The cues for this week are: 1) Starts with L   2) Week's Favorite   3) Critter Looky there, it's our critter, Molly the Cat. She was completely in zen lick, lick, licking herself clean and pretty.  How could that not be my favorite photo of the week? Friday's Hunt is a weekly meme hosted by Teresa at Eden Hills . To check out other participants, please click here . If you'd like to join, you can until Sunday evening.

"Make an effort." This morning I read that line in Emma: A Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith). I felt like the character, and the author, was talking to me.   Please make an effort, Susie.  The Mama said it another way about herself when she felt tired, which was every day for her last several years. Plain and simple, she used to say, "I push myself." After we buried the Mama this past April, the Only and Older Brother said to me, "Keep on living." I scoffed at what the Only and Older Brother said. Of course, I'd keep on living. Why would I not? Lately, though, honesty keeps trying to surface. Drat that honesty. For that matter, dang to introspection, rumination, and heart-searching that show up in my dreams. Sigh. So, this is my effort today for the letter E for this week's ABC Wednesday : a story that I shared three years ago (April 5, 2013) about an amazing thing that reminded me of the wonderful effortlessness of life.

Molly the Cat is six years old today. According to her adoption paperwork, that is. Molly doesn't like cake. But, we do. So, the Husband drove to the bakery to buy a slice each of chocolate cake and lemon cake for him and me to share. What's a birthday without cake, right? Molly got an extra pouch of chicken breast and beef mix. She licked her plate clean after eating both pouches. She's a big girl now, our sweet Molly. I'm hooking up with Seasons , a meme hosted by blogger and artist Jesh. Click here to check other Seasons participants.

Last night, Molly the Cat plopped in front of me and stretched as far as she could. "You will do no more computer work," Molly said, thumping her tail on the keyboard whenever I reached for it. "None what so ever." The Husband and I were gone the whole day, playing with friends at the coast. It was a kayaking adventure, perfect for the hot summer day. Not to worry, the Husband and Gerry the Pacemaker stayed ashore. Once the Husband can handle it, I have plans for us to go kayaking. Molly the Cat simply has to get used to us going out, and I have to get used to her cutting me off from the computer on those going-out days. Today, I'm linking up at Seasons , a weekly meme hosted by Jeanette of St Germain's Blog. Click here to join in (which is open until Wednesday) or to read other posts.

Tweeeet! Tweeeeeet! Translation:  Hurry, hurry! Get away, get away! Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp! Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp! Chirp, chirp, chirrrrrrrrrrp! Translation: What was that? What does she want? I'm hungry!   Molly the Cat smiles. Lips smack. Tail swishes. Translation: Mmmmmmmmmmmm.  Molly settles in the wet grass, beneath the bird feeder. She watches the feeder swing back and forth and listens to the rustling of leaves as the little birds make their way up the tree. Not to worry little birds. Molly the Cat loves to stalk you, crouch low, and pounce towards the tree. That's it though. She has no idea that she's supposed to catch you.  She's merely getting her jollies for the morning. Tweeet, tweet, chirpppp, chirrp, tweet! Swishhhhhhh! Molly the Cat and I are linking up with ABC Wednesday , hosted by Roger Green and the ABCW team. Click here to check out what other participants are writing about the letter J and/or to participat

The dog looked so happy fetching a red ball.  Its owner looked quite happy, too, throwing the red ball and getting it back. Ruff ruff! Check out what's going on in other parts of the world at Our World Tuesday .   

Coooo. Coooo. The sound took me away from the computer. I walked down the hall and glanced out the window. Coooo. Coooo.   Two of 'em. See how the dove on the left looks at the other one. Someone is in love. Coooo. Coooo. I'm hooking up with Warm Heart Wednesday , hosted by the wonderful Jenny Matlock.

Did you ever see the movie Up , the animated movie about the old man who ran away by tying balloons to his house and flew to a waterfall in South America? He and his companion, a stowaway Cub Scout, met a mechanical dog by the waterfall. The very intelligent speaking dog got sidetracked every so often by squirrels and when he thought he saw one, he'd suddenly turn and say, "Squirrel!" Well, that's me. 

