This morning's view as I walked to the barn to do chores. As beautiful as it was, my heart was heavy, and my fading hope was not revived by Tippy's eager greeting. Monday night he followed me to the house after chores, and talked me into one last snuggle-session (it wasn't hard) before I went indoors. I thought about bringing him inside for awhile, but decided that would only make saying good-night harder on both of us. I haven't seen him since. For a cat as companionable as Tippy, that can only mean one of three things - he's critically injured somewhere, dead, or inside someone's house. I am praying for that last one; he had so much love to give that the world would be poorer for losing him so soon.

How can such a little bundle of furs leave such a big hole?

That's it for now from . . .

Breakfast

Fresh pumpkin -


and cornbread!

Oreo is a weird cat; she definitely has a taste for grains. If I set a pan of sheep grain or a can of chicken feed down when she's around, she'll put a serious dent in the vegetarians' foodstuffs. This morning I tossed some stale cornbread to the chickens and put the pan on the sheep stand in the barn while I did chores. Next thing I know, she was licking up the crumbs.

We wormed Tippy a couple nights ago, so I'm hoping that will help him bulk up for winter. It feels like winter instead of fall now, and Tippy shows a decided preference for the heated tack room most of the time.

That's it for today from . . .

The new crew

Yesterday morning the up-and-coming egg-providers were lined up at the fence waiting for me. They aren't tame, but they know who brings breakfast!

Tippy-tat, on the other hand, is the most affectionate cat I have ever had. I love his white whiskers and "eyebrows," and the few white hairs on the bridge of his nose. Hopefully he will prove to be an effective addition to the rodent-eradication crew at Boulderneigh.

Yesterday's evening color was fleeting; since then it's turned cold, wet and blustery - the perfect "indoor" day. We've got a fire going and I'm going to make bread and granola this afternoon, if Brian cooperates (this morning wasn't so great, or they'd be done by now). I bound-off a gift knit, and plan to cast on another tonight.


That's it for now from . . .

Tipsy Tippy Tuesday

I was going to tell you about our date last night and the fantastic performances of both my new camera and Straight No Chaser, but today's topic was overturned by Rick taking the time to tend to Tippy. Remember Tippy? Poor Tippy has been in "tack room limbo" for way too long, thanks to Rick's heart attack, then a call from a lady who claimed to own him, followed by some investigation, then the same lady's abdication of ownership, followed by concern over whether or not he carries FIV or FeLV (kitty AIDS or leukemia) but failure to hit a vein to draw blood for testing - all seasoned liberally with my dear husband's procrastination. FINALLY, today Rick set aside time to castrate Tippy, planning to collect blood for the tests when he did the deed. Lucky for me, he decided to perform surgery on the laundry room floor instead of on my kitchen table this time.
Lucky for Tippy, once sedated but before slicing, Rick did some professional groping and determined that he had already been neutered! (I had mentioned my suspicions about this early on because the size of Tippy's external anatomy, but had been ignored by the vet.) Oh well, while Tippy was down Rick got the blood necessary from a leg vein and ran the tests, which were negative - YAY! So as soon as he stops being tipsy (it's taking awhile!), Tippy Toes will get to meet Cookie Face (Oreo) and be given the run of Boulderneigh - although all he really wants to is to be a lap cat. Seriously, this is The.Most.Loving cat I have ever met. When I restrained him while Rick tried to draw blood last week, he kept purring, hardly struggled, and never once tried to bite or scratch!

For the record, Tippy weighs in at eight pounds, which makes Oreo look like the "big cat" (she was the "little cat" compared to Ozzie).

That's it for today from . . .

You've gotta love a kind-hearted man

News flash: there's a new cat at Boulderneigh! Rick and Brian brought him home tonight after rescuing him in a nearby town. His owners moved and left him behind, and he was surviving on the street. Rick said he couldn't leave him there to get run over, especially with his little boy pleading, "Please, Daddy; please!" He's a very friendly feline, eager to be a lap cat. We've dubbed him Tippy for his white tippy-toes. He's hungry, intact, has bumpy skin and ear mites, so he'll be a work in progress for awhile. We've got him settled in the tack room for now. I sure hope Oreo doesn't mind kitty company!

That's it for tonight from . . .