My Thoughts About A I

This was written while watching the Tuesday A I show and results were added Thursday after watching the Wednesday show. Editing was done by Riley, my administrative assistant.

American Idol

I enjoy the singing and the comments from the judges. This year they actually have some great singers in their top 13. Now down to five. In previous season's they have goofed just a bit. Not having fabulous voices in the finals. When it comes to voters, they may make their decision by the person and not talent.

Tonight’s songs were ‘Just the way you look’ sung by Kris. I like him. Allison was next singing ’Someone to watch over me’. Not bad. I like her too. Matt sang ‘My Funny Valentine’. Very smooth. Simon and Paula loved him. It was split. The other judges thought it was ok. Out came Danny and he sang ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’. He was fabulous. All the judges loved him. As did I. The last one was Adam singing ‘Feeling Good’. Daring and out there and the judges were thrilled, shocked, impressed and generally wowed once again. I think Adam will win but the mystery is who will be in the second spot.

When they are all done, out comes the cute as ever Ryan to end the show. Cool show and I’ll be watching tomorrow to see who gets eliminated. I’m thinking Allison or Matt. If I had to pick, I’d pick Matt.

Update ~ I watched the show last night and Matt was the one voted off. The ‘shocker’ was that Adam was in the bottom two. Allison and Danny were the top two. You never know what the voting public will do but last night they did fine with me.

I think Matt was a great soft singer. Reminds me of Justin Timberlake. It’s what happens after American Idol and what they can do with their new opportunities, that will show who is the real talent. That person may not be the actual AI winner. Only time and sales will tell.

Oh, Jamie Fox was on the show last night and I just didn’t get his song. I am getting old. How funny that is cause I remember being a teenager and loving rock and roll. Which by the way, is next weeks theme.

Peace Out til my next review …..

Rainy Day in April

It’s a rainy Spring day. Smells good outside.
Birds are singing and using the feeder by the tree.
Off and on it’s been really rainy or just wet out due to the last shower.
The sun has tried to look at me but after a while hid behind the clouds.

Ashton, my grey striped cat, has had a lot to say today.
He talks when he’s playing with his toy mousies. He has several of them.
He takes them all over the house. Talking while he does.

I have left an old shoe box in the entry hall landing. It still has it’s tissue in it for comfort. No new tissue. I’ve tried that before with the shoe box upstairs. I was told in so many mews that I’d ruined the sleeping arrangements. Anyway, the shoe box in the entry hall has it’s original crinkle paper. If I want to add to it, I have to put the new tissue paper under the old and put it just the way it was. My cats can tell if I’ve done something. Being the Princes and Princess that they are.

The collection of mice will be close to the box. He takes them from that local to the hallway or the steps or the living room or the hallway upstairs. I always have to watch where I step in the mornings. Don’t want to disturb his new collection site while trying not to fall on my old arse.

Today he was mewing and mewing and mewing. I was talking to him. Asking him what he was doing. When I came down the stairs, he was with his red mousie. I told him, "all that for one mouse". He looked so content. He’s with me now on the counter watching me type. I told you he was a cute kitty.

I’ve been having cinnamon orange tea today. Market Spice. It is yummy. I actually asked for it for a gift for the Holidays. I didn’t need anything this year and I thought of it. My local store doesn’t sell it but the store twenty minutes away does. So, every once in a while I will go to that store even though it’s more expensive. Just to get my tea. Add a raw sugar packet to it and a rainy day seems better. Course the cute cat sitting near me helps too.

Tonight I plan on relaxing. Maybe I will read my book. It’s a hard one to finish. All about slavery. Oh why did I decide to pick this one? I’m usually a biography or fiction gal but I decided to get some culture. So, I picked a Pulitzer prize winner this time. Oh the horror of times past, is all I can say. I think in my head, "oh no they didn’t" but they did. I’ll finish it but I think I will get something a bit lighter next time. I have a few books waiting to be picked up. Sitting on my table wishing to be read.

Oh and I forgot, American Idol is on tonight. I love that show. I watch it a bit later so I can fast forward through the commercials.

So on that note, and since my lasagna says it’s done, I will bid you Good Evening and I will Mew at you all later.

Lilac Update

Over the weekend, I went to the beach.

I went in the back yard.

My Lilacs were still there.

The wire had not been torn down by the deer.

In fact, there was no damage at all.

Maybe the deer have decided to go elsewhere.

I hope.

