Happy 8 months

 The boys are 8 months old today, they have grown so much in the short time they have been in.  Chunky is my shadow and a snuggler.  Grayson has to have his head rubbed but nothing else, I can not kiss him on the forehead or pick him up, he is so skittish but they all sleep on the bed at night so we are making very slow progress with him.  He is going to be a big tom.  Chunky and BigBoy are beginning to play together.  Everyone is slowly getting used to each other.  They have so much energy, sure wish I could bottle that up to use in the future.  I know they won't be kittens much longer so I enjoy watching them grow as much as I can.  I am so glad I got Lila and the boys inside.

RIP Wyatt

 Wyatt was one of my "shared pets" who lived next door.  I took care of them when the family was gone.  He was so sweet.  When I would let him and Jake out he did his business and then had to sniff every blade of grass in the back yard.  He was a digger too so had to make sure he did not get out of the fence.  He had lost a lot of weight, and started having seizures so it was time for him to go play with Jake.

We will miss you sweet boy.

Happy Thanksgiving

 I am so thankful for so many things.  Mostly to live in this country where we are still pretty free.  I know God has blessed me more than I deserve and I am very thankful for that.

This has been quite the year with the cats.  I had come to a point in my life where some of the things I was involved just were not working for me. I had to force myself to go.  I feel like Lila and the kittens rescued me and helped me make some difficult decisions.  I spent so much time with them making sure they were fed and safe that I basically put my life on hold.  

After I brought Lila and Chunky Monkey and Grayson in the house and was working on Charcoal I decided I had spent 6 months without some of those things in my life and did not miss them at all, so I deleted them.  I am pretty sure God brought me her to care for and help me make some decisions.

One wonderful thing this year as well was my niece and family coming for a visit for a week.  I miss them so much.  

I miss my dad, he had to have his pecan pie and would pull the Christmas tree out this evening and all the decorations because after breakfast on Black Friday we would decorate the tree.  Mom and I made decorated sugar cookies.  When dad was working we would spend the weekend making a box full of cookies for him to take to work to share with his co-workers.  

Dad would direct us where to put all the decorations and that awful tinsel. One time I just threw a handful on and I had to take them off and put them on one by one.  I hated that stuff.  I finally convinced dad that it was not good to have it around his cat.  

I hope you all have a wonderful day. 

7 Months

 The boys are 7 months old today.  Does not seem like they should be that old but they are.  I still would like to know who Grayson's dad is with his beautiful markings.  I am pretty sure Chunky's dad is Gizmo the long haired all black cat with a limp. I have not seen him since I brought the kits in, so he must have found a new place to hang out at.  

They are a delight and so full of energy.  Chunky has become my shadow, we often sit on the couch and watch TV together, he all stretched out on my lap.  Grayson is very skittish still, can not pick him up.  But he is sleeping on the bed with the rest of us now and he often comes in the living room and naps in the window corner, so we are getting there.  He plays a lot on the stairs and comes in the kitchen for meals.  Some kits just take longer than others.

Yesterday was 5 Years

 Yesterday was the 5th year my dad went home.  He was ready, the dementia was getting worse and thoughts of putting him in memory care by himself just did not work for me.  I miss you dad, take care of my kitties and see you someday.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

 Happy Halloween, it would have been my parents 70th anniversary.  

And not only is it Halloween, but the Dodgers won the World Series, sorry dad your team lost.  

 

 

 

National Cat Day

 I am on feral #12 now with Grayson in the house.  All my cats have been ferals.  It just takes time for them to trust you so you can bring them in.

I have one feral Licorice who may never come in but that is ok, he gets food and shelter and knows I love him.

RIP Charcoal

 Today is the 4th day I had not seen Charcoal.  Of course I feared the worst and unfortunately my fear came true.  I got a message from a neighbor that a small black cat was by the pool.  I went and looked and sure enough, she had been there a day or two.  I have no idea what happened.  So I came home and asked a neighbor to help me and she is buried in one of my flower beds under the deck.  

