Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Gary, we've had almost 35 years of adventures together. Only a couple were life-threatening; we dealt with it, then laughed about it later. It's good to have a sense of humor. I would never have just sat in the car, though; I'd have been helping save the stuff, while laughing about it.
Luckily, in all our years of tent camping, recreationally and in the Army, neither of us had a tent fall down.
Yesterday, the hummingbird reference came in. The type is very small, and WLToo read out loud the description of the ruby-throated hummingbird, where the female has "whitish underpants." I said, "What?" He read it again as "underpants." ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/scratchead.gif "scratchead")
We got a magnifier, and then it read "underparts." ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/doh.gif "doh")
But from now own, female ruby-throated hummingbirds wear white underpants. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin")
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Czarny, black cat
Rainbow Bridge: Spotacus, Alexander the Grrreat, and so very many more
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Dashonthedash
PA
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Joined: 06/03/2003
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That's "whitish" (That's what happens if you don't separate your female ruby-throated hummingbirds in the wash)
Gary Shapiro
Shadow - 7-year-old Greyhound (aka Shadow Ninja)
Hannah - 4-year-old GSD rescue (aka the Canine Tornado)
Max, Dash (GSDs), Willow, Dot, Allan, Lily (Greyhounds), and Molly(GSD Mix), at the Bridge and in my heart forever
2011 G'town 280DS Class A
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 10/29/2004
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We were wrong. Yesterday afternoon, a hummingbird came frequently to the feeder, so at least one is around. But our neighbors all have feeders, too, so there's no shortage of nectar.
Very nice day today, so both cats are asleep on the porch furniture. Spot's started chewing stuff again, but it's confined mostly to his cardboard box. Better that than the furniture. Doesn't seem to be a reason; his teeth are ok.
I see Mama Doe looking in the window, so I'll go feed her some carrots.
Later, y'all.
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Dashonthedash
PA
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Around here, you can be fined if you're caught feeding the deer. They don't want the deer getting too dependent on humans, as the winters here can be harsh, and the deer sometimes can become pests, or even dangers, to humans. In your area, though, you are probably far enough apart so it's not a big problem.
As for supplemental feeding, it's really up to the wildlife officials. If the winter is harsh enough that there is danger of massive starvation, they can supply hay in selected locations, normally away from residential areas.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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This county hasn't really come to grips with the deer problem. We have so many white-tails that if folks don't voluntarily provide supplemental feed (especially during this drought), we'd all be covered with deer carcasses, because there aren't enough dead carcass picker uppers to cover the whole county.
We also can't cull the herds, because the county has a ban on hunting on one's own property unless it's ten or more acres. The vast majority of tracts here are five acres or under. If the county would only let us bow hunt, we could cull the buck herd that lives just over the fence. But nooooo, that would be logical, and our local bureaucracy is not about logic. It won't even let the animal control folks cull. So we're all stuck with way too many deer ranging all around us.
One lakeside neighborhood did make pets out of their herd a few years ago. They regret it now. The deer are so aggressive about demanding handouts that they'll literally chase people from their cars into the house and jostle the humans. They park their fawns on front porches, walk in on backyard barbeques, and are serious, serious pests. Can't hunt there at all; the houses are jammed together with just enough room between to sidestep through. But trapping and relocation isn't in the county budget, either.
We want Mama Doe and her babies to live safely in our meadow, where we can watch them, but we don't want to watch them starve and die on our property. The carcass picker uppers won't come onto private property if/when they show up, so the carcass has to be dragged out to the road.
We do not want wildlife pets/pests, just a healthy herd around us, thus minimizing the number of times we'll drag a carcass out to the road and hope it gets picked up. We provide water and a mineral lick, and they and other critters eat what was supposed to be our compost pile. Occasionally, I'll toss a few carrots out toward Mama Doe, and we now water the grass around the house for them to eat (but mostly for a fire break); otherwise, we won't provide the deer feeders we see the neighbors put up.
Mama Doe considers our meadow her personal nursery, and is pretty much unafraid of us, but still cautious. We prefer that cautiousness. We don't want her to jostle or touch us in any way, we don't want to touch her, and we definitely don't want her ticks, if she has any. The fire ants around here are ravenous tick eaters, and we've not seen a one so far (knock on wood).
