A Glorius Morning for My G-man.

G-man was her name. My son named her.

"It's a female. Why G-man?" I asked.
 
"I don't know. I just like it. But I call her 'G' for short. Can you take care of her  for me, mom?"

"Of course I will, son."

So G stayed.

Several months later, G disappeared. I searched for two hours. She was just gone. Then I found a phone message waiting for me.

"Your cat was hit by a car. She is at the vet's. I told them to keep her alive until you returned." It was Julie. My future sister-in-law. I called her for more information.

"I saw a white fluff on the road's dividing line and thought is was a sweater or a bag. As I  got nearer, I realized it was a cat. When I stepped out, I recognized G. So I brought her to the vet's."

It was now after 5 PM and they were closed for the day. But I called the vet 's office anyway. The vet's assistant let me in and escorted me to G's cage. She was blind, but she recognized my voice and crawled forward. She sat in her water dish but seemed unaware of it. She pleadingly meowed in the direction of my voice. Not only was she blind from the concussion, but her jaw drooped, her hind leg didn't work right and I was sure her head ached. She was dirty, mostly with dried blood about her mouth. My heart ached to see her in such a state.

The assistant spoke with me about G's fate. Because she was blind from a blow to the head and now had a broken jaw and an injury to her hind leg the recommendation was that she be 'put under'.

"What's the alternative?" I asked.

Surgery to save a cat.

"Wire her jaw, and take her home in a week."

"How much will that cost?"

"We'll charge for the surgery, but  she can stay and be attended to for a week for free. Then you can bring her home. We can't make any promises that she will see again."

I agreed. And within a week, I brought G home in an open box.  Her tail wagged when I walked up to our house. She recognized its smells and was happy to return home.

My dog, ShiSha, was excited to see her buddy back home. But after a few sniffs, Shi Sha turned away and presented no further interest in G.

Once inside, I set up a little stage for G on the kitchen floor. A box set on its side placed on a small rug for G to sleep in with her warm, familiar blanket. To the right of the rug, I set a litter box and to the left, I set a water dish and wet food. G learned to stay in that small environment identified by the boundaries of the rug as she waited for me to come home from work. Upon arrival, I placed her in my lap, rocked her like a baby and sang songs of encouragement.

She still had blood stained fur under her chin. When she felt better I washed her fur to remove the stains from her chin down to her chest. Perhaps she could smell the dried blood. Being clean again, she began to regularly wash herself without my assistance.

One day I set G outside in the grass. She was curious and the smells enticed her to explore. I realized she still couldn't see because I had to  rescue her from an imminent fall from the edge of a high wall at the edge of the grass area. ShiSha was not impressed and continued to ignore G.

Weeks later, as I readied for work in early morning, G walked into the bathroom and stopped in front of the long mirror behind the door. I observed from another mirror on the opposite wall. She seemed to watch me through her mirror's reflection of me. I moved my hand. She followed its movement. She meowed.  I picked her up. ShiSha followed me as I brought the cat to the bedroom. I placed her on the bed. She recognized her old play-mate ShiSha looking at her with ears perked and tail wagging. G walked close to the  edge of the bed. The dog and I watched as the cat jumped off the bed!

I can see clearly meow.

"G can see, ShiSha!" The dog got very excited and jumped onto the cat. "No ShiSha, don't hurt her." ShiSha was happy to have her play-mate and buddy back. She also wanted to play with G NOW. I calmed ShiSha who then followed G throughout the house. She didn't bump into furniture and eventually jumped onto the couch. She lovingly grabbed ShiSha's head as she accepted a juicy lick on the cheek from her buddy.

It was a glorious morning for all three of us!

Art Update, November, 2011

Image by billandkent via FlickrArt update!

You will see my latest oil painting, "Birch Trees by the Lake " ---oil on canvas, in the Wolfeboro Public Library.

It hangs as part of a group show with the GWAC (Governor Wentworth Arts Council). I've been a member for several years. It is a great group of artists and fine craftspersons. The show will be available to view until December 1, 2011.

Also, a new painting, "Three Sandpipers", now on display at Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters, 541 North Citrus Ave, Crystal River, FL.

The subject is a result of my observation of sand pipers at Palm City beach last year. The birds seemed to be having a discussion so I captured them and immortalize the moment. The ocean is rough and rushing in from behind as they stand in the sand at the edge of the rough sea.

Two other smaller water color paintings hang at the Hernando Shop as well. Go to Cattle Dog! They have the best coffee in the country! Their's is the only coffee I can drink. And their pastries are spectacular. If you like really good (I mean really, really good) food for lunch, instead of a burger somewhere or a plain sandwich with little flavor, get in your car and drive up to Hernando or Crystal River and visit the Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters. They will treat you right.They also have wi-fi so you can check out my website as well.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Related articles

• Hello world! (jomorise.wordpress.com)

What's A Cat For?

For people.  :-)
Cats have been around for a very long time. They have been around humans for about 9500  years. Can you imagine the fleas?

