HERE AT THE PINE POINT CABIN at the Church O’ The Pines, the sweet black kitten who came meowing out of the woods one cold and snowy night is becoming a cat. Koda is doing so with style and panache, seemingly growing every day. He trills and chirps as he dashes up the log staircase, leaps onto the living room beams and every other surface less than seven feet high, and plays with every string, toy, or inanimate object imaginable. He also cuddles and snuggles and charms our hearts as he has done since that first night.

Meanwhile he also tries to charm Simon, the cat with seniority. It has not been hard to translate: “Hi, I’m Koda! I like you, do you like me? Huh? Huh? Wanna play? Let’s run, let’s play, can I follow you everywhere, can I sniff your butt?” And Simon has gradually gone from horror to dislike to toleration to mild interest to something vaguely resembling an arm’s length friendship. They will now sit and look out the window together.

Koda (meaning friend in Dakota language) with his shiny black coat and shining green eyes and boundless love of life has brightened our little cabin during this long, cold, gray Spring of bad news and discontent. And what more could be asked of any creature in this world, two-legged, four-legged, or otherwise?