For months last year, Zip and I met every morning. He decided to become my partner in flower photography, and I loved that; it meant a lot to me.  He watched me while I took my photos, quietly and patiently waiting while I worked.  He was watching over me.

But the winter interrupted it. It was too cold for me to sit outside, and Zip spent some of those arctic mornings in the woodshed above the kitchen or his warm cat house in the barn. The team broke up for a few months, and I missed it.

Today, the temperature was in the 50s. I was fine in a sweater outside, and Zip appeared and sat quietly while I snapped away (see below). Then, I came over for some neck and head scratched. After a few minutes, he fell asleep right before me, and I rubbed his belly for 15 or 20 minutes. It was as if we never stopped. We’re not entirely out of winter yet, but I felt Spring today.

It was a pleasure to have the team back together. Zip and I are somehow on the same page. We don’t need words; we understand what each other wants. I can’t remember life without him.