Almost 200 people submitted captions for last month's "Pass the Word" feature photo of a cat peeking into a birdhouse, shot by Sunday News photographer Vinny Tennis.

Among those captions were some from Wendy S. Latvic's English as a Second Language students at Penn Manor High School. "I am trying to encourage them to read the newspaper," the teacher wrote, "so this has been a great activity for them!"

First-graders in Paulette Moore's classroom at St. Leo the Great School and sixth-graders in Karen Braun's Eshleman Elementary School wrote captions, and their teachers recently e-mailed some of them, as well.

And Diane Anderson's Landisville Middle School English students, making the caption-writing into a regular exercise, submitted some captions again.

We can publish only a portion of everyone's funny lines today; but look for samples — from every contributor who followed our guidelines — on our Web site, www.LancasterOnline.com.

We also have a bonus this week: Jill Shimp, of Quarryville, sent in a personal photo of her neighbors' cows drinking out of a birdbath. Although we do not publish photos for "Pass the Word" that are taken by anyone other than the professional staff at Lancaster Newspapers, we've decided to run Shimp's photograph online for your enjoyment. (Readers, please do not send more photos, though; this is a one-time-only "treat.")

This month's "Pass the Word" photo, taken by Sunday News photographer Justin David Graybill, shows a goat standing atop its shelter at The Tomato Barn in Washington Boro.

Guidelines:
Send an original, amusing caption to LIVING@LNPNEWS.COM .

Please put this in the subject line of your e-mail: "Pass the Word" [Insert your last name].

You are also welcome to send a caption to us via the U.S. Postal Service: "Pass the Word" Living, Sunday News, P.O. Box 1328, Lancaster, PA 17608-1328.

We must receive your submission no later than Monday, Feb. 16.

Be sure to include your full name and town of residence (as well as a daytime telephone number, which will not be published).

NEW GUIDELINE: Please limit your caption submissions to three or less per month, and submit all in one mailing or e-mail.

We reserve the right to edit your work.

Share your wit! Send us those captions!



"Please come out. I'd like you to meet my paw."

— Chuck Long, Lancaster


A box lunch

— Shirley J. Orfanella, Quarryville


Knock. Knock. ... "Worm-gram."

— Robert M. Johnson, Manheim


Cat: "Knock. Knock."

Bird: "Who's there?"

Cat: "Me."

Bird: "Me who?"

Cat: "Meow!"

— Christine Erving, Elizabethtown


Thinking outside the box

— Ruth F. Weaver, New Holland


Neighborhood Watch:

"Beware of the North American Cat Birdler, last seen in Lancaster County."

— Sandy Mylin, Willow Street


Best seat in the house

— Dot Reinoehl, Maytown


"Just thought I'd drop in for a bite to eat!"

— Tammy Broadwater, New Providence


"Mrs. Byrd, may I take you to lunch?"

— Martha Clark, Lititz


"The baby sitter's here!"

— Jana Shreiner, Quarryville


The catbird seat

— Rose K. Locar, Mount Joy


"Birdie, birdie nice and fat, perfect lunch for pussy cat!"

— Gurley M. Manners, Lancaster


"OK, you all come out with your wings up and no one will get hurt."

— Cathleen Webb, Lancaster


"The note says: 'To Florida for the winter; will return March 21.' "

— Keith Yoder, Leola


The same or very-similar captions were submitted by a number of individuals. Here they are:


Peeping Tom

— Evelyn D. Balmer, Lititz; Lauren Carman, Lancaster; Bryan Jenks, Lancaster; Janet Johnson, Marietta; Ruth Kulp, Manheim; Philip Lafferty, Mount Joy; Joan Mohr, Marietta; Pat Roos, Lititz; Roxie Sarroff, Lancaster; and Bob Strickler, New Holland


"Can you come out and play?"

— Joan Alexander, New Providence; Joanne C. Crowder, Lancaster; John Groff, Ephrata; Carl A. Henne, Akron; Deborah McCartney, Lancaster; Delaney Nadu, age 5, Pequea; Mary Pautler, Lancaster; Elizabeth Rasmussen, Lancaster; and Nancy Rintz, Strasburg


"I'm here to collect the rent."

