Meowy Purrsday to All!🐈🐈‍⬛🐈

 Sweetie wishes you the best of everything.

(He's very interested in the camera!)

He feels that it is high time for fall to commence.

🍄‍🟫🍂🍁🍂🍄‍🟫

Celebrating The Arrival of September

 

It was September 25, 2022.

That's Mt. Hood there on the horizon.

We were headed south!

I wish you a day full of happiness!

Let it enfold you!

❤️

A Walk In The Forest

 

            Cherry and Koba were both free range children. Why not? Every inch of the Great Forest was their dedicated playground. Ah, but the Silver River is another matter. The river moves through the Great Forest, a sort of interface with the outside world.
            One day that fall, Cherry and Koba were visiting Bunny Town and getting to know the new children, who were now old enough to come out and play, and get to know Cherry, and her nephew, Koba. It was always alright with the mothers and fathers if their children played with Cherry near their burrows. They were not allowed to range the forest at their young ages.
            However, in any family, or extended family clan, there is always one. That special one who has a lust for adventure. One with a born-in need to raise his little head, lay back his ears and look further than his nest mates. Alas.
            This year the visionary was Leap, named for his father. From his birth, as soon as his eyes opened, he had been trying to leave the burrow. In fact, his mother was glad to have Cherry keep an eye on Leap. It gave her a few moments to attend to the other three without worrying.
            So, on that day, Leap and Cherry and Koba were sitting in the grass beside the trail running past Bunny Town. Leap was demonstrating his jumps to the cheers of the others. He obviously would be a very fine big rabbit someday.
            Suddenly he stopped jumping right in the middle of the path. He was facing the river and his nose was twitching, and quick as a bunny, as they say, he took off at a dead run up over the hillock between Bunny Town and the Silver River.
            Cherry and Koba had no choice but to follow him and bring him back to his mother.
            To gain the advantage of height, Cherry rose into the air over the path. Koba his blue star form, did the same.
            “Can you see him?” Cherry called.
            “He’s going straight to the river,” said Koba.
            The rushing water must have called to Leap, for that’s just where he was heading, as fast as he could go. The children followed close behind, and did capture little Leap just before he lept into the water. So it appeared that for that day, all was well in Bunny Town. Leap’s parents, Leaper and Missy, said he would have to stay indoors for two days, as punishment, to remind him about the rules.
            Oh, but while the children were catching Leap, an inflatable raft was drifting down the river, heading toward town. The occupants, two biology students from the local college, glanced up into the air near the tree line. Their mouths dropped open.
            They didn’t know what they were looking at. One hears of orbs, of course, but everybody knows that’s not real, thought Larry. But there it was, right there. A blue light, about as big as a beachball maybe. It was brilliantly shining, like some sort of heavenly body, he thought.
            Dianne, the other student, said, “What’s that!” when she saw Cherry’s small blond form aloft beside the blue light thing. “It’s carrying a rabbit!” she hollered.
            “No way!” said Larry, steering the raft toward the pebbly beach.
            “What are you doing?” said Dianne.
            “Can you imagine what would happen if we got photos? Don’t you want to be rich and famous, Di?” said Larry, with a plan in his eyes.
            He managed to beach the raft and tie it off on a very large granite boulder, which was right there and handy. They grabbed their cameras.
            Now, we know the situation with the Mouth of the Mountain. She is no longer able to swallow passersby, even those who are trespassing, but she does know a thing or two.
            As Larry and Dianne passed her, she laughed. They looked at each other, and kept walking.
            “Who was that?” said Dianne. Larry shrugged.
            “I see that blue thing down that path!” said Larry. Larry was no poet.
            In a moment they were among the trees. The path vanished, leaving only brush, in the dim light. Pushing his way through a large scratchy bush, he said, “They can’t be far ahead of us!”
            The light went out. It was as dark as midnight. Dianne grabbed the back of Larry’s belt and hung on. “I don’t know about this..” she said, but he kept walking.
            Something very large and dark flew over their heads. They could barely see it, but they could hear the big wings thrusting the air aside as it moved deeper into the forest.
            “Keep your camera ready,” said Larry.
            “I think we’re going in circles,” said Dianne. “I’m seeing the same brush, and broken places where you broke them, Larry. Let’s go back. I don’t think we’re getting any photos today.”
            But he wasn’t done yet. He pulled Dianne around in the dark for nearly an hour before he stopped and sighed.
            “I don’t even know anymore how to get back to the river,” he said.
            “There is a little light over there, let’s go that way,” said Dianne, pointing to her right.
            Larry was tired enough that he listened to Dianne, and complied. In a few minutes they could hear the river murmuring ahead of them where the light was stronger. Their steps quickened and soon they walked out onto the beach of the river.
            The raft was still there, just as they had left it. Larry untied it from the big boulder and shoved it into the water, allowing Dianne to hop in first. Just as it was clearing the rocky bottom, Larry hopped in too.
            The raft resumed its drift to the west.
            “You know what, Di. I didn’t see a thing, and neither did you. Right?” said Larry.
            “Right,” said Dianne, but actually she had, and she never forgot it either.

