Moderately calm day with most residents being home biddies.
TC lurked out of sight until a familiar car drew up at which point he made his presence as obvious as he could, with food very much in his mind.
Butch and Sundance had the same idea, although they have got confused about what food they will eat so are living on biscuits until they can decide. But they got to say hello.
Peter Sellars has a bit of a personal itch problem involving alot of sprays and is being kept indoors until she can be certain of her standing in the world. She is spending alot of time looking out the window.
After dark, however, more started to happen as the fox went rampaging after rabbits making a ruckuss and everyone kept home, apart from Butch who thought he would take in the evening air. This he did for a bit and then home did seem a less fraught place with all the rabbit stuff going on out there. Making sure he was going in to 'company' other than his brother, he opted for the front window, larger field of vision there......
Monday, 17 September 2012
Friday, 14 September 2012
14th September 2012 - Mole revision
Several months ago, TC held a masterclass for the residents of Felicity Terrace in the art of catching moles. Showing the reasons for his 'Yoda' nickname, he watched calmly as his students were each allocated a molehill and he taught them to 'wait'. A cat as a hunter who cannot 'wait' is less efficient and more hungry. Too much noise is made not 'waiting'. His best students were Mad Millie, ever competitive, and the two youngsters, ever keen to learn and alert enough to know when to listen to their master.
Today a new molehill appeared.
But the cat sitting beside it was Cardboard, a cat from outside the Terrace whose size and strength indicates good hunting prowess. Cardboard often sits. He sits for so long that he looks like a cardboard cut-out. Sometimes he sleeps under an oak tree nearby. Today he sat by the molehill. He has learned to 'wait'.
So has the mole.
Today a new molehill appeared.
But the cat sitting beside it was Cardboard, a cat from outside the Terrace whose size and strength indicates good hunting prowess. Cardboard often sits. He sits for so long that he looks like a cardboard cut-out. Sometimes he sleeps under an oak tree nearby. Today he sat by the molehill. He has learned to 'wait'.
So has the mole.
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
4th September 2012 Warm again
So hard to know what to do! First it gets cold. Then wet. Then warm then wet. Now warm again. What is a cat to do?
TC stopped worrying and just flopped onto the path. Behind him the jackdaw was in the apple tree. Did he care? No! Warm, muggy and fur matting, he didn't need to be bothered about anything more than minute by minute coping.
The jackdaw, on the other hand, was having a lovely time. Just right, the apples were ripe but not dropping! Eat your heart out woodpecker, I can peck my fruit where it grows, I have no need of telegraph poles or dead trees! Juice flowing from the flesh of the fruit, bitter as it is.
The nuthatches have both moved back to Felicity Terrace together, but have decided life is far simpler if you just go to the bird table for food, maybe the green hazelnuts gave them indigestion, anyway they have gone big time for peanuts for quite a few days. Still being flamboyantly ostentatious but not much attention paid to the old tree now.
The fly bag is smelly and filling up. Yuck. This seems to add to its attraction in fly quarters. More yuck.
Indoors The Spider is finding competition building up. Fly numbers are down, the fly paper has worked well and maybe the bag too. She needs to build up her elbows to surpasse the other spiders that moved in.
Butch has had a mellow day. Long lie followed by a genial stand-off with TC. Given the day neither had the inclination for more than 'look' training. A few random wanderings and then off to look for craneflies, after finding a dessicated frog on the path. Wonder where that came from?
TC stopped worrying and just flopped onto the path. Behind him the jackdaw was in the apple tree. Did he care? No! Warm, muggy and fur matting, he didn't need to be bothered about anything more than minute by minute coping.
The jackdaw, on the other hand, was having a lovely time. Just right, the apples were ripe but not dropping! Eat your heart out woodpecker, I can peck my fruit where it grows, I have no need of telegraph poles or dead trees! Juice flowing from the flesh of the fruit, bitter as it is.
