Today is Shade's 11th Gotcha Day!!

She has been with the family for 11 years which means she is now 12 years old!!

Wowie, wow, wow!!!

It's has been cloudy and rainy so we have been hanging around the wood stove again.

The wee lad took these photos of Shade yesterday.

Still looking good!!!

We love you Shade!!!!!!!!

I am happy to report that our snow is slowly melting and some of the greenery is revealing itself. I had to take a little walk in all the squishiness.

Our road turns into a dirt road for about 3 km and it becomes a playground for idiot truck and ATV drivers. They make me nervous with all their noise. The PM and the wee ones were on the side of the road, the kids playing with little boats in the melting rivers, when the PM heard a bunch of trucks turn the corner. They started driving on the edge of the road, tearing up the grass and little streams. The PM got the kids up on the snow just as the trucks came over the hill. The PM stayed on the road with a disgusted look on her face. The trucks had the good sense though to move back into road and passed my family crawling. There were five trucks in all, each one packed with idiots, probably drunk too. The PM is a pacifist but during these times she feels like a mother bear and she sends silent curses through the mud hoping for stuckage and ruined truck parts.

Here I am listening to all the ruckus about 1 km away.

I continued my snooping, checking out all the birdie smells. The melting is revealing tons of hidden bird food.

Hmmm.... What do we have here? A squirrel hole? I wanted to go investigate further but the PM told me to get going.

I smell you, you little red devil.

Miss Shady Lady had to make her appearance too but she didn't last too long. Too soggy.

Spring is just around the corner.

We just heard the bad news that our dear furiend, Mickey has gone to join those who came before at The Bridge. He was one of our first blogging friends and a wonderful sweet mancat. We send purrs of comfort to his Mom and his fur sisters. He will be greatly missed.

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there... I do not sleep.

I am the thousand winds that blow...

I am the diamond glints on snow...

I am the sunlight on ripened grain...

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you waken in the morning's hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of gentle birds in circling flight...

I am the soft star that shines at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry—

I am not there... I did not die...

~Mary Frye

Mickey, may you be romping through fields of your beloved green grass.

I purr it is forever Spring .

This is for you.

It snowed again last night and they are calling for more snow, about 20 cm over the weekend.

OK, I think that's enough now.

I know Goldie is the Snow Cat around these parts but I too went out on Sunday to see what all the complaining was about.

Lots of white for sure! I should have brought my Shade Shades.

That bank is like a wall for Pete's sakes!

A tad nippy on the toes.

I needed a cleaning break too and I don't even have toehawks!

Yep. It is a little isolating.

On a more positive note, I have to say that us Tuxies look rockin' out in the Great Whiteness!!!

Greetings from the cold North!

We did get about 40 cm of snow over the weekend. Spirits were fairly low. The MM had to stay in the city so it was just the PM, wee ones and us cats at home. The PM tried to go out to start shovelling when it was all over and she couldn't open the door more than 8 inches! The back door was the same. She made up her mind to crawl out the front window into the rose bushes but the screens were frozen and wouldn't even thaw with a hairdryer.

A wave of claustrophobia panic descended. I offered to go out but the PM said I was too small to handle the shovel. Rats!! Then the PM thought the wee lad could try. He donned all his snow gear and squeezed through the opening. He couldn't handle the big shovel too well so he dug out the door with a Tupperware cover.

What a production, I tell you!!

Yesterday was a beautiful day so I went out to check out all the whiteness.

Really pathetic! The banks are so high I could only see blue sky!

I felt like I was in a little mouse trail!

The snow was really powdery and really did a number on my toehawks.

I had to stop for a cleaning four times!!!!

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

I feel like an explorer on the deserted Arctic Tundra!

Here are some photos from around the yard.

There is about 5 feet of snow in the side yard.

Our lovely Snowdrops are under there somewhere.

Are you guys ok?

If I hang out in the west window.....

... he's there.

Then if I move to the east corner...

... he's here too!!!!!!

I really can't take much more of this teasing.

The PM says she really can't take much more Winter.

We are getting a blizzard today, could be up to 50 cm of snow. Probably lose our internet and maybe the power. At least the wood stove isn't electric!!

I know this is a day late but our internet was down last night so we'll pretend it is Thursday.

Well, Thursday is gardening time with The Society of Feline Gardeners. Up here in Canada, my gardening experience in the Winter amounts to litter box diggage and sleeping on new Seed Catalogues.

Quite pathetic really so I thought we'd tour the white grounds. See how our greenery sleeps.

I know I am an ice peeing Canuck mancat extraordinaire but I have to say I did take pause before venturing out of doors.

The snow is deep.

The ice teeth a wee menacing.

I took the plunge and padded down the path.

Wow! Snow, snow and more snow my friends.

A little hole dug out of the pergola .

The bird feeder seems adequate.

No feathered friends around unfortunately.

A word of caution to those of you who are thinking of exploring your Winter outdoor spaces. If you have high banks of snow and you are the owner of a particularly plume-y tail, you may end up like this.

Don't let that bother you.

Become one with the flakes.

Do not jump and twist like someone just dropped a centipede on your back.

Breathe through it and continue your tour.

Here we have our ground feeders area. The Crows and Mourning Doves enjoy this spot.

I wanted to check out the other two feeders but the PM said I'd have to don some feline snowshoes to get to them as it is too hard to keep the path to them cleared so she just snowshoes out to them.

I decided to pass.

Before I went back inside, I stopped for a nice roll and some lovin'.

I was so distracted by the love that I missed a Downy that was right next to me!

I will have to be more alert next time.

Hope you enjoyed the White Walk with me!