— Winifred C. Goodin, Lancaster; Jane W. Rhoads, Ephrata and Pete Shreiner, Quarryville


"Peekaboo!"

— Tom Alexander, New Providence; Sherrie Freitag, Lancaster; Shannon M. Guzman, Lancaster; Helen Hauck, Ephrata; Jennifer Hunnell, West Grove; Michael McCormick, Manheim; Bev Musser, Willow Street; and Sharon Ramsey, Neffsville


"Anybody [or anybirdy] home?"

— Ricky Adams, Columbia; Doris J. Bossler, Lancaster; George J. Crouse, Quarryville; Susan Dolla, Denver; Doris Enck, Stevens; Janet Geesey, Elizabethtown; Sandy Graham; Lancaster; Linda Hursh, East Earl; Daniel D. Jury, Mount Joy; Barbara Long, Quarryville; Helen Lupold, Landisville; Sue McAllister, Mountville; Barbara McKillips, Kinzers; Nancy Paden, Lancaster; Kurt Reider, Adamstown; Betsy A. Shelly, Elizabethtown; Dorie Steinman, Lancaster; and Danylle Stewart, Lancaster


And there's more!

Here are some more captions submitted by Sunday News readers. (Although many sent multiple options, we are only posting one caption per contributor.)


"I'm here for my free birthday meal at the Shady Maple Tree Smorgasbord."

— Arlene Wiesner, Adamstown


"Oh, no! Not empty nesters!"

— Bruce Nickles, Akron


"To wait or not to wait? That is the question."

— Bob Weaver, Akron


A cat's curiosity has gone to the birds.

— Jeffrey Intoccia, Bowmansville


"Hey there, guess who is coming to dinner?!"

— Susan Berntheizel, Columbia


"Here, birdy, birdy."

— Lorie McBride, Columbia


Up close and purrsonal

— Robert V. McCarthy, Columbia


"Boo! I see you in there."

— Regina M. Sherick, Columbia


"They were here a minute ago!"

— Sally Simpson, Columbia


"Come on out, birdie. I'm tired of waiting, and hungry, too!"

— Thelma K. Myers, East Petersburg


"Hey, birdie, there's only one way out."

— Janet Nauman, Elizabethtown


"Hellooo-oo. Anyone for a game of catch?"

— Joannie Kachel, Ephrata


"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

— Jane W. Rhoads, Ephrata


"I thought I saw a putty cat!"

— Robert E. Rhoads, Ephrata


"I think I see plenty of room for my litterbox."

— Jacki Ryan, Ephrata


"Hello, Tweety bird, is lunch ready?"

— Betty J. Wise, Ephrata


"Don't you want to buy some Girl Scout cookies?? PLEASE."

— Deb Jury, Gap


"Yikes! Guess who's coming to dinner?"

— Judy Grinestaff, Kirkwood


"You're a winner! Looks like a 'full house.' "

— Jim Whitehead, Lampeter


"Can you hear me now?"

— Laurie T. Baulig, Lancaster


"Avon calling."

— Stefanie DiMonte, Lancaster


"I was sure I smelled catnip in here."

— Nancy J. Dotterer, Lancaster


"Can you hear me now?"

— Sally Forry, Lancaster


"Has breakfast hatched yet?"

— Sally A. Groff, Lancaster


"It's the prize patrol, ma'am."

— Doug Hilliard, Lancaster


"Hello. Housekeeping."

— Kim Hostetter, Lancaster


"Wow! Nice digs. I wonder if the neighbors are friendly?"

— Virginia Joline, Lancaster


" ... 99, 100. Ready or not, here I come!!"

— Michael Keller, Lancaster


"Hey, in there! There's a bunch of worms out here looking for a home!"

— Doris Kenavell, Lancaster


"Here's looking at you, kid."

— Suzanne Long, Lancaster


"Hello, is anyone in there?"

