NaPoWriMo 2025 Day 14

Mom and I went to Faddegons, a local nursery. It was fun to look at all the garden plants but way too soon to be planting. We came home with a few plants to have inside and some fertilizer for the gardenia. Then lunch at the nearby diner which was quite tasty.

I’m going downhill
with all the last snow’s runoff
another april

under some bushes
I found some daffodil leaves
gift from another

I watch the tree tops
swelling pink against the sky
soon shady comfort

snow by the mailbox
three feet away in the ditch
bright yellow flowers

tidal swell of birds
winter birds transmogrify
into spring fancies.

Two small yellow flowers shine above the ditch of snow runoff by the road. These are Coltsfoot, a  perennial considered a common, naturalized plant

Photo: view of many daffodils in a garden from above. The ones closer to the cameras have pale yellow petals. Further back are standard daffodils in solid yellow. This is a forty year old plant.

Photo: view of many daffodils in a garden from a ground level view. The ones closer to the cameras have pale yellow petals. Further back are standard daffodils in solid yellow.

Posted in 418 Petersburg, Do the Work, gardens and flowers, haiku, In the neighborhood, NaPoWriMo, Poetry and Lyrics, taking time to look, the creative process, weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NaPoWriMo 2025 Day 13

I did spend the day watching the three cats become buddies – now they’re all chasing each other around and napping together. Found I could feed the kitten under the kitchen shelves where the big cats couldn’t steal his dab of wet food. He insisted on stealing a piece of spaghetti from me and ate the whole thing!

the tiny kitten
curled up by my pillows
big cat by my knees

spent most of Sunday
working at the computer
I hurt all over

typing recipes
and remembering the folks
who gave them to me

Remembering Dad
who, sometimes when I was sick,
would make me eggnog

Photo: Seen from outside the window, Nyx the black cat looks out from center bottom pane. All you can see is her eyes.  To the left are some reflected clouds and to the right, inside is a gardenia plant with many white flowers, in a turquoise colored pot.

Photo: Seen from inside, Two black cats sit silhouetted in paned window. One is licking the other. To the left is a gardenia bush. Outside is seen some hills and distant trees with blue sky above.

Photo: Selfie of myself, with glasses and a narrow black and white striped turtleneck. Sitting smiling, having realized that the kitten has climbed up on the chair behind me to my shoulder.

Posted in 418 Petersburg, cats helpful cats, clouds, Do the Work, food, haiku, kittens, NaPoWriMo, Poetry and Lyrics, the creative process | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

NaPoWriMo 2025 Day 12

I got up and found it had snowed. Seriously snowed. Snowplow had come through more than once kinda snowed and it was still snowing. Yup Third winter.

Photo: late spring snow fall covers the yard, the conical shrubs and the red barn and outbuildings. The hills recede in the snowfall.

The squirt had slept with me but everyone was up and roaming around looking for a little breakfast.

Then I thought – I could maybe get my weekly postcard in the mail before the mailman if I get myself going. And I walked out and put out the card. A walk around the yard and here came the mail car, putting down my flag and putting mail into the box!

It snowed a little more. The little squirt started chasing Frankie around and before you know it – they were in a cat bed together. Nyx isn’t far behind but right now the biggest problem we have is keeping the two big cats from bingeing on kitten food. And to keep them from pushing the squirt out of his own bowl. So all is well.

A rare non-haiku day today but there’s still time.

the world isn’t fixed
with just the comfort of a kitten
the world cannot be fixed
by slicing homemade bread
it’s not a sign of security
to pull mail out of the mailbox
or to sit down to hot soup
but here we are
and the little toes,
so furry and precious
give the brain a space
a moment to remember
the freedom of falling asleep
of walking across the yard
of pouring the coffee
in all the smallest things
to remember what
strength is needed for.

Photo: two black cats in a cat bed. The edge of the bed, with a brown and tan geometric design is seen in foreground. The smaller kitten is at left resting his chin on the edge of the bed while the much bigger cat at right leans against his head

Photo: a single black cat curled up in a blue cat bed, under a window. Her head is slightly to the left and her fur is highlighted by the window's light.

photo: as seen mostly from above, a gardenia plant with many (eight!) blooms sitting on the windowsill. Not in photo - the heavenly fragrance

Posted in 418 Petersburg, cats helpful cats, Do the Work, kittens, NaPoWriMo, Poetry and Lyrics, Ripped from the headlines, the creative process, weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NaPoWriMo 2025 Day 11

You know those days when you run into the grocery store to get half ‘n’ half and come out with a gardenia bush and a headful of memories? Yeah, today was one of those days.

I came home with a
grocery store gardenia
ultimate impulse

put it in my cart
every aisle made so fragrant
by my gleeful choice

wedged into my car
blossoms intoxicating
I drove carefully

surrounded by scent
full of childhood memories
easter corsages

Photo:  Large black cat silhouetted in large paned window. To the right is a potted gardenia plant. To the left is a christmas cacti. and to the right a pot of small succulents. Above left, is a bernie sanders action figure. Outside is a yard and a red barn.

Photo: One white gardenia starting to bloom in a tree-like bush, above a turquoise pot.  The flower has six petals fully open which form a rather star-like shape around the rest of the tight bud. there is a window with panes to the left.

Photo: two gardenia blooms, pretty well full blown in beautiful white and ivory tones against the shiny green leaves

In other news, there is still some growling (all ceremonial, no violence – this is all how cat society has evolved to protect kittens from big cats. The big cats growl and hiss and run away until the kittens are judged big enough to be able to play) but Frankie seems about over it. Nyx hid the first night, so she’s running a little behind. I mean – who could resist that little face and those paws?

Photo: smaller black kitten to left reaches out front paws to touch big brother black cat to right. The big cat is sitting next to me on a chair, while the kitten is on my lap. Beyond in the background is a brightly colored rag rug mostly bright reds and pinks

Posted in cats helpful cats, Do the Work, gardens and flowers, haiku, kittens, life around us, NaPoWriMo, Poetry and Lyrics, the creative process | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

NaPoWriMo 2025 Day 10

Well, this happened last evening and a lot has happened since then. Yes, I now live with three black cats.

A tiny kitten
birdie bones, extra toesies,
wide-eyed to the world

if I leave the room
i hear the squeaky crying
where did you go, mom?

the big cats slinking
around the house looking scared
more sniffs than hisses

may be half the weight
the fuzzy bundle of cat
but much joy for all

Photo: small black kitten, only its head appears in a nest of bright colored quilt.

photo of kitten's right front mitten with the makings of a thumb

photo: new kitten's left "mitten" with its thumb of extra toes

Photo: me holding the new kitten after we arrived home last night. Black kitten rests his paw on my arm, his head by my shoulder as he looks to the left. I'm wearing a purplish short sleeve shirt and look goofily happy and like I haven't combed my hair.

Photo: The two "old" black cats, pre-kitten, helping me with morning coffee in the sun.

Posted in cats helpful cats, CatsOfMastodon, Do the Work, haiku, kittens, NaPoWriMo, Poetry and Lyrics, taking time to look, the creative process | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments