A garden writer’s friend

… As I write all of these garden articles about the pleasantries of the pastime, my buddy lies on his office bed that I made for him a couple of years ago. It’s right here, under the big green desk that I keep mostly computer data DVDs in. The bed is made of a large black plastic storage container with a folded blanket on top.

He lets me know that he's there with a swish of his big furry gray and white tail. Swish … Swish … Every five to ten minutes … Swish … Swish … I wonder if he is trying to get my attention or if he is just making sure that I, his buddy, am still close by. I say to him, “I’m here with you, buddy.”

No matter what time of the day or night that I am here at these desks, in front of these computers, my friend is here beside me, helping me stay focused on writing.

When he first came to live with me, he was only about four weeks old. A customer of mine gave him to me. She said he was born in a barn and her husband wouldn’t let him stay inside. He was so tiny then. He barely filled up the palm of my hand. He liked to be close and warm back then. He’d get under the covers at night and I would lose him and panic! I was always afraid I’d crush him in the night. My other friend, Spot didn’t know what to think about the situation. He just learned to accept the change and the new addition to the family. That was in January, 1999.

I named my new little buddy “Puff” after the elementary school reader character. It seemed only apropos that he should be named Puff, especially since there was already a Spot in the house. (Spot the Cat)

When he became a teenager later that same year, I noticed that every afternoon I came in from the greenhouse to find the food container emptied onto the floor. This became a daily ritual, mind you. The container was a free-feeding type plastic box that held four pounds of dry food and would replenish the attached bowl as it became emptied. Finally, I figured out what was going on there. He was growing exponentially and eating his fair share to get that way! Spot ate from the same bowl, so there was some noticeable competition there. He was apparently afraid that the food would stop feeding itself into the dish and he would go hungry. He was simply trying to calculate just how much food was in the container and how long it would last between two cats.

Puff grew into a thirty-three pound lap baby. Spot was no wimp either. Spot; a twelve pound, long and lean black Siamese cat and Puff the big gray and white Maine Coon. Puff and Spot remained good friends until Spot’s death in December, 2005.

Puff became a star on the Home Grown Tomatoes live video broadcasts. It seemed that a lot of folks were tuning in just to catch a view of Puff and his television antics. In fact, there’s a video on Justin TV of Puff wrecking the HGT studio with his giant tail! http://www.justin.tv/clip/b573a814bfb The clip is also on YouTube and other video share websites. The video also shows Minky passing through the HGT studio. Minky died last year.omeH

I took this time away from my garden writing and other chores to write about my friend here, lying on his bed at my knees. It has taken a lot of courage for me to do it because Puff is dying. He fell ill recently and is unable to recover.

Yesterday, Puff wanted to lie on the floor by the outside door in the office so he could at least smell the outdoors. He hasn’t been able to enjoy looking out of the window since last Saturday. A strange thing occurred while he was trying so very hard to stay comfortable. I noticed a deer in the back yard looking toward the storm door. I seized the moment, grabbed my camera and snapped a couple of pics. But then I realized it wasn’t about me. The deer was there to see Puff. Then there were two more deer that slowly passed by along with two chipmunks. It was as if they were stopping by to say goodbye to their old friend who used to watch them from the upper deck.

When I started this story about an hour ago, Puff had not moved from his resting position. I brushed his tail with my hand to let him know that I was still with him.

Puff has died.

He will lie in state here on his bed tonight so that Pepper the Cat may pay respects.

Puff will be buried tomorrow beside his friend Spot in the Tomato Tower Pet Cemetery. Minky and Miss Whiskers are also buried there, so he will be in great company.

So long Puff. You will be missed.

I am angry and sad because I have lost my best friend. That’s all I have to say about that.