Forget woolly worms and the wisdom of crusty old farmers - if you have a house cat, you already know it's going to be a harsh winter.  For the past week, my kitty has snuggled on my lap at every opportunity, which is most every time I sit down.  At night, she curls up on the bed between my husband and me, as though the snow is already falling outside.  As the nights get steadily colder, she snuggles in closer. There's no doubt in her mind that winter is coming and it's time to cozy up to her favorite heat sources.

Relaxing in my rocking chair to read the newspaper after supper, she jumps up and makes herself comfortable on top of the pages.  We sit and rock, newspaper unread, watching the leaves fall outside our sunroom windows.  Some evenings we watch the sunset, both of us catching a catnap as it drops below the horizon.  Summer's over and winter is fast approaching.  It's time, she tells me, to slow down and regroup before the holiday season begins.  Time to focus on what really matters and spend more time with the ones I love.

She, of course, earns this place in our family by catching a mouse in the garage now and then.  Having been born in a barn, she is a natural hunter as well as weather forecaster.  She knows when a thunderstorm is on the way and is hiding under the bed long before the rest of us hear those first distant rumbles.  She's jumpy on days when the wind blows. On those days when the barometer is dropping and changing weather heading our way, she is underfoot, never far away.

Yes, folks, winter is coming.  Nasty weather is on the way.  It's going to get mighty cold and we'll have some blustery bone-chilling days. There will be ice, and you may as well get that snow shovel out of the basement.  You're going to need it for sure.  The cat has given the word - it's time to batten down the hatches, stock up on candles and lamp oil, and spend some quality time with those you love.

Copyright © 2006 Karen Briggs