Sunday, February 28, 2016

Flowers don't bloom where no seeds have been planted. If you want kindness, be kind. If you want acceptance, be accepting. If you want encouragement, be encouraging. If you want forgiveness, be forgiving. If you want love, be loving. If you want respect, be respectful. We should not expect from others what we fail to give to them.

 Tom Krause

A friend gave me this young bulb last summer, it was left outside after the first few frosts.  I thought it was dead, but brought it in anyway and my man closed it up in a cardboard box.  My dear husband checked it for me every time he watered the lemon and lime trees.  It threw up three tiny leaves, we put it in the sun. It has four blossoms.  I have never had one rebloom before.
Today, we enjoyed weather in the 60s, in February.  In celebration, my Granddaughter and I planted amazing tulip bulbs.  Granted, I began and my hands would not cooperate.  I gave instructions and she did a fantastic job.  I am very proud of her!  My dear husband gets credit for the soil work.
I hope we really will have an early Spring.  The hellebores are not blooming yet but we have tulips and daffodils are coming up.  The fig tree, as well as the cherry and peach are pliable.  Chives, all three kinds, are coming up, the cats have catnip coming up.  I am wondering if I will be able to garden this year.  Need to be stronger.

Monday, February 22, 2016

As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat. Ellen Perry Berkeley

As anyone who has ever been around a cat for any length of time well knows, cats have enormous patience with the limitations of the human mind.
 
Cleveland Amory
Schuster has been my companion for a few years, almost 18. When she was 16, her vet told me she had the body of a 6 year old.  Pretty cool.  She has been there through good times and bad.  She loves my Husband and he loves her.  That was one of the ways I knew he was a good man.  Love me, love my cat.
And now for Freddie Peepers, peeping at us through the French door.  When we first met him, he was so thin you could see all his ribs and you could count his spinal vertebrae.  My soft hearted man started feeding him.  Outside.  In return, Freddie Peepers was pretty much responsible for decreasing the mole, vole, groundhog, and chipmunk population on the property.  We haven't even had many squirrels!  He is a keeper.
Until he started limping.  We were afraid we might have to put him down.  We worried and fretted until he finally tripped the trap.  The vet had him for about 4 hours, his wound was cleaned, he was tested for diseases, all negative.  He was neutered (sorry about that, Peepers, but who wants those child support payments anyway?).  He was vaccinated and spent the night in one of the sheds.  He is so much better now and we are relieved.  Love him, Love his cat.