The nuthatches have both moved back to Felicity Terrace together, but have decided life is far simpler if you just go to the bird table for food, maybe the green hazelnuts gave them indigestion, anyway they have gone big time for peanuts for quite a few days. Still being flamboyantly ostentatious but not much attention paid to the old tree now.
The fly bag is smelly and filling up. Yuck. This seems to add to its attraction in fly quarters. More yuck.
Indoors The Spider is finding competition building up. Fly numbers are down, the fly paper has worked well and maybe the bag too. She needs to build up her elbows to surpasse the other spiders that moved in.
Butch has had a mellow day. Long lie followed by a genial stand-off with TC. Given the day neither had the inclination for more than 'look' training. A few random wanderings and then off to look for craneflies, after finding a dessicated frog on the path. Wonder where that came from?
Saturday, 1 September 2012
1 September 2012 Autumn with green leaves
Some years autumn sweeps in with russet leaves in the latter part of September following a late flourish of warmth and berries. It seems that this year autumn has started barely as August has finished. In a cat world this doesn't really mean much, a world dominated by sleep and by food is fairly resilient, but patterns of possibility change.
Mad Millie has turned mildly indecisive. Her moulting seems to have finished, so she is getting her feisty argumentative streak back into play, but her approach towards Butch and Sundance was decidedly hesitant. She knew she had tormenting fun ahead of her, but still she wasn't utterly sure it would go her way. And in the end she decided against the foray completely and sachayed off.
Peter Sellars has taken to table tops. Nice warm wooden ones. In the sun is best but in the shade is jolly good, too, thanks. She watched Mad Millie's sachay with curious relief, no need to stand HER ground required, odd though.
Butch came past and Peter Sellars hissed and growled. Sundance came past and Peter Sellars looked. Interesting. Both boys went off into the hedgerow after a morning of peaceful sleep.
In the dead tree the nuthatch was tapping. In the same place. Where the tapping was happening there were green tufts.
The nuthatch was also tapping at a hazelnut trapped in wood. Not just a game for the woodpecker after all.
The hazelnut looks green....early autumn then.....
The Spider is 'complicated'. It has been a good season but she may have miscalculated. She appears to have had some children and they are now taking her food. That was a bit of an accident and will not do! She needs to work on getting them into a different area.
Mad Millie has turned mildly indecisive. Her moulting seems to have finished, so she is getting her feisty argumentative streak back into play, but her approach towards Butch and Sundance was decidedly hesitant. She knew she had tormenting fun ahead of her, but still she wasn't utterly sure it would go her way. And in the end she decided against the foray completely and sachayed off.
Peter Sellars has taken to table tops. Nice warm wooden ones. In the sun is best but in the shade is jolly good, too, thanks. She watched Mad Millie's sachay with curious relief, no need to stand HER ground required, odd though.
Butch came past and Peter Sellars hissed and growled. Sundance came past and Peter Sellars looked. Interesting. Both boys went off into the hedgerow after a morning of peaceful sleep.
In the dead tree the nuthatch was tapping. In the same place. Where the tapping was happening there were green tufts.
The nuthatch was also tapping at a hazelnut trapped in wood. Not just a game for the woodpecker after all.
The hazelnut looks green....early autumn then.....
The Spider is 'complicated'. It has been a good season but she may have miscalculated. She appears to have had some children and they are now taking her food. That was a bit of an accident and will not do! She needs to work on getting them into a different area.
Friday, 31 August 2012
31 August 2012 First tinges of autumn...
The air now has a slight chill in it and at last the flies are fewer. There is a black German wasp keen on the raspberry flowers, but thankfully the normal wasps have kept everyone safe from trouble. The German wasp just minds his own business.
But.
Fun to be had!!
Autumn means GAME!
Autumn means craneflies!
Flick, twist, pounce and TC, with all of his body in a Sumo wrestlers flourish, is there! Munch. In touch with his inner kitten he lies languidly in the sunshine and then, whoosh, flick, twist, double paw stab and he is on the next one. And this is just the beginning of the season. How will the fixture be? He grabs a straying fly just because that is his mood.