I am sad for her loss and the fact that she never would get close to me and let me pet her.  I wanted to eventually bring her in as well.  But that was not to be. I hope she did not suffer too much.  

Like my dad said in my dream I can't save them all.  So out of 5 kittens I have the 2 boys and Lila.  

RIP my sweet girl, I loved you even though you kept your distance.

1/2 Birthday

 The kittens are 6 months old today, already.  It has been fun watching them grow and change.  The boys are tight, one does not make a move without the other and they are very whiny.  If they are out and do not see me they freak out.  I know it will get better but their life has been one change after another.  The other day they got out of their room before I could catch them.  They immediately ran to Lila like mommy there you are and she was like oh no, she hissed and smacked at them.  They both stopped and looked at me like what was that about?  So they recognize her but she does not recognize them?  Or is she just done with them, but no reason to be rude.  

BigBoy is not sure about any of this. His world has been turned upside down and he looks at me like ok time for them to go. I keep reminding him he invaded his sisters space when he came in and he needed to deal with the fact that they are staying and not going anywhere.  

Chunky is my shadow, he needs to be held and loved and when I walk he is in between my feet, hard not to trip or step on him, but....

Charcoal comes up in the morning for breakfast and is getting that whiny mew that the boys have.  She is getting a bit closer. I feel bad cos she is outside by herself.  The other day I had the front door open and the boys were out of their room and she was on the porch and they were all 3 at the door mewing at each other.  It will be 2 weeks this weekend they have been in and I have to wonder if they will forget who she is.  

It has been 20 years since I have had kittens and how much work they are.  Also the boys are quarantined until they get all their shots.  

Chunky Monkey, Charcoal and Lila Grey

Grayson

The Boys Are In The House

 I got Chunky Monkey in last night and tonight I got Grayson.  They have their own room because I need to get them their FLV shots which is a 3 week process with 2 doses.  They are both fixed and have their rabies shot.  Then the introductions can begin.

Lila gets her 2nd dose Wednesday and can be introduced to BigBoy.  Not sure how he is going to react to 3 new cats in the house because it has been almost 3 years since he had sisters.  I told him he needed to remember he was a feral that invaded his sisters space but I doubt he remembers that.  

I need to figure all this out and make sure they do not get out and they all get along.  

Charcoal will be by herself outside now and she really does not do people at all.  Her dad is there too so maybe he can hang out with her and she won't be lonely.  I am not giving up on her just some ferals never will be tamed.  I have had some ferals for over 10 years that would never let me touch them but they came for food and shelter and they knew I loved them.  We have to remember we live in the feral world and have to abide by their wishes.  

 

Halloween Stars

 What to do on a rainy day.  I have been wanting to make these stars for all my holidays so I got my Halloween stars done today.  They are like jelly beans you can't just make one.

Lila

 I sure missed with Lila. I thought for sure based on the age of the kittens who turned 5 months yesterday and reading all about the cycle of female cats she was pregnant. But nope she was not.  So that is good.  I must have fixed all the males she has access to.  She got fixed yesterday and turned into a snuggle girl.  She is still a bit not quite sure but today she gets the run of the house while BigBoy is locked up in my bedroom.  So she gets out during the day and he gets out during the night.  

She needs to heal from her surgery and she still has the 2nd shot of her FLV shots to get in 3 weeks, then I can slowly introduce them to each other.

Chunky Monkey has only had his rabies shot so when he comes in he gets quarantined as well for 3 weeks and then introduced to BigBoy.  Looks like my Fall is gonna be busy getting them to all get along.

Charcoal still remains extremely skittish but she is growing into her legs just like Licorice her dad.  Grayson is going to be a big tom and so beautiful. He let me touch his nose yesterday.

No I do not need 5 cats in the house but you know sometimes you just have to save what you can.  If Grayson lets me pet him and pick him up he will be in the house as well. I hate to leave Charcoal out by herself but Licorice is out there and they can bond.  

Stay tuned. 

