R.I.P. Smoky

This is our big boy cat Smoke. We had to put him down today. He got sick, seemingly in 24 hours, and when a veterinarian examined him this morning, he found his red blood cells were down to nearly nothing. It was probably feline leukemia.

It's a pretty sad day around here but I wanted to leave a tribute to a great cat.

I used to joke that when he was younger he liked to read.

He adopted us one day but grew to be larger than either of his step-sisters. Even so he was the most placid of the three. Jazz (on the left) used to hiss and growl at him but Smoke never retaliated. Occasionally Muggles (center) used to have words with him. Smoke just gazed at him.

While he was the only one of the cats we allowed to go outdoors, he spent a lot of time in contemplative poses inside.

But when he did go out he seemed to be a natural poser for my camera.

Or a snoozer on my deck chair.

He was nimble, whether tip-toeing around the edge of a fountain for a sip or two of water . . .

. . . or doing his gravity-defying walk across the top of the fence.

He liked to snooze on the tiles, while keeping a lookout for any brave small birds, or lizards, or bugs.

He is gone now and he will be missed. Our Smoky.

Signs of spring

Even though they came in pots from stores, just the appearance of tulips and heather raise hopes of warmer temperatures and perhaps the end of gray, snowy days.

Magpie Tales #1

I walked into the dusty, dark antique store in Ankara, Turkey. Stopping to adjust my eyes to the lack of light, I gradually began to see outlines of objects scattered here and there in the dusky light.

My eyes scanned ancient swords, broken pottery, stuffed owls, long out of date clothing, and then - - - the pot. A pewter pot. It was about 12 inches tall, with an intricately curved handle on one side, engraved with strange cueniform along the top edge and a wreath on it’s front surface.

I carefully reached out and picked it up. It was heavier than it looked. I used my right hand to grasp the handle and my left caressed the other side as I balanced it in my hands.

And then.

A puff of smoke came from the inside of the vessel, rising and building in the air and slowly forming into the turbaned head of . . . a genie. He gazed down on me with a fierce expression. He opened his mouth to speak.

And then I woke up.

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This was a writing exercise prompted by Willow. It is explained at Magpie Tales. Click on it for the rules and to join in, if you like.

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou?

It kind of looks like Italy and a balcony where the fair Juliet might call out for her love.

But it's not.

It's actually on a building housing lawyers' offices in downtown Prescott overlooking El Gato Azul. My eyes were caught by it this morning and I snapped one photo before my camera's batteries died.

Stolen - - for the community good

Suzy, a Facebook friend of mine, posted this on her page today.

After laughing about it and then telling several friends about it I took the easy way out. I swiped it. There is no honor among bloggers. (Or at least . . this one!)

Stormy sky

A look across Prescott Valley toward the Bradshaws.

Facing the sun

This is a solar array at the edge of the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University campus in Prescott.

I have no idea what it powers but it's fairly impresssive.

Equally impressive is the array of signs lining the road leading into the campus. The school is proud and rightfully so.