Just Another Snowy Day

This seems to be the winter that won't stop and we haven't even had to deal with the brutal conditions that many have faced this year.  Saturday we got another round--cold, some freezing rain, about five inches of snow.  It made for interesting chore times.  Sunday rolled around and the temperatures had risen into the lower 30s and I was able to snap a few (zillion) pictures.  I have lots of 'help' with the chores.  Here are a few examples.

 Carly & Tang checking for rats in the hay barn.  

Not helpful, but another thing being dealt with right now in this cold weather--Gracie has something wrong with her eye--it seems to be ulcerated but cause unknown.  The vet prescribed ointment and that didn't work (besides the fact it would get so cold it wouldn't come out of the tube), now she is on prescription drops that had to be filled at the human drugstore--and Gracie DOESN'T have health insurance!   Not to mention that she has not been very cooperative about it.  She is thrilled that she finally has gotten on the list--after all these years-- to get grain at night now too--the only way I can bribe her into the 'torture' chamber.  By the way the eye looks much worse now. 

Not sure who is wooliest--Ranger the Shetland (sheep) or Minty the Collie (Dog).  Minty thinks she is the boss of everybody so she was on guard to bark if Ranger moved on inch closer.  He isn't impressed. 

Ashley appears to be helping by pushing the sled, but actually she was waiting to walk in the path I broke.  She is lucky she is cute. 

Dog Down!  A little emergency snow between the toes removal.  Right in my path too. Never mind that it's slick, I'm dragging a sled with hay and coming off a small incline. 

Tang isn't crazy about the snow, but he is pretty serious about 'helping' with the chores.  See he is growing a little!

Fritzi (Center) and a pack of girls around him wait patiently for hay.  The true story is I got a different pair of coveralls and they can't decide if I'm friend or foe.  Fritzi is also trying to look cute and innocent because he has been on my black list since he rammed me one morning.  Long story--but let's just say he perceived an injustice when I let Gracie instead of him finish off some leftover old-folks grain. 

Tang inspects the leaning tower of hay feeder.  Could be a little cleaner Ma!  

Tang checking hay quality.  Not so good in this bale, Ma. 

I think we should feed this bale tonight points out Carly.  She is so pleased with herself because she got up the nerve to jump up all over these hay bales.  She thinks it's so awesome she should get a treat every.single.time.  I don't know why she looks all clean and groomed here, because she isn't--they are all pretty grimy. 

Yikes!  Don't leave me out here alone with this mob!  Run Tang Run!

Meanwhile back in the house the cats are working hard at keeping the bed warm.....  Actually there is a heated 'half' blanket on there so it's kitty toast central.  The one I wanted to lay on it was Meshach my soon to be 18 year old man--but he is stubbornly laying at the head of the bed where there is no heat.  That is Sage's teddy bear laying in the middle, keepin' warm with the cats.  Left to right Trinity, Gabe, Tempe (Torti), Sage, Noah & Meshach in the very back.  Verity and Chaco were probably under or behind the stove......

 

 

 

 

Hope Spring will come soon and that you are all making it okay through this winter!

Summer Half Over

And summer is half over.   The last time I posted was in April, and since then the typical summer things have transpired.

 I planted a garden and have harvested a few things, fought the bugs, and  marveled at how big some of the squash plants are getting.  My tomatoes are producing lots of green tomatoes, but some type of stink bug is sucking the juice out of them faster than they can ripen.

Peppers, Tomatoes, Squash & Cabbage from the garden

The weather has been pretty good (so far) this summer, although at the moment it is pretty warm.  We experienced the most lovely cool front last week that required a warm fuzzy blanket at night so that the cats and I might be toasty.  Now it is back to 'real' summer.  It's getting dry now so hoping we get some rain soon, before the pastures burn up.    

Fresh Black Prince Tomato, Yellow Cherry Tomato, & some refrigerator pickles Mom made

The aged and infirm in the sheep lot consist of three at the moment.  Well, there are more than three aged sheep but only three that are infirm at this moment.  Willow is 13 and moves slower these days, but is as independent as always.  Her son Callum, is 'only' 11 but he suffered a back injury as a youngster in his ram days, and it's catching up to him.  Big white sheep, Annalea has a gimpy front foot, but other than needing to be guarded at feeding time does okay.  Willow and Cal hang out together and move at the same speed.  They avoid the rambunctiousness of the other sheep and I separate them at  feeding time.  This hot weather is hard on them.