Cursive Handwriting

 

"Have you ever wondered why children are no longer taught to write in cursive?"

And no, it is not by chance that they tend to use it less and less.

Writing in cursive means translating thoughts into words; it forces you to not take your hand off the paper. A stimulating effort, which allows you to associate ideas, link them and put them in relation.

Not by chance does the word cursive come from the Latin "currere", which runs, which flows, because thought is winged, it runs, it flies.

Of course, cursive has no place in today's world, a world that does everything possible to slow down the development of thought, to fill it.

I think cursive was born in Italy and then spread throughout the world.

Why?

Because it was compact, elegant, clear writing.

But ours is a society that no longer has time for elegance, for beauty, for complexity; we have synthetics but not clarity, speed but not efficiency, information but not knowledge!

In general, we know too much and too little because we are no longer (generally speaking) able to put things into relation.

Most people can no longer think.

This is why we should go back to writing in cursive, especially at school. Because this is not just about recovering a writing style, but about giving breath to our thoughts again.

Cognitive development

Writing in cursive can help children develop cognitive skills by integrating fine motor skills with visual and tactile processing.

Brain regions

Cursive writing activates different neurological pathways than typing or manuscript writing.

Brain connectivity

Handwriting can increase connectivity between brain regions, especially those involved in memory formation.

Kinesthetic stimulation

The fluid motion of cursive writing provides a different type of kinesthetic stimulation that helps different parts of the brain develop and integrate.

Learning and memory

A study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that cursive handwriting helps the brain learn and remember better.

Functional specialization

Cursive writing can help train the brain for functional specialization, which is the ability to work efficiently.

The benefits of handwriting are numerous, especially for children's cognitive development. Here are some key advantages:

*Cognitive Benefits:*

1. Improved memory and retention: Handwriting helps encode information in the brain, making it easier to recall.

2. Enhanced focus and concentration: Writing by hand requires attention and engagement.

3. Better comprehension: Handwriting slows down the learning process, allowing for deeper understanding.

4. Increased creativity: Free-flowing handwriting can stimulate imagination and idea generation.

*Neurological Benefits:*

1. Brain connectivity: Handwriting increases connections between brain regions, particularly those involved in memory formation.

2. Functional specialization: Cursive writing trains the brain for efficient task processing.

3. Neuroplasticity: Handwriting exercises promote neural adaptability and development.

*Educational Benefits:*

1. Better learning outcomes: Studies show that students who take handwritten notes perform better academically.

2. Improved writing skills: Handwriting practice develops fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and writing fluency.

3. Enhanced literacy: Cursive writing helps recognize and write words, boosting reading skills.

*Emotional and Social Benefits:*

1. Personal expression: Handwriting conveys individuality and personality.

2. Emotional connection: Handwritten messages evoke feelings and empathy.

3. Tactile experience: Writing on paper provides a sensory experience, fostering a sense of accomplishment.

*Additional Benefits:*

1. Slows down digital overload: Handwriting offers a break from screen time.

2. Develops patience and perseverance: Handwriting requires practice and dedication.

3. Fosters elegance and beauty: Cursive writing promotes aesthetic appreciation.

By incorporating handwriting into daily life, especially in schools, we can nurture cognitive, emotional, and social growth in children, and rediscover the joy of putting thoughts into beautiful, flowing words.

She Is In

 Yesterday morning I sat with Lila off and on while I was getting ready for church.  I read a post on FB that said something about I asked God for help and now I had to wait for his timing.  I felt I missed an opportunity to bring her in yesterday.  However my conscience said get to church you have all week.  Sure enough  I got her in this morning with some tuna. She sat at the storm door for a few minutes crying and then she started exploring the  house, ate some tuna, we snuggled and then she got up on the couch and sat on my lap making biscuits.  She is exploring and going to all the windows.  She has a room upstairs where she will stay until she gets fixed and has had her shots and then gradually gets introduced to my tom. They talk through the storm door all the time and have nose bopped but she will be in his house now.  Stay tuned.

Chunky Monkey is next. 

Feral Update

 So I am pretty sure Lila is pregnant again and after trying to get her to just come in on her own, the trap is set to catch her and get her in and then get her fixed and she becomes an inside cat forever.

Licorice continues to come up in the morning, eat and sometimes nap on the deck and sometimes leaves after eating.

I think Lila moved the kittens again a couple of days ago. She has been hanging around in the back yard, looking for a new place to have kittens?  Anyway last night the kittens followed her and this morning she only came up with Chunky Monkey.  She barely ate and left.  She left him on the front porch crying for over half an hour and he finally left and went across the street like he is used to.  I have no idea where Charcoal and Grayson are. If she moved them where I think she did most of my ferals while outside (before coming in ) have lived in that area of a grove of trees and have been safe for many years.

Chunky Monkey now lets me pet him and this morning after he ate we sat on the front porch and we snuggled and I petted him.  I have a feeling he may come in soon on his own especially if Lila does.  The 3 are still so attached to her even though they are 4 1/2 months old. She on the other hand is slowly leaving them, probably cos she has a new batch on the way.

I feel bad about bringing her in and leaving them on their own, but everyone who works with cats says they will be fine, they know where shelter and food is.  They have been coming over on their own to eat, so.....we shall see.

RIP Shaun

 The community lost a great chef and Irishman yesterday.  Shaun Brady was THE chef at Irish Fest which always runs over Labor Day Weekend.  After mass on Sunday he served breakfast, only this year there will not be any breakfast.  He was killed yesterday evening trying to stop a carjacking.  He was only 44 and had a wife and 2 children.

I had the pleasure of meeting him this summer.  My Monday knit group went to his restaurant Brady and Fox for our summer Dishcloth Swap.  There were not many people in there and he came and spent some time talking to us.  Prayers for his family and the Irish community as they mourn the loss of Shaun. 

Licorice Is Home

 

 Last Thursday I came home and checked the deck just to see what was going on and there he was.  Licorice was sitting on the 2nd step down and he looked good. I immediately put out food for him, he ate and left.  He has been up every morning since then.  I think he forgives me for what I did but it is for his own good.  He remains about 5 feet from me, so the progress I made with him is still there.  I hope to be able to pet him one day but we all know cats live on their terms, not ours.

Meanwhile I am trying to get Lila but she is not cooperating, I need to get her in and get her fixed and then keep her in.  My tom keeps talking to her and the other day I opened the door to feed her and he comes running and nose bops her.  I told him to tell her to come in so we can get her fixed and she can become an inside cat. 

Happy Granny Square Day

 Making granny squares is kind of like making socks for me, very therapeutic.  My grandmother who taught me to knit and crochet could make a mean granny square.  I love to make granny square afghans for babies, easy to make and so many colors you can put together.  

The only bad thing about making one is all those ends to weave in.  

The other day at knit group we were wondering if you can knit a granny square, and yes you can, I found a video and free pattern over there from Frankie Brown.  I have printed out the pattern and maybe this winter it will be my let's see if I can do this project.

Go get some yarn and make a square or 2 or 100 and enjoy.

Waiting

 I got Grayson last night came up by itself and I jumped at the chance to trap.  I got a cancellation apt this morning so he will back this afternoon and released tomorrow afternoon.   

This will make all the kittens and the dad fixed.  I have not seen Licorice since Saturday when I released him. I know my back yard was his safe space and I violated it by trapping him.  I am hoping after he gets over the experience he will come back, he knows there is always a bowl of dry food and all the love I can give him.

This week each of the kittens have come up on their own to eat which is a good sign.  My week next is packed and so Lila will have one last week outside and then the next week I will concentrate on bringing her in.  

I feel like I can breathe knowing I have the 4 fixed and then get Lila in.  It has been a stressful summer with all of this but I hate that someone dumped her and then she had kittens and now....I will have a little feral colony.

Trust me I am NOT giving up on taming the kittens and eventually bringing them in.

