Winter, when the cat comes in the house for his naps.

Well,  winter is here, as far as Blue-the-cat is concerned.  He's been outside ever since March or April except for very short visits inside just to make sure we haven't changed anything.  He would ask at the door to come in, stroll from one end of our trailer house to the other, try to drink half the dog's water because he's sure it's better than what he has outside, and then meow at the door and leave.

Not so now.  Yesterday he stayed in quite awhile, sleeping in the dog's bed by the window (much to Gabe's chagrin).  This morning he seems to have been on a mission, and finally chose a chair right in front of the television and about two feet away from a heat register.  Good thinking, in my opinion.  Besides, that particular chair isn't very comfortable for humans.  It must have been made with a cat in mind.

When I went to the garage to feed him and Mama Kitty, he was in his little house, an old Igloo cooler with a door cut in the side and straw for a mattress.   He will sleep out there at night until next spring.  Later on, Mama Kitty might join him if it gets down to zero; otherwise, I'm not sure where she'll be.  She has no desire to be a house cat.  

Tonight we'll have a hard freeze, so I went to the garden and got what few beets were out there, and some more turnips.  Cooked a few turnips and made some pickled beets.  We still have a few small tomatoes in the window and enough nice green tomatoes for at least a couple more skillet-fulls.  I could eat my weight in fried green tomatoes!  I use a recipe from one of my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

Yes, I'm too lazy to type it all down.  These stay hot for a long time, so be careful not to burn your mouth.  The grandson's girl friend tasted them and said she thought they'd be great with Ranch dressing.  

She was right.  My  husband, though, smothers them in Ketchup.