a dead yew. Come to find out it was a golden yew and was supposed to look that way. I'm not sure what the purpose is of having something that looks dead in the landscape. Maybe it was designed for those without a green thumb. Then nobody can tell if the shrub is dead or is supposed to look that way.
The home improvement part of the show was a disappointment. We were seeking information on heating, decorating and flooring. What we found was a preponderance of roof and gutter systems. Roof and gutter systems are about the only things we don't need.
The Cleveland show always has something unusual. This year they had a booth promoting the benefits of sharing a home with one or more retired greyhounds, a save the parrots display and one on adopting non-traditional pets.
The greyhounds were prancing down the aisles wearing brightly colored jackets. If I didn't know better I would have thought they were royalty. The parrots were several aisles away from their display and were surrounded by a group of admirers. Notice they weren't flying around the Amazon rainforest or wherever they originally were from.
The non-traditional animal display featured a huge snake writhing around some guy who was extolling its virtues. Beside him was a seated woman with a skunk in her lap.
I was entranced. I have always thought skunks were beautiful. They waddle around, not hurting anybody and their only defense is a powerful odor. I asked her if I could pet it and she said yes.
The fur was slightly coarse. It was about the size of Gracie, our calico cat. It was also about as friendly as she is as it totally ignored me. It must have been defenseless as there was no discernable odor.
Although I think skunks are beautiful I also think they are wild animals and should be allowed to live their lives as such. They don't belong in the house any more than any other wild animal does.
After wandering the aisles for hours, we went back to our hotel for a much needed nap. Then we met my brother-in-law and his wife for supper.
It is the only time of year we get together. The older we get the more fragmented the family is. The few times we get together are precious. We caught up on family news while enjoying a truly delicious supper at Del Sangro's.
We even opted for dessert. I have no idea what the waitress said when she recited the list of options but whatever it was, it was scrumptious.
It was time to go home much too soon. We will visit the Fort Wayne Home and Garden show whenever it opens and maybe we can get some ideas for flooring and heating options there.
I'm betting that the one thing we won't be able to find is a skunk to pet.
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I should start at the beginning. The round of garden and home improvement shows has begun. We skipped the Home and Garden Show in Indianapolis this year but attended the one in Cleveland last weekend.
As usual they had the most wonderful displays of hyacinths that perfumed the air with the smell of spring. These were the color of a deep blue summer sky. They were in almost every display.
There were the usual daffodils, tulips and cyclamen. Elephant ears in ponds were popular this year. There was one display with daffodils and chrysanthemums, which I found to be jarring as they usually bloom at opposite ends of the season.
The other thing we found unusual is that in one exhibit was what appeared to be a dead yew. Come to find out it was a golden yew and was supposed to look that way. I'm not sure what the purpose is of having something that looks dead in the landscape. Maybe it was designed for those without a green thumb. Then nobody can tell if the shrub is dead or is supposed to look that way.
The home improvement part of the show was a disappointment. We were seeking information on heating, decorating and flooring. What we found was a preponderance of roof and gutter systems. Roof and gutter systems are about the only things we don't need.
The Cleveland show always has something unusual. This year they had a booth promoting the benefits of sharing a home with one or more retired greyhounds, a save the parrots display and one on adopting non-traditional pets.
The greyhounds were prancing down the aisles wearing brightly colored jackets. If I didn't know better I would have thought they were royalty. The parrots were several aisles away from their display and were surrounded by a group of admirers. Notice they weren't flying around the Amazon rainforest or wherever they originally were from.
The non-traditional animal display featured a huge snake writhing around some guy who was extolling its virtues. Beside him was a seated woman with a skunk in her lap.
I was entranced. I have always thought skunks were beautiful. They waddle around, not hurting anybody and their only defense is a powerful odor. I asked her if I could pet it and she said yes.
The fur was slightly coarse. It was about the size of Gracie, our calico cat. It was also about as friendly as she is as it totally ignored me. It must have been defenseless as there was no discernable odor.
Although I think skunks are beautiful I also think they are wild animals and should be allowed to live their lives as such. They don't belong in the house any more than any other wild animal does.
After wandering the aisles for hours, we went back to our hotel for a much needed nap. Then we met my brother-in-law and his wife for supper.
It is the only time of year we get together. The older we get the more fragmented the family is. The few times we get together are precious. We caught up on family news while enjoying a truly delicious supper at Del Sangro's.
We even opted for dessert. I have no idea what the waitress said when she recited the list of options but whatever it was, it was scrumptious.
It was time to go home much too soon. We will visit the Fort Wayne Home and Garden show whenever it opens and maybe we can get some ideas for flooring and heating options there.
I'm betting that the one thing we won't be able to find is a skunk to pet.
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