Monday, October 12, 2020

If only I had hands to open the front door...



I dream of birds and spiders and lizards gobbled up,

Leaves under my feet and burrs in my wild fur.

Ooommm...

On the wings of a dream,

Spirited away through the glass, 

Into the open beyond

of catdom nirvana.


Wind parting my fur in short chilly blasts,

I race in circles on the dewy grass,

to catch the angel with bright orange wings.


Around and around and around I go,

Up and down up and down, 

look how high she goes!


Wait

Wait

!

Did I hear let's eat?


Wingless once more,

I leave my window perch,

Mosey on over to my eating dish

For a gentle rub under my chin,

down my back

 and up my tail.


I'll reward her later

with

muffin making,

head butts

and

drooly purrs 

she simply adores.


I'm Charlotte FeatherBender ~

A dabbler in window shopping

for free range robins and black-capped chickadees,  

while 

observing the comings and goings

of little fourth acre gardens.






Charlotte's Journal



Monday ~ Watched mommy in the garden today picking persimmon mash off her shoes and the ground.  I think she was cussing, but couldn't hear well through the glass window.  Watched her plant columbine under the persimmon tree to attract hummingbirds, but what good are hummers if I'm not allowed out to catch them?  Fruit missiles were dropping to the ground all around her, but it became boring when none of them hit her.   She dragged herself around all day complaining about planting plants; then after dinner she ordered some more.  What gives?!?

Tuesday ~ Mommy woke up today with a headache, neckache, backache, armache, and feetache.  I'm glad I'm not a people.  Breakfast was cold food from the fridge.  It's already dark and that thingamagig is two numbers past the number dinner is served.  I meowed for half an hour for daddy to help, but he just said 'what a cute kitty you are', patted me on the head like I was a dog and left.  Men!

Wednesday ~ Mommy had mint Milano cookies for breakfast with her Assamy tea.  Since she was thinking outside her box I was hoping for a fresh robin in my food bowl, but it was just stinky turkey mash :'(  She's at the opposite end of the garden today working with a pick ax.  I thought it was plant bee balm day, but she said she had to prepare the bed first.  I prepared her bed first for me by kneading it with my little tootsies, pulling threads everywhere until it was fuzzy soft, and went to sleep.  It gets tiring watching mommy work.

Thursday ~ It rained today or so I thought, but it was just mommy with the watering hose drowning all the pots.  The handyman appeared late afternoon to fix all the mistakes from the week before, but only had time to fix one.  I thought mommy said she was going to fix him too, but maybe I was wrong, cause she left daddy in charge, and disappeared until dinner was served.

Friday ~ Mommy received her twenty-four plants today, and came dragging back in when the sun was no more, plopped a can of chicken bits into my dish and climbed into her bed with a terrible groan that made me high tail it right to the doorway.  'I want to write a blog post', I said.  'Whatever', she said.  'Are you going to proofread it', I asked?  'Who cares', she said.  Mommy should plant in the garden more often :`)



I was hoping for lovely photos of me to show off my gorgeousness, but Mommy's latest is just life beyond my window.  Strained my front paws editing all those endless pics of  bees and butterflies and bees and bugs and bees and ugly bugs.  Okay...maybe I fib a bit...I accidentally kind of lost a chunk of them in the recycle bin delete when I got a little fuzzy brained and impatient.




This delectable little tyke is a Red-banded Hairstreak Butterfly,
or so it says in mommy's notes.


Today's all about the Aromatic Aster
 that attracts insects as much as does goldenrod


Fiery Skipper Butterfly...looks tasty!






Nature's Deck Litter


Smallish Common Eastern Bumble Bee




Mommy says she's never seen so many honeybees
 as this year in the asters.
I was hoping for a hop-skip-jump from her as she mingled with them, 
but she's a bee whisperer...
it's more fun shredding the carpet than watching mommy work.








Yummy...a fly, one of my favorite natural foods.




Leaf-cutter Bee




In the garden, mommy thought this was a bee.
Looking at the photo, she thought maybe a wasp, sort of...
The eyes weren't right.
Now she thinks it's a Hoverfly of the family Syrphidae.
I'm a cat - just looks like a chewy bug to me.








Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
lost in the Aromatic Aster.


Pigging out on nectar.
What a messy pollen polluted face!




Things are always better on the other side of the flower.




Wheee...


Wheee...


Wheee...


Wheee...


Wheee...


Okay...okay!  Got a little carried away.

Whew!  That was tiring spinning back and forth.


One giant leap for bugkind!




Had to search through a zillion file folders
 to find two photos worthy of displaying my precious beauty.
Mommy says the camera hasn't found a way 
to fall in love with me yet.
The camera's had six years!
I think that's just what bad photographers say.

What do you think?




34 comments:

  1. I am happy to see New England Asters, a great favourite of mine featured here. They are still blooming prolifically in southern Ontario and are no doubt providing the last supplies of nectar for their various pollinators. We have not had the first frost yet, but that will not be long in coming and the whole landscape will change. Dark-eyed Juncos took up residence about a week ago and yesterday I saw handsome White-crowned Sparrows feeding alongside them, safe, thank goodness, by the good graces of responsible cat owners who do not permit their cats to roam outdoors. It always dumbfounds me, and amuses me somewhat I might add, when there is a huge hue and cry if a hungry coyote takes a cat permitted to wander at will, yet never a word about the carnage cats inflict on songbirds and other native wildlife. Our previous neighbour's cat used to regularly bring "gifts for mommy" as she described it, mainly headless chipmunks and star-nosed moles, with more than the odd bird thrown in for good measure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. House cats began in Africa, and domesticated themselves to take advantage of the benefits in the human world, basically of food, I think. They are a human-introduced predatory species that disrupts natures balance here. While I do love my cats dearly, it's in the nature of house cats, whether tamed or feral, to overkill. It's how they have evolved. Personally, I think cats are an invasive species that should never been allowed to stay. That being said, they are so adaptable to humans, humans will always keep them around.

