Cold and Snow and Sleep

Since my last post, it has been dreadfully cold - so much so that the cats we sheltered at Christmas came back again, for some much needed warmth and peaceful sleep. As you can see, they do seem to appreciate it:



My childhood teddy keeps Rascal company whilst he sleeps, and perhaps dreams of birdies like the one in the calendar photo. I am glad he cannot catch this one ...



There's something about a window seat...



Sylvester keeps my chair warm (dogury nogamy :) ...



Sylvester spies something, or someone ....



Tristan cozies up with a blanket...



Bandito and Azalea...





Amaryllis time!! This one is Aphrodite - I love the red picotee edging ...



Supposed to be Red Lion, but it seems much more exotic, a nice mistake in labelling...




And last but not least, killer icicles - view from workplace hallway.

Keep warm and safe everyone!


Chaiyka

In the Bleak Midwinter

This weekend we had a special dinner party - a small intimate group - to end the season officially. A wonderful lasagna, delightful full-bodied red wine, brandy chocolates for dessert, and good movie afterward. All this with Christmas decorations still plentiful, including the Christmas tree (believe it or not). Here is the centerpiece made from a newly purchased mold - just fill with water, freeze and voila - a lovely icy star-shaped candle-holder, decorated with seasonal touches (I was having a Martha moment!)





It was a quiet night, but very enjoyable, even though some decided to wear lampshades (it was NOT THAT kind of party!)





Beautiful Sylvester, a neighbor's cat, came in to warm up - minus 20 today!


Sometimes he rushes in laden with snow, eager for a snack at the local "Kitty Daycare"!





And last but not least, the arrival of the amaryllis. This one is called Intokazi, and as you can see in other photos of the window garden, more scapes (flower stalks) are pushing upward, to provide much needed color now that the holiday greenery etc. has been taken down. In the winter months, my entire garden, which is a very large one, is reduced to this one windowsill. There reside the amaryllis of course, and various others including azaleas that always bloom for me at the holidays, and various geraniums, which may be considered ordinary in the summer, but in winter are colorful treasures indeed. The newly installed fluorescent lights in the basement have prompted and encouraged growth and even flowering, and as soon as I spot an imminent bloom cluster, up it comes to grace the window garden. Currently, we have some splendid peach colored types, and at Christmas we even had some bright red ones (a beautiful and different "Sparkler" variety). I could not survive the bleak winter without my winter windowsill garden.

New Year - New Look for the Blog...

For now anyway. I thought this looked nice and crisp and cold to better convey how it feels in snowy, blowy Quebec. And alas I have no inspirational photos to share at the moment so I will share a picture of me at the blowy, snowy bus stop - taken last year by myself with my cellphone. Do I hear someone calling "Tonya, Tonya!" ??

Snifter Snoozer

(Snifter Snoozer)

It seems as though every time I have attempted to update my blog or write to friends or family (Joasia - if you reading this - sorry for my lateness!) - there is an interruption. Usually a good one to be sure, but an interruption nevertheless.

To recap a little: I decked the halls, made myself and others jolly, and I even donned some gay apparel (ha-ha). I sang joyous - by myself and with others, and I was most definitely heedless of the wind and weather - I stayed indoors! I am embarrassed to say (am I really?) the only fresh air I got was whilst letting the cats in and out and in and out - well - you get the idea. And yet, a whole week has flown by anyway - the time seem to fly, even when not doing much of anything.







Some helped me decorate...





Some kept active (unlike me)...



And still others refused to share any glad tidings whatsoever, and agreed to disagree, briefly, whilst facing opposite directions...





And there were Christmas visitors - three cats comprising of Picolo Angelo, who slept all Christmas Eve night in Angel's favourite spot by the tree - it felt as if Angel was actually with us - quite amazing he chose her very spot to sleep in...


And the two neighborhood scamps, Rascal (aka, Is-he-or-isn't he homeless - sorry no pic this time - he moves too fast!), and Sylvester (long-haired, black and white) slept overnight in the basement on some warm and comfy old comforters at Christmas, as it was bitterly cold and it was obvious they were locked out for the night. I must say I slept soundly and peacefully knowing that at least these three were warm and safe on what had been so far the coldest night of the holidays.





And of course a new box is always the best pressie...

Today, New Year's Eve, the temperature has risen, and it almost feels like spring. So much so, that several of the residents actually slept on the porch this afternoon.

I was very late decking my halls this year (the tree was decorated on Christmas Eve - this has never happened before - lack of time and Christmas spirit was to blame), so I won't be taking it all down any time soon.





We all love the way it looks - cozy and warm and dreamy. I am sure I am always amongst the very last to "de-Christmas" the house. I really don't look forward to that task as it always feels sad and depressing, so I try to enjoy it as long as possible.

