Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Say Hello to the Handsome Tiger
As you may know if you follow this blog I have two kitties – Tiger and Benji.
Tiger was here first and thus has seniority –
but Benji gets the most press.
So my apologies to you Tiger if you’ve had to take a backseat –
you’re still the most handsome – don’t tell Benji I said so.
~ Susanne and Tiger and Benji
Venus and the Pleiades
This week Venus is putting on quite a show so I set up my tripod and got this photo from the front yard. Honestly I didn’t see the star cluster Pleiades with my naked eye but my camera did.
During these trying times it’s good to look up!
Psalms 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”
~ Susanne
Let’s Go Visit the Tulip Fields!
There’ll be no Tulip Festival this year and you already know why! But that doesn’t prevent us from traveling back in time to last year’s festival in Washington’s Skagit Valley, where fortunately I took enough pictures at Roozengaarde to have plenty more to share with you!
The fertile Skagit Valley – roughly sixty miles north of Seattle – is home to the largest commercial flower bulb industry outside of Holland. In March the daffodils are on display while in April the tulips dazzle.
The North Cascade Mountains provide the perfect backdrop to the mass of color in the fields;
while the display gardens mix and match varieties and colors into wonderful works of art.
For more information on the Tulip Festival that wasn’t and to drop by on your device, click here!
Until next year!
~ Susanne
Life During a Pandemic – A River Walk and Facetime with Mom
Yesterday we walked along the Cedar River Trail.
There were a handful of others with the same idea and we all kept our distance,
even the ducks.
The willow trees were beautiful and weeping once more
The cherry trees (or plum – I can’t tell them apart) were fragrant in bloom,
but the flowering current had the best shades of pink.
It was all wonderful, but there was more to come.
For after our walk we stopped by my mom’s apartment, where she has been in lockdown the last three weeks, with limited opportunity to even leave her room.
Through it all she has remained cheerful and upbeat – at 90 she has seen it all.
That’s my beautiful mom.
~ Susanne
Dreaming of a Road Trip
I hope there’s a road trip in my future this spring.
I don’t know what the rules will be.
We’d take our little trailer
on lonely highways through wide open spaces
with sunsets like this
and practice social distancing.
~ Susanne
2019 ‘Cat-Human Relationships’ photography competition winner – Susanne Swanson from the US
Oh hey! Benji and I are featured on Katzenworld today as they showcase winners of the International Cat Care competition. We are the month of May in the calendar. Check it out!! 🙂
Source: 2019 ‘Cat-Human Relationships’ photography competition winner – Susanne Swanson from the US
Benji Makes Quarantine Fun!
I, like you, have been in quarantine – staying at home – sheltering in place – or whatever else you want to call it.
But it was only the last 8 days that I ACTUALLY stayed at home as I’ve been nursing a head cold (or was it a mild case of coronavirus – who can know for sure?)
Whatever it was, I am thankfully over the hump and will soon be qualified to leave the house again, if only occasionally for necessities.
In the meantime you may have noticed I’ve been blogging more than usual. You may also have noticed that Benji has been featured more often as well.
I can’t help it.
Yesterday I found him in my bag…
where undeterred by my hysterical laughter,
he settled down for a nap.
Benji makes quarantine fun.
~ Susanne and Benji
Benji’s New Perch
As much as Benji loved his perch he’d obviously outgrown it. It was time for an upgrade.
So I found a nice one at the pet store and brought it home.
“What do you think Benji?” I asked.
“Hmm,” he said. “You could have gone bigger.”
“Very funny Benji. Try the top bunk.”
So he did.
“Still seems a bit small,” he said.
“Oh come on Benji. You’re hanging out on purpose!”
“Relax Sue. I was just kidding. It’s perfect.”
“You’re welcome Benji.”
~ Susanne and Benji
Cats and Crows from the Office
Benji and I are in the office. He’s paying attention to the crows out front.
They’re getting materials for nesting,
twigs and soft materials like this.
I watch the pair wishing them good luck.
I notice Benji has disappeared and I hear some commotion from the closet.
I stifle a laugh.
“Benji what are you doing in there?”
“Almost got it Sue.”
“There! Perfect! Thanks for the new bag. It’s going to work great.”
“Sure Benji. I’ll just find another place to store my camera.”
🙂 🙂
~ Susanne and Benji
A Conversation with Benji in Quarantine
“When’s it gonna end, Sue?”
“What’s that Benji?”
“This confinement. It’s getting on my nerves.”
“It’s only been a week Benji. Besides. You’re not in quarantine.”
“But you are Sue. And it feels longer in cat years.”
“I suppose it does Benji. But it will be over soon. And we’ll have learned something in the meantime. And hopefully appreciate more all the freedoms we really have.”
“Okay Sue. Whatever you say.”
~ Susanne and Benji
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 