The Friday's Hunt , a photo meme hosted by Teresa of Eden Hills , is a lot fun.  She gives you three items to photograph each week, and you can choose to do one, two, or three of them.  I had a photo last week that would've been perfect for all three items this week. Oh well. Starts with C I've decided to use my archives for the alphabet item. I took the photo of this cow in November 2014 during a hike with the Husband. Moooooooo. Week's Favorite The Only and Older Brother surprised us with a visit on Sunday. He brought BBQ for lunch, so I'll excuse him for not waving to the camera. I did get him to smile. Just as good. (Yes, that's a smile.) Inside One of my goals this year is to reduce the clutter in the house. Everywhere. Everything. So far I've accomplished sorting and organizing the business cards and library cards that I like to collect. Baby steps, but at least they are forward steps.  We're supposed to have rain over the

I was going to say that the Husband and I met a Mr. Squirrel at the beach this afternoon. But, he could've been a Ms. Squirrel. I wonder if there's a way to tell the gender of a squirrel. Who knows how many female squirrels I may have offended in the past.

The Mama's persimmon tree gave us an abundant crop this year. We're sharing the fruit on the top branches with the birds and squirrels. I told them to leave the lower branches for us. So far, so good.

A cute huge puppy lives next door. Whenever his humans go to work, they put him in his kennel outside. That is near our kitchen window. Bark, Bark! Hooooooowwwwwwl! All day. The puppy has gotten better about barking and howling less. And, as long as I'm on the other side of our house, I can tolerate his whines and demands to be brought back inside the house. But, there are times when my patience wears thin. The Mama told me to be nice and not tell them about the barking and howling.  What about them being nice, I said. His humans are nice people. A young couple. The Husband and I talked with them a couple of weeks ago. It turned out they are aware of the puppy's barking and howling. We were the third neighbor to inform them. The puppy's humans are doing their best to resolve the problem.  At least, I hope so. I do feel sorry for the puppy being out in the elements during the day. Still. Bark, Bark! Hooooooowwwwwwl!

Lately, I've been using a facial cream made up of tallow from grass-fed cows and organic extra-virgin olive oil. Every time I rub the stuff into my face, I think of fried steak. Yummmm. That's the smell of the cream. And, that's what my face smells like. The Husband has no sense of smell. Poor guy. He doesn't get to smell how deliciously like fried steak I am. Why am I using this yummy eau de fried steak ? I have a horrible case of facial eczema and experts say that tallow fat mimics human skin, has minerals that help heal and protect the skin, and has natural cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties. It's too early to say if eau de fried steak is working. No. I haven't been eating a lot of fried steak lately. But, I do think about it each time I apply eau de fried steak on my face. P.S. Tilda-Hilda and I did a quick pedal around the neighborhood this morning. I totally got myself out of breath. Maybe, I'll talk myself—and the Husband—into

Over hurdles at the county fair, these sweet little cuties were. I was going to brag about my ribbons today. Napped instead. Whatever mild bug I caught several days ago is nearly gone. Maybe I'll show off tomorrow. 

I didn't know cows ate pumpkins. I wonder if they might like pumpkin pie. Moooooooooooo.  Click here to check out what Tuesday's like for bloggers from around the world.

This is making my day, big time. Hope it brightens yours. I have no idea who the creator. Who ever you are, Thank you!!!!

10.  I feel like numbering. No reason. 9.  Molly the Cat chased a rat in the backyard yesterday evening. I opened the sliding door. Flash! Out went Molly. She hid behind two planters, her tail wagging. Zoom! There went a black rat. Jeez. 8.  I tell myself that there's no reason to be scared of rats. 7.  Shudder. 6.  Molly wouldn't follow me into the garage as I took out the garbage. 5.  No reason to be scared of rats. 4.  I wish I hadn't seen the rat. 3.  I cannot pretend that I saw the rat. 2.  If Molly catches the rat, she's going to rush it into the house. 1.  Shudder.

Today, I'm participating in The Weekend in Black and White , hosted by the delightful Dragonstar. To see B&W works by other participants, please click here .

"Who is that?" asked Molly the Cat. "That's your shadow." "Make it stop following me." "We have to go inside then." "No," said Molly the Cat. "It better know that I do the leading around here!" Molly the Cat and I are participating in The Weekend in Black and White , hosted by Dragonstar. Please click here to see B&W works by cool bloggers around the world.

The other day, the Husband and I visited friends in Los Altos Hills, who took us over to see the baby sheep at Hidden Villa . That's a non-profit organic farm and wilderness preserve that is open to the public, as well as offers various educational programs. The place is gorgeous. We also checked out the pigs, goats, chickens, and cows. Today, though, I'm posting photos of the sweet, darling lambs. These darling babies were one-day-old.  The cutie pie seemed to be asking, "Hmmm, what is this?" This sweetie was the sole black sheep of the group.  I'm hooking up with Camera Critters today. So, please click here to see what lovely creatures that bloggers around the world are featuring.