I took a pic for you to see the progress.

Next time I get to the beach, maybe my buds will be in bloom.

This gave me peace which I am always looking for.

Laptop City Baby

At last …

I now own a laptop computer.

I have been so spoiled.

My husband has always set up our home systems.

Being a computer nerd and all.

This time I was going to set it up myself.

I started off having trouble just opening the box.

Too much tape.

Next all the cardboard and plastic.

Finding the release hatch wasn't easy.

I couldn’t get the thing open for my life.

Hubby had to help.

I thought, well this is going well.

Once I did that, I found the instructions that of course told me

where the release hatch was located.

Hubby tried to have me figure out how to get the laptop connected to our internet.

I was taking way too long to figure that one out

so he finally did that for me.

Thank You Very Much.

I was like, What ... this will take forever to set up.

Novice World ...

Next, was figuring out how to install the 60 day free office trial.

I clicked the wrong one and got a message that basically said,

No, you silly first time laptop user … try again. Dah Ville

We got one already installed into the puter but didn't know it.

Thus, the 1st key code we got wouldn't work.

Though I tried for 10 minutes before we noticed the button.

I was too busy opening the cardboard to notice the thingy on the side of the screen.

After clicking the correct button, I got my 2nd key code and wa la …

I was let into the wonders of office.

That only took an hour.

Anyway, a few words later we, yes, by then he was helping me,

finally found what we were supposed to do.

When office was set up, I found my lovely word program which I am using now.

I think I will like this.

Being mobile.

I’m at the kitchen table and not in the den.

That’s a first.

The keyboard is a bit smaller than what I am used to but other than that I think I’m in beginner laptop heaven.

I know that most people have laptops.

Got them a long time ago.

I might be old but I’ve finally got my own.

I went from mowing the lawn with my dogs to the electronic gadgets store.

Not bad for a Sunday afternoon.

And, yes, this also brings me peace.

Well, after figuring out all the gadgets…

Lawns & Dogs

Maddy Jean

Bella

Sunday Afternoon MEW
It’s a cloudy afternoon.
Some sun breaking though.
I’m taking a break from mowing the lawn.
It’s relaxing. Not the hills but that’s what the 3 on the speed dial is for.
I’m a 2 going down them and running wildly while I do that.
I just came in to wash my green hands.
The extras when I over do the bag.
I have to run the mower to the front yard.
Took a black beer break.
Nothing like sitting on the steps and looking at a Blue Jay in the tree.
My two dogs were near.
Just thought I’d let you know that I’m still looking for Peace.
Today I found it !!!

For Today

It’s a semi cloudy Saturday morning.

The birds are singing.

Ashton is snoozing on his scratching post.

I’m having coffee in my “I survived” cup.

I hear Baby Kitty going up the stairs.

His bell gives him away.

The boys, husband and son, are out driving.

Son has his permit and Husband takes him out early in the mornings when there aren’t too many cars.

This past week I’ve been kind of quiet.

Not sure why.

I sat on the back porch with my dogs.

Read my book.

Enjoyed the sounds of my woods.

Since my coma, I have a peace about me.

I have it and I need it.

I get frustrated with people.

What they do and what they say.

I just don’t have the time or the willingness to put up with them.

I don’t think I did before but I really don’t now.

It’s like I know something that they just don’t get.

Almost like they never will.

I was in my coma for over a week.

I don’t remember any of that time.

I have a feeling of Peace and I am searching for that in my life.

So, some weeks I just don’t feel like leaving my safe haven that I’ve made for myself.

My world of purrballs and birds.

Maybe next week, I’ll venture out into the crazy noisy world.

Maybe next week, I’ll be able to handle the bumps and wildness out there.

For today, I’m having coffee with my dogs and cats.

For today, I’m enjoying the sounds of birds and planes in the sky.

For today, I’m making plans to work on projects for this old house.

For today, I’m listening to what my mind is telling me I need.

I hope you all enjoy this Purrfect Saturday,

Isn’t there any good news ?

I get up each morning and sit by the puter.
Coffee in hand.
Dogs and cats have been fed.
I look into emails.
I go to my main page for the news of the day.
Not one good thing.
Bombings, Bankruptcy, Below normal forecasts.
That was just the home page news.
I also have gardening and entertainment news.
Just in case the local and national news didn’t do it for me.

Well, today I wanted Good News.

When I put the dogs in the back yard, and was waiting for my coffee to brew, I looked out my kitchen window.

