Do You Know The Day Or The Hour?

  

          

            “Mama, what’s a birthday?” said Cherry from slightly aloft, midair, shining in the afternoon sunlight.
            Ramona sat down beside her fire, and looked up at her child, trying to discern the germ of the question.
            “Well, what people call your birthday is the day in time when you were born,” said Ramona, “but I bet you knew that. So what are you really asking me?”
            “Twigg said that people have a party on their birthday. But their birthday, the real one, was a long time ago before they can remember,” said Cherry, slowly descending to sit beside her mother.
            “Oh. That’s because human people keep track of days as they go by. Before they had computers, they used a sort of magazine called a calendar, which showed all the days of a certain year in little squares. It had a page for each month, as they call it,” Ramona said, hopefully, because it didn’t make a pile of sense to her even as an adult.
            “Why do they keep track of days that way, Mama,” wondered Cherry. “And, what’s a month?”’   
            “Each year has a number, Sweetie. In each year are twelve months, it’s just a part of a year, usually about 30 days, some more, some less,” said the mother. “There are about 365 days inside every year.”
            “Why,” said Cherry.
            “For keeping track of the stories of days that went before, such as the day they were born, or for planning what is coming in days that haven’t come yet. So they know what to expect and can get together with others with plans. We just say I’ll see you in four days, or whatever. They say, ‘I’ll see you next Wednesday,’ or whatever day they mean.
            “Cherry, I forgot to tell you that each year has about 52 weeks inside it too. A week is seven days. These weeks happen over and over, and each day of the week  has a name.”
            “Why don’t we have a calendar too,” said Cherry.
            “I don’t think we need one. We see the seasons change, like it’s nearly winter now. We’ll see when spring comes. It will show itself.
            “Cherry, I think all this keeping track of days started when they started writing and then when they got kings and chiefs who wanted to get people to do things at certain times.
            “We don’t do that. Yes, your father is the king out here in the Great Forest, but he’s not like a human king. He doesn't make people make roads or get armies together to fight other armies. As, he says he mostly helps at weddings, and feasts and has a great time singing songs and telling big stories!” said Ramona. She smiled at the thought.
            “Mama, I only can touch and see and hear the day I am in right now,” observed Cherry.
            “I know! People really like to feel that they control the days, but the days come and go anyhow, no matter how much they write them down. The only day we really live in is the right now one. And actually it’s a moving thing, smaller than a day, its right now, over and over.
            “In a way, every day is your birthday, Cherry,” said Ramona. “When your mind wakes in the morning every day, it’s like you are just born again!”

            Then Cherry had another question.
            “Why does Maeve say, ‘Evermore’ all the time,” said Cherry.
            “That’s a pretty good question,” said Ramona. “I hadn’t asked myself or anyone else or her why she says that all the time. Maybe we should ask her.”
            Ramona stood up, getting ready to do one of those cowboy whistles she does to call Maeve, but Maeve must have itchy ears or something, because she appeared as if by magic.
            “Evermore,” echoed through the trees as Maeve bombed down out of the canopy.
            “What’s up? Where’s the Boss?” she said.
            “Well,” said Ramona, “Cherry wants to know why you say ‘Evermore’ all the time!”
            “Hm! Let me think,” said Maeve, cocking her head to the side and observing Cherry closely. “Number one reason is that there was a famous Raven who said ‘nevermore’ and that was such a bummer and such a dead end, that I decided that I should do better!
            “The other reason is because I see good stuff all around me all the time and it just keeps coming. Also, it’s a heck of a lot of fun!” she finally admitted.
            She looked around the Home Clearing in a pointed manner, as if seeking someone at a party.
            “Maeve, Honey, Ralph is up at Ooog’s place delivering a bag of fish and getting a bag of potatoes and onions to bring back down here!” said Ramona, answering Maeve’s question finally.
            “Hm, well, I think I’ll just fly over there and see if he needs any help,” said Maeve, lifting off.
            “Evermore!” whispered Ramona to Cherry, as they watched her go.
            “Yes,” whispered Cherry!
            Blue was there, paying close attention, but she didn’t say a single word.

🍂⏰🍁

What's Up, Suzy? Open Suzday Thread!

 

            It was one of those quiet days with just about nothing going on. Catfurday afternoon, a yawner. I was sitting here at the big salvaged desk picking through the internet, seeing if there was a story rattling around in the story box.
            Suzy appeared at my right elbow, waiting silently for a chance to speak. It’s nice of her to wait so politely. Her brother isn’t like that. Insistent might be the word for him!
            Anyhow, finally I said, “Hey Suz, what’s cookin’ upstairs today?”