🍂🐰🍂

The Letter to Sneaky Sue

 

 Maurice locked the front door on the farmhouse for the very first time that night.
            Then he sat down on the floor of the front room on his pile of folded blankets. But he was drowsy. The song was very much in his mind; he played the tune again.
            Then he thought of writing to Sue, but he fell asleep while thinking of what to say. It had been a long time, and a lot had happened to him.
            He fell asleep thinking about wildness, and then it was morning and bright sunlight was coming in the windows. He took his book and the pen out to the kitchen counter, because the window faced east and the light was brightest in there. He would write standing in the light there at the counter.

 

🌲

    

Dear Sneaky:
        I have been thinking of you and Joseph, and wondering how you are doing? I know it’s been a long time. I’m still alive and I am near Ralph in his Forest. I have been sleeping in an old farmhouse where no one lives.
        A lot has happened to me. I don’t wear clothes anymore because I got fleas in them, so I buried them in the forest. Now, I just wear my fur and a nice bag for my red book, pen, and harmonica. I don’t know what I will do about that if I ever decide to visit you in Branson. But if I do I will figure it out.
        Well, Ralph will probably figure it out. Not me.
        A strange thing happened to me two nights ago. Me and Uncle Bob gave a concert from the top of his Stump House to the Forest. Some people came, Ranger Rick and his helpers, and the lady who writes for the paper in town. Two families of Forest People, a bear lady, and Ralph with his Ramona and little Cherry, and their animals. Twigg and his family came too, and the baby did kind of a light show. But the most surprising guest of all was that guy from space. Mak. He came in his ship!

        It was fun. Just like we used to do in parks and stuff. They really liked it, and I loved doing it. Bob writes good songs. Some of them are a little weird. But, he’s Bob. He used to be a heavy smoker. More about songs in a minute.
        After the show, I came out here and went to sleep. In the night something came in and took my book and read it. In the morning while it was raining real hard this thing like a witch made me play music for her and I couldn’t stop! Oh, Sneaky it was horrible.
        Ralph found me and set me free and made the mean thing disappear. All my stuff was wet, but Ralph made her give my book back. We went down to his place and ate and dried all my stuff. I finally decided I needed to come back here, so I did.
        I walked home through the night. I played a new song about going home alone, to make myself braver. I was walking in the moonlight, and I heard a voice singing a song to my tune. It was beautiful, but I don’t know who it was!
        Someday I will find out. I didn’t feel alone after the song I heard.
        How is Folkie Joe? Does he have any new hits?
        I will tear this page out of my book and find a way to send it to you.
        From your friend, Maurice, A True Howler
        Thank you for being so nice to me when you were a little kitten.