The sun is out. Yes, it’s yellowish in my woods. I have a bit of view. Through the woods I can see just a tiny bit of the hills. They look beautiful in the morning. They do in the afternoon too but in the morning it’s awe like. In my opinion, through my woods, in my back yard.

So, today I was excited to open my news page. To hear that the rest of the world had a bit of sunshine too. Nope, those reporters told the sad bad stories. I know that’s their jobs but today couldn’t they have put a spin on them.

At least mention the flowers in the courtyard where the bombings occurred.
Tell me about the trees with the birds by the company that is going bankrupt.
Let me imagine how pretty it is when they get out of their car to go to work at the company that had below normal forecasts, just today please.

Tomorrow they can be gloomy. Not today. The sun is out at my house. That doesn’t happen all the time. Today the world needs to put a positive spin on things.

Oh, and the cats say MEOW … they love it when the sun is out. They ask to go outside and of course I say no. If you read about my Lilly Ann, you know why.

Hope you all have a PURRFECT Fryday. It’s spelled that way cause the kittens get special canned kitty food on Frydays. And, Yes they are spoiled. Like every furrball should be.

It’s a Wow Meow Kind of Day.

Peace

Lately, I’ve been asking for peace.

I look for it every day. I hope for it. I need it.

A lot has happened to me in the last years of my life.

I survived a coma.

Why ? I don’t really know. All I know is that I woke up.

I had to relearn the skill of walking which was painful.

I've relearned most words.

I don’t remember everything but I have a weird memory of a lot of things.

I would say it’s like I’m looking in a window from outside.

I know that I should know the people in the house but I’m not sure who they are. If I would go into that house, I would feel a strong sense that I knew them but I wouldn’t be able to place who they were or why.

Someone has to tell me who they are and why I know them.

I do much better with the new.

The past is hard for me.

When I first woke up, that’s what everything was like for me.

I did not think.

I just did.

I didn’t question.

I just was.

No thoughts were going on in my head.

I was blank.

As time went on, I remembered more.

I understood what I should do.

I just didn’t know why I knew things.

I didn’t even have a thought in my head either way.

It was like I was a child again.

As more time went on, I learned to walk a bit.

To eat.

To answer questions.

I needed to have someone be with me to do this though.

When I came home, when I was alone by myself.

I would sit.

I can’t tell you what I did all day.

I would look out a window and hours would go by.

It has helped to work on the computer.

If I don’t know something, I look it up.

At first they are scrambled to me.

I know most words now but just yesterday I ran into one that I didn’t.

I have to see them.

Words.

I have to relearn them.

Once I do, I remember them.

My neurologist said I was slower but not enough to be considered disabled.

Thus, after four months I was considered fine.

Oh, how funny that seems.

It’s been a long journey.

I’m not the same person I was before I got sepsis and they put me in a coma.

I never will be.

I still have moments where I can’t remember what I was doing.

I try to always have a list.

Things to do.

To keep myself busy.

To always be learning.

Always be doing.

It’s better that way.

I’ll tell you more about what my life is like … later.

I just wanted to tell you a bit about me.

The me I remember.

The person I am now.

The cat lover that I created when I woke up.

Earth Day & Bird Houses

Being that it’s Earth Day and I've gotten several emails reminding me of that fact, I have done a few things to enlighten my world. I looked up a few blogs. Even added them to my viewing list. All about gardening in the NW, which is where I’m from. I figure maybe one of them will give me insight into how to make my yard gorgeous and maybe the magical way to get my lilacs to bloom. One can hope!

In the other parts of my life, I’ve gotten info about a plant party at the local High School. That would be a purrfect thing for my son to help with but we will be out of town. The other way I can help is by donating one of my handy dandy kitty cat checks to the plant fund. I’ll have to get that sent into the chair lady.

My son can get extra credit in his Biology class this week. He has a couple of options. One is to build a bird house. There were several types. The bat one which is very long, intrigued him since he likes bats for some reason. I suggested we build a chickadee house, since I look at them all day long. He will try to build that on Saturday. My husband has the saw that we need to use at the beach house.

I thought … Men … Ladies you know what I mean. Why would he take the saw to the beach house and leave it there. Are we done doing anything building wise here? What’s he going to saw at the beach ? Those clam shells are wild beasties and need to be chased away by an old blade. Imagine man walking around the beach with a saw. Me asking him, what were you doing ? Oh, chasing those clams away. They don't like the sound of the buzz.

