When I bounced out of bed this morning to feed the hungry, mewing Barleycorn cats, I opened the back door and saw the wind making waves across the pale, golden barley in the adjacent field.
The front of the house faces east, however, where the sun was shining brightly, beckoning me to come out and play, instead of beginning the day by 'blitzing' the house and occupying myself with other boring minutia of life which gets done on a 'needs must' basis when the gardening season is here. Monster agreed and hid in the Barleycorn jungle of plants.
The cats all followed me, though Titch was last as he is always the hungriest and feels the need to empty his bowl just in case there's a famine.
Taz decided to stretch out on the warm paving, thus showing me that housework can wait when there are important things like a spot of sunbathing to catch up on.
Jaffa looked for a spot of semi-shade, with the rising sun on his back.
Cookie settled near the shade of the poppies and daisies.
In the cool of the early evening, I went around the side of the house to gather the first of the Barleycorn strawberry harvest.
The music accompanying the little video below is Grieg's 'Morning' from Peer Gynt Suite No 1.
Further photographs of what's happening at Barleycorn are, as always, on my photo blog. Click here
You have gorgeous cats ... there's something about being in the garden with cats that is special. I love the picture of Cookie with the large daisy over her. That is a great picture.
ReplyDeleteI am so envious of those strawberries. They look delicious. I bet they were. Now I'm off to see more pictures from Barleycorn.
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog!
Anyone who is a cat lover is my friend, I adore cats but sadly only have 2 now, I would have more but we have a feral cat problem which ends up costing us lots of money!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour strawberries look scrummy too!!!
I do love those kitties, Kate...they enhance the garden. It is their paradise too :) Where Cookie is lying is actually meant to be the path around part of the front pond. It is beside one of our garden seats, so she was actually keeping my husband company as he was reading his morning paper. But I will clear the path in the autumn, once I've saved the poppy seeds. The garden paths look wonderful in spring and autumn, all clean and fresh. In the summer, however, they have plants which have seeded there and once they start to flower I can't bear to remove them till they've had their turn to flourish :)
ReplyDeleteWould you believe we have another stray, Libby?! A neighbour came a few weeks ago to tell us one of her cats has chosen to go 'walkabout' and would I feed her if she came a-calling? She is velvety-black with piercing green eyes, comes three times to feed, but scarpers at the least sign of even a friendly face. So, I think there is little chance she'll go back to her owner now. My husband looks after the birds and I feed the cats :)
On my posts of 7th and 8th February I wrote about the generous neighbour who 'started us off' by sharing her strawberry runners. Sadly, she passed away a few weeks ago, and when we were at her funeral I was able to give copies, of what I'd written about her and the part she played in the Barleycorn garden, to her family.
This year we have had a bumper harvest, so she was very much on my mind as I picked the strawberries and thought of that invisible cord still running between us :)
I enjoyed walking with you :-) Your cats look so sweet!
ReplyDeleteWhat lucky cats, to be so well fed, and so contented with their lot in life...as well they should..!
ReplyDeleteThe strawberries look excellent..I like the connection to the lady who gave you the runners. You will think of her every time you enjoy them.
xx
Welcome, chris, to our little corner of paradise, and thank you for your visit and your comments.
ReplyDeleteWe are the lucky ones that the cats choose to live with us, Sheila :)
I will always think of the strawberries as a link to my dear friend and neighbour who sadly passed away recently.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI left a note by the morning walk video. have a nice day :o)
Cats and strawberries, isn't it just absolutely erm blissful? ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt is alwys a good idea to do what cats do, you live longer and be happier too.
Welcome, Marie, to our little corner of paradise. Lovely to meet you. I shall come and visit your blog :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, Yolanda. I learn so much from the kitties. A good stretch first thing each morning is one of them :)
Hi Tigger, looks like you and the cats had a blissful day *!*
ReplyDeleteThe berries are a wonderful memory of your neighbor! They look delicious. Thanks for sharing your kitty pictures and so glad to see you are sharing your paradise with them.
ReplyDeleteI love those kitties!!!
ReplyDeleteWe like your small cat photographs very much.
ReplyDeleteSilke & Wolfgang