Like a walk through the country side living on a small farm is full of daily surprises, sometimes wonderful and amazing, and other times puzzling and sad. I hope you will walk with me as I live out my dream of living on this tiny farm. You will come to know the dogs, cats, Shetland sheep and chickens that make up this farm and what goes into keeping them happy and healthy. Come and join the journey with me.
Showing posts with label Gabe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gabe. Show all posts

Sunday, June 09, 2013

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!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Scenes From A Snowy Catio

Verity 'disappears' into a straw pile
 A few pictures taken during the last few snow and/or ice and/or sleet storms --sometimes all three--that we have had.   The kitties for the most part hate not to be able to go out in the catio, but sometimes they just pop out and back in.   During the ice/sleet the other day I had to shut the cat-flap with the plastic insert because the wind was blowing it open!   In between storms I would open it up again, and the kitties would rush out and check things out.  

Trinity warms her toesies in a straw pile on the bench
They do enjoy their straw piles when I toss some around in there.    Verity had so much fun the other day that she scattered it all over the place.  She would run and dive and slide on it across the catio.  Then she leaped up on the high shelves and played in the snow!  

Verity lives high and dangerous on the snow covered cat shelf
Then Gabe was playing in the sleet the other day.  He'd run and chase it and have a good old time, then rush in the house and jump up in my lap to warm his cold, wet, icy feet.  

I am Queen of the World!! 
Of course the birds are constant and endless entertainment for them.   To avert the winter blues (aka getting into trouble) for the kitties, I also bought a toy called DaBird.  I'd read about it on several other blogs and thought I'd try it out.  The kitties love it and would play endlessly with it, if only their 'bean didn't wear out.   The toy itself is similar to many 'toys on stick' for kitties, but when the 'bird' (feathers) flies through the air it looks and sounds eerily similar to a real bird in flight.  

Here is the Lame-O lineup---Sage, Chaco & Trinity fear their toes will freeze off if they touch the snow
And Spring will be here soon, with warm days to soak in the sun and long balmy nights to sit outside and watch the deer and other varmints prowl around.   I'm ready for it and I think the kitties are too.  


Tempe in the straw
The Catio has been a blessing indeed around here.  We still 'have issues' but the kitties are sleeker, more alert and healthier looking than ever before.  Noah especially has benefited much to my surprise.  For those who don't know, Noah (the big orange kitty) has seizures--usually at least one episode a week.  He was becoming a fat, lazy and dull acting boy, but with the introduction of the Catio, he has lost weight, runs and plays wildly --making laps around the catio, into the house (clack clack goes the cat flap) through the house then back outside and on and on.  He also takes long lazy naps in one of the little houses outside, particularly when he can soak up an afternoon of sunshine.  He even loves the da bird, and can track it quite well and sometimes even snag it.  His eye/paw coordination has always been a bit off since the seizures started but this effort was exciting to see.  

Tempe sees 'something' moving under the deck!

Hope you all are having a good week and maybe a nice sunny spot to curl up in!


Gabe bats the sleet around---millions of little round play toys!
 
Back inside the kitties patiently work on my continued training--"Now we keep the treats in HERE, and you get them out for us when we need them"!  Gabe, Chaco & Tempe


And the Old Man, Meshach has the right idea as he melts into a puddle in front of the stove



Wednesday, February 13, 2013

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Sheep-Scape

Serious Minty

Tempe & Carly--Can they get any closer to the stove??

Birdseed Line--Cardinals & Purple Finch

Purple Finch

Spinach Lasagna -- Hot out of the oven--can you see the steam in the upper right corner?

Gabe doing some hard snoozing

Following the snow plow to work this morning...

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Warning....

The next few posts will be dismal.  I know, what else is new?  However I feel the need to get things tidied away from last year, and since it was a little less than a stellar year,  the posts are a bit glum.  

So in the spirit of inserting at least a bit of cheer into the week, I figured I couldn't go wrong by posting a few (dozen) kitty pictures. 

Can you tell which side of the bed the stove is on?  Front to back--Meshach, Gabe & Chaco

From the other end.....

Gabe, Meshach & Noah huddle on the end of the bed near the stove

Tempe sprawls across both kitty beds behind the stove.

Gabe & Noah in back--Tempe & Trinity in front

Tempe & Trinity --sisterly love...

T & T again
The following is sequence of events where Tempe squeezed herself in besides Sage Grass whom she bullies mercilessly (in a good way).  He is so under her paw.

Sage:  Go away pest, no room.   Tempe:  Just sqootch over a little bit, there is plenty of room for me.

Sage:  You are breathing my air!  Tempe:  Plenty of room, plenty of air.....
Tempe:  See how cozy this is?  Sage:  Hmpf...you better not be looking at me Gabe (behind in the photo)

Big softie after all....;-)

Trinity  enjoys a moment warming by the stove, contemplating the meaning of the universe and stuff like that...

You thought I was kidding about a dozen pictures didn't you?

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Christmas Countdown Day 3

Today we have up first..Chaco....who was surprisingly cooperative.   In fact he makes a rather handsome Santa Paws, except for that darn tag sticking out.....


Chaco...If I must be Santa Paws, I will turn on my charm and be Handsome Santa Paws...   


Then he collapsed and that was that.....


Chaco---Phew being Handsome Santa Paws is exhausting!


Next is the James Dean of the cat world...Gabe.  Everything is high drama in his world, so having to wear a Santa hat was the End Of The World.   His typical response when things get too much for him (which doesn't take much) is to freeze up.  So he did. 




Gabe--My life is over. 


Gabe--I can't go on.....(ed.  there is that James Dean Look again)
Gabe--Haha take that Santa hat.... Now you are mine!




Once the Santa hat came off he perked right up and snatched it and would have shredded it if I hadn't stepped in  (after all I still had more critters to torment!!)

Merry Christmas Eve Eve

Thursday, September 06, 2012

Scenes From The Catio


Noah Optimistically Checks to See if it's Still Raining

Yep...still coming down.
But I Wanna Go Out And Play!



Ho Hum...Meshach & Noah Pass a Rainy Day...






 Then the sun came out and this 'bean had the day off so she added a new shelf to the catio!  A smaller shelf was added several weeks ago, but this one was longer and higher....

Instant cat approval...on all levels!

Tempe & Verity High in the Trees Bird Watching....

Synchronized Bird Watching

Look At That Form!

Here, from left to right are Gabe, Verity & Trinity Testing The New Shelf

Trinity Approves Too!

Verity On the Smaller Shelf That Acts As a Jumping point to the Larger Shelf

Verity Having a Nice Quiet Moment.  The Bird Feeder is Near Where I Took This Picture From