Above him on a dead tree a nuthatch returns from months of absence. Hard to be sure he has been absent, until his incessant reminders that he has not been around because he is making all the noises he usually makes and no-one has heard.....then it is clear he can't have been around. The noises have been missed. Even if he has not been missed. Tapping, tapping, tapping. Gentle because he hasn't found the hazelnuts yet. (The squirrel has by the rustling)..... Oh. Peanuts. OH Peanuts, how I have missed peanuts. He flies there and stakes his claim. Looking around inviting trouble. No trouble. He flies off. And back. I am BACK! Then goes off and sings his I Am BACK song. In the depths of the bushes because that way he can concentrate and not be conflicted by peanuts.
But.
Fun to be had!!
Autumn means GAME!
Autumn means craneflies!
Flick, twist, pounce and TC, with all of his body in a Sumo wrestlers flourish, is there! Munch. In touch with his inner kitten he lies languidly in the sunshine and then, whoosh, flick, twist, double paw stab and he is on the next one. And this is just the beginning of the season. How will the fixture be? He grabs a straying fly just because that is his mood.
Above him on a dead tree a nuthatch returns from months of absence. Hard to be sure he has been absent, until his incessant reminders that he has not been around because he is making all the noises he usually makes and no-one has heard.....then it is clear he can't have been around. The noises have been missed. Even if he has not been missed. Tapping, tapping, tapping. Gentle because he hasn't found the hazelnuts yet. (The squirrel has by the rustling)..... Oh. Peanuts. OH Peanuts, how I have missed peanuts. He flies there and stakes his claim. Looking around inviting trouble. No trouble. He flies off. And back. I am BACK! Then goes off and sings his I Am BACK song. In the depths of the bushes because that way he can concentrate and not be conflicted by peanuts.
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
29 August 2012 Less flies...
The Spider sits poised. Both front legs feeling the tension on the web. She has spent much of the day on repairs and is waiting for more prey. She has been waiting for a while. The fly paper waits less digestively, but again less action. There is some buzzing but it is random and not so busy. And not so near.
Out on the path a cluster of snails meet in the centre. Shells upward.
Butch and Sundance have had a genial day, a late lunch followed by some soggy hunting. Butch climbed the oak tree and then made a random descent. Sundance manages such an elegant dismount, but big Butch bends the branches too far and always slips off the end at the last moment. With a shake and a look round he trotted off for further insights into life in the hedgerow.
Bristling Millie strode past. She continues to be concerned about the scoring system, did she get the recent point or did Butch? And earlier, what about TC. Confident of her Marcus and Matthew, the others were getting less amenable.
A blackbird pecked at a rotting apple with determination. Sundance was mesmerised until Butch moved off. Now where is he off to? Better make sure he knows where he is this time....
Out on the path a cluster of snails meet in the centre. Shells upward.
Butch and Sundance have had a genial day, a late lunch followed by some soggy hunting. Butch climbed the oak tree and then made a random descent. Sundance manages such an elegant dismount, but big Butch bends the branches too far and always slips off the end at the last moment. With a shake and a look round he trotted off for further insights into life in the hedgerow.
Bristling Millie strode past. She continues to be concerned about the scoring system, did she get the recent point or did Butch? And earlier, what about TC. Confident of her Marcus and Matthew, the others were getting less amenable.
A blackbird pecked at a rotting apple with determination. Sundance was mesmerised until Butch moved off. Now where is he off to? Better make sure he knows where he is this time....
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
28 August 2012
Being a bit cooler, the dynamics are shifting back to a different character. No longer the need to keep in cool spots, TC and Mad Millie shared a peaceful few moments in the sun within 10 feet of each other before skipping off to do some derring do.
