Southwest Cottage Nature Living

The interesting part of cottage living in the Southwest is the surrounding nature. For instance, I'm amazed at how easily a cactus can break yet quickly show new growth. Awhile back I found a bird's nest in my cacti garden. I never did see any birdie babies. The weight of the nest loaded the branch down so much that the branch fell. Not many days after new growth began where the branch had broken off from. I wish some of my other garden plants would grow so easily and without any water like this one does. Occasionally, I get my gloves on and grab the garden clippers and cut the weeds out of the cacti garden. Lately, however, I've let the little garden take on the wild appearance of its normal Southwestern arid nature. That's the beauty of it - though I really do need to clean it up a bit and remove the fallen branch.

Fallen Cactus

New Growth

Outside my fixer upper cottage this morning I found this black feather:

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: 

his truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Psalm 91:4

KJV

Later in the morning I was reading my Bible and read Psalm 91: 4 about how God will cover us with his feathers. After I read the verse I wondered if the wind had already blown away the feather. I took my camera and went to find it. The feather was still there in the same spot I'd first seen it. A single feather, a reminder of how God takes care of us.
If you've visited my blog much, you've learned that I blog about cottage life. That can include decorating my cottage fixer upper (some day, hopefully, we will finally have it "fixed up") and enjoying the nature that surrounds my cottage like:

• My pet dog
• The stray mama cat that's already had three litters
• Kittens
• Gardening
• Tomato Garden
• Roses
• Flowers
• Cacti

Pet lovers, I'm having a funny pet story contest if you'd like to join. The winner will receive a pet toy for her pet. I would love to hear your funny stories about your pets. Let your pet loving friends know about the contest.

Cottage Pet Story Giveaway

FUNNY PET STORY 
PET TOY GIVEAWAY
Deadline: Saturday, October 15, 2011 at Midnight

Where is your pet's comfort hideaway?
Coziness in a cottage makes a family feel comfortable. But the family pets fit into that coziness somewhere. How do you make your pets comfortable in and around your cottage? Pets are funny. We teach them tricks, and they learn tricks from each other. We had a cat once that taught our dog, Bongo, tricks. He never figured out until she came along that it was possible to jump up on top of the back of the sofa - a not so lovely trick to deal with. But he managed to try it out himself. He must have liked that trick, though, because when my husband came home for R&R once from Iraq, Bongo tried that trick out in a different way. I had rented a beach house near Galveston, Texas for the family. One day my husband and I got in the car for a drive down the beach and took Bongo with us. My husband was driving, and I was sitting in the middle. Bongo was in the back seat. Suddenly, he jumped up in the front seat with us then decided that wasn't good enough. He jumped higher to the dashboard and plopped himself right in front of the steering wheel so he could have all my husband's attention. We were riding on the sandy beach with no traffic around, so it was safe.
A more recent incident happened this week. I had walked into the restroom and noticed a couple of my shoes knocked onto the floor from the rack. This four-shelf rack was outside. My husband and I painted it, and he moved it into the restroom for more storage. Shoes line the bottom two shelves. I thought my husband must have knocked the shoes onto the floor accidentally and thought nothing of it and put the shoes back. Two or three days later I heard a noise like someone putting on shoes. I thought it must be my husband but looked over and noticed he was in the living room. I couldn't figure it out, so I looked in the restroom. There was Bongo...moving my shoes from the rack onto the floor. He was making a cozy place to make himself comfy. Then I remembered another time he snuggled up to boots (see photo below). At least he isn't one to chew the shoes. For that I am most grateful. Now what about you? What pet stories do you have to share?

Another of Bongo's Comfort Hideaways



Have pet stories from your cottage? I'd love to hear them. Join this contest for funniest story, and you win a pet toy purchased at Petco. The stories will be judged by a panel of three people: my husband, one of my friends, and me.

Contest Rules:

1. There is no limit to how many funny pet stories are told per person.
2. Be sure to get your stories listed here before midnight on Saturday, October 15, 2011.
3. You must be a follower of Southwest Cottage Designs to win this contest.
4. There will only be one winner. Winner will be chosen by a three-person panel.
5. Winner will be announced on Sunday, October 16, 2011 at Southwest Cottage Designs.

I'm linking to:

• It's A Blog Party
• For Blogs...Current Giveaways