The sheep and I have finally worked out a mutually beneficial system on grazing the front area of my place.  If you remember they have been rather at loose ends since all the leader sheep died over the last few years.  I couldn't get them to calm down and stay in most of the areas on the front of my land without penning them tight.  And even if that worked, they would then refuse to enter the area the next time--contrary to popular belief they aren't stupid. (Now stubborn..yes)  It was a real battle and very frustrating.  However, the solution was happened on accidentally when I was late putting them out front one night to graze.  They seemed much more calm during that time, so now after all the chores are done and it's almost time to go in the house with the dogs, I will turn them on the front, while I'm giving Cal and Willow their evening meal.  I leave the gate open to the paddock and they graze up until dark and then go out again at first light.  They have kept the front 'mown' pretty well.  Not the short 'just so' cropped look from the lawnmower, but I like it.  It looks a bit messy but it's short and green and full of life--lots of little flowers everywhere.   I've mown it three times this summer and will do so again when we get a good rain, but this is lots less than if I had to keep it all short on my own. 

Millie Cuteness Overload

My sister got a puppy!  This is huge.  She has been dithering about getting a puppy for years.  Sweet little Millie joined the family a few months ago.   My sis has been dealing with all the 'stuff' that goes with an energetic pup, and it keeps her busy (and a little worn out).   Millie is cute as a button and is part Maltese and Shih-tzu--a MalShi, and was a pound puppy along with her siblings.  You can read more about Millie on here. 

Millie & her big Green Frog

 My nephew had a brain bleed at the end of May--he was only 36.  He is doing pretty good now, going to therapy three to four times a week.  It's been very hard on him and his wife and four children to adjust and cope with this in their lives.  It was a sad and scary time and we were all happy to be able to celebrate his 37th birthday with him on July 4th.   His therapy will end sometime in August and hopefully he will be released to drive and also to go back to work.

Cleanup on the hen house has finally been accomplished.  It was a hot nasty, NASTY, job, but the worst of it is done.  I'd let things go over the last few years with only a few hens so there was layer of about four to six inches of very dry chicken litter on the floor.  I got that all shoveled and swept out (that sounds so quick and easy...) while wearing a mask.  Then I hosed everything down inside, but since it didn't drain as well as I expected it turned into some drama and  hard work getting the water out.  It needs another rinse off, but we will see.  Now I need to do some repairs around the outside edges  and install new nest boxes, and fix the roosts...and, AND....get some new chickens!  I'm kinda excited about that.  Ready for fresh eggs, and I miss seeing their little bobbing shapes around the pasture, not to mention their role as scrap disposal systems.  I only plan to get about six hens, or so and would like to get young adults.   

There is a new stray cat.  I'm pretty sure it's a young tom.  It took a little while to figure out there was a new cat in town as he looks an awful lot like my two elderly outside girl cats.  Only they are more portly.  He comes up every night and talks to the cats in the catio, and that was what gave him away.  My girls talk but it's more a screamy meow, and his is rather a melodic mewmewmew.  So anyway, he has a date with the live trap and a trip to the vet for tutoring, then I guess I'll just release him and if he wants to stop in and eat he can.  Not really needing anymore kitty residents.  I don't think he is very wild but he is spooked.  I suspect he was dumped.   He is a beautiful silver grey and if I could find a farm home for him I'd be pleased!  Only this isn't the worst of it in the cat news.  There is a kitten.

One very sad misused kitty

First Meal at Hotel Paradise--he was thin and scraggly looking

Lip Smacking Good seemed to be the verdict

A week later and Ashley is consoling him--you can see the 'oddness' about his rear hip and leg

Seems my vehicle here on the parking lot at work was chosen by a wee kitten to lay near enough by to be noticed.  I'll also point out there were many vehicles and people on the lot that day.  Many.  I was leaving for the day and I did not see the kitten laying there in the grass against an old garage.   Seriously I try not to look around too much anymore.  However a weak, desperate meow did get my attention.  And again, until I saw it there.  I tried to leave.  Got it some treats out of the truck to give it, but no way could I bring it home.  It was so thin and dehydrated that it couldn't eat the treats, couldn't hardly even get up.   So I picked it up, tried to fob it off on another employee then put it down on the seat beside me and went home.   I had a little water bottle and poured some in the cap for it to drink and it was very thirsty.  It looked like a little girl to me.  The next day I got it worked into the vet after I got off work.  By then I knew that something was wrong with it---something in it's hips or back.  It could wobble around but was very unsteady on it's legs.

