Well .. today has been "that sort of a day" .. an aches and pains and general winter blaahhhsss .. Cameron over at Defining Your Home Garden, kindly linked with my post on our severe cold and the danger of "black ice" on the roads and again in general "STUPID DRIVERS" .. Cameron took a great twist on the winter blahs by posting on " The Moods of Mother Nature" which I thought was apt .. in my opinion mother nature is menopausal right now so that in itself says LOOK OUT !
She also provided a Spring countdown banner as well, so that was nice. 
It is hard to believe Emma was ever that tiny, furry rug-rat we brought home last March : )
But .. I'm afraid I have to take "baby steps" when it comes to thoughts of Spring .. it is so far away for us northeners , it is hard to envision. So I took the sappy way out and posted a Valentine's countdown .. which also is hubby's birthday .. so how cute is that ?
Speaking of birthdays .. it is Emma's birthday .. round about now. She is officially one year old and as big, if not bigger than Sophie .. She is a Humane Society kitty .. her homeless mom was picked up not far from our neighborhood and she gave birth to Emma and her brothers at the Society. We found her in March, at a satellite pet shop that takes the over flow of kittens and finds homes for them. The above pictures, are of her very first day with us. We all fell head over heels for her immediately ... well, ok ... maybe Sophie took some time but they are sisters forever now : )
It is hard to believe Emma was ever that tiny, furry rug-rat we brought home last March : )
34 comments:
Awwww... I remember when you brought her home! Given the size of her paws, she may have more growing still to do. What a happy year it's been for you both! And mercy, stay indoors. It's going to be 2 degrees here tonight, and we're "down South" compared to you all. Those poor Benchwarmers!
Dear Joy,
Hey there! ((((You))) from me! gail
ps Emma is still the cutie pie she was as a kitten.
I am in love with the cuddle cats!!
Have a great weekend Joy!
I remember when Emma first came home, too -- she was the sweetest little kitten. :) I like your countdown in small increments! Feb 14 is Charlie's Mom's birthday, too. :)
"Ben" !! You remember way back then ? .. It is hard to believe how tiny she was and how much Sophie did NOT like her .. now Emma makes it her duty to wash Sophie up for nap time. And YES ! .. her paws are something else with the size and those tufts of fur .. she is a "snowshoe" cat with Main Coon blood in the mix .. so real Canadian EH ! hahaha
Gail .. thank you girl .. you are too sweet: ) .. Emma and Sophie are two little furry souls that make us very happy. I still grieve for my other beauties that have gone, but for now I celebrate my wonderful goofy girls : )
Joy, you are just funny. I always enjoy your posts. I confess, I'm not a big pet person (I have 3 kids instead), but the first pictures of your kitty are adorable. I'm getting ready for my youngest daughter's first birthday - can she really be so old already? I can handle getting older myself, but am always surprised when everyone else ages.
Stay warm up there, eh!
Regards, VW
MT .. I don't know how comments get left out like this at times !
How are you girl ! LOL
They can be very cuddly cats for sure : ) .. nice to have a cat scarf when it is chilly ! haha
Have a great weekend too girl !
Nancy girl ..you can remember too ?Charlie's mom is a Valentine's baby as well ! .. I have friends that have their wedding anniversary on that date (I guess more than a few couples do ? LOL)
Yes .. I can't do a Spring count down because our Spring is later .. and your Spring is as well eh ? LOL Good grief ; )
Happy birthday to Emma. I remember seeing those photos of that cute little bundle of joy when she arrived to take over the hearts in your house.
The deep freeze is still here. I don't want to go out. But I had to go to work, but once I get home I'm not heading anywhere except under a pile of afghans.
Hellooo there VW .. I just had a whole conversation with myself over on your blog .. oops !
Happy birthday to your little one .. and yes, for some reason we can handle getting older but heck ! our kids getting that old is scary ; )
Linda ... wow .. the thought of going out is scary and there you went like a real trooper girl ! Good on ya'
Emma says thanks and shucks .. you remember too ? that year went like a snap .. the most wonderful convert towards Emma was Sophie .. we were all so relieved when Sophie treated her like a typical sister as seen in photos ? smack her down and make her behave !! LOL
Stay warm under the afghans girl .. I'm under the down duvet here !! : )
Thanks for the comment on my blog - don't ask my why I'm on the computer AGAIN to answer it on the same day! But yes, I lived in paradise for 3 years. My address was in Santa Clara, CA, right next to Sunnyvale - an aptly named community. Just checked the weather there - 71 degrees F right now. The average summer high is 84, average winter high is 59 (low of 41). So summers aren't too hot, unlike most other mild-weather areas. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, knowing that we were short-timers. Housing prices are through the roof there - 3x or more the price of homes in Spokane. It's appropriate, though, since there's about 3x as much enjoyable outdoor weather there. Sigh. Double sigh. Good thing I just polished off some peanut butter cookie dough to help me feel better (no cookies were ever baked with this batch, it was just eaten, raw egg and all). Regards, VW
Your cats are just adorable! Really pretty colors and their personalities just shine through.
