A Snowy Day

It was snowing heavily, a pretty, Christmas card type snow, while I was doing the morning chores. When I'd finished, I walked out through the snow to visit the animals in the south field. My first observation was this Thistle, one I'd missed when I was trying to eradicate them, poking up through the snow and spreading seeds:

Remy was out in a wet section of the field, pawing away the snow and eating Sedge. They normally hate Sedge and won't eat it, but I guess he had a taste for something different this morning:

Blue was nearby, doing likewise. They both had just eaten grain and had ample supplies of good hay, both outdoors and inside the barn. They just felt like eating Sedge that morning:

When I walked over to see the cows, Remy and Blue followed me. I'd turned off the electric fence to make a repair, and Remy wanted to "help:"

Scarlett watched me closely, perhaps hoping I'd brought more grain out with me:

They'd already had all the grain they were going to get, so they soon turned their attention back to the bale feeder:

Blue decided he wanted some of that hay too, but those cows sure looked like giants to him. Rosella has her head down in the photo, but I don't remember seeing any threat by her toward Blue. It sure does look that way in the photo, though, doesn't it?:

Returning to the house, I saw a lone Junco hopping around the snowy ground beneath the bird feeders. Juncos, like Mourning Doves, never seem to eat at the feeders but love to pick up seed which has dropped on the ground:

When I studied Ornithology, they were called Slate-Colored Juncos, but now they are termed Dark-Eyed Juncos. Similarly, English Sparrows have been changed to House Sparrows, Sparrow Hawks to American Kestrels and Rufous-sided Towhee to Eastern Towhee:

A Hairy Woodpecker was pigging out at the suet cake and ignored my presence even when all the other birds flew away. He knew a good thing when he found it:

The dogs had been in their fenced yard all this time and were happy to see me:

But Seamus, with his extra long legs, was the only one willing to push through the snow to follow me around:

Christmas Elves Pay A Vist To The Farm

 Meghan as a Christmas reindeer:

 Ruby, the wiggly nosed reindeer, here to help guide Santa's sleigh:

Jack with a mistletoe hat, hoping for a kiss - if he doesn't tip over first:

Fergus, knowing that he looks like a goofy elf in his "Happy Holidays" hat:

Seamus thinks he got the worst assignment, wearing a "Santa stuck in the chimney" hat:

Clover in her "Who Needs Mistletoe" shirt and a Christmas tree hat. Indeed, who needs mistletoe when you're a diva?:

Daphne as The Ghost Of Christmas Present:"

Georgette was pleased to wear a ribbon for the holiday. In her mind, any attention is good attention:

Look at Seamus' facial expression. It seemed that he was feeling put upon, having to wear red reindeer antlers:

Jack didn't mind his Santa hat except that it kept falling off and covering his face:

The best Christmas costume of the day came when Clover donned a pair of angel wings. They seemed appropriate:

Seamus as Yukon Cornelius, from "The Island Of Misfit Toys:"

The cats were more resistant to wearing goofy costumes, though Daisy did momentarily allow the mistletoe hat. Getting her to hold still was quite another story. But all of this was to wish you a Merry Christmas:

Contented Pets At Home

Ah, the pampered life. Daphne, Clover and Fergus rested in the always popular kitchen corner:

And while the dogs rested, four of the five cats (Georgette does not consider herself one of them) loitered around the water bowls. These four are Bugsy, Rocky, Daisy and Bramble:

Jack gave me his biggest smile for this photo:

But Seamus was just resting in the fresh air, with the yellow Asiatic Lilies in the background:

And there's Georgette, keeping all the other cats off the kitchen table:

In the back yard: Fergus, Daphne, Clover and Jack:

And back in the kitchen corner: Jack, Fergus, Daphne and Clover:

It's been an unusually cool summer so far, meaning that Daphne and Fergus can relax and enjoy the sun:

Seamus, with his dense black coat, still prefers the shade. That's where he was heading when I snapped this photo:

Always a new arrangement of pets in the kitchen corner. This collection of three dogs and two cats is Daphne, Clover, Bramble, Fergus and Rocky:

Daisy was thrilled with a new, battery operated toy I got at Walmart. The clear plastic ball spins wildly, with flashing lights and a cloth/feather tail - and then suddenly begins spinning in the other direction. If they stop batting it, it will cease until they activate it again. The yellow ball behind her contains a furry mouse which squeaks when they roll it:

Ruby the guinea pig, at home in her cage. Her friend, Meghan, was just sticking her nose out:

Do You Ever Get The Feeling You're Being Watched?

It seems that dogs and cats are watching me wherever I go and whatever I do. In this case, Daphne and Seamus were sitting beside my computer chair. If I merely shifted, they jumped up in case I might be walking out of the room. It's nice to be so loved, but also a bit disconcerting sometimes:

 When I work outdoors, the dogs watch me from their back yard run:

 Jack chose a spot beneath the young maple from which to watch me:

 And if I come near the back door, the dogs cluster on the ramp and peer out through the Rugosa Roses so they don't miss any move I might make:

 On the lazy days of summer, I am being watched:

 Bugsy watched me from the lamp table. Bramble noticed that I was on my feet and moving, so he went to the spot where he always wants and demands to be petted:

 Wait a minute. These three cats (Rocky, Bugsy and Daisy) were ignoring me as they snoozed. I'm not used to that:

 Georgette, however, had her eye on me at all times. I lifted up one hand so she'd look up for the photo:

 Jack and Seamus, watching everything I do:

 Clover, Fergus and Daphne watched from the ramp:

 Clover, Daphne, Rocky and Fergus. Daphne's expression is particularly endearing:

 But who watches me the most? It's Daisy, the cat dumped at my barn last summer who almost died. I treated her every two hours for months, and I now theorize that all that gentle handling won her over. Now she follows me everywhere I go, especially to the bathroom. When I go into the bedroom at night, she waits outside the door until morning:

The Dogs And Cats

All seems well with the dogs and cats, with the possible exception of a war going on between the cats Daisy and Georgette. But most of the time there is peace, like when Clover and Rocky shared a floor pillow:

Bramble mostly keeps to himself and seems to enjoy posing for photos:

Seamus and Fergus were at the foot of the stairs, trying to figure out what I was going to do next:

The cats never go outdoors but the dogs have a fenced yard which they enjoy:

Daphne, with her soulful eyes, in the living room:

Georgette doesn't like any other cat, so she spends her time in her bed on the kitchen table, which doubles as my desk:

To help avoid trouble in the Daisy/Georgette feud, I put another litter box downstairs and added food and water dishes on top of a hutch in the living room. Bugsy likes to lounge there, so I pick him up and carry him into the kitchen when I see him there. That helps avoid trouble with Georgette and gives Bugsy more handling so he'll get used to it. He now purrs when I pick him up, a marked improvement from when he was a feral kitten:

Daphne and Clover, sharing a fleecy dog bed:

Fergus, Jack and Clover:

All five dogs in their snowy outdoor yard:

Fergus and Clover. You can see the old, hay filled feed bag in the background, winter protection for the new hardy Magnolia:

  Clover and Rocky, with an amorphous blob in the foreground which is really little Bugsy, all stretched out. It's difficult to get good pictures of black animals: