Sights from around Crooked Acres.
This is the feeding station we have set up for the feral/ outside cats (and raccoons, possums, birds, any wandering animal, etc). Fred took a scrap piece of roof and made a little platform for the food bowls. (The water bowls are about 30 feet away, next to a faucet.) It works well to keep the food dry, which means I don’t have to toss wet food, clean the bowls, and refill with dry so that Maxi and Rupert won’t starve. I’m happy, cats are happy, Fred is happy that I’m not complaining any more. It’s a win!
This is Dolores, the orb weaver who lives in the front flower bed. She’s about doubled in size since we first spotted her.
I glanced out the other day to see this little bird sitting on the side stoop, eyes closed. I was concerned that he was hurt or maybe too small to fly, so I went out to check on him.
He said “Get away from me, lady!” and flew off.
Have you ever seen happier pups?
Toasty the rooster, walking around with his wings held away from his body ’cause it’s hot. I can sympathize.
Fred tossed a cracked egg to the chickens. This hen picked up a piece of the shell and ran around announcing loudly that she had something good. I’ll never understand why they feel the need to announce it. If she kept quiet and just went over away from everyone, no one would try to take it away from her.
Pigs, keepin’ cool.
Ducks, doing the same.
“Oh, lady, is so so so hot. The only thing that make me feel better is cookie. COOKIE. You has?”
“No cookie? ::sigh::”
Gracie loves to watch the bugs flit around on the surface of the water.
We went out to the pond at dusk the other night, and there were bats flitting down to the water’s surface. I think between the bats and the catfish, the mosquito problem is well under control. (I’m assuming bats eat mosquitoes.)
Having eaten his treat, George rests and keeps an eye on his flock.
I wish I’d gotten his feet in this picture, because this little rooster has such heavily feathered legs that it looks like he’s wearing feather slippers.
That is one single Muscadine plant. There were originally two planted there, but the second one died. The hardier one lived, and I’ll be making Muscadine jelly ’til it comes out my ears.
Tomatoes to the right, pole beans to the left. This picture was taken before I went through and seriously hacked away at the tomato plants yesterday morning. I pruned them seriously, and pulled up a couple that were not doing well. I’d tell you the details of my pruning process, but honestly? I just hack randomly at the plants, cut branches in no particular fashion, and they always forgive me and come back bigger and better.
Aphids all over the grape vines (not the Muscadines, which are aphid-free, but the grapes growing on the fence in the back yard.) Stupid aphids.
Caspian, thinking deep thoughts. Or going to sleep.
Gotta take a bath first, though. (That’s Dingwall Scotty in the background.)
Silly boy.
Isn’t he a gorgeous boy?
It’s lucky that when I released the ‘Maters to explore the house, their Stranger Danger Floof suits were freshly washed and pressed.
Dingwall Scotty’s making sure he remembers the way back to home base.
First Caspian was all ::SNIFF::
Then he put on his Stranger Danger floof very quickly. You can see that Miz Poo was mightily impressed.
Sungold, with a bit of the floof going on.
Wellington has a particularly impressive suit, no?
::snooze::
::STRETCH::
::snooze::
I was outside in the garden, and when I came inside, I found this going on in the kitchen. I can only imagine how much growling and hissing there was from Stinkerbelle before I walked in.
Look at Stinkerbelle. She is SO appalled at Kennebec’s nerve.
Kennebec tried to remember how he got up there…
The floor’s awfully far down for a little guy.
“Hmmm….”
He went back up and came back down a few times before he figured it out.
Then he went and hung out with his sister on top of the bookcase in the front room. It’s much safer there!
Joeby Joe the Tuxie-doe…
says “Get over here and rub my belleh, yo!”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Previously
2011: “Maybe I’ll cut this bratty little Spice for flipping over the Ham-mick.”
2010: “I disapprove of this behavior.”
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: Really, here at Crooked Acres, it’s sometimes best to just look the other way, and not ask aaaaaaany questions.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
aHHHHH,,,,,”Hello, Dolores!”
Your garden is impressive! I wish I had some land for one! WHHHAAAAAA!! I do believe bats eat mosquitoes (and moths)…and so do dragon flies! You need some ladybugs for your aphids!
Kennebec – brave boy!!! Maybe Stinker will get a soft spot for him?!!!
Love all the pictures around the farm and love love love George and Gracie!!!
It’s interesting you mention dragonflies – when I went out to the back forty, there were maybe 100 dragonflies swooping around near the coop. I came in to see what they eat, and found that flies are one of the things they’ll eat. God knows there are plenty of flies out there – and the dragonflies are welcome to them all! 🙂
Kennebec is what a friend of mine refers to as a Felis altitudinus – a cat who likes high places. (Lots of them do.)
yep, bats love mosquitos. I loved watching the bats swoop over water at dusk! no bat watching where I live now. sigh.
Poor Stinkerbelle does not look happy at all at the intrusion!
giggle at stranger danger floof!
