“The RoseBouquet”

Today is May 6th - Gra’ma Kroeker is 112 today; I wonder if they celebrate birthdays in Heaven?

I remember May 6th for another reason. Every spring I would be impatient to get the garden done in April already, and Mom would hold me back by saying, “Wait until Gra’ma’s birthday. If the weather is good, I’ll let you start then.”

Well, I cheated a bit last week. It was so-o nice out, and so I sowed some lettuce and spinach in the small corner under the tree and right close to the foot of the back steps. Those plants don’t mind a cool spring, or chilly nights. I hope to have some fresh salad greens in a few weeks!

I need about another 20-30 minute session of digging up the far end of the garden with my spade, and then I intend to plant potatoes. As you can see, I got nearly done yesterday.

I do my garden work in short 20-30 minute spells after meals, so it may take me a couple of weeks to get finished, but I am so eager - I may snitch more time!

My cat-lover subscribers really enjoyed my story of Snowflake last week. I try to space these out a bit, so as not to lose other subs, but I have been gradually introducing her to the idea of going outside. I think a longer photo story will come of this when we are further along, however, this weekend we have made some progress. I’m bursting to share this with you.

The advice I got was to get a halter and leash and train her to know that this always has to be put on to go outside. I sewed one and have for weeks, on nice days, been taking her out the back door. However, Snowflake, curious as anything, would freeze and trembling through and through, and would crouch and sniff and try to take in all the stimuli around her. Then in a few minutes she’d turn and rush inside again.

Last week I picked her up and held her and cooed to her on the back step. Her sides still trembled and her bones rattle with terror, but she was able to look around with intense concentration, trying to memorize every inch of the view in every direction. Her eyes seek out the birds and follows their every hop and flight. On Saturday, by rocking sideways and taking only one step forward per minute, I was able to get partly down the sidewalk. We made two or three trips outside.

Sunday afternoon she whined and begged by the back door like petulant two-year old. So I put on the harness and leash, but then she would lie down, and wait for me to pick her up. I sat on the back step to have my bowl of soup with her in my lap. By the evening I decided it was time to take a lawn chair out. Yesterday, we had another two sessions. I even carried her to the neighbour’s fence to say “Hi” to Snickers, the chocolate Lab. Snowflake stared her down.

Now I think of her as a very brave seven-month old cat. The burrr of fear in her belly is as strong as her loudest purr indoors, but if I hold her, she is game to go outside and take in all the sights and sounds and smells. You should see how busily her pink nose twitches!