Recalling Tater, the Coolest Cat

Let me tell you about Tater, the coolest, chillest cat I have ever known. When full-grown, Tater weighed more than 16 pounds. His belly nearly dragged the floor. He was orange and white, a Texas Longhorn cat who loved to talk. He didn’t simply meow but chirped at his human companions. Tater would lie on an ottoman or chair, enjoying the morning sun. When someone walked by, he would raise his head slightly and go: Row, Row, Row! (rhyming with wow, not mow). It is a bit hard to duplicate in words, so that is the best I can do. Nothing fazed Tater. He took the arrivals and departures of other...

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Waves of Pollen Mean Spring is in Swing

Spring has erupted at Three Geese Farm, the trees raining pollen under a nearly constant wind, coating everything outside in yellow powder. Mollie, our white Maltese, has a tinge of yellow from going outside. Washing vehicles is a fool’s errand until the pollen ends. The driveway is filled with drifts of oak clusters, resembling seaweed washed up on a beach. But the flowers. The Carolina jasmine climbing the black chain-link fence that keeps the dogs confined showers yellow blossoms that decorate the ground. The azaleas are popping out in front and back, now in their fourth season. During...

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