Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Today’s Reflections from Benji
Good Morning to humans everywhere and especially to Sue, my paws down favorite. Today I am in a reflective mood, pondering the mysterious intersection of the feline life and the human life. It is a wonderful intersection indeed, though not always easy.
We get along well most of the time yet we are different in many ways. This requires that we cats make continual adjustments to satisfy peculiar human inconsistencies and foibles. (It is obvious that we are the ones to make the adjustments, at least if we aspire to indoor living.)
For instance, I have yet to understand the human aversion to the natural feline sharpening of the claws. It seems to me their own claws would become much more useful if they practiced this habit as well, rather than remaining purely decorative. Many surfaces exist throughout the house for this purpose. If only they could see this! Alas they are unwilling to learn in the smallest matter! And so I am forced to use the inferior small posts inside, saving the most rigorous scratching for the trees outside. Speaking of outside, it is certainly a puzzle that so many food sources go unclaimed by them. We felines learned long ago that anything living and smaller than ourselves is good for food. (The hunting itself provides invigorating exercise.) They also seem to be untrainable in this.
Fortunately I have big brother Tiger to help me understand these matters. He reminds me that felines and humans are not the same species and this alone explains much of the challenges we face.
(Read Tiger’s story for yourself in the link below.)
He has also taught me that when the going gets tough inside, I must demand to go outside. There I can spend time in the wild alone, or with my own kind. A few hours thus spent solves most of the problems.
And so I sign off,
~ Benji
Benji from the Dog House
This is Benji and today Sue put me in the ‘dog house’ (her exact words). I don’t really know why though I suspect it had something to do with the chair incident.
Every morning I like to join her in the office while she drinks coffee and reads. Tiger would too but he’s slow and I usually beat him to the punch. I am very fast. I’m so fast in fact, I can climb up the back of her chair in under a second, this after I’ve finished sharpening my claws on said chair. (It is important to keep the nails filed properly at all times. Sue should know this.)
This seemed to bother her this morning (or should I say it bothers her every morning but some days she is more tolerant. Maybe more coffee was needed.)
And so after a brief altercation I was forcibly put into our bedroom, which apparently bears the moniker of ‘dog house’ if I am closed in alone.
Sorry Sue. I’ll work on the chair thing.
~ Benji
Rainy Days and Setting Sun
By now you may have heard that we are experiencing the rainiest October through April in Seattle since 1895 when records began to be kept. We have received almost 45 inches of rain since October 1st and April is not over yet. And yes, it feels like it.
Still, when the sky clears, I’ve become fond of chasing sunsets which manage to make an occasional dramatic appearance rainy day or not. Earlier this week I settled for the golden glow in the garden shortly before the sun went down.
And a few minutes later I enjoyed colorful clouds behind the evergreens.
One rainy day followed by a clear evening with two different garden views gave me a little more practice with my camera and the setting sun.
~ Susanne
One Year with Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Has it really been a year since I started this blog with just a few cat stories in mind, along with a lot of fear and trepidation? Well, yes it has! And a wonderful journey it has been! I am honestly pleased (and somewhat surprised) to have made it this far and am happy to have you along for the ride!
So on this anniversary of Cats and Trails and Garden Tales, with post number 134 (in case you were keeping track), it seemed good to reflect on where we’ve been together. First, did you ever wonder about the name? I chose it because as the song goes, “these are a few of my favorite things!”
Cats
It’s no secret I love them. When I started this blog a year ago, I only had one cat in residence: the handsome Tiger, who had some things to say. He is still talking.
Then there were two. We brought home Benji from Seattle Humane Society as a companion for Tiger. It turns out Benji has something to say as well.
I love watching them individually and together. They truly enjoy their cat life.
and those I visit.
A Spring Walk at Coulon
A perfect day begins with a trip to Starbucks and a walk at our favorite park on the shores of Lake Washington. We tried twice earlier this week to do just that but each time were turned back by the cold, wind, and rain. One time we made it to the park only to sit in the car and drink our coffee with this view.
