Sights from around Crooked Acres.
Woodpecker.
This Robin sat in the tree right outside my window for a long, long time. I sat with my camera trained on her, ready to snap pictures when she took flight. I waited. And waited and waited. Then I waited some more.
This Cardinal said “Dude. You ever going to move?”
Robin said “Nope. I’m good here, thanks.” So I waited and waited some more, and OF COURSE the instant I glanced away, off she went. I didn’t get a single picture of her in flight. Hmph.
I’m pretty sure what we have here is a mama squirrel with a nest full of babies somewhere.
No wonder she’s always hungry.
She’s got babies to feed!
Y’know, that feeding station really was NOT intended for birds. Not that the birds care, of course. The Grackles, especially, eat there constantly.
Workin’ hard? Hardly workin’!
Meet Chachi. He’s been coming around since November or so. He’s truly feral – the instant he sees a human, off he runs. We need to trap him and have him neutered at the very least (none of the outside cats appreciate the sprayed messages he leaves), so I imagine we’ll have to bring the outside cats inside and set the trap, soon.
Snack time for Georgie.
Oh, these male ducks. Always with the yip yap. Blah blah BLAH, no one’s listening to you, boys!
“Always talkin’, those two, and never SAYing anything.”
A lovely afternoon on the pond.
And then!
“Wha happen?”
The ducks retreated to the edge of the pond to watch the action.
Catfish feeding time!
I couldn’t even begin to guess how many fish are in that pond now, but there are some BIG ones.
Pretty hen, out standing in her field.
And keeping an eye on that rooster.
Rooster, keeping an eye on his wimmins.
My raised beds. Two boxes are planted with Romaine lettuce (heat-resistant), and one box is planted with Purslane. The last bed will eventually be half Basil and half Dill. I’ve started my tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, and peppers in peat pots in the garage (upstairs, in front of the windows). The big garden has been tilled. The tomatoes/cukes/peppers/eggplants won’t be ready to go into the ground until about mid-May, but Fred will be planting beans, squash, and corn in the next week or so.
Apple blossom!
The Wisteria is blooming. It’s so pretty, and smells SO good. Talk about invasive, though – I’ll have to chop back tendrils of Wisteria vine all summer long; otherwise, it’ll take over the entire back yard.
Someone wanted to see one of the blue eggs, so here’s a selection of the eggs we’re getting these days. I guess it’s really more green than blue. That tiny egg in the lower right is from a new lay-er. They start out that size when young hens start laying, and gradually get bigger.
Yeah. The bowl of cat food on the side stoop? Not really intended for the possums.
Not that they care. When I opened the door to take this picture, he sat there and stared at me, trying to decide whether I was a threat.
I got a video of Mister Possum, with a special appearance at the end by Stefan! (Fred assures me that in real life, I do NOT sound like that much of a redneck!)
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Livia is back!
And she has gained some serious weight, poor girl.
“I sense someone LOOKING at me.”
“You lookin’ at me?”
::RAWR::
Checking to see if there’s room on top of that container to hang out.
So, Orlando is at Petsmart, and Livia is back here, and unfortunately it’s not going so great. Livia’s been walking around growling and hissing at Thomas, Tricki, and Dennis since I let her out of the carrier. She and Thomas have had a few slap fights, and I’m not so worried about him, but Dennis and Tricki have been hiding in the closet and won’t come out.
I’m going to give Livia a little more time to straighten up, but she may end up going back to Petsmart tomorrow. I can’t have her terrorizing the shyer kittens, and I have nowhere else to put her.
She’s super friendly toward people – I wish someone with lots of love to give and no desire to have more than one cat would show up and adopt her silly self. She’s really a super sweet girl – she just has NO use for other cats!
Edited to add: This morning, Tricki and Dennis appear to have decided that Livia is all bluster (which she is), and they’re ignoring her hisses. They’re both moving around the room in a relaxed manner, so Livia can stay and get some serious R&R.
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Joe Bob’s getting ready to mess you UP.
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Previously
2013: “LOOK, lady, I’m trying to EAT here. You want to knock it off with the clickety-clack of that stupid camera?”
2012: Newbery Monday.
2011: Paws up, y’all.
2010: I try to never disturb a sleeping kitten, but boy – they are SO cute and fuzzy, it’s hard not to grab them up and snuggle them!
2009: No entry.
2008: “Momma!!! We is HUNGREE!”