TC had a plan to hide, so he sat behind a small tuft of grass. His face was hidden. There is quite a bit more of TC than his face, so he realised that this camouflage wasn't working well. He moved off, pretending it was an experiment.
Mad Millie has gone back to flouncing, all moulting now under control.
So she flounced a bit.
Peter Sellars sat watching, one front paw in front of the other front paw. Ready. For a hiss. She had had a hiss at TC earlier and true to recent form, neither could work out who had won.
There is a need for better scoring on Felicity Terrace.
TC had a plan to hide, so he sat behind a small tuft of grass. His face was hidden. There is quite a bit more of TC than his face, so he realised that this camouflage wasn't working well. He moved off, pretending it was an experiment.
Mad Millie has gone back to flouncing, all moulting now under control.
So she flounced a bit.
Peter Sellars sat watching, one front paw in front of the other front paw. Ready. For a hiss. She had had a hiss at TC earlier and true to recent form, neither could work out who had won.
There is a need for better scoring on Felicity Terrace.
Monday, 27 August 2012
27 August 2012
Oh. Autumn approaches. This is hardly fair, where was summer?
Nights are cool, loads of slugs and snails still out on the town. Hamish seems to be eating the wrong ones.
Water keeps running out of the sky. Feet get wet that way. More slugs come. More flies come. Not what August normally has.
The bag is full of flies. But there are still more. Where do they come from? There are spider webs everywhere, outside windows outside doors on bushes and on trees. Loads of big fat spiders.
Mad Millie chased Butch, he dodged into the pots and ran a good angle on her and then POUNCE and a hiss and off he went, aloof and alert having won a sort of a point. She looked confused, was the point hers or his?
The woodpecker was training the Great Tits. Well he thought he was training them, they thought he was giving them free food at a new bird table. Hazels. Wedged into the crack of the telegraph pole. Tap tap tappity tappity tap. Nut cracked. NEXT! Tap tap tappity tap. Bits left while he was gone, in went the tits! Oh yes! This is the life, much fresher than peanuts! Lots of mess at the bottom of the pole, but who cares!
Nights are cool, loads of slugs and snails still out on the town. Hamish seems to be eating the wrong ones.
Water keeps running out of the sky. Feet get wet that way. More slugs come. More flies come. Not what August normally has.
The bag is full of flies. But there are still more. Where do they come from? There are spider webs everywhere, outside windows outside doors on bushes and on trees. Loads of big fat spiders.
Mad Millie chased Butch, he dodged into the pots and ran a good angle on her and then POUNCE and a hiss and off he went, aloof and alert having won a sort of a point. She looked confused, was the point hers or his?
The woodpecker was training the Great Tits. Well he thought he was training them, they thought he was giving them free food at a new bird table. Hazels. Wedged into the crack of the telegraph pole. Tap tap tappity tappity tap. Nut cracked. NEXT! Tap tap tappity tap. Bits left while he was gone, in went the tits! Oh yes! This is the life, much fresher than peanuts! Lots of mess at the bottom of the pole, but who cares!
Friday, 24 August 2012
Thursday, 23 August 2012
23 August 2012
Bit cooler today so everyone up and out early on. Not alot happening on Felicity Terrace. This did mean that Peter Sellars had a very good time soaking up the sun and indulging in dust uninterrupted. Her old confidence is coming back, it is in every ripple of fluff and flurry. She even sat on the top of the table outside today!
Mad Millie snaked her way through grass and undergrowth, after a hard day out in the middle of somewhere.
All spiders are fattening but there is little dent being made in the fly population. A bag has appeared on an old unused bird feeder which they seem to like, hard to tell if it can dent the numbers. Sometimes they are like some zombie horror movie "And Still They Come!"......................................... Indoors the Spider is taking a rest after 15 flies. The competition with the fly paper is over, it has won. Its technique was its trump card. No digestion required, that was the key.......
What is a spider burp like??
Mad Millie snaked her way through grass and undergrowth, after a hard day out in the middle of somewhere.
