Look Out - My Favorite App Is Back

Back when my husband and I got our first iPhones, I discovered a camera app called Hipstamatic, which I loved. A lot. But as my 3G iPhone aged, the app stopped working (I never got around to upgrading my phone) and I was actually quite sad about losing the various "film" "lens" and "flash" effects. 

Recently, my husband got a cool, brand new 5S and I inherited his year-old 4S iPhone, so I immediately uploaded Hipstamatic and started taking "fun" photos again (this time, armed with a flash - which I hardly ever use - and the "selfie" option, which the 3G didn't have, but since I'm not as photogenic as I used to be, I hardly use this function, either).

Copper likes to look over my shoulder 

It's been so cold and cloudy lately, I haven't had a chance to use it outside much, but that hasn't stopped me from snapping shots of the cats or various other items around the house. 

Lights glow like fireflies upstairs in the "studio" loft

There are so many beautiful things in the world, it's seems like a shame not to take photos whenever the opportunity presents itself...

Here's a double-exposure of the same area:

The same lights superimposed over a wall that's lower down

And, of course, more cat photos!

Copper's on the upper left, Silver's relaxing lower right

Ahhh, life is good - just ask these two!

Hello 2014, And Welcome

 I wanted to find some inspirational words to mark the beginning of another new year... and I thought this one was worth sharing.

May light always surround you; hope kindle and rebound you.
May your hurts turn to healing; your heart embrace feeling.
May wounds become wisdom; every kindness a prism.
May laughter infect you; your passion resurrect you.
May goodness inspire your deepest desires.
Through all that you reach for, may your arms never tire.

D. Simone

 ... sure, it's a lovely quote, but I was not able to find out who "D. Simone" is (thanks a lot, GoodReads), so I had to go looking for another one... and here it is.



Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs;
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!

William Arthur Ward 

William Arthur Ward (1921 - 1994) wrote several books, including Fountains of Faith and Thoughts of A Christian Optimist

Wishing everyone a joyful and creative new year!

Holiday Moments

At our house, it's all about holiday trees and baseball...

Here's to being inside on a quiet snowy day, trying (and, so far, failing...) to get a lot of things done! Happy Holly-daze...

Inside this tree, the bird feeders are busy

Hand-made gifts, like earrings, make people happy

Night light collage

Full moon in Gemini last night... creativity abounds

A labor of love for me and a friend to give as gifts

Beautiful dark green magnolia across the street

A New Look!

On a whim, I decided to revamp the look of my blog... I love nature, animals and nature spirits, so I'm going with this lovely background and header, courtesy of another blog on Blogger that I follow by the name of Cute n Cool

I hope your Thanksgiving was full of love and laughter - mine was quiet (husband had to work - oh, the wonderful world of food service!) and on Friday I went to help a friend for the day and saw these lovely birds - so glad to see wild turkeys the day after "turkey day"

A family of 13 gobblers (here are nine of them)

Have been itching to create some pretty things for gifts, so am starting to make some Christmas cards, jewelry and other things... will post more photos soon

Happy end of November - bring on the holidays!

Of Epsom Salts and Cleavers...

Somehow, the cold weather has not yet killed off all the wild herbs growing in the back yard. There are still some lovely Kale plants and the large faithful Chives is dark green and healthy.  

I noticed the Cleavers that always thrives in the late spring/early summer months has returned for a last hurrah, so I am going to harvest some before it's too late.

