Tuesday, May 9, 2017

blessings of the journey

I was recently convicted that I'm being really selfish. I've been hogging all the kitty loves for myself and sharing none with you! How rude! I hope to change that, starting now.  Need to get back on the blogging bandwagon, I do.

Life here is good. Cats are good and kitty loves are top notch! I'm still taking hundreds of photos, just not sharing them. Can you believe that?! So many kitty blessings, and I'm not sharing.  Yikes. Meanwhile life keeps on trucking along. It hit me recently that many of the cats are about 9 years old already - where does the time go?! This train needs to slow down.

Rose is even thinking about letting the humans get closer!


A few weeks back Rose, Willow, Nahum, and Theo all went to the vet for their annual check-ups (everyone is healthy!) The plan was to release Rose into a large cage, so we could easily handle her and convince her that time with humans was pleasurable. But she was having nothing to do with that plan and promptly escaped before she could be locked in! Rose!

empty Rose rehabilitation cage in background




I'm trying to live more into life outside of work and cats (both of which I love). The other day I had some time, so I took a walk in the woods. I had the forest to myself.


I was walking kind of swiftly, thinking about stuff, my feet moving about the speed of my thoughts and internal energy. I had recently heard that the bears were waking up - "I don't want to encounter a bear out here by myself," I thought to myself. As I briskly strolled along, I heard a still quiet voice in my head encouraging me to slow down. I had ample time, so I slowed it way down - like crazy meandering snail-slow. I started noticing things.


interesting things


beautiful things
my path is not always clear
I saw birds, watched a beaver splash around in a pond, saw worms, snails, and all sorts of bugs doing their things.  Fresh deer tracks in the mud. Sounds of birds and bugs in the air. As I breathed in the details around me, I found my thoughts and emotional energy matching my slow meandering pace. I found myself wanting to see a bear, somehow now, that would be a gift.
choices
My intended destination was Devil's Butte, which according to the map, would have a view.

unimpressive Devil's Butte view
As I contemplated the lack of view, I realized this place is well named. The devil doesn't actually have much a view.  The payoff of this walk was not the destination, it was the journey - a journey filled with many blessings.

10 comments:

  1. I've missed the cat love for sure so hope you can blog more often. Oh the journey is really important! Hugs!
    (Have you met my new kitty Annie Belle yet?)

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  2. While reading your post, Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken"...here is the last bit:
    I shall be telling this with a sigh
    Somewhere ages and ages hence:
    Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
    I took the one less traveled by,
    And that has made all the difference.
    Rose still thinks everyone is going to eat her, huh? Rosie, old girl...there is lots of love waiting for you!

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  3. What a wonderful post! Those woods....Heaven on earth for me. I'm big on the "small" things in nature like wildflowers, little critters, leaves, etc. So this post is a joy!

    And I'm very glad to read everyone is healthy! That's most important. Nicki already is 10.5 years and Derry will be 10 next month, so yes, the time we have with them passes so quickly.

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  4. I'm so glad to read your posting. Really been missing your observations and stories of life with the cats. Rose is a beautiful cat. Hopefully, she'll overcome some of her shyness and fear.

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  5. we love seeing all of you....it is an interesting journey sometimes. and we do believe Rose may be laughing at your "cage" idea :)

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  6. I agree, Rose! The photos from you walk were stunning!

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  7. I am so glad to see you blogging again. I hope that we will see you often. I am a solitary walker by choice. I like to immerse myself in my surroundings.

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  8. Thank you for sharing photos of these cuties.

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  9. I was wondering how things were going before my blog reading went off the rails again. Glad everyone is doing well

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