#SoCS: Happy Colorado Places

Eleven days in heaven. A happy place. Mountains, canyons, cliffs, yellow aspens, flowers, views for miles. Many of you know that bicycling in the warmer months is my usual happiness, but a visit to Colorado in autumn is breathtaking. Being out in nature is my jam, whether on bike or hiking on foot. Nearer to God, nearer to the planet’s creation, nearer to the sights and smells that create a feeling of calm and peace. Unless, of course, I amRead more

Kittygate: Finding a Way Out

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” ―Nelson Mandela Dear Mr. Gibbs, Did you ever think this was not going to happen? I love you to pieces, but there are days and times when deviousness and the desire for food outweigh your common sense. The area past the carpet is forbidden and that does not change when my back is turned or I am otherwise occupied with straightening the rogue hairs that occupy the left side of my head. It’sRead more

#SoCS: The UnreaLISTic

So, Linda G. Hill wants me to make or talk about a list for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Hmmm… Regular readers already know I keep a gratitude list. I’ll leave that one alone. Shopping list? No, probably not, although I can tell you that shrimp, yogurt and kettle chips were on the last one. I’m 99% sure you do not want me to bore you with “my favorite foods” or “the names of all cats I’ve ever served” or “numberRead more

SoCS: A Knowing Hound

Ow! said the sparrow to the cat Why do you chow on me like that? Cat had no reply other than meow and furrowed his shaggy brow   Ow! said the cat to the dog Why do you plow over this mog? Dog smirked at the tailless fellow and pointed to the sparrow   You’re being mean and unmellow! Listen to the creature bellow! So what? said the uncaring cat Why must I be a hallowed diplomat?   Ow! saidRead more

Witness: Four Eyes

“When you write, who is watching you?” So asks Ben Huberman for this week’s Discover Writing Challenge. Most often, I have four eyes watching me, either in a hazy half-sleep or in expectation of a meal. Following is the conversation I imagine between felines Gibbs and Ziva as I sit at the laptop and conjure up a post. *Warning: This is not going to be pretty* Hey, psssst, Gibbs! Yes, my dear Queen? The human is at it again. At what again?Read more

Rump Roast

“Boredom: The desire for desires.” ~Leo Tolstoy~ Queen Ziva:  I’m bored. Jester Gibbs:  What do you want me to do about it? Queen Z: It’s your fault that I’m bored. J Gibbs: *huff* Queen Z: What’s that suppose to mean? J Gibbs: You’re as bad as the humans…blaming me for everything. Queen Z: That’s because you are to blame for everything. J Gibbs: *huff* Queen Z: Face it, you deserve the blame. You can’t control yourself. If there’s a doorRead more

The Season of Orange Barrels & Evil Concrete

A friend of mine, who lives near Chicago, posted this on her Facebook page: It’s officially Hell/Summer in Illinois. It’s over 50 degrees and every (#$%^*@$) possible route to work is under construction – even the ‘long way.’ Kill me now. I chuckled to myself. Quite loudly. I’m in the same boat. As soon as the snow melts and the temperatures hit a respectable high in Wisconsin, the proliferation of orange barrels and detours cause drivers to swear over theRead more

Do You Want Answers?

Well, I’ve got ’em for you! Gibbs wanted me to wait another day or two to supply answers for the Cat Scrabble Crossword, but I suspect you have either 1) long solved the puzzle, 2) gave up after 4 across, or 3) rolled your eyes and moved onto someone else’s blog post. So, without further ado… PS: If you managed to fill in all the blanks correctly, text me your address and I’ll mail you a paper clip or rubberRead more

Cat Scrabble Crossword

~Guest Post from The Gray One~ She doesn’t know this, but I have been in secret training to challenge the human to a marathon Scrabble match. Winner takes all. (I have yet to figure out what “all” means, except that the human will succumb to my demands when I win.) Ziva has not been involved in training, as she prefers to nap her lazy lump into oblivion. Therefore, I must train alone and strategize against the female who knows how toRead more

The Crinkle and the Nip

I ran into Walgreen’s to buy dish gloves. On the end of the aisle, my eyes were drawn to a long, brown, furry toy that crinkled and squeaked. It was a dog toy and it was perfect… for a cat. Natasha discovered some time ago that Gibbs loves the crinkly plastic that packagers use around jars and boxes and whatever product it helps seal. He comes running when he hears the noise, much like Pavlov’s Dog salivating at the sound of aRead more

The Color of April

I went for a walk at noon on Monday. The temperature was 55 degrees. Today, on Tuesday, the high is 35 degrees. Typical April, the roller coaster month of weather. The northern part of Wisconsin may get a snowstorm, 6-12″, starting Thursday night. Ouch! The month of April is also shades of brown – grass that hasn’t turned green, dried leaves still clinging to the trees, and brown, muddy fields waiting for the seeds of corn and hay. I loveRead more