160 People From Turkey Reading My Blog?

In the past few days I have been getting much blog traffic from Turkey, and I wonder if anyone else has too-

This blog has perhaps 8 regular readers, though visitors do stumble in on it when they are looking for information on Tennessee lizards or Harpeth River State Park and Hidden Lake.

I think the Turks, forbidden to use Twitter and Facebook, are looking for ways to bypass what their government is blocking by going in through backdoors.

My hands would fall off before I would use Twitter or Facebook, though a few years back my sister talked me into joining. I used it two weeks, then got the hell out.

I do not think my blog links to either of these sites.

"I Gave My Cat a Bath-"

Any reader who remembers the late Seventies may remember the Steve Martin routine where he describes bathing his cat, a project that went well though the fur stuck to the comedian's tongue.

Well, I gave a cat a bath a bath last week, and I will never try it again.

This cat, a gray male Community cat named Minuscule, had endured a bath in mild dishwashing liquid when he was a bit smaller, and I could not imagine he would object to being rid of fleas again.

(The white cat has no name. She is Minuscule's sister.)





Minuscule, a swaggering little man cat, had become a particular friend. He let me rub him, pick him up, carry him about the house. I intended to make him a house cat, a neutered one, who would avoid a fate of running all over the place looking for females and eventually ending up being eaten by a coyote, or getting hit by a car.

I intended to get him used to the dogs and the apartment, but first the fleas had to go-

This involved a big blue bucket of water, some organic flea soap touted to be safe for older kittens, and a resident fool to give the bath.

I picked up Miniscule by the neck, as his mother would have, squirted soap on him and dunked him in the bucket.

In the next few seconds it was as though I had been attacked by a half dozen thorny rose bushes. Glistening with soap Miniscule, with suds coming out of his mouth, retreated under the hedge. I, his friend, had become Satan's Spawn.

Horrified,  I spent an hour trying to catch him to get the soap off. I had a towel to throw over and trap him, and thick winter gloves to protect my hands-

I tried luring him in with a felt fake mouse on a string. I tried sweet talking. And some of this drama
entertained the lawn crew, who already think I am a loco old Anglo woman, though that is another story.

I could not catch him, and there he cowered, spewing soap bubbles.

Oh no, thought I. He will run to the upper apartments and some one will see him and he will be foaming at the mouth and they will think he has rabies. The cops will come, and animal control, and they will take all the cats and kill them, and it will be all my fault and I will end up in jail or on Channel 4 at 6. Or maybe he will die from the soap before anyone sees him and I won't go to jail but I will be a cat killer.

I was depressed and despondent all day. I felt better when the cats came back that evening for food.
Minuscule, looking as thought his rear end had dragged through hair gel, was with them. He refused to speak to me.

The next day they all came back, though the little gray cat was wary. But no worse for wear, since he chugged down Tender Centers.

Now, a week on we are best friends again. I pick him up and pet him, I put him on my lap. He brought me another dead vole, give to him by his mother Brushy Tail, who is a relentless Stone Killer.

All seems back to where it was pre-bath.

Maybe he is just waiting for revenge. Biding his time. Maybe tomorrow when I pick him up he will bite my nose off.

Liquid Salad

I have heard Gazpacho described as a "Liquid Salad", and while this recipe is not for a classical Gazpacho, it tastes just as refreshing.

It is easy to make. Simply cut up three medium fresh tomatoes, and one medium peeled cucumber, and puree them in the food processor or blender. Add three or four roasted peppers( I used canned Piquillos), two garlic cloves, and some sea salt to taste and puree them into the mixture along with one slice of any bakery quality white bread. Add up to an ounce of Sherry vinegar- tasting as you go- and blend well.

Serve cold.