Kitty Cat Porch Time

Taco and Bella love the back porch. Taco even knows that it's the door knob that let's one get to the porch. He will stand on his hind feet and touch the knob and mew at it. But he just can't figure how it works. I pray he never does.

But the dog door that leads from the screened porch to the back yard is another matter. Skipper taught him, albeit unintentionally, how it works. Taco watched Skipper go in and out about three times, and he had that thing figured out. So I have to stay on the porch with him unless I want him to go outside, which I don't.

So Sophie says we've had enough porch time. Skipper has been in the yard digging to China and barking his "I'm on my way to Bejing" bark. So as soon as I round him up, we going in out of the pollen.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful spring weekend,

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/26/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

How funny it is to watch pets learn from each other although some lessons are less wonderful to us humans. Wish we had a screened porch but at this time we don't. AMIL has a lovely, tho smallish screened porch but it's still wonderful.

Our two cats also reach for the doorknob and ours is one they could open if they were a tad larger. Hope they don't figure that out!

We have an out of town guest who may or may not come visit in the coming week. He might have come last week but that didn't work out. I WISH he'd let us know now if he plans to come or not. He plans to ride his motorcycle so the crazy weather system may keep him home. This uncertainty is making me nuts.

Hugs!

---

On 04/26/2014, Sandy said ...

I'm beginning to wonder if maybe you should have named him Digger instead of Skipper!!! He is so cute. I have wooden spoons in all of the handles on my kitchen cabinets since my cats learned to open them. Looked in one day and there was a cat in my big stew pot. Oh boy. What we go thru with these critters (but I wouldn't want to be without them!) Have a great weekend Susan.

---

On 05/06/2014, Ramey Channell said ...

Beautiful pictures! Those kitties have grown.
-----

---

Skipper Is Lonely

Sophie is at the vet's having her teeth cleaned, and Skipper, as usual when Sophie is away, is nonplussed. He can't understand why his sister and I went off without him nor why I returned alone.

But she will be home later this afternoon, and happiness will be restored at The Yellow House.

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/25/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Awwwwwww ... bless Skipper's little heart! It's so hard to explain things to pets when it involves words that are unfamiliaar to them. Plain English they hear often seems to be understood, but not so much the new words. Just sit with him and let him be your companion 'til his friend comes home.

When our older son was two, I was leaving him at his Sunday School room when I overheard another mommmy telling her small son that she would, "Mommy will be back soon." Her son walked into the Sunday School room sorrowfully repeating softly, "Be back soon." I started saying that to DS1 when I had to leave him for a short time and he, too, found it of great comfort. Perhaps Skipper and Sophie can learn that phrase?

Hugs!

---

On 04/25/2014, Pesky Patti said ...

And some think animals don't have souls...balderdash!!!
-----

---

Typepad Troubles

Due to a series of cyber attacks, Typepad, my blog server has been down for several days now, and I haven't been able to sign on and post. This morning, I'm finding that by signing in with Facebook, I am able to access my compose page, though I'm still not able to sign in the regular way. I won't know until I hit the publish button whether or not this will actually post to my blog. We'll see though, won't we?

My energy level is still in the sub-basement, so I don't have much to post since I've been doing only what had to be done. We had a quiet Easter--me, Jesse, and Andy--making our Easter dinner from Cracker Barrel takeout. I haven't been doing much sewing either. Here's how far I've come on the snowball quilt.

I have been reading a lot and watching a lot of tv. I'm going to try to update my book review list today too. I have a couple of additions.

I hope Typepad has their troubles fixed now and that the people who are carrying out the attacks have been subverted. If so, I'll try to start posting more regularly. I hope everyone out there is having a delightful springtime.

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/23/2014, Bonnie said ...

Really love the colors in that snowball quilt, Susan. Such a great color palette! They aren't my "go-to" colors, but i have admired this one since you began it.

---

On 04/23/2014, barbara woods said ...

it made it , maybe they will get what ever is wrong fixed soon

---

On 04/24/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Ah HA! This time I visited your blog, the little rectangle for comments is here. It was missing when I popped in earlier today, so I sent you that email. Hope this means that all of the problems at Typepad have now been fixed.

As I said, I LOVE this quilt!! My 1st little quilt was a Snowball 9 Patch in which those blocks were alternated and I love this scrappy 9 patch snowball block so much better. Applause, applause!!

Hugs!
-----

---

Holy Thursday

This day, Holy (or Maundy) Thursday is maybe the most representative of Christ of all the Christian holy days. In bathing the feet of his friends, Jesus personified his message--that we should serve one another with humility and love. Period.

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/17/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Amen.

Grace, peace, and hugs!

---

On 04/18/2014, Sandy said ...

What a beautiful world this would be if we would follow His example. Have a wonderful Resurrection Day Susan.
-----

---

Busy Palm Sunday

My first attempt at making chicken parmigiana. I hope it's as good as it smells.

I started my day off with a great Palm Sunday service, featuring our children's bell choir and a wonderful cantata by our adult chancel choir.

Then I did a little shopping. Then back home to do some cooking to stock up for Jesse's lunches this week. I made my first ever pan of chicken parm and a batch of Italian meatballs for meatball subs and a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. I was going to make up a batch of chicken tenders, but I ran out of steam. They'll have to wait till tomorrow.

