A Creature of the Night

I lock the kitties up in the barn every night because of the coyotes, killer owls, raccoons and other dangerous creatures of the night. Well, last night I went out to the barn just before I went to bed to turn off the fan that brings cool air in through the window. Suddenly, hearing something, Teddy jumped up on the kitty house to look out the window. I thought I heard a growling noise and wondered what Teddy could be growling at. But Teddy wasn't growling and neither was Buddy or Patsy. Again I heard the low, powerful growl and I could tell it was coming from outside the window in the dark night.

Yikes, I thought, my hair beginning to stand on end. I'm trapped in here surrounded by some unknown, very bold and probably dangerous animal. I have no telephone, no car, not even an axe or shovel. (the shovel was leaning against the wall of the barn, outside)

I made my way cautiously over to each window peering out for a glimpse of any movement or any ominous shadow. Not seeing anything, I grabbed a weapon, the broom. It was either that or the snow shovel. Slowly opening the door I looked out making sure that my escape route to the house was clear. While I was getting up my nerve to leave the safety of the barn the unthinkable happened. Teddy brushed past me and with one leap was gone into the dark.

Luckily the movement triggered the motion sensor lights at the top of the barn to come on and with super-human speed I was able to run after and catch brave (or should I say, stupid) Teddy and whisk him back to the safety of the barn. What was he thinking!

Back in the house, I still had an eerie feeling that something was outside lurking. I closed all the blinds and made doubly sure all doors were locked.

I remembered all the times, though the past six years, that I've gone out into the pitch black night searching for Teddy up and down the road and through trees and bushes. All I ever carried was a flashlight. I'll be taking my shotgun with me from now on if I have to venture outside at night.

The Kitty Trail

I went for a walk on the 'Kitty Trail' yesterday evening around sunset. It had been a hot day in a whole string of hot days and it was finally cool enough to be outside for any length of time. The 'Kitty Trail' is a little trail that goes up a little knoll in front of our house and then looks down the other side on the valley below. I gave it that name because I used to have kitties who would go on walks with me, and that's usually the way we went. Now days, I take the trail mostly by myself (lazy kitties). Anyway, last evening as I was walking to the top of the knoll I noticed small foot prints in the sandy soil. They were evenly spaced and about a foot and a half apart. Then I suddenly noticed that the tracks were spaced about four feet apart. I couldn't imagine how a small person, possibly an older child, could have such a long stride. Just at that moment I heard a very high pitched buzzing and noticed that my head was engulfed in a huge swarm of flying insects. They were buzzing in my ears and trying to go up my nose. I began swatting and as I ran I realized that my foot steps matched the tracks on the trail, the ones that were four feet apart.

What's Missing Now?

During the last few weeks a lot of items around the house have come up missing. First, it was the silver pie server, which has been gone for a couple of months. I like to make pies and I really miss that nice big shiny pie server that matches the beautiful silverware Roger's mother gave the family many years ago.

And I've noticed recently that I cannot find the Stake Telphone Directory. I use it sometimes when I do the Sunday bulletin.

One missing item that has gotten me into trouble is the family calendar which has everyone's birthday on it. I've had to mail a few "Sorry This is Late" cards.

I needed the latest Ensign Magazine last month to look up the Visiting Teaching message and not only was it gone, but all of the recent Ensigns had vanished.

Now the latest items, nowhere to be found, are two heat bags (the kind you warm up in the microwave and apply to sore muscles and other achey places) Oh, and I forgot to mention that we can't find Roger's hair brush.

I know it's normal to lose things once in a while that you eventually find, but these items are adding up and none of them are turning up!

Being a known sleepwalker, who tends to rearrange things at night, I have my suspicions as to who is responsible for the mysterious disappearances. Roger is just hoping that some day soon I'll find my little stash.

Little Prisoners

I stopped by PetSmart to pick up another kitty brush since the other one disappeared from the back porch. (very suspicious) I studied the wall of kitty brushes...all sizes, shapes, colors, and purposes. Finally selecting a medium sized pink one I headed for the cash register. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a row of cages against the distant wall. I didn't intend to seek out the pets that day. I didn't even know PetSmart sold pets. And before I knew what happened I found myself headed for the cages and the little kitty cats each one contained.

