Merry Christmas!!!

May Peace and Love be always with you!

Cold

It's December and it's cold and you can often find me near the heat vent!

OH Christmas Tree!

Yesterday, December 1st, I helped Susan and Bruce put up a Christmas Tree in the living room. 

It was much fun and it got me thinking of something Bruce wrote a few years ago. As best as I can remember, it went:

"I am driving behind a truck of Christmas trees. I can count one hundred tree trunks, but it is a long truck, so I guess there are approximately 300 Christmas trees from near and distant woods and forest, loaded and strapped down for their trip south; soon to find themselves on display in 300 homes. "Take Me. Take Me," says one tree. "Oh, No. Please take Me," says another. And a little boy and girl exclaim, "This one. This one is magnificent."

"And so I follow the truck full of trees for ten or fifteen miles thinking of the upcoming holiday; thinking about the courage we believe Christ showed; thinking about the concept of me as a spiritual being having a human experience as opposed to a human being having a spiritual experience; thinking about the power of love, harmony, and service — putting my energies toward what I am for instead of what I am against.

"So I continue to follow the truck of trees and later, at night, I research some history of evergreens and find:
 
"The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshiped evergreens. When the winter solstice arrived, they brought green date palm leaves into their homes to symbolize life's triumph over death. The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a feast called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. They gave coins for prosperity, pastries for happiness, and lamps to light one's journey through life. Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and placed evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits.

"Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early traditions. The fir tree has a long association with Christianity, it began in Germany almost a 1000 years ago when St Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, was said to have come across a group of pagans worshiping an oak tree. In anger, St Boniface is said to have cut down the oak tree and to his amazement a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that fir trees were brought indoors at Christmas time.

"Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. After his banishment from the Catholic church he spent a great deal of time walking through the  forests of evergreen conifers thinking through his beliefs. The candles are said to have represented the stars which were seen by him through the trees. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.

"The first appearance of a Tannenbaum was recorded in Germany many years after Luther's death. It was in 1605 in Strasbourg in Alsace, then in Germany, that a chronicler wrote (in old German): "Auff Weihenachten richtett man Dahnnenbäum zu Strasburg in den Stuben auff..." ("At Christmas they set up Christmas trees in their rooms...")

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us.
They're green when summer days are bright:
They're green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!
How oft at Christmas tide the sight,
O green fir tree, gives us delight!
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
You give us so much pleasure!

Bruce continues, "I am driving behind a truck full of Christmas trees. I am thinking of courage and desire. I am thinking about the difference between courage and desire. And I am reminded of the Cranberries song, Yeat's Grave:

Had they but courage
Equal to desire 

Do you have courage equal to desire? I would love to hear from you!

I Am A Real Cat!

Yesterday morning I woke up to discover that my Facebook account had been disabled (once again) because I am not an "entity." I am not sure what that words means in this situation but I am a cat; the cat Nadine.

Sigh.

New Business Cards!

My new Business Cards arrived!

Well, they are not really mine, Nadine's, The Cat Nadine; they are Bruce's--but they featured moi, Nadine.

But I am trying to be a photographer.

"Bruce, is this the shutter button?"

What do you think of the new Business Cards? I would love to hear from you!!!

New Business Cards

Not for me, actually, but for Bruce; he's going to feature me, Nadine, The Cat Nadine, on a new business card. I don't know what photograph he is going to use on the business card but I have always liked this one:



Do you like this photograph? I would love to hear from you!

When I'm 64

Wait!

I am 64--in cat years.

I can't believe it.

Well, I have my health; the vet called from The Cat Hospital and said I am A OK.

And I have LOVE!

Bruce says All You Need Is Love.

Today is John Lennon's birthday. He would have been 70. It makes me sad to think he is not with us anymore.

Bruce is playing John Lennon's music today.

Imagine.

In The Garden

Bruce just left home for the Vet with my urine sample; something about my kidneys. Gosh, I hope I am OK.

Hello

Hanging Out In The Garden

On Saturday, yesterday, I spent some time relaxing in Bruce's garden.

Victorian Purple

I'm lovin' the new door color; Benjamin Moore Victorian Purple.

In My Room

There's a world where I can go
and tell my secrets to
In my room
In my room

In this world I lock out
all my worries and my fears
In my room
In my room

Do my dreaming and my scheming lie awake and pray
Do my crying and my sighing laugh at yesterday

Now it's dark and I'm alone
but I won't be afraid
In my room
In my room

~Brian Wilson

Sleeping

The Throne

I'm not really supposed to sit here but I do. I feel so much like The Queen of The Home here.

