Roxie’s Frabjous Day

Posted on by Claremary P. Sweeney
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Hummingbird & Irises

Roxie, here. Hope all is going well with my good friends out there in the blogosphere.

The folks were watching a movie last night. In it, a girl named Alice falls down a rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland! She meets a Cheshire Cat who can disappear into thin air. I would love  to find out how he does that. It would really come in handy sometimes, so  I decided there and then I’d go in search  of my own rabbit hole.

Roxie at the Door
Roxie at the Door

The next day, when Mom opened the back door to bring out the hummingbird feeders, I made my escape. (Will she never learn?)

I’ve been watching the chipmunks  running in and out of the woods digging in the gardens since the beginning of March. Our yard’s full of chipmunk holes, especially under the May Apples which are in bud right now. There were lots of holes to choose from and I tried to stuff myself into a few but they were all too small for my head. (Mom’s always saying I have a big head.)

Lady’s Mantle, Heuchera & May Apple
May Apple Blossom
Variegated Hosta & May Apple
Purple Lilacs
Purple Lilacs

Now, it was a long winter. I hadn’t been outside in eons and the first thing I noticed was the smell of the French Lilacs around the patio.  Totally intoxicating!  I ducked under a bush next to the Forget Me Nots and almost fell asleep. Just like Dorothy in that poppy field.

Blue Forget menots
Blue Forget me nots

While I was nodding off, it occurred to me that, like Alice, Dorothy had ended up in a place far away from home. A place called Oz. But, tornadoes not being an option at the moment in Rhode Island, I set off looking for a larger hole. I scurried across the grass and stopped dead in my tracks when  I realized how soft it was. I took a deep sniff and licked my paws, then rolled over on my back. Puffy white clouds above and a fresh, green carpet underneath me. Absolute Heaven!

Billy's Garden
Billy’s Garden

I looked up to see Mom coming toward me, so I zoomed into Billy’s Garden. He’s a cat who once lived in our house. Supposedly, he’s hiding out here somewhere “pushing up daisies”. I looked around. No daisies. No Billy. But there were the most beautiful, fragrant peonies flowering near the clematis vine. I’ll say this for her, Mom really does plant some gorgeous flowers.

Then, I saw those big, stinky feet coming toward me. Dad keeps telling her to wear her shoes outside. I don’t know why he bothers. She never listens to anyone. In the summer, she tracks stuff all over the house – footprints the size of a Yeti’s leading from one room to the next. It’s early June and the dirt already is permanently caked on and incrusted between her toes and I’ve yet to ever see her lift a leg to even try to lick them clean. She’d probably tip over if she tried. The woman’s always been a bit unbalanced in my estimation.

Pink Peonies & Clematis
Nelly Mosher Clematis
Cream & Yellow peony
Orchid Irises
Purple & White Irises
Pink Peony with Yellow Center
Allium
Pink Tree Peonies
Red Peony

She almost caught up with me under the hydrangea. Not much cover there yet. Just sticks coming out of the ground with a few buds and some leaves around the base. I was going to yell at her, “You’ll poke your eye out!” but I waited to see if she did. Instead she ran to the screen door and began yelling into the house for Dad. “Charley, Roxie’s escaped again. Help! The red-tailed hawks are going to get her!” I took off and bolted toward the front garden to hide behind the Irises. They’re in pretty thick clumps since Mom didn’t bother to divide them last fall.

ZuZu & Roxie at Wndow
ZuZu & Roxie at Wndow

For weeks, I’ve sat in the window gazing down on the buds, waiting for them to open and it seemed like this morning’s sun had baked them until they finally popped like golden biscuits.  Some of the purple ones actually smelled like the grape jelly Dad puts on his toast. That made me hungry, but I couldn’t stop now. I crawled behind the Columbine and the yellow Irises and made a bee-line for the Gazebo. Ah, “Gazebo”! The most beautiful word in the entire English language. I’d seen a woodchuck burrowing around and, sure enough, there was a hole  underneath big enough for the likes of my svelte form.

