*sigh*
Almost a month since my last post. Christmas has come and gone. New Year's, too. We've had one--count it, ONE--snowfall that required shoveling. But we have had many, many days where the high temperature was under 20 degrees F and the low was below 0 degrees.
******
I continue to feed three outdoor cats as well as the six indoor kitties. I've built two insulated shelters for the outdoor girls and on the real cold nights at least two of them make use of those shelters. Where the third goes, I have only have a few ideas--under the shed, under the hunting camp 150 yards down hill, or, perhaps, there's a hidden den on the hill somewhere among the branches and grape vines I've piled up.
******
I've also been feeding the fireplace during the cold weather. I may actually burn all the firewood I've had stacked behind the garage--some of which has been there for three years. That's a good thing as some of it is starting to get a little punky. Mostly the softer poplar. It's also okay because I've some wood left from the crew that cleaned the powerline right of way to harvest as well as several birch, ash and maple trees I want to fell. As soon as the wind drops and the weather warms a bit.
******
We didn't go into New Jersey on Christmas Eve because of weather forecasts of several inches of snow that we would have had to drive through on the way home. (That "storm" turned into a dud producing only an inch of snow at the Aerie.) We DID manage to get into NJ on January 7th for my grandniece's first birthday. NJ, of course, had a heck of a lot more snow than we did having just suffered the snowmagedon of the year.
******
Tiadaghton Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count took place on January 1st. While the temperature was hovering between 5 and 6 degrees most of the morning, we did have very little wind and mostly sunny skies. We also got to see quite a few more birds than last year. Las year we may have spotted 15 BIRDS. This year we spotted 15 species and 270 birds. We did our birding from the car and covered 78 miles of back roads in central Tioga County--the southern edge of our club's circle. The club had a total of 52 species and 3670 birds within our circle.
******
Terry and I have decided upon--and booked--a cruise of the lower Mississippi for May. We'll be on the Mississippi Queen, a paddlewheeler of the American Cruise Lines. The boat leaves New Orleans on April 28 sailing up the Mississippi to Vicksburg and then returns to New Orleans on May 5th so we'll be on the water for Terry's birthday (May 3rd). We've also decided to drive down and back so as to add a possible side trip to either Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri (to see Doug and Lucille) or to Columbia, SC (to see Jim and Pat). At almost $900 per person round trip for a flight out of Philly to New Orleans, we may actually save money driving!
******
Terry will be getting a partial knee replacement tomorrow at the Corning Hospital. She's bone on bone and in significant pain that shots have not helped alleviate. She has the same doctor doing her knee as I had replace both my knees. This time, however, he'll be supervising a robot that will do the surgery. Maybe she'll have less leg bruising than I did. Both my legs were balck and blue after surgery.
******
Well, I guess that pretty much sums up the last month or so.
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Had a busy day today.
First I had to shovel the driveway after our 2-3 inch snowfall. (The rule is less than an inch and it can fend for itself. Two to four inches get hand shoveled. Five to seven inches get the snow thrower treatment. Eight or more and I bring Mr. Kubota-san into the act.)
Actually had to do the drive in two stages as Terry and I had to take Shadow to the vet's around 10 AM. She's been acting strange for about two weeks: lethargic, not cleaning herself, diarrhea, and a few other things out of the ordinary. The doc checked her out, took some blood samples, and then held her overnight to check urine, stool and other things.
Once the driveway was done, I hooked up the utility trailer and we headed off to retrieve the Pro-hauler from the Yamaha dealer. Turns out it needed to have the carburetor rebuilt (damn 10% ethanol!) and a new battery. I'll have to make sure to use it more frequently so as to keep that gas burned and battery charged!
Back home, I got the ATV off the trailer, unhitched the trailer from the Tundra and then hitched the ATV to the trailer and moved the trailer off the driveway and into the yard. Then the ATV was garaged to be used later this weekend...maybe.
Actually had to do the drive in two stages as Terry and I had to take Shadow to the vet's around 10 AM. She's been acting strange for about two weeks: lethargic, not cleaning herself, diarrhea, and a few other things out of the ordinary. The doc checked her out, took some blood samples, and then held her overnight to check urine, stool and other things.
Once the driveway was done, I hooked up the utility trailer and we headed off to retrieve the Pro-hauler from the Yamaha dealer. Turns out it needed to have the carburetor rebuilt (damn 10% ethanol!) and a new battery. I'll have to make sure to use it more frequently so as to keep that gas burned and battery charged!
Back home, I got the ATV off the trailer, unhitched the trailer from the Tundra and then hitched the ATV to the trailer and moved the trailer off the driveway and into the yard. Then the ATV was garaged to be used later this weekend...maybe.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
Oh, my! Five weeks? Really?
Well, I did it again. Failed to post for just over a month even when there's plenty to tell you about.
First: Terry did get her new Rav4 and drove it out to St. Louis for a SAGA event and then down to Lake of the Ozarks to visit with her sister (and do some fishing!). Now that she's home, she's got all kinds of local meetings for EGA. Most are of the sit-and-stitch variety but a few are either picnics or luncheons or classes--some of which she teaches beading to the ladies.
Second: I finally managed to nab the last kitten, Collar, and get it to the Animal Care Sanctuary to get "fixed." Turns out Collar is a female--just like the other two kittens. What are the odds?! Three kittens in the litter and they are all female. Getting all of them, and their mother, spayed probably helped keep the cat population limited next spring! I mean, Mom, a.k.a. Coffee, was just one year old when I took her in to the vets in June(?). If all four had litters next spring, it could have gotten very, very crowded around here.
Third: We harvested more than enough peppers and tomatoes from our garden this year. Way more than we expected to get from two pepper plants (one bell and one banana) or four tomato plants (2 cherries and two Early Girl). In fact, we are sick of eating tomatoes! We've canned enough tomato sauce to get us through the winter and spring even if we eat Italian twice a week. And there are numerous bags of peppers in the freezer.
Fourth: My 8-year old Dell laptop gave up the ghost this week after I dropped it. It was acting a little wonky before hand but this damaged the hard drive beyond repair--or, at least, that's what the tech folks said on Friday. I went and bought a new Dell Inspiron17 7000 Series even as I dropped the old laptop off for diagnostics. Now comes all the fun of installing software on the new machine. The tech folks were able to save my pics, documents and a couple of other folders from the damaged drive and have said they will load them on the new one for me.
Fifth: My daughter has been forced to move from her apartment of the last four years when two of her roommates (a married couple) decided they wanted out and wanted to do so by breaking the lease. Luckily, Jess was able to find another rooming situation a short distance away. It's not close enough to walk to Disney but she will be able to drive to work without too much of the LA-Anaheim traffic.
Sixth: Rick, Sandy and the kids, Chelsea and Justin, traveled down to Anaheim and Disneyland to visit with Jessica. It was the first time the little ones got to see their Aunt Jess--and all the Disney folks. I understand they had a good time.
Seventh: My granddaughter, Chelsea, started preschool this week. I must say, she's a lot older than her years!
I guess that's about all the news fro now.
First: Terry did get her new Rav4 and drove it out to St. Louis for a SAGA event and then down to Lake of the Ozarks to visit with her sister (and do some fishing!). Now that she's home, she's got all kinds of local meetings for EGA. Most are of the sit-and-stitch variety but a few are either picnics or luncheons or classes--some of which she teaches beading to the ladies.
Second: I finally managed to nab the last kitten, Collar, and get it to the Animal Care Sanctuary to get "fixed." Turns out Collar is a female--just like the other two kittens. What are the odds?! Three kittens in the litter and they are all female. Getting all of them, and their mother, spayed probably helped keep the cat population limited next spring! I mean, Mom, a.k.a. Coffee, was just one year old when I took her in to the vets in June(?). If all four had litters next spring, it could have gotten very, very crowded around here.
Third: We harvested more than enough peppers and tomatoes from our garden this year. Way more than we expected to get from two pepper plants (one bell and one banana) or four tomato plants (2 cherries and two Early Girl). In fact, we are sick of eating tomatoes! We've canned enough tomato sauce to get us through the winter and spring even if we eat Italian twice a week. And there are numerous bags of peppers in the freezer.
Fourth: My 8-year old Dell laptop gave up the ghost this week after I dropped it. It was acting a little wonky before hand but this damaged the hard drive beyond repair--or, at least, that's what the tech folks said on Friday. I went and bought a new Dell Inspiron17 7000 Series even as I dropped the old laptop off for diagnostics. Now comes all the fun of installing software on the new machine. The tech folks were able to save my pics, documents and a couple of other folders from the damaged drive and have said they will load them on the new one for me.
Fifth: My daughter has been forced to move from her apartment of the last four years when two of her roommates (a married couple) decided they wanted out and wanted to do so by breaking the lease. Luckily, Jess was able to find another rooming situation a short distance away. It's not close enough to walk to Disney but she will be able to drive to work without too much of the LA-Anaheim traffic.
Sixth: Rick, Sandy and the kids, Chelsea and Justin, traveled down to Anaheim and Disneyland to visit with Jessica. It was the first time the little ones got to see their Aunt Jess--and all the Disney folks. I understand they had a good time.
Seventh: My granddaughter, Chelsea, started preschool this week. I must say, she's a lot older than her years!
I guess that's about all the news fro now.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Cat Tales
Almost forgot to bring you up to date on my cat adventures.
Tigger wasn't nearly as "wily" as I perceived and walked right into the live trap on Saturday night and got transferred to a carry case. Fuzzball (now named "Tribble") got scooped up first thing Sunday morning and also got put into a carry case. Both spent the balance of Sunday in the basement getting a few strokes and a couple of tablespoons of food.
I had no luck getting near Collar after the scratching incident earlier. That cat wanted no part of being picked up again and stayed just out of arms reach while feasting on the canned food I put out for Coffee and Collar.
Monday morning, to the great dismay of momma Coffee, I put two squeeling kittens in the back seat of the Tundra and headed off to the clinic in East Smithfield. There they got dropped off for surgery, rabies shots, and leukemia testing. (I also delivered three 36-can boxes of cat food.)
Tuesday I went to pick them up. (And drop off two more boxes of canned cat food.) That's when I discovered that both Tribble and Tigger were females and leukemia free. Tigger does test slightly positive for heart worm, but they told me it was untreatable and not of great concern in outdoor cats.
I brought them home and fed them another tablespoon of cat food in their carry cases before returning them to the "wild" of my yard. (Terry wouldn't let me keep Tribble inside. Yet.)
Seems we dodged a bullet by getting two females (three if you count Coffee) fixed. I don't want to think about how many litters of kittens we could have had around here next spring!
Still trying to gain the confidence of Collar so I can get that one over to the clinic, but I'm not having much success. There's a 50-50 chance that Collar is also a she.
Tigger wasn't nearly as "wily" as I perceived and walked right into the live trap on Saturday night and got transferred to a carry case. Fuzzball (now named "Tribble") got scooped up first thing Sunday morning and also got put into a carry case. Both spent the balance of Sunday in the basement getting a few strokes and a couple of tablespoons of food.
