Music and Cats

As Seattle continues to have unseasonably sunny weather, the McKittens have enjoyed more than the usual quotient of sleeping in the sun. While sunshine provides Miss Lyra with a silver lining (a bit of which is visible at the top of this photo), it paints tawny Sasha with a golden glow.

Rain or shine, you’ll find lots of animals boarding the Friday Ark.

Seattle is not all rain (or snow) and gray skies this time of year. We have the occasional crisp, sunny winter day — and when one happens to fall on a weekend, the entire population of the city (or so it seems) makes for a nearby park.

The Washington Park Arboretum isn’t the park nearest to our house, but at this time of year, rain or shine, it is my favorite. Nestled in the middle of the arboretum’s 230 acres is the Winter Garden, a small, sheltered space filled with plants that are at their loveliest during Seattle’s darkest months. The bare chartreuse branches of dogwood pop on a field of black mondo grass. Tiny purple violas peek up through velvety, heart-shaped leaves. And the blossoms of sweetbox and witch hazel perfume the paths.

If you’re in Seattle in the next month or so, and have time for a walk, get yourself to the arboretum. When you reach the winter garden, you’ll find small, spreading witch hazel trees covered in crinkly yellow, gold and russet blossoms. Walk up close to a tree. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply. Oh, life is sweet.

Last week, I received an email from a local farmer who was one of my favorites at the Queen Anne market this summer. She wrote that she hoped I was surviving the winter’s meager produce selection. Reading this, I smiled. The local produce available this time of year may not be as varied or abundant as in the summer, but I’m quite happy with what I’m able to find at the winter farmers’ markets. Brussels sprouts and beets, leeks and kale, carrots and cauliflower; I love them all.

My sister has told me that, left to his own devices, her 4-year-old son Reed will eat an entire head of roasted cauliflower. That’s my nephew! I’ve recently taken to roasting cauliflower florets sliced thin (more edges to turn brown and crispy) and drizzled with a sauce of mustard, lemon juice and butter and/or olive oil. The last time I made this dish, one head of cauliflower wasn’t enough for me and Paul. Had Paul not been home, I would’ve finished the entire head myself. When I went to the market today, I planned to pick up another. The cauliflowers were so pretty that I bought three.

A couple of weeks ago, I arrived home from work to find Paul cooking a pot of curried carrot soup. Warmed with freshly grated ginger and curry powder, and swirled with wasabi-spiked sour cream, this soup is the best thing to happen to carrots in our house this winter. In a bit of serendipity, the recipe comes from Jesse Ziff Cool, owner of the Flea Street Cafe, where Paul and I had our rehearsal dinner.

The first tulips and hyacinths of the season are already here! Spring is coming, but winter is far from over. Today, at least, I’m in no hurry for the first tender bites of spring. Winter’s pleasures are enough.

For a cat, there are few better places for napping than in a nice patch of winter sunshine. Too bad that someone came along with her beeping camera while Lyra was dozing.

If seeing sleepy-eyed Lyra lounging doesn’t send you into a catnap, visit all the other animals aboard the Friday Ark, and Weekend Cat Blogging at What Did You Eat?

Usually, Sergei doesn’t like to look into the camera. But for some reason, on New Year’s afternoon, he got up from his nap (he was at the end of the kitty pile in the background), walked almost to the edge of the bed, sat down, and stared up at me intently… just long enough for me to snap this shot.

Look at lots of other cats (and birds! we like birds!) aboard the Friday Ark. It’s all kitties (or is that Puddies?) on display for Weekend Cat Blogging, at A Byootaful Life.