          “I’m trying to get everything to work together. There are a lot of things to think about, and the edges don’t seem to fit each other,” said Suzy with a tiny furry frown between her ears.
            “Isn’t that a very big thing for a very small cat to be worrying about?” I asked her.
            “You have to understand, P-lady, that I have really got nothing to do but think. It maybe look as if I’m asleep, but I assure you, I’m thinking,” she said.
            “OK,” I said. “Let’s check you out. Do you believe in the Forest People? That’s a thought project if I’ve ever heard of one,” I said, trying to wrest the subject matter away from a Unified Field Theory, which I do believe might be a lot for a small feral kitty.
            “I see what you did there,” said Suzy.
            “Well, how about that! So what do you say? Yea or nay?” I persisted.
            “It isn’t a matter of whether I believe or not,” said Suz. “They do or they don’t quite independently of what I believe to be true!”
            “OK. Well, which do you prefer? A mysterious race of Forest Keepers, part legend, part science, part totally unknown? Or a boring world with no mysteries in it?” I said.
            “There are plenty of mysteries already. We don’t need Forest People,” she posited.
            “Maybe it doesn’t matter if we need them or not?” I said.
            “Well, to get back to your question, yeah, I believe. Toots has seen them at night walking the highway. I have heard some funky calls in the night, like nothing that is supposed to be out there. I’ve heard all those programs you watch. Yeah, they’re out there,” said Suzy.
            “That’s pretty much what I think, Suzy. But I sure wonder what they’re made of and what they’re doing all the time!”
            “It’s going to take more than podcasts to figure that out,” said Suzy. “Maybe what we need to do is ask them.”
            With that, she jumped down to my knee, and then the floor and wandered off to look for the Unified Field again, or something.
            Willie caught my eye and winked. He had been listening, as usual.
            “It makes her happy, you know, biting off too big of a bite gives her plenty of chewing to do,” he giggled.
            “She may get there, Willie!” I said. “Stranger things have happened, I think.”

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🤍

Posture in Motion.

 

            Unlike the guy in the Beatles song, Ralph is a lover and a dancer. But the subject hasn’t come up very much, or at all.
            Ralph has accepted the tacit belief of his friends, such as Ranger Rick, but not Thaga or Ooog, that he sings his words and the words are not fruitless. And this is true, as far as it goes. He would say his songs are like prayers sometimes and sometimes just plain shapeshifting of things. He’s quite innocent. There is no magic in this, just the words and the song.
            The truth of the matter is that he was dancing all along. He built the Home Clearing, and in fact, his part of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, which he calls the Great Forest, was danced into being. It was separated out from the mundane forest by dance.
            It’s easy to say that. But is it easy to picture it? It requires a relaxed imagination. There is grandeur involved. No flailing of arms and legs. No. It could even be that one watching him would not see it as dance.
            He is massively slow, like seasons or earth changes. Each motion summons a reality into being.
            I believe that he thinks of it as housekeeping, or even nest building. He’s not an empire builder. It doesn't occur to Ralph to spread his influence around where it’s not wanted.
            After he met Ramona, he began this work. First the cave. Then the whole clearing was dedicated by gesture. Ramona knows that he danced the Home Clearing into being for her and their children. Thaga and Ooog have seen him dance. They might have learned a move or two from him too.
            I like to think that the wind surrounds him as he dances and adds its bits and decorates with some of whatever is loose in the trees or on the ground. Fall would be a great time for this. I can easily see his chestnut coat scattered with blossom petals or leaves and the wind just tossing his locks around for effect.
            The wind always has something to add, sighs and whispers, implied promises. The wind loves change
            Perhaps there are times when the mighty Raven adds her blessings in great wide circles of flight with her long dark wings beating out a rhythm. You know she would!
            It’s just an image I’m offering. Stillness, posture, gesture, and change.

🍁🍀🍂

🤍

Sneaky is Missing!

🧡🖤🤎🤍

Dear Book,

          It’s been so long since I wrote in you. I didn’t forget how. There wasn’t much to write about. Me and Sneaky were just keeping house for Joe, making up Ice Cream flavors once in a while. Some of them were winners. But some of them we had to eat ourselves or give to some street guy. I guess nobody wants jerky in their ice cream. It seemed like a good idea to me!
            OK. Sneaky and I were planning to go on a trip to see Ralph. We were going to do it old style, on the train. We went before, with Joe. But this time it was just going to be her and me. I’m sorry about the pet carrier. But she looks like a pet.
            A weird thing happened this morning. Usually, Sneaky is awake first, then she wakes me up. Then I take out garbage and cook and stuff. I do laundry at night usually.
            Today I woke up with no little cat telling me it was time to wake up, and it was late. Morning was halfway gone. I was really scared, Book! I didn’t know what was wrong, but something was!
            I couldn’t find Sneaky. I looked all over the apartment. I even went outside and checked the lawn and the flower beds, and the kid’s playground. No little cat anywhere. Well, not so little. Sneaky had been getting kind of fat lately. You’ll know why in a minute!