Cleavers
Galium aparine

Other Names: Goosegrass, Amor De Hortelano, Barweed, Catchweed, Goosegrass, Cleever, Clivers, Everlasting Friendship, Gia Mara, Goosebill, Goosegrass, Grateron, Grip Grass, Hashishat Al Af'A, Hayriffe, Hayruff, Hedge Clivers, Hedgesheriff, Kaz Yogurtotu, Loveman, Mutton Chops, Robin-run-in-the-Grass, Scratweed, Sticky-willy, Stickywilly, Zhu Yang Yang

Here's what one website had to say:


Properties
   Cleavers is edible and medicinal, it has been used for centuries as an alternative medicine by indigenous peoples on many continents. It is edible raw, though it's said to be unpalatable, and is mainly used as a pot-herb or as an addition to soups. Using the plant as a vegetable has a slimming effect on the body. Cleavers seed is one of the best coffee substitutes, it merely needs to be dried and lightly roasted and has much the same flavor as coffee. 
   Cleavers has a long history of use as an alternative medicine and is still used widely by modern herbalists. It is used both internally and externally in the treatment of a wide range of ailments. The dried or fresh herb is alterative, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, aperient, astringent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, tonic and vulnerary. 
   A valuable diuretic, it is often taken to treat skin problems such as seborrhoea, eczema and psoriasis, and as a general detoxifying agent in serious illnesses such as cancer. 
   The plant contains organic acids, flavonoids, tannins, fatty acids, glycoside asperuloside, gallotannic acid and citric acid. It has a mild laxative effect and stimulates the lymphatic system and has shown benefit in skin related problems. The fresh plant or juice is used as a medicinal poultice for wounds, ulcers and many other skin problems. An infusion of the herb has shown of benefit in the treatment of glandular fever, tonsilitis, hepatitis and cystitis. The infusion is also used to treat liver, bladder and urinary problems. 
   The plant contains the valuable constituent asperuloside, a substance that is converted into prostaglandins by the body. Prostaglandins are hormone-like compounds that stimulate the uterus and affect blood vessels. More scientific research is being done on the plant, since it is of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. 

Source: www.altnature.com

(I fixed some obvious typos, but I cannot vouch for the rest of the spelling or even any of the above-mentioned properties, although I did find many corroborations in Euell Gibbons' Stalking The Healthful Herbs and in Alma R. Hutchens' Indian Herbalogy of North America.)

I'm mainly interested in its abilities to improve the skin and, since the topical ointments the doctor has prescribed haven't done much to help alleviate my latest problem, I'm going to try a more natural approach, which includes bathing with Epsom salts and the juice from my Aloe plant. I'll keep you posted on the results either way...

Nap time, something they're both good at...

PS - The cats are doing fine. Silver is still very happy and content to be inside, and Copper is as spoiled as ever.

The Prodigal Cat Returns

Silver, just minutes after being brought inside

Once again, the number 7 figures prominently in my life: After being missing for seven weeks, Silver is home! 

Two weeks ago this very night, I walked out the back door not long after nightfall with the big flashlight in my hand, hoping to shine it in the back yard and see something else besides the random rabbit or skunk... a few moments earlier, I had called her name several times in the hopes that she might hear me through the window... no sooner had I stepped outside and taken the first step down than I saw a small cat leap out of the brambles and run past me into the darkness... "Silver! Silver? Silver!" I called out, stunned and incredulous. Could it be her? Or was it someone else's stray cat, a lonely, hungry creature far from home? "Silver, sweetie, come on, Silver..." On the other side of the garage, I heard a little voice, also (seemingly) incredulous, answering me: "Mew! Mew! Mew! Mew! Mew! Mew! Mew!"  My heart skipped a beat. Yes!