 🍂

 
            After Maurice wrote the letter, he loped over to Thaga’s house and knocked on the door. Soon she opened it, and was surprised to see Maurice standing on her porch in the morning sunshine.
            “Mrs., will you help me mail a letter to my friend Sue in Branson? I’ve never sent a letter before. I don’t have an envelope or a stamp,” said Maurice.
            “Of course I will. I hope you know the address, but we can probably figure something out. Come in,” said Thaga. “Why don’t you go sit in the kitchen with Ooog and I will get an envelope and a stamp for you.”
            He found Ooog sitting at the end of the big wooden table drinking some coffee and eating fried potatoes and onions, and some eggs.
            “Have a seat,” said Ooog, then he went to the stove and got a plateful for Maurice, and also a mug of coffee. “I heard you talking to Thaga. I’m sure she’ll figure out how to send your letter.”
Maurice said thanks and sat down around the corner from Ooog and started on his nice surprise breakfast.
            Thaga came back with a long plain white envelope and a stamp. She sat down at her place around the other corner from Ooog across from Maurice.
            Maurice explained that if she wrote the address like they were sending it to the ice cream shop that it would probably get to her, because there was only one Howler frozen custard shop in Branson MO. So, this is what she wrote:
            To S. Sue
            CO Howler Frozen Custard
            Branson, MO
 
            “I don’t know the zip code, Maurice, but it’s a small city, I believe and the post office will find it, I am pretty sure,” said Thaga.
            So Maurice carefully tore the page he had written from his red book and folded it up  to fit in the envelope. Thaga put it in and stamped it. She put her own address on it too for in case of return.
            “Now, if you go put it in our mailbox, and turn the little red flag up, when the mailman comes by, he will pick it up and take it to the post office,” said Thaga. “I hope she get’s your letter. I bet she does, and will be very surprised to see the return address and wonder who in the world is sending a letter from out here. Then she will read it and be very happy to hear from you!”
            “Thank you!” said Maurice. “The breakfast was very good too!”
            He ran out to the dirt road, crossing the little river first, found the Neanderthal’s mailbox and sent the letter on its way, hoping it got to Sneaky, his old friend.
            After that, he went to catch up with Uncle Bob and teach him the song he had heard the night before, in the moonlight.

💚

🍂🍁🍂It's Almost September! 🍂🍁🍂

 Hang in there!

Fall is coming!

Suzday Blessings to you!

Photo is of garden gifts from my son last year.

🐈‍⬛🍁💚🍁🐈‍⬛

🍁Going Home Alone🍂

 

