April 26th

The sun had risen further out to the east but there was enough light to explore, and yet early enough to be undisturbed by people noise and traffic.

We love watching the days wake up each day.  When we go out we see much of the same and then the unexpected.

We three have been roaming a more limited territory because Mr Puffy Pants hurt his front paw last weekend.  His limp is getting better but not 100%.

Tens of minutes later after they finished exploring, the sun was now casting shadows on a distant wall indicating that we'd better get going.  We noted how full the trees had become, and the little red color of the bottlebrush tree was a treat.

The two darlingest of all cat boys sat and looked at me...they felt those minutes were shorter than ever, and I could not agree more.

Ollie assumed his usual listening posture, which means that he turned his back and flipped his ears around.  This is actually a very clever posture that allows privacy and multi-tasking.

His ikat brother, Mr Sweet Pants, assumed a more open listening posture, which is also clever because it allows him to see the person who is reading.

We reflected upon these phrases from a favorite passage, we wanted to internalize these conditions:

"mercy unalloyed"

"purest bounty"

"end of foreignness"

"compassion and unity"

"harmony and fellowship"

"love and solidarity"

-Abdul Baha, Spiritual Teacher 

Then we three skedaddked home.  The sun was coming up fast.

I loved this scene below, Gingerella walking over the white rose petals.  Made me smile.

Cat boys wished you love and solidarity and sent you pawfuls of kitty kisses.
Enjoy!

Ciao everyone!

The escape artists

had Thoreau on their minds!

Thoreau in his journal 1851 

Now I yearn for one of those old, meandering, dry uninhabited roads, which lead away from towns, which lead us away from temptation, which conduct to the outside of Earth, over its uppermost crust; where you may forget in what country you are traveling; where no farmer can complain that you are treading down his grass, no gentleman who has recently constructed a seat in the country that you are trespassing; on which you can go off at half-cock and wave adieu to the village; along which you may travel like a pilgrim, going nowhither; where travelers are not too often to be met; where my spirit is free; where the walls and fences are not cared for; where your head is more in heaven than your feet are on Earth; which have long reaches where you can see the approaching traveler half a mile off and be prepared for him; not so luxuriant a soil as to attract me; some root and stump fences which do not need attention; where travelers have no occasion to stop, but pass along and leave you to your thoughts; where it makes no odds which way you face, whether you are going or coming, whether it is morning or evening, mid-noon or midnight; where Earth is cheap enough by being public; where you can pace when your breast is full, and cherish your moodiness; where you are not in false relations with men, are not dining nor conversing with them; by which you may go to the uttermost parts of the Earth. It is wide enough, wide as the thoughts it allows to visit you. Sometimes it is some particular half-dozen rods which I wish to find myself pacing over, as where certain airs blow; then my life will come to me, methinks; like a hunter I walk in wait for it.

Cat boys sent you kitty kisses and purrs!

Ciao everyone!

April days...

Gingerella, who had earlier asked me to call him Chief Etu Wemata (Sun brother), was enjoying the rays of April sunshine amongst the sparse vegetation of the urban prairie but his delicate ear lobes would not rest.  No Chief ever rests, naturally.

This fellow who was clear across the other side noticed, and wanted to play with the big one.  I found that odd but not incredulous, there is a history here: the squirrels in this prairie habitually chase cats!

In less than a split second, the big Chief shook off the rays of sun from his golden fur and became a crouching lion, low in the grass.  It all happened so fast that I applauded him.

The squirrel was carrying on oblivious to the presence of that ferociously cute lion.

The big Chief sat back again wondering....

At that same moment Senor El Dulce Pantalones who had earlier asked me to call him Chief High Wall Nahimana closed his eyes in silent meditation.  He already knew the game and wanted his brother to experience it too.

My glance fell to the side and in my mind

the thought drifted that we lived in a fairy land...for sure....

“Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints!” 

― Chief Seattle

Cat boys sent you all pawfuls of kisses...

A paradise of delectable silences

only punctuated with the little chirps of the tiniest birds,

and the silent gaze and gentle movement of two back yard lions was ours that early Sunday evening.

Gingerella only moved his ears...so mesmerized was he by those little chirpy birds.

Behind him the fuschia colored flowers were sending out come hither pleas to the humming birds that zipped the skies.

Mr Sweet Pants was in a reflective mood, relaxed, but sensed the energy in the air, he was sure playfulness was in store for him.

At a short distance back and above his head I noticed the hummingbird, sitting on a branch, neither fearful nor anxious but eager and playful,

taunting him to play...zipping now here and there right above his face.

And so he played along, with ready ease and gentle grace, and

even licked his lips to play back more.

This game the hummingbird enjoyed.

We played around in silence for a while, a little while that I enjoyed greatly even as I knew that it was for a few moments only.

The busy moments of April tend to become overwhelming until cat boys remind me to practice gratitude, and so as I examine various tasks that I have to do, and realize them in the landscape of gratitude things change and become more manageable...this requires discipline though, and thankfully I have two disciplined cat boys who remind me of so many things.

Later that evening we reflected upon the paragraph below,  Gussy's selection, also a favorite of mine.

O friend! The heart is a store of divine mysteries; make it not a receptacle for mortal thoughts; and consume not the capital of this precious life by occupying thyself with the evanescent world. Thou art of the world of holiness; attach not thy heart unto the earth. Thou art a denizen of the court of nearness; choose not an earthly home. (Gleanings)

Cat boys have been pulling my sleeves asking me to send you their kisses...they feel that is their job.

Wishing all a silent week....

Ciao everyone!

we went to the parlor

I am introducing you to my lovely neighbor who lives by the kitty courts.  They know her as the Grand Queen of the Catnip Parlor.  I know her as the loveliest neighbor.  The cat boys like to visit her house frequently, checking inside and out for mice, moths, or squirrels.  She is happy that they chase the squirrels away from her plants, and for that they get treats plus they get to relax and nap on her sofa.

On that particular day, we think it was a few days ago, I took the boys to the parlor for some parloring activities.

Weed on the ground, they rolled...

licked,

rubbed,

and sniffed taking in all the pleasures all at once.

Refreshed the cat boys assumed the best posture of learning they could muster and reflected on

this:

"Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns;

let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind

and sanctify the hearts and souls of men."

(Gleanings 93)

The cat boys understood that the Queen of the Catnip Parlor had concerned herself with their well-being and they were much grateful for that. 

Cat boys sent pawfuls of kisses.  Enjoy this lovely April weekend!

Ciao!