3 Down, 1 To Go

 Finally got Licorice trapped he is in surgery today to get neutered.  I would put tuna in the trap and he would only go halfway. Last night I tired Sardines and he was like NO.  So I put his regular food next to the Sardines and bam, trapped.  He is gonna hate me for a few days, but he will be much healthier as a feral not getting into fights.  And no more kitties from him.

I have the tabby left, it is tough trying to keep 3 out of the trap and get the right one in.  I have made some progress with the tabby though, who I think is a male.  He sat at my feet last night and ate out of the tray I put their food in.  This morning apparently I was  not moving fast enough to get food put down and he mewed at me like hurry up it has been 8 hours since I last ate.  The kittens are getting closer to me, have not been able to pet them yet but....

Lila will be coming in soon, I think she is pregnant again and I am not going to let her go through that again and I do not want to deal with kittens again.  

Please do not dump your animals.  Take them somewhere, I know the shelters are full, but.... I hope there is a special place in Hell for people who dump animals. 

2 Down, 1 To Go

 I got Chunky Monkey trapped this morning and he is resting in one of my spare bedrooms.  He has grown a lot this past week, He is not quite so chunky but then he is going to be a long hair as well.

The tabby is left and is much larger than Chunky, it's name is Grayson, I though it was neutral not knowing what it is.  This one will be very tough to catch.  The face melts your heart.  I am not sure this one will ever be tamed but time will tell.

Charcoal is so small you would never know the 3 are the same age.

And So It Starts

 Yesterday I finally got the runt trapped.  Surgery is today and then the socializing/taming starts.  I know I will have my hands full trying to tame the 3 kittens but it will just take time.  The shelters are overflowing and I can not let them back out after being fixed.  I was only going to bring Lila in and adopt out the rest.  I still on planning to see if I can find the kittens homes, but I have a feeling I am going from 1 to 5 in a matter of a few days.  

Lila is such a sweet girl, she lets me pick her up and cuddle her like a baby, she follows me through the yard and if I am not right by her when she is on the porch she follows me and cries.  She is not spoiled.

My tom has been sitting at the front door talking to them.  Once they are in they will be separated from him for a while to socialize them and they will all be fixed along with shots then the slow introductions will start.  I hope it goes well but we are talking cats here.  

Stay tuned for the saga.

Exactly How I Feel

 

My cats live here, they’re here to stay.

You don’t like pets? Be on your way.

They grace my home, my food, my space.

This is their home, this is their place.

You will find fur on every chair,

They'll greet you with a curious stare.

They might approach and sniff your shoe,

A simple 'NO' will send them through.

It baffles me when you proclaim,

How can you live in such a way?

They scratch, they purr, they climb the walls.

WHO ASKED YOU? is what my mind calls.

They love me more than words can say,

Their purrs greet me at the end of the day.

They need just a glance from me,

And come to curl up on my knee.

When I’m down, they sense my blues,

When I’m joyous, they share my cues.

Their whiskers twitch, their eyes gleam bright,

They bring me comfort day and night.

So once again, I tell you true,

‘Come visit me,’ but know this too…

My cats live here, they’re here to stay.

You don’t like pets? Be on your way.

They grace my home, my food, my space,

This is their home, this is their place.

And Then There Were Three

 We are down 2 of the tabby's.  One was hit by a car and the other was a runt and the last I saw it it did not appear to be well.  So we have 2 black one tabby.  There is a black runt and what a pistol this one is, I think it will be the easiest to tame.  There is a chunky black one and it is hesitant but will come around.  The tabby with the sweetest face will be the hardest, very skittish.

Trapping is not going well at all, my anxiety and stress and worry over all of this I am afraid is passing on to them to not cooperate, if they only knew it was for their own good.  Lila I plan on bringing in sometime this week. I have talked to some people and they feel since the kittens are weaned, they know how to get to the food source on their own will come even if Lila is inside.  They have said catch them as you can and as my dad said in a dream You can't save them all.  

