She was awoken out of a restful sleep, as she was every morning, to the pleasant buzz of her alarm gently telling her it was time to jump of bed, rejuvenated and refreshed, with the prospect of a brand new day filled with endless possibilities ahead. Today, however, a low rumble of thunder greeted her as her feet hit the floor and as she ambled to the bathroom, the bedroom shook slightly from the wrath of the impending storm. That’s how a writer would describe last Wednesday morning, creating a mood and sense of foreboding to the reader that something ominous was on the horizon to otherwise happy and normal circumstances. Were this scene to be translated to the big screen, audience members would be screaming, “Watch out person!” “Get back in bed, something bad is going to happen!” Read more

I love this photo of Zoey because it implies so much, while saying so little. Every afternoon the sun will start its slow ascent to setting and its rays will permeate through the dining room window, just beckoning a cat to come sit for a spell in that delicious sliver of sunlight. Zoey knows the precise moment this will happen and comes out from wherever she was previously napping to partake in this decadent treat and you can visually see her basking in the glorious warmth of the moment.

While she is sunning herself, she is certain that the sun sliver was created just for her, a wondrous secret for a cat of impeccable standing and grace. In actuality, anyone who happens by can see her, but because she is standing behind the cloak of heavy drapery panels, she is certain she is far hidden from the world and that this sunny treasure is exclusively hers.

Being that I love her so dearly, I gladly give her that impression and until the sun shifts away to find another cat to bestow its magic upon, the moment is hers and hers alone.

Happy Wordless Wednesday and may you all find that secret, magic sun sliver moment in your day as well!

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I find the older I get, the more I contemplate and respect the fact that our physical time on this earth is not infinite. Our eldest cat, Mr. Jazz, has had some health issues of late and I have been treasuring my time and moments with him on a different level. I have become both nursemaid and companion to him and while he is not always been thrilled with my efforts to help him recover, he seems to understand that I truly am trying to make his life more comfortable. We have mutually accepted the fact that each day we have with one another is a gift and I find that comforting because it has caused me to slow down a bit and re-prioritize what is important in life.

You will find that I comment less on facebook and blogs now. I will get emails and politely let someone know that I will get back to them, but not necessarily at this very moment. I am still on my computer all day and night, but I will also walk away from it without guilt, which has not always been easy for me to do in the past. My cats are my Zen and their friendship is my first place prize. So, on this Wordless Wednesday, I ask that you all take a look at this image of Zee enjoying the simple act of spotting a bug on a leaf and look for a small pleasure moment that your cat is sharing with you today. I guarantee that it won’t be hard to do at all and that you will feel all the better for looking for it.

Last weekend I went outside with the intention of doing a little gardening and came back inside a relatively short time later to compose this essay that I posted on facebook that many of you have already seen:

Since it is now June 1st, this got me to thinking about gardening in a larger sense, because when I used to live up North (upstate New York), I loved this time of year because I knew many of my favorite summer flowers would be in bloom like black eyed susan’s, daisies, lilacs, peonies, irises, and roses .  Read more

The thing about a Mom is that they come in all shapes, sizes, colors, species, and sexes. That’s right, a Mom doesn’t even have to be female or have given birth to be a Mother. A Mom is symbolic of the act of being nurturing or supportive or an important part of your life that is universal to every living being. Or not. Truth be told, maybe your Mom or Mom figure wasn’t nurturing or supportive. Maybe she wasn’t your best friend and confidante, or maybe she was. Moms have an array of personalities and some bring up fond memories for us, and for others, they don’t.

So to celebrate Mother’s Day today, I respect that the day has different meaning for all of us. I happen to be blessed with a wonderful mother who is still with me. I also share a household with Zoey who happens to be the mother of three very darling cats that mean the world to me as well. And I am a Mom myself – I have two sons who are long grown and I have three step-children that are dear to my heart.

So, whatever the circumstances are, Happy Mother’s Day and may we continue to try to fill the world with love, hope, inspiration, and compassion.