Smokey's story

I don't write often about the cat rescues in our area but I do keep in touch with a few; donate as often as I can and share their posts on my facebook. Three of them are very close to my heart; Country Cat Rescue, Dickie's Cause for Paws and Furry Tails Rescue. Because I keep up with the latest news and hear the pleas of help for donations and foster homes from many of the rescue workers during this time of year, I am well aware of the numbers needing homes. It is far too many. :(

With that in mind, I read a very heart-warming post from a favorite blogger this morning about a wee kitten that followed her guineas home one day.
Please drop over and meet Henny from https://hennypennylane.blogspot.ca/ and her adorable Smokey. A kitten that may have lost his life at a very young age finds a loving home with Henny and Poppy thanks to these curious birds.

It is raining here today. I think it's a good day to create a delicious vegetarian spaghetti sauce. :)

Enjoy your day,
hugs, Deb

The aftermath

 

It was a busy weekend

with two beautiful days for outside fun. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Are you asleep, Audrey? Are you, are you....

 The grandittles had a fun time; always something to do here.

I love a weekend of visitors.

And they love to visit.

Although, 

 it's exhausting for some.

=^..^= =^..^=

 I haven't seen much of those two today.

zzzzzzzzzzzz

hugs, Deb

I'm a lilac lover

                                          JOHN & MARY FOX on their wedding day.
They were the first 'enjoyers'  in our family of the fragrant lilac trees on this property. 
                                                 Lilac

                                              and white

My grandmother's house was filled with these little beauties in spring; drinking glasses and vases displaying them in every room. 

Signs of the season are everywhere today.
And the lilacs are like the bow on the gift of Spring.

 

And now they are here in the mouse-house
to be enjoyed for another week or two.

I really tried to get Audrey to pose today.
This is it, folks. There's no arguing with her.

Enjoy your Sunday,
hugs, Deb

The critters at the mouse-house

                                    Annie watching wild turkeys from the kitchen window.

Even though these two ladies of ours have their own cat trees, window shelves and dresser drawers to sit and watch the birds from, sometimes something exciting brings one to the kitchen window.
I don't mind because I understand their excitement. Plus they walk all over me; literally.
And when a nesting blue heron flies over the mouse-house, well, that's so exciting that even I forget to photograph the bird. :-b

                                                                   "Holy cat whiskers" 

 

haha...she loved it. 

Simon says "howdy"

 

He was out this morning for breakfast.

I added a few more flowers around his den.

He is looking strong and healthy.

And here's a fun photo I took this week. Our resident Tree Swallow and in the background a House Wren.
Two little mamas, now neighbours and co-existing nicely.

 

Singing her sweet little heart out.

Now it's time to get busy

and build that nest. 

And Audrey,

well,

this is all I could get for you.

:)

She's in her happy place.

hugs, Deb

Lilac love

I remember as a child sticking my head out of my dad's car window to take in the fragrance of my grandmother's lilac trees as we drove up her gravel driveway. It was a sure sign of late spring, almost summer, when these little purple beauties made their debut. The large bush was on the left of the entrance and a tiny one on the right. The old clap-board farm house was filled with their scent as it drifted through the kitchen windows and little vases full of these pretties took center stage on the tables. I loved them and still do.

                                                   A tiny bush on the other side of the entrance.
Today, those very same lilac trees are blooming just outside the mouse-house. There are not nearly as many blooms as I remember from long ago but what is there still fills the air with the lovely lilac scent. We read that we should trim the tree and add bone meal to see if we can encourage more blossoms.

                                                   It smells heavenly at the mouse-house.

There are some white lilacs to show you right after the rain stops.

I just discovered this year that another lilac tree is just outside our fence on our side of the ditch. This photo was taken from the road.
You can see the mouse-house behind. 

I picked a few today and brought them inside. Annie is my flower fur-child and was immediately drawn to them.
She had a sniff and then lay beside them enjoying their fragrance.

                                           "Oh, that face."  xo

And how are our resident birds, you ask?
Our sweet little Tree Swallow is three weeks now on the nest.