I had no luck getting near Collar after the scratching incident earlier. That cat wanted no part of being picked up again and stayed just out of arms reach while feasting on the canned food I put out for Coffee and Collar.
Monday morning, to the great dismay of momma Coffee, I put two squeeling kittens in the back seat of the Tundra and headed off to the clinic in East Smithfield. There they got dropped off for surgery, rabies shots, and leukemia testing. (I also delivered three 36-can boxes of cat food.)
Tuesday I went to pick them up. (And drop off two more boxes of canned cat food.) That's when I discovered that both Tribble and Tigger were females and leukemia free. Tigger does test slightly positive for heart worm, but they told me it was untreatable and not of great concern in outdoor cats.
I brought them home and fed them another tablespoon of cat food in their carry cases before returning them to the "wild" of my yard. (Terry wouldn't let me keep Tribble inside. Yet.)
Seems we dodged a bullet by getting two females (three if you count Coffee) fixed. I don't want to think about how many litters of kittens we could have had around here next spring!
Still trying to gain the confidence of Collar so I can get that one over to the clinic, but I'm not having much success. There's a 50-50 chance that Collar is also a she.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Playing Hide-and-Seek
For several years I've seen what I originally thought was a pure black cat wandering through the yard. I never got close enough to determine the sex of that cat until this spring when SHE gave birth to a litter of kittens under the deck. That's when I noticed she wasn't truely black but more like dark, rich coffee with tints of brown swirling through her coat. She looked thin as a rail after giving birth so I started giving her a can of food every now and then. She was much appreciative and slowly became our outdoor cat. She would brush against our legs and bump into our hands as we spooned the can of food out onto a plate. We could stroke her and get a purr instead of a growl.
Eventually the kittens became large enough that she felt the need to move them to an undisclosed location I've yet to discover on the other side of the travel trailer.
The kittens grew and they began to appear on the lawn where they would stalk one another, attack grass stalks and bugs and generally do kittenish things. There were three of them. One gray tiger who seems afraid of the slightest noise and bolts for the other side of the trailer. I named it Tigger. One short-haired gay and white who is wary but not super wary of my opening the basement door to put food out. I haven't settled on a name for this one yet but it's got a white fur collar so maybe Prissy. (Now up to two cans of food a day plus a can of dry food and a bowl of water as all four are eating.) And the third kitten is nearly a twin of Miss Kitteh: long gray and white fur and ear tufts that stick out a mile. I call that one Fuzzball and it's the friendliest of the bunch.
Fuzzball will come to the food as I'm putting it out but I've yet to actually touch it.
This morning, while putting the food out, Fuzzball darted past me and into the basement through the slightly open door. It made a bee line to the dry food we have there for the indoor cats. After I finished putting out the food, I tried to get Fuzzball back outside but it darted around the boxes in the center of the basement and we went round and round. I couldn't leave the door open for fear we would have Coffee and Prissy joining us indoors.
I eventually lost sight of Fuzzball and things went silent. I searched under furniture and behind boxes to no avail. I think Fuzzy is still downstairs but I can't be sure. None of the other cats are helping to located the kitten. Might be a Code of Silence thing going on. Coffee and her other two are still under the deck and Coffee is looking longingly at the door. Could be she thinks I abducted her favorite--and she's being quite vocal about it.
Believe me, I'd put Fuzzy back outside ASAP--if I could find the little bugger.
Eventually the kittens became large enough that she felt the need to move them to an undisclosed location I've yet to discover on the other side of the travel trailer.
The kittens grew and they began to appear on the lawn where they would stalk one another, attack grass stalks and bugs and generally do kittenish things. There were three of them. One gray tiger who seems afraid of the slightest noise and bolts for the other side of the trailer. I named it Tigger. One short-haired gay and white who is wary but not super wary of my opening the basement door to put food out. I haven't settled on a name for this one yet but it's got a white fur collar so maybe Prissy. (Now up to two cans of food a day plus a can of dry food and a bowl of water as all four are eating.) And the third kitten is nearly a twin of Miss Kitteh: long gray and white fur and ear tufts that stick out a mile. I call that one Fuzzball and it's the friendliest of the bunch.
Fuzzball will come to the food as I'm putting it out but I've yet to actually touch it.
This morning, while putting the food out, Fuzzball darted past me and into the basement through the slightly open door. It made a bee line to the dry food we have there for the indoor cats. After I finished putting out the food, I tried to get Fuzzball back outside but it darted around the boxes in the center of the basement and we went round and round. I couldn't leave the door open for fear we would have Coffee and Prissy joining us indoors.
I eventually lost sight of Fuzzball and things went silent. I searched under furniture and behind boxes to no avail. I think Fuzzy is still downstairs but I can't be sure. None of the other cats are helping to located the kitten. Might be a Code of Silence thing going on. Coffee and her other two are still under the deck and Coffee is looking longingly at the door. Could be she thinks I abducted her favorite--and she's being quite vocal about it.
Believe me, I'd put Fuzzy back outside ASAP--if I could find the little bugger.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Just Livin' the Life of Riley!
(Please don't tell him.)
In lieu of either discussing politics (This is the best either party has to offer? To me Senator Cruz is the only one who is sane, intelligent and steadfast in his beliefs and not bought and paid for by some outside interest. Democrats: Really? A septuagenarian socialist and a person who lies with every breath she takes?) and/or terrorism (Why can't the folks in the White House--or their friends in the main stream media--call it what it is?), let me stick with something a bit closer to home: Life at the Aerie:
******
Not so busy this week...so far.
As chief cook, Terry got off easy over the weekend. As I mentioned, there was plenty of opportunities to get out and eat for a good cause Saturday and Sunday. (And that was after she had her weekly Lenten Luncheon on Thursday and Simple Supper at Holy Child on Friday evening (basically soup and bread).)
Saturday morning we had pancakes at Miller's Maple Products. We also bought a couple of pints of syrup, some delicious pecan and maple syrup sauce, some "maple salt" (maple sugar, salt and pepper--use it sparingly on meat dishes), and some buttermilk pancake mix.
Saturday evening we had a chicken and biscuit dinner at the Mainesburg United Methodist Church. Where we got to see our former postmistress and schmooze with the young minister. (It's sort of odd that both this church and the United Methodist Church in Wellsboro both got new, young (I'd say 26-28 years of age) ministers over the summer. The one in Mainesbirg is Tim Parker while the one in Wellsboro is Rich Hanlon. Mr. Hanlon is an avid birder and has been participating in the Tiadaghton Audubon Society meetings and walks. I've also run into him a couple of times while out birding. Both are very nice, friendly guys.)
Sunday morning the Mansfield Fire Company had their monthly breakfast: eggs; bacon; pancakes; french toast; biscuits and gravy; muffins; juice; and coffee. And the Boy Scouts bus the tables. What's not to like!
******
So far the rest of the week has been pretty normal.
I spent Monday in the workshop knocking together a couple of wood bee traps to hand on the deck come warmer weather. Damn bees like burrowing into the logs and timbers. I've been using the long range wasp spray but the little buggers flit about like hummingbirds and a devilishly difficult to hit on the wing. Besides, I can't sit out on the porch all summer like Clint Eastwood with a shotgun yelling, "You bees get off my house!"
Tuesday I cut out the parts for two simple, basic birdhouses and put one of them together. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all these houses, but at least I'm getting rid of some of the wood scrap from when we built the Aerie back in '06 AND I'm get more confident in my use of the power tools I've been neglecting. Pretty soon I'll be back to some more serious projects.
After reading online about massive migrations of birds, I thought Wednesday would be a good day to go see. I did and found that if there was a big migration, they weren't landing here. Hills Creek and the Muck were pretty empty. Only a Pied-billed Grebe (FOTY) on the lake made the day worthwhile.
Terry's been doing her usual: stitching, cooking, go to Curves. Surprisingly she hasn't had any club meetings this week. Could be because it's the week leading up to Easter or it could just be a fluke. She does have church services, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Oh yeah, and Saturday she takes our Easter dinner to get blessed.
******
Shadow does not like getting pills. But she has become resigned to the fact. She's been sleeping on a loveseat in the basement and doesn't attempt to run away when I go get her at medicine time. Which, BTW, is twice a day. Not that she opens her mouth voluntarily. No, I still have to pry her jaws open while Terry uses the pill "gun" to get the pill as far back in her throat as possible.
Her appetite seems to have improved as well. We've been experimenting with various foods and found a few that are free of fish and dairy that she has scarfed down. She comes bouncing up the steps every couple of hours for her "special" kibble, too.
As for the scabs...they seem to be drying up and flaking off. I haven't seen any open sores for several days.
AND she has stopped vomiting both her stomach contents and hairballs.
******
Less than two weeks to Opening Day of Major League Baseball!
Let's Go Mets!
******
Not so busy this week...so far.
As chief cook, Terry got off easy over the weekend. As I mentioned, there was plenty of opportunities to get out and eat for a good cause Saturday and Sunday. (And that was after she had her weekly Lenten Luncheon on Thursday and Simple Supper at Holy Child on Friday evening (basically soup and bread).)
Saturday morning we had pancakes at Miller's Maple Products. We also bought a couple of pints of syrup, some delicious pecan and maple syrup sauce, some "maple salt" (maple sugar, salt and pepper--use it sparingly on meat dishes), and some buttermilk pancake mix.
Saturday evening we had a chicken and biscuit dinner at the Mainesburg United Methodist Church. Where we got to see our former postmistress and schmooze with the young minister. (It's sort of odd that both this church and the United Methodist Church in Wellsboro both got new, young (I'd say 26-28 years of age) ministers over the summer. The one in Mainesbirg is Tim Parker while the one in Wellsboro is Rich Hanlon. Mr. Hanlon is an avid birder and has been participating in the Tiadaghton Audubon Society meetings and walks. I've also run into him a couple of times while out birding. Both are very nice, friendly guys.)
Sunday morning the Mansfield Fire Company had their monthly breakfast: eggs; bacon; pancakes; french toast; biscuits and gravy; muffins; juice; and coffee. And the Boy Scouts bus the tables. What's not to like!
******
So far the rest of the week has been pretty normal.
I spent Monday in the workshop knocking together a couple of wood bee traps to hand on the deck come warmer weather. Damn bees like burrowing into the logs and timbers. I've been using the long range wasp spray but the little buggers flit about like hummingbirds and a devilishly difficult to hit on the wing. Besides, I can't sit out on the porch all summer like Clint Eastwood with a shotgun yelling, "You bees get off my house!"
Tuesday I cut out the parts for two simple, basic birdhouses and put one of them together. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all these houses, but at least I'm getting rid of some of the wood scrap from when we built the Aerie back in '06 AND I'm get more confident in my use of the power tools I've been neglecting. Pretty soon I'll be back to some more serious projects.
After reading online about massive migrations of birds, I thought Wednesday would be a good day to go see. I did and found that if there was a big migration, they weren't landing here. Hills Creek and the Muck were pretty empty. Only a Pied-billed Grebe (FOTY) on the lake made the day worthwhile.
Terry's been doing her usual: stitching, cooking, go to Curves. Surprisingly she hasn't had any club meetings this week. Could be because it's the week leading up to Easter or it could just be a fluke. She does have church services, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Oh yeah, and Saturday she takes our Easter dinner to get blessed.
