Sunday, November 23, 2025

2025, November 17-23

Mid-November features photos of felines, flakes, and frolicking fauna. 

Halloween sort of passed Mike by this year. Hallie thought he might appreciate a little treat in a care package she sent him. He did, indeed! 


The late afternoon sky reflected in Mike's snowflake-bedecked office window confused him into wondering why his monitor was on and elevated so high.

Hello there from SHS!


Apparently a sleeping Landon had trapped Jocie while they were watching TV. We don’t think he is a fan of Hallmark movies. 

Mom got Eliza some new reading material. We love that she's reading, although she sometimes uses time in the bedroom as an excuse for not coming downstairs when asked. 

Eliza sent Mike a movie of her doing a stunt on a wall at a local church. Our girl is super strong! 


Let sleeping dogs (and cats) lie. 


On his walks to, from, and around campus, Mike frequently comes across his dear deer friends. Well, they tolerate him more than anything. They're tame, but not that tame.  





The sun coming through Mike's office windows can be quite bright, hence the need for heavy shades. As a side effect, his window-hung flakes get dramatically silhouetted. 



Mike was feeling (relatively) photogenic, so he opted to change his Facebook profile pic. 


He made some variations in the mobile app. Some are quite . . . interesting. 


Eliza returned to Summit, and she also got some new glasses. Cute!

Here we see Fergus engaged in his typical back scratches on the front sidewalk.  Hallie thought it was funny that he had leaves all over him.






Here we see him in an atypical investigation of the people in the car. He generally avoids cars, so we don't know what got into him (hopefully not curiosity. We like him alive). He was probably wondering why they were cleaning it. 

The bucks and a doe decided to hang around Mike's alley. Best not to get too close to these young, er, bucks. 



Tasty drinks are always appreciated. Swig did drinks for two days celebrating Wicked for Good. Ty and Hallie wanted to join in on the fun. 

Kora used one of our B-Side labels on her phone! The person is from the manga/anime series Jujitsu Kaisen. We think the saying reads, "I save people unequally." It must be a reference from the show. 

Mike attended a couple of on-campus education-related meetings on campus on Friday and got some UM-specific treats. 

He also attended a few activities for UM's International Education Week and enjoyed some international-themed cuisine at the Lodge Dining Center. 

Who doesn't love a sleeping kitty warming your lap?

Yes, maybe swearing will help. Hallie got the candle for her birthday, and now it is empty. She is bummed, so she took a picture to try to find it again. 

Ferg seemed to want Eliza's attention while she was drawing. Maybe he wanted her to stop disturbing his nap with her moving hand. Funny to see him really cozying up to her after last week's absence. He has been sleeping with her as well. 

Yet another sleeping cat pic. He will only sit with Hallie if she has a blanket. 

Saturday sunset on UM Campus. Sadly, UM did not win its big rivalry game against Montana State.

In addition to being wrapped up in her books, Eliza sometimes can't come down because the cat holds her hostage. This is the picture Eliza sent Hallie when asked to help with the list of chores. 

More Duolingo done. 

This week Mike snipped a few flakes inspired by Ken Libbrecht's images of snow crystals.

The flakes have to make their home somewhere, so that place turns out to be Mike's apartment this year.



On Mike and Hallie's chat with Papa and Alie, Mike did some digital work rather than scissor work. 

(Original by Caltech professor Ken Libbrecht, known for his work studying and photographing snow crystals, for reference.) 

The kids and Hallie are excited for Mike’s return in just two days! Mike is too!

Sunday, November 16, 2025

2025, November 10-16

As fall continues moving along, we continue riding the wave.

Kai Puppy is always such a love. Hallie took him back to Brittany's late in the week, but he'll be back. 


Hallie donned the Christmas apron at Starbucks this week. She loves seeing her friends behind and in front of the counter. 

The herd is most active in Mike's neighborhood in the afternoon. 

They tend to head to campus at dusk.


A local squirrel seems to have taken enough of a liking to Mike to not immediately run when he approaches or pauses to grab a photo.  

Like most of the country, we could (kind of ) see the aurora borealis on Monday and Tuesday night. Mike would have liked to get these views, . . .



. . . but he had to settle for this. 

He spends evenings chit chatting with Hallie, watching DVDs, and wielding scissors (both real and virtual). Sometimes ideas that start in real life . . .  

. . . get pulled into the online world . . .

. . . and returned modified back into reality.  

Unseasonably warm weather in Springville means time outside. 


Ferg has his own way of making nice with Kai. 

Hallie and the cat have a complicated relationship. She likes to show Mike when Ferg is being friendly. She also likes to tell Mike when Ferg is being an ugly alarm clock. 

The young bucks might actually be getting used to seeing Mike around on his evening strolls around the Oval. Hard to say. 

Eliza came home from the residential hospital on Friday. Eliza spent about eight days at Aspen Grove. Upon leaving the facility, Eliza wanted In-N-Out, so that is where the girls headed. 

Hallie went to the Hobble Creek Barn Boutique. Hallie would like this ornament when Kai doesn’t come with us to Montana. If you know of a doodle that will need a new home, let us know. 

Mike spent a quiet weekend mostly on campus. 

He volunteered at the UM food pantry and even got to teach his coworker how to make some of their own. They hung a few up to add to the decor. 


He surprised and got surprised by the ladies relaxing in his backyard. 


View through the bedroom window on a Sunday morning before doing some chores and heading out. 

It's some 15 degrees above normal in Missoula, which means that somehow these California golden poppies Mike sees on his treks over to the library have continued to survive. 

Hallie and Eliza went to the property of her nice old customer who has a menagerie out by Utah Lake. 


These ponies followed Hallie around. 








Like it or not, Ferg may be warming up to Hallie. 

When he's not taking in the fresh air or otherwise occupied, Mike finds uses for his time. 

Those in Utah are counting down the days until Mike comes home for Thanksgiving, as is he.