the kitchen table

My cat is not allowed on the kitchen table.  Technically, he's on the window sill...

Can you see the titles on the books?  On top of the stack is Ready Player One; I bought it as a gift for Mr. Bloom with the thought that our 12 year old would read it, too.  But who's reading it? Me. It's disturbing, thought provoking and fascinating all at once, and I can't say I'm enjoying it, but I can't stop reading and thinking about it.  Have you read it? What did you think?

In the Garden, a Patient Kitty

The other afternoon wee Bloom and I were out in the garden.  I looked up and this is what I saw... a very quiet, very patient kitty.  Why is he so quietly, patiently sitting up in that tree?

It seems our cedar tree is the first stop for these tiny darlings, on their way to fill their hungry little bellies...

And, while we're on the topic of wildlife in the garden, I musn't take my eyes off this little creature for long.  Apparently, rocks are quite a delicacy... at least among the "16-months-and-under" set.

Visits from the Tooth Fairy

A Spell for Summoning Fairies

Sit where the cat sits. Cross your toes.
Close your eyes. And smell a rose.
Then say under your breath:
"I believe in Fairies, sure as death.

Gadflykins! Gladtrypins!
Gutterpuss and Cass!
Come to me fairily
Each lad and lass!"

(From Lady Cottingtons Pressed Fairy Book)

In addition to our wee Bloom getting his first teeth, our Little Mr. B. has been losing his baby teeth and getting a set of new ones. Hence, the tooth fairy has been a frequent visitor at our house. Up until now, this has been a perilous proposition for our dear local tooth fairy. She has had a choice, you see, of coming down the chimney (rather sooty) or using the cat door (perilous, indeed.)

So, I solicited the help of a marvelous and magical maker of fairy doors...

Nothing, however, gets past this cat. I'm afraid, the tooth fairy is still going to have to brave the dangers of our lurking kitty on her next visit (I suppose the spell for summoning fairies does, after all, say to, "Sit where the cat sits...")

Hello Kitty!

Five years ago we brought home a pair of birds -- Blue-Capped Cordon-Bleu finches which we named Mr. and Mrs. Blue-Cap Twitterpeep.

They brightened our home with their warbles and fluttery affection for each other. Best of all was the courtship dance of Mr. Twitterpeep. Every day he would pick up a bit of paper from the bottom of the cage or nest and hold it in his beak as a tender offering to his mate, all the while singing a pretty song and bobbing up and down like a little wind-up toy. He was absolutely irresistible.

But Little Mr. has been begging for years to add a furry pet to our home. He's had his heart set on a dog, but as a compromise we decided to try out a cat. This meant that our little birdies had to find a new home. Luckily, we have friends who have a beautiful aviary in their San Francisco Victorian apartment. So off went our birds to their new home last Sunday.

Bye-bye birdies.

Hello kitty.

Our new kitty is named Charlie. He is 10 years old and came to us from a posting through a local cat-rescue organization.

Little Mr. B. and Charlie have taken well to each other and are fast friends already. Above you can see Little Mr.'s photography efforts -- kitty insisted on a close-up!