In this painting/writing challenge the painting definitely came first. It’s based on a photo that either I or my daughter took on our most recent all-family vacation with my grown-up children. I just loved the way this cat looked sitting in a decorative wheelbarrow at the end of this beautiful blue shed.

Then, according to the challenge I’ve set for myself, I had to come up with a story. This story centers on that black cat, who looks like a wise, old soul the way I’ve painted him. This is my story about the Garden Cat. Let me know what you think!

Shadow took his responsibilities as a Garden Cat seriously. Although he was not as good of a mouser as some of the younger cats and not even as fast any more as some of the kittens, he could still keep the birds out of the berry patch.

He watched as Naomi crept through the vines looking for the rabbits who liked to nibble them. She was an excellent hunter and had dispatched every mouse within a mile. At the edge of the garden sat her kitten, Spaz, who seemed to have a thing for chasing anything that hopped or flew. He particularly liked crickets. Shadow could see that he had one in his paws now and was playing with it.

And then there was Fluffy, the house cat. Like her name implied, she was an ample cat with ample fur. Fluffy rarely made it any further out of the house than the edge of the deck where on fine days a shaft of sunlight hit it just right. She loved that shaft of sunlight and would meow to go out, only to plop herself down in the sun and roll on her back to get a good scratch.

Shadow didn’t blame her. He liked a good lay in the sun himself, the wheelbarrow at the end of the shed being his favorite spot, but he always stayed vigilant. He had a job to do and couldn’t afford long naps. However, he reasoned, a short one might be ok. With Naomi on the prowl and Spaz Kitty chasing every bug, toad and butterfly, surely he could close his eyes for a few minutes.

Just a few……

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