The Ratty Gray Coat

There are broad patches in his coat that are worn down.

It looks ratty and he is not dapper.

Are his nails too long to groom with?

Perhaps, he scratches an itch by rubbing against the hard thumbs of oak boughs.

Is he a restless sleeper in his bed of twigs?

When was the last time he brushed out that matted tail?

Before he left the nest, didn't his mother scold and chatter at him about cleanliness and the value of a clean, gray suit?

Does it really matter?

For who does he share the sweetness of my stolen apple with?

Happy Elizabeth Zimmerman Day!

Elizabeth Zimmerman (Aug. 9, 1910-Nov. 30, 1999)

Walking Walnuts

After years no baby quail sightings, we finally have a full complement of walking walnuts. Mrs. & Mr. Quail keep a sharp lookout over their brood, but the chicks seem to favor Mom at this point. If they don't move, they blend in so well with their surroundings that we almost can't see them. At least my cats can't see them. Most of the quail activity takes place in the garden, which is in front of the cat porch where kitties nap all day....