******
Shadow does not like getting pills. But she has become resigned to the fact. She's been sleeping on a loveseat in the basement and doesn't attempt to run away when I go get her at medicine time. Which, BTW, is twice a day. Not that she opens her mouth voluntarily. No, I still have to pry her jaws open while Terry uses the pill "gun" to get the pill as far back in her throat as possible.
Her appetite seems to have improved as well. We've been experimenting with various foods and found a few that are free of fish and dairy that she has scarfed down. She comes bouncing up the steps every couple of hours for her "special" kibble, too.
As for the scabs...they seem to be drying up and flaking off. I haven't seen any open sores for several days.
AND she has stopped vomiting both her stomach contents and hairballs.
******
Less than two weeks to Opening Day of Major League Baseball!
Let's Go Mets!
Friday, March 18, 2016
This Week At the Aerie
SO....
Busy week with lots of doctor visits
Monday morning I went to the Guthrie Clinic in Mansfield as soon as they opened. While the doctor was at the hospital doing rounds, I did get to see the nurse practitioner who diagnosed my aching neck as an irritated nerve caused by muscular spasms. She prescribed Naproxen (500mg tablets) twice a day for the pain and Flexoril (10mg) once a day before bed for the muscle spasms. I started taking them that night and WOW! What a difference!
Tuesday I was pain free and I've remained that way all week. Of course, they have also allowed me to sleep very, very soundly.
******
I went birding a couple of times this week and added a new species or two each time. Despite the super spring weather, we're still waiting the big rush of migrants here in the Northern Tier of PA. We've had a few waterfowl show up but not the huge numbers we've seen in the past. If the warm weather holds, the next week or two should see a rush of species heading north for breeding purposes.
Even with a 600, lens, the birds always seem to be just t-h-a-t much too far away for a good shot.
******
Terry's turn for a steroid shot to her spine (L2, L3) occurred Friday morning. She has a couple of bulging discs (along with some stenosis) that have been creating pain in her hips and thighs. The pain management doctor thought cortisone injections might help alleviate the problem. We'll know in a day or two how that's working.
******
Small Town America
The township secretary called on Thursday to give us a heads up. They were sending out a crew to work on a culvert on our street and the road would be closed from around 8 AM until 1 PM. She (the secretary) knew we normally go down to get the mail and do some shopping on a daily basis so she wanted to let us know to plan on taking the long way around.
Well, because of Terry hospital procedure we were gone long before they came to shut the road down, but when we returned, we took her advice and drove the long way around only to discover that the culvert they were working on was the one running across the road right at the end of our driveway. We couldn't get in.
We parked in our top most driveway (we have three parcels of land and three driveways but only one--the blocked one--leads to the house) and walked down the hill.
Long story short, two of the work crew were also township supervisors. They had noticed we had a small drain pipe running across our driveway (not on town right of way) that was insufficient (6" cheap pipe), partially compressed and in need of replacement. They wanted to know if they could replace it with an 8 inch pipe, stone the driveway for me and generally do what I wanted to do for two years--for the price of the pipe. I said, "Go for it!" They then told me to pull my truck down and into the house and not to worry, they would be done before I had to take Shadow to the vets at 2:15. They did the work and were done by the promised time. I expect I'll get a bill in the mail, 'cause they didn't even come up to the door.
******
About Shadow...she's become something of a problem child. Not that she's fighting or anything like that, she's just moody, off her feed, vomiting, and full of scabs. Some of the vomiting is hairballs from licking the scabby areas, but some of it is from food.
She, too, went to see the doctor this week. (Her visit will end up being the most costly out of pocket. No insurance.) Shadow lost five (5) pounds since last April when she was 14+ pounds. She tipped the scales today at a svelte 9.4 pounds. That's not good.
The vet thinks she may have irritable bowel syndrome, or a food allergy. She prescribed some steroids (for the existing skin condition, another drug for the irritable bowel, and some B12 (because poor digestion leads to a lack of B12 intake). She also suggested we change her diet. No seafood, beef, egg, milk, cheese, wheat. Just poultry, rice and oats. She had some moist food (at $2.50 a can!) and some dry food (also very expensive) to get Shadow started on a healthy diet.
I was given a pill "gun" to get the medicine into the back of Shadow's throat and was shown how to give B12 injections. Shadow will probably need those B12 shots once a month for life. When all this stuff gets put into motion and runs for a couple of months, I think I'll just go get a veterinary license and treat cats.
******
This weekend is the Maple Weekend in Potter and Tioga counties. There will be demonstrations of tapping and boiling at the sugar house at Hills Creek State Park and a number of sugar houses will be opening their doors to the public for tours and samplings. Terry and I will be going out early because one of the places is offering all you can eat pancakes for $7.
Then later in the evening, the Mainesburg Methodist Church has a chicken and biscuit dinner. And Sunday morning the Mansfield Fire Company has it's monthly breakfast.
*Sigh*
Diet is what you eat.
There is some snow in the forecast for Sunday into Monday, but nearly all of it will be to the south and east of here. We may get a dusting. With any luck, these will be the last flakes we see this "winter." The forecast also calls for 70 degrees next Friday.
Busy week with lots of doctor visits
Monday morning I went to the Guthrie Clinic in Mansfield as soon as they opened. While the doctor was at the hospital doing rounds, I did get to see the nurse practitioner who diagnosed my aching neck as an irritated nerve caused by muscular spasms. She prescribed Naproxen (500mg tablets) twice a day for the pain and Flexoril (10mg) once a day before bed for the muscle spasms. I started taking them that night and WOW! What a difference!
Tuesday I was pain free and I've remained that way all week. Of course, they have also allowed me to sleep very, very soundly.
******
I went birding a couple of times this week and added a new species or two each time. Despite the super spring weather, we're still waiting the big rush of migrants here in the Northern Tier of PA. We've had a few waterfowl show up but not the huge numbers we've seen in the past. If the warm weather holds, the next week or two should see a rush of species heading north for breeding purposes.
 |
| Redhead pair on Tioga Lake |
 |
| Common Mergansers (2 males & 1 female) on Tioga Lake |
 |
| Green-winged Teal at The Muck (Wellsboro) |
 |
| Ring-necked Duck at The Muck |
 |
| Pair of Mallards at The Muck |
 |
| Pair of Wood Duck on an old beaver pond near Hills Creek SP |
******
Terry's turn for a steroid shot to her spine (L2, L3) occurred Friday morning. She has a couple of bulging discs (along with some stenosis) that have been creating pain in her hips and thighs. The pain management doctor thought cortisone injections might help alleviate the problem. We'll know in a day or two how that's working.
******
Small Town America
The township secretary called on Thursday to give us a heads up. They were sending out a crew to work on a culvert on our street and the road would be closed from around 8 AM until 1 PM. She (the secretary) knew we normally go down to get the mail and do some shopping on a daily basis so she wanted to let us know to plan on taking the long way around.
Well, because of Terry hospital procedure we were gone long before they came to shut the road down, but when we returned, we took her advice and drove the long way around only to discover that the culvert they were working on was the one running across the road right at the end of our driveway. We couldn't get in.
We parked in our top most driveway (we have three parcels of land and three driveways but only one--the blocked one--leads to the house) and walked down the hill.
Long story short, two of the work crew were also township supervisors. They had noticed we had a small drain pipe running across our driveway (not on town right of way) that was insufficient (6" cheap pipe), partially compressed and in need of replacement. They wanted to know if they could replace it with an 8 inch pipe, stone the driveway for me and generally do what I wanted to do for two years--for the price of the pipe. I said, "Go for it!" They then told me to pull my truck down and into the house and not to worry, they would be done before I had to take Shadow to the vets at 2:15. They did the work and were done by the promised time. I expect I'll get a bill in the mail, 'cause they didn't even come up to the door.
******
About Shadow...she's become something of a problem child. Not that she's fighting or anything like that, she's just moody, off her feed, vomiting, and full of scabs. Some of the vomiting is hairballs from licking the scabby areas, but some of it is from food.
She, too, went to see the doctor this week. (Her visit will end up being the most costly out of pocket. No insurance.) Shadow lost five (5) pounds since last April when she was 14+ pounds. She tipped the scales today at a svelte 9.4 pounds. That's not good.
The vet thinks she may have irritable bowel syndrome, or a food allergy. She prescribed some steroids (for the existing skin condition, another drug for the irritable bowel, and some B12 (because poor digestion leads to a lack of B12 intake). She also suggested we change her diet. No seafood, beef, egg, milk, cheese, wheat. Just poultry, rice and oats. She had some moist food (at $2.50 a can!) and some dry food (also very expensive) to get Shadow started on a healthy diet.
I was given a pill "gun" to get the medicine into the back of Shadow's throat and was shown how to give B12 injections. Shadow will probably need those B12 shots once a month for life. When all this stuff gets put into motion and runs for a couple of months, I think I'll just go get a veterinary license and treat cats.
******
This weekend is the Maple Weekend in Potter and Tioga counties. There will be demonstrations of tapping and boiling at the sugar house at Hills Creek State Park and a number of sugar houses will be opening their doors to the public for tours and samplings. Terry and I will be going out early because one of the places is offering all you can eat pancakes for $7.
Then later in the evening, the Mainesburg Methodist Church has a chicken and biscuit dinner. And Sunday morning the Mansfield Fire Company has it's monthly breakfast.
*Sigh*
Diet is what you eat.
There is some snow in the forecast for Sunday into Monday, but nearly all of it will be to the south and east of here. We may get a dusting. With any luck, these will be the last flakes we see this "winter." The forecast also calls for 70 degrees next Friday.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Work. Work. Work. OUCH!! MMMM!
We had a couple of dead trees that were leaning toward the house and needed to be removed. My buddy (Terry's cousin) Joe came up this morning to lend a hand.
Before we got started, however, Joe pulled out his box call and gave a series of clucks hoping to get a gobble in response. Not today. Should have been here on Sunday morning...Oh. Wait. No hunting on Sundays. (The turkeys are fully aware of this law. Or at least I am convinced they are.)
The hand that was needed was on the end of a rope to assure that the trees didn't hit the house as they came down. Both trees (one white birch, the other a gray birch) were well and truly dead having been either girdled by the previous owner of this lot when he attached a light to the white birch and then held the electric wires in place with some pretty stout nylon cord or damaged when other trees fell and scraped the bark off. Neither could be climbed to attach the rope so we spent some time with a monkey's fist trying to toss the rope over limbs about 20' in the air.
Having accomplished that on the gray birch, I notched the tree about 2' off the ground and made my back cut. Damn tree didn't follow directions and fall up hill as I had planned but instead fell parallel to the slope. At least the rope did keep it away from the house.
The white birch fell pretty much where we planned and the light bulb in the fixture didn't even break. We did dislodge a robins nest built abo0ut where the light fixture was but it didn't hold any eggs or young. In fact, I saw that robin hauling long weeds to build the nest Monday morning and it was still damp from construction.