My tom has been dealing with allergies this week, lots of sneezing and you can tell he does not feel good. Got some meds and is doing much better, but with me in and out all day and the front door open all day so I can see if they are on the porch I am afraid I have been bringing and letting in the allergens.  Another reason to get them in quickly.

RIP little tabby's, I am sorry I could not save you.  

She Is Driving Me Crazy

 So Lila brought one of the black kittens on Friday.  This morning she brought up the largest one that looks like her and one black runt.  I sure wish I knew where the other 3 were.  We have had a lot of hawks/owls and other critters this week and I do not want to think about what may have happened but nature is often cruel.

This little black one looks pretty small.  He hangs right beside Lila most of the time. He can barely jump up on the front porch.

This one is gonna be a pistol. Look at the face. If this is a girl her name is:  Delilah Grace.  She may be coming inside with Lila.

 

The other day the squirrel was deciding if he should be brave or not and jump on Licorice.  He must have decided it would not end well for him.

Stay cool the heat index is gonna be way over 100 the next 2 days.  So thankful I have a new air conditioner.

Lila

 So I am not sure what game Lila was playing but her and the babies are back or never left across the street from me on the side of my house.  Yesterday morning she brought 4 up, where was the 5th one, it was the runt, did something happen? I hope not, she does not always bring them all up.

I contacted the animal adoption organization in town yesterday.  They gave me the TNR website. I completed the form to have them trap the kittens and Lila.  They will be fixed and then I will keep Lila and either give away the kittens or take them to a shelter.  I do not like the release into the wild part.  I also do not like when I see people let their cats outside.  There are so many dangers for them out there.  

Anyway I hope this trapping goes well. I think Lila is ready to come in, she keeps coming to the door when I open it and looks in the house like I need to get in there but I have kittens and they need me.

I know when I get her trapped and get fixed and bring her home we may take some backward steps but I need to get her inside where she is safe.  My heart has invested too much in her to let her go. 

Did Lila Move The Kittens Again?

 This morning I opened up the front door and it was just Lila, where are the kittens?  She ate and then headed up the street.  What, why are you going that way your babies are over there.  I decided to follow her.  The house across the street on the corner has a fenced backyard and I saw her scale the fence and up and over she went.

I have so many questions:  Why did she move them?  Why did she move them to a very busy traffic area?  Will she move them further away perhaps which would be across the street?  How am I going to trap them now?  

I am at a loss and feeling pretty defeated in figuring out a plan to trap the kittens and get her in the house.  

If she would just work with me.

I know nature but....

Flowers

 I love Spring and Summer because of growing and blooming and the beds look so pretty plus I have seen some bees and I have lots of hummingbirds and of course the finch are eating the salvia seed and will soon move to the Black Eyed Susans.

The tomato gets new blooms daily and the pepper plant has really shot up this past week.  The sweet potato has a ton of new leaves.  I had to re-pot the rosemary cos I think it was staying too wet.  We shall see if this works better.

Waiting for my Rose of Sharon to start blooming.

I love this shade of purple

The pink petunias really took off this week, it has got hot and they seem to love it.

By the way Happy Father's Dad, I miss you and love you.  We would have found a place to have a picnic lunch of fried chicken at some park today. 

FIVE

 This morning I opened the front door and started counting noses.  Holy crap there are 5 kittens.  3 like Lila and 2 like their daddy Licorice all black.  2 are kind of smaller and they are so cute. I just want to pick them up and snuggle them all, but I will not.  They are not mine to love on.  They left after over 2 hours, she laid out on the front porch and they were all nursing and finally they went on home.  I love that she feels safe enough to rest on my porch.  I need to put a box with a blanket in it for them in a kind of hidden to the left bed of the front door where they can hang out.  

I have NO idea how I am gonna find some organization to trap the kittens. I am for sure taking Lila in and I may have to think about keeping one of the kittens.

 

4 out of 5, the runt is missing.

