Musings of a Country Day

I can hardly believe it is already the last day of June. Even though this is just the beginning of summer somehow I have always used this as a benchmark from which the summer seems to fly by. Perhaps having to do with living on a different schedule now, no longer working because of fibromyalgia, I will see the change of seasons differently with them not flying by quite as quickly - before I have even had a chance to notice them. There has to be some upside of this miserable disease that leaves one too exhausted to do even the most basic of tasks - that rewards one with lots of pain if one dares to challenge that set protocol of, "no you cannot do that," much of the time... OK, enough whining, sorry but my diagnosis just became official two weeks ago after years and years of doctors and testing. On the bright side, at least I have an official name to call it when I have a tantrum, LOL.
Now where was I, oh yes, summer in New England - we wait and wait and wait for warmth and green and flowers to return only to have it feel like a magical little "poof" and it is fall again. "Note to self, must talk to the summer and flower fairies regarding length of stay".
For this summer I am writing, blogging and pressing lots of those precious wildflowers that pop up in my meadow. I figure this way when I am looking out at five or more feet of snow I can take them out and make beautiful art with them, dreaming the dreams of wildflowers. If anyone knows of a good but inexpensive laminating machine that would be good for working with attaching dried wildflowers to cards please let me know...or any tips on attaching dried flowers to one's artwork greatly appreciated.

Now for my story of the day, well actually yesterday. Some of you are familiar with my love, my brown tiger cat Raphael who is the details man in my studio and serves as my head art critic. The story begins with a quiet enough morning, trying to gently wake to the fresh new day with a fresh cup of coffee while reading some of my favorite blogs when all of a sudden I hear DH yelling, not a usual yell, rather the kind with the sense of urgency in it, and it has my beloved cat's name in it! I fly into the kitchen to see DH putting on sneakers talking almost incoherently about Raphael, porch, screen. I didn't wait for a clearer translation  running to the porch only to be met with a gaping opening where only moments ago a sliding screen door lived. I see the screen lying in the deep grass as a silent testament to what has just happened. I knew this would happen one day in my gut as these screen doors are very flimsy - with a mild push they pop out of their tracks - hence the horrifying opening. I jump out the opening landing, of course on what else - rocks - New Hampshire has no soil just rocks! DH is just coming around from the front of the house as I yell, "where is he, where is he, do you see him" - throwing the fallen screen out of my without a thought of its surprising heft. Our porch sits on pilings raising it off the ground by about 3ft but as I start to crawl under I hear this howl. I recognize my cats voice like a mother recognizes her child's own little smell I begin fighting the 4ft tall wildflowers and other self sown plants only to see Raphael just around the corner of the porch not even a foot away from me, howling  - "Mom, what happened and why am I all of a sudden outside?" My husband's voice is deep and combined with the panic in it he is scaring Raphael, (completely unintentionally), so I yell for him to shut up (I know, I know, I was just panicked and I apologized profusely later)! I am now playing a hide and seek with Raphael because he is so freaked he isn't sure what to do. I talk to him gently trying desperately to control the panic rippling through every fiber of my body and he finally starts to calm down...how do I know this - because the little bum decides to sniff this very interesting weed that has just come to his attention! My chance has come, I reach out and grab him behind his neck, mommy cat style and scoop him up simultaneously with my other arm - SUCCESS! OK, I can start breathing again as I cuddle him and begin to tell him why this was bad on so many levels. "Raphael, this is the forest and lots of critters that are not particularly inclined to be friendly to kitties live out here at night, not to mention ticks and all sorts of other dangers to kitties". All is well again and the adrenaline is subsiding as I hand Raphael to my DH and turn to the more mundane task of re-installing the screen... And Raphael, mommy,daddy and bunny all lived happily ever after in their converted barn in the woods...

Have a beautiful day!