Stray Cat Strut...

... incidentally, he does walk right by with his tail in the air, which of course made me think of the song and, in turn, sing it to him while he lolled in catnip.

I know I'm about two mammals, a marsupial, and three reptiles away from being a regular zoo, but this little guy needed some help. Found in the industrial part of town, on a trail behind freight terminals back where you could film an opening scene for an episode of Law and Order, on the hottest day of the year, this little, nameless dude had nowhere to go. So for two days in a row, I've been a foster mommy, and we'll see how it goes. Poor baby is terrified of loud noises, and being left in a room alone, but his scraped up nose is on the mend, and he no longer smells like garbage, and finally eats at a pace where it appears he may believe the food is not actually going anywhere.

Big Sister, on the other hand, is adjusting better than i imagined, though she's not taking any lip, and when new guy hisses at her she's quick to put him in his place. I'm hoping this is just a small kink to be straightened out, if not for long-term, at least until this little guy calms down enough to place with a new mommy. Until then he'll be recouping here ... Passages of the animal kingdom, apparently.

Too Hot to Blog

Brunch, on the other hand, is always a good idea!

She's my favorite raccoon this year, well her and her boyfriend Arne (full name: Arne Gonnafeedme). Arne digs in all of my flower pots, and stands up against the glass door looking for me, or I should say, until I look at him, and this little mama is known for falling asleep on my patio after a little midnight snack. But as I understand it, pregnancy is exhausting no matter who you are. Her babies are here now though, and she's been one busy girl. Some days are advanced foraging lessons, while others are reserved for tree climbing 101.

It's been such an unexpected pleasure to meet this little gang of bandits this week!

Re-Introducing...

The Etsy banner (er, since the last one had a glaring typo ... nothing screams pro like a spelling error! Haha):

Soon to be up and fully operational!

(It's a little small, but you get the idea)

The Stonecutter

There was once a stonecutter, who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life.

One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house, and through the open gateway, saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. Then he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter.

To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!"

Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair. He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!"

Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!"

Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages; shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!"

Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it - a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!"

Then he became the stone, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock, and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the stone? he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter.

Chinese / Japanese Fable

Author Unknown