I know I need to wash my front door, that will be later today.  All nursing.  Poor Lila she is so tired.  And the kittens ate good. 

The Babies are Here

 Yesterday finally Lila brought up her babies, the day I had been waiting for.  I went out and thought there were 4 but this morning there were only 3.  2 all black, one is quite chubby and the other looks like a runt.  Then one that looks like her.  They are so cute.  This morning they came up and Chubby and Lila look-a-like ate a lot and the runt hid and mewed.  When Lila left she was followed by the 2 black ones and the look-a-like stayed eating.  All of sudden this one knew they had left.  About an hour later Lila came up and started looking for her. I hope she found her cos I never saw them leave and I never heard the little one mewing anymore.  Poor little baby.  So from what I have read they are about 5-6 weeks old. Shelters will not take them less than 8 weeks.

So end of month I need to find some help to trap them and get her fixed.  I hope to get some pictures soon cos they sure are cute.

Garden and Cats and Bunny

 How did we get to June already, where has this year gone.  I have pretty much done pot planting this year, it is much easier.  The yard is full of clover and the big bunny is back even though I have 2 ferals, he must know when they come up and wait until it is safe.

The moss rose has sort of come back this year.  The deer decided to use it for a snack last summer, so it is slowly coming around. I thought it had died, but nope.

The geraniums lived in the house over the winter, they were full of huge blooms, pale pink and coral.  I love geraniums.  My grandmother who lived in LA had red ones that always bloomed at Christmas.  The salvia is back and the gold finches have been eating the seed.

I bought a new bird feeder setup so the squirrels, snakes, and raccoons can not get to the bird seed.  

This was a hanging basket that I just put into a whiskey barrel.  When I walk out the front door it smells so good.

My sweet potato has a lot of new leaves coming on, I wonder how many I will get.

Tomato plant has blooms, the pepper shrivels up during the day when the sun is on it and then un-shrivels at night when it gets cooler and the sun goes down.  The rosemary I started hopefully to get it going again.

I love petunias and got these dark purple ones, they look like velvet.

My Vinca, either 7th or 8th summer for this 6 pack.  I see they are changing color again as is evident of the one hanging over.  She winters in the house with the geraniums.

These are very bright pink with a white tinge around the petals.  

Chubby and the misses are back, he buzzed me the other night while I was sitting on the porch with Lila, I think I saw him smirk from scaring me.

Black Eyed Susans from last years seed that was left in the pots.  

Mr Bunny has been around but then my yard is full of clover so he eats well.  I hope he knows there are 2 ferals now.

BigBoy hardly ever sleeps on his back, but last week he was a bit off and he was laying beside me snoring.  Today he has bounced back to his normal onery self.

Licorice, what a handsome cat he is.  He comes every day to eat.  This morning he was up way early and after 3 different flavors and dry food, he just would not eat.  I hope he is ok, cos he ate well last night.  

Lila Grey.  What a sweet girl she is.  She comes up in the morning and eats and runs, she has babies to feed.  Then she will show up between 2 and 5 in the afternoon and stay til 7-9.  She let me pick her up yesterday and cuddle.  She has to have her head rubbed before she will eat. I do not think she is a year old yet.  I would have her in the house but I have no idea where the kittens are, I think she may have moved them this morning.  As soon as she brings me the kittens they are all coming in the house. I am keeping her and either give the kittens away or take them to a shelter, I may keep one or two.  We shall see.  Would you all please channel Lila and tell her to bring me the kittens, she is driving me crazy worrying about all of them.  I would go look for them but I do not want her getting scared and either moving them and all be gone, or she will get scared and just leave them.  

Freedom

 Sitting on the front porch drinking my coffee this morning with Lila, she is eating and there is not a sound but all the different birds singing this morning.  I had .32" of rain last night and everything is all clean and green.  The flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and having babies and it got me to thinking about what it would be like if we all lived in those 15 minute cities.  We would lose all of this.  To all of you who gave your life so I could have this morning I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

This weekend is not about the pool opening and hot dogs and burgers on the grill but to thank those who made it possible for us to have the pools, hot dogs, and hamburgers.  May we never forget what we have and what we could lose.  

