If you like reading about the ferals living out back, you might like this post. I am putting this down for me to ponder and remember, these days of cats and roses. Well, the roses are dormant right now and by the looks of things at Tractor Supply, the time to plant is now. I am kind of having doubts cause we could still get a big ol blast of winter...like on Saturday.
This past week two unknowns in the cat world have been two black and white cats. The first one, I have only seen once but the second one, who I have been calling Darth Vader has been around in the late afternoons creating havoc amongst the peaceful dwellers of our backyard. He looks like he is someone's pet, thus the late afternoon timing and his coat is beautiful and shiny, not the look of a feral. He has not been interested in the "girls" nor in the food, although I saw him last night getting a snack. No, his pleasure is running all these cats into pandemonium. The kittens head for under the house, Punky if she is around, takes flight up to the gravel road and poor Strawyer cowers wherever he can get cover. Last evening before Darth made an appearance, the docile Strawyer seemed agitated and began picking fights with the kittens. Not in the mating ritual but just out of pure frustration with his lot in feral cat life. He particularly picked on the cousin who has been accepted into the fam somewhat. I opened the porch door to see if cuz would take me up on relief and hospitality...it sat there, I think it is a boy but who knows, and looked for a long time, maybe contemplating. I hadn't seen that look on any of these cats since Cali. But that feral emotion and logic won out, and seemed reluctant to move on, but it did. The other kittens tried to help it out by diverting Strawyer's attention. Seems like everything came to a close when who with dark, can't see his eyes appear but Darth Vader and his provoking of fear. I couldn't watch or interact any longer, so I went upstairs, cause cat world is just that, cat world.
Today after the rain, the kitties are out and about. Playing, napping and eating. With the cold temps coming in tonight, they'll be bundled up warm with each other under the house. After yesterday, these moments of kittendom are so welcomed. And just like my mom would tell Doug and me, it's always fun until someone gets hurt. So all these kitties have been napping together, so sweetly and then one wakes up and has the yayas, and the play begins.
************
Oh Monday morning, where did the weekend go? Not that it really matters cause when you're retired many times any and everyday seems very weekendish. Friday was Valentine's and our neighbors made a cherry loaf cake for us and Brenda brought by heart shaped Valentine cookies...all the above, very delicious. Friday afternoon I had several errands to run and once all that had been done, I came on home for a relaxing, Valentine's evening complete with cake and cookies. Only thing, it didn't turn out to be a relaxing evening. A little before 9:00, I went downstairs to get some treats for Buddy and when I came upstairs and looked out the window over the driveway, there was a car, a Jeep, silver, parked in our driveway, up close near the garage. It unnerved me a bit to see that because even our friends who have lived here all their lives, do not like coming all the way up to the garage. I called Brenda and she and Larry prepared to come on over. While I was talking with her, I went back downstairs and when I looked out the car was gone. It could have been a totally innocent thing, like someone being lost, or it could be something deliberate. With all the lights coming on the movement could have frightened the person off. Maybe I need to get one of those no trespassing/ no turn around signs for the driveway. I checked with our neighbor to see if they were expecting anyone cause they might be lost. He is active military and he gave me his number and said he would come down with rifle in hand. Saturday night I moved the truck closer to the other side of the driveway and that gave me a better view from our security cameras. It also made the driveway wide open with no truck masking a view.
Saturday, I hung around the house working on the lesson and also working on my projects a little bit. Got the some things moved around in the back because Mike will begin work this week on putting in some stepping stones/flat rock to level out the backyard and hopefully help in with less mud being tracked into the house.
We finished up Nehemiah yesterday. Next Sunday our class will have a celebration Sunday. We have made it through the Old Testament. We have birthdays and really, we just need a time to celebrate and fellowship. I might have a devotional thought on Malachi, but then again, I might not. I know I write this so often and every time I write it in truth, I love our class. We love one another, that is for sure. Our Pastor is preaching though Mark and his sermons have been so good. Sunday nights, we are going through I Samuel. The setting is casual and we have lots of question/answer/comment time available. Rob and Cindy had homemade cookies for us in choir practice. Delicious! What a thoughtful thing to do. What a nice way to end Valentine's Day weekend.
Back to the ferals for a moment...with a reprieve from rain, the kiddos are out there playing and chasing one another. Punky seems to be morphing into Mama Cat, cause Punky is in a bad mood most of the time now. Watching the developments in the back, it seems like the dangers of feral living is not so much from predators, although it is real, but from their own ilk or tribe. Like Darth, who causes havoc, Mama Cat who usually kills her kittens and just the territorial wanderings and markings that cats make. After about a three week absence, Mama Cat showed up Saturday afternoon. I haven't seen Camo in the longest time but that doesn't mean she is dead. That cat is just plain hard to see...thus her name.
No comments:
Post a Comment