What's black & white and adorable all over?

If you've ever read my blog, you've probably figured out that it's our Baby cat. It's been a while since I posted any of her antics, so here goes!

When I came out into the kitchen the other morning, Baby was sitting in the family room on the rug, soaking up the sun on her back. I told her to stay right there while I ran to get my camera. Here's a first - she listened to me!

She's hung out on that spot all day, long after the sun was gone!

She loves to keep me company in my little office/studio. She was watching while I was painting my latest piece, but then she started nodding off. I hope this insecure artist (me) isn't reading too much into that!

Another time I was filing paid bills, left the room for a minute to get something, and came back to find her curled up in the last section of the file folder!

 I had the top drawer of this bureau open a tad. I keep some of my smaller prints in the drawers and was filling an order. Lo and behold, when I returned someone had squeezed her way into the drawer! This photo is cropped VERY closely to try to hide the mess on top of the bureau (which is actually my girls' old changing table from when they were babies!). I didn't really succeed in hiding the mess, but had to share the pic of Baby anyhow!

This was her in May, right after I plunked down my lavender and impatiens on the window screen feeder.

And this is her last night!

I had Chipmunks (looking for handouts) running around me on the deck while I was taking these photos, so I'm sure that's what caught her attention here.

Sorry, Baby. You are an indoor kitty.

So that's the Baby photos for today.

Oh, and Amanda, our oldest was on vacation in Switzerland, Italy, and Germany back in April. Someone saw Baby's picture and told her that Baby is definitely a Norwegian Forest Cat. I'd never even heard of a Norwegian Forest Cat! I looked them up on-line and, you know, and she just may be! She has "the look" and tons of their traits! And all this time we thought we just had a regular old shelter kitty. Who knew?

We're in for HOT and HUMID this week. We have been blessed with amazingly gorgeous weather this June, at least for me since I don't like extreme heat.

Enjoy the week, everyone!

Donna

How much is that kitty in the window...

Baby, our little indoor kitty...

...loves to watch the world go by from the windows of our little 'cottage.'

 After all, there are so many little critters and birds to watch...

While filling birdbaths out in the garden, I heard her meowing. Luckily I had my camera with me. She looked so cute sitting in the window.

These photos were taken about a month ago, right after I plunked some 6 packs of impatiens and vinca vine down on the birds' screen feeder outside the dining room window.

This photo was taken just a few days ago. The impatiens and vinca vine are growing nicely, and Baby has moved to the downstairs window to watch the world go by...

 No matter where she looks...

.. there is always something to watch...

Even if it's just me!

I'll toss some peanuts out in a minute, Baby. That should get you some immediate chipmunk, squirrel, and blue jay action!

I'm linking up to Cindy's My Romantic Home Show & Tell Friday.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Donna

Are you an early bird? Or a night owl?

If you're an early bird at our house, this is the view through the DR window.


The early morning sun casts tree shadows across the front of our little shed.

"I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time." (Emily Dickinson)

But if you're a night owl, this is the view, created by the back porch light casting shadows of the hummingbird feeder, bird bath, and fuschia across the shed.

"The very shadows seem to listen."

(Anna Katharine Green)

Day or night, how I love shadows!

Please visit Cindy, My Romantic Home, for all kinds of Show and Tell Friday fun!

Donna

Score 1 for Sammy Squirrel...

... and a big zero for the flower boxes...


Up until yesterday, this is what my backyard flower box looked like. I had to photograph the front yard flowerbox this morning because....


THIS is what the backyard one looks like now. Nary a plant left. And why, you might ask?

We are in the middle of an extreme heat wave/high humidity weather pattern here in the Northeast, not fit for man nor beast. As a result, I went out to refill bird baths a few times yesterday as they're quickly going dry from the constant bathing and drinking going on (the little creatures, not me)...

Anyhow, while refilling the birdbath down by the backyard patio yesterday afternoon, I noticed that my gorgeous flower box was EMPTY!

Or was it???

Upon closer inspection, I spied Sammy (even though he was trying his best to hide behind the one remaining vinca vine!)

As I got closer, he got a little skitterish... But with the weather being as blasted HOT as it was, he could muster only a few steps before collapsing at the other end of the flower box. I'm certain his little squirrel-sized brain was thinking, "Maybe if I drape my little paw over the side and look adorable she won't be angry and cut off my peanut supply."

You know what, Sammy? If I was a squirrel, I'd have done the exact same thing as you... That cool soil is a necessity on days like today.

So Sammy got peanuts tossed to him (I always have them in my pocket when out in the yard) and I made the decision to just leave the 'dirt' box like it is for the rest of the summer. The Sammy's need their cool soil more than I need my flowers in this unbearable heat...

