Did I ever tell you about the power of the Mountain Ash Tree? I didn’t! Well , grab a nip tea, pull up a blankie, listen and learn my friends. Comfy, good. How bout you Shoko? What do you know about the Mountain Ash? Not a heck of a lot Kali but mom said it was going to be a bad winter according to the Mountain Ash. What about the Mountain Ash made her think it was going to be a bad winter? The berries. There are like tons of red berries on it. I wonder how peeps found out the more berries on the Mountain Ash, the harder the winter? 
There is an Objibwa legend that explains how the berries came to be in the Mountain Ash tree.
Before Canada had a name, a severe and terrible winter set in. The temperatures plummeted to many degrees below freezing. There were huge drifts of snow wherever one looked.
While in search of food Indian hunters became terrified when they came across hundreds of dead birds and small animals. The Indians offered prayers to the Great Manitou.
The Great Spirit instructed them to take one drop of blood from each dead bird and small animal and smear it on the tree that meant life or death to their people. The Mountain Ash was the tree the bows and arrows were made from so they smeared the blood on the Mountain Ash as instructed by Manitou. The following morning the Mountain Ash bore thousands of berries. The birds and small animals that had survived were perched on the branches eating the life giving food.
The Indians gave thanks to the Great Manitou who in turn promised that whenever a cold winter was approaching again, he would cover these trees with food. 
What a tail you weave Kali, thanks for the info.
Kali……orange
Shoko …..black
The Canadian Cats 
That is interesting to learn the legend. Here in the UK, we also say it will be a hard winter if it has a very heavy crop of berries. It is often called the Rowanberry tree here and is said to protect against witchcraft.
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Hi Flynn…*waves a paw* Here it is also called the Rowanberry tree too. I didn’t know about it protecting against witchcraft. Thanks for the info my friend.
(((Shoko)))
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What an interesting story, Kali and Shoko. Thanks for sharing it with us. But we don’t wanna see lots of berries on the Mountain Ash tree.
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We didn’t want to see so many berries either but what’s a cat to do?
Kitty Kisses,
Kali
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I had never heard that story before– very interesting. You both look adorable. Any cow kitty sightings?
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Mom saw Cow-Kitty yesterday chasing his tail in the backyard. It was too cold for us so we went to bed.
(((Shoko)))
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Dat’s very innewestin’ Kali. Weez never heard dat. Weez heard of mountain ash cuz we watch da MTV show Teen Wolf, but weez not fink it be da same twee. Yous tee is very purretty. Have a gweat day.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
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I never heard of that show. The mountain ash is a very pretty tree and the leaves are really unique.
(((Shoko)))
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What a super story! It was great to read how Manitou helped the peeps& pets. I’m sure we will get a long and cold winter, because we have tons of acorns and I read at Shyla’s and R’s blog that the bears eat what they can… probably to be prepared for a long hibernation… wait… that’s a cool idea, right? we should eat what we can too :o)
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Eat what we can …..then hibernate? Not such a bad idea. Mom could save a lot of money that way. How is mom’s hellbow? Mom goes in for her mouse protein today. I’ll sniff her when she gets home and see if she acts or smells like a mouse. MOL
(((Shoko)))
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I think that’s a super idea, we can skip the time with snow and rain that way :o) Mom is back from louispital and she waits that the pains go away :o)
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Mom had 7 attempts to get that big needle in…..she finally told them if they didn’t get it this time, she was taking her popcorn and going home. Really, that hurts! I hope the pain has subsided. Kisses my friends
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That’s a scary story, all those dead animals. *shudder* We watch to see how woolly the caterpillars are. The woollier, the colder it is supposed to be.
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Oh my!! I can’t tell woolly CATerpillars……..I would have to find 2 to compare them. We have nekked CATerpillars too!
(((Shoko)))
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Oh my! I never heard of that before – that’s an awesome tale my friends. So we are in for a very bad winter huh? Yuck. XOXO – Bacon
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We are in for a bad winter….how are the berries your way?
(((Shoko)))
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Abundant mom says. Mom also thinks we are going to have a rough winter. I hope not. But we shall see… of course our “rough winter” is nothing in comparison to yours. Ours just means mom won’t be able to wear her flip flops – snorts. XOXO – Bacon
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love it!! Mom says that’s the type of winter she wants. MOL
(((Shoko)))
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WOW……well around here we watch the squirrels and the acorns…….if there are a bazillion acorns we’re in trouble (so say the trees), and if there are a bazillion squirrels running around burying that bounty we’re ALSO in trouble (so say the squirrels) and this year – so far – we have PLENTY of both. We look to those signs just as you look to the Mountain Ash. EEEEK!
Hugs, sammy
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You got a good point there Sammy. We have a squirrel that is very busy these days hauling food into his tree for the family.
(((Shoko)))
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hay ewe gals….manee thanx for sharin thiz storee….we troo lee N joyed it….we due knot noe much a bout bereez….can yur mom make a pie outta them ore R they noe good for peepulz ?? ~~~~ we can tell when winter will bee vizshuz coz dai$y getz a thick mane……herz part norwegian forest; de thicker her mane…de colder de winter ~~~~ ♥♥♥
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How’s Dai$sy’s mane these days? We are going to have a whopper of a winter….whopping winter MOL. I never heard any peeps say they just made a Ash tree berry pie…..have you? Granted I lead a sheltered life but if the pie was good, mom would have her face in one of the pies….MOL
(((Shoko)))
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That is incredibly inneresting! Indian lore is the best.
