Jude emailed me last week - a friend who is an RSPCA inspector had rescued some kits from a ghastly situation and needed a foster home/permanent homes for them. The rescue centres were all full and the kittens would be put down unless homes could be found.
Grazie and Colin had the black and white one on the left
Here's Phil with the one he chose for his folks:
Jude fostered them and all 10 were housed in a loosebox in one of the barns, all gorgeous little kitties 3-4 months old.
Through friends, I managed to find homes ofr two of them, and Phil convinced his folks that they wanted another cat after Daisy died last year.
I brought the ginger boy back in a box so that Phil could take him back to Radnage in the evening. I transferred him to a spare wire cat box, with a towel, water and food. I popped him in the utility room, out of the dog's way and he seemed happy enough apart from the odd squeak. We got him out for a cuddle before Phil took him home
I had a 'phone update this morning; he is in the downstairs loo at night until he gets older, where he has food, litter tray and a bed in there and seems happy enough. He has been exploring the house today, under the beds and checking everything out. He's also sat and purred on Jean's lap so she's happy.
And there's more........
I could hear a small cat miaow outside the last couple of nights, but not seen anything. Yesterday, Lucy leant over the fence and said that a small b&W cat had adopted them and asked if I recognised it. I didn't, but told them that it's a girl and I think it might be preggers! NOT what they wanted to hear as they're not really animal lovers.
After talking to Justin and offering advice, it turns out that said cat doesn't belong to any of the houses behind us, but is in good condition, BARKS (local rescue centre) is full and no-one will take it. I have lent them my cat basket, spare litter tray and some biscuits, they are going to take it to the vet today to see if it's chipped.
I came over all Blue Peter the other day and made these egg baskets out of empty milk cartons. Borne out of necessity as people keep forgetting to give us back our egg boxes:
They work quite well and are filled with shredded paper and a few feathers from the girls.
I made summat nice yesterday, cheap too:
Butternut Squash and bacon bake
Two butternut squashes
8 rashers of free range British bacon
Carton of Creme Fraiche
Grated cheese or parmesan
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Halve the squashes and scoop out the seeds, score the squashes into the flesh, drizzle with olive oil, grate over some salt and pepper and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until the flesh is soft.
While that is cooking, fry up the bacon, which has been cut into lardon sized bits, set aside
Scoop out the flesh, and mix up with the creme fraiche and bacon, return to the squash shells and top with grated cheese or parmesan before baking again for 15 or 20 minutes
This is totally delicious!
We went for a walk in Great Tew last weekend and Rosie took some photos.
I love these old outbuildings. They belong to the cottage further down the page; it all looks very dilapidated, but someone seems to live there.
Sending healing thoughts today to my Aunt and Uncle. I spoke to Toddy (Diana) this morning as Julian had been taken into hospital after suffering a heart attack at home.
Thankfully, being a medic, he knew what was happening and called for Tod to get an ambulance. They have lots of friends in London, but no children
I shan't give any more details, but shall respect their privacy.
They are two very special and wonderful people; I am thinking of them very hard today and sending loads of positive stuff their way.
Here are some photos of us last year at my folks' 50th anniversary celebrations.
An acquaintance was asked this about her lurchers; she doesn't work/race them, but they are adored pets.
Her reply was brilliant...
"They're therapy dogs: they supply unconditional love, happiness, laughter, and emotional intelligence in a world where such things are scarce commodities."
He'd obviously never experienced the sheer joy one gets from watching a lurcher or two race around a field like a loon, with a big grin on their face.
Poor man
Here are Jude's photos from the course:
I've decided to cut my hair short again; it's currently in a chin-length bob, short at the back and graduated down to two points at the front. I've been thinking about it for a while, but seeing a friend with a lovely short style (albeit in peroxide white) has made my mind up.
I think I'll have it something like this......
What do you think? Much easier to look after and keep in condition.