Columbine
Yellow Irises
Irises
Forsythia & Gazebo
Purple Striped Iris
Granny Bonnet Columbine

Crazy Lady was still standing on the front steps screaming, “Charley! Charley! Roxie’s escaped again!”  Dad came bounding out of the house and into the woods. He gave me a treat, picked me up and rubbed behind my ears. “I have a surprise for you,”  he whispered as he opened the door of the Gazebo. Inside was the furniture he’d stored in the cellar for the winter and there was my favorite chair and my blanket and my tables all in place once again.

Variegated Wiegela & Korean Lilac
Variegated Wiegela Blossoms
Pink Lilacs
Lily-of-the-Valley
Dad & Roxie

We sat together, looking out at the Weigela bush in bloom and the Lilac and the sweet Lilies-of-the-Valley. He tuned in the radio to the Yankee’s game and began reading his book. Deja Vu! Just like last summer and all the summers I can ever remember. Sitting next to him I realized I didn’t need to fall down a rabbit hole or follow a yellow brick road.  We had our own little Wonderland, our own Emerald City right here in the woods.

Oh Frabjous Day!” I called to the cardinals hiding deep inside the Forsythia’s branches and to the squirrels chasing each other up and down the white pines.  “Callooh, Callay” I shouted out to the hummingbird at the feeder. I spied a rabbit sitting in the woods near the Foxgloves. “Aren’t you late? Aren’t you late? For a very important date?” I meowed. It hopped off toward the gargoyle bench. Maybe that’s where its hole was. The frogs were out playing checkers with the ladybugs and suddenly I felt that all was right with the world. And then the Yankees got a home run. Dad tickled under my chin and I gave him one of my adorable looks.

Foxglove and Gnome
White Foxglove
Rabbit
Gargoyle Bench
Yellow & Orange Iris
Frogs & Lady Bugs
Garden Cat & Purple Flag Irises
Princess ZuZu
Princess ZuZu

At that very moment, Mom came prancing out of the house with Baby Snookums in her arms. Where are those flying monkeys when you needed them?  Dad greeted them with a , “”Well, look who’s here!” I mumbled,  “Off with their heads!” The little darling was carried in and carefully set down upon her throne. She sat there looking around like she owned the place; checking the floor for bugs to eat. Disgusting habit!

I jumped to the back of the settee and shut my eyes as tight as I could.

Roxie & ZuZu in Gazebo
Roxie & ZuZu in Gazebo

Eventually she climbed up next to me, hogging  most of my blanket. “Will no one rid me of this troublesome cat?” I howled. I waited patiently for an answer. This was not a rhetorical question!  The minutes ticked by. No Jabberwocky emerged from the vernal pool; Dad continued reading; Mom was busy working on a crossword puzzle; birds were chirping; the Yankees got another home run.  And then, Dad looked up contentedly, smiled at all of us and said, “We are so lucky.” In my heart, I  knew he was right – as usual! And I felt happy, too, even though ZuZu’s butt was touching me. So, I swatted her with my tail and decided I’d stick around here for a while longer. It’s really not so bad and “giving thinks”  I purred out loud with a catitude of gratitude: “There’s no place like home!”

Have a Frabjous Week!  Your friend, Roxie D. (aka The Other Cat)

Roxie in her favorite spot
Roxie in her favorite spot
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Roxie staring longingly from inside the house at her Gazebo
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Baby ZuZu aka Mom’s Little Darling
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Dad in the Garden
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Mom with a Nelly Mosher Hat

 

86 thoughts on “Roxie’s Frabjous Day”

    1. Thanks. Charley took that photo and he didn’t tell me I had flowers poking out of the top of my head! My yard is a bit behind other RI yards – it’s in the woods and it creates a microclimate, so I was shocked when I went out the other morning and it was in bloom. I had to share. Glad you liked it. Clare

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    1. You’re welcome. Usually the gardens are not so lush, but I think the relatively mild RI winter and the short February freeze had something to do with the Irises and Peonies being so amazing this year. Other gardeners have mentioned they’re having similar experiences with some of their flowers this Springtime. Clare

