On the One Cold Day

On the one cold day the outcast rooster nobody likes gave me his sad eyes.

Claire complained of cold feet as did the aloof white rooster who seems to get along with everyone in the barnyard.

I searched high and low for my barnyard companion Oliver the cat . . .

And found the naughty animal where he wasn’t supposed to be . . .

I have no idea how long our “outside” cat napped on my bed or who let him sneak in, but isn’t he cute?

 

Kitty Makes a Decision

Oliver sees something.

Kitty spends a lot of time in the garden chasing chipmunks and killing innocent Garter snakes, but sometimes he just strolls around taking in his little paradise. What’s that?  It smells like a funeral. It must be those lilies.

Just around the corner kitty’s tricky owner has a fake bird watching over the clematis. Kitty isn’t happy about things that look like things they are not.

A guest arrived and brought a mobile with fake dragonflies that light at night (something about solar power was mentioned). Kitty’s owner was thrilled with the gift. Kitty found it provoking (since he couldn’t eat them) but said nothing.

Kitty then heard a ruckus in his yard. There he found Ferdinand splashing around in his “pond.” Kitty pointed out that it was a discarded plastic saucer for snow. Ferdinand told Kitty where to go and continued with his bath.

Kitty wondered if Ferd knew the consequences of Sophie suddenly going off to be with her eggs for hours on end. He decided to leave the happy duck in his ignorance as soon he might be a father.

It occurred to Kitty whilst muttering about Japanese beetles on his owner’s  zinnias that he was becoming a fly in the ointment sort of cat. Must he always notice the beetles and the plastic and the quacking of those insufferable ducks?

He decided to turn a new leaf. He promised himself that from now on he would never, ever complain about Friskies Pate when he only really loved Friskies shredded beef.

Goat Herder Kitty

127 Gallons of Sap=A Lot of Time Outdoors

Mud and Syrup

Cold feet, warm sap.

This week the sap is flOWING! At the weekend we fired up the sap evaporator for the first time this year and it was still a bit gloomy with a touch of flurries. The cat loved the new heater.

Cat Purring Loudly.

We added a rack to get heat flowing better to the sap.

Watch out, Kitty!

Smart animals kept their distance.

Studies say 1 in 5 farm kids will enjoy sapping outside on a blustery day.

I break for a Nala photo.

She loves sapping.

I then break for coffee and some light reading. Did you know in the US that a jury can disregard a law if they think it unjust?

Power of the People!

I can’t stand still so I head down to the goats and chickens for some mud.

http://thewickedchicken.net/2015/03/17/mud-is-healthy/

I attempt a goat and me selfie, but it’s not really successful. The John Deere cap and scrunchy will keep this shot out of the fashion manuals.

Mollie watching her footing. She detests mud.

Mollie, stand still.

Yes, on sapping days there’s no such thing as glamor, but life is definitely sweet.

 

There’s a monster under the bed!

Oliver in the house when he’s supposed to be in the barn catching mice.

My daughter took this one.

Winter Walking Companion (He Cries When I Get Too Far Ahead)

Oliver doesn’t love the snow.

But he puts up with it to come on goat walks.

He stretches.

He investigates.

Basically just looks cute.