It’s the cutting of the board and the cute little hole in the front that need the saw. When it’s all done, my son has to write a paper about it with photos. His other choice is to go to the new Earth movie. I checked and the local theatre near our beach place is showing it. He can write a paper about that too. The ticket price buys a tree from the movie sponsors. So, there are a few options for my son to do to get into the Earth Day groove.

What can I do ? I can keep feeding my cute birds. I can recycle which I already do but I can be better at it. A few items make it into the garbage that I guess can go into that light blue bin. I live out in the woods and we don’t recycle all the things that the big city does. We are slower out here.

The one thing I do on a regular basis is take my paper products to a bin in one of the local shopping areas. They donate to the food bank. Not totally Earth Day but paper does get recycled and the food bank gets the money. I get so much paper in the mail that it piles up and I could go crazy. Picture me pulling my hair out in frustration. This pile I keep, this one my husband looks at, this one I throw away and this one I take to the food bank bin.

I also donate old books to a book bin and I take clothes to the boys and girls club bin. I also donate to the humane society bin at the local pet store.

I’m trying on this rainy Earth Day. What are you doing ?

Lilly Ann

I sat on the porch yesterday.
It’s been a long time since I’ve done that.
It was our place.
I would call her and she would come out from under a bush.
She’d been there most of the day.
Close enough to see me but not touch.
I’d sit and chat with her about the day.
Where’d she been and what I’d done.
I’d tell her it was time to come in.
Sometimes she would.
Sometimes she’d say no.
The door was always open to her if she did.
I would try several times.
When she was ready, she’d come in.
One day in July she spent the night.
I never saw her again.
Now, I don’t sit on the porch much.

My First Award

Yesterday, I received my first blog award. I was thrilled. Shocked even. Why me?
I simply love the blog that decided to bless me with the honor.
I’ve only been blogging for a short while. Been looking up great blogs to follow. All that beginner … oh, I like that one and that was ok ... wonderment. I melt when I find a blog that combines my love of cats, gardening and writing. If there’s a photo of the Ocean, I’m walking that sandy path with them. They simple invite me in and I just can’t close that screen door. I have to look into their world if only for a moment.
Now, I need to nominate five blogs to give the lovely Grand Honor to … I am thinking about that and will be doing that soon …
Til then, here is my award and may I say, I am thrilled to be Welcomed to Your World …

Given to me by Cheri at Cats of Wildcat Woods

Laptop and I Don't Mean My Cat

Over the weekend, I decided to look for a laptop. I didn't know what I was getting myself in for. There are all sorts of them. Notebooks and tablets to name a few. I went to our local computer nerdy store. The one that has everything any puter savvy person would want. I, not being that person, usually walk around following my husband and after a while I venture over to the music or video section.

This time I was actually looking at the pc’s myself. Hubby was telling me what things meant. Like, screen size, memory, if it had bgn which is it’s wireless option, what kind of plug ins it had, which was news to me. I thought it just plugged in. Silly me. Oh, the list just went on and on.

The prices were out there too. There was the below $600, below $1000 and higher groups and the best one in each of those categories. I ended up walking out of the store with nothing but a cup of coffee for my scrambled brain.

Went home and started looking up laptops on line with the help of my supervisor. I read reviews. My husband used to get Consumer Reports so I tried to look them up but you have to pay to get in. Who does that anymore? At the end of the evening, I’d given up.

All I wanted it for was to be able to go outside on a nice day with my dogs. I wanted to sit and type out a few thoughts and maybe write that book I’ve always said I would start. Will I ever get a puter of my own? And, if I do, will I get the write one? ... and I meant to write it that way.

I think I’ll just pet my cats and take my dogs outside without the help of puters … I’m not a writer anyway … just a want to be one …

Oh and Jasmine was helping me look last night …. she's know as The Supervisor

Sunday Morning

It’s a bright sunny Sunday morning. Really nice to see. I’ve been waiting for Spring to actually arrive. It’s been hinting with a tulip and a hyacinth.

A warm Spring day. That is what I’ve been waiting for. The kind where you don’t have to wear a sweater cause you aren’t chilled at all when the wind blows at you. The kind where the sun in your face makes you feel young again. The kind where it’s not too hot .. it’s just right.

The fresh smell in the morning when I let the girls go outside. The dew is still there but as I make my coffee and look out the window, the yellow is coming though the trees in my yard. Not just a, I might show up, it’s already arrived.

