Sights from around Crooked Acres.
I’m informed by Fred that these are Dewberries. They grow all around the back forty, but the birds usually get to them before we can.
George, standing in the pond and looking guilty.
The practically-dry pond. SIGH.
We were walking around the outside of the back forty fence (so we could see how many Dewberries were growing), and Maxi came along for the walk.
The irrigation system around the fruit trees and Muscadine vine.
The garden in progress.
Mid-April.
May 3rd.
June 2nd.
And on June 2nd, from the other side.
Female Robin on the fence the pole beans are growing up. She’s got some sort of bug in her beak.
The okra are coming up, under Maxi’s supervision.
Butterfly (?) in the garden.
Stopping for a rest on one of the tomato plants.
Lemon squash. We were finally able to pick one. We ate it last night with dinner. It tasted… like summer squash. There’s a surprise, no?
Bug in the garden. I swear, I never knew there were SO many different types of bugs.
Happy pup.
You can see one of his dirty feet, which comes from standing in the pond watching the bugs flit around.
Try to be happier, George, okay?
One of the many mamas and two of the many chicks in the back forty at the moment.
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Darwin would like you to know that that surgery was no big deal, thank you. (Picture taken pre-surgery, or you’d be seeing a shaved belly.)
Please note that Newbery is utterly relaxed, and Miz Poo is pressing her face into the side of the cat bed so she doesn’t have to deal with the fact that there’s a kitten RIGHT THERE.
Newbery and Razzie, fighting.
Newbery’s all “Let’s snuggle up and watch the light, Sis.”
Razzie licks her nose contemplatively and reflects that it is, in fact, a strangely mesmerizing light.
The pickup at the spay/ neuter clinic went just fine. I don’t think I was in the clinic for more than three minutes, just long enough to tell them who I was picking up, and to take the carriers. Razzie meowed her husky little meow at me, and then they were all quiet on the way home. I put them in the guest bedroom and gave them a snack, then let them out into the house. They played and slept, slept and played, and basically acted like nothing had happened at all.
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“What?”
Several of you pointed out that Norland looks like a grumpypants. He certainly has that grumpy look down pat, but underneath he’s just a sweet little snugglebug. Fred came into the foster room while I was taking pictures, and Norland herded him across the room, rubbing against his leg the entire way. What a sweetie.
“Furminator, you SHALL NOT have any more of my floof!”
I love the look on Kennebec’s face. Like he’s in a musical and staring earnestly off into the distance about to start singing. Wouldn’t he make an excellent Valjean? “God on high/ Hear my prayer/ In my need/ You have always been there…”
Do you see that little monster in the background, biting his sister on the butt?
Stop! Flehmen time!
Simply amazed by everything, Miss Agata.
“Sure wish I had a catnip shake to use this straw on…”
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Hey! Riddle me this, catman.
Are you listening?
See if you can get the correct answer to this.
What’s better than three orange tabbies. Anyone? Any idea.
That’s right.
FOUR of them.
Meet Cicero.
“Why you starving me, lady?”
“HALLO, I AM HUNGRY.”
Tuesday evening, the neighbor two doors down knocked on the door. Her oldest daughter had rescued this wee kitten from a dog down the street, and could we take him? Well, whatcha gonna do, right? This is the same neighbor whose daughter rescued The Cookies several years ago, by the way. The neighbor initially said that she thought he was six weeks old.
I don’t think he’s six weeks old, I believe he’s more like four weeks. He’s underweight, but I’ve been able to get a decent amount of formula into him. I’m going to start trying him on food in the next few days.
He is a little lovebug and all you have to do to get him to purr is to barely touch him. He loves to be held and petted.
Fred got to name him – apparently Cicero is a type of potato, who knew? I had to talk him out of naming the kitten Flava. Heh.
He’s too little to join the Taters, even though we gave him a Tater name, though perhaps after two weeks in solitary I’ll change my mind about that.
It kinda looks like it’s shaping up to be a Summer of orange tabbies for us, doesn’t it?
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Rufus Rupert makes himself at home on the front porch. (I owe you a Joe Bob picture!)
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Previously
2011: Trapped!
2010: Are they not the happiest little monkeys?
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: Guess what? New fosters!
2006: No entry.
2005: When will these little monsters let me snuggle them?
Little Cicero gingerkins is adorable.
And on another musical note…
Pop. Six. Squish. Uh-uh. Cicero. Lipschitz.
oh my gosh I was JUST THINKING that! hahaha
Well, I was thinking more along the line of Small Fry or Tater Tot, but that’s me.
