Peace Like A River.....

Sunset on the James River, Virgiia.
(Click picture to enlarge)

"So let us welcome peaceful evening in." ~ William Cowper. English Poet (1731-1800)

This deep water river flows past Jamestown where settlers built their colony 400 years ago. While the current is strong to the ocean, its surface is usually calm, only quiet and small lapping waves at the shore. This is a wonderful place to see the majesty of nature in the sunrise or as here, the sunset and transports me back into time when life was harder, yet at the same time much more simple. This is a perfect place to meditate and search the soul.

"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul."
~ Horatio G. Spafford

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "peaceful". (end of post)

Sign Of The Times

A little addition. (Click for larger view)

One time a policeman pulled me over for running a stop sign. He said, "Didn't you see the stop sign?" I said, "Yeah, but I don't believe everything I read" ~ Steven Wright, Canadian comedian (1955 - )

There isn't much "fur" wearing in this town with winters mild and no snow to speak of; so I question the effectiveness of this addition to the stop sign. But it makes for an interesting picture, doesn't it?

I have been out of pocket with a trip to Indiana and looking at houses for my brother. He flies in on the 4th for three days of marathon house hunting.... I am nervous, hoping I am choosing those that will fit most of his criteria. Too many? Too few? Too high? Too few bedrooms? Lot too small? Kitchen too small? Pool? Hardwood floors? After four or five they start to blend together and I get dizzy! So, spread sheets, here we come... pros, cons, details... and the hope that he can make up his mind easier than I can. Five days and counting.... we'll see!

Submission for Lensday topic "sign". (end of post)

I See The Moon.....

The silver empress of the sky ~ Thomas Tickell
(Click picture for larger view)

The Moon

The moon has a face like the clock in the hall;
She shines on thieves on the garden wall,
On streets and fields and harbour quays,
And birdies asleep in the forks of the trees.

The squalling cat and the squeaking mouse,
The howling dog by the door of the house,
The bat that lies in bed at noon,
All love to be out by the light of the moon.

But all of the things that belong to the day
Cuddle to sleep to be out of her way;
And flowers and children close their eyes
Till up in the morning the sun shall arise.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

Nyssa and I spent an evening in January watching the moon rise over the Atlantic, its silvery magic dancing in the water. It was great! Cold, but great! This was a February moon, not quite full but still filled with all the mystery we always associate with the moon. Someday, I'll get out our telescope and see if I can get a picture through that lens... or someday, we might even see the earth rise from the moon.... we can dream, can't we?

"Moonlight is sculpture; sunlight is painting." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

Submission for Shutterday topic "moon" and for Moody Monday's topic "heavenly".
(end of post)

A Cousin's Cat....Er, Cats!

Mama gives a glimpse of her svelte tummy.
Wouldn't it be nice to get our figures back like this after pregnancy?
(Click pictures for larger view)

"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Last Friday, I drove my parents from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Fort Wayne, Indiana.... 14 hours and back on Monday. A family gathering to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of another uncle and aunt. What does this have to do with cats? Plenty... plenty of cats, that is.

My cousin Kenny found several kittens in the woods behind his house in Atlanta and gave two of them to his brother, Bob who lived in Fort Wayne. One gray kitten with amber eyes, although only six months old, had already been roaming romantically one too many times. She arrived at her new home in the family way. Bob thought she was just getting fat although his dad and sister, Karen, told him differently. Two weeks later he was proud papa to four kittens. His parents took one but three still remain, making his grand total "five". Now months later, while he says he is trying to give them away, it is clear that they have all captured his heart.

Mama cat. I think she has another name but everyone called her "Mama".

Three of Bob's cats are gray and two are black. All have deep amber eyes. "Mama" still keeps track of her kittens, even though they are independent. All of these cats are truly only one step away from the wild. Yet, they all choose to stay inside the home with Bob. They still get into more trouble than any dog and nothing is safe... sunglasses migrate from the table to the couch, large comforters in plastic bags are knocked off the highest shelf in the closet, food bags are chewed, kitchen sponges shreaded and water glasses knocked over; all in the same day! I can honestly say that the activity level of these five cats is such that my crew of six appear to be comatose, when compared.

As for "Mama" she will be off to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina and shows her tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff.
Mama will board Friday's Ark on Friday over at the Modulator. On Sunday, she will be introduced to the Carnival of the Cats, hosted this week by Justin's Random Thoughts. See you there! (end of post)

The Colorful Life

"Everybody knows "blue" Monday. Sometimes we see "red." "Black" looks are disconcerting. Often the weak hearted show the "white" feather or a "yellow" streak. And that "dark brown" taste is not unknown. But if you want to keep in the "pink" of mental condition you mustn't let disturbing riots of color mess up your environment." ~ H. E. Townsend

Colorful memories of childhood. Dylan Candy Bar, Manhattan.

" Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?
'T is a marvel of great renown!
It blooms on the shore of the Lollipop sea
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;
The fruit that it bears is so wondrously sweet
(As those who have tasted it say)
That good little children have only to eat
Of that fruit to be happy next day."
~ Eugene Field (1850 - 1895)

Dylan's Candy Bar in Manhattan, one of the most colorful shops in New York City with candy in every color of the rainbow and a hundred more beside, is a child's dream, a mother's nightmare and the source of income for thousands of dentists in the area. This was a giant lollipop sculpture on the first floor.

Colorful rubber ducks all in a row. Walmart.

