Two well-loved Maggies.

A photo of Tasha Tudor showed up on a favorite blog of mine http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/ today and it instantly brought a memory back to a time when I could see my grandmother in her garden choosing the best of everything for that night's dinner; her tabby cat, Maggie, always by her side.

It would be a sight that was to remain etched in my mind forever.

Tasha Tudor

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My grandmother resembled Tasha as her long grey hair was always tied up in a knot and she would garden in a dress and her apron that  hung in the old summer shed right outside the kitchen door.

She, too, had a kind face.

Tasha Tudor

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This is my favorite photo.

Tasha Tudor

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Many of Tasha Tudor's fabulous illustrations included her trusty little tabby cat.

all images from internet

Tasha Tudor

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I loved my gran's little Maggie.

Back in those days, country cats did not get spayed very often so dear little Mag had a litter of kittens every summer.

As kids, we were more than thrilled to find a pile of sweet little kitten faces peaking out of a basket that my gran would have prepared for them in the attic.

It just added to the excitement of staying at the farm for two weeks once school was out.

City-slicker kids in the country.

The kittens always found good homes; my gran made sure of that.

I don't remember now how long little Maggie lived but I expect she had a nice long life.

Most of it was spent on my grandmother's lap, lost in her apron.

My gran cried when she died.

Many, many years after those lazy, hazy days of summer I brought home a wee ball of fluff from a rescue; an eight week old silver tabby persian.

Her face would melt you.

I named her Maggie.

 with daughter, Allie.

She was my special girl for eighteen years.

=^..^=

hugs, Deb