Bats eat their weight in Mosquitos each night!
If you look up Wild Heart Ranch in Oklahoma
(there on my fb too) I think you will not only
love them but they are selling bat houses to
raise funds!
Everything looks awesome at Crooked Acres!
Thinking I’ll email you later to pick your brain.
Our local SPCA is horrendous! 4 cats just dead
In their kennels in the past 3 days! I’m sick over
It!
OMG! That is horrendous! Do they know the cause?
Janice, that’s terrible! Where are you located?
I too have heard that bats eat their own weight in mosquitoes every night. Bats are good! And spiders give me the willies, but that is a lovely photo of Dolores.
Stranger danger suits! I love it!
I’m with everybody else – bats love mosquitoes. That would explain why you don’t have mosquito problems.
As for the aphids, have you considered releasing ladybugs? Ladybugs are awesome and harmless and NOMNOMNOM aphids like crazy.
I’m considering it now that you and GD mentioned it! 🙂
I will third it! Bats for the mosquitos and ladybugs for the aphids and pictures for us. You have everything covered Robyn-nice job!
Ladybugs are considered good luck too! When my credit card company let me choose the image for my card, I chose ladybugs. Although I’m not sure what’s so lucky about owing money 😉
Besides, seeing ladybugs will only make you smile….how could they not? 🙂
Ladybugs are always good for a smile 🙂
Love looking at all your photos~~inside kitties and outside animals~~love your little place in the country.Thanks for sharing them with us.
I second that motion! Thanks for sharing….I get to “visit” a little everyday.
Our neighborhood ducks just showed up in our backyard. Must go out and give them some corn. I remember your trials in getting those ducks to go on the pond. Now look at them. We had a possum on the deck last night and a fox in the bird feeding area of our backyard the day before. I don’t put out food for them but I do have several bowls of water scattered around for any critters that show up. They are having such a tough time this year. I have had my two tomato plants attacked by white flies. I tried the soap and oil mix spray but I think I was too late. I will probably put the plants out of theri misery today. I like seeing green grass. It seems so odd considering everything here is wheat gold if it has not just caught on fire and is now black.
How sweet of you to put out water. So sorry to hear about the fires. Will send up prayers for you for rain.
There’s not a thing cuter than kittens in their stranger danger suits. Surprisingly, I’ve never seen my fosters put theirs on. Not even when Uncle Norman barges in and eats their food.
Kennebec the fearless mountain explorer appears to have left his suit at home, though. 😉
I think your chicken with it’s prize is a lot like kitties. I quite often tell Fleurp to be quiet and she can have all of the hamburg I’ve portioned out to give to the kitties, but she can’t and they come a runnin. I think it increases their status to have something someone else wants and they are less likely to be picked on..
Love that the kittens love their new suits.. and wear them when ever they can!!
My parents taught us to not bother spiders and their webs in the yard. One clothesline pole was home to some whopper apiders and webs over the years. Our favorite spider find was a gold colored one on a tomato plant. His body looked like a very small tomato. We didn’t know whether he had the ability to change color to match the tomato.
Definitely transport a lady bug to your grape vine. Every year my Rose of Sharon gets an infestation of aphids. Shortly thereafter I find lady bugs and their larvae on it. They clean up the aphids in no time.
How did Miz Poo react to Caspian’s mighty floof suit? I assume there was some hissing involved, or maybe she just hoped he’d magically disappear? Also, Dolores has an impressive web goin’ on!
I am so jealous of Dolores! I have yet to see a black and yellow garden spider in real life! I guess having a garden helps…
I Love the cat society at Crooked Acres. Its like the babies are pledging Cat Phi Kat. And every Perma Resie plays a part. The ones to not piss off, the ones who will help, the ones who put up with the kittens. Caspian met Big Sister Poo and realized exactly who he was sniffing lol! I firmly believe that the Perms understand that you help needy cats and kittens. They help also, in their own way. And I pinky swear that Jake explains to each crop what is going on and what to expect. Cats are extremely intelligent!
Oh, and thank God for loveandhisses, I can express my cat love here. My friends are merciless, and would FRY me if they knew. Lol! Great friends, huh!
I think of it as the Crooked Acres Finishing School for Proper Young Kittens. The perma-resies are the Faculty. 🙂
Oh, and Kennebec’s eyes are screaming “I’m f#€&ed!”
Toasty looks like he wouldn’t be welcome at Chick-Fil-A.
How could that little bird take a nap on YOUR porch?? Didn’t he feel dozens of pairs of eyes watching him, drooling, ready to jump and snack?? Brave birdie.. or stupid!
Love the little Stranger Danger Suits!
Hello Joeby Joe! I volunteer to rub your belly, yo!
Ah, Kennebec, you must come live with me and be my kitty. Never mind that I live 1000 miles away and am not allowed to have any more cats per my rental agreement.
I love that you even name your spiders.
Why are floofy kittens so dang amusing? Is it because they actually think they’re scary?