Two weeks ago a little cat showed up late at night in my driveway. I was taking out the recycling and saw green reflective eyes at the end of the path, and when I came back out with a dish of food she gobbled it up and let me pet her. I called my cat-sitter and local rescue expert and we came up with the plan to put her in the barn overnight and figure things out in the morning.

By morning I was calling the cat Lucy (where do names come from?) and planning to introduce her into the family. But it turned out that she already had a family – five kittens stashed in a shed across the street, which I followed her to when we let her out and she aimed for the road.

Over the next couple of days the kittens were trapped and four were taken with Lucy to a foster home; a temporary place for them to stay while they weaned and got used to people. It was looking like a great tale of rescue and happy endings.

Then on Monday of this week they started to get sick and by Tuesday one of the kittens had died. It was diagnosed as distemper, a horrible illness only seen in cats that haven’t been immunized.

They’re at the vet now, getting the best care possible, but we’ve lost two more kittens in two days. Lucy has a fever but is hanging in there. It’s strange to be attached to a creature I’ve barely met, but I am; she’s my cat. Please send healthy thoughts in the direction of this little mama and her sick baby.

Kitten number five seems to have avoided the virus, and is doing well. Thank goodness for small mercies.

Sometimes beauty finds you during the most mundane moments.

I planted this snow drop (and more) last November. The bulbs were sitting around for a long time and I was afraid I had waited too long and they’d no longer be viable. I finally just ran around in a frenzy shoving them into the ground willy-nilly.

I’m so grateful this one made it. Don’t know how much longer I could go without some evidence of green.

It’s peaceful here. Lots of snow on the ground and only the odd car driving by. I hope your day is as quiet and cozy.

Every time I carve a pumpkin I think that the activity will be more difficult than it is, and I fail to plan before cutting.

This year I started by cutting out the eyes and then the nose, at which point it looked a lot like a kitty and I considered whiskers. No, I thought, I’m going to give him the toothy grin; if he looks friendly, so be it.

Then instead of cutting out the negative space between his teeth, I removed half the triangles, giving him a shaggy upper lip. That’s when I remembered that I’ve done this before. Several times. Hello again, Mr. Furry Lip. Out to the porch you go…

I had visits from a scary wrestler, a fairy, a witch, a football player (“DO YOU HAVE ANY CANDY?!”), a bat, and a teeny princess riding a unicorn.

No one mocked my pumpkin.

I don’t know how to write about what I’m doing with my days. So many simple tasks and chores, which are gradually changing and improving the house. Meanwhile all around the world is on fire with unbelievable beauty.

I bought some mums for the front step. Had to.

I’ve moved and everything and nothing is happening. Nothing that doesn’t happen to others, and everything upside-down. Many good experiences with lots of scary feelings thrown in. Also a ton of adult decisions, some with heavy implications, such as cutting down trees, and some that are simple delights, such as choosing a location for my studio desk, and picking out trim for the top of the porch posts.

The cats have settled right in, which I take as a seal of approval.

It started to rain on my way home but I had my umbrella. Once I was on the bus it began to pour down. I thought about the idea of letting myself be bored so instead of reading I watched the pattern of the water on the windows, and noticed how people were standing under awnings, waiting for the rain to pass. I saw 3 dogs tied up outside a store and they were doing the same thing as the people, staying close to the building. One of them looked up at the sky as if he was trying to guess when it would stop.

The rain seemed to make people friendlier, hanging out together when normally they’d be rushing along alone. Then the sun broke through and the light was extremely white and reflected off all the shiny wetness so that people looked like silhouettes walking down the street. It was so beautiful.

Ack! Days and days go by with no word from me here.

Truth be told I’m barely holding on to all the threads of my life, it’s so abundant. I’m driving back and forth from city to country, welcoming visitors, weeding and mulching, cleaning, finding contractors, applying to craft shows, filling jewelry orders, and packing and getting ready to move again. I know everyone is busy and I’m tired of using that old complaint so I’ll just say that it’s unlikely I’m going to be “keeping up” here this summer. I’ll try to drop by with some words and pictures when I have a computer handy. Please bear with me through another transition.

No more waiting, no more finger-crossing – I finally have the key to my new home.

As long as I can remember I’ve wanted to work on an old house and make it a home. Here, now, is the opportunity – I’m surprised and delighted to find myself in love with an 1848 brick and shingle farmhouse in the Catskills. It needs TLC; there are projects calling out for attention from every room and corner of the yard. I spent the weekend wandering from basement to porch to bathroom to wood pile; adjusting the water temperature, cleaning the sink, staring at a patch of mystery ivy (Boston or poison?!), starting my billionth list, sitting down in shock, and then making the rounds again. The thought of all the to dos makes me want to lie down.

Just when I was getting overwhelmed, the local welcoming committee rep. showed up and insisted on rubbing his body all over us, rolled over and showed us the gray spot on his chest, and when I walked away decided to climb my leg!

Thank goodness for friendly neighbors and heavy denim.