Zen Cat Art

Nesting Swans...

I love to watch them every year.  Sometimes, their nest is easy to see and I watch the progress when I walk there in the morning.  Other years, their nest is hidden, away from my path and my first inkling of a new spring is when I see the cygnets swimming along with their proud parents.

Below is some video I took on the same day.  The background noise is the wind blowing. 
 

For the most part swans mate for life but they will chose a new partner if one of the pair dies.  Both parents will build the nest and both parents will sit on the eggs.  They can also be fairly aggressive if they see you as a threat.  I'm glad to have them close to the boardwalk this year, but not too close.

For some interesting information about Mute Swans from Cornell University click here.

Snow in October - Take Two...

OK this is just plain silly!  I took this picture an hour ago and there is another 3 inches already. 
The weather channel is saying we could get 12 to 18 inches.  We went out for breakfast, filled up the gas tanks, got a new pair of snow gloves and went home to batten down the hatches.  We took out the air conditioners out of the windows and stowed them in the basement.  Those suckers are heavy!  The cats were pretty excited about the open windows when we pulled them out but not about the weather that was drifting in so no one tried to escape.  They also were impressed with the large cat water bowl we put in the bath tub.  It's a big plastic bin with water in case we lose electric.
Sammy did think I was a bit crazy to hang out the window to take this video. 

Here you are... snow video. 
   

Happy Easter...

I am extra grateful for spring this year!  It seemed like just an unlikely dream with so much snow on the ground.

New growth at White Memorial Nature Preserve.  Spring lifts the spirits.

I love the reflection in the water.  I can not see the nest yet but there was considerable preening and fluffing - it won't be long. 

"Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes
The Rose."  Bette Middler
 
 

Something fun for Mother's Day...

There is something about Julie Andrews and music you can sing to that makes me smile.  I think you will get a kick out of it!  Go ahead - sing along! 

More than 200 dancers were performing their version of "Do Re Mi", in the Central Station of Antwerp. with just 2 rehearsals they created this amazing stunt! Those 4 fantastic minutes started the 23 of march 2009, 08:00 AM. It is a promotion stunt for a Belgian television program, where they are looking for someone to play the leading role, in the musical of "The Sound of Music".

And just in case you want to keep the sing-along Youtube thing going... hey Jude, here's another!