No mow

Kitties love to lie in tall grass. And I am happy to oblige them by not mowing our backyard savannah.Ida (left) and Sailor chill out in their private grass nests.

All-star benchwarmers

My homemade benches are like Lego blocks for backyard kitty lounging. Below are Daisy's tail end (left) and a sleepy-eyed Homer.Below is Sailor when he still had his chocolate back stripe.Be not deceived by Betty's alluring smile; the jaws of a beast lurk within (la Bete = the beast).Below is Gus, my eldest feral, the most charming boy I cannot touch.

ChocoCat

Sailor used to have a dark chocolate bar down his back, as seen in these photos with Wally three months ago.But a Siamese cat's coloring is always changing, and now Sailor has a mini moon pie on each hip. He is probably darkening to an allover Fudgsicle tone.Sailor himself, like chocolate, is an irresistibly sweet and addictive kitty.

A fine romance, my good fellow

The hot buddy love between Siamese teen guy Sailor and tabby he-man Homer has cooled off -- to quote Cole Porter -- like yesterday's mashed potatoes.Sailor's confidence and popularity have soared as he's matured, leaving him little time for Homer. Not that Homer seems to mind. As long as Homer gets to beat the stuffin's out of Sailor now and then, Homer thinks this is a fine romance.

Centerfold spread

Our playmate of the month is Sailor. His hobbies include yoga, social networking, personal hygiene and applied entomology.

Sailor laps it up

Siamese kitten Sailor is now officially a former feral. He has finally let me rub him and he likes it, a lot. Especially head scratchies and belly rubs. He and grey tabby Homer are still best buddies.

Kitsch and cats

I'm overhauling my 1944 kitchen, and the kitties as usual are very paws-on with the process. Siamese kitten Sailor oversees the messy sink while Roger stocks the kitchen shelves. I can't wait to show some "after" photos of the finished kitchen in a few weeks.

Sailor's playlist: love songs for Homer

Close to You (The Carpenters):Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me (Rocky Horror Picture Show):Two of a Kind (Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer):Mean to Me (Billie Holiday):Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Show Boat):

Homer's little stalker

Siamese kitten Sailor is so excited! He has a new BFF! It's Homer!It started with naps together. Then Sailor began following Homer around. Now it's late-night wrestling bouts. I only wish Homer didn't seem so bored with all this adoration.

Hugo Boss and Sailor Moon

Sailor is the only kitten without siblings, so he is grateful when a big man on campus like Hugo includes him in games. They are playing here with an exposed dead tree root.Hugo is the grey one; Sailor is Siamese with a stripe down his back.

Two-eyed Sailor

He's no longer a one-eyed Sailor -- his injured eye has healed and opened up. Only his eyelashes have yet to grow back in.Sailor is still an untouchable semi-feral, but he watches with wide-eyed curiosity when I rub the other kitties, like he has a secret crush on me. I sure am sending him valentine vibes.

Hello Sailor

This feral Siamese older kitten (I'm calling her Sailor for now) has been living in the garage, keeping her distance from me, but sneaking in the kitty door at night. Yesterday morning I woke to find her curled up on a rug in front of the heater, just a few feet away from my bed! She won't let me get close enough to take good photos of her injured eye, but she is happily exploring the house. And her gentle presence in the chair didn't even bother Gidget.