I gave Joe a tour of my gardens--soon to be supplemented by the acorn and butternut squash Joe brought with him--and he finished his coffee and went on his way after promising to return before I head into the hospital so we can mount the mowing deck on the tractor so, when the time comes, he can come up and cut the grass. He refuses to consider using the push mower.
When Joe left, I pulled out the push mower and went to work mowing the grass and dandelions. An hour-and-a-half later (and about 2 miles) I was finished with the lawns and pretty much anything else for the day. My left knee was sending signals loudly and clearly and my right was in total sympathy.
After lunch I did manage to hobble enough to 1) install the window AC in the master bedroom (I already put the one in the guest bedroom in. It's where I'll be sleeping post op.) 2) drive down to the polling place to cast my vote in the primaries and 3) stop at the liquor store in Mansfield for a nice, big bottle of Jim Beam.
The temperature has risen to 84 on the deck at 3 PM. It had been 82 when I left to run errands at 1:30. The truck thermometer hit a high of 88 while I was on Route 6. It's too damn early for these temperatures. Especially since we had a hard freeze and high temps of just 45 two weeks ago. Oh well. We may get some T-storms this evening...and tomorrow afternoon...and Friday afternoon. Might as well get used to it.
******
On a little bit of a down note:
Terry and I rounded up the cats yesterday to clip their claws. Things went reasonably well for three of them. (If you count having to close all doors, chase and play hide and seek reasonable.) Miss Kitteh, had other ideas. After a lap or two around the livingroom, diningroom and kitchen, she went up onto the loft. We followed. She jumped off the loft to the couch. We finally corralled her and got her nails done but things weren't quite right. Rather than leave immediately--as the others do--she wanted to cuddle in my lap.
When I put her down near her lunch bowl, she limped away to her bed and stayed there all afternoon. We would spend time petting and prodding her but, while she seemed to enjoy the former, the latter produced no reaction. No broken bones that we could tell.
When terry pulled out the dust mop to do the floors, Miss Kitteh sped off to the basement and wasn't seen again until this morning when I went down and found her huddled in a drawer of the TV stand. She sped up stairs as best she could with a gitty-up in her hitch but still would not eat. She's been curled up on the couch in Terry's sewing room all day. (Except when the noise of the lawnmower had her disappear to the basement again. She hid in the utility room this time.) She purrs and licks our hands when we pet her but she has no interest in roaming about the house or eating.
What ever her problem may be, we will give her another day or two before taking her to the vet.
Before we got started, however, Joe pulled out his box call and gave a series of clucks hoping to get a gobble in response. Not today. Should have been here on Sunday morning...Oh. Wait. No hunting on Sundays. (The turkeys are fully aware of this law. Or at least I am convinced they are.)
The hand that was needed was on the end of a rope to assure that the trees didn't hit the house as they came down. Both trees (one white birch, the other a gray birch) were well and truly dead having been either girdled by the previous owner of this lot when he attached a light to the white birch and then held the electric wires in place with some pretty stout nylon cord or damaged when other trees fell and scraped the bark off. Neither could be climbed to attach the rope so we spent some time with a monkey's fist trying to toss the rope over limbs about 20' in the air.
Having accomplished that on the gray birch, I notched the tree about 2' off the ground and made my back cut. Damn tree didn't follow directions and fall up hill as I had planned but instead fell parallel to the slope. At least the rope did keep it away from the house.
The white birch fell pretty much where we planned and the light bulb in the fixture didn't even break. We did dislodge a robins nest built abo0ut where the light fixture was but it didn't hold any eggs or young. In fact, I saw that robin hauling long weeds to build the nest Monday morning and it was still damp from construction.
I gave Joe a tour of my gardens--soon to be supplemented by the acorn and butternut squash Joe brought with him--and he finished his coffee and went on his way after promising to return before I head into the hospital so we can mount the mowing deck on the tractor so, when the time comes, he can come up and cut the grass. He refuses to consider using the push mower.
When Joe left, I pulled out the push mower and went to work mowing the grass and dandelions. An hour-and-a-half later (and about 2 miles) I was finished with the lawns and pretty much anything else for the day. My left knee was sending signals loudly and clearly and my right was in total sympathy.
After lunch I did manage to hobble enough to 1) install the window AC in the master bedroom (I already put the one in the guest bedroom in. It's where I'll be sleeping post op.) 2) drive down to the polling place to cast my vote in the primaries and 3) stop at the liquor store in Mansfield for a nice, big bottle of Jim Beam.
The temperature has risen to 84 on the deck at 3 PM. It had been 82 when I left to run errands at 1:30. The truck thermometer hit a high of 88 while I was on Route 6. It's too damn early for these temperatures. Especially since we had a hard freeze and high temps of just 45 two weeks ago. Oh well. We may get some T-storms this evening...and tomorrow afternoon...and Friday afternoon. Might as well get used to it.
******
On a little bit of a down note:
Terry and I rounded up the cats yesterday to clip their claws. Things went reasonably well for three of them. (If you count having to close all doors, chase and play hide and seek reasonable.) Miss Kitteh, had other ideas. After a lap or two around the livingroom, diningroom and kitchen, she went up onto the loft. We followed. She jumped off the loft to the couch. We finally corralled her and got her nails done but things weren't quite right. Rather than leave immediately--as the others do--she wanted to cuddle in my lap.
When I put her down near her lunch bowl, she limped away to her bed and stayed there all afternoon. We would spend time petting and prodding her but, while she seemed to enjoy the former, the latter produced no reaction. No broken bones that we could tell.
When terry pulled out the dust mop to do the floors, Miss Kitteh sped off to the basement and wasn't seen again until this morning when I went down and found her huddled in a drawer of the TV stand. She sped up stairs as best she could with a gitty-up in her hitch but still would not eat. She's been curled up on the couch in Terry's sewing room all day. (Except when the noise of the lawnmower had her disappear to the basement again. She hid in the utility room this time.) She purrs and licks our hands when we pet her but she has no interest in roaming about the house or eating.
What ever her problem may be, we will give her another day or two before taking her to the vet.
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Miss Kitteh vs The Thing
The other day, Miss Kitteh acting...well...kittenish. She decided to spar with the dreaded Thing (a yarn ball on a spring).
She was pretty casual about it at first. Shaking paws and plotting strategy.
Then she got right (or should I say "left") down to business. She struck out with a left hook.
And then a right!
The Thing was going all wobbly and it looked like the bout would be over quickly. But The Thing struck back with a vicious looping overhand blow that knocked Miss Kitteh to the floor.
Although she suffered a knockdown, Miss Kitteh was far from finished. She continued to lash out at The Thing from her prone position!
She clawed her way back to her feet and delivered a series of four-footed (four-pawed?) blows that left The Thing yelping in pain and howling, "No mas! No mas!"
The ending was too horrible to photograph.
She was pretty casual about it at first. Shaking paws and plotting strategy.
Then she got right (or should I say "left") down to business. She struck out with a left hook.
And then a right!
The Thing was going all wobbly and it looked like the bout would be over quickly. But The Thing struck back with a vicious looping overhand blow that knocked Miss Kitteh to the floor.
Although she suffered a knockdown, Miss Kitteh was far from finished. She continued to lash out at The Thing from her prone position!
She clawed her way back to her feet and delivered a series of four-footed (four-pawed?) blows that left The Thing yelping in pain and howling, "No mas! No mas!"
The ending was too horrible to photograph.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Miss Kitteh Saw the Doc Today
So, as I mentioned in the previous post, I took Miss Kitteh to the vet's today.
She certainly made an impression on me. Unlike the other three cats, she was absolutely quiet in the carry cage as I put her into the back seat of the truck. She remained quiet as we drove down to the vet's. The others would have been howling the entire time--and foaming at the mouth, drooling, throwing up, peeing and/or pooping during the 6 mile ride.
She also made an impression at the vet's as she ramped up her little purr box and just loved all the handling, petting, combing she got.
While I estimated Miss Kitteh to be at most 4 months of age,Doc says she's more like 5 months of age maybe even 6 based upon her teeth-she's got 'em all. The only puzzling thing is her weight. She's just under 4.5 pounds which is tiny for that 6 month estimate.
Miss Kitteh got her first distemper and rabies shots, and was checked for feline leukemia (neg). Since she, like the other three will be an indoor cat and will have limited--if any-contact with other cats, she didn't require a vaccination against feline leukemia. She also got a dose of de-worming medicine.
She behaved excellently under the vet's ministrations only objecting to having the de-worming stuff put into her mouth. It looks like--and the vet said it tastes like--butterscotch. I wouldn't know about the taste. Apparently, Miss Kitteh is not into butterscotch, though. She swallowed it, but under some protest. Maybe if it tasted like chicken gravy....
She was good on the way home too. No cleaning of the carry cage was required which was a change.
A second visit for some booster shots of those she got today is set up for November 16. I hope she's as cooperative as she was today. Come the New Year, however, she'll be looking at surgery so as to be "fixed" and she might not like that visit so well.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wednesday Morning Ramblings
on a Personal Note
Saturday morning I emptied the rain gauge here at the Aerie. It had rained pretty hard all Thursday night and again, although somewhat more briefly, Friday night. I estimate we had 0.7 inches of rain from the Thursday-Friday rains and another 0.2 inches in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Those, however, were what I would call Camelot rains, that is, they occurred over night when we (the cats and I) were safe and snug in our home.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday were lovely fall days with bright sunshine and cool temperatures topping out around 60 degrees. There was plenty of wind to go along with that, however, and leaves were falling line crazy. I would estimate that 80% of the leaves have fallen from the trees. Only a few of the oaks and aspens continue to hold on to their reddish-brown and yellow foliage. The locusts on the edge of the yard are still green but they are slow to emerge in the spring and late to give way in the fall, and when they do drop, the leaves are often still green.
The rain returned on Tuesday morning just before daylight and it's been falling off and on since with varying degrees of intensity.It won't be a surprise to find close to another inch of rain in the gauge when it finally stops later today. (At least that's what the weather gurus are saying--that it should end this afternoon.)
******
Terry has left on the second half of her fall tour of sewing conventions. She got back on Sunday from going to New Jersey to visit her Mom and daughter Jessica. This after she had been down to South Carolina (family) and Atlanta (SAGA). She spent Monday doing her laundry and packing her bags and the Aveo for her trip to Hattiesburg, MS (military reunion of her Dad's old unit) and Santa Fe, NM (EGA). Early Tuesday morning she headed south in a slight drizzle, hit a few pockets of heavier rain in southern PA, but then saw the sun come out as she crossed Virginia. She stopped in northern Tennessee just off I-81 for the night. That's about half way to her destination so she should make Hattiesburg this evening.
The military reunion used to be for the remaining members of the Polar Bears who served under Gen. Omar Bradley during WWII. As time and age have reduced their numbers, the offspring of those soldiers have continued to meet more or less as a commemorative of their parents' sacrifice and service. Hattiesburg, MS was the place most of them did their basic training before heading over seas and so marks the beginning of their involvement in the war. With so few left, it may also mark the end of the original members' involvement in the reunions. (I think, at last count, those able and willing to travel to these events was down to half a dozen as most are now in their nineties.)
