Stop Theif!

It was 2:30 am the other night. I heard a noise on the front porch, like metal banging around. Assuming the chickens were still in their coop, the dog was in the carrier and the indoor cat was still indoors, I thought maybe the outside cat was chasing a mouse. But really, she's usually a much more stealthy hunter than that. So, I did what any self-respecting country woman does. I woke my husband.

He grunted once or twice, grabbed a t-shirt and moccasins and stumbled to the window. He looked out, then turned on the light. And grunted again. Deciding that most burglars, even the dumb ones, don't make that much noise, he opened the door and went onto the porch. He saw movement and looked into the yard.

Him: "It's a raccoon. It's got the cat's food bowl."

Me: "What?!"

Him: "Jinx's bowl. He's trying to steal it."

Me: "Hey! Bring that back, ya' stupid raccoon!"

By this time, hubby was out in the yard, with a flashlight, chasing the raccoon. It dropped the bowl and disappeared into the woods. Hubby retrieved the bowl and brought it back up, laughing. Mostly at me, I think.

"Great," I was thinking, "something else I have to remember to do every night, bring in the bowl from the porch." Then, another thought hit me. "Um, where's the water bowl?"

We looked around for a few minutes. It was nowhere to be seen. So now, I'm thinking, "Our son would love to have a coon-skin cap."

Stupid raccoon.

Life and Death in the Swamp

We've had a bittersweet week here in the swamp. After doing well all last year in the outrageous heat of a South Carolina summer, just last week, two of our chickens died. As far as we can tell, the heat was just too much. My brave husband (okay, the least likely to cry over a dead chicken) burried them for us. No way we could eat a bird we raised from a day old chick. I know, some country-folk we are, huh.

We've since set up a sprinkler on part of their yard, to keep them cooler and provide a continuous fresh water supply all day. So far, so good.

The good news (depending on how you feel about kittens) is that the calico cat that showed up a couple of months ago, has four kittens. She kept them hidden for at least three weeks and just brought them for a visit last week. It's hard not to smile when kittens tumble over each other or pounce on their mother's tail as she tries to eat.

Aren't they adorable?

Jinx the Cat

Jinx is our "official" outside cat. She showed up about a year and a half ago, around Halloween. There's another cat, a little calico, who's been hanging around some also, but she's just a guest.

Jinx is in charge of keeping snakes and rodents away from the house. So far, she seems to be doing a good job.

Now, if she'll just hold still for a photo.

Wordless Wednesday--Meet Domino

Jinx the Cat Came Home!

Our outside cat, Jinx, was on the front porch this morning. That wouldn't be unusual except that we hadn't seen her since last Thursday. I thought she was gone forever. I will have a better day today, knowing she will be staring at me through the window when she's not busy stalking mice in the woods. Rodents, beware. Jinx is back!