More from the yard: June 2012

Moths and kitties

A Taste of Spring

Or, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. Polly, Huntington, March 13 2011

Hi-tech Cat

I don't believe in buying presents for the animals at holiday tie - frankly their lives are pretty much one big treat - but when I saw Unplugged's Holiday Tech Gift List for Naughty and Nice Pets featuring Eero the cat staring at the laptop I rethought my position. There is one animal here who deserves a techie-ish gift


the one who isn't happy until he's had his morning dose of snark


or played a round of his favourite iPad game


Jefke will be getting Angry Birds Seasons in HD. Because I know he'll appreciate it.

Beach Cat

He's done it before, in fact he often takes a stroll down to the beach, but this is the first time I've captured photographic evidence of Cassis the Cat hanging out with Polly on the bulkhead overlooking the Sound.

Busted!

Those are not your toys, Hermes.

Going the extra mile

What kind of pet sitter not only stays at your house and subjects themselves to the nocturnal demands of Jefke the water-loving cat and Polly the challenge dog, but finds time to take photos of all the animals and frame them as a birthday gift for The Guy? An absolutely fabulous, rockingly awesome, patient pet sitter. That's what.
Thanks L & B.

Animal Tracks

Temperatures have soared into the 30s this morning, the biting wind has died down and my fluey cold has improved to the point where I can go a whole five minutes without coughing. In celebration I walked the dogs for the first time in a fortnight. We've still got several inches of snow and the lawn is almost pristine. Almost, except for this set of tracks that come through the hemlock trees and head towards the central rhododendron bed. They are about four inches long with a gap of two or three feet between. Raccoon, do you think? Huge hare? Sasquatch? I have no idea but whatever it was it left us a gift of scat.

Leash of Shame

We sprung the animals yesterday and Polly was so delighted to be home she spent most of the night outside rounding up the kitties and asking us to let them back in. As a result we got next to no sleep. Tonight she will be wearing the "leash of shame"!

Polly in the Pachysandra

Polly where she is happiest, outside in the yard keeping the world safe.

Amphibians Rule

Now that we're no longer using the pool nature has taken over...

Pest Control Quadrupled

It's that time of the year when spring glides into summer; the days are long, the nights are warm and small furry creatures abound. In other words it's party-time for the cats. This is the first summer in a while that we have had four active, healthy adult cats and boy are we noticing it. Every morning and usually evening too, the doorstep looks like a butcher's slab. What would madam like today? A nice mouse head? Side of vole? Filleted chipmunk?
But today they outdid themselves. I don't know if it was individual offerings or team work but we have 1 (one) small grey mouse, 1 (one) vole, 2 (two) chipmunks on the kitchen terrace and lawn, plus 1 (one) black rat by the garage door and 1 (one) flattened squirrel by the front drive. I willing to concede even my cats couldn't have been responsible for the last corpse but they could have chased it to its demise under a truck.
How do I deal with this carnage? Denial that's how. The Guy is in Minnesota so the death will not exist until he returns home. I will enter and exit the house by uncontaminated paths. Hopefully I won't run out of unsullied methods of egress before then.
*No other pictures for the post. You all know what these animals look like and besides, let's respect the little corpses, OK?

Crickets

Crickets
Originally uploaded by modernemama

I found this laid neatly on the step outside the kitchen door. A large cricket - perhaps three inches long.
I don't know what killed it or how it got there but perhaps these two have something to do with it? They look much too innocent, though.

Early morning flowers

hibiscus
Originally uploaded by modernemama

A violent rainstorm woke us at 4 AM but it didn't knock the flowers off the hibiscus on the kitchen porch.

The Vanderbilt Mansion, Centerport, NY

Screen porch
Originally uploaded by modernemama

Steven contemplating how much the maintenance is on the Vanderbilt's Long Island residence. And imagining his yacht, The Alva, docked out on the Sound.

Jungle Maya

Maya in the tall plant
Originally uploaded by modernemama

If you're a tiny kitten and you want some peace and quiet away from the big cats and dogs, where would you hang out? On the balcony, ten feet up in the great room, seems like a safe bet.

Maya

Maya
Originally uploaded by modernemama

As cute as a kitten.

Hermes in the bamboo bedroom

Hermes
Originally uploaded by modernemama

Is this the cutest Siamese kitten?

Balcony kitties

Balcony kitties
Originally uploaded by modernemama

They've been hanging out here for a while but they are making their way downstairs now. I took them for a check up today; Maya weighs 2lbs and Hermes 5lbs.
So far they have stood their ground against the other cats and the dogs and even pushed Sadie and Polly away from the dog food so they can get at the dogs' Nutro.

Hermes and Maya

Hermes and Maya
Originally uploaded by modernemama

Don't get too used to that hiding place, kitties. It's coming out later today.
These are the latest additions to the household. Maya is the tiny tabby and Hermes el bandito is the Burmese cross with the raccoon eyes.

Bunny murderer

Jefke
Originally uploaded by modernemama.

Jefke looks so sweet and innocent this morning, but yesterday evening he was anything but.
I'd just come inside from watering the herbs I'd planted: coriander, oregano, basil and chives, when Polly the dog started her carzy bark. This is different from the "there's someone at the door" or "come and see, someone is jogging past the house". This bark means she is distressed, usually because the cats are play-fighting or a child is crying.
I looked out across the lawn to see what the problem was and there was Jefke carrying a baby bunny by the back of its neck, just like a mother cat carries a kitten. Then he set the rabbit down and it scampered away, only to be chased down and caught by the relentless Jefke.
I know I should have left it alone but Polly was so upset I thought I could get Jefke back in the house and give the bunny time to get away. I tried calling the cat but he just looked at me as if to say "Can't you see I'm busy here?". So I grabbed the hosepipe and turned it on just behind him.
Jefke let go off the rabbit, the bunny hopped off, rapidly pursued by the cat and me until I got halfway across the lawn and realised my neighbour was outside watering his lawn and watching this performance. At that moment the rabbit shot into the neighbour's garage, followed by the cat and my lawn sprinklers came on, soaking me from head to toe.
I have no idea what happened to the rabbit but I gave it up and went home to dry off. Jefke turned up a couple of hours later sans bunny and as of yet my neighbor hasn't mentioned any corpses under his car.