I got some Tissue cuddles.
Not my usual feline cuddle partner, so I was really enjoying the snuggles.
Hard to believe this was a yard kitten that wouldn’t let us anywhere near her for the longest time! She still has some of her more feral habits, though, as you can tell by the scratches on her nose! This is a girl that stands her ground. :-D
The Re-Farmer
I was just heading back into the house after a quick version of my morning rounds, when I realized I was being watched.
The Potato Beetle was all tucked in!
For those who are new to this blog (welcome!), one of the things we did to help the yard cats over the winter, was create shelters in the bottom two shelves of a shelf we’d removed from upstairs while cleaning out my parents’ stuff. This remarkably heavy shelf was left outside the sun room until we could figure out where to haul it for storage, since the shed we’ve been using to hold all my parents’ stuff is now full. It ended up being so handy where it was, we left it.
The cats liked it, too.
Last winter, I used rigid insulation to create little cat caves in the bottom two shelves, and even left a cardboard box in one for an extra cozy little space. The cats love it, and one of their favourite things to do is just sit in the opening, watching the world go by. :-)
Speaking of shelter, when I came out this morning, I saw at least two kittens were inside the cat’s house. They are starting to come together into one big litter, rather than three little ones! :-) With the cooler nights, I’m glad they have discovered the cat shelter as a warm place to sleep.
I also found another sign of our changing seasons.
It looks like a squirrel has been building up a cache of pine cones for the winter! Usually, they do that in log piles or whatever, not at the bottom of a tree like this, but I think their usual places are now occupied by other critters! ;-)
On a less pleasant note, today was our teleconference court date for the civil suit our vandal filed against me, in retaliation for my applying for a restraining order against him. It was nothing but a call to set a trial date.
At the end of January, 2022.
*sigh*
Apparently, he is now going to have four witnesses, and asked about how to submit things like pictures. Which is pretty pointless, since he’s suing me over stuff I don’t claim ownership of. It’s vexatious litigation, plain and simple.
After the call was done, I tried the court office again about the status of our restraining order, and finally got through. Last month, my application was put on hold as our vandal agreed to undergo a psychiatric assessment, so this month’s court date was just to follow up on that, and the judge said I didn’t need to be there. That was a week ago. When I explained this to the clerk, she was surprised I was told I didn’t need to be there, and I had to explain several times that it was the judge that told me that.
She was able to look up the file and let me know that it was remitted to next month. (These court dates are always on the first Friday of the month, I notice.) There was no information on file to explain why it was remitted. My guess? He wasn’t able to see a psychiatrist within the time frame. Either way, I plan to be there for the next court date, so I can at least hear for myself, what’s going on.
I first filed for a restraining order in October of last year, and our vandal filed his civil suit against me a few weeks later. Thanks to all the restrictions and shut downs, nothing has been resolved in almost a year. About the only good thing is that he has a criminal lawyer defending him about the restraining order, and I think the lawyer is keeping him on a short leash. I haven’t seen him on the trail cams for a while, other than occasionally driving by in one of his many vehicles, or on his quad. As for the civil suit, he was representing himself on the call. While the trial date was being set, he said he would have four witnesses – previously, he’d said he would have three. To what, I have no idea. He also asked about how to submit things like photos. Again, I don’t see what he’s trying to gain, here. I don’t claim ownership of any of this stuff (most of which is junk, anyhow). Plus, in my response, I included an email I’d sent where I told him he could take the stuff he could provide proof of ownership of, like a bill of sale or a receipt. He had his chance, and he didn’t take it. This is all just a waste of the courts’ time.
Part of the frustration is things like today. It seems these court dates do nothing but book new court dates. It just keeps getting pushed forward, and nothing gets resolved.
No wonder our court system is so backlogged, even without courtrooms being shut down due to government restrictions. :-/
Such. A. Waste.
The Re-Farmer
A little while ago, I posted a photo of a mystery critter hole we found by the outhouse.
The small size and lack of a mound of soil had me wondering what critter made this. My husband suggested that it was a back door for the groundhog den. I didn’t think so, since it was so far away from the nearest den, and the grogs are bigger than the hole.
Today, while walking to the garage, I spotted a grog by the outhouse. Curious, I walked towards it and, sure enough, the big bugger actually managed to squeeze into that hole and disappeared! It really is a back door!
Thanks to my brother McGyvering a fix on the push mower, I was able to get all the mowing done in the inner and outer yards.
All of it.
I even managed to mow a lane to the back gate.
When my daughters got back from running some errands for me, one of them was a sweetheart and remembered to grab the can of orange spray paint and marked the yard hazards for me.
I kept forgetting! There’s several rocks, plus some roots and the remains of a tree stump that seem to be lifting higher every year. The rocks, I except, but I’m surprised by the roots and stump.
She even marked the grog hole! :-D
To give an idea of how far away from the den opening this is, I was standing roughly parallel to the grog back door when I took the previous photo of the yard. The main entry to the groundhog den is way in the background, on the right, where the orange tarp is covering the pile of wood they made their den under. I’d estimate the distance is about 80-90 feet between them.
Which means they’ve dug tunnels right under our garden beds.
That is a LOT of digging!
The Re-Farmer
What an adorable way to start the morning!
There are actually six kittens in this photo. There’s the four in the kibble house, Junk Pile Jr at the other kibble tray outside the kibble out, and there’s a grey tabby behind her. You can just barely see the top of it’s back.
Nosencrantz actually stayed in the kibble house with her cousins, while Toesencrantz and her mother used their own private dining area under the shrine. Potato Beetle as hanging out as well, though he walked out of frame as I was taking this picture. :-D I also saw flashes of the other three kittens, wanting to come and eat, but still too nervous with me around. The little tuxedo actually stayed close, and didn’t even leave the kibble house when I went around the other side to fill the kibble tray on the ground. :-)
What an adorable bunch!
The Re-Farmer
I had a very happy surprise this morning, as I headed out with kibble for the yard cats.
One of Junk Pile’s kittens was in the cat’s house, looking at me through the window!
Unfortunately, it ran out and off before I could get a photo. To I have these, instead.
Rosencrantz, Nosencrantz and Toesencrantz enjoyed their private dining area. :-D
I got to boop Nosencrantz on her nose as she gave my fingers a sniff, but she wouldn’t let me pet her today.
The kitten that was in the cat’s house is at the food tray, in between her two siblings. It has the same white and grey tabby markings their mother has. The kitten in the front looks just like Bradicous and Chadicous! I’m told I accidentally closed it up in the sun room a couple of nights ago, so I’m going to have to stop leaving the door into the sun room open behind me when I’m working in the yard. The girls had a hard time getting it to leave, because any time they came near, it would high. Apparently, the tuxedo and Nosencrantz were trying to rescue it. :-)
While picking up fallen branches and adding them to the pile, I had an audience!
I am hoping their curiosity will help us eventually socialize them. :-)
Kittens make for a great way to start the day!
On another note, we found a mystery burrow yesterday!
We found this near a tree, not far from the old doghouse critter shelters by the outhouse. I was working around there not long ago, so I know it wasn’t there just a few days ago.
We don’t know what critter made this! It’s way too small to be a woodchuck. It might be the size of a gopher/prairie dog hole, which are about half the size or less of a woodchuck, except they leave piles of soil around their dens, too. In fact, that’s part of the mystery. This is a very deep hole. Where is the dirt? There is no dirt scattered around at all. I’ve been trying to think of all the burrowing critters that live in our geographical area, and nothing matches. They are either too big or too small for the hole, or they leave hills around their dens. The closest I can think of is rabbits, and we don’t really have rabbits here. We have hares; the big ol’ jackrabbits that are the size of a small dog. There is one type of small rabbit that might be in our area, but from what I can find of what their dens look like, this isn’t it.
Curious, indeed!
I just moved the garden cam back to the driveway. Maybe I should set it up here, to see what lives here!
The Re-Farmer
Just look at that adorable face!
Yesterday, I was able to actually pet her while she was eating. This morning, I was able to touch her, but she would stop eating and move away, so I let her be.
I had to add the rock to the kibble tray to weigh it down, after finding it knocked onto the ground a few times. Mostly because of skunks, but once looked like a critter got startled while it was eating, sending everything flying. :-D
Also, I want to boop that nose.
The Re-Farmer
I was a bit late heading outside to start my morning rounds. As I went into the sun room, there was a sudden chorus of meowing outside the door. There was at least half a dozen cats and kittens, crying for kibble! :-D
Once the food was out, almost all the kittens were at the kibble house, eating away. My presence made them nervous, but not enough to leave completely. Toesencrantz had the kibble tray under the shrine all to herself. The only kitten I didn’t see this morning was the tuxedo.
So many bebbies!!!
The Re-Farmer
While heading out to do my evening rounds yesterday, I topped up the cat kibble – and got invaded by kittens!
There is only one adult cat in the kibble house in the above photo, plus Rosencrantz and her two are at their private dining area under the shrine.
All three litters of kittens were running all over the yard, playing with each other! The fact that most of them stayed to eat while I took photos – even with zoom – is very encouraging. :-) It will be good for them to get used to each other, since we can expect them all to be using the cat shelter over the winter.
While checking the garden beds, the girls gave me a hand moving one of the mesh covers so we could collect our very first chard leaves!
These are the Bright Lights chard, with their brilliant colours.
In the other bed where we had planted chard and radishes, only a single chard plant has survived the grasshoppers, and it’s pretty small, still.
Here we have the largest of the developing Hopi Black Dye sunflower heads. These are the ones that were direct sown after last frost.
This morning, I found this.
This is another Hopi Black Dye sunflower, from the row of transplants. These are the ones that did not germinate until after the others were direct sown, so they were much smaller and further behind. Then they had their tops chomped off by deer. Yet here they are, spindly and barely knee high, yet the seed heads are starting to open before the big ones!!
Speaking of seed heads…
I collected the driest of the poppy pods. I was a bit concerned that the rain and humidity would create a mold issue, so they are now in the sun room. As you can see, some of them are even dropping seeds!
These are Giant Rattle Breadseed Poppy, and the pods should be much, much larger than this, but given the growing conditions of this year, I’m just impressed we have any at all. There are still others that are green, but starting to dry out. I am debating just leaving them be, to self sow for next year. Given how few survived, there isn’t enough for eating, other than a taste, but more than enough to keep seeds for planting in a different area next year, if we want. I wouldn’t mind even finding a spot to scatter them as if they were wildflowers, where we can access them to harvest seed pods, but also where we can leave them to self seed, year after year. At the same time, I’m thinking of ordering more of this variety from Baker Creek, plus trying a different variety of eating poppies I found from a Canadian source. This is something I don’t mind having lots of, as poppy seeds are among those things I enjoy, but rarely buy. Neither variety I’ve found are like the ones I remember my mother growing, but I believe she got her seeds from Poland.
As things are maturing, my mind seems to constantly assess for next year or, as in the case of the poppies, for a more permanent crop. For all the difficulties we’ve had with this year’s garden, due to things pretty much out of our control, we have learned a lot that we can apply to future gardens, what we want to keep, and what we need to change. Especially as we move from our temporary garden beds to our permanent ones. :-)
On a completely different note, today we had an early birthday party to celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday at my brother’s. I was my mother’s chauffeur. :-) We had a great time, and we able to see her great grandson for the first time in almost 2 years. They live in a different province, so it was fantastic that they could come out for the birthday party.
Between the drive and how long we stayed to visit, we were out pretty much all day, but my mother held out very well. She even seemed to like the necklace we got for her gift and put it on right away, though she was completely indifferent to the little bag I crocheted to “wrap” it in. Even when I suggested she could use it to hold one of her rosaries, she said nothing. Now that I think about it, I don’t even know if she took it home. I helped bring in and put away her packages, and it wasn’t in any of them, so unless someone tucked it into her purse, she doesn’t have it. Which is actually a better response than I was expecting. :-D
Some things just don’t change! ;-)
Anyhow.
As wonderful as it was to see everyone, this introvert needs a battery recharge. I think an early bed time is in order! :-D
The Re-Farmer
As I go into the sunroom to get cat kibble and start my morning rounds, I usually see at least one cat waiting outside for me. Typically, it’s Potato Beetle, sometimes Butterscotch or Rosencrantz, and once in a while, I’ll see Broccoli or Nosencrantz near the door.
This morning, I saw a little tuxedo at the door!!!
Even Junk Pile’s kittens are figuring out where the food is coming from, and getting curious!
A couple of kittens had run off before I could take this picture. The kittens inside the kibble house with Potato Beetle (against the wall on the right) are tree of Butterscotch’s. The white tail tip shows that it’s Bradicous in the kibble house, which makes it Chadicous at the food tray outside the kibble house. There are actually three kittens there. You can see the tuxedo’s tail, Chadicous’ face and body, and behind Chadicous is one of Junk Pile’s tabbies.
While Nosencrantz will come to the kibble house as I bring the food out, in the end, Rosencrantz, Nosencrantz and Toesencrantz all prefer their separate kibble tray under the shrine.
I’ve been finding the tray on the ground every now and then. The skunks also like this tray, and pull it off the platform when it’s empty.
On a completely different topic, our lovely rains have brought out the ‘shrooms.
I love finding these tree mushrooms! Which should be oyster mushrooms, but I am not confident enough about that to try eating any. :-D
Today is supposed to be on the hot side, though well within average temperature, with no rain, so I hope to get more progress on the low raised bed today. Tomorrow we celebrated my mother’s 90th birthday early, so it’s either today, or I won’t be able to get at it until next week. Thankfully, these beds are for next year, so there is no urgency to get it done, yet.
The Re-Farmer
We had a brave little visitor while I was putting kibble out this morning.
Junk Pile’s kittens still run off when we come out, but a couple of them are getting a bit more brave about not going far, or coming back sooner. This handsome little tuxedo seems to be the more daring of them. Since they are still really nervous about going into the kibble house while we are outside, I have set up a more permanent food tray, sheltered under the shrine. When I come out with kibble in the mornings, Rosencrantz and, sometimes, Nosencrantz will be waiting at the sun room door for me, then they run over to the shrine and wait for me to bring their share. Being a regular place for food, I am now seeing Junk Pile’s kittens get over to it, rather than the kibble house or simply running away.
What a handsome fella this one is! :-)
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 