Friday, October 26, 2012

Six cats, one barn, two humans...Possums, ew!

This year finds us with two new kittens, Dot & Dash for lack of another set of names as I get to know them and their personalities. Dear husband has a thing for boy cats and so he rescued these two twins to live here with the four big boy cats.

The big boys are not impressed but now a few weeks later, there is less smacking around for the wee boy cats as they have learned their place ... low end of the totem pole of cats.

Dot and Dash - he is the one that runs all over while Dot is slower and likes clean places, paper, cardboard and clean cat food bowls to curl up and rest.
Their antics while they practice being cats are amusing, and the looks on the older cats faces, of disgust, surprise or hate add to the fun. Smokey has had much say about the newcomers, but keeps bringing mice home as usual.

The last mouse was gray with very long white hairs spiking out, very strange looking, and glad Smokey is on the ball as usual. Garfield, too, has been busy in the cornfields tackling every size of mouse with gusto.
I can't say about Attaboy or big old Joejoe. They are more aloof especially since the newcomers prance around like cats on Mountain Dew.  Attaboy looks at the kittens with one eye open, other half closed, evil smirk on his face as he plans his next attack to chase them around the outside of the house and under the cement stairs, which has long been the haven of kittens and of safety.

Corky cat wandered two miles into town, and is residing at his new home at the Schultz's house. How he did this amazes me as he was born here.  But cats have a mind of their own. He did well with humans but he hated all other cats like his Mom did. He is a tiny black cat with a crooked tail, very easy to spot anywhere. I know he is happy so life goes on.

His sister Lily lives just across the street, adopted by Pam & Rich. Momma cat went to the Knoxville, IA humane society this past spring. Someone had dumped her in our area and we had enough work finding homes for her kittens so it was time to move her out.

We are odd that way: only boy cats. It is simpler for us and all the cat love is still there.

So it was 33 degrees this morning and I plugged in the heated water dish.
We now have a lean to over the north door, so I can feed the cats more easily and
keep the water dish filled without trekking to the barn.

 The barn is still the bedroom for the cats
as the heated mat is still working well in it's makeshift bedroom perched high on the old
freezer someone left years ago. I like the idea of the cats patrolling the barn for creatures.

For several nights in a row I had a large possum by our door, eating cat food crumbs and basically stinking up the place. I would not mind them as much if they didn't stink so much. Pew! Pee-ew! Nasty!

So I am careful about feeding times and leftover bits of food now.

The other day six deer were dancing on my septic tank covers like giddy teenagers.
I was awake at 2am, and so were they. I realized it was hunting season, and hoped
no hunter had them in his sights so near my house. I don't want holes in my siding or barn or me.
There certainly are many deer in our area, I guess the drought did nothing to hurt the population of them or the coyotes.

The rains have increased so things are growing somewhat. With the night freezes
coming, the season is about over, and few days left to sit outside & commune with the cats.

This spring/summer I've been eating less and doing more chores, so lost 12 lbs.
I need more of this. I am getting more adjusted to life in a small house, and
am trying to pick out a quilt pattern I like enough to stick with it until completion.

I will need to make it 'quilt as you go' this time, due to lack of space.
I also want to make a lap quilt for my brother, which may be my first
priority since Autumn is in full tilt and winter is snapping at its heels.

I know winter is near because the cats are wearing much heavier fur these days.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

It's autumn 2011, cats in the barn

It's a wet & windy morning today. The cats are tucked into the barn, snoozing & snuggling.
Graygray, Joejoe, Attaboy, Smokey, and the new yellow & white one month old kitten that was given to us two days ago sleep in the barn. There is a heated pet pad in a converted toy box, high up for them to snooze in. The heated water dish keeps them bellying up to the water anytime they want. Everything is ready for winter!

The nights cool down to freezing here in Iowa now, but days almost to 60 means good things. We moved to a wreck of a small house over a year ago so now my time is spent cleaning, priming and painting. No real kitchen yet, and even then it will be concisely small of cabinetry due to six doorways in the kitchen, with no one that can be eliminated. Such is life on the hill in the country.

With the rains coming I dug ten small holes to plant ten sprigs of Colorado blue spruce. No one ever put in a wind break here. I may never live to see it but someone has to care about a wind break and this run down house. It is so improved already with siding, windows and much new flooring and paint inside. I feel better for fixing it up!

I am still very overweight and sluggish, but even snails accomplish things. Just ask my cats, they watch me all the time. Only one can come inside, Graygray, the oldest, who is four years old. He is the inside outside goodest cat, snuggler. And the little yellow & white kitten is a lap cat as well but outside. I can sit outside even in 40 degree weather in the winter so he will get attention. I have not named him yet since I have to see his personality yet. Giving it time.

Off I go to finish some dishwashing and clean up the floor from my husband's whoopsie last night: dropped a plateful of spaghetti and I did initial clean up but it needs more done. The brown mud rug that is over the holes in the lino needs a good cleaning yet with Resolve. I had Gray in to eat the meat off the rug and floor. Just like a little Hoover vacuum.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

New to this....

Being new to blogging and time 'less' often, this may be a trip into very little. But time will tell.
My main objective at work is how to clean things fast and well. Truth will out: I am a part time janitor and I stay under budget. My other joys in life are my four cats, my husband, and Lord Jesus, and bible study. Not necessarily in that order. I have little creative to add to this goggle blog, but i wanted to post comments on some of the neato bloggers as i find much to interest me here.