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  5. Hello Roxie – this is The Bean speaking. I have three comments for you 1) chipmunks smell amazing … like nothing I have ever smelled in my life and I am obsessed with them 2) I too am a Houdini and give my mummy the heebyjeebies on an almost daily basis now that I have the back door open and a full run of the yard and woods. 3) Lily of the Valley are my Grannies favourite, my mummy had a bottle of LOV scent which belonged to her granny given her by mine for nearly 30 years until a removal man dropped it and it smashed when she moved to France. In France you buy or pick bunches of them (called Muguet) for your own mother on May 1st. I don’t know why and since I can’t actually remember my mother, I don’t do this.

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    1. Dearest Bean, I’m so happy someone is thoughtful enough to leave a door open for you and give you such freedom. Mom is always worried we’ll be carried off by something up in the trees. (Personally, I would love to have a bird’s-eye-view of our house! And I’ve been thoughtful enough, on occasion, to give ZuZu the opportunity to run for her freedom.)
      The story of the LOV scent is marvelous and if you ever find your doggy mom, maybe you could give her a bottle of chipmunk scent, “eau de le tania”. We should become entrepreneurs and patent this idea for other thoughtful pet children like us. I think we’d make a great team! Your good friend, Roxie D.

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    1. Mom has lots of Latin names for all of her plant – like Dicentra. But I prefer names like Fox Glove and Granny Bonnets, myself. I’m glad you liked my tour and I hope your little family is having a beautiful week. Your friend, Roxie

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  10. Roxie, what a frabjous garden you have! And what a pity a certain person (I name no names) seems to think she owns the place. But clearly you have a noble nature (as does your Dad) and can rise above her petty lets and hindrances. Gardens can help with that. Along with home runs.

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    1. Yes, Frabjous hiding places! And as the summer comes on, the bushes will grow in thicker and it will be a lot harder for Big Foot to find me. I do have a noble nature, as you say, and I refuse to let “She who will not be Named”, turn me into a complaining cynic. Thank you and please send my best regards to Gib. Roxie D.

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  11. Oh Roxie, darling!! So good to hear from you!!
    As a matter of fact, I’ve been having several frabjous days in a row, I just couldn’t think what to call them!!
    You are my sweetest cat ever, my love!! You posted all those irises, and other purple flowers just for me, I know!!
    I appreciate them so much!!
    I would miss you so much, if you fell down a rabbit hole!
    But I am glad you had a bit of a ramble! Little miss “nameless” will always be a trial, I’m afraid. But, you rise above the pettiness, so wonderfully!! You make me very proud!!
    But really! What gall to have her tush touching yours!!
    Love, Your Prez, Melinda

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    1. Melinda, you really get me and I truly appreciate that. Of course the purple flowers are all just for you! Mom and Dad were away again for a few days and I was stuck alone with “You know Who”.I don’t know what it is about her. She’s always on top of me, following me around. I don’t get any peace. The Girl cannot take a hint! Thanks for your understanding and you are the best Prez ever. Love and hugs from your friend Roxie.

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      1. Roxie, of course I get you! Our friendship was meant to be!
        She needs to get a life! And NOT yours!!
        Try to take it as a compliment. She just wants to be close to your frabjousness!
        Kisses, hugs, and love back to you, my precious!
        Melinda

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    1. This is there best year ever. I have over 30 peonies all over the yard and they are bursting with blooms. The little sugar ants are crawling all over them, busy pollinating. When I got my first peony, 35 years ago, I noticed the ants and sprayed to keep them from getting into the house. I had no idea of their function and the poor plant’s buds always fell off before they bloomed. I learned from my errors and this year is a bountiful one. I would gladly give you one if you lived nearby, but methinks they would not make the trip to Greece alive.