We're all trying to get along as best we can, within the restrictions placed on us.
And just to keep this sort of connected to the subject title, Mama Doe thinks Spot is part of her herd. Alex thinks Mama Doe is some monster rat to be avoided at all costs.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Took the boys to the kitty hoosegau (vet hospital) for boarding, while we go take care of some family business.
The house just feels so wrong without pets in it. WLToo likes to say cats absorb echoes, but to me, the house feels muted and flat (using musical terms today, since the piano got tuned this morning).
Also, I don't sleep all that well without a cat nearby, so the next few days will not be a lot of fun.
Guess I'll wander out to the swimming pool and take a last swim. Most likely the water temps will have dropped below tolerable levels by the time we get back, what with the cool front coming in tomorrow. I hate not being able to swim every day.
Well, this is certainly looking all depressed, which isn't my personality. Time to go do something useful.
Later, y'all.
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WandaLust2
TN
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Joined: 11/14/2008
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Wanderlost wrote:
The house just feels so wrong without pets in it. WLToo likes to say cats absorb echoes, but to me, the house feels muted and flat (using musical terms today, since the piano got tuned this morning).
We feel the same when we leave the cats in the RV at the campsite and come back to check on the house and get the mail. It's like a lifeless tomb. Empty. Silent. Dead. Not our home. This house will never be without a few kitties again. ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Mrs. WandaLust. Retired. Middle TN
1999 Fleetwood SouthWind 32'
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Today was quite an adventure for the boys. As we drove home from the kitty hoosegau, WLToo made a rather sharp turn and Spot's carrier tipped over sideways. He was not amused. I turned it upright as gently as I could, while he expressed his opinion of WLToo's driving in no uncertain terms.
When we got home, Alex and Spot immediately set about exploring the house, making sure all was in order. Then they wanted to go outside, but the wind was howling, and they hate that. So we played kitty on the wrong side of the door for a while. Then Spot noticed WLToo's fleece jacket on the bed, and promptly snuggled in for a long snooze.
Suddenly, WLToo said, "Um, there's a yellow lab on the porch," just as Alex flew past me into the bedroom, in full fluff. We went out and caught the dog, read his tag, which said "Nolan P. Hughes," and dialed the number. Nolan is the dog, and his previous owner had given him to a friend on our street. While he called his friend, we tried to get Nolan to chill, but he's a very, very happy and energetic dog. He jumped into the pool, so we had to retrieve him before he got caught under the pool cover (or damaged it any further than his jump did). Then he climbed into the deer water trough twice. All this involved his going around and around the house, and each time he passed our bedroom, the cats got even more upset. Alex was on top of the armoire; Spot was on the top of the cat tree. Both were very much larger than normal, what with all that autumn fur standing on end.
We finally got a rope onto Nolan's collar and started walking down the driveway. Nolan wanted to go a lot faster than we can, so it was a right smart walk. Just as we got to the gate, his owner arrived, very worried.
So we met another neighbor, and saved him from the big fine assessed around here for loose dogs. He probably spent the rest of the day looking for Nolan's escape point in their fence. And I know I'll remember Nolan's name far longer than his owner...
Wonder what it is about our place that attracts dogs who've slipped the surly bonds of home fencing?
We have a freeze warning tonight, so I just turned on the heater, even though it's not cold enough in here to kick in (maybe by 0200, when the warning takes effect). Spot is back on the highest cat tree platform, near the vent. Alex is playing velcro kitty and plastering himself to whichever of us is sitting around for more than five minutes. I suspect he's going to be pushy in bed.
Only got two glimpses of the deer herd today. They're keeping a low profile due to the wind and Nolan's visit.
It's about time to sleep, if Alex doesn't shove me off the bed, trying to get close.
Night, all.
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Wanderlost
Texas Hill Country
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Spot joined us on the bed last night, sleeping on WLToo's feet. He didn't stay all night, but it was a definite change in his sleeping habits. It's supposed to be in the high 30s tonight, so he just might join us again.
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