Monday Morning Open Thread: The Struggle Continues

by 4:37 am. It has 194 Comments.





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Respite Open Thread: Gabe’s New Adventure

by 3:31 pm. It has 39 Comments.

Gabe got to go outside this morning. This was our second attempt. A few weeks ago I tried it and he headed to the gate, as if to leave, so I swooped him up and brought him back inside.

Zander and Gabe wishing I would go away

Today, I grabbed a cup of coffee and joined the cats outside, ready to snag Gabe if he tried to leave again. Instead, he was content to hang out by the catnip and roll in the grass.

This is how I usually train the cats to be backyard kitties. I hang with them and discourage them from jumping the fence or finding an opening I didn’t realize we had.  It takes a few times, but they always seem to get the idea. If they want to hang out in the yard, they must stay in the yard.

Emma joins the boys

I have also been known to send Bixby out after them to bring them back in. He’s very protective of his kitties. And I figure, better he scares them than the dog next door (even though the dog next door weighs all of 4 lbs and is terrified of the ducks).

To be fair, the only way to leave the yard is to jump the six-foot fence and for Gabe, that may no longer be a possibility. We don’t body shame here, but he seems to have grown as round as he is long.

Bonus Penelope (FKA Pearl):

 

Most of the white stuff in the water does not belong to her, but to my neighbors’ cottonwood.

Respite open thread

ETA: Someone added a “Duck Blogging” category and it wasn’t me! I swear.





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Ducks in a Row (Open Thread)

by 3:49 pm. It has 98 Comments.

Since this is a full-service blog, TaMara provides video of domestic duck baths, and I’m in charge of wild duck bath videos. (Sorry about the Twitter format, but that’s the easiest upload these days — long story!)

That’s their pal the juvenile white ibis hanging out in the background. It’s weird how some bird species get along just fine, even when they’re competing for the same food, whereas others get all huffy.

There’s a great blue heron who hangs out here a lot (he of the frog stuck on his face, I’m almost certain), and he doesn’t mind ibises or little blue herons or limpkins hanging about, but if a great egret stops to visit, he’ll charge it and keep charging until it flies away. Even if he’s not in sight and an egret lands (a great egret, not a snowy — those are allowed!), he’ll fly back to defend the turf!

Well, today, three great egrets landed on the strip usually occupied by the blue, who was away at the time. Honest to Christ, I think the great egret who kept getting chased off went home and told her older sisters to come help her stand up to the blue bully! I never did see the blue while the three greats were fishing. When they flew off, the blue came back.

In other animal news, I took Badger to the vet for his vaccination updates on Wednesday morning. That afternoon, he was really listless, so much so that I got worried and called the vet. When the vet tech answered the phone, I guess I must’ve said, “I took my Badger in for shots this morning, and he’s really listless this afternoon — is that normal?” Because she paused a long time and said, “You brought your…badger…to this office?”

I had to explain I meant my DOG, whose name is Badger, not an actual mustelid. She assured me he’d be fine, and he is. Good lord, I felt like a fucking idiot. Anyhoo, open thread!

UPDATE: A friend on the Twitter pointed out that there IS a gator in the video — sneaking up on the ducks to the left of the screen! Just a little ‘un, and no ducks were harmed, but sorry, Mnem!





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