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  13. I think I fell down the laughing hole since I cannot’ stop smiling! Your whimsical narrative style is excellent, I recognized a truly writer’s flavor for right words! And not to mentioned that your photography accompaniment sounds so melodic and inspiring! Roxie is a clever girl who knows how to enjoy this beautiful life! Special note for your garden, it looks fantastic! I enjoyed it so much! Best wishes, Clare!

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    1. I just knew you would like the photos. Did you know that you inspired me with your own Irises? I am happy you enjoyed my Roxie “voice”. One needs many “voices” when writing for many people. Wishing you a lovely week.

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    1. The gardens are filled with little figures – angels, gnomes, gargoyles, cats with shovels and ducks to name a few. Sometimes they’re in hiding and sometimes right out in the open playing checkers. They make me smile, every time I’m weeding and I find one I thought was lost. This is the best spring for blooms I’ve ever have. I’m glad I took pictures in case it doesn’t come about again. Thanks for stopping by.

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  16. Beautifully written, and I like the novel cat’s-eye perspective too, Clare. Your garden is quite wonderfully profuse, and it appears you have your own woodland too – what a blessing! I have apple orchards out the back, which are currently full of blossom, though I’d rather a real woodland like yours. How come dad (Charly) wears a name tag in the garden – did you forget his name once or something? 😉

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    1. Oh, Hariod, I love that you are the most observant man ever! We had been away in North Carolina most of the week and came home late Saturday night. When we woke up Sunday morning, the gardens were in full spring bloom, welcoming us home. I had to take some photos before we went to church service. We have name tags to wear if we want. The newer people at coffee hour really appreciate it. I have been known to put mine on upside down or to wear Charley’s tag at times. I was never very good with labels and getting them straight. You would have loved the music this week. We had a young trumpeter , the organ blended in beautifully and the voices were joyful. And there was a cookout after service, so we spent a peaceful morning with good people all around. (Now, aren’t you glad you asked about the tag?)

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  17. Glad to hear you got back safely, Roxie. Billy’s Garden looks like a fun place to go wandering about in, but wherever Billy is hiding, he’s not doing a very good job at pushing up those daisies. I didn’t see a single one in the photograph accompanying your post. Incidentally, I agree with you about “gazebo.” It is a beautiful sounding word. 🙂

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    1. Thank you Bun. I’ve yet to come across any daisies, but there are supposedly other cats pushing them up in gardens around the yard. I’m not interested in the job myself, but I think it’s something that ZuZu might be good at. She’s an expert at Hide and Don’t Go Seek. She can wait hours for me to show up and find her. I’m hoping to spend some time in the Gazebo this afternoon and just waiting for a chance to escape. Thanks for the note. Your friend, Roxie D.

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    1. Rhode Island on the Atlantic coast of the USA. We have a lovely spring and summer season of flowers and then the leaves change in the fall and there is winter. I am not the avid gardener I once was, but my gardens do show off sometimes.

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    1. Thank you, Marie- I hear Ireland is beautiful and green. Like the Emerald City! And you welcome guests. If I ever get a passport, I’ll make sure I get to the Emerald Isle and visit. I love my fans! Your friend, Roxie D.

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  21. When the “catitude of gratitude” is doled out with discernment, it’s all the more exquisite, isn’t it? As opposed to those who drool and wag and run in circles over everything from a stick to a steak. I’m with you, Roxie, there has to be that certain je ne sais quoi before the day can truly be called frabjous. We are fortunate you chose to share your day with us – merci!

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  22. Clare your photos of the garden are a feast for my eyes! Almost overshadowed Roxie’s entertaining post – the little rascal. I love some of the old fashioned (heritage?) varieties you have. Thanks for sharing. Oh, and Charlie looks good too 🙂 just in case he’s feeling left out.

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    1. I’ve had some of those peonies for over 30 years. I’ve lost the labels, so don’t know the names. When I planted my first ones, I didn’t know the ants crawling on them were the pollinators, so I sprayed them. Needless to say, the buds kept falling off! I’ve learned a lot since then.
      Your gardens must be ready for their winter sleep. I’ll have to keep putting flowers in my posts for you.
      Charley’s doing great – still in remission (2 years, now) We just returned from Johns Hopkins for his latest tests. We went to a ball game while we were there. I think I may write about our recent adventures in my next post. He sends his good tiding to you, too.

