Repas a l’exterieur

With spring here and summer approaching it is the season for repas a l’exterieur- outdoor dining.  My cousins and I have been taking advantage of the exquisite menu in the great outdoors of late: Callie is partial to little bugs flying and crawling around her backyard, so cute, she is just a little bitty thing, just a year old; Maxx has taken to having his crunchies rest in a china bowl on his backyard patio.  His favorite bird bath has been taken over by a family of quail and he knows NOT to bother them so Maxx has been relegated to the blue bird bath in the other garden and he grumbles a bit.  Me, I still chase anything that crawls around the Blue House, catch less than I see, but I work up an appetite for fine dining indoors. No bird baths, but lots of water spots from where mom  waters her plants. 

Repas a l’exterieur is also an experience that birds enjoy, daily.  Did you make it to the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest last weekend?  Did you see the demonstrations and the amazing bird houses created by a fine gentelman named Daniel?  The weather, the birdsongs, the walks, the whole experience was a flight for the soul.

There was a lot of activity here at the Blue House last weekend with the mural project and the fence project and wonderful volunteers weeding and sweeping up in the front area.  I have not been a real fan of the front while the area has been torn up, but maybe when it is all done I will linger on the lawn and nibble on a critter and play with floating rose petals.  Now that would be  summer repas a l’exterieur.

Tell me a picnic story. 

LaChat Noir, Maison Bleu

PORTIER

At times I find that I am poised as the DOORKEEPER of the Blue House.  I am here to collect and survey the many treasures that come our way.  You may not see me as you drive up and drop off the many donations under the canopy, but I am here and after you leave, I carefully walk the tables as is my job.

The past few weeks we have had many generous donors presenting us with movies, mostly VHS.  The movies are mostly family oriented, which is purrfect for our many families, however, without VCRs to play them on, the movies just sit in boxes waiting to entertain the children.  I know many of you are upgrading to DVD and Blue Ray, so please, bring us your VCRs and imagine the children and parents engaged in family time while laughing and talking.

I am a huge fan of movies and many nites I watch a movie while mom is working in her office.  My cousins, Callie and Maxx prefer computer games, but I am a cinema fanatic. You would think that animal themes would be on the top of my list, but I actually prefer action adventure- colors and sounds speeding by so fast they seem to race off the screen and I sometimes check behind the television to see if the movie continues from there.

When I am not watching a flick, I sometimes wander through mom’s indoor garden at the Blue House, which is not generally  a preferred activity by mom.  She is less than supportive of this and usually has a word or two for me when caught,, but still, I work my way through the plants.  Funny, she doesn’t have a problem with the outside garden.  Oh well.

AND, speaking of gardens, how is your garden growing?  We could really use a hand this year.  As you grow a veggie for you, grow one for us and the many we feed in our community- herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, squash, beans, berries, cucumbers…. 

I will look for you as I walk the tables.

GRIPES AND GIGGLES

There are many great things about our local festival- the music in the park, the carnival, the annual stage musicals and the parades, not to mention the weird vibes from bouncy cars that also parade down the road where I live. The food, oh the glorious food, sweet and savory- I am aware that there is a sign prohibiting dogs, what about cats?  Never mind, mom won’t let me eat a corndog or ice creat, maybe grilled chicken?  I digress.  My gripe is the garbage and the alcohol, yah, why was there a beer garden in the middle of a family park during a family festival?

Let’s talk Classy Chasy.  Fabulous event.  However, this year, in addition to the classic cars and the corvet run, there were entries that included lower riders (not classic) driven by what I call wannabees gang members blasting gangsta rap that left many packing up and heading home.  My head is still spinning.  What happened to the true restored classics that made this parade unique and family oriented?  Maybe next year I will bring my kitty scooter. 

Also, a favorite during our beautiful festival is the annual “Friends of the Library” book sale.  A wonderful event for so many and enjoyed by our family for years, community book lovers donate books knowning that they will be sold and taken home where families will cherish the words on pages filled with adventures, entertainment and education.  My gripe is that when mom went through many of the children’s books they were assaulted by crayons, ink pens, bite marks (?) and ripped pages.  How can this be?  It is unimaginable  for anyone to disrepect a book, but to then knowingly donate this once tresured analogue to families, to children, is unspeakable.  I will say no more.

If you missed any of the glitter surrounding the festival this year, come see me.  Mom’s goddaughter played @ the Blue House last week, as she often does, and decided to look extra pretty for the festival by putting glitter all over herself and the extra went everywhere else, including onto me.  I look extra special with sparkling fur.  I will call this one a genuine giggle.

LaChat Noir, Maison Bleu

A PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE

First, WELCOME TO APPLE BLOSSOM- Walking in Sunshine.  Kid’s weekend has come and gone with a parade and lots of free activities.  As I live at the Blue House, just a block away from the major events, I see everything and everyone.  Lots happening on Adams Street, up and down and up and down and up and down.  It was like having the parade right in front of my house last Saturday morning.  Simply GRAND!

Second,  May is MENTAL HEALTH month.  Did you know that you are more likely to encounter a person in an emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart attack?  Mental disorders are more common than heart disease and cancer combined. 

Let’s talk about MY issues: ASTRAPHOBIA, SCIAPHOBIA and LIGYROPHOBIA.  Yes, I have concerns with thunder and lightning, shadows and loud noises.  Mom says that I can live a full and productive life while working on my issues and that nothing can limit me, except me.

60 million or one in four adults live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition  and with proper care can live full, productive lives.  DO MORE FOR 1 in 4.

Care and be Aware!

If you have a friend or loved one who needs help or YOU need help, please contact the following: Recovery Innovations Crisis Recovery Line   509. 662.7105 or 1.800.852.2923

NAMI Chelan/Douglas Counties   509.663.8282

www.MentalHealthFirstAid.org

WRC offers housing and supportive services to individuals with a mental health diagnosis-

A treatable illness.

Good Mental Health To us ALL! 

LaChat Noir, Maison Bleu

TOURING THE BINS

One of the items on my list of routine activities I undertake each day at the Blue House is to “tour the bins”- I walk around the clothing room and check out each bin to see how full they are, how comfy they are to nap in when folks are not shopping (Walk-In Wednesday).

I am sadden to say that none of the bins are full, especially the various children’s bins.  The Infant bin is half full and the toddler bins are nearly empty, as are the grade school bins.  This means that we do not have enough clothing for our children who live in our community.

We take clothing that is in good shape (NO tears, rips, stains, busted zippers ormissing buttons) and in season (we need spring and summer clothing).

When you get up in the morning I know that as part of your AM routine you think “what shall I wear today?”  You go to your closets and drawers and select items that please you, that make you feel good about yourself, that relate to your personality, that adapt to the weather and that are appropriate for work and school.  This is one part of building your self-esteem.

WE want our children to build their self-esteem in many ways.  The right clothing can help.

PLEASE, go to your closets and drawers and take a little out and bring to us to help a child.

I hope to go to the clothing bins in a week or so and jump into full bins, take a nap and dream of children playing and studying and working in clean, well-fitting clothing that will bring a smile to their faces and help build self-esteem.

And, I am still here, noching and napping and noodling. 

LaChat Noir, Maison Bleu