      I always call the year Charlotte and her five kittens showed up in my yard, as the year I didn't have a life :) Austin showed up a few weeks after Charlotte, and it was so exhausting taming them all, finding the kittens homes, and bring Charlotte and Austin into my home. It was a relief when finding dead robins lined side by side under the deck, and dead squirrels in the garage became a thing of the past. It's difficult turning my back on creatures who seem to melt my heart so easily.

      Delete
  2. Hello,

    What a cute post and kitty. The aster are beautiful, a lovely sight. It is great to keep the bees happy. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a great new week!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the visit and the comment. Love this post and some fabulous photos. Keep safe Diane

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ohh Ilove the book of Chalotte!Good to see the world from a cat eye :))Funny too!

    So many beautiful flowers!Where do you live?We have nothing of that summer thing now..

    I wish you all well !And keep on posting from Charlotte and Austin too

    Ps that grand big Hornet ufff..!!I would not like to be stung of that one :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I live in the United States, in Tennessee, just a little south of Nashville. Leaves started to turn color in earnest about a week ago, although I still have trees and shrubs that are green and not coloring up as yet. We've had at least two years when winter cold didn't come until after Christmas, but usually first frost is late October in my yard, and winter arrives by sometime in November.

      I think by hornet, you mean the hoverfly. Totally harmless. Charlotte's right about one thing; I do have a difficult time trying to produce a good photo of her, poor kitty. She deserves better. Good to hear from you.

      Delete
  5. ...your local pollinators sure are loving your asters!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Another friend of cats... its a pleasure. I enjoyed reading.

    Stay healthy and well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a great cat story. I wrote one some years back for my daughter's cat who would have loved to explore outside, and sat at the windows and doors. Great photos, and the cat is so cute. Great idea for a journal. Lovely photos of the flowers and the bees.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm happy to know that Charlotte is not able to open the door and wander outside, there are far too many monsters out there !
    Beautiful photos of all that our state has to offer in the garden, we've enjoyed our milder than usual weather lately, and now it's time for a little frost or two this weekend.
    Thank you for your sweet comment on Oliver's birthday, I miss him with a passion.
    Hugs sweet friend,
    ~Jo

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow, here are lots of gorgeous shots and a story told from Charlottes o´point of view. I really like the beetle shots in the last row. I am not able to take shots like that. My camera is not good enough. :(
    Take care both of you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the really nice compliment. Personally, I like your photos. You have a good eye for framing the shot. I don't have a camera, so I use my Samsung Galaxy S7 cell phone. It would be simpler, if I could use a camera, but we all have our priorities, and mine do not include purchasing a camera. Simply: downloaded photos when opened in Paint are about four times the size of my monitor, and I crop to get my macro photos. Determining if a tiny subject is in focus on a cell phone is difficult, so I take many photos and pick out the best to work with. Not a process for those without much patience or time.

      Delete
  10. Charlotte has stories to tell. She looks so pretty.
    I love all the bees. A lovely post!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your photos are really a sight to behold!

    Thank you for brightening my day!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Charlotte, your eyes are green and you are very pretty. It's a shame that mom has neglected you so much when it comes to photography! This soldier beetle is a wonderful boy and with great interest I was able to observe a buzzing bees in your asters, great!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Our cat did need to know how to open doors, he just needed to know when it might open and scoot through. Coming home from work and opening the garage door was a war of wills. - Margy

    ReplyDelete
  14. Charlotte your pictures are wonderful. I love the poem. And what a collection of pollinators those asters have!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fabulous autumn colors and critters along with your adorable kitty. I'm sure mine dreams of opposable thumbs, too :)

    Your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week is greatly appreciated!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ah, the cat's life. I have often envied the lives a cat has in a good home. Love the poem, and your flowers are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you for your visit and comment on my photoblog. I see that you love nature. You have an amazing garden. Greetings.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Loved the poem and the journal entry. The flowers and bee are pretty wonderful too.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hello, Yvonne
    Beautiful kitty, I enjoyed the story. Your flowers with the butterfly, skipper and the bees are beautiful images. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care and stay well. Have a great day happy weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  20. These are so wonderful scenes whether cats or insects they are so cute! The story is very nice!
    Thank you for this joy!
    Have a happy weekend, hug Elke

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wonderful, this post with poetry and humor and great insect photos - and of course with a beautiful cat that is so photogenic that even an old camera can't mess with it! :-D
    Hugs and pets and best wishes from Austria
    Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2020/10/salzkammergut-im-oktober-2020.html

    ReplyDelete
  22. What beautiful flowers that attract so many interesting things! Enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hello Yvonne,
    Great photos and poem!
    I love the flowers.
    Greetings Irma

    ReplyDelete
  24. Cute post Yvonne :) And beautiful photography! I've been known to have cookies for breakfast too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. those asters are so pretty, i adore the color!! the goldenrod soldier beetle is a beauty beautiful!! your images are really awesome!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wonderful photography series and your kitty is so precious and great photos ~ Very creative Yin/Yang creation too ~ ^_^

    Live each moment with love,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  27. What a lovely collection of critters visiting the blooms in your garden Our wild asters have just about finished, and we have had a couple of early morning frosts.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Your photos make me want to pet your kitty. Soft!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Charlotte is a wonderful writer. Sweet poem and wonderful photos.

    -Soma

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...