A few days in Mississippi and then Terry will be heading west to the Embroiderers Guild of America convention in Santa Fe, New Mexico for hours of classes, interspersed with banquets, barter, and sight seeing.
******
Yesterday I went to the local Agway to purchase a new collar for Miss Kitteh. She had slipped out of the fancy red rhinestone job--again--and I couldn't located it. That red number was just like any belt with a series of holes through which a metal bar would go, but it was too lose on her little neck. Not only could she get her front leg through it to wear it like a bandolier, but she could, through vigorous scratching, undo the catch mechanism.
So I got her a bright pink job with a click catch instead...and a metal food bowl of her own...and a Tick Twister tick remover. The Tick Twister worked great in removing the large, swollen tick that was on her neck just behind her right ear. It looks like the claw end of a hammer and is used almost the same way as that claw hammer would be used to remove nails with one important difference: instead of pulling the tick out, you twist it out. It took me about two minutes to get the thing out but that was more because Miss Kitteh has some very fine, long fur. And the Vasoline I had applied the day before was still gunking that fur up a bit even though it had little affect on the tick. Any way, tick is now toast.
Kitteh has a new collar. I had to put a bell on it but when she gets her shots, the tag will replace the bell. I did find the old one stuffed along side the cushion of a chair in the basement where she has been known to nap the afternoon away. The collar was unhooked and not merely squirmed out of. The chair is convenient to the litter boxes, the dry food, and the water dispenser. She may be young, but she ain't stupid! It took her one day to figure out that when the other cats make a racket outside our bedroom door in the morning it means someone is going to show up in the kitchen and put food in the bowls for her to eat! And, now, she has her very own stainless steel bowl.
******
I got a call from up north Tuesday morning from the logger. He and his assistant moved some equipment over to my place on Monday and marked the state line a bit better in preparation of removing some trees. They will be taking firs for molding and pulp wood as well as hardwood. I just hope they take enough of the firs to open things up a bit. I was going to just cut the damn things down and let them rot in the hope that sunlight might dry up some of the marshy areas that have been created by the dense trees. With luck, any tire ruts he makes will also help drain the area. There are no marsh flora or fauna involved here, it's just plain wet with cedar and fir trees. Some drier areas have hemlock too. Al of these keep the sun from reaching the forest floor and prevent any sort of understory from developing.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday were lovely fall days with bright sunshine and cool temperatures topping out around 60 degrees. There was plenty of wind to go along with that, however, and leaves were falling line crazy. I would estimate that 80% of the leaves have fallen from the trees. Only a few of the oaks and aspens continue to hold on to their reddish-brown and yellow foliage. The locusts on the edge of the yard are still green but they are slow to emerge in the spring and late to give way in the fall, and when they do drop, the leaves are often still green.
The rain returned on Tuesday morning just before daylight and it's been falling off and on since with varying degrees of intensity.It won't be a surprise to find close to another inch of rain in the gauge when it finally stops later today. (At least that's what the weather gurus are saying--that it should end this afternoon.)
******
Terry has left on the second half of her fall tour of sewing conventions. She got back on Sunday from going to New Jersey to visit her Mom and daughter Jessica. This after she had been down to South Carolina (family) and Atlanta (SAGA). She spent Monday doing her laundry and packing her bags and the Aveo for her trip to Hattiesburg, MS (military reunion of her Dad's old unit) and Santa Fe, NM (EGA). Early Tuesday morning she headed south in a slight drizzle, hit a few pockets of heavier rain in southern PA, but then saw the sun come out as she crossed Virginia. She stopped in northern Tennessee just off I-81 for the night. That's about half way to her destination so she should make Hattiesburg this evening.
The military reunion used to be for the remaining members of the Polar Bears who served under Gen. Omar Bradley during WWII. As time and age have reduced their numbers, the offspring of those soldiers have continued to meet more or less as a commemorative of their parents' sacrifice and service. Hattiesburg, MS was the place most of them did their basic training before heading over seas and so marks the beginning of their involvement in the war. With so few left, it may also mark the end of the original members' involvement in the reunions. (I think, at last count, those able and willing to travel to these events was down to half a dozen as most are now in their nineties.)
A few days in Mississippi and then Terry will be heading west to the Embroiderers Guild of America convention in Santa Fe, New Mexico for hours of classes, interspersed with banquets, barter, and sight seeing.
******
Yesterday I went to the local Agway to purchase a new collar for Miss Kitteh. She had slipped out of the fancy red rhinestone job--again--and I couldn't located it. That red number was just like any belt with a series of holes through which a metal bar would go, but it was too lose on her little neck. Not only could she get her front leg through it to wear it like a bandolier, but she could, through vigorous scratching, undo the catch mechanism.
So I got her a bright pink job with a click catch instead...and a metal food bowl of her own...and a Tick Twister tick remover. The Tick Twister worked great in removing the large, swollen tick that was on her neck just behind her right ear. It looks like the claw end of a hammer and is used almost the same way as that claw hammer would be used to remove nails with one important difference: instead of pulling the tick out, you twist it out. It took me about two minutes to get the thing out but that was more because Miss Kitteh has some very fine, long fur. And the Vasoline I had applied the day before was still gunking that fur up a bit even though it had little affect on the tick. Any way, tick is now toast.
Kitteh has a new collar. I had to put a bell on it but when she gets her shots, the tag will replace the bell. I did find the old one stuffed along side the cushion of a chair in the basement where she has been known to nap the afternoon away. The collar was unhooked and not merely squirmed out of. The chair is convenient to the litter boxes, the dry food, and the water dispenser. She may be young, but she ain't stupid! It took her one day to figure out that when the other cats make a racket outside our bedroom door in the morning it means someone is going to show up in the kitchen and put food in the bowls for her to eat! And, now, she has her very own stainless steel bowl.
******
I got a call from up north Tuesday morning from the logger. He and his assistant moved some equipment over to my place on Monday and marked the state line a bit better in preparation of removing some trees. They will be taking firs for molding and pulp wood as well as hardwood. I just hope they take enough of the firs to open things up a bit. I was going to just cut the damn things down and let them rot in the hope that sunlight might dry up some of the marshy areas that have been created by the dense trees. With luck, any tire ruts he makes will also help drain the area. There are no marsh flora or fauna involved here, it's just plain wet with cedar and fir trees. Some drier areas have hemlock too. Al of these keep the sun from reaching the forest floor and prevent any sort of understory from developing.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Head Games
My cats like to play head games with me as their target.
One or more will sit at the sliding door staring out past the covered porch to the yard and forest beyond. They will have all the rapt attention of a pointer. Eventually, I will notice their focused stare and sidle over to peer into the void myself while asking, "What's out there? What are you looking at?"
The answer, of course, is usually nothing, nothing at all. Sometimes there's a breeze causing the aspen leaves to quake or the goldenrod to sway j-u-s-t enough. Sometimes there's a squirrel or a bird hopping about. Sometimes there's a deer or turkey. Once there was a bear just on the other side of the screen; nose-to-nose with Chester who just wanted to play.
Then there's the times that a "stray" cat (meaning one not belonging to US) comes walking through the yard looking to take advantage of the buffet of birds, squirrels, chipmunks, mice and voles hitting the sunflower seeds. That's when OUR cats get vocal and animated as they race from window to window hissing and howling. Perhaps they (OUR cats) think that we have enough mouths to feed as it is and even if they (OUR cats) never, ever intend to go outdoors to do a little hunting of their own, they certainly do not want any poachers about.
But most often, there is absolutely nothing visible going on out in the yard. There are no creatures about and the air is still so not even the aspen leaves are shaking.
I'll stand there peering into the yard looking with all my might for what may have attracted the cats' attention. Then, with what I swear is a smirk on their face, the cat will get up and stalk off in the opposite direction leaving me still looking out into the yard. I can sometimes see the little bugger chuckling as it walks away.
That's when I feel had. Just like the guy on the busy city street looking up at nothing at all will get others walking by to stare up into the sky for no reason at all, my cats will have played their little practical joke on me. And succeeded in getting me to come over and stare into the yard at nothing at all.
Nothing but head games.
******
Little Miss Kitteh slipped out of her beautiful red collar with the rhinestones on it this afternoon. It was a tad too large for her anyway. Twice I've had to pull one of her front legs out of it as she had managed to wear her collar like it was a bandoleer over one shoulder and across her chest. We looked for that collar for half an hour (I even shoveled out the kitty litter--just in case) but we can not find it anywhere.
We did find a swollen tick on her neck, however. That was probably irritating her into scratching that collar and making it go round and round and jingle, jingle, jingle. Might also explain why she preferred to have it slung over her shoulder.
We smeared some Vasoline on the tick in hope that it would suffocate enough to detach itself. Works on a human but they tend to be a bit 1) less furry and 2) more stationary. When next I catch Miss Kitteh, I will have to see if the tick is still there. If not I'll have another thing to worry about.
Made an appointment with the vet to have Miss Kitteh given a check-up on Friday afternoon. Find out if she needs shots, how much and when she should be "fixed," and, if it's still there, have the tick removed.
Meanwhile she's eating more than her fair share. She'll finish her bowl and then go on to the others. Julie is the only one that can keep up with her in that department. The other two, Chester--nearly 20 pounds and Shadow--somewhere north of 15 pounds, give way as Miss Kitteh approaches and yield their food rights to the little (less than 3 pounds) cat. Miss Kitteh then cleans BOTH their bowls and starts eyeing Julie's. She may not have a lot of muscle on her yet, but she's got a firm, round belly. I hope that tick is the only parasite she's harboring.
'
One of my daughter's friends suggested Miss Kitteh might be a Maine Coon Cat and I have to say that Googling that particular breed produces several pictures that look just like Miss Kitteh. Such as this one or this one.
One or more will sit at the sliding door staring out past the covered porch to the yard and forest beyond. They will have all the rapt attention of a pointer. Eventually, I will notice their focused stare and sidle over to peer into the void myself while asking, "What's out there? What are you looking at?"
The answer, of course, is usually nothing, nothing at all. Sometimes there's a breeze causing the aspen leaves to quake or the goldenrod to sway j-u-s-t enough. Sometimes there's a squirrel or a bird hopping about. Sometimes there's a deer or turkey. Once there was a bear just on the other side of the screen; nose-to-nose with Chester who just wanted to play.
Then there's the times that a "stray" cat (meaning one not belonging to US) comes walking through the yard looking to take advantage of the buffet of birds, squirrels, chipmunks, mice and voles hitting the sunflower seeds. That's when OUR cats get vocal and animated as they race from window to window hissing and howling. Perhaps they (OUR cats) think that we have enough mouths to feed as it is and even if they (OUR cats) never, ever intend to go outdoors to do a little hunting of their own, they certainly do not want any poachers about.
But most often, there is absolutely nothing visible going on out in the yard. There are no creatures about and the air is still so not even the aspen leaves are shaking.
I'll stand there peering into the yard looking with all my might for what may have attracted the cats' attention. Then, with what I swear is a smirk on their face, the cat will get up and stalk off in the opposite direction leaving me still looking out into the yard. I can sometimes see the little bugger chuckling as it walks away.