            I went back inside to try to figure out where she was. Joe wasn’t home, so he was no help. I did a better search. I looked under the beds. I looked in all the cupboards in the kitchen. I even looked in the dryer.
            Finally, I looked in the bottom of the towel closet in the hall next to the bathroom. I found her in a nest she made of towels in the bottom. And she wasn’t alone! She had four new little baby cats with her, and she wasn’t fat anymore.
            There was a gray one, a black and white one, a tabby, and there was an orange tabby too.
            I was so surprised I forgot how to talk for a while.
            She said she would like a bowl of water and some tuna, so I got her those things right away.
            I guess I’m Uncle Maurice the True Howler to four babies now!
            We’re not taking four babies on the train. Not now anyhow.
            And that’s all I have to say today.

🐺

 

Hard At Work @ Lake Pleasant Regional Park, AZ

             As you can see, Bubble Woman and Business Associates are working hard, or as they say, hardly working on the shores of Lake Pleasant.

            All the info a person could want on Lake Pleasant Regional Park.

            The closest thing to a bubble in evidence is this object. Maybe bubbles don't survive well in Arizona?

            To these PNW eyes it looks much like a small lake surrounded by desert.

                        The surrounding desert part.

            Some sort of bristly plant life, native to the area.

            Charley would like you to know that she is relaxing in the big RV with the factory air running.

 And all is well!

🤍

Happy Birthday! You're It!

 

 

            The outing was based partly on a dare and partly on a birthday wish. Wendy, not her real name, wanted to camp in the National Forest for her birthday.
            Her friends, The Lost Boys, promised to keep her safe in the big forest. The group included, Mark, Jim, Sally, and Robert.
            It was the wrong time of year for camping really. But they were young and enthusiastic. They borrowed two tents, and brought a lot of food and drink. It is possible that no actual sleep was intended. Maybe they would stay up all night sitting around the fire, after the dare part of the occasion. That part of the occasion was a hike into the dark, rainy forest.
            They were completely green, had never camped or spent any time away from streets and buildings. Hard to believe, but true.
            Robert was the driver. It was an old Chevy van. It was packed with supplies and people. Wendy sat in the seat of honor, her birthday, 18 today. Robert was 20 years old, so  he was supposed to know something. He looked as if he knew something. He was wiry, brown eyed, ponytail guy, tall and bossy.
            He parked in their designated area. It was afternoon and already looking like early evening. They were the only campers present.
            “If we’re going to have time to hike in the woods, we better get started,” said Robert. “Soon it will be too dark..”
            While the Lost Boys and Wendy were climbing out of the van and getting prepared  for a damp hike, the camp host came around to greet them. The camp host turned out to be a young woman, approximately their same age. She said her name was Marge and that if they needed help with anything to ask her. She said she was not busy right now and that she lived in the small mobile right over there.
            “Could you suggest a trail for a short hike?” said Wendy.
            Marge pulled a Forest Service brochure with a map printed in it out of her inside jacket pocket.
            “This one is only a couple of miles and loops back here. It should be just about right. Take lights in case it gets dark before you get back,” said Marge. She didn’t know what to think of this group, but figured they were young and strong and even if it got dark and cold, they’d be alright. Robert brought the map along.
            “Thanks, Marge,” Robert said, and rallied his group around himself.
            “Let’s stay together, now. Last guy in a group is the one the bears eat, you know!” he said. “Guy on 411 says that.”
            They entered the forest. The trees were impossibly tall, water dripped from all surfaces, the light was dim. It was actually a little spooky. But they kept going. It was a nicely maintained trail and made them feel confident and safe.
            Somehow Wendy ended up at the back of the line. She kept up though.
            Then things got weird. It went something like this.
            Robert was first in line. Then Sally, the blond, Mark was next, then Jim, then Wendy.
            Something huge and black was in the trail ahead. Robert stopped to look.
            “What’s that?” he said.
            “I don’t see anything,” said Sally. “But I sure smell something! What’s that smell?”
            “It’s making my eyes run,” said Jim, blinking and rubbing his eyes.
            “Something must be dead up here,” said Mark. He retched.
            The big black thing developed red glowing eyes. There they were, about nine feet up in the dim air of the forest trail, right ahead, maybe 50 feet up the trail.
            That was enough. When the thing started giggling, that was too much already.
            Robert, Sally, the blond, Jim, the chubby kid, and Mark, the wisearse, all split. They demonstrated to their best ability the concept of gone. Back down the trail, forgetting Wendy. They ran right past her, the birthday girl.
            She watched them go. Then she looked up the trail at the glowing eyes and all of that.
            “Hey,” said Wendy.
            “Hey,” said Ralph. “Where’d everybody go?”
            “I guess you scared them,” she said. “They’re probably clear back to camp by now.”
            “My name is Delores. They call me Wendy. It’s a silly joke. Who are you?” asked Delores.
            “I’ve been called Ralph for a long time now, my birth name is too hard for you humans to say,” said Ralph. “Why are you guys camping at this time of year? Most humans like a sunny day.”
            “Oh, it was a birthday wish of mine, to camp in the forest,” said Delores.
            “It’s your birthday?” said Ralph with a little laugh. “Tell you what, Delores, if you’re not scared that is, why don’t you come home with me, meet the family and have a little birthday treat with us? What do you say?” said Ralph, who had knocked off the glowing eyes bit, because it was actually not very comfortable to do that thing for long.
            “Yeah, OK, yeah, Ralph. I’d like to meet your family. Those guys can just wonder where I am. They ran right past me and left me!” said Delores.
            So then, Delores and Ralph walked together to the Home Clearing. She met Ramona, who was delighted to meet her. Twigg was home for dinner, so she met him and Cherry too. She also met Blue and the puma brothers.
            Maeve appeared and was informed that today was Delores’ birthday.
            “Evermore! Everyday is your birthday! Happy day!” said Maeve.
            Ramona fried trout, and boiled up a pot of cowboy coffee.
            Cherry demonstrated her flight skills. Twigg told her about the B’s. The cats smiled their secret cat smiles and Ralph beamed over the whole proceeding.
            When it seemed like it  had been long enough, Twigg walked Delores back to the campground. When he saw that her so-called friends were still there, he continued to the camp host’s place to visit for a moment with Marge.
            “Where were you?” demanded Robert.
            “We were about to call the ranger and get a search and rescue started,” yelled Sally, the blond.
            “We haven’t even had dinner,” said Jim.
            “Did you meet someone out there?” demanded Mark.
            “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” said Wendy. But eventually she did tell them, and they didn’t believe her, but had no other explanation, so they had to kind of go with it.
            And since they were there, after all, and young and full of beans, they went ahead and made dinner. Sally brought out a cake she had baked the day before and hidden in Tupperware. They had a little beer, and sat up all night talking and joking around the fire.
            Then in the morning, Robert took everyone to their various homes. They slept all day which was OK because it was a Sunday.

