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.

Our Bible study group (all but me and one other) updated

How I managed to capture us in moments when we aren't laughing is a mystery. We look like such a dour group when we are in fact very lively and funny. We are usually in the church tho not this particular night when we met before an Open House where the people who came stayed long past the advertized closing hour.

At the request of two, I have removed the photos of people. I will email the admittedly not too complimentary photos to members of the group who request them.

I rarely identify individuals on my blog. In this case I did not even identify the location. There are few who actually visit the blog and most of those who do are relatives, close friends or people from who knows where who stumble on it. "Local" people are few and far between and always related via church. Nevertheless some are especially sensitive and I honor that.

Family Christmas 2011

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath to see the world's cutest grandnephew and niece tear into the latest parental offerings. Well, you'll have to go here.

Happy New Year.

Cat story

This is NOT how my cat clan began.

The story is here.

Only Tim(id) and PuddyTat remain. Today they are looking out on the world from heated blankets.

Open but closed

This is a church. It has no windows. Well, it has windows in the Sunday School part. When I saw it I wondered if the lack of windows signifies their unwillingness to allow any outside opinions to corrupt their beliefs. Probably totally carpeted and padded with lots of electronics and closed minds? It looks very unwelcoming.

RIP Tommie

This was battered, very male Tommie in better days. Lately he has had a respiratory problem that got steadily worse and noisier. Unfortunately he had never been handled. Tho he always wanted my attention since he has been sick, he wouldn't allow me to pick him up. Today I came home to find him on the ground under the cathouse, still warm but lifeless. I'm so glad his suffering is over! I'm glad he was home so I know what happened to him. I'm not good at grieving but I am a little tearful. Weird. Surprising. RIP old man.

A box, a cat

PuddyTat found the box that Jellico once occupied. LittleOne looked on while I took the photo. I need to replace the box the raccoons demolished last winter. Or maybe not. There are plenty of others plus the barn for warmer retreats when the weather gets cold. The heating pads are already in the boxes above but they only get plugged in when the temp is below 25F and there is a cat in the box to enjoy the warmth.

An adult Thanksgiving 2011

My nephew

His wife did most of the cooking

My bro and sil

The gorgeous canine in the family

My bro needed a little extra help

My sil and nephew began Christmas decorating

My bro and me

My sil and me

It was a long wonderful day

A Saturday

Tommie on top with Jellico and PuddyTat below were waiting for breakfast.

A beautiful weather day followed. There were many fishermen in boats dotting the lake. A little unusual for November. Yes, one or two people are fishing almost every day possible but this many boats is odd. I counted a dozen on our end tho they aren't all in the photo.

How to embarrass a brother

He was introduced in Dallas for his keynote address at an Angel conference as the true rock star angel. Angels fund business startups. He blows sax but not guitar. This photoshop is hilarious. And they included a bow tie which he always wears.

More clouds 11.8.11

In the second photo there is a rainbow. I wish you could see it. The clouds this year have been fascinating. Well, frankly, the weather this year has been, um, interesting. So far we have escaped most of the nasty stuff. So far.

A person I know doesn't like my use of "interesting". Her problem. I assign it to anything worth thinking about beyond the surface. 

Friday cat blogging on Tuesday

This is what happens when I open my kitchen window. Tim, Tommie, Jellico and LittleOne. PuddyTat never gets involved in this sort of closeness.

Sometimes the weather is just too tempting

to sit inside in another meeting. 

Cell phones were aimed skyward tonight

These photos were taken outside Panera in Cranberry tonight - Tuesday, 18 October 2011 around 6:30 pm. A whole bunch of people were taking photos with their phones. The camera can't quite portray the clouds accurately. It was definitely unique and spectacular.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

The perils of being Senior Warden...

Neither in nor out

I have the utmost admiration for those who are willing to possibly newly expose their true selves on this "Coming Out Day"!

If I were to have the person who currently holds my interest return my affection, I would probably startle many friends but, luckily, not my family. That isn't going to happen however. And I have neither aspirations nor expectations, just the hope that I can continue this aspect of my life as long as possible. Not that I would reject an improvement...

Cat trap

Maria posted a photo of cats in boxes entitled "Cat traps" on my Facebook page. So I put a couple of boxes out to see what would happen. Tommie immediately climbed in. PuddyTat sat outside. Later LittleOne and Jellico were in the boxes but left as soon as I opened the door to take a photo. Ineffective traps.