Most of the prisoners were kittens, some half-grown, and some tiny, but all of them adorable. I could barely contain myself as I watched their furry little bodies, sleeping, trying to play in the cramped conditions or just sitting there looking at me through the bars.

I had only stood there for a few seconds when one little orange kitten got up from his bed, stood at the bars and looked at me right in the eyes as he cried. He reminded me of Zeke, a kitty I have at home. And it broke my heart to see him begging me to rescue him from that awful place. I already have four kitties at home, I couldn't possibly think of making it five!

As we stood there with our eyes locked, both of us close to tears, I knew it was truly a crime for little kittens to be locked up unable to run and play and with no one to love and pet them. So with a heavy heart, I told the little orange kitten I was sorry and left to go pay for the brush.

It's been a few days now but I still think about the little orange kitten, hoping he got adopted and wondering if I should go check.; )

Cherry Thief

In case you can't tell this is a picture of a little pile of pie cherry pits. What few cherries my tree did produce this year were taken down one by one and eaten in the same place at the foot of the tree by a red-breasted robin thief.

That Darn Cat!

Zeke had a problem and I knew it was really bugging him as I watched him scoot across the grass on his hind end. He was trying, without success, to scrape off a turd that was stuck in his fur underneath his tail. I knew he needed help taking care of the problem but I also knew it would mean trauma for both of us, so I decided to let him solve his own problem any way he could.

Later, I was walking through the garage when I noticed brown streaks across the hood of my car and a small clump of brown stuff on the windshield wiper. I was disgusted by the sight but I also had to admire his ingenuity; the wiper is a good tool for helping to dislodge something sticky.

Glancing around for the culprit, I noticed him scooting across the graveled driveway once again trying to rid himself of the sticky mass. That was it! That cat was going to have a bath. I filled the car wash bucket with warm water, donned my rubber gloves and went to work. I never knew it was possible for a cat to fight, yowl and purr at the same time. And when I was finished with him I took care of the car too.

I felt a sence of accomplishment later, having a clean cat and a sparkling clean car. But then, once again, I was walking through the garage and I noticed that a cat had thrown up on the hood of my freshly washed car! I guess the bath was more upsetting to Zeke than I thought. The moral to this story is to take care of problems when you first notice them, or they might come back to bite you.

Chasing Deer

I thought the deer had moved on up the mountain for the summer where the lush grasses and a veritable feast of wild flowers grow. But I was wrong. I looked out the window yesterday morning to admire my promising strawberry patch. What was once covered with blossoms and healthy dark green leaves, was now stripped and unrecognisable. Most of the blossoms were gone and just bare stems with no leaves attached to them were sticking up into the air.

How long I stood there staring in disbelief, I do not know. But finally it donned on me what had happened and who most certainly did it! My eyes then wandered to my prize Creeping Phlox with their bright colors of pink, purple. Once again I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth as I observed a scene of devastation.

So this afternoon I was ready when I glanced out of the window and saw a deer wandering by, grazing as it went. I grabbed my shotgun and ran for the door. Opening it quietly I slipped out and aimed above their heads and shot. I think the blast startled me more that it did the deer; one gave a little jump and the other got up from where it was planning to bed down for the night and then they both just stood and stared at me.

Okay, I thought, I'll just leave the gun and chase them by foot out of the country! Still recovering from a surgery a few weeks ago, it was harder than I thought. The steep climb made my heart pound like crazy as I gasped for breath. And gasping for breath then made my lungs burn like never before. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the back end of a deer disappear behind some bushes way up the hill. So after recovering somewhat I renewed my vow to chase them over the mountain.

Twenty minutes later I reached the top of the first hill and not hide nor hair of those deer was to be seen anywhere. With some satisfaction and sence of accomplishment I headed back home. But just in case they show up again, I have covered with wire mesh what pitifully remains of the strawberry patch and the phlox.