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      1. Clare I didn’t know about the ants being pollinators. When I lived in cooler climes I had the most magnificence white peonie but not the range of colours you have. Yes please! More photos of your wonderful garden. I’m so glad Charlie is doing so well. Please give him my best.

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      2. Nor did I, but they’re not good for anything if you spray them and they’re dead.- Lesson learned. All of my peonies were free. The last bunch (15) came from the woman next door who wanted her peonies taken out so she could put in a rose garden. Rose gardens are really tough in this neck of the woods and I think she was sorry about it later because she ended up moving to Florida. We have a woodchuck living under the gazebo. Roxie keeps an eye on him from the window. He will probably eat up many of my summer flowers if we don’t catch him in our have-a-heart trap soon. I have no idea why he didn’t go after the peonies and Irises, but I caught him dancing on top of the little cherry tree on the edge of Billy’s Garden yesterday. He makes me laugh. Such a funny creature! I will certainly give Charley your best and we both hope you are doing well and the injuries have healed from your accident. Take care. Clare

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  24. Oh I chuckled when I read this post. Great stuff. However I was also rather taken with your garden. ( although garden does seem to be somewhat of an understatement) Beautiful flowers and so many of them. I like Billys Garden. Its beautifully rambling and entices you to venture deeper inside. I cant believe how many different specifies of flowers you have
    So Question… how long does it take you to look after it and keep it as beautiful as it is?

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    1. I am the world’s worst gardener. I bunch a ton of plants together, hoe around them, put down some mulch and hope for the best. This year it worked and has given me so much color in early June.It hasn’t in past years. I’m amazed. I have over 30 peonies (all given to me) in Billy’s garden and around the yard and they grow bigger, taking up more space every year. I don’t even remember when I put the 3 clumps of white and purple Iris in, as this is the first year they’ve bloomed. The clematis got stuck into the middle a few years ago as an after-thought and I’m not sure where the Allium originated? I dug up some grass on the ends of the garden and put in 2 free never-ending summer hydrangeas on one end and a miniature cherry tree Charley gave me for my birthday on the other side. It’s all so haphazard. I’ve planted some day lilies but I won’t know where they are until they come up. When I add something into Billy’s Garden, I try to make sure it’s pink or purple or white, but other colors are popping up each year??? I don’t spend much time at all after the first spring hoeing and mulching because everything starts growing in so thickly in that garden.other photos are from some of the gardens on the other side of the house. The little quadrant garden has herbs and they start to take over in June – so no work there. The arch garden is a bit of a problem and needs some work this year. I’ll do a blog on it when I get it redone. The shade garden against the back of the house goes nuts about now with ginger, heuchera, lady’s mantle, hosta and May Apples vying for spreading room. These plants need very little care and spread. I’m going to transplant the May Apples because they are bullies and need a place of their own to push each other around and leave the shorter plants alone.
      The thing I spend the most time on is pruning back the flowering bushes after they bloomed or in the fall and it makes a huge difference come springtime. And this year I’ll have to divide the Irises after the last blooms. They are too thickly clumped and will stop sending off blooms if allowed to continue spreading. I like moving things around. But I’ll admit, I’m a lazy gardener who spends more time looking at the gardens, than working. Thank you for your sweet message and believe me, if I can get something to flower with so little work, anybody can. Clare

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  25. Well that’s a reply and a half and on the strength of it I nipped out at lunchtime and bought a car load of hydrangeas
    I know they like a lot of water and live well on beach soil ( such as it is) so bought a lot and am hoping for instant bushes over the weekend. Hydra from the Greek – water of course.. or it may be latin but anyway do you think that was how they got their name. Anyway I don’t suppose for one minute it is as easy as you make it sound, but I trust you Clare and will let you know what happens.