"Rubber Ducky, you're the one.
You make bath time lots of fun
Rubber Ducky, I'm awfully fond of you.
Rubber Ducky, joys of joys
When I squeak you, you make noise
Rubber Ducky, you're my very best friend, it's true!"
~ Ernie (Sesame Street)

Is that Ernie I see hanging out around the Rubber Ducky display? These colorful happy little ducks are just waiting for that little boy or girl to take them home. I had a yellow one as a child but now they come in rainbow colors. Did you have a rubber duck too?

Colorful candy sprinkles.

"I'm headed for a land that's far away
Beside the crystal fountains.
So come with me, we'll go and see
The Big Rock Candy Mountains."
~ Unknown

When I was a little girl, my parents gave me a pretend doctor kit. It had a little bag and plastic stethoscope, tongue depressors, an eye chart and..... a bottle of pills that looked just like these. They were the best things. Back then I didn't know they were non-pariels, sprinkles, tiny balls of sugar so colorful and tasty. I still love them on cookies. Did you know that you can bake these in angel food cake batter and turn out a real angel food confetti cake? You can't get the mix anymore, so just use these to make your own!

Lovely, talented ladies... colorful in more ways than one.

"In the colorful reflection we have what is life." ~ Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)

These two colorful ladies are fabulous. They perform ad lib skits and create characters that range in age from little four year old girls to bent old grannies and every age in between. Hysterical is a perfect word to describe them; add side splitting laughter and an incredible ability to play off each other and you have a team. They bring joy and sunshine each time they walk through the door at a program or special dinner. Funny thing... I don't think they have a name... I think "Delightful Dames" is good. What do you suggest?

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "Colorful". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

PS: I had to go out of town early, early .... 3 AM.... this morning. So this is posted early for the Photo Hunt... will be back on Monday night. Have a great Memorial Day!

(end of post)

Rabbit Food

Yum!(Click for rabbit's eye view)

"To make a good salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist - the problem is entirely the same in both cases. To know how much oil one must mix with one's vinegar." ~ Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Spring greens mix, young spinach, purple onion, sliced mushrooms, celery, carrots, halved grape tomatoes and shreds of mozzarella and cheddar cheese combine to make this tasty treat. Top it off with an oil and vinegar, ranch or cheesy parmesan dressing and perhaps add slices of grilled chicken breast and you have a meal....... yum! Salads are fun to photograph at our house. With five for supper, there will be five different variations. Dad is allergic to cucumbers, Mom cannot have croutons. Nyssa doesn't like onions or mushrooms and Stephen couldn't have any sliced grapes or mandarin oranges or dried cranberries on top. With salads like this our table is always festive!

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "food". (end of post)

Fairest Picture On Our Planet

Il Duomo. Florence, Italy.
(Click picture to enlarge)

"This is the fairest picture on our planet, the most enchanting to look upon, the most satisfying to the eye and spirit. To see the sun sink down, drowned in his pink and purple and golden floods, and overwhelm Florence with tides of color that make all the sharp lines dim and faint and turn the solid city to a city of dreams, is a sight to stir the coldest nature, and make a sympathetic one drunk with ecstasy." ~ Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

In 2003, my brother sang the title role in Verdi's opera, Othello. The festival was held in the beautiful Italian city, Florence and Nyssa and I were able to go over for two weeks. The art and architecture is amazing, no other area has so rich a history. The cathedral was massive with marble in colors I had never imagined and as you can see it towers over the surrounding landscape.

And the food.... a small family run restaurant with hand written menus was located near my brother's apartment. It opens at different times on different days, more or less near a scheduled time... no one seems to keep a rigid schedule in Florence, or other parts of Italy for that matter. Trains that run with to the minute precision in Austria; well, let's just say they "try" to be on time but few make it. Who cares though? If the train is late it means more time to get a gelato.... yum!

Submission for Shutterday topic "Europe". (end of post)

Cooking Is An Art, But You Eat It Too!

"I can't cook. I use a smoke alarm as a timer." ~ Carol Siskind

Did I ever post about the day I burned three batches of macaroni and cheese in the span of two hours? No?! Well! It isn't going to be today either! My mother is the cook in our family and she passed this fascination with cookbooks and gourmet presentations down to my brother, completely bypassing me. Even my dad makes a great homemade broccoli and cheese soup! Me, I am the every day common, but boring cook; the one who manages to cook just enough to get food into a child so that she doesn't starve to death. Through the years I have mastered the microwave and take pride in the fact that I can put dinner on the plates and have any leftovers put away and all the pots washed.... before we sit down to eat. Nyssa, on the other hand, is beginning to embrace cooking, but what she learns has to come from friends or her grandma... I am hopeless.

This past Christmas she decided to make a pie, a cherry pie... not canned filling, but fresh.

"If life is a bowl of cherries, then what am I doing in the pits?" ~ Erma Bombeck

Nyssa found the recipe on the internet and set about cooking. She used Bing cherries and admittedly they are not the recommended type for pies, but this was all we had available at the market. The first step, of course was to pit the cherries.

Did you know they have a special little gizmo to pit cherries with? It is pretty handy although you have to be just a little careful or pits will fly across the room! I wondered if she knew her own strength with that thing sometimes.

Pitting the cherries is definitely the hardest part... look what happens to your fingers.... red cherry stains and guess what girls... it doesn't wash off easily. Much scrubbing was needed to get the stain out.

