Category: Mr. Monte

Monte Rex
Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte

Monte Rex the Wondrous Celebrates 11 Years of Majestic Reign
Monte Rex

Good morning, good people of the realm of Monte Rex. I, your not-so-star reporter, Old Fuzz Face, coming to you live (well, sort of) from the heart of Serendipity Farmhouse, where history was made and ice cream was served.

On this most auspicious occasion, we his faithful subjects celebrated the birthday of His Majesty Monte Rex. He is the beneficent feline sovereign who has ruled our humble homestead with dignity, drama, and a healthy dose of fur for the past eleven years. The halls of Serendipity still echo with the memory of his arrival on New Year’s Eve 2014—a young prince then, wide-eyed and whiskered, ready to claim his kingdom.

Monte Rex Reminisces on His Majestic Reign

In our latest video report, Monte Rex reflects on his reign with the gravitas only a Maine Coon of his stature can muster. He speaks of loyalty, naps, and the cardboard condos that have cradled his royal frame through the years. These produce-box palaces, though humble, have become symbols of his sovereignty.

Presents Worthy of a Sovereign

But this birthday brought change. Monumental change. Duchess Blondie unveiled a new royal residence—a plush, geometric-patterned condo designed to withstand the claws and charisma of our king. The ever-gracious Duchess led the ceremonial presentation. The unveiling was met with awe, curiosity, and one dangling paw. Yes, dear readers, Monte Rex is substantial. And while the condo may be snug, his heart overflowed with gratitude.

Before the unveiling, Monte received a new sparring partner: the Kong Kickeroo. With its giraffe-print body and fuzzy tail, it was deemed worthy of royal combat. Monte wasted no time in testing its durability, proving once again that even kings must train.

And then came the final tribute. A small bowl of vanilla ice cream—sweet, cold, divine. As Monte delicately partook of his favorite treat, the mood in the realm shifted from celebratory to serene. It was a moment of pure joy, shared between monarch and subject, cat and human.

Above all – Duty, Honor, and Monte Rex

As your humble correspondent, I must say: it was an honor to report on this day of cardboard, camaraderie, and catnip-scented diplomacy. Monte Rex reminded us that pets are not just companions—they are characters, rulers, and cherished members of our families. Through storytelling, ceremony, and a touch of theatrical flair, we celebrated more than a birthday. We celebrated a bond.

So from all of us here at the Serendipity Farmhouse News Service, this is Old Fuzz Face signing off—grateful to serve, honored to report, and ever in awe of the cat who reigns supreme.

Long live the King! Long live Monte Rex!

Breakfast, Mr. Monte, RV Living

RV Life Through My Eyes – Elderly Egg Poachers are Dangerous

I was kidnapped by a renegade duo of lawless egg poachers. It was only by feline cunning and irrepressible strength of will that I am here to tell you this tail.

Greetings to my 23,417 feline followers. Mr. Monte here, resident supervisor of Serendipity Farmhouse, fearless feline, and unwilling participant in this latest RV cooking adventure. Against my will and better judgment, Chef Blondie and Old Fuzz Face physically abducted me, forcing me to join them on their first RV camping trip of the year. Let me just say—their deluded and ill-conceived antics did not bolster my faith in the ultimate survival of humanity.

Genesis of the Egg Poaching Plot

As is typical with these two elderly desperados, this episode of disorganized RV cooking began with no intention of filming. But once they pulled out their Dash Rapid Egg Cooker—a contraption they had previously tested at home—Fuzz Face got that peculiar glint in his eye, and suddenly, the camera was rolling.

I observed from my plush perch as Chef Blondie orchestrated the poaching of eggs in our cramped RV kitchen. One can only marvel at how humans struggle to function in small spaces, yet persist with enthusiasm. The morning was filled with spilled yolks, misplaced utensils, and questionable decision-making. All the while they laughed through the chaos of RV life.

The Egg Poachers Bungle their Way to Success

Despite their usual bumbling, I must admit, the final result was surprising. They produced what appeared to be mouthwatering: perfectly poached eggs, toasted English muffins, and fresh orange slices. Even I, a sophisticated predator, could appreciate their teamwork and problem-solving skills. (Though next time, I expect a plate of my own).

egg poachers

So, dear readers, if you revel in camping misadventures, RV cooking trials, and lighthearted camaraderie, this video is one to watch. Stay tuned—Old Fuzz Face already has ideas for a new video, which promises even more RV revelations.

