Friday cat blogging on Monday

PuddyTat learned this trick from LittleOne when he was too small to jump. Now he jumps as do all the others. Not PT. She's as lazy as her servant.

Seen on a Sunday walk in February

With some new cheap boots to wear - gotta save the Muck boots for serious work - I braved the mud and cinders of the "tracks" for a mile and a half walk. If you look closely, you can see a couple of light spots which were rather obviously beaver felled trees. I had to investigate.

If you look closely you can see that the nearer tree was a successful fall but the farther one was not. Why not? None of it fell in the water and much more work will be needed before any of it is transportable or edible.

The dam is in the same pond but several hundred feet to the left of the photo above.

The dam that has the pond higher than it has been in years is even farther up the tracks. The following three photos are of the dam. It is maybe 15 feet wide and now 6 feet tall. They have worked on this for years. When the pond gets too high, the neighbors poke holes in it. For that reason I wonder how long the beavers will be able to use this ledge.

This is the outlet to the lake. Water always seeps thru under the tracks.

This photo of two geese was taken just to the right of the previous photo. I need to watch for the geese and chase them off the yard. Our annual battle is beginning too early this year.

First signs of new life 2012

I'm pleasantly surprised that the daffys don't have squared off leaves from the frosts. These are very close to the house. the ones in the yard have yet to poke their leaves above the surface. Probably wise.

Friday cat blogging on Thursday

All four of the clan waited for me this morning. Tim was "outside" as there was no room in the inn. Well, there is an additional box to the right of what you can see but I don't think anybody uses it. They want to see what is going on inside the house. Jellico on top, PuddyTat below and LittleOne on the right. All were damp. I don't like petting wet cats and they don't like it either but they still mob me for attention.

After eating, LittleOne went about his business while the other three settled in for a nap. I've tried to get a photo of the difference in size between Tim and PuddyTat. This is as close as I've come. Tim is FAT.

Kitten season is upon us. I haven't seen any strays lately and hope there aren't any in the neighborhood. LittleOne came home with a wound on his head a week ago so there must be at least one female worth battling for.

Here a scaup, there a mallard, everywhere geese, geese...

The waterfowl flocked to Conneaut Lake where bubblers keep the ice away. The clump of smaller birds swimming away from me to the right of the dock on the left was a flock of scaup. There were mallards scattered thru the crowd of geese. I didn't try to count. The open water was covered with geese. There is still a huge flock there but nothing like on this cold day in January.

A visit from a notcat

Tim above and PuddyTat below seemed unperturbed by the presence of the other critter munching catfood for breakfast.

The possum seemed unperturbed by the felines.

When I went out s/he retreated to the cardboard catbox and watched me.

When I went back in s/he checked out the other catboxes and the window. I could get nose to nose without alarming the obviously young visitor.

S/he pushed up the blanket to reveal the heating pad. I was afraid s/he would settle in between and was relieved awhile later to find my newest notcat was gone.

I don't like seeing these critters in the daylight as I worry about rabies. This young one seemed quite healthy, just hungry. I don't mind the possums because they just eat and leave. The raccoons play and do lots of damage. I won't put up with them for long before setting the trap. I never saw any critters last winter. I wouldn't be surprised to see the groundhog if we have a week of warmth.

On a Sunday

The snow on the foliage along I-79 looked like cottonballs as I drove up to North East for the latest in their Second Sunday concerts.

The "concert" was more like eavesdropping on friends who were playing thru their favorite music than a formal concert. Their choices were wonderful and fun in a classical music sort of way. At least for me all but one were familiar favorites from various combinations of instruments and voices played simply (well, the music wasn't all simple to play) on horn and piano. I'd like to hear more of the Faith piece.

Chelsea Nelson was the featured performer accompanied by Carol Carlson. Chelsea is from North East and is in her first year at Eastman. She is excellent.

Brahms: Scherzo from Serenade in D, Opus 11
Rachmaninoff: Vocalise
Mozart: Concerto #3 in E-Flat, K. 447
Richard Faith (b 1926): Movements for Horn and Piano
Schumann: Widmung
Schumann: Im wunderschönen Monat Mai
Purcell: "I attempt from Love's sickness"
F. Strauss: Nocturno #7
Beethoven: Scherzo (Allegro molto e vivaci) from Septet in Eb

I heartily recommend these concerts at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross in North East, PA.

Back to cats

 PuddyTat and Tim are more interested in the running water than a little warm milk. LittleOne likes the milk.