Some people say that homemade crust is the best but I think the ready made, rolled up crusts are just as good. It certainly makes it easier to put together. So here is the recipe...

6 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp all allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into bottom pie shell. Dot with 2 tablespoons of butter across the top of the mixture. Cover top with second crust. Brush with 1 egg white whipped with a bit of water for shiny crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook another 35-40 minutes. Let cool before cutting.

"Cooking is a form of flattery....a mischievous, deceitful, mean and ignoble activity, which cheats us by shapes and colors, by smoothing and draping...." ~ Plato (427-347 B.C.) Greek philosopher

And here is the end result.... Nyssa's homemade bing cherry pie! Doesn't it look delicious? Believe me it was and didn't last long, barely long enough to take these pictures.

Of course now she is thinking..."Hmm, this might work with peaches or apples or even blueberries!" The blueberries don't come in until July around these parts and the peaches about the same time. Maybe we could try it with the more tangy sour cherries... but that might require more sugar... we do have home grown pumpkin available for pie... but she will have to get her grandma to help her with that one.

Luscious cherry pie.... savory sweetness.

What Nyssa will someday say about me.....
"My mother was a good recreational cook, but what she basically believed about cooking was that if you worked hard and prospered, someone else would do it for you." ~ Nora Ephron

Now my brother is more of the gourmet cook. He took one of the pumpkins I grew and made pumpkin bisque. Recipes for Mom's new no-fail pound cake and the only thing that I make which is really exceptional, Potica bread are linked as well.

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "Cooked/Cooking". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

Patience, Thy Name Is Scarlett

Miss Scarlett patiently poses, waiting to see her girl, Nyssa.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Purring is an automatic safety valve device for dealing with happiness overflow." ~ Anonymous

Miss Scarlett purrs when you pet her, when you talk to her, even when you just look at her and she did this though she was slowly wasting away to nothing. At her lowest point, she weighed only 6.5 pounds when she had been as hefty as 16 pounds just three years ago. She looked like she had been starved for months but she ate, although not much and she drank a lot of water, and licked ice all the time. After several tests we learned that she had mild hyperthyroidism, but more importantly, that she had two huge bladder stones... each 1 cm.

After her surgery and a bit of recovery time she started in on her new diet to prevent those pesky calcium oxalate stones. She will eat the dry and the wet diet and eats everything you put in front of her. She no longer has to run to the cat box every five minutes, she can sit comfortably, her fir is shiny and sleek again and those ribs and hip bones are no longer visible when she walks. Scarlett has gained about 2 pounds since the surgery and is more content and quiet than she has been in years..... Now, she sits patiently waiting for her girl to come home from college.

Scarlett will visit the cats on board Friday's Ark at the Modulator and will play with those cats over at the Carnival of the Cats on Sunday. The carnival is hosted this week by The Cat Blogosphere. (end of post)

Large Hat, Little Girl

This hat is too large for such a little girl.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Sometimes you can tell a large story with a tiny subject." ~ Eliot Porter (1901-1990), U.S. photographer

Her cowboy hat was way too large; a man's size, purchased at the local garage sale for a dollar. But for Nyssa it was fantastic, even if it fell sideways over her big blue-green eyes more often than not. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were a mainstay at this point in time... although the jelly never stayed on the sandwich but migrated to her face at some point. Nyssa wouldn't touch steak until she was in high school, so the PB&J went with us to the steakhouse where she would order her side salad to go with it. In our small town, the restaurant didn't mind.I love the memories we made in those peanut butter and jelly days and that old ten gallon hat! You know... I think that hat may be stored away somewhere. Do you suppose it will survive until another little girl wants to play cowboy?

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "large". (end of post)

Max: One Year Chemo Update

Max and his beloved basketball.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France

I haven't done an update on Max for some time. He is now one year and two months on his oral chemotherapy for cutaneous lymphoma. (Same as human mycosis fungoides) One nodule has popped up, but it has not grown and feels movable and not attached to underlying muscle. It will be removed soon. Max has the cocker skin troubles with small sebaceous adenomas popping up and then resolving and it is grass season when his skin allergies are at their worst, but he eats well and still knows how to sucker people into giving him two meals. That is a lack of communication on our part that he profits from. I have been struggling with his eyes. One cleared up but the other is constantly matted and all the antibiotics in the world don't seem to help. Then this week he has suddenly developed idiopathic facial nerve paralysis on his left side... he's had this twice on the right side before. Bless his heart, his muzzle is droopy and his ear floppy and he is drooling a bit from that side. The hardest thing is that his eye won't blink... so for two weeks it will be extra tears for him. It should resolve as the other episodes did. Max amazes his vets and I am just glad that he still loves his biscuits, chewy rawhides and the ever present basketball.

Max has surpassed my expectations and continues to love life, so we take it one day at a time, one biscuit at a time, one doggy kiss at a time.

Max will be going over to visit his friends at the Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey's Musings and will see if any other puppies are boarding Friday's Ark hosted by the Modulator. (end of post)

Raindrops On Rear Views

Raindrops keep falling on my head.

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

~ Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967)

The cold rain of Winter; a Nor'easter sets up shop just off the coast and spins, bringing rain bands in from the Atlantic. It isn't so much the rain that chills you to the bone, but rather that cold, damp wind with strength to knock patio furniture over and fling branches down from the overhanging trees.

The nourishing rain of Spring; sometimes gentle, sometimes turbulent and laced with thunder and lightning. It falls on the newly planted seedlings and rejuvenates the awakening flower bulbs.. Spring rain is the life blood of nature.

The sudden rain of Summer is desperate to refresh as we languish under the hot sun. Drops sizzle as they hit the asphalt and steam rises from the ground, only adding to our misery. Words such as sticky, humid and heavy come to mind.

The cleansing rain of Autumn; assistant to the falling leaves and ripening pumpkins. Harvest begs nature to stave off the water until the cotton is picked and the wheat safely in the bin. Mud slicks and layers of damp pine needles squish beneath galoshes as the kids trudge back to school.

Rain shows us many faces, brings the booming symphony of thunder, spreads the sweet smell of freshly mowed grass and glistens on exposed skin. It touches all our senses. And I love the rain.

Submission for Tuesday Challenge topic "rain". (end of post)

Seven Random Things & A Tummy

Willow's tummy is up for this sleep session.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"One must love a cat on its own terms." ~ Paul Gray

Wow! It is Tuesday and time for Cats on Tuesday and Tummy Tuesday; and to top it all off the cats have been tagged to do the "Seven Random Things" Meme. They are supposed to write it on their own blog but they really don't have one. With seven cats, we humans would NEVER get computer time and anyway... their spelling is atrocious! So I have chosen one, yes just one cat for this round and will share seven random things about her. Some of these may be secrets she didn't intend to share or things she thinks I am unaware of... but I have the "MOM" thing going on. By the way, we were tagged my Just Sharlene and meeyauw. Actually I think I have been tagged by meeyauw and the cats by Just Sharlene. OK. We are going to combine them.

First Lady Wilhelmina Abigail.... (cat)... seven things about Willow.

1. We sometimes call her Willowbean, no reason in particular.
2. She loves to sleep tummy side up but when she sleeps curled in a ball it is difficult to tell which end is which. (see picture above)
3. She loves to watch things fall. When I moved the grandfather clock I found fifteen elastic hair bands, two plastic spiral toys, three ping pong balls, one sponge ball, two suede mice, and a red pipe cleaner under it. The clock had only one open area to push all these things into and it was against the wall. Willow would sit on the edge of the loft, push the items off, watch them fall, then run down and push them under the clock. I had wondered why she sat up there looking down so much!
4. She can open the end table drawer with her paw to fish out pipe cleaners.
5. She weighs almost 18 pounds.
6. She has a brother, Nickolas, who lives with us too, but they never sleep together like most sibling cats.
7. She likes to be rubbed at the base of her tail... most cats do not.

And now for my seven random things......

Willow often is lost in thought.... right!

What? You thought I would post a picture of myself? Psshaw! That would disrupt the internet matrix beyond repair... you'll just have to deal with these tidbits:

1. In my 16 years of education... up to and including college... I attended seven different schools while living in six different houses in five states. This made for a great medical school application. I'm surprised they believed it! My dad was not in the military, but in the ministry.
2. I was attacked by a billy goat when I was around two and it left a long scrape on my back, but the scar faded.
3. I was able to avoid two piano recitals... one because I had the measles and the second because we moved one week before the program. Alas, I did not get out of the third.>
4. I devised toothpick splints for a baby chick with deformed feet. It worked and he was able to walk. Mom gave him to one of her school children but the child's mother accidentally dropped an iron on it's head and the poor thing did not survive. So much for my delicate splint work and special care.
5. For a year my parents traveled around the south in a revival ministry. We pulled and lived in an Air Stream trailer. I went to church every night. On the trip between churches Mom would entertain me by playing a game. She would tap out the rhythm of various hymns and I would guess. No music, just the beat. Today, I can still identify many of the old church hymns simply by hearing the rhythm tapped out.
6. I graduated from high school and started college when I was seventeen.
7. I graduated from college on a Monday and got married the next day. (Not one of my better decisions.)

Now I am suppose to tag seven people but I know this is a really busy time of year so I will make this voluntary. If you would like to offer up seven new and random things about yourself, just do it! Then leave a comment here so that everyone else can find them on your blog too!

As for Willow she will be off to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. Miss Chloe presents a grand tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. (end of post)

Strangers: Something Fishy Going On

I have no idea who this fellow is.... nor the fish!
(Click picture for larger view)

"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.
It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. " ~ Unknown

A cool breezy day at Mt. Trashmore park, the geese honking in chorus, seagulls fighting over food and the ducks.... swimming and just being ducks. There is a dog barking and next to the dock a man is fishing. I've never seen anyone fishing here before.... feeding the gulls, running, walking dogs, skating, flying kites, racing model boats... all these things, yes, but fishing... never. I thought, "Now, this guy won't have much luck with that noisy dog and the noisy geese and that loud carousel set up." And yet, right before we left for the day, I saw him with pole bending... rolling in the line as fast as he could; his already overly excited dog was beside himself bouncing back and forth and barking even louder. This was the result of his efforts... a fish. Since I have only fished on the side of my grandfather's pond or the catfish ponds down in Pungo, I only recognize catfish. So both the man and the fish are strangers. Just as I snapped this photo, trying hard to be discrete, he saw me and grinning, posed for a second shot!

The luckiest creature of the day was the fish... he had his picture taken for the world to see and regained his freedom in the lake a moment later!

