Feb. Dream Gardens

My dear gardening friend, Sunshine, and I picked our dream plants today over coffee. They are Forsythia, Lilacs in pink, purple, and white, the Snowball Bush, and lots of Wysteria draping through the lath house. These are all plants that remind us of our youth and other gardens in long ago time. Aye we were a wee bit wistful for those days of yore and the special people who tended our dream gardens so lovingly. Jesus thanks for all the flowers you let us enjoy. I forgot to add cherry trees to the dream garden.The cherry buds are almost ready to burst into bloom - so enjoy this picture of last year's glory and the blessings of the flowers of Spring.

Norwegian Forest Kittens

Our gorgeous, black, feral kitten Sly died last Oct. from Lymphoma. What a terrible disease!Our house seemed so quiet without Sly.Crazy as it seemed we decided we needed another kitten to brighten up our home. Trace insisted on a Norwegian Forest cat since he thought Sly exhibited some of the characteristics of this unique cat breed.
I searched the Web looking for Norwegian Forest kittens and found the perfect kitten. He was called Vishnu and he lived far away but his lovely gold eyes spoke to me. The Sangha Cattery in Hermosa Beach specialized in white Norwegian Forest kittens and this 4 month old was up for sale. I never intended buying a kitten since all of my cats were rescue kittens but his golden eyes and pink ears endeared him to me from the start.After some haggling and emails back and forth, his "mama" Melissa agreed to deliver him to my home the following weekend. Vishnu quietly slept in her lap driving from the LA area, refusing to sleep in the cat carrier.When I saw the SUV pull down the driveway, I excitedly ran out to the car. Vishnu stared up at me with those golden eyes and that was it!What a sweet boy! He was so fluffy and white! So now we are the proud owners of Tankene Ice Mist, a registered NFC.
What a personality! Some of his games are chasing Sinatra, our Tuxedo cat,attacking Mr. Chub, our Ginger Tabby, or chasing his tail for five mintes after his bath. Yes these kittens like water. He has "fallen" in the bath two or three times. Last week end he actually took a bath with Trace. Good thing he likes baths because with all the white hair he needs one. So here's pictures of Sly and Tankene Ice Mist.All of my cats have been blessings and brought me so much joy. Does your cat like water too?

The Great Eight

The next book I will be reviewing is The Great Eight by Scott Hamilton, the Olympic skating champion. It sounds fascinating so I will update you once I receive it in the mail.

"Think and Make It Happen"

Dr. Augusto Cury, a famous psychiatrist, writes about his "breakthrough program for conquering anxiety, overcoming negative thoughts, and discovering your true potential." There have been many books written on this subject but Dr. Cury offers a unique approach. He believes that Jesus Christ is the perfect example of someone who "thinks correctly." Someone who has learned to "think correctly" takes charge of their life, experiences emotions,and doesn't allow anything to get in the way of who they are. Jesus allows nothing to interfere with his course in life. Whether suffering or facing difficulties, Jesus models correct thinking.When faced with the poor, afflicted or downtrodden members of society he embraces them always seeing the hidden treasure in their hearts. One example is found in the Gospel of St John. An adulterous woman is brought before Jesus and the elders ask Jesus what should be done. Typically adultery was a crime punishable by stoning to death but Jesus couldn't possibly do that because it would go completely against his belief in forgiveness. Faced with a dilemma that seemed unresolvable, Jesus did something unusual: he was silent.His silence allowed him to gather his wits and disarms his critics. After writing some words in the sand, he said: "If any one of you is without sin,let him be the first to throw the stone at her." Jesus invited his accusers to participate in the drama and remained true to his message. He took charge of the situation by "disarming [his] aggressors with the unexpected." I really enjoyed reading this book and appreciated Dr. Cury's insight into how we can learn a new way of thinking that will allow us to be free of anxiety and live our lives joyously like Jesus.