Feeling better but still favoring the leg --you can see how he sticks it straight out

Off to the vet yet again.....

Off to the vet we went the next day.  Without expensive tests and x-rays nothing obvious presented itself, but the vet's best guess was either a  fractured pelvis or some nerve/ligament damage.  He was also concerned that some of it's organs had been displaced and herniated, but everything 'sounded' good in the lungs and heart.  So back home we went with predisone and 'bed rest' instructions.   The next day he took a turn for the worse (yes, it was a he) or I thought he did.  Because it was so intensely hot I gave in when the vet discussed keeping him for observation and anti inflammatory injections over the next several days.  He was much perkier by Monday.  Now three weeks later he is more steady on his feet and the 'problem' seems to be located in the right hip area. He does well until he gets tired then you can tell it bothers him.  I am keeping him confined in a dog crate in the breezeway during the day and he has a small exercise  pen set up under the tree that he goes into before and after I get home from work for some change of scenery.  I also let him follow me around the yard for a short time in the evening. (edited to add:  he is loose in the yard when I'm home now)  He isn't as energetic as most kittens his age, but he is coping and hopefully will heal --the vet thought thirty days of restricted movement would be beneficial.  He was only about seven weeks when I found him.  Our best guess is he probably got thrown from a vehicle that he hitched a ride on...but we'll never know for sure.    Now he needs to go back for shots soon (edited:  he had those this past weekend) as they felt he was too young and weak the first time around.  I have a lead on a possible home for him, but have to have assurance that he is wanted before we proceed.  I will also keep him until he is hopefully better. (edited again:  possible home has never gotten back with me...)  He is very cute as all kittens are, but I cannot offer him much here.   He would be an outside kitty in an unsafe environment, albeit well fed and loved.  Praying for a home for him!   His temporary name is Tang and he is a very self assured young kitten and I think he will have a ton of personality.

Tang--Looking Better

Last night I was thinking that it would soon be time to get the wood supply ordered for winter, not to mention the hay.  It's been a strange year for hay--it was cool and wet for many days and so the first cut got delayed.  Yet, we never really got any good long soaking rains.  Just days of drizzle and clouds.   The ground is very dry and it doesn't take much to bake it.    I'm hoping though that we get some good rains as farmers are finally getting their first crop off the field and there should be time for a second cutting provided we get some moisture.   It's hard to think about winter... the older I get the less I cope with cold and inclement weather and having to drive on slick roads.  (especially the latter!)

Making himself to home on one of the many outside cat bed/nooks--needs lots of naps

But we still have some time to go before then.   There will be lots of hot summery days still when I will probably be hoping for winter.  

Collie Carpet--Minty, Ashley & Carly's favorite place to spend a hot day (inside in the AC!)

I guess that is it for now.  Hope you are having a good summer in your neighborhood!

Updates

It's October.  I've built my first fire.  I'm working on the 'getting ready for Winter' list and am making some progress.  We haven't had a frost yet, but it's been pretty close and I expect this week it'll happen.  I have a bunch of nice looking green tomatoes, which I am going to pick tonight.  

Early Morning at the Lake

Sadly vacation has come and gone (sob...).  The weather was absolutely wonderful.  I spent one day and two nights staring at the Lake and doing nothing.  Then I came home and worked--but at my own pace on my own things.  The dogs loved me being home...the cats, I'm not so sure.

Sweet Milo looking happy in his new home

The bestest news is that the Little Grey Dog/Freddy now Milo has found a wonderful home.  He has become a member of a family who loves him already and say he is the sweetest thing.  He has a doggy brother named Chet who matches him in size and they have allot of fun together!   And Milo's new Mom has been kind enough to email me and let me know how he is doing.  I'm so happy for this little guy and my heart feels much more peaceful as I realize I was just a part of a bigger plan to get him to a family that needed him. A special little dog for a special home.  (and doesn't he look great?)

Milo (front) and his new doggy brother Chet

However....I hope that I'm done for awhile.  This stuff really wrings me out. I fear though that things are only going to get worse.  Our only 'local' animal shelter has pretty much been shut down, (not enough money, dontcha know) so now I suspect there will be even more dumping.

