Happy Christmas!

Wishing everybody a warm and happy holiday!

I hope you're spending time with friends and family, and are as content and comfortable as a stray cat in a protected corner of a friendly garden!

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leaf pile make pretty

I've always liked autumn for a few different reasons: the ever-cooler temperatures, the transformation that everything goes through, the color that surrounds us for weeks. One of my favorite things about fall though is the blanket of fallen leaves. I've loved them since I was a child when they allowed us to create soft piles to jump into and forts to use for our play.

I think I also liked the change they provided: the ground that had been grassy green for the last several months was almost overnight transformed into something brown, leafy, brand new. The first snowfall did this too, and indoors removing a years-in-place carpet to expose hardwood floors had the same effect: when what's under foot changes, the whole world seems to. (My brothers and I once had a week of hardwood floors to enjoy while the ever-present carpet in our childhood house was replaced. Matchbox cars set free!)

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A cat of many faces

We have two stray cats that hang out around our garden these days. Both of them are extremely people-shy and won't let me get within 10 feet of them, even though they see me bringing them food all the time. They mostly hide in the bamboo and under the ornamental grasses, watching, and keeping a lookout for each other -- they do not get along.

This guy is Toe White. He's most likely the father of Super-Whitey's kittens. He may be owned by somebody in the neighborhood because I don't see him every day. Maybe he's got a wide "range" to patrol and it keeps him away for a few days a week. I don't know.

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Garden cats showdown

These are the two cats that frequent my garden. On the left is Whitey, and Toe White is on the right. Whitey shows up pretty much every day, but Toe White is not around too often lately. These guys are the reason that Super Whitey has spent the last 6 weeks in my garage -- I don't want more kittens!

They do not like each other, and it appears to be time for a showdown.

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Meet the garden cats

I've mentioned before that we have a few cats that hang out in our yard, or at least visit once in a while. I believe they're all homeless.

Let's meet these cats who apparently have good taste in gardens. ;-)

This is "Whitey". (Remember that we give strays descriptive names only.)

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