Until next time, I remain your ever-observant overlord,

🐾 Mr. Monte

ignorance is bliss
Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte, Ol' Fuzz Face

Ignorance is bliss & Old Fuzz Face is the most blissful human I know!

In this post and video, Mr. Monte reflects upon the concept of ‘ignorance is bliss’ through the lens of his experiences with Old Fuzz Face. Monte believes Fuzzy embodies true ignorance induced bliss.

“Ignorance is bliss” – Is it true?

Hi. Mister Monte here. Here’s a question for my 23,417 faithful, feline followers:

Is the adage “Ignorance is bliss” true?

After watching Old Fuzz Face move firewood today, I’m convinced that it is. – In fact, I’m convinced that Fuzzy is the most blissful human I know.

As this post and the linked video show, Fuzzy knows that there’s a problem with his method of moving wood to the shed, but because Fuzzy is Fuzzy, he just doesn’t understand how he can solve his problem.

Wood Trek – Capt. Fuzzy & the Wood Ship Cub Cadet

Captain Fuzzy starts off by discussing the effort involved in transporting wood to the woodshed. He emphasizes the distance and difficulty of the task. Despite the cold weather, he prepares for the long trip, showing his determination to complete the mission.

ignorance is bliss

Old Fuzz Face expresses frustration about the long journey through rugged terrain, wishing for a quicker route while navigating through challenging landscapes. He describes the journey as lengthy and arduous. He’s concerned about the wild and rugged nature of the surroundings. Fuzzy is especially worried about having to navigate through a treacherous gully, and he knows there are even greater challenges ahead. – If only there were a a shorter and more efficient path.

Wood Fleet Command Critiques Captain Fuzzy’s Mission

Well, once again Old Fuzz Face has proven that he’s not the sharpest claw on the paw.
When you watch the video you will see Fuzzy’s path from the wood pile to the woodshed.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or even an amazingly brilliant Maine Coon cat like me, to see the way he should have solved the problem.

ignorance is bless

Here’s the wood pile and here’s the woodshed.
In Euclidean geometry, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This is known as the line segment connecting the two points.

My human, Old Fuzz Face, is not a problem solver. He’s a problem maker. But one must admit he’s a master of Fuzzy Math when it comes to moving firewood.


As I said before, ignorance is bliss, and Fuzzy is the most blissful human I know.

Note: Not all firewood moving events are as distressing as the one described above. See our post How to Have a Firewood Party.

Farmhouse History, Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte

Can We Unriddle the Amazing Mystery of Our Brick Bar-B-Que?

A beautiful, handmade brick barbeque resides next to our deck on the vast 1.203-acre estate known as Serendipity Farmhouse. That brick barbeque has a mysterious secret. Perhaps you would like to learn what it is.

Hello! – Mister Monte here. Poor Old Fuzz Face had two big problems to solve. In our video, he will tell you about the first one, and I will tell you about the second. It’s an incredible historical mystery

Video Spoiler Alert

I urge you to watch the video I made. You might be surprised to learn that, for the first time in many years, Fuzzy didn’t mess up.

Proper Spelling of Brick Barbeque

Now, you may be wondering about the word “Bar-B-Que” in the title for this post. Here is what I found with regard to the proper spelling of the term for a brick structure used for grilling foods outside. Although some people use the spelling “bar-b-que”, the standard spelling in most contexts is “barbecue”. As you can see, the firm that surveyed our property chose to use “BAR B QUE”.

brick barbeque
brick barbeque

Fuzzy and Miss Blondie have compiled over 200 pages of historical records concerning the history of Serendipity Farmhouse. And only one of those pages ever mentions the brick barbeque.

The question of how that brick barbeque got here was a riddle without an answer. My two big cats were puzzled and perplexed by the mystery.

In 2020, however, the answer to the barbeque mystery began to emerge.

