march---hmmmm... so the march hare was a crazy, breeding fool?! and of course, he was hopeful he would find a crazy, breeding hare-ess. love puns! but i doubt he managed straight lines. my yard suggests, however, that the rabbits arrive in hordes. my cat is 20 this year. i suspect any rabbit hunting he'll do will be for the newly born, as he is slower. he doesn't appear rickety yet and that spurs the hope i've calculated his age incorrectly and i will be blessed with the gift of more years in his love. we had a 21 year old cat who spent his final year in a suite of rooms accessed only by people and a younger simon. the dogs were barred as they were too rambunctious and ate inappropriate things. one day when i went up to visit mel i noticed an extra tidbit next to mel's food dish. simon had brought him half a rabbit as a special treat. those who don't know cats might scoff at the concept of their humanity and compassion, but many a chilly night i would find the 2 sharing warmth and companionship, when simon for sure could have been sleeping with much warmer people. but he stayed with his brother and friend. after mel's passing, simon took a stronger interest in being my cat as opposed to being the family cat. he still checked upstairs to be sure all was well but there were no more bowls of food, or litter boxes. i loved that simon took care of his brother in his cat way. i was the new receiver of caught prey and delicacies. there haven't been many this past year and that, too, tells me simon is winding down. his best cat friend, toby, passed last week. so this spring i'm having a little trouble dealing with the new as i am somewhat preoccupied with the old. thank goodness i still see myself as 23, even if i've had to draw the image on the bathroom mirrors. it is indelibly in my mind.