muse | home, garden, life

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cat, loss of a pet, muse, photography, pound cake, rain day, unexplained occurances

This day began as any other Tuesday—except rain fell in sheets.

No matter, Tuesday is my day for town and errands. Only too soon would I discover that this day would be like no other…

On May 5, 2011 my muse and love, Miss Kitty left this life. We were inseparable for eleven years. The following photograph hung in my kitchen until yesterday when I moved it into the bay window where Miss Kitty’s ashes, favorite toy, and fancy ribbon reside.

During the last year of her life, Miss Kitty’s favorite napping/supervising spot was the top of my printer—unless she was watching the butterfly larva crawl around their containers.

A few days following her departure, I photographed a black swallowtail butterfly as it emerged in my office near the printer. I raise butterflies as a hobby…

Miss Kitty and I love butterflies.

I liked her photo next to her memorial, as she seemed right at home.

When I returned from town this morning, the rain continued to fall heavily. Once dry, I mixed a special order batter and poked it into the oven. Deciding to take a break, I headed to the living room where I began to peruse photographs. Suddenly I noticed something black in the bay window next to Miss Kitty’s memorial.

Nestled into the corner was a very-much-alive black swallowtail butterfly.

Can you imagine what went through my mind?

I thought that I was hallucinating!

A few moments later a knock came at the door, and a Fed-Ex person held a delivery—my new printer!

I clearly stepped through the looking-glass today and found myself experiencing childhood magic. I have no rational explanation for what occurred.

Do you?

Even the first draft of this blog disappeared when I clicked the publish button!

Another first.

I cannot explain how the butterfly managed to be in my home.

Butterflies do not fly in rain.

And why was this butterfly in Miss Kitty’s Memorial?

I am filled with gratitude and hopeful that my Miss Kitty resides with me still.

Yet I dearly miss the pitter-patter of her little feet on the wooden floors.

Remember to glide your mouse over images for further captions.

PS: Read more about Miss Kitty in my my blogs entitled the thing about profound loss and the thing about whiskers; both essays found in the left hand column.

And the pound cake turned out pretty too. 😉