Monday, May 20, 2013

I wonder if "Kitten Tamer" is a marketable skill?

Aren't they beautiful?  (this was taken just a few days ago.)
Sorry for missing a week, but I have a very good reason!  I got a call from one of the other cat ladies at the shelter asking if I could take 5  6 week old feral kittens who needed to be socialized.  I have never done this before, but did have good luck with scaredy kittens last year, so I agreed. 

 For a few days I just went in and talked to them and kept the dishes filled.  They hissed and hid from me.  At times I was a fraid to put my hand in the cage!  Then, following advice from the cat lady with more experience, I started offering them some treats when I knew they were hungry.


Turns out turkey is a great ice breaker!  Just make sure it's big enough piece they don't grab your finger too- those little teeth are like needles! 

Now three of them are allowing me to pick them up and cuddle them for short periods of time.  (can you tell which three?)  The other two have allowed me to pet them, even purring a bit!  I'm not sure who is more surprised by the purring- me or the kittens!

The grey kittens are all "grown up" now and are headed to the shelter Wednesday.  I can't get pictures of them anymore- they move at warp speed!








I've also gone back out to the garden now that we can be fairly certain the frost is gone for the year.  (actually I'd be there right now but today it is too HOT already!)  









A lot of the flowers have been more profuse than ever this spring.  Look at the crab apple trees!  You can hear a buzz from all the honeybees as you walk by them!











 My boss asked me to make a bouquet for the head table at our Recognition Ceremony last Friday.  Fortunately, there are Lilacs growing wild down the road a bit. 






My "green" reminder this week is to have your pet spayed or neutered.  ( I know it's rerun)  Imagine those beautiful kittens running wild, being hit by cars, or killed by predators!  If there are feral cats in your neighborhood, look for a "Spay our Strays" program near you! (Google it, there are a lot of these programs!)

I am grateful for:
32 years
Playtime with my quilty friends
Peanut butter Mousse pie
Kathi's son is no longer in harm's way!!!
None of the scratches were very deep.

Monday, May 6, 2013

I could get used to this!!!!



The weather turned suddenly last week.  Perfect.  Absolutely perfect.  Warm, not hot!, in the day, cool at night.  Blue sky, everything is growing and I can spend an entire day in the garden- or at least until I get too sun burnt to stay any longer! I was joking the other day that I'm getting tired of this perfect weather. 
It could stay like this all summer (never above 80 for me!), with a gentle rain overnight every 5 or 6 days.


 Of course this can only be accomplished on the days I do not have to work, or go to the doctor or the dentist ( how did all my check-ups get scheduled for the same week, anyway?), or ......
 You know, when life isn't tugging me in three directions at once. 
 Last Saturday, Amy had two softball games.  I don't get to see her play much because they play a lot of Tuesday and Thursday games (my work days)

That's Amy at first base.  (she pitched the early game)





Dad- my stepson- is also one of the coaches




















 I did take some handwork with me.  I worked on this flower for a while, but there was enough of a breeze that the thread kept getting tangled.  Plus I'm out of practice doing hand applique, so I needed a more stable work space.  So I worked on my sock for a bit when I wasn't watching the game.  Baseball is a bit less boring when someone close to you is playing!






But, the weeds aren't going anywhere.  I grow mostly perennials so I don't have much planting to do, until I can do the pots for the porch.

I finally got to enjoy the magnolia blossoms for more than an afternoon.











There are more blooms on my daffodils and narcissus this year than ever before









Lungwort, or Toad Lily






Even some of the early flowers are peeking out.









Candytuft

Bergenia

So who has time to sew? (maybe next time it rains)

My green thought this time is a reminder.  You cannot - or at least  you SHOULD not- throw compact fluorescent bulbs in the trash because they contain mercury!   I saw a man at Home Depot bring some up to the service desk and the girl pointed to a place where they accept them.  Good to know!!!

I am grateful for:
AMAZING weather
My boss plays along
My hubby takes good care of me
Lucas helping me dig some poppies for the garden.
Music that makes me feel like dancing.  (I saw a quote once: there are few shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them!)