That's when I feel had. Just like the guy on the busy city street looking up at nothing at all will get others walking by to stare up into the sky for no reason at all, my cats will have played their little practical joke on me. And succeeded in getting me to come over and stare into the yard at nothing at all.
Nothing but head games.
******
Little Miss Kitteh slipped out of her beautiful red collar with the rhinestones on it this afternoon. It was a tad too large for her anyway. Twice I've had to pull one of her front legs out of it as she had managed to wear her collar like it was a bandoleer over one shoulder and across her chest. We looked for that collar for half an hour (I even shoveled out the kitty litter--just in case) but we can not find it anywhere.
We did find a swollen tick on her neck, however. That was probably irritating her into scratching that collar and making it go round and round and jingle, jingle, jingle. Might also explain why she preferred to have it slung over her shoulder.
We smeared some Vasoline on the tick in hope that it would suffocate enough to detach itself. Works on a human but they tend to be a bit 1) less furry and 2) more stationary. When next I catch Miss Kitteh, I will have to see if the tick is still there. If not I'll have another thing to worry about.
Made an appointment with the vet to have Miss Kitteh given a check-up on Friday afternoon. Find out if she needs shots, how much and when she should be "fixed," and, if it's still there, have the tick removed.
Meanwhile she's eating more than her fair share. She'll finish her bowl and then go on to the others. Julie is the only one that can keep up with her in that department. The other two, Chester--nearly 20 pounds and Shadow--somewhere north of 15 pounds, give way as Miss Kitteh approaches and yield their food rights to the little (less than 3 pounds) cat. Miss Kitteh then cleans BOTH their bowls and starts eyeing Julie's. She may not have a lot of muscle on her yet, but she's got a firm, round belly. I hope that tick is the only parasite she's harboring.
'
One of my daughter's friends suggested Miss Kitteh might be a Maine Coon Cat and I have to say that Googling that particular breed produces several pictures that look just like Miss Kitteh. Such as this one or this one.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Miss Kitteh at the Aerie
So. Yesterday we discovered a 3-4 month old kitteh under our shed. How it got there or from whence it came we have no idea. It was bawling its lungs out, however, and we just could not let it stay where it was.
Terry got a can of cat food (Tuna--preferred by three--now four--cats in the household) and coaxed it out far enough so I could make a quick snatch. Then, at great risk of life and limb and the donation of several large drops of blood, I carried the kitteh inside.
She was emaciated. Nothing but skin and bones but her coat was in excellent shape and she didn't seem to have any fleas or other creepy crawlies about her. Into a carry case she went with the half can of tuna. And she was happy. Then she peed in her bed, so to speak.
I fished her out of the liquid excrement and we washed her off. She wasn't happy about that but when I sat down in my chair with her cradled in my arms she started purring and soon fell asleep. When we went out last night (Audubon meeting) I put the kitteh downstairs where there was a bowl of dry food (of which she readily partook), water, and three litter boxes.
We didn't see her again until this morning. Not that we didn't look, but without a bell or a collar, she was incredibly good at silent running and hiding. We fixed the collar and bell thing this morning. And then fed her some more tuna and some milk.
Actually, she will stay in the chair while I'm there, scootching into the space next to me. She even stayed there while I went and ate lunch then curled up next to me again when I returned. But then she got adventurous and hopped off the chair and discovered there were three other cats about. There have been no knock-down, drag-outs or anything. Just lots of staring and perplexed looks. Shadow is acting like she's the most concerned. Sorta like the low man on the totem pole when there's an unexpected new hire. She (Shadow) may be afraid she's going to be replaced. Julie is curious about this little thing. Possibly she remembers when Chester and Shadow showed up six-plus years ago as eve smaller bundles--and NOW look at them! Chester? He could care less as long as he can go curl up on the couch in the sewing room next to Terry.
So Kitteh's once again hiding in the corner of the livingroom this time. Curled up on the floor (radiant floor heating must be sooooo comfortable) between the couch and chair, just out of my reach and protected on two sides from any Big Cat Attacks. When I try to go pick her up, she ducks through the end table to the other side and we play ring-around-the-rosey with the couch in the middle.
I'll let her be and hope that she remembers where the litter boxes are. I put her in one earlier and she did piddle a bit, but for a kitteh--even one with long, long legs--those basement steps might look like Mt. Everest. On the other hand, she did jump down from the counter quite easily after drinking her milk.
We've got a few phone calls and contacts out looking for a home for this cutie. None of the shelters are accepting any cats, however, and everyone we know has a full house having just had kittens of their own. If anyone is interested, I deliver. (And I do mean anyone...except for you, Rev. Paul. No offense, but 6K miles into the heart of winter? And across portions of Canada? No. Not gonna happen with an undocumented Kitteh.)
She was emaciated. Nothing but skin and bones but her coat was in excellent shape and she didn't seem to have any fleas or other creepy crawlies about her. Into a carry case she went with the half can of tuna. And she was happy. Then she peed in her bed, so to speak.
I fished her out of the liquid excrement and we washed her off. She wasn't happy about that but when I sat down in my chair with her cradled in my arms she started purring and soon fell asleep. When we went out last night (Audubon meeting) I put the kitteh downstairs where there was a bowl of dry food (of which she readily partook), water, and three litter boxes.
We didn't see her again until this morning. Not that we didn't look, but without a bell or a collar, she was incredibly good at silent running and hiding. We fixed the collar and bell thing this morning. And then fed her some more tuna and some milk.
Kitteh with her Rhinestone collar.
She readily digs into the tuna and slurps up the milk.
Kitteh is ready for her commercial now: "Got milk?"
Then it was back to MY chair where she seems to be very comfortable.
Actually, she will stay in the chair while I'm there, scootching into the space next to me. She even stayed there while I went and ate lunch then curled up next to me again when I returned. But then she got adventurous and hopped off the chair and discovered there were three other cats about. There have been no knock-down, drag-outs or anything. Just lots of staring and perplexed looks. Shadow is acting like she's the most concerned. Sorta like the low man on the totem pole when there's an unexpected new hire. She (Shadow) may be afraid she's going to be replaced. Julie is curious about this little thing. Possibly she remembers when Chester and Shadow showed up six-plus years ago as eve smaller bundles--and NOW look at them! Chester? He could care less as long as he can go curl up on the couch in the sewing room next to Terry.
So Kitteh's once again hiding in the corner of the livingroom this time. Curled up on the floor (radiant floor heating must be sooooo comfortable) between the couch and chair, just out of my reach and protected on two sides from any Big Cat Attacks. When I try to go pick her up, she ducks through the end table to the other side and we play ring-around-the-rosey with the couch in the middle.
I'll let her be and hope that she remembers where the litter boxes are. I put her in one earlier and she did piddle a bit, but for a kitteh--even one with long, long legs--those basement steps might look like Mt. Everest. On the other hand, she did jump down from the counter quite easily after drinking her milk.
We've got a few phone calls and contacts out looking for a home for this cutie. None of the shelters are accepting any cats, however, and everyone we know has a full house having just had kittens of their own. If anyone is interested, I deliver. (And I do mean anyone...except for you, Rev. Paul. No offense, but 6K miles into the heart of winter? And across portions of Canada? No. Not gonna happen with an undocumented Kitteh.)
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Outdoor Critter In; Indoor Critters Out
I'm working in the yard yesterday and have the two garage doors open. Every time I return to the garage for something there's a rustling from the open bag of sunflower seeds and a chipmunk with two very stuffed cheeks pops out and scurries around the corner heading for the wood pile. He does this whenever the garage door is open for more than five minutes. He loves it when I cut the grass! The sound of the mower is like ringing the dinner bell.
******
Later, while I'm putting up the pea poles in the garden, Terry comes home and goes in to the house with her things. Then she comes out through the garage to see what I'm up to and pick some cherry tomatoes--of which we have an abundance.
I finish and head for the garage only to see a very familiar pussy cat on the driveway. Apparently, Terry had not closed the door between the foyer and the garage very tightly and we had an escape underway. Julie is the one I spotted on the driveway but when I called her name she headed back to the garage lickety-split. Shadow was under the front porch and she followed Julie back into the garage. When I shouted at them to get back in the house, they shot up the stairs--followed by Chester who was under the ATV (probably intrigued by the smell of chipmunk). When I got to the door, all three were acting innocent as hell. "We weren't outside! No sir! You didn't see us out there. Must be that beer you had. Now, can we have a crunchy?"
For Shadow and Chester this is the first time they've exited the house via the garage door. Previously they've gotten out on the deck but never stepped off the wood. Julie has been more adventurous. Jess had Julie semi-trained to walk on a leash when she was younger. ("Semi-trained" because--well--she's a cat! The leash did provide a tether when she would chase squirrels up the tree.) Anyway, Julie's shot through the door, on to the deck, and out on to the lawn; even leading me on a chase around the house (past a very startled opossum, I might add). She also once got out the front door when I didn't ensure it was closed properly and the wind blew it open. On that occasion she darted into the house as I pulled up in the truck and then hid downstairs, nonchalantly coming up when I came in the house as if to prove she hadn't been outside at all.
******
Later, while I'm putting up the pea poles in the garden, Terry comes home and goes in to the house with her things. Then she comes out through the garage to see what I'm up to and pick some cherry tomatoes--of which we have an abundance.
I finish and head for the garage only to see a very familiar pussy cat on the driveway. Apparently, Terry had not closed the door between the foyer and the garage very tightly and we had an escape underway. Julie is the one I spotted on the driveway but when I called her name she headed back to the garage lickety-split. Shadow was under the front porch and she followed Julie back into the garage. When I shouted at them to get back in the house, they shot up the stairs--followed by Chester who was under the ATV (probably intrigued by the smell of chipmunk). When I got to the door, all three were acting innocent as hell. "We weren't outside! No sir! You didn't see us out there. Must be that beer you had. Now, can we have a crunchy?"
For Shadow and Chester this is the first time they've exited the house via the garage door. Previously they've gotten out on the deck but never stepped off the wood. Julie has been more adventurous. Jess had Julie semi-trained to walk on a leash when she was younger. ("Semi-trained" because--well--she's a cat! The leash did provide a tether when she would chase squirrels up the tree.) Anyway, Julie's shot through the door, on to the deck, and out on to the lawn; even leading me on a chase around the house (past a very startled opossum, I might add). She also once got out the front door when I didn't ensure it was closed properly and the wind blew it open. On that occasion she darted into the house as I pulled up in the truck and then hid downstairs, nonchalantly coming up when I came in the house as if to prove she hadn't been outside at all.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Good Morning!
This morning's wake up call came courtesy of a couple of snorting deer in the brush to the south of the Bolt Hole.
The increasing volume and cadence put me in mind of the "Dueling Banjos" tune of "Deliverance" fame. The clamour finally caused me to get the hell out of bed and get dressed. By the time I got down stairs, they had STFU and departed. Bastards! (Or bitches, as the case may be.)
Yesterday it was a single doe with her twin fawns out back. The kids must have been romping about int he apple trees while Mom checked the ripeness of the fruit (still very, very green) and nibbled alternately on apple twigs and tall grass. The twins got Mom to stand still for a few minutes and nursed enthusiastically before the trio wandered off and out of sight.