So, there it is for all of my 23,417 feline followers and for you few brave humans who have come to me seeking the truth, the whole truth. Historical research and a serendipitous communication solved the problem of how Serendipity Farmhouse has such a wonderful brick barbeque. – Watch my video, and learn more about just one of the mysteries from the past of our dear Serendipity Farmhouse.

Mr. Monte

How to Avoid the Vet

When you’re tired of pills and too much medical attention, you have to learn how to avoid the Vet. I haven’t found a foolproof method yet. So far, all I can do is try entrenchment and and intimidation. – Anyway, here’s my latest medical update.

Hi! Mr. Monte here.

To my 23,417 faithful feline followers, I have an update on my medical condition. According to the Vet, my ailment is somewhat improved. (My last update was How to Handle Veterinary Daze.)

But (and that’s a very big but), Ol’ Fuzz Face and Miss Blondie are going to have to give me pills for at least another month.

Now, a little bit about yesterday’s visit. – This was the third visit in a month and a half. – I find this greatly disturbing to my feline tranquility.

As I explored the exam room, I realized that the Vet was coming. So, I decided to head back to my carrier and seek refuge there. – I hunkered down and let everyone know – this time I wasn’t coming out without a fight.

Mr. Monte

How to Handle Veterinary Daze

Today, I’m a sad Maine Coon cat. I, the world-renowned Serendipity Farmhouse Chief of Security, am ailing. I’m really not what I used to be. Today makes me wonder if I ever really was. – I’ve got to learn how to handle a severe case of Veterinary Daze.

sad Maine Coon cat

Hi! Mr. Monte here.

To my 23,417 faithful feline followers, I have a confession to make to you. I’m getting older. I can’t jump like I used to. And now other things have started to go awry. I tried to hide my distress from sweet Miss Blondie, but she began to notice.

The details are unimportant. The bottom line is Thursday Ol’ Fuzz Face had to take me to The Cat Cottage for the second time in a month.

I’ve seen two different vets now. They both agree that something’s going on, but they can’t put their finger on exactly what it might be. So, for right now, they’re treating the symptoms.

Pill Popper – Veterinary Daze

That’s where my severe case of Veterinary Daze comes in. Apparently, I have some kind of infection. The vet put me on antibiotics and another medication. Both of these come in pill form. That means that twice a day my two humans have to use a brutal and barbaric instrument called a pill popper or pet piller to shove two pills down my throat.

They do their best to try to sooth my feelings. And I do my best to not bite them. I see the look on their faces and they see the look on my face. – Love can be very hard sometimes.

I Cracked the Code!!!

sad Maine Coon cat

There is a bright side to this story. Although I might not be the young cat I used to be, my cognitive abilities have increased tremendously.

I cracked the code!! I was given a little free time in the exam room. Within minutes I found a way to get to where the vets hide the tasty snacks.

Using my unique problem solving ability, I managed to forge a path to the sweet goodies in a way that lesser cats could never imagine. Here are some selfies of how I made it to the prize.

Reconnaissance
sad Maine Coon cat
On the Alert for Intruders
Blazing the Trail
I found the prize!!

One final word for you my dear followers. No matter what you encounter in life, keep on working to find the prize. Never give up! And always remember – Love can be very hard sometimes.

farmhouse seasons
Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte

Farmhouse Seasons – My Feline Cerebration

Farmhouse seasons parade by my life. Often they warm me. Sometimes they chill me. Thunder can be frightening. Too many clouds darken my day. But, when you’re the farmhouse cat, you have to expect it to be like that.

farmhouse seasons

Hi! Mr. Monte here.

It’s been a very long time since I’ve had the opportunity to address you, my dear 23,417 feline followers. Miss Blondie and Ol’ Fuzz Face have done their best to disrupt my quietude. And the weather has got me down.

Farmhouse Seasons – Problem #1

As to the first problem – Blondie and Fuzzy. They appear to be entering a new season in their lives. Their latest kick is that they now think they are great chefs and the whole world wants to watch them cook. They’ve even started a YouTube channel. I tried to show them how to make it all work, but they really are very slow in picking up how to do it right.

The bottom line is, they’re not paying enough attention to me. – They should know better!

