Tortoise Cat: This yard grass is tough and tasty, Chameleon. But the plants here are almost all dried out, browning or golden instead of green. The foolish big one in charge here forgets to turn the water sprinklers on, night after night. When will we fly homeward? I'm ready!

Chameleon: Our departure is up in the air at this moment, Tortoise Cat. It may be many whiles away, or much sooner.

Tortoise Cat: The Big One wants to fly away soon, I know, Chameleon.

Chameleon: But we may stay longer, anyway, Tortoise Cat.

Tortoise Cat: Is "quitting" always bad, Chameleon? Is "hanging in here" always better?

Chameleon: Let's play today, no matter what, Tortoise Cat.

Tortoise Cat: OK, Chameleon, let's blur furs -- and scales -- and rumpus up some fun with the squirrels scampering here now.

I'm ready to fly back to this yard!

Tortoise Cat: EYOW -- Cat-Grass Season is over!

Tortoise Cat: Chameleon, Cat-Grass Season is over. This new home territory is some colder than wherever that was we lived before, isn't it?

Chameleon: Yes, Tortoise Cat, there are more critters and trees here, but fewer degrees. The Deeper-Dreaming Season -- my favorite -- has begun.

Tortoise Cat: EYOW, I dread the frosty, icy stones stinging my toes!

Chameleon: But, remember, you have some more cushions here, too.

Tortoise Cat: EYOW, I meant to learn hibernation. Maybe during the next Cat-Grass Season I shall succeed.

Chameleon: Dream on it, Tortoise Cat!

Tortoise Cat: Now Chameleon, can you blow some of your hot air on my paws while I tiptoe-rumpus a while in these amazing, smelly grayish-purple leaves (that the Big One insists "glow golden, orange and yellow")?

Tortoise Cat savors the stinking, singing garden of late Cat-Grass Season

Tortoise Cat: MmmmAHHHYmmm these dried flowery-friends stink stunningly and hum happily, Chameleon!

Chameleon: The Monarch butterflies found those Aster flower-fellas tantalizingly tasty while they were bright purple and yellow, Tortoise Cat.

Tortoise Cat: OK, but Chameleon, I saw those fluttery fly-guys flapping in blah-ish purple garb, while the Big One saw "bright orange," I heard -- supposedly fantastically remarkable...But I couldn't see it, while these "Aster" flowery-friends wore clanging, singing purple hats, while they stank up some wild, wind-dancing tunes.

Chameleon: Oh my...How amazing!

Tortoise Cat: But, for me, they stink even better now -- nose-rufflingly, fur-blurringly dry, while the dusty breezes rustle by.

Chameleon: Hmmm...How's the cat-grass tasting today, Tortoise Cat? Do the grasses sing their greenery for you now?

Tortoise Cat: Cat-Grass Season resounds up and down -- chanting a rumpus, all around!

Tortoise Cat roams harness-free

Tortoise Cat in the Autumn Garden, Harness Free

Tortoise Cat: Being able to roam the garden harness-free with breezes ruffling my furs was wonderful! I hope the Big One wants to take more furry pictures of me soon.

Chameleon: When you climb a tree too high and get scared and yowl, I wonder...Is THAT sort of rumpus your idea of fun, Tortoise Cat?

Tortoise Cat: So, tell me Chameleon, how did I get back down so suddenly?

Chameleon: Naturally, I shape-shifted into a dragon and flew you back down to the bench! Do you not remember?

Tortoise Cat: Happily, the fright-full memory has blurred already. 

Chameleon: Really? Blurring memories on purpose is one of the simplest shape-shifting techniques.

Tortoise Cat wonders why the raccoons stopped visiting

Tortoise Cat in the Courtyard Garden Savoring Autumn Breezes and Sunrays

Tortoise Cat: Other cats prowling keep me up all night, asserting my territorial rights. I would rather greet the raccoons.

Chameleon: Those raccoons steer clear of you lately, Tortoise Cat, probably because of the terrible names, terms and threats you howled at the family when they trotted by a while ago. What a rumpus it was!

Tortoise Cat: How strange! I simply do not recall emitting a single tone that night, Chameleon. Well, anyway the flowery and breezy smells are preoccupying me now.

Chameleon: You are indeed much mellower most mornings, Tortoise Cat, especially after you simply stretch, stroll and nibble your favorite cat-grasses. 

Moving to another territory far way, some day

Tortoise Cat rests in a favorite territorial garden nook.

Tortoise Cat: The Big One mentioned moving to another territory! Why?

Chameleon: The rumpus of city life...? Winter snow impeding progress...? I don't know, Tortoise Cat. It must be an old longing for the first home territory.

Tortoise Cat: What do you mean, first home territory?

Chameleon: It's wherever one is when exploring and marking beings, like your first place with the Big One, two blocks westward.

Tortoise Cat: Where is the Big One's first home territory, Chameleon?

Chameleon: It's in a land called Central Valley, where summers are hot but dry with cool night ocean breezes. The way big ones reckon distances, it's much closer to my own home territory called Point Reyes Seashore.

Tortoise Cat: How?

Chameleon: I will shape-shift into a dragon and fly, Tortoise Cat. But you and the Big One will pack a van and roll along.

Tortoise Cat: A van? What is that? Must we roll dangerously fast like we did to and from the Big One's folk's territory during snow-season, way too far westward, but wonderful when we arrived?

Chameleon: A van is much bigger than the car you rode to the folk's place in and it will roll slightly slower. But, you will roll much farther westward and arriving will be...wondrously amazing. The ride to the Central Valley will take about five days.

Tortoise Cat: EYOW! What is "five"...?

Chameleon: Five is just one of the many, many words the big ones use to say "some"...but as cats count, the ride will take some days and nights.

Tortoise Cat: More than one and more than two, is too, too long a ride, Chameleon. When?

Chameleon: Next year, probably. And that's too long from now to keep on conversing about today, Tortoise Cat.

Tortoise Cat: Is next year after cat-grass season? Because this cat-grass season might never end.

Chameleon: It won't happen before the next cat-grass season, Tortoise Cat.

Tortoise Cat: OK, Chameleon.  Let us play, nap and dream through every day of this perfect cat-grass season that might last forever.