Is This The Advent Of Winter?
It sure is cold. Brrr! Hard to believe that I was wearing shorts last week. And now I’m bundled up and trying to stay warm. Could this be the advent of winter in Tulsa?
It’s over a month before winter officially begins. But it seems to already have begun in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
There were buds all over the evergreen tree in back that were about to bloom. Usually once in the spring and again in the fall tiny white blossoms will emerge.
Oh my, what a heady perfume they release into the air! The bees usually appear lazy and drunk on the blossoms.
But it’s looking like they turned brown in the freeze. Sad, because I really wanted to see them before winter took over.
Charlie is curled up next to me on the gold blanket on the couch.
Ivy is, well, doing what Ivy is usually doing. Which is looking for something to get into.
This is the object of her affections this morning.
Fluff. Just an ordinary piece of white fluff she found somewhere. And it seems to have her spellbound for some reason.
You can give a cat every cat toy in the world. And they will focus on something extremely ordinary.
Like cotton fluff.
She stares down at it as if it might come alive at any moment and become prey to chase. And oh, how Ivy loves prey. Especially bugs.
She continues to watch it. But it isn’t giving her a whole lot of satisfaction. It’s not giving her a chance to utilize her cat-wired instincts.
I wish the heat coming through the vent above would at least blow it around a little. Give her something to chase. Because it is an ordinary morning with no bugs to kill and no more snow to watch.
Such an ordinary morning that she is fixated on a bit of fluff.
All Charlie seems to want is a soft padded bed and a blanket. He likes to watch Ivy do her stunts. But he isn’t much interested in joining her.
This morning while still in bed I watched her lie down next to him at the foot of the bed. My inner voice pleaded with her not to bother him. To just be still next to him.
But Ivy can’t be still for long. She reached out with her paw and touched him. Then he got up and moved.
Ivy looks at me as if to ask: Why won’t he play with me?
Ivy, you are a youngster and Charlie is a senior. It’s just the way the cards were dealt.
She has filled out and is getting so long! This has of course increased her reach. When she stands up on her back legs and stretches up with her front legs she can get into even more things.
Someone told me to turn the toilet paper around and hide the seam. It didn’t take Ivy long to figure that one out. She just paws at it until she gets to the seam and then goes to town.
This morning I noticed she’s working on her skating skills. She runs real fast and then slides sideways on the floor down the hall.
I tried skating and water skiing one time in my life. I was so clumsy I never could get the hang of either one.
But Ivy is an athlete. She is young and determined and curious. A winning combination.
I had one yellow rose opening up when it snowed yesterday. Now it looks sad and frozen. I tried to get a photo of it from inside, but it was just too far away and blurred. And I don’t want to go out into the cold.
It was a brave little soldier that wanted to give one last hurrah before it went dormant. But the cold and snow came in and froze the rose in the midst of opening up.
Now it will never fully bloom. It will remain fixed in time.
I do believe that Winter is here for real. We got snow again yesterday, although not enough to shovel. And it’s cold, cold, cold. The temperature could be lower, I guess, but once it’s around 40 degrees, I’m feeling cold even when my thermostat is set at seventy.
I’m thinking about what foods to make for Thanksgiving since it looks like the family will be at my house. Not until the Sat. after, though, which gives me a little more time to prepare. They will all bring dishes to pass but I will probably do the pumpkin pies and the dressing and a cranberry salad. Maybe the mashed potatoes, too. All this cooking is not my favorite thing to do but I do love having them all here. It will be fun and then I’ll be glad when they all leave! Will you be with your daughter and her family for Thanksgiving? Seems like I remember her bringing you a meal last year. It would be hard to leave Charlie to spend the day away, wouldn’t it? And Charlie might be out of his comfort zone, too, if he went with you. I have become much less rigid in my “old age” about what holidays should be like. I think whatever pleases you and is comfortable for you is what you should do. I may spend the actual day of Thanksgiving alone this year and that’s just fine with me.
Ivy Lou is certainly a great source of entertainment isn’t she? And she is growing like a weed. Pretty soon “kitten” won’t apply to her at all! It will be a long time before she loses her delightful playfulness, though.
Stay warm, you three!
I enjoy your daily posts of all that’s going on in yours, Ivy’s and Charlie’s world. Winter has set in a good month before it’s time here in the Northeast, too, Brenda. I didn’t really get a chance to finish putting my outdoor plantings to rest, either. I sure hope this isn’t a sign of a long, cold winter ahead! Your fur babies are just dolls. They are, indeed, lucky to have such a loving and caring mama as you!
I was wondering if a vaporizer in the room might help Charlie’s cough? It always helps me when I start coughing in winter. I use a hot mist vaporizer. The cool mist one makes it feel cold and clammy in this house.
Your little Ivy is growing and filling out to be a beautiful cat. She is so cute with all of the stunts she does.
I had not thought of that for some reason. I guess because his cough is caused by something else. Still, you may be right. It could help. I’ll get mine out of the closet.
So glad that Charlie is doing better. He has a wonderful mama. And little Miss Ivy. Well how sweet is she? I look forward to your daily posts and photos. I love the pet pics and am really enjoying your nature photography and your notes on how you frame them with foreground and background etc.
I’m glad you enjoy my photography tips. When I can get out in the country or find another outdoor place I find interesting, I’ll try to do more of these.
Oh that little Charlie is the cutest thing. And yes, Ivy is certainly filling out nicely. Almost all grown now. I just threw out the last of my potted plants outside. We have had two snows so far. Snow before Thanksgiving is just too early for me!!
I usually deal with my potted plants outside. Cut them back, etc. But this year I haven’t.
I finally gave up, because my little Shih-poo dearly loves to get the TP & shred all over the house. I have it off the holder, & fortunately, he can’t get it up on the counter. For Ivy, you might have to do more, lol! Maybe laying on its side, won’t be as fun for Ivy. Or, put in drawer or box.
We pet owners have to be problem solvers!
I do sometimes put it in the bottom drawer of my vanity right next to the toilet.
Regarding Ivy unrolling the toilet paper…what about one of the toilet paper roll holders with a cover? Amazon sells them from $7 on up depending on the style. Some of them have a cover that comes all the way down to cover the whole front of the roll.
Hm. Didn’t know about these. I’ll check them out.
Ivy is such a little character! She will catch on that her big brother just enjoys watching her antics, not participating. Charlie looks good; how is his cough? Stay bundled up as I think it’s going to be another cold winter.
Carol and Molly
xoxoxo
His cough is much better, Carol and Molly. I do have to keep it pretty warm in here or he will cough more.
Your sentence “It will remain fixed in time”, for some reason, just sounded so sad to me. The rose never had the chance to bloom into the beauty it could have been, like a human life that ends too soon. It just made me sad…. Anyway, don’t mean to sound morbid….. I enjoyed Ivy looking at that tiny piece of fluff. Cats just are so curious, and it looks like Charlie may be feeling better? He looks very content. Stay Warm, Hugs, Bonnie
When I look at the frozen rose, that just reminded me of how some things get stuck in time.
I love that Fern picture? Is that a print or a pressed fern? It is lovely!!
It’s a print. I got the whole thing at my local garden nursery.
Your little Ivy is just so cute! I hope Charlie’s cough is improving, and I’m wondering if your apartment is any warmer with the new insulation?
Well, I can’t really tell yet. I have to keep the heater on 71 or 72 at night or he will cough.
Ivy sounds like she would be an excellent mouser. Maybe you don’t have to worry about the rodents and can use your cabinets now that you have Miss Ivy Lou!
No, the drawers and cabinets are ruined for me. I’ll just use other storage. I’m just that way.