Strange Neighbors and Fashion

Laura mentioned in her Post the other day that the grounds keeping man saw her taking self timer pictures and thought to himself "She's a wierdo". This is precisely what I'm trying to avoid with my neighbors. I'm already surrounded by some eccentric individuals, and I don't want to be added to that list.

So without further adieu, meet my neighbor Mary (name changed for privacy). She is a middle aged stay at home person. (I've never seen any children, so I don't think she has kids). She is constantly outside in her yard working with landscaping crews attempting to make her yard into a secret garden. Little did we know that she was growing silk weed.....

She is usually wearing a combination of pajamas, back braces, and fairy wings (yes, like the ones pictured below). This is the first clue that she is a little different. She has always been friendly, but odd nonetheless.

Mary feels that it is her personal mission to save all of the bunnies in our neighborhood from cats. So she raises bunnies in her bathtub or if she is feeling confident she will let them roam in her fenced in yard. In an effort to keep the cats away, she has been catching them in crates and shipping them off to the local humane society. Last month she sent 10.

And this is where the real story begins.....

Leif got home early from work on Friday and heard a knocking at the door. It was non other than our neighbor Mary asking for a favor. She had caught a baby raccoon in her cat trap and was afraid to open the door to let the raccoon free. Leif said that he could open the door for her. Somewhat frantically, she said that the raccoon couldn't be released in our neighborhood (I'm assuming because they will eat the bunnies) and it must be taken to some woods. Leif tells her that his lovely wife wouldn't let him take a raccoon in our car.

Thinking that he had gotten out of this somewhat awkward situation. Mary exclaims "We'll take my car!" With no more excuses to claim, Leif, Mary, and the raccoon load up and head to the woods. Leif released him and they headed back.  But the story continues....

Once they pull into the driveway. Leif says his casual goodbye and they begin to part ways. All of the sudden Mary calls out: "Do you like butterflies?" Leif isn't really sure what she means by this, and he answers and says "sure, they're cool." Mary immediately insists that he come inside and see her butterfly room.

Remember how I mentioned silk weed before? That particular plant attracts monarch butterfly caterpillars and she brings them into her kitchen once they have spun cocoons. So there are glass bottles with bamboo, and cocoons hanging everywhere in her kitchen and she releases them 10 at a time into the wild. I think she thinks she is helping the circle of life.

All this to say, I don't want to be caught taking pictures of myself every day outside. Someone might end up blogging about me....

This is why a bunch of my pictures are taken in the privacy of my own home. :)