Why It's a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird

“Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." -- Miss Maudie in the original book; Atticus Finch in the movie version of “To Kill A Mockingbird”

Yesterday was the day I was determined to work in my yard. It was sunny and in the 80s (already too warm for my taste!). But, I didn't let the warm weather sway me and started pulling bramble and vines from my side yard. All the while being serenaded by Marcel the Mockingbird. He literally sang for hours sitting in the bramble. After about a half hour I thought, "I need to get this song recorded" and ran to get my camera. (Yet another excuse to stop the yard work ;-). It's not pretty to look at and you really can't see Marcel but he is in the gray bramble in the lower center of the video. But, oh listen to him sing! The video is over a minute and towards the end I especially like his robin and jay impersonation.





He just went on and on and on. I sure hope he finds a mate.

When I first moved into my house (it will be ten years on April 25!), the yard was just an overgrown jungle. But, before I moved in I saw a few daffodils and one lone red tulip trying to peek out from all the overgrown vines. After that first year the tulip never bloomed again. The leaves would come out and I would get my hopes up, but no flower. Last week as I was walking down the steps of my front porch something caught my eye

Here's hoping it's a sign of better times ahead.

Possumlady Place is still trying to find a new rhythm to its household without the big personalities of Butterball and Sunkist. All the other cats have done their best to help fill the void. It will just take time.

Oh, I almost forgot. Let me show you my latest purchase! Years ago I had heard that the Isle of Man had a Manx coin. I always thought to myself that one of these days I needed to get myself one. About a week after Butterball's death I went online to research it. Apparently, in 1988 the Isle of Man started a series of cat coins that goes on to this day. Every year they come out with a one crown coin with a different purebred cat. It has been wildly popular. Of course, to start out the series they had the Manx cat as their first. This is what arrived in the mail yesterday

I was SO excited to get it. And look! The cat is a rumpy riser just like Butterball. I've put it next to Butterball's remains in a place of prominence in my living room

Don't you love the little cat stones! My sister Michele gave them to me when I first adopted Butterball and Apu.

Ahh, today is more my cup of tea. A soft rain outside with temps in the upper 50s. Great cleaning up the house weather.

Have a great week everyone.

Sunkist

I'm really at a loss of what to think or say right now. A little over an hour ago I discovered one of my inside/outside cats, Sunkist, was dead.

He was not an old cat by any means, probably around 6 years old. He stayed out last night with another cat, Toby. It was staying in the upper 40s to low 50s and they just didn't want to come in. This morning around 7:00 I woke up and let them both in. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. They both ate a nice breakfast with the rest of the cats. I sat on the couch with my bottled frapaccino like every other morning and Sunkist curled up in my lap for a while. I then got up and he went to lay on the couch in his favorite sleeping spot. I watched tv, went on the computer for a while, took a shower and dressed and went to put on my socks and sat down on the couch. I reached up to pet him and was surprised when he didn't respond. I kept petting him and talking to him thinking he was in a deep sleep. I then picked up his paw and was so shocked to see it was completely stiff, along with the rest of him. I want to warn you that I took a picture of him, in the position I found him. Here is the photo below. He just seemed so peaceful.....

My neighbor has come over and has taken Sunkist, as Sunny originally came over from her house and I had been taking care of him for the past 4-5 years. She will be bringing him to our vets to do an autopsy to see what could have happened.

The weekends have been so hard lately without Butterball and now this. Rest in peace Sunny. You lived up to your name. Always bright and happy. Wanted to be everyone's friend. I'm so sorry I couldn't give you the attention you so craved.