Charlie

When I adopted Charlie, one of my colleagues warned me, "He won't last the six months at your place." That disturbed me because I had lost three cats within the last three years. I hoped it wouldn't happen again for Charlie loved to romp and hang around the woods outside our home. Ten years later, he still does!

More than once, I've searched for him at night or early morning if he hadn't returned home by dark. He usually comes home when it was safe (I believe). He is a great hunter and a very wary traveler. That would account for his survival. He is a Maine Coon cat, which gives him  coloring that blends into our surrounding. He wears camouflage!

Our property is part of a forest. Wildlife from owls, hawks, coyotes, bears, fox and raccoons roam at different times looking for a meal. We found animal tracks in the snow around the perimeter of our house in 2009, identified as mountain lion. A neighbor photographed a mountain lion in our neighborhood that same winter. Another watched a lion in his back yard drag a deer off in deep snow. Scary. Now, I fret at letting Charlie out or before I go out at night.

I walked up to a black bear this last summer. He was more frightened of me than I of him. However, I know he is only about a year old. I watched momma bear and her three cubs the previous summer as they caught Charlie's attention at the living room window. They were picking berries right by our door. The cat was ecstatic. The bears were so cute. But leave them alone and all is well.

 

My Black Bear friend.

My bear friend and I had unanticipated meetings this past summer, I felt he was obviously not accustomed to nor totally aware of his surroundings and unsure of what is perceived as a danger.

The bear and I had met about four times. Each time he seems to contemplate what to do next. Finally he remembers what mom said before he last departed to venture on his own, "Stay away from two legged animals who live in strange caves." So he clumsily turns stumbling and crashing through the woods. If I walked up to this same bear and he were older, would he turn and run as before? I hope so.

Two days ago, as I walked our half mile drive, I heard a sudden crashing to my left among the trees at the edge of the drive. From the sound of each step, whatever it was, it was heavy. I stopped, anxiously determining what it could be. Then I realized it was my friend the bear. No other animal was as clumsy and noisy as he. I think we both kept an eye on each other. I had to return after retrieving the mail and there was no sign of my friend. He was probably up a tree like his mom taught him to avoid humans.

My cat, Charlie is still part of the family. I believe he thinks himself human. He understands some of our words and we understand some of his. Between his purrs, meows, growls and body language, I know when he is hungry, happy, angry, wants a treat, wants us to accompany him on a walk, doesn't want us to leave or wants us to go to bed by 9:00 PM. He jumps on our chest in the AM telling us it is time to get up and be about our business, which is to feed him and let him outside! If we don't feed him on time, no worry, he finds food for all. He meows while carrying a rodent in his teeth. As he approaches the door he indicates, "I know you are out of food, so come eat. I'll share."

That's my Charlie cat.

Yes, cats are for people.

I write and I paint... so what's new lately?

A story bounced around in my head for two years. Twelve years later the manuscript  was completed! I spent another two years editing and polishing it up.

Why so long to write this story? Well, I was involved in something called 'life': working, teaching, building houses with my bare hands, getting married, etc. So, it took a while. Oh, did I mention writer's block. Yeah, I had that a few times.

In the end, I built up enough confidence to share my work with a terrific writers group. This group tells it as it is. That's what I want. Honesty, whether it hurts or makes you smile. I was in a group where everyone was nice. That was nice, but it didn't help. Everyone in the group  had really nice stories--every day--every time--never miss. Impossible! They wanted to be nice. I wanted to sweat and toil. I wanted to see more! I took the door.

Whenever possible, I read about writing. I read novels that are in the genre I am writing in and I listen to what others have to say about writing .

Being consumed in writing this story for such a long time has taught me how much I'd forgotten or what I just didn't know.

For about 30 odd years I wrote poetry whenever the mood struck. I've carefully stashed my poems into a briefcase--for later. Sometimes I make drawings, which relate to the poem. I think of poetry as a canvas with which to paint words. That is what I'd tell my students when I wanted them to write something to be included in their assignments. (I was a computer teacher and a science teacher.)


May-Sept, I displayed artwork in Cushing, ME while we vacationed at the Saltwater Farm Campground. The campground offers a peaceful retreat on the St. George River, not far from Andrew Wyeth's home and the famous Olsen house depicted by Andrew.

Another favorite place is The Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters Cafe, in Hernando, FL. two artworks are on display until December, 2011. If they sell, I will ship another painting to replace them. How exciting is that?

If you enjoy the world's best coffee, go to the Cattle Dog. James, is a wonderful chef and takes pride in roasting a great variety of coffee beans. That is the only coffee I can drink! And, James bakes wonderful pastries. People get there early to grab whatever pastry is left in the display case. Those who come late hang around if they know James is baking a new batch of pastries. I love the sticky rolls with the pecans and brown sugar. There are other good eats as well. You just got to go there. Don't forget to look for my work while you are there!

My current major painting is a portrait of two women from the WWII era. Painting in color from a black and white photo is difficult but doable. It is turning out fine. It will be on my Portraits page soon at www.jomorise.com.