            Eventually, Maurice’s things dried beside the fire. He had eaten with Ralph and family, both breakfast and dinner, and it seemed like the only thing left to do was return to the scene. It was time to go home. It was just like getting back up on the horse. Best to be done before he got a chance to let fear set in.
            The problem was solved; he told himself. “Right!” he thought.
            When he put his book back in the bag,  it made him think of Sleeky Sue, and suddenly he missed her very much. He thought about writing her a letter, while remembering their meeting in the freight car, and how kind the tiny creature had been to him. Another tear fell down his long nose.
            He thought that was pretty wet for a tough guy like himself, so to settle his nerves he started working on a tune. But it came out sounding like train music. Maybe this tune was for Sneaky herself.
            “Firekeeper, Ramona, do you have an old pen or pencil I could use?” said Maurice, since he hadn’t been able to find his for a few days.
            “I do! And it won’t do me any good. I can’t write, Maurice. Just keep it,” said Ramona, coming back from the shelf in the cave where she kept a few things that came her way. It was an old yellow Bic pen.
            “Thanks,” he said, still thinking about writing a letter and wondering how to send it.
            “Time for me to go home, and tonight I will lock the door,” he added.
            “Oh, good idea,” said Ralph. “You don’t want to wake up with the place full of nosy rabbits or turkeys!”
            “Yeah, I don’t really expect anybody,” said Maurice.
            But Maurice was still a little nervous. He remembered it all too well, and the awful feeling of helplessness. A True Howler really doesn’t like feeling helpless. He felt a growl coming up from his heart.
            Nevertheless, he started the evening walk to the old farmhouse where no one had lived for many years, and he now thought of as home. He trotted past Ralph’s big log and up into the big meadow. He wasn’t that familiar with the old stump where Twigg and Marge had met, but pass it  he did. He kept going, noting the Alder Tree House as he passed. The farmhouse was closer to town on an old unused dirt road.
            Fall was coming and the days were getting shorter. Soon he saw the moon rising, and a few stars even though there was a sheer layer of cloud way up high  over the forest and the meadow. He, with his fantastically sharp hearing, heard a few exhausted leaves fall on to the grass and settle there. The wind came by, shaking a few more of them down.
            It was dark, and he felt alone suddenly. A new sensation. It was the last in a long series of revelations. He’d never noticed it before. Maurice shivered.
            To cheer himself along he began playing a song he called Going Home Alone In The Dark. He wondered what kind of lyrics Bob might put to it, and had to laugh. You never knew with Bob. He was a true natural, and knew nothing of convention. His sweet heart was as pure and simple as sunlight on flowers.
            Just as he was thinking about lyrics, Maurice heard a voice in the distance. A beautiful voice. He was so astounded that he stopped his tune to listen. The voice stopped too!
            “What!” Maurice said aloud, standing there under the moon. No one answered. So he started up again, walking and playing the going home song.
            She began to sing with him again. He began to discern words! She was singing lyrics with him, totally off the cuff! It was dreamlike. Unbelievable. Miraculous!
            Her soprano was clear as a bell and very carrying. It came to him under the moon, and over the meadow. Straight as an arrow.
 
            You’re not alone.
            Not alone.
            In the night, in the dark.
            Your heart is  heard,
            loudly, clearly.
            Come be a warm night.
            I will be the moon…
           
            To say that he was intrigued is to mince words. To say that he was smitten it to state the obvious.
            “Who are you? Where are you?” he called, but got no answer.
            He found the old dirt road and followed it to the old farmhouse. He didn’t even especially note the scene of the incident with the grey witch. Moonlight shone over everything and a couple of stars blinked through the haze.
            “We’ll meet, I know it,” he told the night, and went on indoors.   

   

  🍁🌔🍁

Morning Greetings From SuzieQ, August 28, 2026

             She was really sticking close today, so I figured that she had something to say.

            So, I asked her, "What's on your mind today, Suzie?"

            "I was resting under your desk today, and both of them were out there! Looking at me. It makes me nervous," she said.

            "You know, if you don't run, they won't chase. You're a cat too. You should know that," I said.

            "I have a hard time remembering that with all those eyes looking at me. I know what it feels like to chase, and it's a pretty compelling urge," she admitted. "Anyhow, that's a photo of me five years ago. I was more orange then!"

            "Orange and green are a pretty good color combination. You should be proud to be orange with green eyes. I think a lot of people would like to be so pretty!" I said.

            "Aw, thanks. Really I just wanted to tell the readers 'Good Morning!' and say 'Prrrrt!' to my cat friends. It's been wonderful getting to know Toots, Sammie, Buddy, Serena, if she would talk more! I even miss the Fluffbag, even though he's not my Boyfren! I even miss Ms. Charley, but I know she doesn't miss me! Funny kid!" said Suzie.

            "What about Booker and Sweetie," I urged. 

            "How can I miss them? They're right here, all of the time! But yeah, them too."

            "Anything else?" I asked her.

            "I notice that the days are getting shorter. Soon it will be fall and pumpkin flavored everything!" she said.

            "That's true. Do you want a pumpkin this year. You'd match almost!" I said.

            "Yeah, I think so. But hey, Toots, where do you want to go next?" she laughed.

            "I'm sure she'll let you know," I said, before she wandered off to sit on the back of the recliner.

            So, good morning, all! Best of F'linedays to you! 

🎃