Break Time

The morning sun worked hard to burn through the cloud cover yesterday and it paid off.  We caught a break between storms.  It stayed dry (all things being relative) most of the day.  I was able to trundle a bag of feed down to the barn and bring a couple more wagon loads of firewood to the porch without getting soaked or blown away.  For good measure, I even got a little baking done!

The cats have learned just how close they can come to the wood stove to stay toasty and not get their fur singed.  Both Ralph and Celeste inspect every armful of firewood I bring in and pry off bits of bark to play with as soon as I lay it down.  Housework is an exercise in futility; however, I am saving money on cat toys.  Ralph, in particular, is easily amused and batting bark hockey pucks around the living room keeps him happy for a long time.  Nothing pleases Celeste more than a lap, my lap.  Feeling needy, she will herd me toward my chair.  I don't have to have a rock fall on me to get the hint.  She's all about break time.

I get a little help with decorations every year from the zygo cactus plants in the breakfast room (the round room off the kitchen in a house where no one eats breakfast).  They don't call zygos Christmas cactus for nothing; this is the season when they put out their colorful blooms.  This particular cactus holds a special place in my heart.  Steve gave it to me nearly thirty years ago.  It was a tiny sprout in a decorative Valentine planter.  So it wasn't the right occasion for a zygo and it had no flowers, but who cares?  I sure didn't.  Seeing that I didn't kill it off, Deb and Craig have added to my collection of zygo cacti over the years and now I've a number of pink ones, as well as spectacular white blossoms, too.  Please do not point out to me that the plant is dusty.  I see it too.  In other words, give me a break!