Resting

Here I am resting outside in the backyard under a lawn chair and near a Beach Ball!I have been so busy helping Bruce with his new Blog.

Bruce's Garden

I like walking through Bruce's garden. This past weekend he ripped out all the old lettuce and arugula and planted new lettuce and parsley. I am pictured here walking on the newly planted parsley.

I'm not THAT heavy so I think the parsley will be just fine. Anyway Bruce has lots of photos of his garden. Here is a self-portrait he took last week (wearing his new hat!):

Pledge of Allegiance

I Pledge Allegiance
to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic
for which it stands,
one Nation under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

Yesterday I was sick

I was pretty sick yesterday. Maybe it was from all the grass I ate. But I also choked out a few hairballs. By evening I felt a bit better and Bruce let me sit outside on a chair.

Love This Photo of Me

Come to think of it, I just about love all photos of me. Bruce is such a good photographer.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

Yes, I ate all my Blueberry Pancakes!

Wake up!

I like taking a nap on the warm, clean laundry. I don't like being woke up by Bruce for a photograph!

Friday Night

Susan and Bruce were watching Waking the Dead on TV. It's kind of scary so I slept.

Whew!

When the outside temp climbs over 100 it's too hot for me to stay out too long.

Outside Under The Chair---Once Again

I Saw a Bird on the Roof, A Dove

How Much Is That Kitty In The Window?

"I'm not for sale."

My Friend Daryl

My friend, Daryl (Bruce's son), is in Spain for five weeks studying culture, language, and engineering. Bruce and Susan tell me he is having a wonderful time. He even went to Rome for the weekend to see his girlfriend, Sara. Ah, love. I miss him, though; but I know he will come to see us as soon as he gets home. Here is a photo of Daryl and me:

Daryl wrote to Bruce and Susan and asked what was new here at our home. Bruce wrote back to Daryl in a poem; I'm mentioned in it so I'm going to post it:

A Poem for my Son in Spain

My garden, Susan says
I nurture and cultivate
As if it were a child

I water the garden
Each and every morning
My English cottage garden

I marvel at the order, seeing
In each planting the divine
Spark of life, I watch

Arugula, Sweet Basil, Lime
Basil, Cilantro, Lettuce
Tomatoes and Zinnias

Cosmos, too, each planting
A poem, the garden bed
A continent in the yard

Gladiolas now breaking
Through the soil, green
Soon pink and red

The peas, too, in the bottom
Draw of the chest I found
Anxious to grow up

The string I hung
On both the chest and
The old wood ladder

Nadine, too, anxious
To come outside if she is
Not sleeping inside

I love to see the pink
Peonies, early in the morning
Moist with dew and now dying

I think they are beautiful
In this state, in evening
I watch too

Last year's painted pink
Wheelbarrow sits nearby
The freshly painted picnic table

A white canvas on green
Grass with two white
Stripes on either side

Here you and I are
At MOMA or the Met
Seeing Stella, Dekooning, Rothko

So much depends
Upon
A pink wheelbarrow

Often I stand at the sink
And look out the kitchen window
Watching the birds flutter

At the feeder, the Bluejay
Sparrow, Cardinal, Starling
Flicker, Yellow Finch, but

I have yet to see
A Hummingbird
In our front yard

Though I know, I must
Be Patient, she will
Arrive any afternoon

As sure as the Clematis
Blooms and blooms
Bursting in its glory

You always said, Dad
What's for breakfast
Lunch and dinner?

I remember the way
I saw you in another
poem, years ago, I wrote

Sitting as perfect as God
Created you, the naked son
An Edward Weston image

Beautiful, son
In all ways
Always

After dinner I go
Outside and see my garden
Has been disturbed. Birds?

Susan says, this is
The plight of the farmer
I am okay with this

And, Daryl, if you wonder
About the dog, the dog
The dog behind us

The dog behind us is still
Barking day and night, Coco
We call out Coco Coco

Looking Good!

Beautiful Day

I felt like a tiger outside today!

The Guard Cat

I was outside the other day with Bruce. He was reading and then decided to nap. I decided I had better be "The Guard Cat!"

Let me out!