Submission for Shutterday topic "strangers, not necessarily in the night".
(end of post)

Five For Five

Five little turtles lined up and ready for a nap. Norfolk Botanical Gardens.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"Try to be like the turtle ~ at ease in your own shell."
~ Bill Copeland

The days are getting warmer and the sun shines on the cool waters of the bay. Turtles were everywhere in the water; many searched out an old log to bask in the warmth and the bright rays of the sun. These five are lined up in a row as if for take off, completely relaxed? Or poised for a rapid escape.

Blooming crabapple trees, pastel blossoms with five petals. Norfolk Botanical Gardens.

"The greatest gift of a garden is the restoration of the five senses." ~ Hanna Rion

The crabapple trees (Malus sp.) were blooming profusely a few weeks ago at the botanical garden. Each blossom of this species begins as a rounded "cherry bud" of dark pink; then erupts into five velvety petals, pale pink to white. Some species have a fuschia bloom and a few sport red ones. By mid summer the small red crabapples will be hanging in abundance off each limb.

Five American Coot (Fulica americana). Mt. Trashmore, Virginia Beach.

"Our five senses are incomplete without the sixth...a sense of humor!" ~ Unknown

These little water birds are quite funny to watch. On land their curved backs and off balance center of gravity forces them to run slightly bent like little old men. In the water they splash like little kids and bob their heads into the water leaving wiggling behinds up top, or they completely submerge then pop up like a fishing bob. Birds with a sense of humor!

Five tiny candy coated chocolate kisses.
Hershey's version of the ever famous M&M's. Yum!

"Every man is a fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists of not exceeding the limit." ~ Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)

Do you remember the big Cuckoo Bird who was "Cuckoo over Coco Puffs!?" This is how I felt the first time I tried these little colorful bites... So how could I help but line them up in various configurations and snap, snap, snap away? It was a hard shoot though... the candies kept disappearing from the bag and from the picture set up... and kept showing up in my mouth! Now how do you suppose that happened!? OK, I admit it... I ate my subjects. (Sigh!)

Five cats sleeping together on a bed.... this is a one-of-a-kind picture.
(Clockwise from upper left: Lady Willow, Miss Chloe,
Miss Clover, Mr. Rhett and Miss Scarlett)

"Most beds sleep up to six cats. Ten cats without the owner." ~ Stephen Baker

In this case the bed can only hold five cats and this is the rarest of rare sights. Lady Willow's presence is usually met with hissing and spitting and a general disruption of the normal pattern of things. Miss Chloe didn't know she was sleeping next to Willow and as soon as she figured it out, she moved... and fast.

So, here are my choices for this weeks theme.... you really didn't think you could get away without at least ONE cat picture did you?

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "five". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

Amber Eyes

Tanya flashes a look with her amber eyes.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Her amiable amber eyes
Are very friendly, very wise;
Like Buddha, grave and fat,
She sits, regardless of applause,
And thinking, as she kneads her paws,
What fun to be a cat!"
~ Christopher Morley

All of my cats have blue eyes and all my previous cats had blue eyes. I was looking in my files for a cat with amber eyes. Tucker had green eyes but his companion of many years, Tanya, has big amber yellow eyes that glow from her black as midnight face. It is difficult to photograph a black cat, usually distinct facial shapes and features simply blend in together with the end result, a blob of black. Only when their eyes are open can you glimpse not only the curve of their whiskers or the triangular nose from the light reflected in their eyes, but also the fire that burns inside. Tanya really wanted me to leave her alone; she was resting and you know how cats dislike being disturbed from a nap! She was a bit annoyed; but well versed in the shortcomings of humans, she simply glared a bit and returned to her dreams.

PS: Tanya lives with Diane and Alec and I've heard that Tanya is not feeling well. She is getting on up there in age and as such, has good days and bad days... here's hoping that this will be a very, very good day.

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "amber".
Tanya will be boarding Friday's Ark at the Modulator today and will visit the Carnival of the Cats on Sunday. (end of post)

There Are No Rules Of Architecture.....

....for a castle in the clouds. ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

"Every time a student walks past a really urgent, expressive piece of architecture that belongs to his college, it can help reassure him that he does have that mind, does have that soul." ~ Louis Kahn

In the new dorm complex, Jamestown North and South, colonial architecture comes face to face with that of the modern era. It sounds incompatible, but it works. Sleek rounded walls mix with arches and large off angled windows pair up with rows of small classical dormer windows. Inside, each dorm room is different, some have floor to ceiling windows in their outer concave wall and interesting angles are are everywhere. Jamestown dorms are unique and modern, yet reflect the colonial spirit, right down to the cane back rocking chairs that line the long arched and columned porch. I wonder if there should be a new name for this blending?

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "architecture". (end of post)

A Pound Of Cure

Definitely a rich pound cake.....

"It is the heart that makes a man rich. He is rich according to what he is, not according to what he has." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Never-Fail Pound Cake

1 pound butter
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
8 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups sugar

• Cream butter in large mixing bowl of electric mixer.
• Gradually add flour, salt and vanilla to the creamed butter.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat the eggs with baking powder and gradually stir in the sugar.
• Pour egg mixture into the large bowl containing the butter-flour mixture and beat until smooth.
• Pour the batter into a tube pan with the bottom greased but not the sides.
• Bake at 325 degrees for one hour, then reduce the heat and bake at 250 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before removing from pan.

Makes one tube cake.

