Focus On Fabulous Felines

Sammy, who I've had for about four months, has suddenly begun pushing water bowls away from walls, sloshing the water all over the floor. He seems obsessed with this behavior. The only other time I've ever seen such behavior was with Bramble, the cat who died this year. I keep getting the feeling that Bramble is paying me a friendly visit:

Daisy, who I've had for several years, suddenly decided she wants to sleep on the kitchen table - just like Georgette used to do. Furthermore, she purrs, rolls and cuddles when I lift her off the table to set her back on the floor - just like Georgette used to do. Again, I get the eerie but heartwarming feeling that Georgette is paying me a friendly visit. I've even accidentally called Daisy "Georgette" a couple of times:

As for Caspar, his life is filled with sleeping, eating and playing. He's not channeling anybody but himself:

Daisy is a friendly girl with beautiful colors:

Sammy took months to overcome his fear, but now seems happy and content here:

Caspar and Sammy are buddies and playmates, racing around the house chasing balls, leaping for curtains and knocking things off of tables:

They also sleep together a lot:

"Nothing to see here. Just keep moving:"

Caspar, like Daisy, is a glutton for affection:

Daisy wants to keep so close to me that I am in frequent danger of tripping over her:

You may have noticed that I haven't mentioned Bugsy yet. He's been shy and retiring, possibly because of an upper respiratory infection which Caspar brought home from the shelter. He's beginning to come out of shell now, but I don't think he'll ever be an outgoing personality:

I bought two new cat foods, neither of which the cats liked very much. So each morning when I feed the dogs, the cats help themselves to dog food. It's a darn good thing all my pets get along so well. There's never been so much as a growl, much less a fight:

Winter Arrives In The North Country

Our temperatures began dropping after a warm autumn, but the fantail pigeons seemed comfortable and warm enough. Any babies hatched now will have little chance of surviving, though:

 The chickens have been eating well because I had excess beans and rice, more than I could eat, and have been feeding them to the hens:

 Their egg production, however, has pretty much stopped for the winter:

 I caulked around the chickens' door, hoping to keep them extra comfortable this winter:

 One morning I found ice all over everything, including the grass, and temperatures as low as 8 F were predicted for the next several days (along with snow and ice):

 So I put the bale spear on the tractor and hauled the first of 88 bales out to the pasture:

 I unwrapped the bale and dropped it into the bale feeder:

 The only problem was that the herd had spent a week in the far field, not even coming in for water. I had to go rouse them and drive them back through the gate into the main south field:

 Blue stood his ground until all the other animals were gone. I wanted to close the gates for the winter, but first I had to go get Blue and convince him to move:

 All the animals were happy to see the hay bale and they dug into it with gusto:

And they wasted quite a bit too:

 The next day our temperatures dropped and we had a snowstorm, so I hung the bird feeders, much to Daisy's delight (that's her in the window):

Dogs And Cats Of Summer

Most of the time, the dogs and cats of summer are indistinguishable from the dogs and cats of winter - snoozing on their beds in the kitchen corner:

The cats stay inside, but the dogs get more outdoor time in the summer, much of which they spend lounging on their ramp:

Jack and Seamus, buddies:

I took this picture at dawn, just as I was coming in from doing the morning chores (there aren't many chores to do on summer mornings):

Jack, in his newly mowed back yard:

When the Rugosa Roses began blooming, I couldn't resist taking even more pictures of the dogs in their back yard run:

And Georgette is still Queen of the Kitchen Table. Sadly, she has become so antisocial that she has several times pooped or peed in her bed. I encourage her to get out and use the cat food, water and litter box in the next room. I've also watched and am convinced that the other cats aren't really bothering her. She's just getting old and crotchety. I can relate:

I caught Rocky and Daisy on adjacent beds, touching noses. It was a cute scene:

And Bugsy, the kid with the big personality, watched me from a kitchen chair:

I put a fake surveillance camera on the barn to discourage any more dumping of cats there. Alas, it only seemed to cause the perpetrators to drop off a kitten at the house instead of the barn. I found it one morning and it was friendly, clean and free of fleas - so I brought it indoors:

The dogs were tolerant of the little fellow, but the big cats mostly wished he'd just go away:

I arranged to drop him off at the Potsdam Shelter, where he'd get antibiotic for his runny eye and he'd get neutered. Most importantly, he'll get a new home where he'll be loved and cared for. I already have more cats than I can handle sometimes. Goodbye, little kitty. I trust you'll find the perfect home and live a happy life:

Safe, Warm And Comfortable Indoors

The dogs and cats have been relaxed and comfortable indoors, even as the weather turned frigid, icy and snowy outside. This splendid collection of cuteness on the farm house kitchen floor consisted of Clover, Daphne, Jack, Bugsy, Seamus and Rocky:

Cuddle-buddies Clover and Bugsy. Bugsy was a throw-away kitten, left at my barn, very sick and skinny, and crawling with fleas. Now he's healthy, happy and nicely socialized:

Here's Bugsy again, this time with Daphne:

I keep a variety of dog beds and floor pillows on the kitchen floor. Fergus, Clover and Daphne were enjoying them on this wintry day:

Jack and his buddy, Seamus, though Seamus had chosen a dog bed far too small for his gigantic body:

Daphne was keeping company with cats - in this case, Bramble and Rocky:

The Poodle watchdogs, Seamus and Fergus, at the foot of the stairs:

Clover and Jack. Jack was another rescue, the most recent of the dogs. He was found as a terrified stray. He bit the Animal Control Officer and wouldn't let anyone come near him at the shelter. Anyone who reached toward him caused him to begin screaming and cowering. If they persisted, he'd bite them. The shelter wasn't sure how they'd place him, but one woman there made friends with Jack, so I knew it was possible. I spent time in his kennel with him, just standing quietly. Then I came back with Clover and Daphne, with whom he instantly fell in love. That sealed the deal and Jack spent most of the ride home trying to crawl onto my lap (while I drove!):

Bugsy again, this time with his big buddy, Seamus. Bugsy likes dogs for cuddling, cats for playing (especially wrestling):

Georgette was abandoned in an apartment with her one kitten and brought to the shelter. There they put an orphaned litter with her to nurse and I fostered the group. Once all her kittens were adopted, she remained unwanted and seemed to insist on staying with me. She got her wish:

Daisy, dumped at my barn with Bugsy, had a long period of severe illness, followed by months of eye infection. Then her cornea developed a hole through which the one remaining corneal layer was bulging dangerously. More antibiotics and a miracle working corneal repair gel brought her back to health:

Silly little Jack, keeping his eyes on me. One never knows what mischief I might get into:

The Sleepytime Corner

There is a corner of the farm house kitchen with a number of dog beds and a double sized floor pillow. It is the main gathering spot for most of the dogs and cats who grace my life. They look so sweet and peaceful when they're sleeping. Come to think of it, my mother used to say something similar about us kids, that we were so very good.........when we were sleeping. Anyway, here's some photos from the "Sleepytime Corner:"

Seamus, Daphne, Fergus, Clover and Jack:

Clover and Daphne:

Daphne, Fergus, Seamus, Rocky and Clover:

Fergus, Seamus, Clover and Daphne:

Daphne:

Seamus, Fergus, Daphne and Clover:

Rocky, Daphne, Clover and Bugsy:

Rocky, Jack, Seamus, Daphne, Clover and Fergus:


Rocky, Daphne, Bugsy and Clover:

Seamus, Clover and Daphne:

Rocky, Clover, Daphne, Seamus and Fergus:

Clover, Bramble, Fergus, Daphne and Jack (with a little bit of Rocky showing):