Silver, more relaxed after realizing she's home

I quickly turned and went inside, snatched up a bowl and some dry food and came back outside. By now the cat had come into view and was sitting at the end of the short sidewalk. I strained my eyes to get a good look, but I still couldn't make a positive identification. I knelt down and poured some nuggets into the bowl, saying her name over and over. "Come here, baby, are you hungry?" Whether or not it was her, I was determined to give this cat something to eat. "Come on, it's okay, come on, here's some food for you..." She walked slowly towards me as I kept pouring the food into the bowl. Finally she was at the bottom step, looking up at me. I put the bowl down on the step closest to me and she climbed up and began to eat. I petted her little head and she didn't flinch, she just kept on eating, so I kept on talking. By now I knew it was my very own sweet kitty, so I picked up the bowl and moved it closer to me, and she followed it up and kept eating. I stroked her fur and said her name over and over. "Silver, Silver, oh my little sweetie baby girl." Then I took a breath and gently but firmly picked her up, stood up, turned and walked inside, all in one fluid movement, closing the door behind me. When we reached the kitchen, I put her down and she ran into the living room. I stood in the middle of the hallway and started to gasp and laugh and cry. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I said, over and over. In just five minutes, I had rescued my own cat!

"Could a girl get something to eat around here?"

I called my husband and said, "She's back!" (he also sounded incredulous) then I called my brother and mother, who were ecstatic. (Later, I would post on Facebook "She's BACK!!!!!!! and yea, there was much rejoicing in the land.) After hiding under the couch for 10 or 15 minutes, she finally crept into the kitchen on her own, where I put some more food on the floor and watched her eat. Eventually she flopped down on the rug to be petted, so I happily complied, checking for injuries (none) and ticks (two). She had lost at least a couple of pounds, maybe a bit more, so I know she probably lived off her own body fat during her ordeal. I think she must have been nearby most of the time, but was too nervous to come out of hiding, or too wary. I'm glad the coyotes don't come around too much or that the owls I had heard calling during the last full moon didn't see her. (I saw a gruesome photo online of a large owl carrying off a full-grown cat in Minnesota, so it does happen...)

"You look familiar, do I know you?"

When Copper came downstairs to investigate, he didn't seem to recognize her, so there was some hissing, but Silver didn't even react - she seemed genuinely content and happy just to be home.

Catching up on her beauty sleep

Now that she's caught up on her sleep, Silver is eating and drinking water like nothing ever happened and has gained a few ounces, maybe even a full pound. She has remembered how to hop up into my lap and gives me long, contented looks; Copper no longer hisses, so things are essentially back to normal. I know how lucky I am that my cat returned to me, and I didn't realize how heavy my heart was until I felt it become a little lighter every time I see her curled up fast asleep. I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me through this difficult time. 

When someone you love is missing - human or otherwise - something inside you is missing, too, and you are never truly complete again until you find them or find out what happened to them so you can mourn their loss. My Silver girl came back to me, and my gratitude at being given this wonderful gift knows no bounds. Thank you, one and all. And thank you, Silver, for being a most resourceful feline!

The Needle In The Haystack

Silver girl, come back to me
I am like a ghost, searching for another ghost
Peering out of windows, haunting the streets
Boldly approaching anyone for news of you
Waiting for a silver flash, a wink of your sea-foam eyes

There is beauty all around me
I barely notice, so intent am I on finding you
Imagining that, if I keep calling
And the breeze blows just right,
That you will finally hear me, at long last
And I will see you emerge
From the sea of blue-green jewelweed
Or hear your answer, faint yet near, "I'm here"

Why did you run so far, so fast? 
Where did you go?
Come back...

I saw seven rabbits and asked them all to help me find you
And I say the same to every creature I encounter
Even the big blue dragonflies are out hunting for any sign of you
Everyone I talk to is kind, they seem to understand my anguish
They all tell me, "Don't give up, keep the faith"

I found a turkey feather in the cemetery
And a tenacious hummingbird hovered next to me one morning as if to say,
"Don't give up, don't ever give up"

Hide, then, if you must, to stay safe
But come back to me, little one
We need you, your twin brother Copper and I
Do you hear the wind chimes on the back porch? 
Can you smell the incense I burn?
I need you, I need to know you're alive and well, able to survive until you return
I want you back home, cozy and warm, with me

As I print more photographs of you and write these words
My eyes fill up with my own salty water and my nose stings 
I'll keep looking and calling and hoping, my little lost love

Please come back to me, my sweet Silver girl