And no pictures of the hummers yet. Whenever I spot them, I don't have my camera handy. Whenever I have my camera handy, I don't see one. But the chair is still parked there and if I have any spare time I'll try to plunk myself down and get a photo before the bee balm is done blooming (it's already started the downward turn!)...

Hoping you all have some way to keep COOL if you happen to be going through a heat wave like we are!

Now head over to visit Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday!

Donna

The little shed...

Our backyard has gone through many transformations over the past two years. In one post, I wrote about our "Roswell, New England crater," the spot where the old above ground pool sat, and which, little by little, is being transformed into a garden and patio area...


And this is our little shed, or at least a corner of it... It sits next to the old free-standing treehouse. (It seems like just yesterday that the girls would have Mr. O'Malley climb the stairs into the treehouse to play with them...)


We've had the shed for about 2-1/2 years now. It sits where the girls' old wooden swingset used to sit. I suppose this is a natural transition for yards once the children who played there have become young adults; but years ago, the deck was a great place to sit and watch them play on the swings, in the pool, or in the treehouse...


This photo was taken last year, our first summer with the shed. Before planting flowers in the windowboxes, I decided to change the color of the shutters and windowboxes, as we'd only had a small selection of colors to choose from when we purchased the shed. (As you can see from this photo taken late last spring, the treehouse hadn't yet been gussied up with an old window and windowbox... That was done later that summer.)


Since I had picked a vibrant (some might say 'gaudy') green for the windowboxes, I thought it might be a bit much for the shutters as well. Although I'd never seen white shutters on a white house (or shed) before, I thought I'd give it a try.


When all was done, I actually liked the 'white-on-white' look of the shed and shutters, with the only color being provided by the flowerboxes. Just a few weeks ago we put lattice around the foundation and planted hostas on either side of the double-wide doors. (Since they grow so quickly, I'll probably end up separating them from time to time, which is a plus since I have several other areas I want to put hostas into.)


Remember this photo from my "Old windows and flower boxes - a match made in Heaven" post back in May? I was so anxious for my impatiens to grow...


Here they are now. The impatiens really flourish in these northern exposure windowboxes, and the vinca vines now reach the ground. By this time of the summer, my impatiens always look better than any of my other flowers. They don't care if I fertilize and they don't need to be dead-headed... They're actually the perfect flower for a lazy gardener like me!

As you can see, Mary has once again been moved. She is now in her (I think) permanent home under the cherry tree, watching over the garden... Now I need to get out and enjoy this beautiful afternoon as we're finally rain-free for a change!! (And believe me, I wish I could send some of our rain to you gals who need/want it so badly!)

Donna

Old windows and flower boxes... a match made in heaven....

Window boxes... Flower boxes... Whatever you call them, few things equal their instant cottage charm!!!

We live in a split entry where the windows (hence, any window boxes) are well above watering level, so I've had to create my own at ground level by pairing flower boxes with some of the old windows I've collected in the past.. (another great way to recycle those old windows!!).

It's hard to believe that by by mid-summer these impatiens should be tall enough to meet the windowpanes.... (By the way, Mr. & Mrs. Wren have accepted the fact that I must water the flowers behind their cottage each day. Although they still keep a watchful eye on me, they have at least stopped their loud chattering, aimed at driving me away!)

This is the girls' old tree house, which is actually a free standing fort that hubby built for them when they were little (they're now ages 19 and 22 so, needless to say, they don't use it anymore!). We dressed it up a bit with an old window and flower box ....

This garden window is attached to the fence along the backyard, right next to the patio we put in last year. It is also the one that the squirrels like to rip apart on a daily basis... Vinca vines and impatiens are always strewn on the ground below in their attempts to bury/find/rebury/refind their favorite stash of nuts. Darn good thing for them that I think they're cute!!

Now if you read yesterday's blog post about patience, this is where I need to remind myself that it is indeed a virtue, because I sooo want these little guys, planted in the windowboxes of our shed, to look like the ones from last year (see sidebar photo!)... Granted, that photo was taken late in the summer... Patience, Donna... patience!!!

I promise I'll do an "inside" post one of these days [soon]... but the weather is just fantastic, as anyone from New England can attest to... and I'm just loving being outside and planting and having fun with the flowers and birds and critters!!

Comments Update: The shed came with its own flowerboxes, and we didn't make the ones on the fence (but I did paint them that bright green! ha ha)... I bought them at The Christmas Tree Shops last year. I was just there the other night and they have them this year, too. My husband screwed the windows and the planter boxes into the cross rails/support rails of our "oh so old" stockade fence and they seem to be holding really good!

Donna