300 Days of Sunshine

In memory of my family's late cat, Apple Jack, who succumbed to cancer yesterday, here are some snapshots of our whole feline & canine family... Apple Jack, age 20. Apple Jack snuggling with his brother, Tigger.  Two peas in a pod.  "I feel all warm and fuzzy inside..." Don't forget to stop and smell the roses.  Or daffodils.  Whatever.  Apple Jack and Laila.  Me and mini-me. Shhh.... I'm camouflaging...  Can't a girl get a little privacy when she's trying to take a bath? Sheesh. Rocky is too tired to climb any higher.  "I'll just sit here and look cute.  You do the rest."  Tigger, Apple Jack, Rocky & Laila, participating in their favorite pastime.  One of these things is not like the other... But shh, he doesn't know it yet. Biscotti solves everything, says Kua.  Kua and her floppy ear.  "Halloween is my favorite holiday."

My home state, Minnesota, is the worst for “false springs” – glimpses of warm, sunny days that trick us into packing up the snow boots and skis and start daydreaming about flip flops and gardening – then suddenly presents us with late-March blizzards and sub-zero April temperatures.   It is often said, “If you don’t like the weather in Minnesota, then wait five minutes.”   (It is also said that Minnesota has two seasons: Winter and Road Construction.)   However, I have learned that Santa Fe comes in at a close second for its false springs.   At one point in February I walked the dog in my sandals, then a few days later we had visitors come down with the sole purpose of escaping their Minnesota winter to golf in the sunny southwest, only to be cursed with wicked winds, frigid flurries, and twenty-something temps.   As soon as our guests left to head north, we had two gorgeous 60-degree afternoons in a row…followed by several inches of snow this weekend. ...