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    1. I made a mistake with my first hydrangeas and planted them in full sun. Most varieties need some shade, particularly during the hottest time of day. The oak leaf hydrangeas leaves wilt in the sun, due to the surface area of their large leaves. And the older varieties of hydrangeas only formed buds on their old wood, so if they are pruned at the wrong time, there will be no flowers that summer. The newer varieties form buds on old and new wood and so you can get a profuse amount of flowers even when you prune them down in the fall. Michael and Bonnie Dirr are the experts on hydrangeas and on other woody plants. I have their books and refer to them often. Have fun planting and choose the right spot. Clare

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    1. I stuck the tree on the sunny edge of Billy;s Garden and it is the first thing I see when I open the door. It’s actually in the middle of the yard. (My gardens end up everywhere. Declan would go mad around here.) I like to place a garden or special bush where it’s framed from the inside by a window or door. I look out and there it is! I also subscribe to building gardens by planting the “bones”( bushes or trees) first. Then adding in the perennials and every year planting some annuals for summer color. For the past few years, Charley gives me a bush or tree for my birthday or mother’s day. I received a lovely lion’s mane maple for my 65th birthday. It sits right outside the flu-fru room where I can see it from the couch.
      ZuZu wants to know as much about your chickens as possible. She loves chickens!

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      1. I am buying the Eglu/Omlet coop for them. Its clean and although not ascetically what I would choose, it stops rats etc. ( we back onto a river). I am having 3 different kinds. White; red brown and grey.
        Dec (Declan) is still sulking about it….
        Whats a flu fru room?

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      2. The Fru-Fru room is a little sitting room I decorated with lace curtains, doilies and a blue brocade love seat. The walls were supposed to be painted a terra cotta shade, but the sunlight coming through the windows made it look like Bordello pink! Charley referred to it as too Fru-Fru for him to sit in. We just repainted it, added book cases and leather furniture – so it’s now The Library.
        Did you ever see our own state chicken? The Rhode Island Red 🐔

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    1. Eugenia, Although she grabs at any chance to write about herself, Roxie would much rather watch cat videos all night long. During the day, she spends most of her time figuring how to escape outside and she is quite successful at this game. Believe it or not, I don’t spend very much time on the gardens at all. I’ve planted lots of easy care bushes and perennials over the years. I do hoe and spread alpaca poo in the spring and this year I put a layer of mulch over it. This helps keep the weeds and watering down. In the fall I prune the bushes and this makes it easy in the spring. Most of my yard is wooded area and I keep that natural for the birds and creatures. The only problem creature is the occasional woodchuck and we try to catch them and release them in the preserve across the street. Thank you and I think I’ll stop by your place for a cup of coffee this evening. Clare

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  28. Wow your gardens and flowers and gazebo are stunning! I love this story, you are so creative and imaginative! To say you have a green thumb is a major understatement! What a lovely slice of heaven you all have there. Many Blessings to all of you. 🙂

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    1. Deb, I’ve lived here 36 years and the gardens and such have just fallen into place. BTW The trick to having a green thumb is just putting in the easiest bulbs, perennials and bushes that care for themselves with a minimum of work. Crowd them into a small space, so there’s no room for weeds and you’re golden (or green). In the past, my life has been very hectic, demanding and stressful. This place has been a sanctuary for me.Thank you for your kind note. Clare

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      1. Well they have certainly fallen into place very beautifully. Thank you for the golden/green thumb trick! I can see why it would be a sanctuary…it’s looks so peaceful and serene! Continue to enjoy!! You’re very welcome. 🙂

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  29. Roxie your Mom and Dad sure have a beautiful garden for you to look at. But to my surprise you haven’t mentioned the fact that there is home grown NO CAT NIP to be found. What a shame! What a shame! Stay happy young one and keep on smelling those beautiful flowers and keep enjoying them as long as you can before that dreaded white stuff comes back.

