What is this cat looking at?

This is Monkee. Monkee came to us from the Central California SPCA about 5 years ago when I worked there as the vet. tech in the stray building. So what is it that has captivated his attention at the kitchen window for about two hours this morning while I quilted?

"The Squirrel" is planning his/her daily assault on one of the wild bird feeders on our deck. In the last week or so this guy/gal has become very brave and has no problem dancing about on the deck or even sitting in a chair at the table outside.

Once again "scored" at the expense of the many wild birds in our area. And just when the cold, wet weather was settling back in.

Can it be mid May?

The calender on the wall says May 19th. The view outside the office window says winter. Rain, cooler temperatures and more rain. Even for our neck of Nor. Cal this is rather unusual and if we do indeed wake up to 35 degree weather later this week it is more than unusual. I won't complain we can still use the water.

A blush of Spring came my way just before Mother's Day from my son and his family. The lovely azalea plant brightens up the funky, cloudy days in my office. I catch a glimpse of it every time I walk past the paned glass office door where it sits sequestered behind the closed door to protect it from a "cat"astrophic event. With 6 house cats plants of any ilk are subject to ingestion. Much more enjoyable knowing both lovely plant and cats are protected from sudden demise.

On Sunday last Tassels produced our last kid of the season. A lovely strawberry blond doe with a set of waddles just like Mom. She is cute and very feminine with almost a white face, not unlike a little Hereford calf, but much smaller in size. And I am sure her mother is grateful for that! Photos to come after next trip to the barn.

 The view off the deck two mornings ago about 6 a.m. with the sun climbing over the mountains to the East as the clouds were creeping in from the West just prior to a full day of rain on Monday. Didn't have a sunrise today-clouds came in before the sun got up today and then the rain.

Mother's Day Sunday

Today is Mother's Day Sunday.  Mother's Day is quieter than it used to be in years past. Before our children were born it was dinner at my in-laws and truly after children it didn't change much from that. The first change came when my dear mother in law passed 15 years ago. So we entered into the next step of life being parents of adult children who popped over for holidays and birthdays . Not too long after that we entered the next phase the adult children brought smaller versions of themselves with them. 


Then a bit further down the line we took the biggest plunge and moved away from family. Only 350 miles mind you but far enough that those hastily planned weekends at Grammie's and Grandpa's  were no longer. There were now week longs that take planning ahead and many hours of driving one way or synchronizing watches and meeting half way in Stockton to pick up those smaller versions or drop them off again. That part made me kind of know what it must feel like to have a shared parenting plan courtesy of divorce. I don't think I would like it, but my daughter does it  weekly albeit not as much distance and I don't know how she manages without her babies during the week they are with her ex-husband. 


I am grateful for cell phones, texting, email and the like. For as much as I feel this world is spinning way too fast and more often than not out of control, technology is a blessing! Those priceless calls with a chorus of girlish giggles on my voice mail have made more than one day for me. It is also nice to hear my children, the news of promotions, broken toilets ,dead cars, trips to the ER for the second time in a week for stitches all keep me up to speed and in the loop. 

So this Mother's Day Sunday is very quiet. The house is filled with the scent of beans and ham hocks slow cooking away. Dough for homemade tortilla's sits in plastic wrap gently aging to perfection. Magic Cookie Bars cool on the tile counter in the blue and white kitchen while a young deer leaps the back fence in the yard below the deck to follow her mother. There will be calls made and cards received. And even tho we are separated by miles we are attached by the heart.