Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Snow Cat

Todd the Shoveler
A Man and His Cat
Bootsy Inspecting the Pavement
Bootsy Trails
Snow Cat
Visitor for Coffee on the Porch
White snow is like a blank page or canvas, ripe for creative dreaming. It's the backside of a quilt before you dream up a pattern and colors. I'm wasting my imagination on material wants. I want new socks, a cushy reading chair and new dinner plates. These are trivial things.

And then I watch Todd widen the narrow strip of our driveway from packed snow with his square farm shovel, the one so heavy that I can  hardly lift it, the one he likes because it won't break like the plastic ones. Elmira snow is dense--waterlogged last week and now sculpted ice. I want a snow cat.

As if on cue with my rambling thoughts, Bootsy sees Todd pause in his shoveling and she trots to him on the path he's cleared. She is an impressive snow cat. From my bedroom upstairs I can see her tracks in the snow. She hunts the north pasture for buried mice and trails home, passing below my bedroom window.

Bootsy has no complaint about the snow. Her fur is thick and her pads hairy. She's elegant in the snow, this outdoor tuxedo cat. At one time she stayed far from us, rarely making her presence known. Now she's like one of the family. She greets me on the porch and we often share a cup of coffee. She's crazy, my snow cat. Not only does she prowl the snow she also tries to lick at my coffee.

But Bootsy is not the snow cat I'm wanting. It would be incredible to own the machine that has treads for trundling over snow like a tank, with a plow mounted on front to clear our drive in a few swipes. Todd could even use it to pack his trail from the wood barn and tie the sled behind it to haul our source of heat.

If I had a snow cat, I'd drive out on the pastures and explore the snowshoe rabbit trails, visit my neighbor and look for elk and moose. If I had a snow cat, I'd joy ride the strip of land that runs at the base of the mountain ridge and look for old ranch houses or abandoned moonshine stills.

Bootsy steps up on the porch and I sit. She stands on my lap, kneading my thigh with her claws, purring. And I'm reminded to be satisfied with what I have.

Linking up with Abracabadra for Wordless Wednesday. Photos by Charli Mills.

11 comments:

  1. Loved the metaphor for the snow...so appropriate, Charli.

    Your cat is adorable and loved how she is enjoying whatever Mother Nature has to offer :)

    Thanks for the linkup. A pleasure to have you board!

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    1. She was out there again today as Todd keeps hacking away at our driveway! Thanks, Ruchira!

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  2. cat watching is an unappreciated pleasure; the way they go about their business oblivious to our stares or actions. Methodically and mercenary. Such a contrast to a dog's 'look at me, look at me' jumps and bounds. Our cats have never seen snow like yours so I doubt they'd go outside much; just stick their hairy arses out the flap and come back in to find the top of the boiler.

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    1. Methodically and mercenary. Whenever I think of cats that way, I think of "Dead Flies & Sherry Trifle"! Sounds like your feline crew at home is of the tamer sort.

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  3. This is beautiful Charli. I enjoyed reading the calm patience in your words, almost dreamy. Dreaming of a snow cat. I hope your get your snow cat. You would use it so well. But maybe if you had it you wouldn't be sitting at your window watching the black snow cat and creating these beautiful thoughts and words for our delight. Maybe I don't want you to get that snow cat after all! :)

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    1. This is true! Although I'd vow to take the snow cat in the snow cat and maybe she'd like that! Elmira Pond is a good spot for me to ponder. Thanks for visiting!

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    1. Thanks, Vicki! She's a true Pacific Northwesterner!

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  5. Replies
    1. Okay. Right then. This is blogger. I had one of those too... I know the cute little kitten doesn't show up. It's almost 1 am. Does that give me an out? I do love the cat photos. My cat would have FREAKED if I had dared put him outside in the snow but would have definitely joined me for coffee.

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    2. Most cats would freak at how Bootsy lives, but she is a contented kitty. We hardly saw her the first two years here. A Bootsy sighting was a big deal, like seeing a moose. Now she's a permmanent fixture and escort to all outdoor activities. I can't wait to see if she'll join me in bird watching and gardening. How could she not like bird watching? It involves birds and coffee!

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