Thanks for the link mention. It's going to be 9 degrees here tonight. Have to leave the water running to keep our well pump from freezing out there!
Cameron
Yes, their closeness is "palpable." Kind of a love/hate relationship, isn't it? I remember when you got her. You were so excited and in love. The kitten photo is just adorable. Remember that one when she's a big fat stinker!
Brenda
Happy birthday to Emma! I also remember when you brought her home, and she wasn't much bigger than a miute, all eyeballs and fluff. And Sophie was sooooo disdainful. Lovely to see her growing into such a lovely cat, (and Sophie, you're as beautiful as you always were).
It's frigid here too, Joy, and spring seems like it a long, long ways away. But we'll get through it. One blog post at a time. One blog visit at a time.
Happy Birthday to Emma!
I put up my Valentine garland yesterday around the front door. It looks very festive! I will decorate for Valentines Day tomorrow. (I like to do it a month in advance so I can enjoy it all) Tomorrow I have company coming so I guess I better get it done early.
Hard to believe its not Spring here. Another 77 degree day today. I worked outside planted some tulip bulbs and then took a nap. I am looking forward to a three day weekend(-: If only it was going to be quiet. Oh well....(-:
Happy Birthday to Emma. I remember when you brought her home too. What a cutie.
Happy Birthday dear Emma! I remember when you brought her home too Joy. It's hard to believe she's already a year old.
I knew Sophie'd come around. I'm sure she loves her 'little' sister! How nice she has another kitty to cuddle with now!
Joy,
I really miss having a pet, but our lives are just to busy to care for one. I don't think you should get a pet just to ignore it. My grandmother Vesta was also born on the 14th. I was supposed to be a birthday present for her like my brother was to his grandmother, but I came seven days too soon.:-)--Randy
VW , you naughty girl ! when I'm on my lap top too long hubby asks if it is connected to my butt (bum for the UK people) haha .. it is hard to imagine how expensive even mere shacks can be in the prime location area .. it is a terrible situation when people can't afford a reasonable home because of that.
Some places do seem to have the perfect weather though and you pay dearly for it I guess ?
So you found some comfort in the cookie dough monster girl ! haha .. that was one thing I never managed to take a shine to thank god or I'd really be in trouble : )
You might have "cookie dough hang over" today ? LOL
Cameron .. the girls say thank you !! and they have been asking after Charm and how she is doing too ! It must be a worry with that type of problem for your well ..if water was running here Sophie and Emma would be THERE playing in it : ) Good luck with that girl !
Brenda ! I am amazed at how many people remember this : ) .. You nailed it girl .. a love hate relationship for sure ! haha
But they really look to each other for company and friendship .. it is sweet (aren't I too sappy to believe ? haha) .. and YUP ! when they are stinkers I have to remember who spoiled them ? LOL
Jodi girl .. you know too about how long Spring is going to wait until it visits us .. you longer than me .. jeez ! One post at a time is helping : )
I remember your heart ache Jodi .. I don't want to bring it up but I don't want you to think I don't remember .. it was a very hard year for you in that respect and I have been thinking about you .. I hope you are still healing well and not in too much pain .. you have to take extra special care of yourself to be able to enjoy this coming garden year girl !
Cindee ! You crazy girl !! All that enthusiasm for holidays and decorating : ) .. I hear that tiredness in your post .. you DO need some peace and quiet , so I hope the company doesn't stay too long and you can crash in pjs and rest up !!
Debbie girl .. how are ya' ! .. you remember too .. wow .. I can't get over all of you remembering like this ! Emma says thanks .. she is a young 'lady" now ? haha
Linda ! .. Emma says 'thank you very much !" .. and Sophie has a nod of her head over in your direction about how well she came round to adopting Emma as a younger brat sister ? LOL
Time as ran away in that past year .. does that mean we are getting older too ?? yikes !
She is sooooo darling.
Jen
Awww..beautiful baby pics :) And the grown-up pics are lovely too. Those two beauties are adorable, and wonderful company, I'm sure. They sure keep us entertained, don't they?
We were positively balmy here at 6:45AM....-6ºF (-21C)....compared to you, that is. The sun is shining and it's pretty out there now, but I'm happy to stay in and enjoy the view from the relative warmth of the house :)
The birdies are busy filling their tummies! My fingers froze painfully when filling the feeders..and that's with gloves on!
Oh Spring, where are you? Nowhere to be seen, I'm afraid.
Time to work on our muse.....
As I sit here reading your post, I am watching Spike and Sluggo roughhousing. Oh well, boys will be boys. At least your Emma and Sophie will sleep together!
