Thursday in the Garden

 Karen Jo:  Sorry I haven't blogged in so long.  First there was getting out of my funk, then I got a sinus infection, which is almost cleared up, then I went to a three day conference and came back with a badly upset tummy, which I am still recovering from.  We are not joining the Feline Gardeners, as I seldom have anything in the garden worth photographing.  After the gophers took over, I just let the garden go wild.  Above the lace vines are in full bloom, much to the delight of the bees.

 We got more rain this year than last and I had a bumper crop of weeds, but this one has pretty flowers.

 It was also a bumper year for toadstools.  I had some bigger ones, but didn't get out to photograph them.

 The phlox are past their prime, but still pretty.

 Spyro:  I have reclaimed my title as the kitty who can climb/jump the highest.  I don't really like it up here, but I had to do it at least once.  It did get a little embarrassing.  I couldn't get down again.  I walked to the other side of the drapes and Mom climbed up and go me down.

 Oja:  I still spend most of my time in the computer room, but I am coming out more now.  I made friends with Horus and now I don't feel so outnumbered by icky mancats.  I have two friends now and that makes me feel better about roaming around the house.

 Rocio:  Another reason Oja feels safer about roaming around the house is that I have stopped annoying her.  For some reason, I now get hissy with Horus and Bambino sometimes when they want to play with me.  I took a serious claws-out swipe at Horus the other day and Mom broke it up.  He had me cornered under the computer desk and I didn't like it.

Karen Jo:  I have no idea what brought this on.  Rocio was always ready to play with any cat who wanted to.  He hasn't hissed at Bambino since a week after Bambino moved in, until just the last few days.  He isn't acting like he doesn't feel good.  He is eating and drinking and running around and playing with toys.  He is going to the vet in about a week and a half for his rabies booster, so I'll ask her about it.

 Bambino:  I wish I knew why Rocio got all hissy with me the last time I pounced him.  I just wanted to play.  Luckily Spyro will still play with me and Horus will play chase with me.  It's fly season and I am having no end of fun chasing them.

Horus:  I escaped today and met the woofie from next door.  She is a minpin and I am bigger than she is.  We sniffed each other over without any hissing or barking.  Then Mom caught up with me and I had to go back inside.  See my tiger paw?

Fungus on Sunday

 The rainy season brings up some surprising things in my yard each year.  In the front yard, I mostly get fairy-ring mushrooms, but the back yard produces huge toadstools. Each of these beauties is the size of the palm of my hand.  They are probably very poisonous, but I find them fascinating.

 Fungus?!? What about us?  This is our blog!

Emma:  Yeah!  We are supposed to be the focus of this blog.

Karen Jo:  Okay.  Tell me all the fascinating things you have done since yesterday.

I dodged the scissors once more and I really hid from that pointy thing.

Karen Jo:  That was a seam ripper that was recommended as a way to cut out your mats.  I decided pretty fast that you are far too wiggly for me to try to use anything with such a sharp point on it to get rid of your mats.

Emma:  The weird litter boycott continues.

Karen Jo:  The Desert's Sand remains pristine, untouched by kitty paws.  It's fine with me.  Now I only have to scoop one litter box.

Emma:  Herman, Do you think this new litter thing is really just a fluke, or is Mom being tricky?

I am not sure, but I think we better keep an eye on her.

Karen Jo:  I didn't have to share my lunch with any kitty, either.

You got out that stinky stuff that you put on your meat.  I don't like that.

Karen Jo:  I didn't put any horseradish sauce on the meat, just on my plate.  I dipped the meat in it just before I ate it.

I don't like the way it smells at all.  It put me right off.

Karen Jo:  Don't blame it all on the horseradish sauce.  You don't really like roast beef in the first place.

I like rib roast, but you don't get it any more, just like you don't get lamb any more.

Karen Jo:  Sorry, but both of them have gone beyond my budget in price. We will all have to wait for a big sale. Don't worry, I will be roasting some chicken again soon.

Yay!  Just don't put too many herbs on it.

Karen Jo:  What else have you been doing?

Emma:  Both of us have spent a lot of time looking out the windows. There have been birdies and rain and wind to watch.

There was a full moon tonight, but it was too cloudy to really see it.  It was nice and bright last night, though, and we looked at it quite a bit.