Warm Milk on a Chilly Morning

Catzpurr and MoonPie were kittens born-to-the-barn.. but soon moved to the back porch to be closer to their adopted humans. That was cat-rule # ‘whatever they wanted it to be!’

When the mother cat, ‘creatively’ known as Miss Kitty! (must have been a slow day), found our barn, she could have had the feeling of ‘no place in the Inn’. She was a neighbor’s cat and the neighbor did not want kittens or kittens born in her house again. They have a ‘spay’ for that problem!! Thus, the barn became the birthing center. It was the (first) “summer of the cats”.

Miss Kitty was connected to a feral colony of haphazard relatives (hmmm, doesn’t that sound familiar). Not feral herself, she was among the smartest cats I’ve ever known. She took care of her relatives in a way I had to respect. Spaying, neutering and finding homes became a priority at The Cabin Farm. I wanted a couple of kitties, but all these relatives were a bit more than I could consider. I had to keep myself steely minded ‘cause love for adorable animals can attack you like a “fever”.

Now, for all you fellow animal lovers, you need to know that each of the cats after being either spayed or neutered (including Miss Kitty, our expense) and given their shots, were then ‘respectably’ moved to a caretaker farm for feral cats. Not Miss Kitty, she moved back home to the neighbor who was grateful she would not have more litters!? We were, too!

Before Max came to live with us he had been used to chasing the felines he encountered in his ragtag lifestyle. But with a bit of loving and firm expectations he changed his ways and now greets and is greeted every morning with dog sniff-licks and cat rubs… which is rather hard to believe coming from this large male dog and this male cat…. Prince Catzpurr, who is so regal his crown rarely slips. His sister, MoonPie, on the other hand thinks Max is only barely tolerable. She is good at giving the “snub” and doesn’t lose much of her dignity when moving away from those wet-nosed dog sniffs.

I love them so !! (oh, it’s probably just pet-hair causing this drippy nose)

Our pets are the closest we get to ‘perfect love’ in this life…. although some of their habits can be exasperating, but who cares!….. they are always entertaining and they remind us how important unconditional love really is.

Next time a word about the "Perfect 10"

MaxSwell SmartDog - An 80 lb hunk-of-love @ The Cabin Farm

The “furry” members of The Cabin Farm family delight and soothe the spirit. MaxSwell SmartDog (Max) came to live with us the year after we lost our beloved “Champ”, who had died from cancer. I affectionately call him ‘the big douf’, he’s just a big love-muffin. The most dangerous thing about this 80+ lb. hunk-of-love is his tail…. it rarely takes a rest from it’s friendly swishing. Our 11 month-old baby granddaughter just flutters her eyes as she reaches for this force-of-nature when he swishes her sweet face. And the nine-year-old grand-princess tolerates, with an expression of exasperation “oh yuck” as he happily licks her across the face. Always reminds me of Lucy in Peanuts.

You might as well ask the sun not to rise as to expect this gorgeous black dog not to love us with every fiber of his gentle being. How did we get so lucky! Well, actually it was a friend who made that happen… and we are very grateful.

Now I did say I call him “the big douf”….. BUT you see, he is named SmartDog…. he has found his water pan under the snow and is slurping away happily!! He brings delightful warmth to the coldest day….

There are other furry ‘domestics’ on the farm, but don’t tell them I have called them that…..

A story about them next time.

A Passing Thought On Whipped Cream ....

A Passing Thought on Whipped Cream…

With my tongue ‘licking my cheek’, I’ve always said “when I die just bury me in a “vat of whipped cream”…. what a send off! There’s nothing better than that thick froth from the cow’s butter cream.. So it’s funny that when my morning coffee slips across my 'buds' there’s not a hint of anything except the flavor of the bean. Nothing ‘half ‘ed’, nothing ‘percent’ed’ and heaven forbid nothing ‘skimmed’…. ooooh, skimmed .... off what! Never mind, I don’t want to think about it…. maybe I’m a purest, but probably I’m just old (fashioned, that is).

But, back to the “when I die” part….. bring on the cream and raise your ‘mugs’, wineglasses and smiles to all the joys in life !! Yours ….. and mine…

The Cabin Farm, though, since I'm alive and kicking, provides coffee your way! That’s how ‘old-fashioned’ I really am ……

Little Blessings

Winter……

There is so much pleasure in my cup of coffee on this cold winter’s morning.

The edge of the latest storm has given us a coating of silvery ice instead of inches of snow…. It’s just enough to discourage anything outside the immediate surroundings of “home”. Oh, darn!

So, here I sit in my flannel pajamas and new wool socks (sorry if that’s too much information) and a lovely cup of this delicious dark, brown, brew and the feeling of deep contentment wraps-me-like-a-snuggie.

There is nothing like living in the country this time of year. Life just feels more efficient along the edge of these woods. The animals are certainly not scurrying about trying to “catch up” with their “to do “ list. And I lost mine recently. Oh, darn!

Well, for a time at least, it can just stay lost, because the most important thing right now is the softness of cotton and wool, the warmth of home, this fuzzy, sleeping dog beside me and the smell of my fresh brew. And the only time the phone has disturbed this quietness was from people I love! Oh, darn!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! from The Cabin Farm....

the bonfire embers have died.... 12th Night has passed.... and January is here for winter's rest..... time for mind and body to get important rest, it's just one of the lessons from nature.....

I love the starkness of winter, it's restful to the eye. The grays of some winter days can be a soft respite to the sparkling and dazzling blue skies we 'expect'.... all of nature has it's purpose and beauty. It's up to us to find the joy.

Warm blankets, good books, pots of soup, scented candles and firelight can be something we get to enjoy this time of year.... so curl up and have a Happy Winter!