Writing

I had some good ideas yesterday at my writing group, but I didn't write them down and now I can't remember what they were.  Perhaps the misadventures of my cats might be interesting or maybe the birds who live in my back yard and the ones who visit would catch your attention.  I have quite a few nice normal backyard birds. I have a pair of cardinales  but have not seen any juveniles, I have many blue-jays including jeuveniles, morning doves, grackles, titmouse, chickadees, and  one robin that I've seen and a woodpecker and of course  multiple squirrels.  The  birds watch me put out the seeds and ocaisionnally some left-overs.  They don't seem afraid of me and some of the birds come right to my porch area to grab peanuts.  It surprised me that the little ones can eat the peanuts but they manage.  I love to watch them, but recently there has been a little problem with a flock of black birds that is very large.  I would estimate about a hundred maybe a little more and a few large crows.  They fly in all at once and totally empty the bird feeder and scarf anything left on the ground.  I'm ashamed to admit that I chase them by making loud banging noises which must annoy my neighbors.  It works for a little while then they are back decimating my food supply.  So again I make noise - knock on the window, bang the door or go outside and bang a wooden stick on a metal tool chest.  They leave but return too quickly.  I may have to stop feeding them altogether until they find some other place to visit.  I would not chase them if there were only a few, but the large population destroys everything in it's path. My cats do seem to enjoy the entertainment factor, and I take one of them outside (undersupervision) to watch the birds and squirrels.The squirrels, by the way,  love the peanuts and even knock at my door in the morning to remind me that they are hungry.  They also like the sunflower seeds and munch on them all day.  The best part of all of it is that a few of the squirrels will take the peanut from  my hands and then of course run like heck. They also come when I make that kissing noise.  They know me now and don't seem too afraid, but they won't let me get too close, and don't like sudden movements.  I do spend considerable money on these little creatures, and in the summer I also have a groundhog, and some possums, once a raccoon and  so I leave stuff for them once in a while. The chipmunks will also eat the seeds and peanuts with the squirrels in the summer, but they hybernate in the winter..  I don't get to see the possum or raccoones eat what I leave, but if it's gone in the morning I assume they have eaten it. Years ago when my daughter was around 10 we did feed some raccoons who would actually come on the porch and take the food from our hands gently.  I learned later that that could be dangerous and is also against the law.  We stopped then. Back then there was no rabies in CT, but sadly now there is quite a bit and raccoons, possums and a few others I don't remember right now are carriers.   So I hope you've enjoyed this animal centered issue.

Famous Seamus

About 3 weeks ago I sent a picture of my orange tiger kitty to a web site called Kitty Bellies.  They have such cute pics.  It was the second time I'd sent it to them.  I think the first one got lost.  They emailed me that it would be posted in a month.  I dutifully checked once or twice a week, but it never showed up and I quit checking.  A year later I sent it to them again and finally they have posted it on their site.  So my Seamus is famous.  He's famous with my family too - everybody loves him and thinks he's special. The vet techs say all male orange tiger cats are special, but they love him too.
Today I took him outside without his leash, actually he took me.  He dashed out the door and I followed then he stopped and stretched out in the sun and purred and rolled from side to side. I could almost hear him say "please!!!" So what else could I do?  We walked around and enjoyed the sun and shade and the squirells and birds. He was in his glory.  I'll have to do this more often as long as he behaves.

Animals in my life

So today it's animals:  pets, strays, wild, insects and food animals.  I have 3 cats, and at times I've had as many as 8 at once.  That doesn't include some of the outside strays that I fed, but who wouldn't get too close to me except for a free meal.  I love all animals, but cats are at the top of the list, and my cats seem well aware of this.  They treat me somewhat indifferently: come when they want something, sleep on my bed, sneak outside if I open the door, shed like crazy, look at me curiously when I call them (sort of like "who is that woman?"), and call me (loudly) in the middle of the night for what I don't know because they won't tell me - although Mr. G flops on his side and rolls over when he sees me coming.  Do you think he wants a belly rub?  That's what I thought, so of course I give him one, he purrs and  go back to sleep.  I do discipline him for such behaviors.  I speak to him harshly and then he rolls on the other side and gets another belly rub.  I think they have me right where they want me, and they know it.  Perhaps I should consider another method of discipline. 

My back yard is home to some free living wildlife mostly squirrels, a few bunnies, some crows, blackbirds, blue jays,a pair of cardinals and 3 chipmonks (they are the cutest little critters).  They all love sunflower seeds and most also love the peanuts I put out there.  Earlier this summer there was actually a doe in my yard, but she has not returned.  My cats enjoy the wildlife program on what I call squirrle tv every morning. They jostle each other for the best viewing position.  The squirrels come up to the door and sometimes crash into it which the cats love.  I'm not sure why they do that because I put the food a good distance from my house, but they have ways of finding out about things like food.  I'm convinced that they send notices out to all the squirrels in my yard and then chase the "yard crashers" away as they run off with their little treasures.  Stay tuned for more animal stories.