For a secluded area with only distant neighbors, this is one noisy place. Bears and deer crashing about in the brush and--in the case of the bears--climbing trees in the night, an unknown something (not a deer or canine as far as I could tell--fox? possum?) bleating in the area between Mark's cabin and the Bolt Hole during the night, White-throated sparrows singing their high-pitched, sweetly whistled "Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody" song also in the middle of the night, and, of course, the early morning/late afternoon chattering of the red squirrels.
There are considerably fewer red squirrels thanks to a little 3x scope on a .22 caliber Marlin bolt action rifle, but there are still red squirrels. Don't know if Nature's Law of Vacuum or just a very, very prolific sex life of both squirrel and pine tree that makes the small area immediately behind the Bolt Hole loaded with red squirrels, but DANG! I've disposed of at least 10 within 50 yards of the house so far in June and July, yet they just keep on appearing. Peeled and striped pine cones are everywhere inside and out.
******
Got a call from my buddy Joe yesterday. He's heard from Caesar's and we are good to go on our August fishing expedition to Quebec. He reminded me of the balance due, reservoir fees, and fishing license costs so I will be able to bring enough cash with me. We talked about what gear to bring, who's truck we would take (mine) and how his menu/food planning was going.
We'll drive out of the Aerie on August 8th and head north on I-81 crossing the border at the terminus. Through Ottawa, and up towards the small town of Clova and we fly to the northern end of Gouin Reservoir from there.
Looking forward to it!
******
Terry called yesterday to complain about the blankety-blank ground hog she spotted in the garden eating green tomatoes. Either she's go to learn to shoot or I'll have to make the fence more critter proof. Maybe a few Claymore mines would help.
Later she called to tell me there was a standoff at the screen door between Julie and some stray beige cat that just wanted to get out of the rain. They sat on either side of the barrier sort of rumbling at one another while Chester and Shadow sat silently a couple of feet behind Julie as observers/supporters. Terry closed the class door just so no one got the idea to go barreling through the screen or claw it any further. Stray kitteh was NOT to be allowed in the house!
Well, that's about all for now.
The increasing volume and cadence put me in mind of the "Dueling Banjos" tune of "Deliverance" fame. The clamour finally caused me to get the hell out of bed and get dressed. By the time I got down stairs, they had STFU and departed. Bastards! (Or bitches, as the case may be.)
Yesterday it was a single doe with her twin fawns out back. The kids must have been romping about int he apple trees while Mom checked the ripeness of the fruit (still very, very green) and nibbled alternately on apple twigs and tall grass. The twins got Mom to stand still for a few minutes and nursed enthusiastically before the trio wandered off and out of sight.
For a secluded area with only distant neighbors, this is one noisy place. Bears and deer crashing about in the brush and--in the case of the bears--climbing trees in the night, an unknown something (not a deer or canine as far as I could tell--fox? possum?) bleating in the area between Mark's cabin and the Bolt Hole during the night, White-throated sparrows singing their high-pitched, sweetly whistled "Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody" song also in the middle of the night, and, of course, the early morning/late afternoon chattering of the red squirrels.
There are considerably fewer red squirrels thanks to a little 3x scope on a .22 caliber Marlin bolt action rifle, but there are still red squirrels. Don't know if Nature's Law of Vacuum or just a very, very prolific sex life of both squirrel and pine tree that makes the small area immediately behind the Bolt Hole loaded with red squirrels, but DANG! I've disposed of at least 10 within 50 yards of the house so far in June and July, yet they just keep on appearing. Peeled and striped pine cones are everywhere inside and out.
******
Got a call from my buddy Joe yesterday. He's heard from Caesar's and we are good to go on our August fishing expedition to Quebec. He reminded me of the balance due, reservoir fees, and fishing license costs so I will be able to bring enough cash with me. We talked about what gear to bring, who's truck we would take (mine) and how his menu/food planning was going.
We'll drive out of the Aerie on August 8th and head north on I-81 crossing the border at the terminus. Through Ottawa, and up towards the small town of Clova and we fly to the northern end of Gouin Reservoir from there.
Looking forward to it!
******
Terry called yesterday to complain about the blankety-blank ground hog she spotted in the garden eating green tomatoes. Either she's go to learn to shoot or I'll have to make the fence more critter proof. Maybe a few Claymore mines would help.
Later she called to tell me there was a standoff at the screen door between Julie and some stray beige cat that just wanted to get out of the rain. They sat on either side of the barrier sort of rumbling at one another while Chester and Shadow sat silently a couple of feet behind Julie as observers/supporters. Terry closed the class door just so no one got the idea to go barreling through the screen or claw it any further. Stray kitteh was NOT to be allowed in the house!
Well, that's about all for now.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Back at the Aerie
A busy couple of days since our return from the west.
I needed to cut the grass. After three weeks away it was a bit brushy. Terry did some food shopping and the laundry before cleaning up the flower bed by the front door.
Then the vegetable gardens needed weeding. Got one done on Saturday before the loss of fluids had me feeling lightheaded and woozy. That caused me to call it quits. This morning (Sunday) I got another weeded and finished the third this afternoon.
Everything needed watering. We received only 1.25 inches of rain over the three weeks we were out west. The long term forecast doesn't promise much for the next week, either.
******
Saturday I was surprised by and surprised a black bear who came out onto the lawn in the middle of the afternoon. It was our friend the young male. He's about 3+ years old and looks to be around 250-300 pounds. Which is plenty big enough from 20 yards away. Luckily, he's pretty shy and took off with little more than a few shouts. He didn't go swiftly, but steadily, which was fine by me.
******
This morning I woke at 4:30 AM still feeling the effects of the dehydration. The birds were pretty darn active too. A very loud Indigo Bunting was followed by an equally loud Eastern Towhee. They were followed by a persistent Chester the Cat imploring someone to get up and feed him--and the girls too, if you must. So I was up and about by 5 AM. If they double team me again Monday morning it might be time to get the shotgun out--or send Chester and the girls out to catch some birds.
I needed to cut the grass. After three weeks away it was a bit brushy. Terry did some food shopping and the laundry before cleaning up the flower bed by the front door.
Then the vegetable gardens needed weeding. Got one done on Saturday before the loss of fluids had me feeling lightheaded and woozy. That caused me to call it quits. This morning (Sunday) I got another weeded and finished the third this afternoon.
Everything needed watering. We received only 1.25 inches of rain over the three weeks we were out west. The long term forecast doesn't promise much for the next week, either.
******
Saturday I was surprised by and surprised a black bear who came out onto the lawn in the middle of the afternoon. It was our friend the young male. He's about 3+ years old and looks to be around 250-300 pounds. Which is plenty big enough from 20 yards away. Luckily, he's pretty shy and took off with little more than a few shouts. He didn't go swiftly, but steadily, which was fine by me.
******
This morning I woke at 4:30 AM still feeling the effects of the dehydration. The birds were pretty darn active too. A very loud Indigo Bunting was followed by an equally loud Eastern Towhee. They were followed by a persistent Chester the Cat imploring someone to get up and feed him--and the girls too, if you must. So I was up and about by 5 AM. If they double team me again Monday morning it might be time to get the shotgun out--or send Chester and the girls out to catch some birds.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Aerie Report, April 22, 2012
Friday morning Terry and I herded the kittehs into their travel cases and hustled them down to the veterinary clinic on Route 6 to get their annual check-ups and their rabies shots. As usual, we had closed all the doors heading to any and all extra rooms and the basement so as to limit their escape routes. Even so, it's amazing how slinky and fast they can be when they sense something is afoot. Took us ten minutes to corral the little buggers.
As expected, Chester gained some weight. He is now officially over 20 pounds of pussy cat. His sister is slightly less as she topped the scales at a smidge over 17 pounds. (Next to her BIG brother, she doesn't look that big at all.) Julie, the grand dame of the group at nearly 11 years of age, lost a couple of tenths of a pound and is around 9 pounds. That wasn't much of a surprise as I had noticed lately that, despite finishing up everyone's moist food every day, Julie was more skin-and-bone-ish than the other two. That is, when she cuddles up to you and you start scratching her, you can actually feed her shoulder blades, ribs and spine. With the other two all you get is fur and fat. (Chester would make a good raccoon. He could probably turn 180 degrees inside his skin if he needed to.)
All three are fine otherwise. Chester purred the entire time the vet was checking him out and even while she gave him his shots. He then sat at her feet as Shadow went through the same routine. (She didn't purr and only hissed once when the second needle went in.) Julie tolerated the exam and the shots and willingly went back in her carry case on her own before turning to me and swatting at my hand as I fastened the door.
The trip was eventful in the usual way as none of them love being in the car and are not afraid to vocalize their displeasure. Chester and Shadow add to their protest in ways that would make the Occupy crowd proud; i.e. they foam at the mouth, and piss and poop in their cages. Good thing it's only a six mile trip to the vet's.
******
Shortly after we returned back at the Aerie, Terry took off for New Jersey to attend a baby shower and a stitching class while staying at her Mom's house and I was left alone with the beasts. Lucky for me, the shots they got make them lethargic. Besides Julie's occasional demand for some cuddle time, I've been left alone.
******
Saturday there was an Earth Day event at Mill Cove Environmental Area over in Tioga. I was there as a representative of the Tiadaghton Audubon Society. I had some blue bird houses and Audubon hats for sale as well as free printed information on places to bird and bird checklists. I set up my digiscoping equipment (a small digital camera attached to a spotting scope) and had my usual telephoto camera as well as binoculars and bird books. I also had information about the eel project.
The weather didn't cooperate as much as it could have. After several weeks of virtually no rain, the damn stuff showed up around 10 AM with a fast hitting torrential downpour and reappeared sporadically during the day. Coupled with what seemed like a swift temperature drop, folks were shivering by mid afternoon. (I checked the trucks thermometer and the temp did drop, but only about 10 degrees to 50 degrees. It just felt like more.) Attendance was knocked down by the out of the way location and the weather--mostly the weather--but it wasn't bad for a first time event. (Previous years it was held at Mansfield University and that really limited the kinds of activities that could be held.)
******
Saturday I snuck out to the Mainesburg Methodist Church for dinner. It was the guys turn to do the cooking and they served up some baked fish, ham, sweet potatoes, beets and creamed corn as well as some great deserts. It was well worth the money and, despite having to go alone, I ran into several folks I know from around town and elsewhere.
Later Saturday night the sky opened up in earnest and we got some very heavy rainfall as well a further drop in the temperatures. It stopped raining somewhere around 3 AM but the temperatures haven't done any rising. As a result, I spent some time restocking the firewood in the garage and putting some of it to use in the fireplace. Currently it's foggy as heck out there and I can hear some sleet rattling against the windows. The weather service has a winter storm watch for northern and western PA. This warning will extend through the night and much of tomorrow. "Significant" snow accumulation is possible in the Laurel Highlands which start around the Pine Creek Gorge area and head west from there. (Points in the Allegheny National Forest to just east of Buffalo, NY could see a foot of snow.) If we are lucky, it will stay just to our west and we'll get nothing but rain. But if the darn thing shifts a tiny bit to the east, we could certainly be looking a several inches of snow. And with many trees just starting to spread their leaves, that could prove disastrous. Terry is heading home this evening and should beat the worst of it, but she better be careful on the higher elevations between Williamsport and here on Route 15.