There does seem to be some sort of magnet attached to me...or my house...or my vehicle.  While at the Lake, on the last evening there, I thought I heard a cat meow....and when I walked into the room with the patio door (which was open) there stood a rather defiant ginger tomcat.  He hissed and meowed and hissed.  So I got him something to eat.  He hung out with me on the deck that evening--in a strictly no pets resort--and was there the next morning.  He finally left just before I packed up.  I'm sure he belonged to someone, as he wasn't skinny.  Typical intact tomcat with battle scars and attitude and a soft side.  At one point as we were companionably hanging out on the deck, I waved my arms around and said to the cat, --do you see all these decks?  do you see any cats on any of these other decks??   He just looked at me and blinked. 

Lake Cat (yes he looks like Noah, but it wasn't...really)

Today as I sat here at my desk at work, one of my co-workers shouts at me from the other room--'hey, is that your cat?'  Whaaa..where?  'There is a cat out there walking around under you truck, is he yours'?  Uh, no...no he isn't.  But by golly he was just circling my truck, sniffing and having a good old time.  And when he was done,  he was done, and didn't give a glance to anybody else vehicle as he sauntered off.  Now tell me why?  It's not like I have cats running amok out where I park my truck at night......but, yet, something was fascinating for him. Was this big ginger tomcat with long hair, looking for that secret symbol?

These two boys I was able to walk away from, they didn't need my help.  But, well, Johnny, he was a different story.  He deserves his own post but with my recent track record I better just tell his story and be done with it--so here's what happened....

One evening during vacation as I went out to  fasten up the chickens and do sheep chores, there was Buford  just sitting there by the chicken pen.   While it isn't unusual for him to stop by, he usually is on the move and mouthing off the whole time.  (If you don't remember who Buford is, he is a traveling black tomcat who shows up periodically to bum a meal (from my Mom--she feeds 'em the good stuff).  But there he sat...quietly staring.  Since he rarely stops by, I went to get him a can of cat food and have a little visit.  I fixed him a little flat place to eat and dumped half a can.  While this was going on, in the back of my mind I wondered why Buford had started growling.....  Well, it wasn't Buford.  As I stooped to put down the food, I saw something out of the corner of my eye that made my blood run cold.   

To go backward here a little, back in the summer a calico cat appeared.  She was a thin lanky thing, and you couldn't get within a mile of her.  We (my Mom and I) would have helped her--at least gotten her spayed and given her some good meals, but she was wild with no clear feeding habits.  I'd see her periodically off in the distance, always with a sense of dread.   I haven't seen her now for awhile, so she has either perished or moved on poor thing.

So when I saw that 'something' out of the corner of my eye, what I saw (in my lightening quick worst case scenario mind) was the leg and tail of a calico cat inside the little igloo in the chicken pen.  A calico-cat with kittens.  

It wasn't though.  I went in the chicken pen, closed the door to keep Buford out and stooped down to see what was what.  The cat inside the igloo howled and yowled, hissed and growled but finally came staggering out when I waved the remainder of the can of catfood around.  Poor kitty.  Poor skinny kitty that was scared out of his mind.   He wolfed down the food and I went and got him more.  I closed up the pen for the night and figured I'd deal with it all in the morning.  Buford was horrified that I was helping this intruder, and (eventually) stalked off in a huff. 

Poor Skinny run down Johnny Cat

In the morning Johnny-cat was limping badly and I was sure he had an abscess on his hind leg.  He hissed and growled at me while at the same time craved pets.  I had thought I would open the cage and let him go and see what happened, but when I saw him in the light of day--skinny, crippled and obviously with no intent of leaving his little island of calm, I decided to get him to the vet.  And since he was going to the vet, I'd just have him neutered at the same time. 

Johnny cat scarfing down food--skinny and depressed

So the next day that is what happened.   Only he didn't have an abscess.  The vet thinks he has an old injury and his hock has limited mobility.   Johnny came home from the vet one sad sick pup-uh-kitty.   It took him a few days to get up a good appetite and quit growling and hissing at me.  He never at any time offered to scratch or bite, but he put up a big show.  In fact he was a big love bug.  In the meantime I listed him on a few lost and found sites, with no responses. While he was at the vet I had him scanned for a microchip--even though they all thought that was a hoot.  In this area it's hard to get anyone to chip their dog let alone a mere cat.   

