a dreary Saturday... and an earth day Sunday

Look at his little pink fingers...

This is our fat squirrel watching me take his pic...

Two of the frequent visitors to our backyard here.  Neither are too bothered by my taking their picture. 

I know that many people don't like squirrels, or possums, or raccoons, etc. Some don't even care for people feeding the birds. And I do understand that sometimes these critters can be pests... But the truth is, that we've been in this house for 33 years and we've not ever had any problem. We do feed them... and leave out water... and put out a heat lamp when the weather goes below freezing. And in return they don't go into our attic, or chew holes in things, or even disturb our garbage. I know it doesn't make sense to say that we have 'a working arrangement'... but sometimes it does seem that way. 

Registered for both my pottery and a walking class this semester. I'm not sure if this walking class is an extension of the aerobic/yoga class I took a while back... but it has the same Instructor and is given at the same time. We shall see. Classes start again in May.

The weather is cold, wet, and dreary today. I can't quite get myself motivated to do very much. Ran some errands early on, grocery shopped, made lunch (1/2 liverwurst sandwich and plantain chips), worked on Minecraft for a bit, read for a while, and now blogging. 
The liverwurst is something I haven't eaten in a long time... and thought it might be good for me. I do like it. I also started taking my 'one a day petite' vitamins... but haven't taken them long enough to tell if they will make any difference.

My youngest son, daughter-in-law, and grand daughter are in Seattle this weekend. We took them to the airport Friday. Son had some work related event and grand daughter was excited about her first plane ride. Today our DIL sent some pics from their first day. Look at the snow... and the wonderful wooded areas! 

snow up in the mountains

owl up in forested area

grand daughter by stream

Looks like they're having a great time. They love nature... and this area is beautiful!

Happy Earth Day!

from my kitchen window...

Someone mentioned at some point how much they enjoy their 'kitchen window'... and I remember thinking... "Yes! a kitchen window is a must for me too!" So much can be watched, observed, and enjoyed from one's kitchen window. I never mind washing dishes as my eyes are always entertained by the goings on outside.

One of my cousins once told me that she has her sink opened to the living area where she can watch TV while doing dishes. This while  expedient in her case, would never work for me.

Our backyard is just too fascinating to choose TV over the wonders of the outside world.  Watching kittens chase each other or mama raccoons and their babies splash and play in the large water dish is much more interesting. Sometimes the kittens, raccoons, possums, and turtles interact in the funniest ways. Watching a kitten follow a box turtle around the yard or watching 3 young cats circle around a tiny lizard that jumps at them is hysterical.  The fat squirrel that shimmies down the chain to the bird feeder makes us laugh... and the blue jays are the bullies in the backyard bird world (until the crows show up). Nothing bothers the possums... I read that they have both poor eyesight and poor hearing, so unless something is right on top of them, they don't back off. 

Anyway, on the list of *musts* when it comes to housing, it would have to be a kitchen window that opens to the yard. 

Happy Saturday!

cats, possums, and cookies!

Poster I came across this the other day and thought... yep, that's true. 

Julie

Julie sleeping on her spot. She was upset with me because I moved her spot off the counter while I made cookies today. Just gave it back to her.

Tux

And Tux was playful today... lying around on his back playing with his toys.

possum

And THIS is what we saw the other night sleeping in the feral cats' bed on the front porch... a fat ol' possum just making himself at home.  Today we went out and swept off the porch, took away some of the extra box bedding, and will spray and wash the cushions.

Sunday...

Well, I started this yesterday and was interrupted, so continuing today. The possum from above came back again last night.  He doesn't stay all night... seems to nap a few hours and then takes off again.

possum back!

As you can see, Saturday we cleared off all the other beds and wind breakers we had on the porch for when it was really cold. Now we just left the little bed... and apparently it is appreciated.


Here is a picture of the cookies I made. My grand daughter's favorite color is pink... thus, the pink rabbits, carrots, and stars. 

tea cakes and caramel cookies

The pink ones were just iced almond tea cakes, the others were stuffed with home-made caramel sauce. Grand daughter (5) told me that I made the best sugar cookies... that I should make one as big as a house. I asked her why... who would eat a cookie that big? A giant? She said, "no, silly... me!"

And grandson (19) who is visiting with us right now said that those cookies were very nostalgic for him. He remembers the taste from when he was little. (Side bar actually shows a picture of him helping me make those years ago when he was about 4).

OK... just went off to meet a friend for coffee and found that the Starbucks we were meeting at was 'out of power'.  Apparently the whole section of stores on that strip were out... due to the thunderstorm we had during the night or perhaps the high winds??
So we talked for a little standing outside our cars and decided to try again in a week or two. It's pretty chilly and overcast today - and we like to sit outside, so hopefully in a week or two the spring weather will have arrived... (we hope).

Wishing you all a happy Sunday! Thanks for stopping by and praying you all get beautiful spring weather soon! 

Our backyard sanctuary



Looking through our backyard arbor into the greenback beyond...

 

We don't go back there much anymore.  We did once when we first moved here and the kids were young.  We spent a lot of time down on the lower patio by the creek, lying in the hammock, talking,  and drinking wine.  But now it's pretty overgrown, and English Ivy covers everything (which is pretty, but can also hide copperheads and water moccasins).  The feral cats, raccoons, possums, and box turtles love it!  I keep thinking that one day we will reclaim the yard... but so far, we haven't.  (Another big problem that keeps us from enjoying the area is West Nile Virus, which is prevalent here in Texas.)




One of the box turtles that live in our yard.  He comes up to eat the catfood and figs




This pic is of one of our Mama coons and her 5 kits having supper

We do enjoy watching the wildlife. Like our cats, they make us laugh... and sometimes cry.  But we do what we can for them and look upon it as a way to 'give back'.  But I do worry that one day as we get further into our retirement years, we won't be able to maintain them.  And I do believe that if you can't 'maintain' an animal (give it the food, shelter, and health care it needs), then you shouldn't have it.  I read the question on another's blog once (and I think it was meant to be rhetorical), "Is there such a thing as too many cats?" And I have to say, "Yes!"  We now have 6 inside and a host of ferals outside, and for the moment we are able to maintain all of them.  But there will come a time in the future where it may not be possible financially (or even physically as we age). This does worry me.