Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

6 March

Cat Chronicles: Another Thoughtful Discussion With An Animal Rights Champion About Zip. I Promise To Die.

by Jon Katz

As is my custom, I like to share important messages with my readers.

Today, I want to share a conversation with an animal rights group leader a few hours ago. It was about (yes, still) whether or not Zip should be required to sleep inside of the house at night and, for that matter, all day. I think the conversation is helpful in many ways:

Message:”You, Jon, pretend to be nice, but you are heartless scum; I hope you die or go to jail for your cruelty in keeping that poor cat outside on cold winter nights...”   — Jess.

Jon’s response:  ‘Jess, thanks for your thoughtful post. I want to promise you that I will die, don’t worry about it. Maria will take good care of Zip when I’m gone. Thanks for thinking of me, and a word to the wise in return: if Jesus does come back as promised, you might want to watch your ass. He asked people to be nice. Best, Jon.’

Zip’s response. Scratch me!

6 March

One More Toe, Sketch By Maria. A Record Of Our Lives Together…

by Jon Katz

When we go to have my feet altered, operated on, or just checked, Maria makes one of her sketches. She does this whenever I am in a doctor’s office or a hospital. She did this one yesterday when Dr. Daly examined the toe on my left foot that she operated on last week and straightened it out.

All my toes on that foot—the big toe is gone—are straight now, unlikely targets of infection and important helpers in my walking. The reconstruction of my left leg has been a great success so far.

These sketches are the story of our love together, a way that works for her to capture the world and understand it. This is how art is meant to be: a force that explains reality and feeling to the world.

Maria’s sketches tell a lot of different stories. They are a record of our lives.

6 March

Ode To Zip: “But The Cat Wants Nothing More Than To Be A Cat…”

by Jon Katz

I love this poem by Pablo Neruda; it captures my feelings about animals like Zip and my own life—this may be why Zip and I connected so quickly and became friends. Zip wants nothing more than to be a cat, and I want nothing more than to be me, not someone others want me to be.

(photo by Maria Wulf)

__

 

“But the cat
wants nothing more than to be a cat,
and every cat is a pure cat
from its whiskers to its tail,
from sixth sense to squirming rat,
from nighttime to its golden eyes.”

from Ode to the cat by Pablo Neruda

6 March

Good Morning, Tulips To The Rescue

by Jon Katz

It’s cloud and gloomy here at the farm, but the Tulips Maria bought me from the Cambridge Flower Shop woke me up with a smile. I can find my own color.

They grace our dining room table for one or two more days.

Flowers are beautiful even when they die, I hope to die in the same way. The problem is that humans live too long, but can be beautiful in spirit. Flowers die while they are full of color and feeling. Seeing the soul of this Tulip is a nice way to start the day. This Tulip has begun to die and has never been more radiant. .

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