The pond is coming to life — After months of bellyaching about the weather, the first water lily leaf has hit the surface of my pond. That is always exciting! My pond may be small but I always have water lilies. The frogs sit on the pads and the fish can hide from the sun underneath. Good times in the water.
Yearning for a fresh tomato — I transplanted my tomato plants for the last time prior to planting in the garden. They should be ready to plant into the ground in about two weeks. Tomatoes love hot weather and warm soil. People in my area often plant them too early. The frost isn’t the only danger. Planting into cool soil will stunt them and the tomatoes don’t grow any faster.
Unwelcome guests at odd hours — We have a visiting cat. By visiting I mean a stray that comes to the front door around 3 a.m. We have windows around our door so there is a symphony of caterwauling from the stray and all of my cats. It’s kind of funny to peer down the stairs to see my four cats hovering together to look out at a cat looking in. It’s an adult cat and he or she leaves when I come down. I haven’t seen it during the day.
A sign of aging — My local Starbucks has a happy hour special with half-priced frappucinos from 3 to 5 p.m. Unfortunately I prefer hot coffee and they don’t run specials on that. I may try one of the fraps just to make sure I still prefer hot coffee. It’s a sign of aging when you do your happy hour trip to a coffee shop instead of a pub.
Bad news strikes again — One of my friends was diagnosed with an untreatable stage IV cancer. It’s an unusual cancer and they don’t know the site of origin. She is currently in Mexico getting an alternative treatment. Cancer is an odd one. My friend is an unlikely candidate for it. She eats healthier than I do. She doesn’t have bad habits like smoking, drinking or drugs. No risky lifestyle. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I wish that all the money we spend on wars and aggression could be transferred to medical research.
How was your week?
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
I’m with you, Kate, on our spending priorities. Medical research should be tops.
As for that sign of aging, I noticed long ago that I’m spending my winding down time at the Barnes and Noble coffee emporiums rather than at a bar. Either I’ve grown up or … (what is the alternative here?) 😉
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Let’s go with grown up!
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You just never know. Enjoy the tomatoes and ponds. WIll keep your friend in my thoughts. Sometimes things do work out right.
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I’m very sorry to hear the news about your friend’s cancer diagnosis. We have a couple of friends dealing with something very similar, and it colors everything with a tinge of sadness. I like the way you choose to move through life noticing the little pleasures, including our beloved Starbucks. These are the things–ponds, and coffee and time in the garden that give us a little pause from the other more complex issues in life. Hope you have a good week, Kate.
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It does put a sadness on life. She has been dealing with it privately for several months but I just found out so I am still processing. She is very philosophical about it. Hope I get there.
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You inject so much life in your randoms that they don’t seem random at all, but precious. Really? You get up at that hour and peer down the stairs to watch your kitties caterwauling? You are a real kitty mama for sure.
My aunt suffered an aneurism while she was in Mexico and received the best care. I pray your friend finds wonderful care as my “tia” did.
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I don’t want to get up at that hour but the first time I heard it, I wasn’t sure what was going on. Now I roll over and try to sleep through it. My friend is posting from caring bridge and it sounds good. I’m not sure what the treatment actually involves but the food is fresh, all natural and not processed.
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I’m sorry to hear about your friend, Kate. I hope the treatments in Mexico are successful.
Oh, you must try the Mocha Lite Frappucino. It’s the perfect summertime coffee drink. I’m addicted to them and only 120 calories.
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It’s on my to-do list! (Now this is the stuff I like to put on my list!)
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Just thinking about your pond with its lily pads and frogs makes me happy. I credit Monet and Chinese painters of lotus ponds for the way I feel about lily pads and lotus flowers. Art adds a layer of meaning and pleasure to ordinary events.
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There is a peacefulness about ponds. I find that with all water. It’s my attraction to the beach.
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Happy about your pond, so sorry about your friend. I applaud her for going to Mexico. Illness…the devil of cells…I like the random 5…let’s have a frap, the two of us, and drink to your friend’s healing.
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Here, here!
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🙂
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These five really are random ~ from lily pads/fish/frogs to tomatoes to coffee to cats to cancer. Hope you get a bumper crops of tomatoes this year. I’ve been unsuccessful growing tomatoes here. Hope your friend gets a good result from her treatment.
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I would think tomatoes would grow well in Florida!
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Tomatoes do grow well in Florida . . . although I’ve never tasted one as good as a Jersey tomato. The problem is that our villa faces East and West with no southern exposure. So the tomatoes I’ve planted haven’t gotten enough sun ~ only 4-6 hours instead of the 8 they want to really produce.
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The answer is obvious! You need to move! You probably have access to wonderful produce although you are right about Jersey tomatoes.
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Between the Tomatoes and Cats, I feel for you. Too wet to plant any tomatoes, here. And too cold to drink Fraf even though it’s half price.
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It’s a little cool here too for a frap! Wish they had the regular hot coffees half price!
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Make friends with the Barista. I do and I get them for free. 😛
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Whoa! That’s a better deal!
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Tomatoes, second only to chocolate as my very favorite food. I have a friend who grew tomatoes and used to leave a salt shaker on her back porch so that if anyone came by they could pluck a tomato and eat it whole right from the garden. Mmm.
I am so sorry to hear about your friend and keeping you both in my thoughts…
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I love tomatoes too. Gave up growing most other things. I’ll throw in some lettuce and some herbs. I used to grow potatoes. Yummy but too much work.
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I had a pretty good week, but didn’t get as much done as I had hoped. But that is typical…
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That always happens!
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“Caterwauling” is such a great word!!
Yay pond back to life 🙂
Toasted tomato sandwich with miracle whip and pepper? Mmmmm
Hubbs and I went out for supper last night .. at 5:00 … we laughed about how early it was but enjoyed the Derby while we ate 🙂
Sorry about your friend’s diagnosis & I hope the alternative treatment proves helpful
Bests! MJ
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Caterwauling reads better than it sounds. Someone is offkey!
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ha ha !! I can hear “them” now!
MJ
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