I can’t express to you how thrilling it is to me and yes, I’m using ‘thrilling’ again. I like that word.

I live in the clouds. Really, I do. It rains a lot where I live but I’m used to it. Been here all my life. Moss green has become my favorite shade of blue.

In the Spring & Summer, my clouds aren’t as busy. They float to Montana or Canada just to give me a break. I think they know that I appreciate their uniqueness but that I could use some of that hidden glow.

The birds also sing to me in the Spring. The words are hard to make out but they are telling me about the glory of the air, wind and flight. Oh, to flutter around like they do. Just for a day. To come back to my normal life and not tell anyone what I did. The feeling of knowing the unknown. The grandness of it.

So, on this Sunny Sunday morning, I plan on working in my yard. I did some yesterday but that chilly wind blew at me and my blue sweater came on. When the sun went behind the clouds, it was back to being a cool Saturday. Today, I have the hope that it will be nice all day.

Coffee, Sunshine, Birds Singing, A Siamese mewing at me … I like the possibilities of this Spring Sunday Morning.

Old Dogs

I posted on another blog about old dogs.

Old Dogs ... boy do I know all about that ! I'm on my 3rd set of them. I was the one who took Lindsey, my black lab, in. She was 11 and had cancer in her leg. We had decided not to operate due to her age. Of course, as time went on my husband changed his mind and I had to remind him, it was too late. The day my husband told me it was time, he had been up with her all night. She just could not get comfortable. I took her to the vet the next morning before I could think too much about it. It's very hard to do when they are still mentally with us. I cried for days. A cry that took my soul with it. I have always figured it was my job as their Mom to know when it was the right time. Luckily, I have gotten it right or pretty darn close, each time. You will know !!! I now have a 7 yr old choc lab who is aging very fast. She's going into dementia along with the bad leg / hip. So, I too will be in your boat soon. Til then I help her up the stairs and check on her when she forgets to come to the door. Just things we do for the one we love.

What do you think ? Tell me about your dogs ?

And here's a pic of that old dog who I help up the stairs ...

4:33 AM

It's 4:33 in the morning !!!!

Why am I up ?

My two big dogs started to make noises. I quess they heard something outside.

My cats are with me in the den....waiting...they usually get feed before I come downstairs so, this is very confusing to them

I'm going to go back to bed now ... after I get the two yo yos inside

Progress

Last night I finally got the photo image put into my header. Only took me 20 or so tries. Too big. Too small. Still too small. Resize again. Almost. Pretty Close. Oh I'm getting there. Too Tall. Little bit More. And, finally WA LA ... My resized multiple times ... photo.

Of what ? I love the Ocean. To celebrate one of my birthdays, I went to a lovely favorite of mine to relax for a few days by the rolling calmness. Where ? Westport, WA. This was taken on top of a sandy hill right before the sunset went away. Not bad for a beginner !

Now ... to try to refigure my columns ... that will take a while.

Cats ~ My Purrballs have had breakfast and are taking their meowning naps. It's a bit rainy today and bird tv is getting poor reception. So nap time city babies !!!

Weekend Plans ~ It seems like I always have a 'to do' list with something to clean or work on in this old house.

I also took a few pics of my Purrballs ...

Al keeping it clean

Ashton giving me the Look

Riley blending in

Before I Become a Crazy Cat Lady

I’ve got to admit that this blogging thing has got me totally bonkers. I’ve tried to redo my template several times. I tried to change the fonts and colors and move things around. I am just not puter savey.

My husband bought me a web page designer and I’ve been going crazy trying to figure that out. I have the demo lady going in one corner and my new web page in the middle with my blog in the other corner. I spent the whole day and had nothing saved.

I was trying to add a nifty photo to my header. Nope, not easy to do. Not if you want to add a title. I finally got it done and it was way too big. You have to resize it. I thought I already had but man was it off the page … literally.

My smart husband comes home from work and sits with me for about a half an hour. He got done more than I did. At that point, I went and poured myself a drink. Figured I deserved it. I went to college. I have a degree. Where did it go? Thought it might be in the kitchen.

I told him I had fried what little was left of my brain, after the … sound effects here … like in a movie … da ta da … dreaded coma. That coma, I swear it took all my smart parts and left me with the goofy … dah … parts. Anyway, I was determined to figure this out. So, I started the morning off with coffee in hand and a cat on my lap. Isn’t that how any great writer / web designer works ?

