Barn cats are the most independent and unpredictable of animals, but Minnie and Flo have worked out some original arrangements with us. In the warm weather, they live outside, they prowl the pasture and the barns for mice and rats and moles. In the cold and nasty weather, they appear in the early evening, and come into the farmhouse, and get close to the wood stoves. In the morning, we let them out and don’t see them much during the day, even in the cold.

This works out well for us, and I think, for them. Cats know how to make themselves comfortable, Flo has taken over the big blue pillow, Minnie likes to lie on the quilts. Sometimes, if I am napping, Flo will come and sit in my lap.