Top view of skinny cat

 I emailed a friend (hi old buddy, old pal) asking her is she was interested in a farm cat.  They lost (as in vanished--probably stolen) their beagle this summer and he was determined to keep cats off the place.  Now with Goober gone, maybe she would be open to a cat.  I didn't have much hope.   As the days went by with no response, I tried to figure out my next move.  Worst case he could hang around --I'd feed him and he would be terrorized by Buford and probably end up dead on the road eventually.   But I hoped it wouldn't come to that.   I don't need any more cats, at all.   

Skinny now, but you can see he is a gorgeous boy

He was such a sweetie and as the days went by he started to put on weight and relaxed--he was happy where he was and no thanks, he didn't want to venture out!  I feel like he was a big pet at some point, but either he wandered too far and got lost or equally likely he just got to be nuisance and got dumped off. 

Johnny Cat a week later.  Feeling fine and looking good.  (Those are shadows on his nose not scratches)

This is one of the most gorgeous cats I've ever seen.  His markings are stunning.  He will be a big cat once he fills out.  His hock seems fine too-no limps now, although there was a spot that opened up on his inside upper thigh...so I think he probably did have an abscess after all. 

Nearly impossible to get a picture of since he just wanted to rub on me and be petted--but isn't he pretty?

Johnny went to his new home Saturday.  All fixed up--neutered and vaccinated and with a few extra pounds added.  My friend was tickled to have him and we set him up in her dis-used chicken house.  She will feed him and he has his bed in there and will stay in there four or five days and then she will let him out to see how he adjusts.  I'm praying he just stays put.  He'll have a great home.  They aren't silly syrupy about their animals like I am, but he will have a good solid home.  Food and attention and lots and lots of hunting ground.   They have outbuildings and fields and live well back from a gravel road that isn't highly traveled.  I took probably a months supply of food so he'd keep gaining weight for winter.

A week later and gaining!

I pray that it works out.  He is such a sweetie and was so good about riding in the crate over there.   Animals are so vulnerable to our whims and even though I know I'm trying to do my best by him, I felt guilty.   Hopefully he will be calm and not bolt and he will live long and prosper.

I hope.  I'm wrung out. 

That is it for now.  I've got more pictures and more updates and can only hope I'll be motivated to get 'em up.

Hope you are all doing well out there!

 

It's been a long cold winter--all two nights of it... (clockwise starting upper left--Meshach, Gabe, Sage, Chaco & Noah)

Catio Saturday

 Saturday was about as fine a day as it gets--sunny, warm--but not hot--and a lovely breeze.   On the agenda for the day was installing a new 'cat shelf' in the Catio and also dragging a large tree branch into their Catio for a taste of wild.   I had my eye on this particular branch for some time.  It was from my plum tree and had been damaged, but not broken during the Ice Storm in 2007.   I finally got it chainsawed off and dragged out to the catio area but hadn't gotten it installed yet.  

After luring the kitties inside with the promise of treats, I shut off all access to the great outdoors (otherwise known as the catio).  Then I proceeded to drag the limb in and secure it safely, and also do some cleaning and other maintenance, all the while being aware of staring faces and wailing voices at at the inside windows.

As soon as I got things under control I let the kitties come out and 'help' me.  We got the shelf up in good time and they tested the tree and shelf and were very very happy kitties.  About the only thing they love more than their Catio is having me out there with them.  I have no idea why but it seems to make them happy.  

Here are a few pictures of contented kitties soaking up the sun.  I have more kitty pictures of them exploring their new 'tree'.....maybe in a few days I'll get that posted.  

Sage Grass Cat snoopervises tree activities

  

Verity getting high on sunshine, warm pavement and a wad of wool fleece

Noah loves his catio and found a glorious patch of sun

Isn't this the best --soaking up some sunbeams

I couldn't stop taking pictures of him....

Utter contentment (utterly destroyed two seconds later when his brother ambushed him)

Tempe in High Places

Trinity on the new 'East Shelf"

Chaco on the 'High Shelf'

Chaco again--cats and sunshine make me smile

Trinity was quite possessive of the new East Shelf--it's mineminemine!

Tempe feeling the wind in her furs

Gabe doing his best Dr. Suess character impression

Hope you enjoyed a sunny day in the Catio!