Rats!

No, really, rats.
The fallen apples from the trees in our backyard have been attracting rats, although we only found out for sure tonight.
For the past few nights Rosey has been going crazy when she's let out. We figured it must be rats who like to eat the rotten fruit (Mom wonders why they don't eat the nice fruit off the trees. Dad replied by mentioning Templeton the rat from Charlotte's Web who likes garbage).
Tonight Rosey was going particularly crazy so I went outside and watched her snuffling under an old board. While she was at one end, a rat about the size of my hand (despite being a piano player, my hands are pretty small and it is impossible to keep my fingers curled when playing an octave) darted out of the bushes at the other end, ran across the grass and stone walk way, and behind the shed. Rosey didn't notice and I didn't wait around to see if she would pick up the scent. I dashed inside as fast I could go and relayed the tale to my parents. It was followed by many an "ew."
So about an hour later Rosey still hadn't come inside so Mom went out to find her because it was her dinnertime.
Suddenly, "Abbey, Abbey! Get the camera and come!"
So I grab the camera and head outside, followed by Daddy.
Our backyard is mostly grass, with an apple and plum tree in the middle, a garden off to the left, another apple tree to the right, and a shed in the back right hand corner. Behind the shed is another gardeny area which is home to weeds and a pile of rocks. Also back there is a compost bin. Rosey had somehow managed to climb inside. This is what happened....

Now my little ratter is "sleeping" underneath the coffee table, although I can promise you that if there is any scent of a rat or danger, she will be awake in a moment, ready to defend the house. Too bad Westley and Buttercup from The Princess Bride didn't have Rosey with them when they entered the Fire Swamp....

Now on to day 13 (I believe....) of the 30 day challenge which is, "You favorite picture (or five or nine)."
This is one of my most favorite pictures:

However my current desktop background is:

My favorite Van Gogh combined with the TARDIS. How perfect.

I also really like this picture of Allied paratroopers in 1944 dropping from their planes into a Germany-controlled Holland in an attempt to liberate the Dutch. It was called Operation Market Garden and it failed, sadly.

This is also one of my favorite pictures. I love Zoot. Mostly because of his saxophone and also because he is quiet. And I love his hair and sunglasses.

Continuing with the jazzy themed pictures.... The Rat Pack (Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra). I get the feel from this picture that someone just made a joke and while Sammy Davis Jr. (middle) is laughing his head off, and Frank Sinatra (right) is laughing as well, Dean Martin (left) is making a witty comeback. Of course, I don't know if that's the truth... But I love Sammy Davis Jr.'s look.

And staying with the theme of music... Here is George Harrison from The Beatles holding a kitten. This is one of the most adorable pictures ever, if you are a Beatles fan.

And now two pictures from "The Hound of Baskervilles" done by Sidney Paget. I absolutely adore these pictures. The first one is of Watson and Sir Henry Baskerville when they see the silhouette of Holmes against the moon on the moor at night.
"....the figure of a man upon the tor."

The next one is similar.
Sir Henry Baskerville has gone to ask Beryl Stapleton to marry him, not knowing that instead of Stapleton's sister, she is, in fact, his wife.
Watson, who was instructed to watch Sir Henry at all times lest he should be attacked, has followed Sir Henry but stayed at a distance so the man can do his wooing in private. Watson isn't the only watcher though. Mr. Stapleton is nearby and comes rushing angrily in to break up the couple.
In this picture, you can see everything I just described and in the far background, the silhouette of Watson watching. I think that it is SO funny and odd that out of all the other scenes in The Hound, Paget choose to draw this one. I also think it is very funny that he included Watson! Can you spot him?

Now one final Sherlock Holmes picture from the TV show Sherlock. It makes me laugh every time I see it. This isn't how the scene goes in the show... I think this version is funnier.

Now I will leave because pictures are another thing I could ramble on and on and on about.

Live long and prosper and have a great week!