Kittens

 Last night Lila came up and she eats a lot for such a little girl. She laid down and let me do some searching.  I am pretty sure she has babies somewhere cos of all she ate, her nipples are huge and there is no fur around them and she has a floppy stomach.  I need to see if I can find where she has them and rescue all of them.  I did watch her a bit last night and saw the 2 houses she went in between.  I need to be careful and not spook her while following her so she does not move them.  I hope they are safe where they are and wish me luck in capturing all of them.  She was waiting for me when I got up and she has never been up to eat in the morning, so.....

On another note: Blue Bell now has a root beer float flavor. I do love the Dr Pepper float and Bride's Cake, so now I have 3 flavors to choose from when it goes on sale.

Lila

 During the brutal cold spell in January this little girl started showing up eating like no tomorrow.  She sure put on the winter coat.  She has been hanging around with Licorice.  This week she has finally decided to let me pet her and love on her.  The other day I picked her up for just a minute.  I plan on bringing her in and hope it is soon.  She needs a good shaving as all the winter coat is matting up.  She eats like a horse in the evenings.  I have no idea where she came from but she is very young and I need to find out if she is perhaps pregnant or had kittens.  I never did hear her make those noises like when they are heat so.....

I am not sure how BigBoy is going to take to her. He has been an only cat for 1 1/2 years now and enjoys getting me all to himself.  I often wonder if he would like a sibling and then I wonder how he will act.  I guess we will see.  I did bring Smudgey in and he pretty just ignored her.  When I found the little gray tux who was in the house for a couple of weeks he pretty much ignored him as well.  But then he had his buddy Groucho.  

She is a beautiful long hair and very small.  Stay tuned for the Lila saga.  Licorice is still around and when I bring her in he will be out there by himself, maybe someday he will come in too.  But he is going to be tough to get in. These pictures do not justice to how beautiful her coloring is.  Maybe I can get some better picture of her to show it off soon.

Yard

 My irises are starting to bloom, you can smell them when I walk out the front door. Love that smell, too bad they only bloom once.

The Rose of Sharon is starting to leaf out as well as the redbud and mock apple.  My jonquils have all bloomed, another flower I wish bloomed more than once, but alas.  My salvia and meadow sage are blooming.  

The trees are leafing out which means I can not see the neighbors as well to see what they are all up to cos I can not see through the leaves.

The hummingbird and oriole feeder are up. I saw a hummer once and the house finch are finding the grape jelly a good food.

Licorice is still around and is getting a bit closer and now feels comfortable enough to eat off the front porch. Last night he was on the deck waiting for his food.  Maybe one day he will let me pet him.

The neighbor took care of Herman my garter snake, he has now crossed the bridge, so sad cos he did not hurt anything.

Now on to Fred. Fred thinks he is a bird, but nope.  The millet I bought for the Juncos, they are gone now until Winter, but Fred thinks I put it out for him.  He will tip the bowl, spill out some seed and like a Hoover suck up all the millet and leave the safflower  Fred is getting a bit comfy in that he comes up to the kitchen window and looks in when he does not have his millet.  He also will just lay on the deck if I come out the door and do not get too close.  I worry about him cos my neighbor will make sure Fred is with Herman.  (I do NOT approve of him shooting the squirrels but if Fred gets in his yard, I can not stop him).  

6 Years

 6 years ago today we lost Dad Decorah.  Mom literally cried so hard she got hoarse calling him.  She was a trooper and raised the 3 by herself.  Mom has a new dad now and they have moved away so we can not see if she is still having babies.

It was a very snowy day and he had brought in a ton of food.  Then he took off. Many looked for him but never found him.  He did look old and tired that afternoon. Did he know?  He came to tell Mom he loved her and thank her for some amazing years but it was time for him to go.

We will never forget and know he is soaring high waiting for Mom to join him someday.