CAT PLANT's CHRISTMAS

"Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness.” 

― Mary Oliver

 CAT PLANT'S CHRISTMAS starring Spencer, the  "Scientia Cattus"

 It was Christmas Day. Snow had fallen. Cat Plant was not overly fond of snow. 

 His brother Smokey had always been the one who loved the snow. 

 Christmas Day dawned cold and white. The mountains shivered. Spencer poofed out his sunshiny fur.

 Smokey was nowhere to be seen. Spencer wondered where he was.Their Trail was still there. Spencer padded along by his lonesome.

 He sat on the gate. He would visit. He liked to schmooze.

Spencer wondered when the sun would return. His paws were cold.

 The mountains rumbled and bumbled with the promise of more snow. 

 Spencer froze on the gate.  He saw a furry shape looming over him.

A black cat hovered at the window. It did not move. It was asleep.

 Spencer clawed at the gate. He felt very fierce.

 He decided to sit on the bench. By the bag of dirt.  Planter mix. For the Cat Plant.

 His ears were cold.   He didn't see any flying snacks. He was partial to  flying snacks.

 There would be no plants till spring, thought Spencer. No flower pot to sit in  today.

 His golden paws left prints in the snow. He danced and danced. 

 Spencer was content to sit on the bench and purr. He was having a very nice visit.

 The mountain loomed. More snow threatened. A white white Christmas.

 Spencer sat in his brother's old spot.  Under the eaves. By the window. It was dry.

 He looked out on Christmas Day. A white symphony.

 Then he looked back at me. Thru that window. Our eyes locked. We had both seen it. At the same time.......

The ghost of Smokey. Just like last Christmas Day. Ambling through  the snow. Leaving tracks.

The Cat Plant stood alone.  Looking in the window. Enjoying his own Christmas Day. 

 Spencer moved to the other bench. Near the house. So he could watch .

Watch the ghost of his brother romping by the seed pans. His tail twitching. Happy. Ecstatic. It was Christmas after all . And Spencer felt his paws warm, and his heart sing. 

1. "I heard the bells on Christmas day.Their old familiar carols play;
   In music sweet the tones repeat,there’s peace on earth, good will to men.”
2.                    -Henry W. Longfellow

Smokey

Photographs 2017

CORDELIA's DAY

 It was a day to sit in the Siberian Blugloss. It was a day to watch. Cordelia did it very well.

 She saw the Indoor Three. They saw her.They wondered what she was. So beautiful in her floating white fur.

 She sat wth  the ferns and hostas, wondering what she should do next. Very difficult decision for a little cat.

 She saw Spencer doing his best peeping Tom impersonation. Spencer was SUCH a boy, Cordelia thought.

 She saw the door to the greenhouse was open.  She left her cozy little green nest, to investigate.

 Greenhouse was full of flowers. Too full for Cordelia to squash herself in. So she sat on the edge. She didn't like sitting on the edge. She like toodling around the greenhouse. The flowers made her sneeze.....What should she do next......

 Back to the hill. Back to the silent Moai. Back to the ferns, bleeding hearts and shady plum tree.

 She watched Smokey sit on his toilet. He always sat there. She would NEVER sit there.

 She felt all warm and fuzzy in the garden. With the blugloss, the ferns, the hostas, the bleeding hearts and the bugs. She could still see things down below. Her domain.

 And she saw Penguin. Sitting on the porch. For treats. She wouldn't mind some treats. So she left her cozy green nest,once again, and went down to see.

 Penguin was long gone. So were the treats. But she saw Spencer. It was the end of the day.

 Spencer was heading for home. Along the cat trail, worn by  his paws. Worn by Smokey's paws. Many times they had used this trail. And it showed.The way home.

 It had been a good day. Cordelia washed her paws and watched Spencer. Ambling along his trail. All the way home. A good place to be.

And soon after, Cordelia leapt up onto the compost bin at the back of the fence. Her home right behind. Her world complete. Her day done.