Hard Day, Mia's gone

This is more a therapy post. There's only been two cats that I've really, really connected with and Mia was one of them. The other was Chinny (he had a white spot on his chin but was other's wise pretty much a black cat) when I was a teenager. Mia was always my cat. She'd get up in the chair when I was cross stitching and would just lay down with my fabric draped over her and she wouldn't care.  Sometimes we'd spend several hours that way. When I told her up, she'd get off my lap; when I told her to lay down she'd just curl up. Sometimes she'd pretend she didn't hear but after a couple of times, with ears back, she'd lay down. I think there was only a couple of times that she scratched furniture but other then that that's something I've never had to worry about with either one of my cats. She loved her scratching posts. She also didn't mind her nails being clipped. I'd lay her on her back in my lap and clip them. Sometimes she even purred through the clipping! Very occasionally she wasn't so thrilled but typically it was a walk in the park. She loved to give 'hugs' as well. I'm truly going to miss those hugs. She'd cuddle up next to my face and dip her head into my chin and hold her head there for several seconds. She did it occasionally with Christina but I always got my 'hugs' from her. And her belly, oh did she love her belly to be scratched! Several pictures show her belly up. After giving a hug she'd worm her way around in my arms and end up with me holding her belly up. This next one goes for both cats too. They've never (and I do mean never!) eaten anything off the counter. I can leave chicken, hamburger etc out and it isn't touched! I've truly been spoiled with my kitties and that's one reason when Pippy goes I won't get another cat. I don't see how I could get so lucky again. Another reason is there are so many people with cat allergies (Christina included) that it's just better to try and make it a cat free house. I'll dearly miss having cats since I've literally had them all my life but it'd also mean I don't have to have someone feeding them when I'm gone. Just plants will need cared for. ;)

Mia was also a HUGE help after Dave left. She was always there. I could pick her up and hug her and love on her for comfort and she'd put up with it. That was huge during that first year. I went from no kitties sleeping on my bed to both of them spending most nights on my bed over the last 8 1/2 years. I'm hoping that Pippy will be okay. Him and Mia would often sleep together in a chair or on the bed. And licking each other's heads; Pippy liked his head being licked and he'd dip it in front of Mia. Sometimes she did lick it for him but other times he got hissed at!! But yesterday it was very sweet. When she was laying on my bed he went over to her and gave her head some licks and didn't try and get any back. I ended up with them at the same time from the humane society. When they were out together it was obvious they'd be great friends so in 2005 we adopted them. Mia was 9 months and Pippy was around a year and a half. This last month Pippy's rebounded to the point he was racing around the house yesterday and playing. I was expecting to lose him a month ago and ended losing Mia. The curves that life throws at us!

This morning

Her final belly rub

And they'd wash each other. :)

Notice the keyboard. Someone wanted her cuddles!

Ditto! :) 

A compromise! I kind of got work done at this point!

She did this right up until last week. I'd go in the bathroom and she'd race in and hop into the tub!

Oh the boxes...

Their favorite past time during the summer!

One of my favorites

Garden Time! :)

Well, just got back from an absolutely awesome week over in Parma, Idaho. We have our annual church convention and each year just gets better and better! The thought I really appreciated is shipwreck doesn't happen because of the storm, it happens because of lack of depth. In order to survive the storms of life there needs to be spiritual depth. And this year I met a lady who likes to travel, so maybe I've found myself a travel partner? :) I love it when you meet somebody that you click with so to speak and can just talk.

Before leaving for convention I tried to get as much planted as I could because there was going to be optimal growing weather while I was gone. It was well worth the push!! Came back to everything popping out of the ground. So exciting!! 3 rows of corn, cucumbers, 1 row of pole beans, one row of bush beans, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes and peppers all got planted the Monday evening before leaving last week and when I came back on Sunday pole beans, corn, some cucumbers and some squash were already up. A week can make a big difference in a growing season. Especially when there's a shorter growing season! The tomatoes and peppers aren't from seed but everything else is. The cooler weather garden also grew a ton. Lettuce, Kale and swiss chard are ready to pick. Fixed scrambled eggs this morning and added the swiss chard and kale. It was pretty good! :)  Peas are blooming and there's a few developing so in the next couple of weeks I'll be picking peas as well! I also planted most of the flowers last Sunday, and a gooseberry bush. So far a lavender start and a lobelia didn't make it but everything else is looking good! Now to find some more starts to plant. ;)  Actually there is still a few starts that need to get into the ground, but not many!

There was a faithful finish of a wonderful man in our field last week. The lives that he touched were amazing. He was clearly a beloved member of the community here. I shared an office with him and we met in meetings on Wednesday and Sunday so got to know him some. He was a quiet guy but had the most wonderful spirit. And you could just fill that spirit when visiting after he got back home from the hospital. He was young, only 67.

My days of being spoiled with Christina being close are officially over. She started over to the Corvallis/Albany area yesterday. She'll be there for the summer and then head to BC for a convention and then to Boring for preps. She is truly doing awesome! She had time with Aunt Nancy this Spring and it has been wonderful for both of them. I'm going to miss her being in the next field over!

Erika has a bun in the oven so to speak. :) I had settled myself with having two grandkids but get to have more! This pregnancy is a bit different so maybe this one will be a boy? She's due the end of November. We're hoping to get together next month. Meet in the middle and have a few days together! So looking forward to that!!

Click on a picture and then you can scroll through them. :) The Sphinx Moth pictures really show the detail of them when you do that.

My 'cool' weather garden. From left, Peas, kind of can see the carrots, leeks (but can't really see them), Broccoli, Broccoli, lettuce, back half of row is mustard greens and front have red leaf lettuce, swiss chard and kale.

Main garden the day after I finished planting it.

Fence is up and finished!! Yay!!!

Sunday morning at Parma

Christina and I

Thunderstorm!! Had quite the winds that evening!

See the hawk? Spotted it on a walk.

An onion field at Parma

This is the 'cool' weather garden just before I left!

This is what was planted Sunday afternoon. The flower area goes back to the wheelbarrow.

Gooseberry bush. So far, so good! Still living!

Lilac

This is looking back the other way. Most are perennials so should come back next year.

Hummingbird moth!! (Sphinx moth)

Another shot. So cool!!

And one more! :)

Tiny grasshopper!

Mating moths

Another hummingbird moth shot. This gives you an idea of why that's their nickname! The hover with the wings moving just as fast as a hummingbirds do!

Butterfly

Painted Lady Butterflies LOVE chive blooms!!

Just some cool cloud shots

Pippy... He gave me a scare this last month when he stopped eating but seems to be doing better for now. Now Mia is having issues with eating. :( Must be something to do with turning 15. Mia just turned 15 and Pippy will be 16 in 3 months. They've had a good long life!