All spiders are fattening but there is little dent being made in the fly population. A bag has appeared on an old unused bird feeder which they seem to like, hard to tell if it can dent the numbers. Sometimes they are like some zombie horror movie "And Still They Come!"......................................... Indoors the Spider is taking a rest after 15 flies. The competition with the fly paper is over, it has won. Its technique was its trump card. No digestion required, that was the key.......
What is a spider burp like??
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
22 August 2012
Thistle down! Butch was chasing thistle down! How could he! Flies, mate, flies. Mountains of flies but he goes all flexible for thistle down! What a let down! Not for him, of course, he had alot of stretching to do, it was flying high! Just goes to show the inner kitten is still present in the teenager.
Sundance was confused. With blood on his paws he had managed something, but didn't have it and was cross and complaining alot. He was very keen to tell the story. At length. And repeat it to whoever was in earshot, whether they wanted to listen or not.
Mad Millie just sat and licked her lips.
Sundance was confused. With blood on his paws he had managed something, but didn't have it and was cross and complaining alot. He was very keen to tell the story. At length. And repeat it to whoever was in earshot, whether they wanted to listen or not.
Mad Millie just sat and licked her lips.
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
21 August 2012
Paths and stones. Of course grass too. This is life. Paths and stones have dust and history. Grass even in dry weather can be wet. Eugh!
In the grass is a stone. Each cat has a reverance for the stone and an affinity for it. Even Mad Millie, although she likes to keep low-key about it. Today it was Peter Sellars and she revelled in it! Oh yes! Prospect and refuge all rolled into one! Firm footing for a fast take-off if needed. Warm on a cool day from the sun. Cool on a warm day in the shade of the stool that is often there. TC has a history with that stool. Magic tricks and the stool, making a large cat be small! Both Butch and Sundance stretch their full length across the stone and do extra stretches to get their limbs from one side across to another. They meet there sometimes, sniffing a hello.
Peter Sellers has another place she likes that is SO different to the stone. She has found herself a 'safe place'. Under a rose bush near to the stone. She has made a space just her own shape. All vegetation has gone from this space it is cool and dry and she feels good there. Actually she doesn't really like to move from there....
Marcus went for the walk with Davison and JLo tonight. Mad Millie stayed behind, actually JLo didn't do much walking, she hitched a ride. It may be cooler, but a cool dog always hitches a ride where she can.
In the grass is a stone. Each cat has a reverance for the stone and an affinity for it. Even Mad Millie, although she likes to keep low-key about it. Today it was Peter Sellars and she revelled in it! Oh yes! Prospect and refuge all rolled into one! Firm footing for a fast take-off if needed. Warm on a cool day from the sun. Cool on a warm day in the shade of the stool that is often there. TC has a history with that stool. Magic tricks and the stool, making a large cat be small! Both Butch and Sundance stretch their full length across the stone and do extra stretches to get their limbs from one side across to another. They meet there sometimes, sniffing a hello.
Peter Sellers has another place she likes that is SO different to the stone. She has found herself a 'safe place'. Under a rose bush near to the stone. She has made a space just her own shape. All vegetation has gone from this space it is cool and dry and she feels good there. Actually she doesn't really like to move from there....
Marcus went for the walk with Davison and JLo tonight. Mad Millie stayed behind, actually JLo didn't do much walking, she hitched a ride. It may be cooler, but a cool dog always hitches a ride where she can.
Monday, 20 August 2012
20 August 2012
Flies. Pounce.
Flies. Pounce.
It's hot, now what. Pounce.
The whole of the Terrace is perplexed. Well even more than that, but that's hearsay from here. Which way to pounce? How do you choose when there are so many? Apart from the cats, who is getting to the problem? The birds are eating peanuts, bread and caterpillars. The spiders are slow to process their catches, so the help is appreciated but there is a big job to be done.