******
That's about it from the Aerie.
Oh, one more thing: Don't forget Portland's Mayoral Madness and vote for Jody!
As expected, Chester gained some weight. He is now officially over 20 pounds of pussy cat. His sister is slightly less as she topped the scales at a smidge over 17 pounds. (Next to her BIG brother, she doesn't look that big at all.) Julie, the grand dame of the group at nearly 11 years of age, lost a couple of tenths of a pound and is around 9 pounds. That wasn't much of a surprise as I had noticed lately that, despite finishing up everyone's moist food every day, Julie was more skin-and-bone-ish than the other two. That is, when she cuddles up to you and you start scratching her, you can actually feed her shoulder blades, ribs and spine. With the other two all you get is fur and fat. (Chester would make a good raccoon. He could probably turn 180 degrees inside his skin if he needed to.)
All three are fine otherwise. Chester purred the entire time the vet was checking him out and even while she gave him his shots. He then sat at her feet as Shadow went through the same routine. (She didn't purr and only hissed once when the second needle went in.) Julie tolerated the exam and the shots and willingly went back in her carry case on her own before turning to me and swatting at my hand as I fastened the door.
The trip was eventful in the usual way as none of them love being in the car and are not afraid to vocalize their displeasure. Chester and Shadow add to their protest in ways that would make the Occupy crowd proud; i.e. they foam at the mouth, and piss and poop in their cages. Good thing it's only a six mile trip to the vet's.
******
Shortly after we returned back at the Aerie, Terry took off for New Jersey to attend a baby shower and a stitching class while staying at her Mom's house and I was left alone with the beasts. Lucky for me, the shots they got make them lethargic. Besides Julie's occasional demand for some cuddle time, I've been left alone.
******
Saturday there was an Earth Day event at Mill Cove Environmental Area over in Tioga. I was there as a representative of the Tiadaghton Audubon Society. I had some blue bird houses and Audubon hats for sale as well as free printed information on places to bird and bird checklists. I set up my digiscoping equipment (a small digital camera attached to a spotting scope) and had my usual telephoto camera as well as binoculars and bird books. I also had information about the eel project.
The weather didn't cooperate as much as it could have. After several weeks of virtually no rain, the damn stuff showed up around 10 AM with a fast hitting torrential downpour and reappeared sporadically during the day. Coupled with what seemed like a swift temperature drop, folks were shivering by mid afternoon. (I checked the trucks thermometer and the temp did drop, but only about 10 degrees to 50 degrees. It just felt like more.) Attendance was knocked down by the out of the way location and the weather--mostly the weather--but it wasn't bad for a first time event. (Previous years it was held at Mansfield University and that really limited the kinds of activities that could be held.)
******
Saturday I snuck out to the Mainesburg Methodist Church for dinner. It was the guys turn to do the cooking and they served up some baked fish, ham, sweet potatoes, beets and creamed corn as well as some great deserts. It was well worth the money and, despite having to go alone, I ran into several folks I know from around town and elsewhere.
Later Saturday night the sky opened up in earnest and we got some very heavy rainfall as well a further drop in the temperatures. It stopped raining somewhere around 3 AM but the temperatures haven't done any rising. As a result, I spent some time restocking the firewood in the garage and putting some of it to use in the fireplace. Currently it's foggy as heck out there and I can hear some sleet rattling against the windows. The weather service has a winter storm watch for northern and western PA. This warning will extend through the night and much of tomorrow. "Significant" snow accumulation is possible in the Laurel Highlands which start around the Pine Creek Gorge area and head west from there. (Points in the Allegheny National Forest to just east of Buffalo, NY could see a foot of snow.) If we are lucky, it will stay just to our west and we'll get nothing but rain. But if the darn thing shifts a tiny bit to the east, we could certainly be looking a several inches of snow. And with many trees just starting to spread their leaves, that could prove disastrous. Terry is heading home this evening and should beat the worst of it, but she better be careful on the higher elevations between Williamsport and here on Route 15.
******
That's about it from the Aerie.
Oh, one more thing: Don't forget Portland's Mayoral Madness and vote for Jody!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Aerie Report, April 12, 2012
Yesterday's weather was...interesting. The temperature ranged from 29 to 39 degrees and we had a steady breeze of about 15 mph coming out of the west-northwest that brought wave after wave of snow, sleet, and hail (pea-sized little ice pellets) all of which melted shortly after achieving landfall. Oh, and there was the occasional break in the clouds that permitted a view of blue sky and sunshine--though those were usually very, very brief.
I was glad I spent some time on Tuesday to put the lettuce and beet seeds in the ground. The moisture from what is sometimes called "onion snow" should cause them to germinate sooner rather than later. Especially since the temperatures under ever increasingly sunny skies are supposed to be 58 on Friday, 65 on Saturday and 75 on Sunday.
I felt yesterday's rawness warranted burning up the remaining wood stacked in the garage in an effort to take the chill out of the house and, perhaps, contributing to global warming. Turned a lot of lights on too. The old incandescents, though the curly bulbs do seem to produce some heat at the base.
Not much else going on at the moment. I'd blame the cats since their internal alarm system seems to have gone bonkers. I keep trying to remind them (particularly Shadow) that 5 AM is not an appropriate wake-up time. I'd much prefer 6:30 or 7, but that (not so) little black daughter of Satan just can't seem to grasp that. Her brother, Chester, steps in whenever Shadows voice begins to fail. Julie? She's the first down the stairs and to the feeding area when the door opens, but she lets the two larger, louder and bigger cats do the waking up. Eleven-year old Julie just supervises.
I was glad I spent some time on Tuesday to put the lettuce and beet seeds in the ground. The moisture from what is sometimes called "onion snow" should cause them to germinate sooner rather than later. Especially since the temperatures under ever increasingly sunny skies are supposed to be 58 on Friday, 65 on Saturday and 75 on Sunday.
I felt yesterday's rawness warranted burning up the remaining wood stacked in the garage in an effort to take the chill out of the house and, perhaps, contributing to global warming. Turned a lot of lights on too. The old incandescents, though the curly bulbs do seem to produce some heat at the base.
Not much else going on at the moment. I'd blame the cats since their internal alarm system seems to have gone bonkers. I keep trying to remind them (particularly Shadow) that 5 AM is not an appropriate wake-up time. I'd much prefer 6:30 or 7, but that (not so) little black daughter of Satan just can't seem to grasp that. Her brother, Chester, steps in whenever Shadows voice begins to fail. Julie? She's the first down the stairs and to the feeding area when the door opens, but she lets the two larger, louder and bigger cats do the waking up. Eleven-year old Julie just supervises.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Winter Solstice and other thoughts.
Today marks the Winter Solstice. It's that day on which the Sun reaches its furthest point south of the Equator and begins to turn around. It's that day on which we have the fewest number of daylight minutes and the largest number of nighttime minutes. From now until June we will have more minutes of light and fewer of darkness in our part of the world.
In a counter intuitive manner, it is also the day that marks the beginning of Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The Earth works on a bit of a time delay in regards to the seasons. It takes time to store heat in the Spring/Summer and to lose that stored heat in the Fall/Winter. That's why the coldest days are yet to come--usually late January or early February despite the lengthening daylight hours. It's also why the hottest days of the year are usually late July or early August when the number of daylight hours are already decreasing.
******
The cats--Shadow in particular--seemed unhappy with the alignment of the Universe last night. They--she especially--started to howl at the door at 4 AM and got very serious about waking us up soon after. She succeeded. I got out of bed at 4:45 AM when I couldn't ignore the caterwauling any more. Of course, they are all snoozing with full bellies now (8 AM) while I'm looking for a second (or is it third) large mug of coffee.
******
The wind switched around to come from the south last evening and that brought slightly warmer temperatures as well as a fine misting rain. Cloud ceiling must be around 1800 feet and only the swirling wind coming over the mountain has kept us from being completely engulfed in fog.
In a counter intuitive manner, it is also the day that marks the beginning of Winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The Earth works on a bit of a time delay in regards to the seasons. It takes time to store heat in the Spring/Summer and to lose that stored heat in the Fall/Winter. That's why the coldest days are yet to come--usually late January or early February despite the lengthening daylight hours. It's also why the hottest days of the year are usually late July or early August when the number of daylight hours are already decreasing.
******
The cats--Shadow in particular--seemed unhappy with the alignment of the Universe last night. They--she especially--started to howl at the door at 4 AM and got very serious about waking us up soon after. She succeeded. I got out of bed at 4:45 AM when I couldn't ignore the caterwauling any more. Of course, they are all snoozing with full bellies now (8 AM) while I'm looking for a second (or is it third) large mug of coffee.
******
The wind switched around to come from the south last evening and that brought slightly warmer temperatures as well as a fine misting rain. Cloud ceiling must be around 1800 feet and only the swirling wind coming over the mountain has kept us from being completely engulfed in fog.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
A Bird Before Its Time
Stepped out on the deck a few minutes ago and heard a Woodcock peenting out in the back. Poor guy. Probably took advantage of the steady winds blowing out of the south-southeast and over shot his mark. The ground around here is covered in a foot or more of snow so he's likely to have a tough time finding any insects/worms in the soil.
Then again, if he can hang on a few days.... We're supposed to get 2+ inches of rain with temperatures rising into the 50 degree range tomorrow. That is, after the little bit of snow we're getting at the moment.
******
On another bird related note. A Redpoll met an early demise today. I was sitting in the living room following the Iditarod online while a group of 30 or so Redpolls were on the deck feeding on the sunflower seeds there and in the tray. A commotion made me look up in time to see a calico cat leaping up and off the tray feeder with a Redpoll in its mouth. The tray was propelled over the side to the snow bank below while the stray cat took her prize off to the covered porch. It was there that I scared her into running--still in possession of her prize--around the front of the deck and off to the top of the snowbank lining the parking area and away.
The calico came back later but this time Julie saw her and started scratching at the glass sliding door while Miss Calico scratched at her side until I showed up. (Big Bad Chester sat back and watched the whole thing. He probably wanted to play.)
Then again, if he can hang on a few days.... We're supposed to get 2+ inches of rain with temperatures rising into the 50 degree range tomorrow. That is, after the little bit of snow we're getting at the moment.
******
On another bird related note. A Redpoll met an early demise today. I was sitting in the living room following the Iditarod online while a group of 30 or so Redpolls were on the deck feeding on the sunflower seeds there and in the tray. A commotion made me look up in time to see a calico cat leaping up and off the tray feeder with a Redpoll in its mouth. The tray was propelled over the side to the snow bank below while the stray cat took her prize off to the covered porch. It was there that I scared her into running--still in possession of her prize--around the front of the deck and off to the top of the snowbank lining the parking area and away.
The calico came back later but this time Julie saw her and started scratching at the glass sliding door while Miss Calico scratched at her side until I showed up. (Big Bad Chester sat back and watched the whole thing. He probably wanted to play.)
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