OK, here is my catchall post. Last year at this time my father had just passed away and I had my second set of hummingbird babies to look after. Mac, my oldest cat, was dying.
Since the hummingbird had laid her eggs outside my window two years in a row, we were hopeful she would return this year. I suspect she too has now passed away. Her nest is empty and disintegrating.
Why is this woman putting a watermark on this ugly photo, you might ask. I would ask that, even if I didn’t articulate it. Answer: just cause. It’s part of my turning over a new leaf goal.
If you think this is the only abandoned nest around me, think again. There are at least two more.
If you haven’t seen this video about a hummingbird, it will start your weekend off right!
What else is happening (or not happening) in my life?
Flowers are happening, thank goodness.
The above flowers are a sample from a decorative pot. We have these in beds, too. After realizing that a lot of colors (pink, purple, pastel, YELLOW) don’t look well with our gold-toned stucco, we found that by putting a variety of strong colors together–reds, oranges, burgundies, rusts, blues, whites–that they look great!
Lots of cactus flowers this year, too!
The reason I leave a lot of the gardening to my live-in gardener is because Arizona gardening can be dangerous. This is just one reason why.
These agave thorns have messed up my gardener more than once. Very very painful.
Although I pick up my mail outside amidst the flowers and empty nests, I bring it inside to open it (usually). Yesterday I got a “catalog” from the symphony with next year’s options. Look at this.
Shostakovich and Cello right next to each other! I don’t think so. Not after my last experience with both. I wrote about it in Hypersensitive to a Sound?
But the good news is they are performing Vaughn Williams. Woot!
Another item that came in the mail was a lion costume for my cats. It looked so cute online, but when I got it I saw that it wasn’t for cats at all, but for kittens. To try it on Felix, I had to add a long piece of velcro under his chin. And it doesn’t look near as cute as in the advertisement because it needs a tiny kitten face so that the “mane” overwhelms it. But Felix is very good humored and let me fool around with it anyway.
So what else is new around here, you might ask? Well, you might not, but I will ask it for you. Just . . . so . . . I . . . can . . . show you the new resident at my house!
Yes, we are fostering Slupe!!! I couldn’t let her stay at the shelter any longer. TWO YEARS. She has her own room for now, with a view of bunnies, birds, and lizards. I will write more after she’s been here a little longer.
Everyone, have a lovely weekend. For my American peeps, Happy Memorial Day. Keeping those I’ve lost in my heart.
OMG! She is gorgeous! I can’t believe no one scooped her up! Hopefully this will be a long foster and your other kitties will like her.
It’s so crazy that she was there so long. But she is a sensitive little soul and I think things moved too quickly and abruptly for her at the beginning so she got a reputation as being a potential stinker and then being kind of standoffish and difficult. She is NONE of those things in my home. Loving and curious! This just goes to show you can’t judge a cat in a shelter. Some of them are so different than they are in a home. Every cat who is there too long or has special needs should be fostered to find out their real personality, needs, etc. I don’t know if I can integrate her, though, because of the Kana/Tiger problem. We will see. Otherwise, I will take her to adoption events and PetSmart and stuff and not take her back to the shelter itself.
You are a good soul.
I hope to read a future post where Slupe is a permanent member of your family, Luanne. Last week or sometime, I shared the hummingbird story on FB. It was wonderful!
You did? I didn’t see it! Another friend shared it yesterday, and that was the first I’d seen it. So beautiful!!!!
We will see about her staying. It will be up to the Kana/Tiger pair of numbskulls.
Great post, Luanne. Love the lion outfit, and I’m so glad to see that you have Slupe in your home. What a beautiful, and lucky, cat.
She’s so beautiful and so wonderfully sweet. I am so glad I could talk hubby into it! Hah, that little lion outfit looked so much better in the ad! They must have had on it a tiny kitten! Oh well, at least Felix got his attention for the day.
Cats are so obliging when you want to play dress-up with them. Well, I should qualify that. I know it depends on the cat.But your cats are really beautiful.
Not Tiger though. My daughter put a holiday sweater on her one year and she hated her for four years afterward. Then she finally forgave her.
LOL! They sure have individual personalities.
So true!
What a wonderful catchall post! 🙂
You know, I love the way you mentioned the danger of gardening. That agave can slice us right up! I don’t grow agave. I mean, it doesn’t grow here, but I’m aware.
You’re so right about the colors contrasting with the stucco, too. I see a lot of clashing gardens.Jars my eyes! Heavy greenery helps to blend certain colors, too. I love yellow and white flowers, but I have a yellow house, so I avoid them.
That soul-killing cello piece you shared a while ago? Sassy (a cellist) also hated it. Moo (violist) covered her ears. And The Mister, who is not even slightly HSP, did NOT like it, either. He said “No. Turn it off. No.” I find I am grateful you shared it, so I can be sure to avoid it.
So glad you took in the new kitteh ^_^ Oh what a nice time of year to get a foster home — so much to see outside right now!
Your new kitty is gorgeous! I hope you can make it work her at your house, so she doesn’t have to move again.
I discovered a nest in a bush under our dining room window. I can’t tell if it’s occupied or not. I think it might be a mockingbird nest?
Your flowers are beautiful. There’s no rhyme or reason to our gardening, or lack of. Clashing colors would be find with me. 🙂
the folks you love will always be in your heart. Sometimes they’re just alongside a big hole ;(
We have two cardinals that have been calling our backyard home for several years now. i shall be sad when they do not return.
New kitty is lovely! What a sweethearrt.
Slupe is absolutely gorgeous, Luanne! I hope the fostering becomes permanent 😀
Did you make the ‘hummingbird coil’ or buy it? I want one 😉
Slupe is beautiful! A gorgeous kitty. 🙂
Hehe, I know. Overlooked for two stinken years and so I bring her home and she suddenly looks like such a beauty!
A mixed bag, Luanne
Truly.
Many blessings to the new little cat! Love the lion costume! 🙂 xoxo
Thank you, Carla. My heart is heavy right now for Orlando, but I just saw how behind I am in responding to friends here.