And by “Rufus,” you mean “Rupert.”
I was distracted!
Cicero is a wonderful name! Your neighbor’s daughter is certainly a good person…as are you! 🙂
Fred…LOL…good one! 🙂
KITTEN!!!
and Ru … pert?
Miz Poo is such a cougar!! Playing all “I don’t like kittens” when she has a different one in her bed every day. 😉
I know there was already a Rufus, but perhaps it’s time to rename Rupert to Rufus and just get it over with…. Actually, no. Perhaps it’s time you got to know your own cat’s name? It’s not like you have more than a dozen plus nearly that number in interloping kitten fosters. What is the total number now (fosters plus permanent residents)?
CICERO!!!!!!! Be still my heart. I want to snatch him up and foster him myself. I’m so jealous!!!! Why do you get ALL of the kittens??????
I’m thinking I should have gone with my initial idea of “Murdoch” for Rupert’s name! 🙂
And there are 14 permanent residents, 10 fosters. I’m not adding those two numbers together, ’cause I don’t wanna know. 🙂
I feel overwhelmed at mealtime with 2 permanents and 2 fosters (and the chocolate lab who, let’s face it, creates most of the drama with his dancing even if it’s Simba that does the majority of the opera singing).
Too too cute!!
Glad the Noms are home now!!
Take care
x
I love the orange tabbies! I’m fostering one right now and he is a complete and total lovebug.
Awww, Cicero is so cute, I couldn’t stop giggling!g
Cicero is an adorable mess.
Robyn, you HAVE to tell us more about Cicero. The girl rescued him as in a doggie had him in his mouth like a plaything? As in life or death? Where’s his poor mama? 🙁 I know you will take good care of him. Thank goodness for your neighbor (and for YOU!)
I don’t think they know where the mama is, Rachael – though they’re going to keep an eye out for her and for siblings to Cicero. I’m not sure whether the dog actually had Cicero in his mouth or not, but I can tell you that he isn’t injured at all, thankfully!
Is it too early to call dibs on Cicero? <3
Nope, too late. That little orange grumpy goodness is all MINE! 😉
Loving all the orange kitties. Poor Cicero. What a start to his life, but now all is good, so there is that. he does look like he is a starving little thing though.
He’s already looking SO much better than he did when we got him. And he’s got a mouth on him. 🙂
Oh man, Cicero, you’re just the cutest little orange muffin! It can rain Orange Tabbies any day for me, I luvs them. And Ms. Agata too. Cuz, you know, Tabby Tabbies are pretty awesome too. As are black kitties too.
awww – Cicero is a cutie. It is funny that people find out you are the “cat lady” and bring you things (and I don’t mean donations)…. MOL
Yeah, it’s funny how no one brings me the hundred dollar bills they’ve found, right? 😉 I think we’ve built up our cat-people reputation in the 5 years since we moved in!
No animal on earth can look guilty quite like a Big Dog. 😀
Oh my goodness – Cicero is too cute. I so love orange tabbies. I want to cuddle all of them.
They are only my favorite kitties second to little black kitties!
You can never have too many orange tabbies!
Thanks for the blog today, Robyn, I needed the cute! My kitty Maggie was supposed to be going in for a full dental extraction today due to Stomatitis, but I asked to see the vet ahead of time because I’ve been concerned about some possible weight loss I thought I was seeing. It turns out that she had lost over a pound in the last six months. So, she’s now back home with me today while we wait on blood tests to see if she’s become hyperthyroid or if there is another problem we don’t know about. She already developed a heart murmur this year (though they tell me that can be related to hyperthyroidism) and I don’t know how much more she can take. Phew!
Oh Jen I’m so sorry to hear that! I hope that is something easily treatable and Maggie is feeling better right quick!
Sending your baby well wishes!!!
Awww, Jen, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll be keeping her in my thoughts – let us know what the tests show, would you?
As one person who’s owned by a Maggie to another, I hope your Maggie is very much all better soon!
FOUR ORANGE TABBIES!
*faints*
All I can say is thank God we’re going with a color other than black. Cicero is a doll. Love that last pic. Lots of ‘tude and that little rat tail SQUEE! 🙂
I likes me some Rupert.
That little Cicero is so adorable. Well all the kitties are adorable. But those blue eyes peering out of that little orange face just slays me.
Okay, I managed to resist the power of the Cookies and the Wonkas, but the Taters? There is just too much orange sweet potato goodness right there. Please package them up and send them to Utah right away.