— Cindy Mercer, Lancaster


"I thought I saw a puddy cat a-sweepin' up on me."

— Gloria Merinsky, Lancaster


"Drats! 10:30 a.m. and it appears I've just missed the all-you-can-eat egg breakfast ... But, my, this place does have quite an interesting-looking lunch buffet, I must say!"

— Lisette M. Miller, Lancaster


"What's your next move? You lookin' at me, me looking at you is getting nowhere."

— Cynthia Nauman, Lancaster


(Feline) Fiddler on the roof!

— James Nauman, Lancaster


"Could you super-size those fries?"

— Kris Petrosky, Lancaster


"I didn't pay a toll going up this tree; I'll not pay one to get down."

— John Ringer, Lancaster


"Knock. Knock."

"Who's there?"

"Manheim."

"Manheim who?"

"Manheim cold in here ..."

— Betty H. Shirk, Lancaster


"I knew it. They trashed the place and moved."

— Mary J. Strubel, Lancaster


Ding dong! "Flowers. Plumber. Candygram. Land shark."

— Noreene Sweeney, Lancaster


"Trick or tweet."

— Doug Tearney, Lancaster


"Here's looking at you, kid!"

— Michelle Wise, Lancaster


"That bird just flew over the cuckoo's nest."

— Joan Heisey, Landisville


"I know I left my keys around her somewhere!"

— Robert Hollinger, Landisville


"I'm on my ninth life, so can somebody pleeease come out and play with me?"

— Justin Bradley, age 9, Lititz


"Hey, it's so cold I saw a bee with a yellow jacket!"

— Bob Hill, Lititz


"Marco!"

— Mike Makhlouf, Lititz


"Hi, birds! I don't want to eat you. I want to be-fry you ... I mean, befriend you."

— Jessica McCormick, Manheim


"Time for lunch!"

— Darla Schorr, Mount Joy


"Curiosity never killed a cat!"

— Amanda Wolgemuth, Mount Joy


"All bark, but  no bite to eat!"

— Todd Wolgemuth, Mount Joy


"1. 2. 3. Oh!! There is another one. Now to get my head in the hole."

— Fannie Fisher, Mountville


"Where is the doorbell on this thing?"

— Lois J. Garloff, Myerstown


"Oh! No! It's empty!"

— Thelma I. White, New Holland


"Heeeeere, birdy, birdy, birdy."

— Fay Allgyer, New Holland


"Am I too late for supper?"

— Connie Bankert, New Holland


"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

— Carol Lueders, New Holland


"Tag! You're it!"

— Bonnie Rhodes, Nottingham


"Come out, come out, wherever you are."

— Kevin S. Carr, Pequea


"Here, birdie, birdie ..."

— Bethany Nadu, Pequea


"How did I end up here?"

— Breanna Nadu, age 7, Pequea


"I keep a-knockin' ... but nobody's home."

— Carol Blevins, Quarryville


"Ah ... another bunch of neighbors off to Florida."

— Dennis Blevins, Quarryville


"Hey, Tweety. I have great news. I saved $100 on my car insurance."

— Dottie Boas, Quarryville


"Just checking out the real estate."

— Tammy Sensenig, Reinholds


"You got 48 hours to close up and get out of town. There's only room for one cathouse in this town."

— Darlene Martin, Shippensburg


"I've gotcha now!"

— Jen Bowman, Strasburg


"Hello, down there. It's time to eat!"

— Carol Henkel, Strasburg


"Look, mom. I'm a squirrel!"

— Anna Kelly, Terre Hill


"Is it spring yet?"

— Robert L. Anderson Jr., West Lampeter


"Come on out. I know you're in there!"

— Virginia Brady, Willow Street


Here are the captions submitted by local students.

From Karen Braun's sixth-graders at Eshleman Elementary School in the Penn Manor School District:


"I swear I left a dead bird here yesterday."

— Brandon, age 11


"Dang, it's too small for me to fit inside."

— Cole L., age 11


"Knock. Knock. ... Hey, new neighbors!"

— Garrett, age 11


"Hey, is anyone in there? I'm hungry. Can I have my cheeseburger now?"