Hi Jen ... and does she know it too ! haha
Hi Kerrie .. they really are such wonderful company .. we have been cat people along time. nothing against dog people mind you !LOL
Those poor birds .. I don't know how they survive this extreme cold.
Frozen fingers really do hurt .. I know what you mean !
I'm afraid it will be some time before we even get a tiny hint of Spring yet ... it can be such cruel slow process ... jeez !!! LOL
Giddy .. they can really go at it, it isn't just the boys believe me .. the running around here .. with growls and hisses .. but then they do that licking/sleeping together thing and it is such a laugh ! go figure ??
Randy .. how did your comment come in between the others ?? what are you doing over there in the deep south ?? LOL
You are absolutely right about not having a pet when you can't spend the time needed .. so many people get a pet to amuse them then they tire of it and terrible things happen .. it breaks my heart.
I love that name Vesta ! it sounds southern from what movies and books I have read : )
You naughty baby, being early and not a Valentine's baby ! .. My son did the opposite .. we were hoping for St. Patrick's Day (hubby being Irish and my family Scottish) but no .. 10 days late till march 27th .. go figure !! haha
Hi again Joy. I came back to answer your question and can't find an e-mail, so will answer here. The begonias I showed are known as tender perennials (Google that for more info if you want) and can be easily overwintered. They'll grow nicely outside during the summer...when there's no frosts to be had! That is..between the first and last frost. The Rieger likes shade and the wax will do both sun and partial shade.
Geraniums (pelargoniums) are also tender perennials. Anything that is will usually overwinter well. My name in this comment links to my e-mail, so if you have any more questions...ask away. I'll answer if I can! :)
Joy, I left you a tag on my blog--but please, please don't feel obligated. It was just a fun thing to do and I thought of you inside with all that cold weather! :)
I thought about your cuddly kitties last night wishing I had one in my lap!
Thanks for the information and now that you have told me this, it rings a bell .. years ago I think I have wax begonias as annuals in my garden .. but I was so intrigued by the ones you have .. so pretty ! Thanks again I appreciate all the information girl : )
MT .. I am going to post my rather bland ? 5th picture in the 5th file .. normally I don't do these things .. but you have been very sweet about it all .. so this is my toe dipping excursion !!
PS .. you can borrow a kitty if you don't ask me to do this again ?? LOL
Joy ~ Time flies! Emma's so grownup now, in a kittenish, babyish sort of way. I love the interactive shots. Sophie makes a great older sister. "Hey, girls!" from the "boys."
I want that life !!!!!
Deb .. "Hey there you boys!!" from the girls .. they do have their wrestling moments : )
.. time flies by so quickly especially when you think back about those years .. phew !
Patsi .. stand in line girl .. me too ! hahaha
Awww Emma is still a cutie - I remember when you bought her home too.
Ours turned 8 (8! how did that happen?) on January 4th. Hasn't stopped them trailing muddy paws everywhere though. Noone's told them they're SENIOR cats yet, or else they're firmly ignoring it and being as kitten like as ever!
Hey VP ! another gal who remembers .. my god I'm lucky if I remember what day of the week it is ! haha
Your guys are 8 ! .. I don't believe in numbers either (you can tell them that from me : ) .. cats have their own agenda and timetable so party on dudes !!
Absolutely adorable. I can't get over the way your cats cuddle up together. I've had many cats in the past but I've never experienced such a thing. It's really sweet.
They grow so quickly, don't they? One minute they're a tiny ball of fluff, and before you know it, POOF, they're huge! Well, as huge as any cat can possibly get...!
Hi Martha.. Sophie was only a year and a half old when we got Emma .. so she was able to be enough of a kitten inside to think this just might be fun ? .. Emma was pretty determined to eek her way into Sophie's good books .. they still wrestle and Sophie still growls and hisses at Emma .. but it is never serious .. Yup ! from fur balls to "where's the beef!!" LOL
Oh how sweet;0 They are certainly lovin' each other, it's quite cleaf;) I'm so glad you have them & that they have YOU for a loving, lovely mom! I wish I could see them both...so adorable. I have a kitty...he's gettin' a bit up there in age, but he's become a big cuddler with his added years;)
PS I CANNOT believe I have forgotten to add you to my blog roll all this time!! Seems I talk to you so much on blotanical (& thru emails!) that I neglected this special aspect of blogging. Well, you're on there now, kiddo!
Jan I did the same thing about the blog roll .. I think you are right ! We "talk" so much we think we have the blogs listed : )
Right now Sophie is a big baby wanting her lunch before she takes her afternoon nap .. Emma just follows Sophie's lead .. kids !!
You should post a picture of your kitty ! I would love to see him ? .. funny how they change when they get older .. just like people .. haha
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