And so, by the end of this evening it is possible I will resemble this little fellow at the top of the page, once again from a vintage 1960's card, entitled "Snifter Snoozer". However, it takes a lot less these days to reach the bottom of the glass! Happy New Year everyone - health above all, and happiness in equal amounts! Cheers! And Na zdrowie!

So This is Christmas...

"A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear". - John Lennon

So, I recently read these lines on someone's blog:

When in fear
and when in doubt.....
Run in circles............
Scream and shout!

It was a little poem he had read in school a long time ago, and today, it truly made me smile - out loud! Me, who worries so much about everything. What if this, what if that - I think it was Neil Young who wrote "all the things I worried about never happened anyway", or something like that. After all, worrying is like a rocking chair - it gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere. Anyway, there is this person I don't know (Hi John!) all the way in North Wales, who made me smile - all the way over here in snowy Quebec. James Taylor is singing "Auld Lang Syne" - it's the last day of work, the afternoon will fly by, and I say Merry Christmas to all, and thank you to John in Wales.


(Vintage Christmas card)

Black

A closeup of neighbor's Mr. Poole look-alike. Taken with cell camera.



We have comfy waiting areas, and snacks too! He looks like a diminutive version of our Mr. Poole.



Black cat with white collar - word is out!



This guy maybe lives with "black cat with white collar" - not sure, but he loves to have long naps in our indoor baskets. Picture this – 3:00 in the morning, November 11th - Remembrance Day – everyone asleep – I am awoken by sounds on the dresser – light goes on to reveal what I think is Mr Poole, but wait – he is much smaller – and not fluffy – a sleek, miniature black panther, on the dresser in front of the mirror – who, unbeknownst to us, had been inside probably since dinnertime and fell asleep somewhere. And now, where does he make a beeline to? Angel’s old basket which is high on top of a chest of drawers. (we lost our little black Angel end of Sept.) Of all places! I tell you it was spooky – how did he know – I swear he went directly to it. He settled in and peered down at us contentedly – lights out. If he is homeless – we may just call him Angelo. Lately, we call him Piccolo Angelo - in remembrance of our sweet Angel that left us too soon this past fall.



Piccolo Angelo.



Sweet Angel, often called Angelina Jolie - Jolie petit (beautiful little Angelina) - who loved to sleep by the Christmas tree - I have never seen a cat that seemd to love the holiday season so much.







Resting now past the Rainbow Bridge...

White

Tristan rarely sits still, as he is too busy knocking things off any surface onto the floor. So this picture perhaps catches him contemplating his next act of vandalism? But he is a sweetie, and when he comes from the cold his nose is oh-so-pink!!


Yesterday we got walloped with lots of snow and blowing snow, and yet inside I have my flowering geraniums, and this white lily, which decided to set a bloom in late, late fall, and so brought it in, pot and all, before the frost arrived. For several weeks now we have enjoyed this pure white loveliness. There were 2 blooms in succession.

Chaiyka Assists with Mail Call !

Hiya - wadya get ???


Let me help you open it!



Blech! Needs some sardine oil...



OK - I think I'm making progress... (nom...nom...)



Right - That corner's done - next corner!

(Ah - can't wait 'til Christmas unwrapping - I'm your cat for the job!)

Tiny Toad Lily

This little gem was the very last bloom in the garden: the very small and delicate Toad Lily. It is so late to form buds, that only one flower managed to unfold before the severely killing frost zapped all the remaining greenery, and flowers.




Rudbeckia triloba is a "must-have" for me, as it always is the last to bloom, but well ahead of the frost and hence there is lots of time to enjoy it. Also, it is remarkable for its upright and well-branching habit - so it rarely needs staking. The stems are long, light and airy - in some light, at dusk, it appears the blooms are floating in mid-air, dancing in the early evening breeze. Just beautiful, and I don't know why more people don't have this cultivar. There will be more next year to enliven the fall garden.

But, frost has come, and it even snowed last weekend. The cats are grumpy that the weather has curtailed their activities, although secretly, I am happiest when I know all my babies are inside, as a blanket of snow deepens and curls around the house, keeping us all warm and safe.

Autumn Poem

Autumn hills lie purpled,
Barren are the fields,
Garnered is the harvest,
That the summer yields.

Autumn leaves are falling,
Skies are dull and gray;
Wild geese southward calling,
Howeward fly today.

Autumn winds are blowing,
Cold, and damp, and drear;
Winter is approaching,
Filling mean with fear.

Autumn snows are falling,
From the lowering sky,
Giving us a signal --
Winter's drawing nigh.

Anonymous,
1928

Painting by Claude Monet