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Mom also likes Indian folklore…..as you can tell. She used to work for the Native Friendship up here and picked up a lot of legends and lore along the way.
(((Shoko)))
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That’s a very interesting story, Kali and Shoko! Like Flynn says, here in the UK we have the Rowan and always we think that if there are a lot of berries, then the winter will be hard.
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The Rowan tree is the same as the Mountain Ash so I wonder what the story is in the UK as to how they came to be covered in berries when the winter is hard?
(((Shoko)))
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LadyMum says “AHOW” to you Kali an Shoko…shee says it meenss thiss iss rite or good.
Shee luvss thiss Ojibway legend…. (iss her adopted tribe) 😉
Fankss fur sharin thee story….people here are sayin iss goin to bee a hard Winter…..
(Hu’manss sure are nervuss about Winter aren’t they Cuss-innss???)
**nose kissesss** Dharth Henry xxxxxxx
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Ojibwa legends are amongst some of the best legends we’ve ever heard. I hope the legend is wrong but I’m afraisd we’re probably due for a severe winter. The last couple of years have been quite mild. I don’t know why they get so strange about winter Dharth…they can stay inside and have food delivered. That’d be cool.
Mom and Shoko
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Mew mew mew Shoko an Kali it costs ALOT toi get foodabullss deelievered. LadyMum told mee pricess here an mee almost fell of thee Mousie tower!
Wee herd will bee a ruff Winter here also. Then again LadyMum says shee been thru so many ‘ruff’ Winterss up here it not phase her at all 😉
Shee’ss a reel trooper!
Mee has lotss of blankitss so mee will bee nice an warm 😉
***paw kissesss*** Dharth Henry xxxx
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oh yeah, your mom is right. To have someone bring food stuff to your house is expensive. It would almost be cheaper to take a taxi.
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LadyMum says shee agreess Shoko an Kali. Shee rarely eatss out; onlee if shee goes with furendss. Shee iss a whizz with thee microwave, mew mew mew….
**nose bumps** Siddhartha Henry xxxxxx
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That’s great. Mom usually makes up meals and freezes them. Mac and cheese the way gramma used to make it is a comfort food and she tries to keep one in the freezer at all times. What are you doing for Thanksgiving dinner? Going to friends house? When dad was working out of town….mom would cook a chicken with the trimmings for her dinner. She always felt like a third wheel going to other peeps places.
Shoko
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LadyMum iss not much of a cook anymore….shee doess make grate eggs tho’, mew mew mew…
An shee iss not goin anywhere fur Fanksgiving. All her furendss here are either goin with their furamillee’ss or are out of town. Aunty Judith an Unccle Leon ar on thee ferry goin back to Newfundland…..so wee iss on our own. LadyMum has been alone like thiss fur many years now. Hre furamillee do not even call. Shee has leerned to bee alone! At leest shee has mee! 😉
**paw patsss** Cuss-inn Dharth Henry xxx
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Making great eggs is hard or so mom says. She is not great at making scrabbled eggs but dad is quite good at it.
When Gramma was alive, mom was very close with her…otherwise no family calls here either. Mom loves her niece and she does call here and mom’s sister-in-law but not her brother. They have a funny relationship because they have nothing in common. Nobody called here today that was family. Sometimes it is better to be alone than with family. Your Ladymum has you and our mom has Kali and I.
Shoko
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Berry wise werdss Shoko! Thiss iss what LadyMum told mee also.
LadyMum an mee had a nice sirprize today! Lady Mary-Ellen came into town an brott uss turkey an fixin’ss fur sup-purr an pumpkin baked goods an shee brott mee doggie furend Jade. LadyMum ((HUGGED)) Lady M-E an got all teary eyed! Shee says there iss a REEL Sisfur!
Onlee LadyMum’ss ex-man Mistur Jon called today….
LadyMum sayss it iss a purrfect day with Sun an breeze an mee feelin better an wee sittin outside!!! 😉
Happy Fanksgiving Cuss-innss Shoko an Kali an Lady Jean an Pappaw also.
~~~head rubsss~~~ Dharth Henry~~ an (((HUGS))) LadyMum
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We are delighted that Lady Mary Ellen stopped by with some turkey and all the trimmings. Nobody has called here but We had a good time with our friends last evening. They stayed until 9pm. A late night for us.
It is a beautiful day here too. Mom is going to come outside and we’ll poke about.
Shoko
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Sumtimess itt seems to mee that furendss are closer an better than so called furamillee…..
Mee has been out inn both Condo’ss today! LadyMum has been out sittin inn thee Sun….iss a purrfect day Shoko an Kali! Enjoy yur walk with Lady Jean ❤
**nose bumpsss** Dharth Henry xxxx
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Thanks for sharing that story. My humans don’t have a clue how it will be either way, so will keep that in mind. She likes Mountain Ash…says it has a bit of a tropical look, but meowee the one in your pic shore is loaded!
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Hi Purrsea, always great to see you my friend. Mom has no idea either but if the berries are an indicator…..it will be a doozy of a winter.
Shoko
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