A Favorite Place to Nap

My Gallery!

Bruce put a gallery online today of photos of me, The Cat Nadine, on his Facebook Fan Page

How cool!!!

One Week Ago Today

One week ago today, Monday, I puked. Then, I irritated Susan and Bruce to no end, wanting to go outside or to sit in the open window. At bedtime, I either jumped on and off the bed or I took up a third of it. I jumped up on the chest to eat the plants. I jumped off the chest. I rattled the closet door trying to get into it. I jumped... on their new upholstered headboard. I don't know why they keep shooing me off of it. I attempted to eat the grapevine wreath that was on the kitchen counter they brought inside to save from the wind. Who knew it would make so much noise as I dragged it across the counter? Then the finale came at 6am--I knocked a clay pot with a fern I love to eat off the opposite kitchen counter. Dirt and clay chards all over the place. Sigh. Well, today is a new day and I'm going to make the most of it.

"A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something."
Wilson Mizner

Bruce says talking to me "is like talking to the wall." I don't know what he means.

March 1, 2010

People say
"March comes in like a lion
and goes like a lamb."
Nadine says
"March comes in like a cat
and goes out like a lamb."
I am The Cat King, well Cat Queen,
of this household!

Sigh

It's snowing today so I probably will not go outside. I guess it is okay to stay warm inside.

sigh

I NEVER get to use the remote!

Mount Tom

I was thinking about when I lived in a loft at Eastworks with Bruce, looking out the window, toward Mount Tom.

Ironing

This photo of Bruce and me cracks me up!

First Thing in the Morning

This is where you will find me:

Relaxing

Keeping warm by the vent:

Fresh Start Challenge

My Susan is participating in a 28-Day Fresh Start Challenge on Facebook via Dr. Perricone. The other day she received a box filled with products from Dr. Perricone. I looked inside the box to see if there was a gift for me, too. There wasn't. But at least I got to play in the box for a few minutes, although it was a bit small for me.

The good news is that the Director of Customer Service and Direct Response liked the photo of me, The Cat Nadine, so much she asked Susan and Bruce to send her a copy so she could share it with her friends at Perricone MD. Now I am even more of a celebrity! Meow!!!

Maybe I will soon be as famous as Homer, Gwen Cooper's special cat. Here is a photo of Bruce reading from the book to me. It was a great book and I think I saw a few tears in Bruce's eyes as he read the final few sentences.

So this whole idea of a "fresh start" has me inspired to put my paws to the keyboard and update every single day. And I am quite sure Bruce will be photographing me every single day, too!

New Idea

Maybe I will start posting a picture a day. People seem to love photos of me. And Bruce takes my photo each and every day! I am thinking Bruce and I (and Susan, of course) could publish a book at the end of the year. I love books. Especially books about cats!

Speechless

Happy New Year

Maybe it is the year past; you know, 2009; going outside for the first time and now wanting to get outside every single day and now thinking of 2010 and how am I to think of this year: I mean is it "Two Thousand Ten" or "Twenty Ten?" The thought of it is making my head explode.

The beer makes me tired.


Susan is sleeping. She's been under the weather all day. And there's another thing that makes my head explode; what exactly does THAT mean?!

Bruce has been busy making changes on his website all day, meditating, watching football, writing, and filling his glass repeatedly with wine--while Susan sleeps, I might add. I need another beer.

Enough of that!

I want to share this with you.

I think it is a good way to start the new year.

I read it this morning. It's from Eknath Easwaran; his Thought for the Day:

"As an irrigator guides water to the fields, as an archer aims an arrow, as a carpenter carves wood, the wise shape their lives."
– The Buddha

"The glory of the human being is our ability to remake ourselves. The Buddha is very rightly called the Compassionate One because he holds out hope for everybody. He doesn’t say our past has been dark, therefore our chances are dim. He says whatever our past, whatever our present, the sky is bright for us because we can remake ourselves.

"The Buddha says, be a good woodworker. Consciousness is the wood, and you can make it take any shape you like. Just as a carpenter works the wood to build a house or a fine piece of furniture, similarly we can fashion the responses and attitudes we desire: love, wisdom, security, patience, loyalty, enthusiasm, cheerfulness."

I not sure of who The Buddha is but I bet he had a cat.

Peace and Prosperity be with you and yours this 2010 (And if you know how to say that the right way--2010--please let me know.).