2007: I consider it a weekend well spent.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
In the picture of your ‘hard working’ dogs, I don’t know who’s on the right, but if I had to guess I’d say George.. he looks more like a sheep than a dog!
Chachi is adorable! The way he’s standing with his heels together and toes apart, you could almost swear he’s a dancer! He’s wearing his ballet slippers and all!
Hello Joe Bob, may I kiss your sweet little pink nose?
You are right!!! Chachi does look like a dancer with his ballet first position pose!!!
I was wondering, do you (or Fred) fish in your catfish pond? Are they for eating? I’ve had catfish and found it very nice but I know not everyone regards them as FOOD fish.
I was wondering about the catfish, I remember when you seeded the pond.
that’s not a very big pond for a lot of fish but you can always go noodling.
Yes, Livia is uh, fuller. I guess she hasn’t lost all of the baby fat. Yeah, that’s what’s going on.
hope George & Gracie don’t plan on asking for a raise any time soon. 🙂
Glad that the kitts have figured out Livia and things are settling down. Good luck with Chachi. If you just put out the trap, who do you think you would catch of yours? 🙂
Okay, it seems that I’m not the only one with this question, are the catfish for eating?
Chachi is a handsome boy! I’m sure the other kitties would prefer he not leave pee messages.
Can one have too many catfish in a pond?
Glad Livia and the other kitties are getting along better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kTwE36u4kk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IjSCHQSPrM
and that is catfishin.. 🙂
Good luck catching Chachi..
I’m gobsmacked that someone would actually plant purslane. It grows wild around here and most people spend their gardening time pulling it up. I love it sauteed with garlic and/or onion, and then squeeze a lemon over it.
Do you, or would you ever, swim in that pond? I asked because, while I love eating catfish, I’m not so sure I could handle knowing they were down there while I was in the water. hehehe
I love possums sooooo much. They are utterly adorable! But it looks like Stefan is all “Yeahhhh, if you could just keep your distance, that’d be great, thanks.”
Livia looks GOOD with some weight on her! She looks like you could totally get some satisfactory huggles/snuggles now! I’m glad the kittens realized she was being a doofus and now ignore her grumblings.
Do you ever swim in a lake? Odds are EXTREMELY good that there are catfish under there. My brother has a lake house and we feed the catfish at dusk off his floating dock. (There are some truly huge ones) For the most part though, during the day they are resting/sleeping on the bottom.
I generally do not swim at all, actually. One reason is I’m not a strong swimmer and the second is due to a similar experience as the one Maxie described below (*waves at Maxie” HI!). As a kid, I was treading water in a lake and, I didn’t know what it was at the time (yes, it was only seaweed), SOMETHING grazed my leg. I was out of there so fast it made my mom’s head spin.
It doesn’t help, I’m sure, that I watch every possible show there is on undersea creatures. Knowing the types of things that lurk beneath the surface, I am highly doubtful I will EVER go in the water again.
sourpuss, are you my daughter?
When she was around 10 or 11, we were treading water just beyond the waves in the Pacific when she asked me if there were fish under there. When I said yes, she jumped on me and wrapped herself around me sinking us both. I almost drowned I was laughing so hard!
Do you think you could get some video next time you have some new cats interacting with fosters or permanent residents? I always hear amusing stories of hissing and scampering, but haven’t really seen too much in the way of action. I’m always fascinated by how cats choose to get along with one another (or not!).
…Speaking of purslane…I would sooooooo love to see a picture of Purslane all grown up! I bet she is beautiful! Coincidentally to your mention of the purslane plant, Robyn, the Weeds’ banner came up today and I was struck by what a funny monkey she was as a kitten!
Glad the kittens are back out, not letting Livia intimidate them. I so hope she finds that absolutely wonderful family out there for her very own!
That Chachi is one good looking cat. I love the tuxies but have never had one. Some day. I just love to look at them.
Seeing your chickens reminded me of this..http://www.rentacoop.com/
“have to bring the outside cats inside and set the trap” No way! Surely by now, your regular crowd knows what that trap is for and to stay the.heck.away from it.
Our feral colony just laughs at us when we bring out the trap. One stinker, a Tuxie btw, just lays down across the pull string of the drop trap. Hey, I can see you in that car. Bring me my dinner, now.
Aw, Livia was probably emotionally eating at Petsmart. Now she has a chance to perk up and slim down. 🙂
I forgot – do u catch the catfish for food? Or do they just swim around and look purty? 🙂
yay! Gardening season!