The Persistence Of A Cat

I am not one to give up easily...

not without a fight (so to speak- I'm really not a fighter.)

Remember this?

Yes, I had this great idea that I would seasonally decorate the

dining room table pig trough with things that I could harvest from outside on the farm.

So, once the Christmas greens were gone, I filled the trough

with hydrangeas that remained on the bushes, now dry and crunchy.

Apparently, dry and crunchy hydrangeas were just what Ivy was craving,

 because each day (at least three times each day) she would remove the 

dry blossoms and crunch them into a pile of dust.

I would then clean up the dust and rearrange the blossoms.

Over. And. Over. And. Over.

Ivy was unrelenting.

I persevered.

Until...

I could no longer take it.

I caved.

"Uncle!"

I tossed what was left of the hydrangeas into the woods,

and filled the trough with artificial greens and carrots and bunny.

And now, Ivy has no interest in redecorating.

If she had been a dog, a sharp "no" would have put an end to the mischief.

But, alas.... cat.

If you have ever had a cat, you understand.

Independent.  Focussed.  Tenacious.  

Cat.

"I may look sweet, but if I were just a little bit bigger, I might consider eating you!"

Oh, and did I mention that in the same one day I found a body-less mouse head as well

as an entire intact mouse (dead) on the floor?  Thank you Ivy.  I love your gifts!

All is always forgiven,  though, as she curls up on my chest each night in bed... purring.

Cats!

I spent a part of yesterday afternoon finishing up the garden clean-up.

I am now ready to plant.

So, I am officially placing an order for a little warmer weather.

Our nights are still in the teens and twenties... just a little nippy.

It doesn't have to get too warm... just a smidge so that tiny shoots don't have to shudder.

As for the rest of the farm...

everyone is just ducky.

Even the ducks...

who emerge from their house each day like horses from a starting gate...

running...

flapping wings...

running....

they'd be right at home in Wonderland, like the White Rabbit...

always checking their pocket watches.

"We're late, we're late... for a very important date!"

So much to do, so much to see.... never a dull moment in duckland.

Later in the day... naps in the sun are heavenly.

By later afternoon, they once again return to their yard for a swim and dinner.

It's pretty much the same routine each and every day.

And that's just the way we like things around here.

Predictable!

PS... Daphne is doing great.  Epsom salt soaks, and re-packing her hoof have alleviated

any signs of discomfort.

Now we just keep on keeping on until her hoof fills back in again.

For Kim... you asked what dyes I used for the damask table cloths.
I used Rit Dye All Purpose liquid dye and mixed my own colors.
They have a wonderful color chart online with formulas for mixing your own colors
and great instructions to follow.