Farmhouse Seasons – Problem #2

It’s winter in Virginia. I know, I know. It’s winter throughout the entire northern hemisphere. But, winter in Virginia, especially in the Piedmont, is particularly distressing. It’s fickle. No two days in a row are the same. Cold and rainy, cold and snowing – we’re right on the misery line.

– I hate living in a wintry mix!

Another thing I detest intensely is the roller coaster ride of high and low temperatures. How’s a refined feline like me supposed to know what to expect when I go out on the porch for a little relaxation? – If you take a look at just a few days in January, you’ll see just how crazy this Virginia winter weather can be.

farmhouse seasons
farmhouse seasons

Can you guess which day I was sitting on the wood pile soaking up the sun?

The Worst – Problem #3

farmhouse seasons

Dear feline friends, this, by far, is the worst problem. And it doesn’t matter what season it might be. – If you guessed that my problem is Fuzzy, you were 100% correct.

As I established in my post How to Have a Firewood Party, Ol’ Fuzz Face is an exceptionally lazy lout, especially when it comes to moving firewood.

During these cold days, it’s absolutely essential that a feline have a warm fire burning in the wood stove. – Well, Fuzzy has been rather derelict in his duties.

In the picture here, you’ll see that I finally coerced him to move some wood. He’s the lazy lout in the red circle. – I had to bite him three times on the ankle to finally get him to do his job.

As I said before, when you’re the farmhouse cat, you have to expect it to be like that.

Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte, SFH Food Talk & Recipes, SFH Lessons Learned, Traditions

A New Year for Our Farmhouse

Rested and renewed Miss Blondie and I are starting a new year for our farmhouse. We are in the midst of Christmastide, the lights on the tree shine brightly, and there is a warm fire in the wood stove. This is the perfect beginning for our 11th year at Serendipity Farmhouse. – It just doesn’t get any better than this.

Celebrating the Farm House New Year

My beautiful wife and I lived in Japan for over a decade. Our family grew and prospered there. So, it is only natural that our New Year’s Eve celebrations are highlighted by Japanese food and traditions. This year, Chef Blondie made a large batch of Gyoza. – What a treat!

Perhaps in late-January or early-February, Chef Blondie will pull out the electric skillet and show you how our dear friend Reiko made gyoza for us. She will also explain how to make up a large batch and freeze some for use several months later.

Farmhouse New Year Plans

In looking at the statistics for this blog and for our YouTube channel, we’ve realized we have two separate audiences. The first audience, the one that’s been with us since the beginning, consists of our family and close friends.

The second audience, started growing in August and September. The folks in this audience are all about good food. They’ve learned that Chef Blondie and the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Test Kitchen can be relied upon to provide recipes that are top quality. They also have shown great interest in the Test Kitchen’s take on great chefs like Jacques Pépin and Julia Child.

The truth is we consider both audiences to be important parts of the Serendipity Farmhouse family. This year, Miss Blondie, Pierre LeChat, Mr. Monte, and I will do our best to satisfy your interests and build a farmhouse spirit of togetherness.

A Quick Look into the Farmhouse New Year

As I mentioned earlier, you can expect to see a full post and video on Chef Blondie’s rendition of Japanese gyoza. But before that, she is working on a project around a Jacques Pépin recipe perfect for these cold days of January. So within the week, she will introduce you to Beef Stew with Red Wine from the cookbook Jacques Pépin’s Simple and Healthy Cooking. – Don’t miss it. It’s going to be a good one.

Mr. Monte’s New Year

Mr. Monte’s off to a mixed start this year. He has a minor medical problem and had to visit the vet today. That’s never on his wish list. Nevertheless, he made the most of it and finally figured out where Dr. Meyers stashes her fantastic feline treats.

Classical music? Maybe I’ll come out and look around.
Hmmm? Different exam room and toys.
Certainly not big enough for a Maine Coon.
What cute tasty looking birds.
I’m going to capture the high ground.
Mr. Monte now in command!
Now where are those treats?
Found them! Fuzz Face, don’t snitch!

Come join us for this most auspicious

Farmhouse New Year

Rested and renewed Miss Blondie and I are starting a new year for our farmhouse. There’s going to be good food, good fun, and maybe even a good feline. – Err, perhaps I’m expecting too much.