Yummy berries, beautiful garden, lovely insects, and fun kitties! The best guess on the butterfly is a Pipevine Swallowtail except it doesn’t have the tails. Hmm?
Glad the surgeries went well.
BABY!!! So cutie!
Dewberries make one awesome cobbler, but when we’d pick them when I was a kid, my legs would get covered in chiggers.
I got Fred’s short story Sweet Dreams and really enjoyed it!
I’m glad you liked it, I’ll let him know! 🙂
Cicero is adorable, but looking a bit like he’s gone to Simon’s school of wearing everything one comes in contact with.. I hope for his sake and yours he’s a bit cleaner..
I tried giving him some canned food mixed with formula this morning, and he did a surprisingly good job. He was pretty easy to convince, too, I just put a little in his mouth and his eyes went wide and he said “MORE, PLEASE!” 🙂
I oh so love that look.. 🙂
Now we can all start singing “Food, glorious food” from Oliver!
And DANG, what happened in your garden during May?
Sunshine and hot weather! 🙂 Now if we could just get a bit of rain….
Rupert/Rufus reminds me of my dear departed Elliott. He loved to sleep on the porch – would move from sunbeam to sunbeam. One time he was rolling over to keep in the sun and rolled right off the porch. Still miss him – sigh.
Aww, your Elliot sounds like he was a sweetheart. SOMEone’s gotta chase down those sunbeams, right? 🙂
gosh darn your blog makes me so happy. What is the power that orange kitties have over me?
I especially like Cicero’s extra-pointy tail!
Oh, me too! And the way his little face crinkles up and his MOUF takes up his whole face for a meow.
(Test-driving a new Gravatar)
Agata is the one I want to scoop up and squeeze. I love her sweet little face. Beautiful eyes.
Cicero is one very adorable and lucky kitteh!!! Hope he and the Taters get along famously when Cicero joins them.
And, you and Fred are amazing — as if that’s *any* surprise!
A little Maine lore for the Taters — Norlands is the name of an estate owned by the Washburn family in Maine, who included several Congressmen and governors and the guy who invented the typewriter and sold the patent to Mr. Remington for $500. You can see it at http://www.norlands.org and last time I was there I met a barn cat who was, yes, orange. Kennebec is a river and a county where the state capital (Augusta) is located, and every spring there are betting pools on what day will be “ice-out” on the river. Agata is probably related to the northern Maine town of St. Agatha (since it’s so close to Canada they pronounce it the French way, “seine t’aGAHT”). The original St. Agatha is known as “Santo Gato” (Saint Cat) in the Pyrenees, and is said to appear in the form of a cat on her feast day, Feb. 5.
Oh, I love the story about St. Agatha! Now I must track down a statue of her to accompany St. Francis in my yard! I’m all about animal patrons. 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Agatha
Yowza. A nasty martyrdom, she had.
Ouch! Well now, that will make an interesting statue for the yard… 😉 I do like to bake though!
My parents told me that when I was little (5 or so) I announced that I was someday going to name a cat Agatha. My chance came some 24 years ago, when I was working at a doctor’s office and a friendly but clearly hungry, older gray female cat hung around our back door and pounced upon my heart as soon as I left work that evening. I didn’t even question Fate, and took her home with me, figuring if she belonged to anyone, I wouldn’t be able to count her ribs. She was the sweetest kitty, even if she did try to climb me in a panic once when my brother’s dog ran around the corner and scared her while she was in my arms. She wasn’t with me for long, but I like to think I made her life a little better.
Oh, I’m sure you did!
What a cutie little Cicero is! My aunt had an orange tabby named Chandler. She had cats all her life, but loved him the best, I think. He was quite the character… 🙂
Another orange tabby?! Just when I think it can’t get any better…
I have a feeling these Taters are going to be the death of me.
Welcome Cicero! Way to go, Robyn!
You can always try bird netting on the dewberries. Dewberries are delicious, especially when picked on a hot summer day!
Hmm…that Rupert is growing on me. I think Spanky has some competition for the ol’ Erin love.
Oh another orange baby! He looks so cute and so hungry! Why are you taking pictures instead of feeding him! No, wait, I think he’s saying he needs a napkin and a snuggle.. ok, you’re off the hook. MOL
Rupert is a cutie! Is that a dirty tail or a fur color?
YAY ANOTHER ORANGE BABY TO SQUEE OVER!
Cicero is mah favorite. OMG.
Also, now I’m going to be thinking “Stop! Flehmen time” every time my cat does it.