What a difference a day makes! We woke today to a different reality: crisp, clear, and sunny with a temperature of 64 F in the forecast, the highest this year.
We head to Gene Coulon Park in Renton with drinks in hand and are rewarded with the bluest of blues and air fresh and washed clean.
We weren’t the only ones out. This mama duck and her babies were enjoying a swim together…
While this turtle basked in the sun alone.
These stony folks were committed as always to walking….
And the trees were blossoming and fragrant.
What a glorious day!
We are reminded again why we live in the Pacific Northwest.
~ Susanne
Still the Handsome Tiger
This is Tiger and I gotta tell you it’s not easy being the oldest cat in the family. They let that boy run wild and do things I would never have gotten away with. Times change, I guess.
Flying around the house. Howling at the top of the stairs. Climbing on the roof for Pete’s sake!
‘O isn’t he cute?’ Sue gushes to Bob as she runs to fetch her camera.
Benji on the printer. Benji watching TV. Benji this and Benji that.
Benji. Benji. Benji.
Spoiled. Completely spoiled.
Now do not think I am jealous. No, no, I would never go back if I could. I continue to maintain my dignity. So what if I put on a few pounds. They will sustain me in the lean years to come. Maybe I can’t move as fast as I used to, but what’s the big hurry after all? Speed must be tempered by wisdom. It is wisdom to contemplate, to reflect. To stop and smell the roses, if you will. (And the lavender. And the catmint. But I digress.)
These eyes have seen many things that Benji cannot even imagine for he is still young. And they are still the only green eyes in this house (and most handsome I am told.)
I know Sue still loves me and she is doing the best she can with the boy. He was a rescue cat after all and has a chopped ear. It will take him time to overcome.
Still handsome after all these years and with both ears intact,
~ Tiger
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gee, I didn’t know he was so sensitive.
~ Benji
Cloudy with a Chance of Rain
Right again.
~ Susanne
Tiffany Park Woods Revisited
Behind my house in Renton there are 22 acres of woods. You can see them through the fence in my backyard where they provide a wonderful backdrop of green making my own gardening efforts easier.
I have enjoyed their quiet beauty and the birds and wildlife who live in them. I’ve welcomed the deer who occasionally peer through the fence and let them prune my raspberry bushes when I forgot to close the gate.
Of all the friendly birds that have stopped by my yard (and there are many), my favorite was the red crested pileated woodpecker. I’ll never forget watching that giant bird with the bright red plume as he stopped for a drink and made my bird bath look small. I have never seen another one in the wild.
It has already been a couple of years since we learned the woods had been sold. At the time, neighbors voiced their complaints to the city and various hearings were held. Environmental studies were performed and inventories of wetlands, trees, birds and mammals were taken. But things being as they are it was only a matter of time until the clearing of the land and the building of the houses would begin.
I wonder how the trees feel about it? Do they know the white tag or the blue tag or the pink tag pinned to their bark determines their fate? Have the animals perhaps sensed what is coming and already relocated to more permanent homes?
Recently some friendly men came by and we asked them when work would begin.
“Soon,” they replied.
“But we have heard that for years,” we answered and laughed together.
But this time it really is soon. Their mission is to prepare the infrastructure to support the new homes. Tree felling will begin within weeks and utilities should follow after. The peace and quiet will be gone for too long a time I fear. I wish it was already over and done.
I thought I would take a final walk through the woods before the logging begins and photograph what will be lost. I follow the trail where young boys run and play and older boys walk their dogs.
I come across this comfy stool fit for a fairy.
and I find ferns with new spring fronds unfurling ..
The bleeding hearts are in bloom…
and the salmonberries are blossoming.
And of course there are the trees.
They are ordinary perhaps, these Tiffany Park Woods, nothing special except to those who live near them. Or in them.
