Monday, May 13, 2013

Remembering Mom: The Feline Edition


So we were watching a television show about baby kittens when Tate hopped off the couch and jumped up to take a closer look at the program.
He's never done that before.

He watched very intently.

We wondered how long the show would hold his interest.

The show kept going.
He kept watching.

Was he remembering his mom and litter mates?
Nostalgic for the days of kittenhood?

He would look away during the commercials.

Once the show resumed he was tuned back in again.

Eventually his bossy Aunt Frenchie came by and told him he should get down.

He batted her away and watched until the show was over.
"You are not the boss of ME!"  we could almost hear him say.

Tate also enjoys the flowers blooming outside as seen through the storm door or front window.

The backyard garden is coming alive with the spring sunshine and rain. 

This year's squirrels are proving to be a tough group.
They have taken down all three of our bird feeders.
I usually enjoy squirrel antics and don't mind an occasional raid on our bird feeders but when they started busting things up, I am not so amused.

Made me so mad I started thinking about making me some squirrel stew, if you get my drift.

I looked in both my Mennonite Girl cookbooks and didn't find a single recipe for squirrel anything.
No squirrel stew, baked squirrel or fried squirrel.
Perhaps in their next book this obvious oversight will be corrected?

I am happy to report that I did recently acquire another cook book  put together by group of not quite so pretty Christians in Louisiana that did include a great fried squirrel and cornbread dumpling recipe.
(Incidentally I would LOVE to see the Mennonite Girls and the Duck Dynasty Boys interviewed together about cooking and their Christian faith.
Now that would be interesting.
I can dream, can't I?)
I will get back to you about squirrel stew after I get Bernie to bag a few rowdy squirrels for cooking.

Tulips were awesome this year.
Even the ones that were planted several years ago out front managed to bloom.
We didn't know tulip blossoms are the most favorite food for area deer when we planted them.
Each of the past five years the tulips have just barely budded before they were neatly bitten off by the neighborhood deer.
(Several deer live in the back yard of a house in the next block.  The home owner isn't much for gardening apparently.)
These are the variety that blooms late in the season.
Each year I vow that next year I will buy hundreds of tulips next season.
Someone remind me to do that next fall, OK?

The apple blossoms are almost spent, the white petals have been blowing about the garden like confetti.

We have not had a lot of rain this spring but last Friday the rain came and brought a rainbow into my garden.

And so it goes...another mixed up mishmash blog post.
I am still busy with assessing second grade kids; they are so droll I can hardly keep from laughing out loud most days.
One question in the Science part of the assessment asks the question "What hides the sun on a rainy day?"
The child that answered "Rainbows" had me smiling for days.
I think he is lucky, like me, to live in a place where we so often do see rainbows.
And sometimes the rainbows even touch down right in our own back yards.

12 comments:

ellen b. said...

My brother is having quite a time with squirrels eating all his unripened apricots. He has resorted to extremes to get rid of them. That would be an interesting interview show...hmmm.
Things are springing up beautifully in your part of the world.
Blessings...

Vee said...

Magical that rainbow in your yard...Yes, I rather like your challenge for the MGs who Can Cook. And I rather like a mish-mash post as it is just like having a semi-real conversation.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Tate has an amazing attention span for a cat!

I don't think there's much meat on a squirrel. Bernie will have to bag quite a few of them. Will you incorporate those amazing tails of theirs into a new hat or two?

Grandma G said...

Aww, I loved your Tate story!

Your tulips are gorgeous! Liquid Fence will keep the deer from eating them. I've been using it for years, and it works great... when I remember to use it. ;)

Lovella ♥ said...

Oh what a hoot Jill. Had we known you would need some good squirrel recipes we would have put our thinking caps on for sure.
When you figure out how to get us and Ducks Dynasty together for a panel discussion let me know. I know at least one or two would would be into seeing that show.

The kitten and Tate show is so amazing. I know there are shows for dogs while their owners are at work...maybe there are for cats too.

Judy said...

What a hoot, is right! It seems squirrel stew was not something our grandma's cooked...hence no recipes to pass along.

Great Tate story!

Boo-Bah AKA Iris said...

Oh poor little squirrels. We fed a baby orphan squirrel for two or three years. He never attacked the bird feeders became a great little friend to the crows and all the other birds who came to eat. Unfortunately he vanished last February. We think a hawk got him.

Love the pictures of your cat watching tv.

La Tea Dah said...

I really enjoyed the mishmash!

Spring is wonderful, isn't it? Thank you for sharing - loved the kitties!

LaDonna
Gracious Hospitality

Anneliese said...

Oh so fun! ... the cat watching the cats ... the cook off suggestion ... down to the rainbow ending right in your own back yard.
Did you find the pot of gold?

Marg said...

And your mix mash just touches a few of the things that you love...I can't wait to see the new recipes for squirrel meat and waiting for the next interview for Lovella.
Will stay tuned!!!!

Vicki said...

I'm a bit late leaving a comment, but "late" and "busy" are the norm for me these days.

I enjoyed this conversational post! As for a squirrel recipe, remember, I'm from Kentucky. My kinfolk will shoot and eat pretty much anything (not me...I'm the picky eater in the family). My Momma would hang, skin, wash, and cut up the squirrel and batter it and fry it, much like chicken. They don't have much meat, but squirrels tend to be plentiful. If you decide to go that route, I'd kindly and politely decline your invitation. (wink)

Master Luke is a cutie-patootie!!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Tate obviously recognized the call of kittens! He is so cute!

Your garden looks beautiful. The squirrels can be very aggravating some years ..and other years they leave feeders alone--not sure why?

I love tulips but i didn't plant any since I head deer eat them. I will plant daffodils this autumn and see what happens, as they usually leave those alonne.

PS: Thank you for your kind words on the loss of our cat, Bo. He was the best kitty and we miss him so much. He will always live on in our heart! Please give your cats extra hugs in memory of our Bo!