Sights from around Crooked Acres.
Toasty the Rooster, giving you the side eye, would like you to know…
“I’M THE STUD!”
“I’M THE STUD! ::sideeye::”
“I AM THE (INSERT BAD WORD HERE ENDING IN “ING”) STUD!”
He’s pretty sure you’re impressed.
But out in the chicken yard…
Feathered leggings rooster considers and retorts…
“Word from the hens is that Toasty is SO not the man. I’ll leave the details to your imagination, but any rooster that has to declare his studliness that often is one who has nothing to brag about.”
Duckies, headed for the pond.
I keep meaning to tell y’all this – a few weeks ago one of the girl ducks found a way out of the back forty, and Fred had to corner her and pick her up and carry her back into the back forty. While he had hold of her, I got to feel her feet. I always assumed that they’d feel kind of rubbery, but they’re actually really soft and felt kind of neat. If you get a chance to mess with duck feet, I recommend it.
Duckies in the pond.
(Not very far out, obviously.)
Both the girl ducks had mud on their beaks. I wanted to wipe the mud off, but neither of them was having it.
Tails up!
Apparently I was getting a little close, and got The Eye from this boy duck.
Later, headed out toward Dirt Mountain, something startled two of the ducks and they quacked and flapped.
Even achieved brief liftoff.
Silly ducks.
We have a handful of chickens who escape the back forty every morning and then spend the day cleaning up bird seed under the bird feeders. I’d be more worried about it, except that they stay right around the house, and they’re always more than happy to go back into the back forty when Fred goes out there to feed them in the evening.
When we first had chickens, we only had a dozen of them, and their yard was in a corner of our back yard, and we’d let them out of their yard into the back yard to run around during a good part of the day. So some of the older cats (Spanky, Sugarbutt, Tommy) have actually been around chickens in the past, so they’re not that impressed when they see them through the fence. The younger ones are absolutely fascinated by the chickens and cannot stop staring.
Corbie would REALLY like to know how to get on the other side of that fence.
Alice Mo spots the rooster…
Skulks closer…
They stare at each other through the fence.
And then the rooster flaps his wings and struts off.
I’ve mentioned the Poltergeist tree before. This is it, in the middle of the picture. It’s a pecan tree and it’s the tree that gives us the best, tastiest pecans (though it’s been a few years since we got our last big batch). To the left of the tree is the back yard. If you squint, you can see Kara coming toward the fence to ask me just WHAT I think I’m doing, and Elwood at the far left of the picture, stalking Kara.
Mr. Bluebird, after an absence of several days, finally came back to visit.
Cardinal, giving me the eye.
House Finch in flight.
Tufted Titmouse in flight.
Next week: pictures of Spring!
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::thlurrrrp::
“Hey, you two! Stop fighting. Don’t MAKE me come down there!”
Kitteh leeps.
Are they not the sweetest?
“I sees you. A leettle.”
Kitten lips and tongue! ::faint::
Also, toes.
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Smilin’ Joe.
“Yes, I haz scratches on my nose. Me and Elwood got into it.”
“Luckily I can outrun him.”
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Previously
2011: She loves to thwart me, that brat.
2010: Odds ‘n Ends.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Oh they are just the cutest little kitten-buns ever! Little lips and tongues sticking out? I think you have the solution to world peace right there.
I just awwwwwwed out loud at “I sees you. A leettle.” Adorable kittens!
Chickens! Ducks! Cats stalking chickens! Pretty songbirds! LITTLE BEBBEH KITTENS!!! JOE BOB!!!!!
What a great post!!
(Especially kitten leeps!!)
Oh, kisses to Joe Bob’s poor scratched-up nose!! (If Joe Bob accepts kisses??)
And such language Mr. Toasty! Robyn, have you been cussing around the hen house again? 😉
I am SO ready fro Tabitha’s kittens now after seeing the sweet Nominees…but then, that’s not really my call, is it? 🙂
Wow, those are REALLY getting be some *plump* kittens! 🙂
I enjoy nothing more than watching birds walk (and that’s saying a lot since I could look at pictures of kittens all day, every day). I “read” your rooster/hen/duck photos as a video in my head while scrolling down the page with the theme music to Benny Hill in the background.
Is Elwood a little crabby this week? Perhaps some extra nip and scritches behind the ears?
Leetle babeh kittehs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (OK, I have nothing left to say about them other than “leeps!”)
I saw “da bird” in my local mom & pop pet supply store yesterday. Needless to say, I brought it home. Norman and Simba enjoy it immensely. Norm prefers to stalk and pat it, while Simba is showing some zombie tendencies. He left the ground a few times already… I’m so excited that it might turn into a diet and exercise tool for him.
I have a question about enticing more timid cats to play, though. Our “foster” Tommy was a fearless outside hunter-type of cat before we took him in. We are in a big metro area, neighborhood with no fences, and too many dogs and cars. I won’t let him outside, but we’re trying to keep him exercised indoors. This cat literally seems afraid of every toy we try. He shows initial interest, but after a moment of checking it out he backs away and acts if we are attacking him with it. Any suggestions for getting him moving? We can get limited moments with the laser toy and he checked out “da bird” without too much fear. He will also tear apart a sock filled with catnip like nobody’s business. But I’m running out of ideas for activities for him. (I should add that he’s not afraid of us, just the toys)
Have you tried moving the toy out of sight – around a corner or behind a table leg? Also, moving the toy away from him as if it’s running away might pique his interest. Finally, is he afraid of the toy, or just yielding the toy to another interested cat? Or, is he afraid of the smell of the other two cats on the toy?
My Fuzz sometimes appears to be afraid of toys, but he’s really afraid of getting jumped by Sweetpea, who owns all toys in the house and lets him know it!
Awww poor Joe. I’ll kiss your nosey for you and make it all better!
Do you know how the ducks are getting out?
What? I can’t insert a bad word of my choosing? it has to end in “ing” man you really are one pushy rooster!
I just LOVE ducks. Those are superb photos of the duckies. And those photos of Emmy and the Nominees remind me so much of when Meow-Me had Coco and Felix. And those photos of the kitties and chickens just cracked me up.
Those girl duckies heard about mud facials and decided to give them a try, that is why they didn’t want it wiped off of them!
Those babies just make my heart happy!
I saw this and thought of you..
http://chzlolcats.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/funny-cat-pictures-shh-im-nursing-my-potatos.jpg
Why does it seem that all the birdies are giving you the stink eye…. Stink side eye that is. Did you run afoul of the fowl?
When I was growing up, we had cats who wanted to get themselves a chicken or duck. And there was no fence saving them from the ultimate folly. No matter how close they got, how stalky they got, the chicken always won because the cats would ultimately get close enough to realize how freaking BIG chickens are compaired to them! Even the polish top hats, smallish chickens like angry muppet and rock star chicken, are scary up close! The cats would turn tail and run! It’s kinda funny really…
Leeps!!!!! tiny baby kitten tongues!
Oh Joe Bob!! Poor baby! Joe Bob, Joe Bob, Joe Bob, Joe Boooob! Please just let me kiss you on that nose!
The little keesing kitten has exactly the same curved face stripes as Emmy!