I thought it a good idea to get a head start on the week while I'm feeling tolerable so Jesse won't have to eat fast food all week. I never know how I'll be feeling tomorrow--or tonight for that matter. That's how fast things can change for me.

Happy Holy Week to all.

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/13/2014, Linda said ...

Wow! All that cookin' all at once would wear me out. That chicken parm looks to die for. Enjoy! And Happy Easter. We have so much to be thankful for.

---

On 04/14/2014, Linda Kay said ...

Your chicken dish looks wonderful - I can almost smell it. I think it's a great idea to cook some meals ahead when you feel up to it. Easter blessing to you!

---

On 04/14/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Oh, how scrumptious your chicken parm looks and I can only imagine how tantalizing it smelled.

Applause for all of the cooking you managed to accomplish yesterday, too. Do you remember the PBS show The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith? He always spoke of doing all the weekday dinner cooking on Sunday so the more expensive ingredients would be used up in the recipes cooked that day. I've never tried doing that but it certainly seemed like a good idea then and by your good example now.

DS2 is 30 years old today and it's hard to imagine how tiny he was when he was born. He was 3 months early, weighed 2lb 3oz, and stayed in the hospital for 10 weeks. Have you ever seen Preemie Pampers? They are tiny and just too cute.

Hugs!
-----

---

Doggiewoods

Where just a few weeks ago lay snow on the branches, now we have snowy dogwood trees, four of them, putting on a show at The Yellow House. They have already reached peak, but still quite pretty.

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/10/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Lovely!!

Our pink dogwood and white dogwood blossoms are beginning to open but the more intensely pink crabapples are putting on a marvelous show!! Don't you love springtime before the pollen is everywhere and we all start sniffling?

Hugs!

---

On 04/10/2014, Sue, the Florida Farm Girl said ...

Love those dogwoods. Nothing sweeter.

---

On 04/11/2014, Sue said ...

I've finally finished catching up on my projects. These pictures of your dogwoods are beautiful. Wishing I had one.
-----

---

Poetry and Raindrops

On Saturday, a group of family, friends, and local literati gathered at the Leeds Arts Council building to hear my prize-winning poet sister Joanne Cage read from her recently published poetry anthology The Lightness of the Dark.

Although I pride myself as being a good writer, unlike both my sisters I am not a poet. And so I feel inadequate to review this book in the manner that it deserves. Suffice to say that I enjoyed every one of the one hundred or so poems contained in it. Joanne's ability to touch one's heart and mind with word pictures is a pleasant and uplifting experience. I recommend this book highly, whether you're a poetry fan or just someone, like me, who reads poetry only rarely. Like really good music, these poems will feed your mind and uplift your soul.

Le livre

Les Trois Soeurs

The poet, Joanne Cage, and her son James (Jed)

We have had a serious rain event the past 24 hours or so, especially throughout the night last night. There's much flooding throughout the area, and school openings were delayed this morning. Even my quilting bee's monthly meeting was cancelled due to the weather. 

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/07/2014, Joanne said ...

Thanks, Suze! And thanks for the great photos.

---

On 04/07/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Cheers for Joanne's newly published book and the writing talent that is flourishing in your gene pool!! Speaking of genes, Joanne and Jed do look alike. They both have wonderful smiles and such kind eyes.

Has Joanne always been the petite one in the family? Speaking from my 5'1" height, I had to ask!

It's raining cats and dogs here and it may continue until 6a tomorrow morning. Glub, glub. It's good to live on a hill.

Hugs!
-----

---

Ciphering: Day Two

Sophie is letting Taco use her for a pillow. Skipper is under the covers. Bella is someplace, the whereabouts of which only she knows. And I'm about to finish up my tax records. I got frustrated with numbers yesterday and had to give it up before I was finished. It's not like I was figuring yardage for a quilt or the dimensions of half-square triangles. That I can do.

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/04/2014, Karen in Michigan said ...

I love seeing all your fur babies snoozing together. And I'm with you on taxes. I save everything in one place all year and give my tax lady the envelope. It's worth every penny to have her do it.

---

On 04/04/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Cute, cute, cute!! Sophie and Taco do look so comfy and cozy together.

Do Taco and Bella ever "knead" your lovely quilts with their claws out? Hope not. That's what our two cats did that caused me to remove all of the quilts from the beds here. Bother!

Wishing we could all get our tax information gathered with a wiggle of our noses - and that the hugely rich had to pay every penny of their fair share. Of course, everyone between us and the hugely rich would have to pay up, too.

Hugs!
-----

---

The Tax Man Cometh...

...and I'm not ready for him.

Why do I always put this chore off till the last minute? I ask myself that question every year about this time. And every year I vow to do better next year, but I never do.

Well, today's the day. Today I'm going to make heads or tails of this pile of papers and get them off my dining table and off to my tax lady. Wish me luck. The spirit is willing, but the body just wants to go back to bed.

 

Posted with Blogsy

---

This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 04/03/2014, Barbara Anne said ...

Wishing you luck in sorting, finding, and organizing the needed paperwork for the tax lady. We still need to do that and party since we have a family birthday on the 14th. Glub, glub!

How about an afternoon nap?!

Hugs!

---

On 04/03/2014, Jo said ...

Susan, don't feel bad...I do the same thing. And really, it only takes me about an hour to get all the stuff ready for the tax lady. I don't know why I keep putting it oft.
-----

---