Sundance is doing his bit. Pounce! Double twist and a backflip! Were both paws together? Will he get the top marks?
Butch is aware but aloof. His fly catching is a private feast.
Peter Sellars catches from a sitting position, which requires quick wits and an agile neck.
Mad Millie is onto better things. Marcus and Matthew are keeping up with her wishes.
The Spider has a cousin who lives further up the row, out of doors. She has got a bit bored of the constant fly diet and has decided to augment it. This is quite serious as an endeavour, she has roamed far for the delicacy in spite of opposition from everyone else. Near her wall is a bed of cabbages. Well nearish. The cabbages have caterpillars that are lush and juicy and she has collected herself a meal of four of them! To do this she has gone across a roadway and a lawn to a coldframe and then taken them each back across the lawn and the roadway. To sit in her web. That is lunch, supper, breakfast and lunch sorted. Not much cabbage left so no-one will miss them. And there are anough flies around to keep for later....
Flies. Pounce.
It's hot, now what. Pounce.
The whole of the Terrace is perplexed. Well even more than that, but that's hearsay from here. Which way to pounce? How do you choose when there are so many? Apart from the cats, who is getting to the problem? The birds are eating peanuts, bread and caterpillars. The spiders are slow to process their catches, so the help is appreciated but there is a big job to be done.
Sundance is doing his bit. Pounce! Double twist and a backflip! Were both paws together? Will he get the top marks?
Butch is aware but aloof. His fly catching is a private feast.
Peter Sellars catches from a sitting position, which requires quick wits and an agile neck.
Mad Millie is onto better things. Marcus and Matthew are keeping up with her wishes.
The Spider has a cousin who lives further up the row, out of doors. She has got a bit bored of the constant fly diet and has decided to augment it. This is quite serious as an endeavour, she has roamed far for the delicacy in spite of opposition from everyone else. Near her wall is a bed of cabbages. Well nearish. The cabbages have caterpillars that are lush and juicy and she has collected herself a meal of four of them! To do this she has gone across a roadway and a lawn to a coldframe and then taken them each back across the lawn and the roadway. To sit in her web. That is lunch, supper, breakfast and lunch sorted. Not much cabbage left so no-one will miss them. And there are anough flies around to keep for later....
Sunday, 19 August 2012
19 August 2012
Clear skies. Well mostly. Thunder and rain too. Under clouds. Then warm, muggy clear skies. What is a cat to do?
Miaow!
And.
Miaow!
And lick and roll and lick and Miaow!
It's too HOT! The path and its dust got alot of rolling. Sundance has an affection for Feverfew, which is intriguing and novel.
TC went off to find proper cool, the house was a) too warm and b) too full of stupid flies.
Mad Millie laid low.
Matthew went off for an explore and ended up sharing in the group complaint....Miaow!
Peter Sellers was feeling more frisky and went off into pastures further than normal in the heat of the day. She did turn round and go home quite quickly, so nobody missed her.
Butch went to see where his brother was.
Sundance kept asking everyone where his brother was.
The Spider has been keeping up with her 5 a day, although translating the instruction to mean fly protein.
Are the slugs out tonight? I don't know but it's starry and bright! Hamish!!!!!
Miaow!
And.
Miaow!
And lick and roll and lick and Miaow!
It's too HOT! The path and its dust got alot of rolling. Sundance has an affection for Feverfew, which is intriguing and novel.
TC went off to find proper cool, the house was a) too warm and b) too full of stupid flies.
Mad Millie laid low.
Matthew went off for an explore and ended up sharing in the group complaint....Miaow!
Peter Sellers was feeling more frisky and went off into pastures further than normal in the heat of the day. She did turn round and go home quite quickly, so nobody missed her.
Butch went to see where his brother was.
Sundance kept asking everyone where his brother was.
The Spider has been keeping up with her 5 a day, although translating the instruction to mean fly protein.
Are the slugs out tonight? I don't know but it's starry and bright! Hamish!!!!!
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