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Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Cats... you gotta love 'em


Backyard ferals



Our backyard sometimes looks like a wildlife refuge... which I guess it is.  In these 2 pics, there are 2 mama cats and their assorted kittens... all black... so hard to distinguish (altho DH does do so and has names for certain ones).  Due to lack of rain our grass looks pitiful, but in the spring when everything is green and lush, you only see little black heads pop out here and there in the long grass. It's funny! Kind of like one of those games where you pop the critter on the head with a mallet when the head pops up? Little black heads pop up everywhere!




This is Tux with a new toy we bought the inside cats. I saw something similar on Deb's "Just Cats" blog.  The cats really seem to like it... especially Tux. 




This is Julie and (if you look closely between her paws) her toy mouse. She loves hitting, tossing, and grabbing it out of the air.



This is her "... I dare you to touch my mouse" face.

We were supposed to have company this past weekend, but unexpected things came up and it was cancelled. We were all disappointed, but we plan to get together again in October for a family wedding, so it will all work out. But... I did stuff artichokes in advance as well as making a peach custard pie... However,  DH was happy enough to eat both on his own.






















I know I haven't blogged in a while. Lots going on... and haven't been feeling *up to par*.  Went to the doctor's last Friday and am feeling a bit better. They're going to run some tests... (always fun, yes?). 

Well, there's not a lot of *content* in this post, but at least it shows that I'm still around. Fall classes start next week, and I have to say that I've gotten a bit lazy over the summer.  It's nice not to have to be up and dressed and be somewhere for a certain time. But... I do like working with the clay, so I plan to continue. And even though I haven't been *up and out* a lot , we did get some things accomplished... like a thorough house cleaning, went through tons of old pictures - sorting them out to give to other family members, and DH and I cleaned out the closets... giving away about 6 large boxes of clothes we no longer use. So we weren't totally lazy.





I bought this magazine last week at Central Market and it has some really good recipes in it (I hardly ever buy magazines). The fried green tomatoes on the front cover caught my eye... as I love fried green tomatoes, but have never attempted to make them myself (true be known, I don't *fry* much of anything). But... my SIL made them at her place not too long ago.. and they were delicious. 





13 comments:

  1. Hope you are feeling better, just how many cats do you have? Ha.

    I have got to try fried green tomatoes, I have some gluten free cracker crumbs, this saturday I'll get some green tomatoes at the farmer's market to test them out.

    that pie looks delicious.

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    1. We have 5 inside only cats. The outside ones are ferals or neighborhood cats that spend time in our yard. They are welcome to find sanctuary there... and food and water. If we get hold of the kittens we take them to the Adoption Room at our local animal shelter. And if we can get the adults friendly enough, we have taken them to get vaccinated, spayed, and neutered.

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  2. Your photos are cute. Glad they appreciate the ESS. Ours love to lie under them. So, tell me Rian, what are your plans for the ferals? It's so funny to see that not one of them have any distinct markings. I hope all goes well for them. Your peach pie would be gone in seconds here. :) Deb

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    1. Some do have distinct markings... just hard to see unless you're around them a lot. DH can tell them apart. I can on a few. We believe in catch and release and do this when we can. However, we haven't had much luck lately. With the shelters full of kittens, I do worry that black ones are not as popular. But we won't deny them sanctuary...

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  3. You certainly are a cat lover, Rian. Those little black heads seem to be multiplying, but that's the way of cats, isn't it? I do hope you will be feeling better soon, and that you will be posting about that happy moment. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :-)

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    1. Thanks, DJan. As for the little black heads... yes, there are quite a few. However, as they mature, they tend to drift off.. and only return occasionally (usually to eat).

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  4. The first fried green tomatoes I had were pretty bad. But ten or more years later I had goooooood fried green tomatoes. Yum, yum.

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    1. The ones my SIL made were delicious! But I'll let you know how mine come out... if I ever get around to making them.

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  5. Wow, that's quite the black cat colony! I'm so thankful they have you to care for them. I know you trap and neuter when you can...We definitely need more humans who care!

    All your food would be gone pretty quickly if I were there. LOL. You always make such yummy dishes. Makes me almost wish I enjoyed food prep, but the best I can do is throw frozen fish in the toaster oven, or make the occasional chicken dish, with a salad. Used to bake a lot when I was younger, but not in more recent years. I'd eat it all anyway.

    Summer is drawing to an end here and I don't even have anything productive done (other than going to work), so I think you and your hubby have done well, frankly.

    Good luck with the medical tests and purrs from the boys.

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    1. That's the truth, Kim. There are lots of people who don't care. Guess DH and I fall into the *crazy cat people* category... but we know better than to take too many into our home (keeping things clean and free of cat hair for 5 cats is a chore in itself)... but if providing a safe place, food, and water for those less fortunate (homeless) is crazy, then maybe we are. But I'd rather care too much, than not enough.

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  6. Those black cats are just gorgeous! And Tux looks very happy with his new scratchy thingy. I had one of those, then Alex the tripod kitty peed on it!

    Hope you are feeling much better very soon.

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  7. There is a place for your family in cat heaven.
    I have been slowly cleaning out closets and taking car loads to Habitat for Humanities ReStore. I really like the work they do.

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  8. Julie certainly has an amazing pair of eyes ...wouldn't you love to know what she was thinking?

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