Apparently, what makes this different from many pound cake recipes is the way the ingredients are mixed together. Most often eggs are creamed together with the butter and sugar and the flour is added last. Not here. This is truly a rich pound cake with a pound of butter, almost a pound of eggs and sugar as well. It will make a fabulous base for strawberries and whipped cream and would be lovely with a drizzle of lemon curd as well. In fact, go wild and add other flavors such as lemon or almond or walnut.... see what happens!

Submission for Moody Monday topic "rich". (end of post)

In The Beginning......

"To gain the friendship of a cat is a difficult thing. The cat is a philosophical, methodical, quiet animal, tenacious of its own habits, fond of order and cleanliness, and it does not lightly confer its friendship. If you are worthy of its affection, a cat will be your friend, but never your slave. He keeps his free will, though he loves, and he will not do for you what he thinks is unreasonable. But if he once gives himself to you it is with absolute confidence and affection." ~ Theophile Gautier

"The girl" (Nyssa) and Cassi. 1986
(Click pictures for larger view)

....there were cats in our home. Nyssa spent her first night at home with three Siamese cats. Shamroc and Ramie looked at her, sniffed her, turned noses up and walked away to find their usual sleeping spots. To them she was just another human and as long as she didn't occupy the warm tile over the hot water line or the round bowl bed in the corner of the living room, they were fine with it. Besides, it didn't look as if she were capable of stepping on tails and pulling ears yet.

Cassi, however, had a problem. Actually, Nyssa, Cassi and I all had problems. Nyssa was hungry and I was determined to provide all the nourishment she needed without the help of formulas and bottles. My problem was that this was an unrealistic expectation at best and turned out to be totally impossible over the long run; but this was something I didn't know at the time. Cassi's problem was one of tender and sensitive ears, inner ears. Cassi's ears could discriminate between singing voices on the radio and records from those of a real, live, singing voice in the room; and her ears did not like a real, live, singing voice! Actually, she couldn't abide live singing, whistling or..... CRYING!

Nyssa was hungry, so we sat in the living room in my fabulous rocker, a soft pillow to support her and she nursed. We rocked and she nursed and it was all so idyllic and marvelous and the bonding was going on... except for one thing. Nyssa was still hungry and she cried. OH! NO! Cassi heard the hungry cry and she ran to investigate, sitting on the floor at my feet just looking at Nyssa, then me, then back again. When her ears could stand no more, Cassi stood on her back legs, braced one paw on the pillow and swatted my hand.... "DO SOMETHING!!! MAKE IT STOP!!" I tried, and we nursed some more but the hungry cry wouldn't quit! So, Cassi gently reached her paw to this miniature human and gently tapped Nyssa on the head... a soft pat as if to comfort her. When that didn't work, Cassi cried; a plaintive "meow".

And thus began our long first night at home, an eight hour attempt to satisfy both a hungry newborn and a small kitty with a hypersensitivity to the crying sound. All night.. I rocked... Nyssa would cry... Cassi would "mew".... rock...cry..."mew"! Early the next morning, after consulting with the OB/Gyn and finding several cases of formula on the front porch (courtesy of her godparents), Nyssa drank eight ounces of formula and her crying stopped. Then Cassi was happy, Nyssa was happy and Mom was happy.... and we all slept... for eight hours straight!

Miss Chloe shows her tummy at the request of "the girl." (Present day)

Fortunately, Nyssa and Cassi became fast friends until Cassi left us at age 17. Perhaps this early interaction with our feline friends encouraged her love for animals that exists still today. There has always been a cat sleeping at the foot of her bed... at least one; always a couple enjoying her piano practice or helping her with homework and always two or three waiting to greet her when we returned home in the evening.

Miss Clover giving "the girl" a kiss.

Miss Willow and "the girl" relax.

Miss Clover and "the girl", a meeting of the noses.

Yes, there have always been cats to cuddle and coddle; and they have given comfort and companionship in return, far greater than that we give them.

"The girl" and her cats are going to visit Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. Miss Chloe presents a grand tummy for Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. "The girl's" baby tummy, on the other hand, is showing but just a peek. (end of post)

Lost Treasure

Lifeless goose egg on the shore of Mt. Trashmore.
(Click picture for larger view)

"By an image we hold on to our lost treasures, but it is the wrenching loss that forms the image, composes, binds the bouquet" ~ Sidonie Gabrielle

It happens every year, at least once... a robin's egg falls from the nest, the chick lost and the egg's contents devoured by beetles and ants. It is a fact of life, there is loss. Birds so treasure their eggs, carefully covering them with their bodies, keeping the tiny life inside warm and safe. But sometimes all the effort and nest building and warming will not help; the winds come, the storms blow, the temperatures plummet and all is lost. How does the goose know her chick is gone, will never hatch? How long did she sit on this treasure before she considered it lost and abandoned it on the shore? Perhaps she knew early on and rolled it out of the nest to this place, away from the life still growing in others. Here it sits, a perfectly formed egg with no cracks, no scavenging insects and yet, still lifeless... a lost treasure waiting to found and preserved, if only on film.

