Zena and Pandora

Today is the official first day of spring, and Zena and Pandora have already been enjoying the good weather. They don’t come rushing inside right away as they did when it was 45 degrees out. They always noticed the squirrels, but now they’re crouching in hunter position for as long as 20 minutes to snag themselves a tasty squirrel.  Pandora even ran halfway up the pinoak tree to tree to get one–but, too bad! The squirrel was faster.

The little boy next door, about two years old, plays outside with his mom and yells, “Cat! Cat!” –a new word, when he sees Zena. His mom says, “Yes, cat, and what do cats say? Meow, meow.”  He just repeats, “Cat, cat!” Zena runs away, spooked by a two-year-old coming at her.

Zena and Pandora love the stray grass and assorted papers that blow through the yard. They go chasing them like a cheetah chases an antelope. “What fun!” they think. Eventually, they each stretch out in the sun like Serengeti lions with the light breeze blowing their whiskers. The joy of a spring day overcomes them, and if not really dozing off to sleep, they lower their eyelids a bit in the pleasure of the moment.