— Andrew, age 11


"Just reminding you ... rent is due on Monday!"

— Mark, age 11


"Hey, I'm hungry. Where's the food? Wait, how did I get up here?"

— Brandon, age 11


"Hey, I'm the new landlord."

— Michael, age 11


"DINNER TIME!"

— Joey G, age 11


"Anybody home?"

— Michael, age 11


"Has anybody seen my mouse in there?"

— Samantha, age 11


"Knock. Knock. Anybody home?"

— Michael, age 11


"Hey, where are my scrambled eggs?"

— Jarrod, age 11


"Order up. OK, I will have two eggs and a bird."

— Christian Ott, age 11


"Yo, wait. There's no room for me. I guess I will have to eat some of you birds so I can stay warm."

— Michael, age 11


"Hey little birds. I have worms."

— Summer M., age 11


"Knock. Knock. Who's there?"

— Briana, age 11


"Marco! Polo!"

— Megan M., age 11


Peekaboo!

— Angie, age 11, and Kylie, age 12


From Diane Anderson's seventh-graders at Landisville Middle School:


"Aw, man, my yarn fell in the box again!"

— Erin Anderson, age 13


"Hey, guys! Can I squeeze in?"

— Jimmy Byczko, age 12


"I'm gettin' me some supper."

— Alex Gochenaur, age 13


"Mommy, look! Daddy's stuck in a hole!"

— Lorenzo Gomez, age 12


"If only my tongue were longer!"

— McKenna Greener, 12


"No need for Burger King tonight!"

— Zane Harnish, age 13


"If I sit here long enough, maybe one will fly out!"

— Jamie Herman, age 13


"Is this place for rent?"

— Dayna Horsey, age 13


"So much better than HDTV!"

— Taylor Kauffman, age 13


"I spy with my little eye ... LUNCH!"

— Danielle Kirchoff, age 12


Its tweet is worse than its peck.

— Alex Le, age 12


"Hey, where's the cream filling?"

— Andrew Martin, age 12


"I've heard of buffets, but in here is a feast!"

— Paul Myers, age 12


Bird got your tongue?

— Ashley Shellenberger, age 12


"I did. I did. I did see a putty tat."

— Kristen Sipling, age 12


From Wendy S. Letavic's English as a Second Language students at Penn Manor High School:


"Hello, can you invite me in?"

— Yailen Alarcon-Roca, Lancaster


"Anybody home? Can I come in?"

— Ramonita Maldonado, Lancaster


"Please tell me, who are you? Are you my mom?" (modelled after the children's book "Are You My Mother?")

— Eli Marcelino, Lancaster


"Knock. Knock. Is someone in there?"

— Steven Martinez, Lancaster


"I'm hungry! Please, let me eat you!"

— Roxana Perez-Linen, Lancaster


From Paulette Moore's first-graders at St. Leo the Great School:


"I want to eat the bird."

— Grace Abel


"Hi, new neighbors."

— Vanessa Buckwalter


"People love us!"

— Grace Davies


"Why is the bird in here?"

— Matt DeBoer


"What is in there?"

— Genna Diller


"Why is the cat sticking his head in the birdhouse?"

— Britt Fulton


"What is your name?"

— Patrick Gorman


"I like birds. They are tasty!"

— Melanie Krady


"I'm hungry!"

— Claudia Linkey


"What's in there?"

— Christopher Martin


"Yum, yum. Birds!"

— Tess Murphy


"I am going to catch the birds."

— Thomas Panyik


"Why is the cat at our house?"

— Austin Sauer


"Birds are very smart."

— Sophia Sponaugle


"Yum, yum, yum. Bird food!"

— Gavin Sullivan


"The birds are hiding."

— Chloe Wentling


"This is good!"

— Jane Wombie


The cat is hungry for the bird.

— Mark Yeand


From Kelli Eachus' first-graders at Schaeffer Elementary in Manheim Township School District:


"How do you get in this place?"

— Elizabeth Helm


"I'd love dinner!"

— Yianni Tran-Speros