Submission for Shutterday topic "ground score". (end of post)

Five Star Flower

Flower of the Malvaceae or Mallow family. Macro.
(Click picture for larger view)

"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses." ~ Hanna Rion

I haven't planted the wildflower seed yet, so this is from last year's batch. A member of the Mallow family, this flower is a distant relative of the hibiscus, hollyhock, even cotton and comes in many varieties. My batch of seed had this deep rose pink and a pure white variety included. Five petals surrounded by five sepals; these together form the stained glass appearance of the five pointed star deep in the flower. The stamens are fused together forming a small column but retains a five point asterisk shape. I love the color, the green is so deep and bright and the modified leaves (bracts) with small spiky hairs are heart shaped. I'll plant my wildflowers this week... I wonder what will show up in the new mix.

Submission for MacroDay topic "five". (end of post)

Red Fire

A red glowing fire through a veil of tulips. Norfolk Botanical Gardens
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"Artists can color the sky red because they know it's blue. Those of us who aren't artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we're stupid." ~ Jules Feiffer

The tulips are almost gone for the year; like the daffodil, they wither and fade quickly. Soon the red lily will bloom, at least I hope so. We have planted a grouping of reds next to the whites this year.

Today I purchased three plants; red grape tomatoes, red bell pepper (I double checked to make sure it wasn't hot pepper...fool me once and never again!), and a red tomato named "Goliath". I hope this refers to the size of the tomato and not the plant. Then there are the roses... two bushes, both are loaded with buds that will soon burst forth in brilliant soft red petals. And soon Dad will fill the planters with red begonias, mixed with white.

Submission for SeeItSunday topic "red". (end of post)

Snipets and Snapshots

"Keeping in touch with childhood memories keeps us believing in life's simplest pleasures like a rainy afternoon, a swing set, and a giant puddle to play in." ~ Chrissy Ogden

We capture the joys of childhood on film, preserving those precious moments for years to come. It always happens, childhood memories fade and details dim; but the bits and pieces of our lives and our children's lives are there in the pictures to be reclaimed and revisited as the years pass. Pictures lead to stories and the stories, to our whole family history, from generation to generation. So, for today's Photo Hunt I offer these small glimpses into my daughter's childhood.

The birthday princess and her subjects. (1990)

At preschool, the birthday girl gets to wear a crown and everyone has cupcakes. Patrick is sticking his head into the picture, bless his heart, this child was the poster boy for hyperactivity. What girl would not like this preschool? That year the 3 year old class contained ten boys and two little girls. Never again would those odds be in play.

Playing Happy, Happy Hippo with her favorite Uncle. (1990)

On a break from The Phantom of the Opera, Nyssa's Uncle Stephen would visit us in Mississippi. He always was willing to play those games: Hungry Hungry Hippo, Scrabble, Manacala, Scattagories, Uno.... you name it, they played it through the years. When the coffee pot appeared, she knew Uncle Stephen would be arriving soon. He is still her favorite fellow.

Feeding the ducks on a visit to Grandma's house. (1990)

Grandma and Grandpa have lived in Virginia Beach since before her birth. For years our summer vacation included a two week trip to their house. Sometimes they would plan a few side trips to historical places like Appomattox, Gettysburg, Hershey PA, and to Lancaster, PA to see the drama Noah. There were also local visits to the Living Museum, Marine Science Museum and Williamsburg. We've picked blueberries in Pungo and peaches in North Carolina. And no visit to Grandma's house would be complete without feeding the ducks and geese at Mt. Trashmore. Even now, it is a tradition.

Life on a merry-go-round (1989)

Merry-go-rounds speak of childhood when time seems to stand still for the child and yet flies faster than the wind for a parent. Round and round, up and down with bright colorful horses and circus animals, sparkling lights and pipe organ music; the joy and mystery of the carousel never ends. It doesn't matter if it is in a mall, or part of a traveling amusement show, or in a park or at Disney World... it is a permanent fixture of childhood. Nyssa turned 21 a week ago and she still rides every merry-go-round she runs across.

"Childhood is a magic castle of sand on a shore.
One moment, it's here the next, no more."
~ Imelda U. Antonio

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "childhood". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

Playing With Fire

Smoke gets in your eyes.
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"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs."
~ William Shakespeare

Take a new Canon Digital Rebel xti, a candle, some matches, a few props and you have..... a whole lot of fun. First with the flame; then with the smoke. I think it would have been easier had there been someone to gently blow the candle out while I simply took the shots, instead of having to do both. What do they say? Practice makes perfect? Much more practice to come, I know.

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "smoke". (end of post)

Stop And Smell The Mallows

Clover takes time to stop and smell the roses... or the mallows in this case.
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Smells
Through all the frozen winter
My nose has grown most lonely
For lovely, lovely, colored smells
That come in springtime only.

The purple smell of lilacs,
The yellow smell that blows
Across the air of meadows
Where bright forsythia grows.

The tall pink smell of peach trees,
The low white smell of clover,
And everywhere the great green smell
Of grass the whole world over."
~ Kathryn Worth

Today's post is written by Miss Clover... aka Buckette. (the female counterpart of Bucky at Get Fuzzy)

"We don't often get to go outside and actually Willow and I are the only ones who really enjoy sneaking out a door or the garage. That big brown dog thing, Max was getting a bath at the vet and we got to explore the yard. Mom planted some wildflowers and these white mallows were blooming. I don't think they smell. If so, it isn't a great smell like kibble and the stinky salmon food or that heavenly ham the college girl feeds us bits of sometimes."

Clover: "I don't know why she said to smell them.
They really don't smell like the roses or the salmon!"

