Paladin Among the Flax

Paladin is in full bloom among the flax in Effieland, the garden our cat Effie and Paladin share. The garden is fenced all around with gates and locks. The top is also fenced to repel raptors.

Two cats and a tiny snake

A very small baby Gopher snake (center, looks like a brown cord between Effie’s and Paladin’s paws) fended its way through Effieland yesterday. Effie, a veteran of carrying a full grown Garter snake around in her mouth, and Paladin, treating the Gopher snake as a living toy, took turns carrying the snake in their mouths and playing harmlessly with it on the ground.  Eventually they freed the tiny reptile, which slithered its way to the fence. Paladin laid on top of the snake. Somehow the snake made it out of Effieland.

Corn at 23 mph

Corn is resilient, taking a bow at 23 mph. This is a multi-colored popcorn variety.

First sunflower of the season

It’s a little spooky photographing a sunflower, because bees are fans too. I managed this portrait and a couple of others. The bees hummed, but I was not stung.

Colors and Vines of Effieland

My cats Effie and Paladin are out with me in 96° Effieland, but defer from blog appearances today in favor of napping in the shade.

Lupines come in so many wonderful variegated and solid colors. . .

 

One of my favorite solids is Cream.

 

More poppies have bloomed since yesterday.

 

Grapevines are expansive throughout Effieland.

Effieland’s Purples for Beauty

Our first purple poppy of the season was like a love song. . .

 

and the purple lupine was part of the chorus.

100° in Effieland

Effielanders Effie and Paladin refuse to leave their grounds and come into the house when it’s a mere hundred degrees outside and their water drippers are providing only very warm water. Paladin naps, and Effie walks around drinking warm water. They seem not to mind in the least.

Effie finds a bit of shade in some grass, intermittently drinking warm water without flinching.

Paladin rests in a small patch of grassy shade by a pot of fresh growing catnip. He’s not punch-drunk; the sun’s in his eyes.

In the pink: Here come the lupines

I welcome lupines as harbingers of summer, especially when they arrive in pink. We also have later-blooming lupines in cream and blue. The ones pictured here are beginning to bloom, and will soon fill their stalks with more petals. Effie and Paladin  took turns today, sleeping among the leaves on the side opposite the flowers.

The Cats of Effieland

Effieland is a secured 1,000 square foot garden that makes it safe for Effie and Paladin to be outdoors. Lots of grass and a planter of catnip grow there, as do flowers and grapes and berries for the humans who belong to these remarkable cats.

Effie contemplates her sunny dominion

 

Paladin scans Effieland from beneath a chair

 

Paladin awaits the opening of the lupines

 

Addendum to Faces and Flowers of Spring

Golden alyssum

 

Flax