This blog and our YouTube channel work together. In our blog you will find the full, printable recipes used by our Test Kitchen staff. Our YouTube channel provides video demonstrations of cooking techniques used with our recipes.

We want to do the best for both of our audiences. So, Miss Blondie looks forward to your comments on our posts and videos. Your insights and suggestions are priceless. If you like, you can contact Miss Blondie directly at the email address listed below. You can get to our YouTube channel by clicking on the image below or by scanning the QR code.

Have a Happy New Year!

firewood party
Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte

How to Have a Firewood Party

The important question is not “How to move the firewood?”, the question is “How to have a firewood party?”. Let me tell you how my two humans, with my help, realized this fundamental fact of life and have used it to everyone’s advantage.

Mr. Monte

Hi! Mr. Monte here.

Each and every one of my 23,417 faithful feline followers can attest to the fact that living with humans is rather awkward at times. They’re not really very bright and evolution has not favored them as it has the cat family.

That’s why we cats sometimes have to take matters into our own paws. – Life has been so much better now that Blondie and Ol’ Fuzz face learned from what I taught them about the proper use of incentives.

This Year’s Firewood Panic

firewood part

Every year my two humans find two or three cords of firewood sitting in a huge pile in the East 40. When the wood arrives, they immediately go into a panic because they know they have to move all that firewood to the woodshed, which is all the way over in the West 40.

Ol’ Fuzz Face is completely useless when this annual firewood panic sets in. He can be seen turning around in small circles trying to figure out what to do first. – Should he start moving wood? No, because the shed needs to be cleaned. Should he start cleaning the shed? No, because the wood carts are full of gardening debris. And so it goes on and on.

That’s where I have to calm him down, smooth his ruffled feathers, and give him an easy to follow, step-by-step plan. – First, empty the carts. Next, clean the shed. Finally, find someone strong and fit to move the wood.

The shed & carts are a mess.
The carts are ready to go.
The woodshed is clean.
firewood party
Find someone strong and fit to do the work.

Finding someone strong and fit to move the wood is where Fuzzy messed up bigtime. – When I said that, I meant he was to do the job. But no, the lazy lout declared himself less than strong and fit due to an ancient, perfectly healed hernia. That’s when he tried to get sweet Miss Blondie to move all the wood. After moving a few loads, Miss Blondie realized she’d been hoodwinked. She had enough and shared her thoughts with Fuzzy. It wasn’t a very pleasant exchange. – If Miss Blondie were a cat, she would have to bite Fuzzy on the ankle.

Genesis of the Firewood Party

After his encounter with Miss Blondie, Ol’ Fuzz Face recognized that he was in deep trouble. That firewood still had to be moved and he wouldn’t have a moment of peace from Miss Blondie until the job was done.

Being somewhat sane and sound of mind, Ol’ Fuzz Face came to me for my sage advice. I told him the problem was entirely of his own making. He had to man up and take charge. I suggested that he could make use of incentives. – It works with me. Give me treats and good food and I will do tricks for you.

And that’s when the light came on inside his fuzzy old head!

“We’re going to have a firewood party!“

Ol’ Fuzzy told Miss Blondie his (my) plan. They made the arrangements. Daughter #1 would have her family assemble at Serendipity Farmhouse for the First Annual Firewood Party. – Because Fuzz Face was such a failure at management, Miss Blondie would oversee the day’s work.

The Apple Blossom Crew did a fantastic job under the close supervision of Foreman Blondie!

Foreman Blondie gives directions.
Foreman Blondie shows how its done.
The Apple Blossom Crew gets to work.
Where’s Fuzzy?

Even Fuzzy realized that having a firewood party had to be fun. That was the incentive. However, Fuzzy might have gone a bit too far when he thought it would be fun teaching Son-in-law #1 how to drive the lawn tractor. From my vantage point, it looked like lives were in danger.

Student driver – Watch Out!
This could be really bad.
Where are the brakes?!
I should bite Fuzzy on the ankle.
All’s well that ends well.

Fortunately, no one got hurt. But it only reinforces my thought that Fuzzy should always be kept under adult supervision.

firewood party

Now Miss Blondie, on the other hand, really knows how to keep the crew at a firewood party happy. She made sure that no one went hungry or thirsty. – She even gave me some snacks!