"This smelling flowers can really get boring after... say... three seconds! I wonder if there is a lizard around here anywhere or maybe that dog has some chewy thing left over. Better yet, maybe he left a bite of his food in the plate! Wait! No. No luck... he snarfs stuff down faster than we do. Well....I guess I will just have to......"

Clover smells the fresh green grass and more.

"Yes! Here is some nice smelly grass for me to nibble on....yummy! Smells great, tastes great! Of course I will upchuck it later and the grandma will squeal and Mom will have to clean it up, but you know.... that is at least half the fun!"

"It will be nice to see my friends on Friday's Ark this week over at the Modulator and there promises to be fun at the Carnival of the Cats on Sunday when it is hosted at When Cats Attack. I might learn a few tips to help me take care of that Willow... maybe even the dog!"

(end of post)

The Cacophonous Chorus or Honking To High Heaven

A true gaggle of geese!
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"Much outcry, little outcome." ~ Aesop

This picture cracked me up. The geese were gathered around in a group and honking at one another and whoever else would listen. The noise was deafening and persistent. Each goose trying to out do the other. My favorite honker is at the far right... proving the point that a goose can run and honk at the same time. Now! Where's the food?

Submission for Thursday's Challenge topic "noisy". (end of post)

Departure

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him keep step to the music he hears, however measured and far away." ~ Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Take off... just a little too fast for this photographer.

...But I eventually caught up.

This mallard male made a sudden departure, taking off from a small pond in the botanical gardens. I wasn't quick enough to keep from cutting off his head, but then I realized that the water trail and his retracting landing gear were just as interesting and the feeling of motion in his wings with the shadow on the water surface told the story better than a complete and centered picture. Of course I did catch up with him on the next shot.

Anna likes the off centered or partially cropped shot and I do too. But this was a complete accident. Have you accidentally taken pictures that seemed off-kilter but then grew on you?

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "motion". (end of post)

No! We Are Not Twins!!!

"Time, we know, is relative. You can travel light years through the stars and back, and if you do it at the speed of light then, when you return, you may have aged mere seconds while your twin brother or sister will have aged twenty, thirty, forty or however many years it is, depending on how far you traveled. This will come to you as a profound shock, particularly if you didn't know you had a twin brother or sister." ~ Douglas Noel Adams (1952 - 2001), English humorist & science fiction writer

Miss Willow sets the record straight, and shows a little tummy in the process.
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(Miss Willow will be writing the post for Cats on Tuesday and Tummy Tuesday today. Take it away, Willow!)

Hello, my name is Lady Wilhelmina Abigail of Brevard, but you may call me Lady Willow or Miss Willow. I am a Southern Belle after all. I am a pure bred Ragdoll cat, designated a "blue mitted color point". Now, it seems that many are confusing me with that other female blue mitted color point Ragdoll cat that lives here too. My mom wrote about her last week and her name is Magnolia Blossom... or Maggie. The grandpa here (her dad) calls her "Maggot" sometimes and she certainly deserves it. She is mean and mad and she is no relation to me or at least, only a distant cousin. Yes, she was born in Brevard, North Carolina just as I was; but we have different cat mothers and fathers and different human mothers as well. I am also two years younger than Maggie is.

How could anyone mistake her for me? We are not twins!!! Just look! My face has a delicate pointed nose and slender cheeks. See? Just look at my profile! (above)

Miss Willow a lounging diva!

And here is my head on face shot. Does this face look angry or mad? Perhaps a little distressed but not angry! Maggie looks angry, even when she isn't; but I personally think she is angry all the time. She is jealous that her mom and dad love us too and that we eat out of her bowls and sleep in her favorite places during the day. Maggie doesn't like to share. She is spoiled rotten. Her dad has to open the back door for her and she cries until he stands there to watch her eat! Hmpf! Spoiled! OK, so I try to get someone to open the door too, but that is because I am so big, my sides always scrape the cat door sides and I am afraid that one of these days, I will get stuck and not be able to get through. That would be a totally unacceptable situation; why, I would simply faint and fall out if that happened! Horrors.

Anyway, I had my mom prepare a collage (see below) with pictures of both Maggie and myself. This way you can inspect them and see that we are NOT twins or even sisters and that I have the more delicate, dainty and intelligent face. I mean, what kind of a name is Magnolia Blossom.... it is a tree... it doesn't even bloom until May and the leaves are pointy and stick the paw! All she ever did when she came to our house in Mississippi was hide under the bed or complain when I put that red pipe cleaner in her food bowl! She is so neurotic!

(Top left:) Maggie front view, (Top right:) Willow front view,
(Bottom left:) Maggie side and front view, (Bottom right:) Willow side profile

See, I have the pretty little white star in the middle of my forehead and Maggie doesn't. I don't look mad and Maggie does. And Maggie has that smashed in look to her face like the Persian cat does and those seriously chubby chipmunk cheeks! Mine are sleek and slender and no one would every be able to accuse me of hiding extra kibble in my mouth! There it is! The head-to-head comparison..... and the final determination? There is no way that we should ever be confused as twins... NEVER!

(Posting for Cats on Tuesday and Tummy Tuesday will be returned to the control of the blog owner next week.)

Miss Willow is marching straight on over to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. She will also be stating her case and showing her tummy at Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff.
Willow wants to drag her (evil) twin Maggie over to Friday's Ark at the Modulator and then she would like Maggie to win a big stuffed bird over at the Carnival of the Cats on Sunday. The carnival is hosted this week by When Cats Attack. (That really sounds scary!)
(end of post)