Talking about hair.. and feathers (well, they are similar, aren't they?) the chooks are all moulting with a vengeance; all but three of them have stopped laying now and they are in varying stages of undress. Sadie has opted for the modest partial moult, gradually replacing them as she goes along, never exposing any bare flesh but looking odd as she has part and part old and new colouring. Jude the Ancona has a white stripe at the back of her head where the new feathers are coming through; because her feathers are white-tipped, you can only see the tips of the new ones. The rest of them are in between, but Lily is going for a very fetching punk look, with a total neck and head moult, so her head is currently a mass of porcupine quills as her new feathers start to grow through.
What a mess they all look, but they will soon be sporting their new winter collections and can look forward to a winter resting from egg production. As usual, I have upped the amount of protein in their diet to help the new feathers form quickly, and they are on Life-Guard tonic in their water for extra nutrition.
This one made me laugh today.. can't remember the last time I agonised over what to wear or whether I looked OK...
'One' gets to an age where you just don't care any more!
The Purple Hat
Age 3: She looks at herself and sees a Queen.
Age 8: She looks at herself and sees Cinderella.
Age 15: She looks at herself and sees an Ugly Sister (Mum I can't go to school looking like this!)
Age
20: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too
tall, too straight/too curly"- but decides she's going out anyway.
Age
30: She looks at herself and sees "too fat/too thin, too short/too
tall, too straight/too curly" - but decides she doesn't have time to
fix it, so she's going out anyway.
Age 40: She looks at herself and sees "clean" and goes out anyway.
Age 50: She looks at herself and sees "I am" and goes wherever she wants to go.
Age
60: She looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who
can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. Goes out and conquers
the world.
Age 70: She looks at herself & sees wisdom, laughter and ability, goes out and enjoys life.
Age 80: Doesn't bother to look.
Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.
Have a good weekend everyone
Gosh, lots has happened and I haven't had time to blog lately. What's been going on?
Weeeell, I'm busy at work as usual. Phil is busy with his work. Rosie is doing well at school, but needs to get her time better organised with regards to time spent on homework; bribery is underway with the carrot being the film Fame, which she's dying to see.
As for the furry and feathered babies, Ruby is fine, better behaved now she's growing up and learning from her training. Both the cats are fine; Biscuit still thinks that he's my hot water bottle, and Georgie is still scared of her own shadow!. The hens are all moulting at the moment - they have cut right back on laying now and I'm only getting 3 or 4 eggs a day. We have some holiday hens staying at the moment - lovely girls, and they are helping with the eggs although I always keep some for their mum and dad to take home. Our Fleur continues to look like she's winding down; she's got a dicky ticker, but always manages to struggle through each winter with a bit of help and nursing. She doesn't look to be in any discomfort, so I keep her going; at 4.5 years old, she's no spring chicken but doing well.
We saw these berries in a hedgerow the other week, really beiutiful and oddly coloured. Phil took a pic on his phone to show to his Mum, who is a bit of an expert on hedgerow fruit. Even she had to check it in their reference books.
Barberries!
Some lovely pictures coming up - not mine, sadly, but I liked them.
This is one I took on my phone, of little Maisie, who we meet in the park.
Another one from my phone, of the River Cherwell as it passes through Spiceball Park in Banbury. You wouldn't believe that this was less than a mile from the M40, would you?
It was so lovely over the weekend that I took my camera to the park one morning to get some shots of the leaves changing colour and the lovely light.
Ruby loves that stillness in the park too, when we're the only ones there
Lavinia, my lavender pekin is always broody; she's a good Mum when she's hatched before, but constantly broody through the warmer months otherwise.
I usually give her a break from laying for a few days and then pop her in the broody cage to snap her out of it. For 3 days 24/7, she has all the food and water to herself, then gets to go out with her friends after that time.
I've been asked to post some photos of a broody cage and how it 'works', so here goes....
Get one wire pet carrier, a coop cup for the food and a bunny bottle for the water.
This old carrier has had plenty of use over he years, but jetwashes up pretty well.
Take the plastic tray out - the aim is to increase the airflow and cool the bird down - fill up the food and water containers and set them up.
Pop the birdie in and secure the lid. You can see that she has plenty of room and that the air can circulate freely.
This is far more humane than dunking them in iced water (and it works too); she'll whinge at you for oooohhh, about 5 minutes, then realise that she has all her own food and water and settle down. I replenish the food and water every day.