 I would love to take a peak in there but I wouldn't dare disturb her. She spends most of the day watching me at the garden, the green-house and feeding the birds and chips. And the male is never far away. She leaves the nest throughout the day feeding on insects on the wing. Tree Swallows lay 4 - 7 white eggs that will be incubated up to 16 days.
The little mama watched the retired-guy till the veggie garden all Monday morning. So...I named her Tilly. ;-b

More bird excitement happened just this week. We have a third house now occupied by another house wren. The singing around here can be deafening. :)))

Spring is showing all her glory. 

hugs, Deb

Internet issues and a full week.

We have had a week of flaky internet connection. I've been reading your posts but unable to comment most days. And it's been impossible to upload photos. Very frustrating.

It had been unseasonably hot for days. We are now back to spring weather and more rain.

The days have been full; grandittles visiting, new cat-sitting clients to meet, playing in the greenhouse and getting more plants into pots for outside. My little island of spring flowers are almost at their end and have been so pretty to enjoy from the mouse-house window. Sun-puddles have been worshiped by the two ladies. Annie is doing very well :) and we had our grand-dog, Forrest, visiting for the weekend.

I've been meeting more of Manotick's finest felines through my in-home cat-sitting service. One fabulous fellow has white bobby socks in the front and white knee socks in the back. And guess what? His name is NOT Socks. lol
Another has a big black smudge down his nose. So many cute cats and all with unique and intoxicating personalities.
I will be getting busy again in June and hope to share a few of my charges.

This guy...

Forrest loves to run around the mouse-house property and his favorite hang-out is the little wood-lot.
This guy is very prey-driven so he has to be supervised while there. When |I see him digging at the holes in the ground (chipmunk dens) it's time to throw a ball or frisby.

We've been gardening and trying to stay on top of dandelions. The grass was cut for the first time this season but we had to do a detour around the bird-house where mama Tree Swallow is nesting. She was furious with the noise as we got closer to her house and let us know it by hanging out the opening and squawking. The lawn-mower was immediately driven out of her area. I guess our lawn will look crazy for another few weeks. And she's worth it. :)

It's lilac time at the mouse-house and, as soon as it stops raining, I will show you my grandmother's lilac bush. 

I'm glad to be back on-line.
Enjoy your evening.
hugs, Deb

The bones of the wood-lot

 

                                     moss-covered logs at the entrance to the wood-lot

  "Come along for a walk with me."

To visit the woodlot you first walk past the 150 year old out-house (now decorated for every occasion)  that I so fondly wrote about in the past. :-b
Right now it is home to a family of chipmunks. :) 

 It is hugged by a creepy old vine that is probably as old as the out-house.
I'm very protective of the 'ol vine.

The ground is covered with years of fall leaves creating a soft, crinkly carpet to walk upon.

Hundreds of skinny maple trees surround you as you zig zag through the lot.
And you are serenaded by our many different birds that call these trees their home.
Today I saw blue-jays, chickadees, juncos, nut-hatch, sparrows, rose-breasted grosbeak, cardinal and wrens. Many singing...all seem happy.

And it was fun last Easter to design four paths for the chocolate egg hunters.

Which way do we go?

 

 The grandittles had such a fun time.

They find it magical back here...and so do I. :)

 

And there are piles of branches and tree trunks to cut up for fire-wood this winter.

The old stone wall above was built by my ancestors.

What I'd give to travel back in time to watch that happen.

It is at the back along the old stone wall that our beloved departed cats are laid to rest.

A place that soothes my soul.

And since there are a few hanging boxes full of peanuts in the trees, you will often be accompanied by a resident chipmunk as you walk about.

 Dinner time

.

So that's to show you the bones of the wood-lot.

I look forward to bringing you along for a closer look at life that goes on in there. :)

We've just had company so these two are pooped.

Audrey...really? That face!

Mother's Day was so much fun.

I was spoiled, as usual, with brunch, flowers and chocolates.

It's been cool and rainy,

but now,

 with the weather in the high +20's

it's time to do more planting. :)

Hydrangea from my daughter.

 

I hope you had a fun weekend.

hugs, Deb