It’s been 4 hours and I have given up. I went back into the blog and got a new template. I did figure out how to color the background and the titles. So, my look is new for now and in the future I might just have my own web page. I even have the picture picked out … if I can get it resized. I have got to figure out how to get rid of that darn bell that dings at me every time I do something wrong.

I will figure this puter stuff out. I am determined. I am on a new journey to becoming a Crazy Cat Lady. Oh, I think I already was one of those but now I’ll really be crazy with the hair sticking out and the bathrobe twisted and slippers. Didn’t I look like that back when the kids were young? Oh what delightful memories. If I can remember that, why can’t I remember how to do puter stuff? Wasn’t I a super genius before the coma ?

I’m off to battle the world … cat finally got off my lap. Hope I do better at the Post Office …

Copy Cats

I was working on my blog today. Looking around at other ones. Seeing what they have .
There are some really cool blogs out there.
Mine is just a beginner. A kitten so to speak.
I did notice that some had copyright on them.
I decided that I would add that to mine. I might use some of my stories in something some day and wouldn’t that be catastrophic if someone had already used what I said. I’m a novice at this writing and blogging thing but I thought I would cover my Kitty Cat Arse.

On that note, here’s a few pics of my Kitty Cats … that no one should copy cat … since I’ve got that in my blog. One would hope ^,,^

Jasmine doing her balance beam routine

Meeting of the Kitty Cat Club trying to figure out how to get the front door open

Why I Love Lilacs

I love Lilacs. I grew up with them. My yard had several large bushes. Each Spring when the buds arrived, I found myself sniffing and counting them. The thrill of knowing how many blooms there would be and the scent when they opened was a magical time for me.

My mother would cut the delicious purples and I would put them in old milk cartons that I'd hold on the car ride. The aroma would take over and by the time we'd get there, petals would be all over me and the floor.

We had come to visit Grandma. I was in kindergarten when she past away but I still remember my little white haired French Grandmother. No, I'm not French but she was. She'd come from France and moved to Canada. When she moved here, she had Lilacs in her garden. My Mom brought some to her yard. When I was older, I brought some to mine.

We would take fresh lilacs to her grave every year. I even did it for a while after my Mother past away. I've now moved and the annual Lilac adventure is just memory.

The lilac bush that I brought to my house grew. I'd lived there for nine years and had transplanted several new starts. When I had to leave for this house, I dug up several bushes & brought them along. Unfortunately, they do not like my woods. Each year I look out my kitchen window & there among the over hanging tree branches are my lilacs. I'm lucky if I get 5 blooms. I tried to talk my husband into transplanting them but he said it would be a disaster due to the roots being tangled into the trees.

When we purchased our beach place, I was looking out my kitchen window. My husband asked me what I was doing. I told him I was looking for the place where I would plant my new lilacs. A few weeks later, I found a nursery and came home with two big containers. The same color that I'd been used to as a child. I would look out the window and there they were, almost ready to bloom. I can't tell you how happy it made me.

And then it happened.

The deer in my area can't read. If you look up what deer eat, lilacs are listed on the safe list. We even have a fence for my dogs which would make it difficult if not impossible for the deer to venture into my back yard. That's where the 'My Deer Don't Read' comes in. Not only did they get over my fence, they ate all the leaves off my lilacs. There are only branches left. Sad but true. My heart was broken.

I am in the process of figuring out how to revive my expensive lilacs. I bought the mature kind not the babies that come in bags. My lilacs were in huge containers with my husband moaning all the way to the car. As I look out at my sticks, I wonder, what would Grandma do? Go out and buy some new ones is what I think. I'd love to wait and see if my sticks ever produce leaves and give me my fragrant blooms but I've waited a long time already for my old lilacs. I feel like I'm running out of time here and I'd really like to have some this Spring or next.

It's been several weeks since I started to write my Lilac story. I put it aside and wrote about my dogs and cats. Over the weekend, we went to our beach place. I was walking around the yard with my dogs checking out the weed situation. There was a gardening miracle. My Lilacs have come back to me. Little leaves have grown with several buds.

I was thrilled. Jumping up and down thrilled. Screaming out loud thrilled. My husband was not. That meant he had to find something to put around the Lilacs to protect them from the dreaded deer. He thought he had some wire around the yard. You have to remember that we don't live at the beach. It's a new place to us and we've only brought a few things to it so far. He was thinking big dollars signs and a visit to our local gardening store. Luckily, he found some wire hidden under the porch.

