My fingers slide over her fur
Soft as silk and warm to the touch
She purrs her song of contentment
And I am comforted by her tunes
My companion and often my anchor
Love not earned yet freely bestowed
She presses her little body against my leg
Curls up there, lazy and comfortable
As I stroke her coat of fur
Snow flakes swirl outside the window pane
And I too am content, peaceful
Grateful for this divine gift
This little cat that fills me with delight
Is there anything as beautiful as the love of a pet? When I was younger I could not understand why people would go on and on about their dogs and/or cats. I used to think it was quite silly. Now I am one of those people! I hope I don’t bore others to death with my stories about Callie’s antics. But she really does bring light and laughter to my days. She loves to play and I end up laughing so hard at some of the crazy things she does. If I am not out of bed at my usual hour she will come and jump on the bed, put her nose on mine and meow quietly. She’s not rude at least. And it makes me smile to wake up to her pretty blue eyes staring into mine. And how can I get annoyed when she is so happy to see me?
I am grateful for the love of all the pets I have been blessed to share my life with, but Callie truly is special.
Siting on the lawn swing
With my cat beside me
Clouds obscure the sun
in the garden
But my cat and I don’t care
What could be more perfect
Than siting in the swing
My fur-covered love beside me
Simply swinging our cares away
No cloud can darken this moment
A care-free summer’s day
The gentle sway chases away
All worries
And my cat softly purrs
As I stroke her fur
And keep on swinging
On this delightful summer day
Recently I shared the story of a robin who built her nest in the flower box that hangs off the railing of the house next door. It has been awesome to watch the parents bringing grubs, worms, etc. to feed their young. This morning I heard an awful commotion with the pair of robins chirping very excitedly and went outside to look. A cat was stalking the nest. The one robin was perched on the roof of the porch next door and when I looked up and saw it I asked, “what’s going on? Why are you so upset?” The bird literally leaned forward and looked directly at me as it chittered non-stop. Its partner was perched on the eaves trough and was also making a ruckus while looking down at the ground. Finally, a cat came out from under a bush and when I saw it I clapped my hands and shouted at it to go home. After a minute of clapping and shouting the poor animal finally ran off down the street with both parent robins in hot pursuit.
Well, that was an interesting start to the day. I do talk to birds and to animals. I’m not sure if that makes me ‘crazy’, but it is a life-long habit. And that robin really seemed to be trying to enlist my help with the feline intruder. It amazes me how emotionally invested I am in these birds and their young. It has been such a pleasure to watch them raise their chicks. It will be a while before the babies are big enough to fend for themselves. I just hope they make it.
link to previous article: https://chopkins2x3.wordpress.com/2018/05/27/the-american-robin-such-a-trusting-little-bird/
I have always been a great lover of cats; Cats of all colours and breeds. I find them incredibly interesting as well as entertaining. I agree wholeheartedly with the above quote because I have known many cats, my own and those of family members. Here are a few of my favourite photos that I have taken over the years celebrating our feline friends.
I had several things to write about – however – my cat wants my attention and have it she will. My creative muse must forgive me, and hopefully not abandon me to that dismal abyss called “writer’s block”. But you who have pets will understand, fur babies must have their needs met and so today I give to you a gallery of photos of my beloved Callie-cat.
Do not look to the stars
The answer is not there
Nor in the widest ocean
Or on the mountain tops
But look inside, deep inside
Where you will discover
The secrets hidden in your heart
Behind some thick and heavy door
That you can open if you have the will
And the courage
To face what lays there
Curled and forgotten
Within the confines
Of your self
We were one of the lucky ones. We were able to bring our cat with us. Her name is Callie and she has been a godsend and a comfort since we arrived at our temporary home away from home. Normally Callie hates to be put in her carrier and will fight to get away, but during the flight away from Fort Mac she didn’t struggle once when being taken in and out of her carrier. It was as if she knew. She has been a welcome distraction and her love is wholly unconditional. Her antics make me smile or laugh out loud when I play with her with her favorite thing – an elastic string. Her needs are simple and easily met. She loves to have her belly scratched and will often stretch out full length with all four legs fully extended – it’s a sight to see. I am so grateful to have her with me.
Callie was a gift from my niece and has flown from Ontario to Newfoundland and two years later to Fort Mac, so she is a seasoned traveller. I will never forget the day she came to live with us. She was two years old and the first night she cried pitifully but the next night she slept above my head on my pillow. My voice is very similar to my sister’s, a frequent visitor at my niece’s home and Callie was a favourite of hers. So I think she recognized the family connection. At any rate, it didn’t take long for her to accept me as her new “mom”. Caring for Callie since leaving Fort Mac has given me a sense of normalcy and continuity.
On the day we were evacuated from Fort Mac many people were not as fortunate. I heard many stories of pets left behind for one reason or another – often because the owners were unable to get back to their homes to get them. Sometimes animals were so panicked by the smell of smoke they refused to cooperate. Some ran away and hid in places where the harried owners could not find them – and time was of the essence – evacuation was mandatory. I cannot even imagine how horrible it must have been for people to have to leave their fur babies behind. Happily most people have been reunited with their pets, though some of the rescued animals have yet to be reunited with their humans. I cannot help but think how confused and sad these animals must be, but I am grateful for the heroic efforts of groups such as the SPCA who rescued pets and gave them food and shelter until their owners were found. The relationship between humans and animals is difficult to explain, and perhaps only animal lovers will truly understand. I only know that life is infinitely more enjoyable since Callie came to live with us and I owe her more than she knows or can understand – or maybe she does.