🎂

Winter Wishes From KittyComm™

 

            “It’s going to be a busy month for the Pinkies,” said Suzy, in the midst of an evening chat with Toots.
            “The ones with progeny and even grandkittens are the most fussed up and hissy,” observed Toots.
            “My lady does the Festival of Lights, Dec. 14 at sunset this year, but she doesn’t get too carried away. Candles, lots of candles and just gazing into the lights. I quite understand the urge,” said Suzy.
            “Oh my, yes,” agreed Toots. “A candle flame, even one, is a great thing. It’s like a doorway almost.”
            “She, you know, does get a little hissy about figuring out those Christmas presents for four kids, a sister, a niece, four grandkittens, all the usual expected ones. She loves giving gifts but it’s hard to divine what a 21 year old grandson wants. Of course, money or gift cards are easy, but sort of meheow, if you see what I mean,” said Suzy.
            “No. Not very festive, IMO,” said Toots.
            “I wish there was something we could do for our people,” said Suzy. “Maybe get them to feel more Purry, instead of Hissy.”
            “Like always, they need us to Purr together for Peace for them. That’s our real work here, isn’t it Suz?” said Toots.
            “Yes! And I also think we should Purr for snow! Snow seems to make people, and even cats and dogs feel more festive, happy! It looks like a real winter holiday time!
            “Now, personally I would rather be warm and snug, but that change in the weather outside seems to do something for my lady,” said Suzy.
            “It doesn’t snow much down here, Suz. I am not sure my gentleman is crazy about it, but I think he might like to see some snow,” guessed Toots.
            “We must steel our nerves to observe the lighted tree, but not touch it. It’s hard, I know, but we gotta do this one,” said Suzy.
            “True,” admitted Toots.
            “Other than those things, we must distract them with cuteness. It’s kind of embarrassing, but it works every time,” said Suzy. She coughed a slight cough.
            “Some little nips and head butts help a lot too,” said Toots.
            “So, if any humans are reading this, just know that we’ve got this covered! We’re going to take great care of you this winter!” said Suzy.
            “That’s right,” said Toots, firmly, with conviction!

            “That goes for the rest of us cats too,” said Willie, butting in suddenly…..

😺😹😻😸😻😺