I being the handy dandy gardening lady helped him while he hammered in those nifty u turn nails. I now have wire in half circles around my two fragile lilacs. It's a beautiful site.

I'm a happy Lilac Lady. There is hope. There might be blooms when I go back. The lilac story will continue. I'll let you know if the deer got into their wire home. The ever not ending story of my Lilacs. It's in my title and I told you I like them.

That's why I love lilacs and the smell. It brings back my younger days when I had a Grandma and a Mom and lilacs weren't eaten up by deer. Mine are kind of cute deer so I can't get too mad at them but that's a different story.

Spoiled Dogs

It happens to be Easter and I'm having coffee with my dogs, like I would on any day of the week. It's a rainy Sunday. Dripping but not storming. Dogs went outside but it's too wet to sit on the lawn and enjoy the view, which they love to do.

While drinking my second cup and eating my stale donut, I noticed an article about the White House Dog. It was supposed to be a secret until Tuesday but you know how things slip out. I think it's great that they'll have a dog. Next to that story were photos of previous Presidents and their dogs. All I can say is CUTE and I mean the dogs.

My two are spoiled. I wish every dog was.

(I wrote this in the morning but put it here this evening)

Wisdom of the Heart

What do you tell someone who is lost?
What I know isn’t the best.
It’s just my world’s right and wrong.
How do you help someone walk their path?
Especially when they are tripping.
I can walk nearby.
Sit under a shady tree.
Be there for that one question they may have.
If they don’t listen, do I watch while they fall?
Do I help them up?
Nice as can be.
I don’t have answers.
Not listening to what I say.
Walking past me on their way.
I’m going to turn around now.
If they look, I’ll smile.
All I have is

Wisdom of the Heart

Before I Woke Up

An Afternoon Thought

The wonders of words
What they really mean
Who says them and why
The silence of thoughts
Mine are loud and tiring
I fight with the mental pictures I draw
No one but me hiding in the depths
Where did I go
Will I come back
There Where Maybe
I see you

Do you know me
I used to be someone
Before I woke up

While I was trimming roses

I thought I would let you know what my cats were doing yesterday while I was working in my yard.

Riley was busy bothering his sister

Jasmine was voicing her Siamese opinion

Al actually does get up. He moved to the other couch.

Asthon got the scratching post by the bird tv

Riley was walking around trying to find Jasmine

Jasmine was telling me all about her bad baby brother

All this trouble while I was trimming my roses. Who would have thought ?

Moss and Rakes

Over the weekend, I worked in my yard for the first time this year. It was a total mess and still is but it's all about portion control. If you look at the side by the roses, that part looks a bit better than it did. The leaves have been raked & mulched. The boys went to the local garden store for bags of moss control. Basically, the little specs that come out of the turning thingy that is the hope of greener lawns. The squishiness of the green was the worst yet. The miracle would be if it actually works and lawn grows in it's place. I would have my rose garden back.

The main portion of the back yard isn't too bad. Not as squishy. The sun gets to it. The moles visit so every once in a while your foot goes in a hole. My dog has the lovely task of digging after them so there are several ankle twisters in the center lawn. She takes her job very seriously with me yelling at her to stop. She just looks up at me with that cute face. She's five now and my yard still looks like it did when she first arrived and decided that digging was her favorite thing. You throw in a few old toys and you have a den that she calls home. It's up against the fence by an old fern. She's carved out a nifty place with all the comforts that a Golden would want, a bit of dirt with a squeekie ball thrown in.

The other side lawn is ok for something that's made it through a frozen Winter. No mole holes and just a few spots of moss. The weeds though have flourished with the cold wetness.

Today I decided on doing just the leaves in the front yard. That's the area by the fence and house but not the driveway or the wooded area. I raked and swept and than my shoulder gave out. I called my son to help and he got the blower out of the shed. It took him several tries to get it started and by the time he did, I was laughing. He looked so cute and grown up. Normally, his Dad does the blower but he told me he knew how to do it, which he did.

While I was raking, I found that my violets were blooming under a bile of leaves. I'd forgotten they were under all that brown debris. I bought them when I first moved here. I have several clumps but it's taken years for them to spread. I'll have to transplant some of them to other parts of my yard.