I remember the first time I heard the deep hooting of the Great Horned Owl in the dead of night. I wondered at the size of an owl that had such a booming voice resonating in the woods. I got up hoping to catch a glimpse of him but of course it was too dark. Silly I know. There are other owls too but I don’t know what kind. I’ve tried to remember the rhythms of their calls so I could look it up the next day. But by morning I have usually forgotten. I will miss the owls.
I grew up next to woods in West Seattle and have fond memories of the many hours spent in them; running on the trails, making beds of the ferns, and playing the games of childhood. Maybe children don’t play in woods anymore. But I still believe there is value in having some patches of wilderness in urban spaces.
The woods in Tiffany Park will soon be gone but my woods in West Seattle still remain. For that I am thankful.
~ Susanne
Trek to Tacoma and Ruston Way
Okay, so full disclosure here: I am a native Seattleite through and through and very loyal. When I grew up here you only passed through Tacoma on the way to somewhere else (usually to grandma’s house) and you did it quickly while holding your nose due to the Tacoma aroma. (A large pulp mill was the main feature of the city.)
But in the past few years, there have been some wonderful developments in this city to the south including a UW extension campus and some very nice museums.
Today was sunny and we were looking for something to do outside. We considered the Tulip fields north of Seattle but shunned the terrible traffic we knew we would encounter. (We’ll save those beautiful tulips for a weekday because we can.)
Instead we head to Tacoma and explore Ruston Way, an area we had heard about but never been to. What a pleasant surprise! It turns out that Tacoma has a very pedestrian friendly waterfront perfect for exploring. We find beautiful views, sculptures, docks and old pilings, under mostly blue skies and with half the number of people (at least) you would expect to find on Seattle’s waterfront. (Not to mention free parking.)
We stop to get the time from this sundial and found out it was going on noon; it obviously did not spring ahead for daylight savings time.
We get a history lesson when we come across Chinese Reconciliation Park which commemorates the forced expulsion of the Chinese population of Tacoma in 1885.
We walk the winding path in the small park and learn about a very ugly period in our history. One of the stone plaques reads:
“Anti-Chinese sentiment was fueled by a widespread economic depression in the 1870’s that depleted the job market. Anxious to blame someone for their woes, unemployed and frustrated workers made Chinese immigrants scapegoats because of their race, culture, and willingness to work for lower wages. The Chinese became targets of violent rallies, riots and local laws that limited their rights. National political pressure only encouraged the intolerance of the Chinese people as Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. This was the first U.S. immigration law to single out a specific nationality for discriminatory treatment.”
I marvel at the similarities of today. Is there nothing new under the sun?
When it’s time for lunch we head up the road and find an entirely different look at Ruston Way. It is bustling with new development, businesses, lodging, theatres and restaurants. Children are roller skating and families are riding in surreys. Clearly it is up and coming.
On our walk we meet a young woman who recently moved from Seattle to Tacoma. Forever the Seattle snob (refer back to my first paragraph) I inquire. “Really?? Why?”
“We got priced out of Seattle,” was her reply. “And I’m finding I love it here.”
Okay so she was not a native. She was originally from Nebraska and had only lived in Seattle the previous eight years. To her, it was about the same. Only affordable. And less crowded.
I’m starting to get it. I will always love Seattle, but it is no longer the Seattle of my youth. But then, neither is Tacoma.
~ Susanne
The Professor
A true tale from my college days…..
“Do you know how many times you’ve said ‘okay’ in the last minute?” she blurted out.
(Twenty times by my reckoning. She was not the only one counting.) He stopped. Public speaking was not his forte, though economics may have been.
“Twenty-three times!” she announced.
“Sorry,’ he said. “Didn’t know I was doing it.”
The rest of us knew and thanked her. We were on edge waiting for the ‘okay’ and winced when it came. No sentence was immune.
“I’ll work on it, okay?” he promised. “But when it’s quiet you’ll know what I’m thinking, okay?”
Okaaaay! we shouted.
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 