Photo of the day: Spring

I'm in a spring mood. It seems to be affecting everyone, both human and animal. All the cats today were full of mischief and pepper. And Cipher (The World's Most Amazing Cat, Screw You if You Don't Agree tm) was much the same. This morning when Husband left for his 6-8 am radio show, she kept up a non-stop meow fest for about an hour. Both missing him and heralding a warm, sunny day.

These irises grow in my mother's front yard. I love irises.

Plaid Cat Does Not Approve

Of all the cats that hang out in our backyard, none is quite so imperious as Plaid Cat. She's a lovely brown and black calico with a sense of royal entitlement that would make Henry VIII blush.

When food is late coming into the back yard, Plaid Cat will sit on the top step of the back stoop and look in the window. She'll walk with me (but not too close) when I pour the food and then immediately go nose-down. Then she'll spend the rest of the day lounging in the sun in her preferred corner of our yard, keeping an eye on the rest of the cats.

My dear friend Mama D recently adopted a cat from our shelter and got some of the dry food the shelter cats eat. Her new cat didn't want it, so she gave it to me. We're not supposed to bring open food into the shelter, so I told her I'd give it to our yard cats.

So this morning Plaid Cat was window-looking and I grabbed the new stuff. Out I walk, with Her Royal Catness looking on with bored superiority. I pour the new food....she dives in, and gives a noise that, if I spoke cat, would say "what the hell is this?" She looked at me, looked at the food, looked at me, and gave that noise again.

Cats are creatures of habit and do not like change. I don't blame them. I'm not fond of it either. But when you try to change a cat's food, it's like you're trying to pull a fast one. And Plaid Cat called me on it. The odd thing is, one of the other cats was back there as well (the sleek black kitty I call ....um...Sleek Black Kitty) and he didn't like the new food either.

So I put dumped the food out of the dishes and into a neat pile by the back fence, went inside for the original food, and refilled the dishes.

Later on I saw Lothario, the big fluffy orange guy, chowing down on the new stuff like it was the best thing ever.

Cat. Fickle, and damned sure you know when they're unhappy.

Photo of the day: Making Tracks

I was going to go on that long-delayed photo safari today, but I had a need to be with the cats. I'm glad I went, but it means you'll have to put up with a less-than-thrilling photo.

I also had the odd experience of talking someone out of adopting a cat today. First time that happened. Some hapless guy came in wanting to adopt a cat as an "I'm sorry" present for his girlfriend. I told him that it wasn't a good idea to adopt an animal for someone. I explained that pets are a personal thing, and that people need to meet them. So after about 10 minutes of playing couples counselor, he got all excited about the prospect of bringing her in and picking out a cat together.

Well, that's my civic duty for the day.

Photo of the day: More from the Fossil Record

Since I'm feeling rather like a fossil myself, at the moment. I'm hoping to get out for a photo day this week, if the weather improves. I hear the wildflowers are in bloom up at Edgewood Park. Sounds like a day of hiking is in order.

Photo of the day: More Cartoon Capitalism

My retirement plans are going nicely, thank you.

Photo of the day: Cartoon Capitalism

They only money I like playing with is Monopoly money. And the only property I own is Marvin Gardens. Sigh...at this rate I'll never have a house of my own.

Photo of the day: Persian Roses

I wish I could capture the fragrance of these roses. It's like the kind of delicate, sweetly nostalgic air you'd expect upon opening a chest full of letters wrapped in soft pink ribbon. Someone on the street stopped me once to ask for a smell and said she thought they were Persian. And ever since I've looked at them and dreamed of their cloying, sweet perfume on a warm desert night. They are the most beautiful flowers -- to look at but, most especially, to breathe in. I hope someday to have a rose expert look at them and tell me what they are because I want these roses to follow me wherever I go.

Take off your top!
Today was the kind of California days that the state's PR department sells. Warm, sunny, clear. Wildflowers in bloom. Deer grazing on the hillside. The recent rains have left the rolling hills a deep, emerald green and all's right with the world.

Husband and I drove down to Stanford today and were reveling in the beauty of the day. And yelling at everyone in a convertible who had their top up.

I mean, really, what's the point of having a convertible if you're not going to put the top down on a day like this? Especially after months of gray and non-stop rain! We must have passed a dozen convertibles with their roofs up. Please! Husband began yelling out the window "you're doing it wrong!" And I agreed. He and I decided that if you had a convertible on a day like today and weren't going to put down the roof, then you should just get out of the car and give it to us.

Losers!

Photo of the day: Buddha Sleeps

Which is more than can be said for me.