I walked the driveway this morning. There are lots of leaves but not many weeds. They are thinking of joining though, I'm sure. A tiny daffodil made it through and on the other side a hyacinth is trying to open. My roses there look old and worn out. They never did do well but I had to try.

My cherry trees are forming their early Spring buds. I have late bloomers which I like. The two by the house bloom first. They are singles with a light almost white pink color. The trees down the driveway bloom later and are doubles that look like the kind in parks. When the wind blows, it looks like someone sprinkled pink all down my driveway.

Now, it's time to make a list of what I need to do. Will I get it all done ? I don't know. My yard is big and has always been more than I can handle but I like living in the woods with moles and moss. It's kind of fun.

Bird TV

I have a lovely assortment of birds that visit my front yard. Mostly chickadees, lots of varieties and colors. A pair of blue birds, a small and medium sized woodpecker and a few black birds but they don't really count. One bird is really special with orange on it's chest. Another one is a black headed robinish type. I like that one a lot. I watch the birds from my den with my cats. I have their bird tv also known as a scratching post with a a seat, up against the window. A bird feeder hangs from the tree. Another feeder hangs on the porch which the cats can see from the living room window. A double sized cake feeder hangs down from the eves of the house, hanging in front of the window. From that living room tv, my cats can see so many of them coming and going. Bird tv is flurishing at my home.

Why bird tv you may ask. Coyote Mom and her babies have invaded the woods near my yard. Just when you think she may have ventured off, you hear the evening howl that she makes and the yips from her youngsters when she has brought them home a treat. No wonder most of the cats in my neighborhood are indoor only, as mine are.

I've lived here for almost 13 years. My cats wondered in my big yard for 11 of them. That's when the development outside of my street started to cut down all the trees. Mom Coyote made her new home in my back and side woods about two years ago. Since then my cats have been indoor and due to a total complaint box with ideas of what to do during the day, I bought the many bird feeders and put them up for my cats entertainment.

I find myself settling down with a cup of coffee and viewing with them. We watch with me telling them about this one or the other. My baby cat sometimes mews away while I'm on the puter and I roll my chair over to him so I can see who's visiting. We have a grand time enjoying nature from what we call bird tv.

Ashton asking to go outside. He told me he wanted to do an up close and personal interview for the meowning news. The request was politely refused due to contract disputes from the local flocks.

Sunday Coffee

This is my Princess Snowshoe Siamese. She was doing her meows from the railings and ran down to see me. I talk to her when she's doing her balance beam routine. The .. what are you doing, don't fall off .. normal Mom & Siamese daughter chit chat.

The girls helped me eat my whole wheat toast with homemade strawberry jam. I get jam from my friend during the holidays. Yum .. they get the edges which have just a bit of the lovely sticky stuff.

The boys, Ashton & Riley, were enjoying bird tv. The birds came back after I refilled the feeders. Just what my life is like during Sunday Coffee

Pools & Walks

I'm back from Vegas. The pool at the Wynn was ok. A bit windy but warm enough for me. The locals were wearing coats and scarfs. They really are spoiled.

I had a lovely morning sitting by the pool with my iced coffee. In the afternoon, I had a beer and a veggie wrap while reading my book. Later my cute husband showed up for a ray or two. In the evening we found a delic italian place. Afterwards, we walked outside along the strip, over the walkways & down the other side. I took the elevators due to my legs giving me trouble but it was a lovely walk indeed !

I had to sit for a while & a 25 cent machine called my name. I actually won 3 times what I put in. I printed my ticket and ran away before I put it back in.

The next day I sat by the pool but in a different part. Much warmer than the day before. In the 80's. I had a great location & was getting a bit toasted when my husband called for me to meet up with him. After getting a deli lunch, I ventured up to our room for a cat nap. When my husband got back from his meetings, we went to another part of the pool for a beer. A really nice day sitting in the sunshine. In the evening we went out to dinner and walked around again. Ended the evening winning at a 2 cent machine.

The last day, it was cloudy, so no pool time. Packed & watched the clouds roll in. Walked around a bit & played the 2 cent machine. Won enough to pay for the taxi ride to the airport. Got there & enjoyed a very tall beer & a slice of pizza before waiting for our late flight back home.

Got home to find out that my teenager had not done the things on his list. At least not on Friday. So, after a few loud meows from my kittens & a lick or two from my dogs, I was forgiven for leaving them with the boy.

Today I went out & bought bird seed. There was bad reception in bird tv land. Now hopefully, our birds will return and my kittens will be happy with me once again.