Finally, after hours of hard work and more fun together than we’ve had in a long, it was time to celebrate.

Victory Dance
Victory Dance
Last log stacked
firewood party
Let’s Party

To my astute readers, although this was the first official Serendipity Farmhouse Firewood Party, it was not the first time that moving firewood was made fun with the help of family. For example, read the posts here and here.

If you’d like to see more of the fun times at the firewood party, check out the video below.

my security staff
Farmhouse Living, Mr. Monte

My Security Staff Jackwagons

I hoped that a day would never come when I would have to admit that a member of my security staff was a jackwagon. But the day did come. The truth is I hired, not one, but two rejects from namby-pamby land. Now it’s my job to square away these miserable jackwagons.

Kaiju Cat

Hi! Mr. Monte here! – To my 23,417 feline followers, especially my many cat cousins residing in Virginia and Ohio, it’s time to talk.

You well know that I am an award-winning Chief of Security. I take great pride in the Serendipity Farmhouse Security Center. That’s why it’s doubly painful to report this black mark on my security career. – I will correct this breach in discipline and decorum.

Background & Fuzzy’s Charges

As you may recall in my post New Hire, I reported hiring Rusty the rat snake and the composition of my security staff.

Rusty rounds out our Security Department with his ability to identify and engage security threats at ground level and below. Meanwhile, Lightning, our broad-winged hawk, has secured the skies over SFH and Bronto the bear has ensured the integrity of our perimeter areas.

Things had been going pretty well on the security front. Or at least they were going well until Ol’ Fuzz Face came into my office a few weeks ago. His face was red. His breathing was heavy. He looked really angry. He confirmed my observation when he slammed his fist down on my desk.

I said, “Whoa! Hold on there, Fuzzy! What’s got you so worked up?”

He quickly responded, “I want you to fire that fat bear and that slimy snake right now! Either you get rid of them, or I’m going to throw all of your cat treats into the compost bin!”

It took a while for me to calm Fuzzy down. When he finally quit his rant and had collected his thoughts, he made his formal charges against Bronto and Rusty. – Although I usually don’t take Fuzzy very seriously, this time it appeared he had valid complaints.

The Investigation

Following are my official investigatory findings with regard to the charges brought against security staffers Bronto the Bear and Rusty the Rat Snake.

my security staff

Charge: Skylarking – On or about September 3, 2023, some entity severely damaged the southeast corner of Vegetable Garden #1. – There being no other creature in the vicinity strong enough to inflict such damage, Bronto the bear is the prime suspect. Additionally, he has been implicated in similar crimes throughout Sperryville.

Charge: Littering and destruction of an SFH rental property – During the Summer of 2023 a rat snake occupied and caused malicious damage to the SFH Well House. There was evidence that several wild parties had been held there.

my security staff
my security staff

This photo shows that discarded snakeskin actually surrounds a key filtering component of the SFH water system. This filter must be replaced every three months. Ol’ Fuzz Face is responsible for this task. It is obvious that this littering and befoulment rendered the entire Well House a biohazard site.

Rusty the Rat Snake rents the SFH Well House, and the photos demonstrate that he has been exceedingly lax in cleaning the rental property. This is in direct violation of the rental agreement.

Captain’s Mast & Non-judicial Punishment

Based on the findings in the investigation of Fuzzy’s charges, I recognized that I had no choice but hold a Captain’s Mast for my two jackwagon employees. In the case of Bronto the Bear, the evidence was circumstantial but very compelling. – I found him guilty and suspended his pay for two months.

The case against Rusty the Rat Snake was open and shut. I had no choice but to dock his pay for six months and reduce him in rate to Security Officer Third Class. I advised him that if this happens again, he’ll be in for a general court-martial.

It’s a hard job, but it must be done.

As the SFH Chief of Security, I sometimes have to lay down the law. That not only goes for outsiders, but it also includes my security staff as well. This is not namby-pamby land, this is the reality of living at Serendipity Farmhouse. There is no place for jackwagons here!

If you want to know how I handle problems with my security staff, watch this video.