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    1. Dear Dennis, It is a relief not to have white snow all over the place, but right now the white pines are dropping yellow pollen and their powder is all over everything. It makes Mom sneeze and this is very annoying to me – and don’t think for a minute that I don’t let her know about this. Actually, we have a whole little herb garden and one entire quadrant of it is devoted to Nepeta (Cat mint) It wasn’t in bloom last week when Mom took the photos, but I looked out today and the violet flowers were beginning to blossom. Mom refers to this as George and Gracie’s Garden as they are pushing up daisies in it somewhere. I’ve yet to see these mysterious daisies! Mom seems to think it’s funny to bring in sprigs of the catnip and rub them on me so that ZuZu chases me all over the house trying to lick my ears! Ugh! That woman has a sick sense of humor! I am going to put my paw on your bike picture so I can visit you and see that reblog you mentioned on twitter. Have a very happy week and thanks for your concern. It’s more than I get around this place1

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      1. Ugh is right. That damn other cat. However I bet Mom and Dad sure laugh there ass off while ZuZu is chasing you. I’m a little bit more nicer to my kitties. They have a small stuffed animal that I smear the cat nip on and then I watch the girl cat snuggle with it and throw it up and down. Then she keeps it away from her brother for as long as she can. You have a great weekend to Roxie

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      2. You are a good man, Dennis. Mom does find the whole thing very laughable. I wish you a great week and I’ll check in with you later. I like the music in your posts. Mom’s posts are just plain boooooooooring!

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  30. I really enjoyed reading Roxie’s views on life and her showing us all the lovely shrubs and plants growing in your fabulous garden, and the small creatures living there. It must be fun to have chipmunks. It really is quite a paradise, Clare, and if you do the gardening, I’m more than impressed! I love Roxie’s sense of humour and I do hope she gets to be featured in your next book. The interaction between the two cats is superb. Your photos are stunning, and the ones of you and Charlie looking so happy are lovely. Funny how you came to be wearing a flowery hat. Perhaps Charlie just didn’t notice. Or perhaps he just liked the look of you in the hat. Lol.

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    1. Millie, He did it on purpose and admitted it after the fact. We were on our way to Sunday service and I looked out the window to see the explosion of flora in Billy’s Garden. I grabbed my iPad and ran out to take some photos. Notice Charley has his Church name-tag on. One of the bloggers asked if I made him wear a tag so I’d remember his name. LOL
      Their interaction is what actually goes on around here. ZuZu tries to get Roxie to pay attention to her and Roxie barely tolerates her. Please know, this all started way before ZuZu’s book. But finding out ZuZu had a book and there was none in sight for “Roxie aka The Other Cat” has just added fuel to that fire. The chipmunks are hilarious, as are the rabbits, the deer, the birds, the squirrels, and the opossum which got itself stuck in the trap set out for the woodchuck. Four years ago we had a black bear which decided to camp out for a few days next to our Gazebo. We’re not sure where he disappeared to, but we didn’t even bother to put out a trap for him. He kicked over the composter, tore down the bird feeders and stuck around until he’d had enough to eat. Then went on his way.

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      1. My goodness, Clare. For people over here, to have a black bear in the garden sounds like a scary experience. The biggest animal we might get in our gardens is a fox. I imagine your garden was a no-go area while he was there, wrecking things. It sounds like something from a film, and I can’t stop laughing at the images I’m getting here. 🙂 You garden sound very like a zoo.
        I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post and your reply. It’s lovely to find out a little more about where (and how!) you live. The ‘hat’ photo was a rare gem.

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      2. Yes, Charley planned that hat photo all by himself. We do get black bears roaming through in the spring and summer and the local new gives an update of their last sightings. They are harmless if you make sure you don’t get near the cubs. It’s the brown bears you have to worry about and we don’t have them here in RI. This one just sat eating up the food in the composter and slept by the gazebo for a few nights and then went on his merry way. Yes, it is a bit of a zoo here. Right now we’re trying to catch a woodchuck that’s eating up flower buds even before they bloom. We checked the have-a-heart trap the other day and had captured an opossum. We freed him and now Charley’s worried about finding a skunk next time.
        Thanks, Millie. I’ll be by your blog very soon. It’s lovely to find out more about the places to which you travel.

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