TONIGHT'S PHOTOS ARE FROM AROUND OUR LITTLE JUNGLE HIDEAWAY
It was exactly one year ago today we bought our 2006 JEEP WRANGLER TJ SPORT. That gives us 365 continuous days of being happy Jeep owners. No regrets, no second thoughts. I just love that bumpity little puddle jumper to bits.
Can’t even begin to tell you how mad I was (& still am) when our neighbors cat caught & killed a small Chipmunk under our sun room window this morning. The Chipmunk had been eating some birdseed on the ground under a feeder. Later in the morning the cat was back & killed a frog. That explained another mystery. I hadn’t seen any frogs in our pond for a couple weeks & the pond has been silent. I first blogged about this problem in Thursday’s blog & in less than 24 hours we saw the cat kill two more of our front yard critters!! First, let me make it perfectly clear about something. Kelly & I like cats & we both had house cats when we met each other. On the old farm we went to great lengths to help all the stray barn cats by feeding & providing shelter for them. Our dog Max grew up with cat’s as his best Pals. No, my anger lies with whoever owns these cats in the first place.
BEFORE TAKING THIS FEEDER DOWN YOU CAN SEE HOW THE CAT COULD EASILY AMBUSH THE BIRDS ON THE GROUND FROM THE COVER OF THOSE BIG LEAF HOSTA PLANTS.....THE FROGS WERE EASY PREY SITTING AROUND THE POND OFF TO THE UPPER LEFT
Too bad we are not allowed fences here or we would have a 10 foot fence up around our whole place soooooo fast. My only recourse this morning was to reluctantly & with much anger, take down our main hanging bird feeder. I left the bird station up because it is high & the seeds do not fall off it to the ground easily. 
A HOMEY LITTLE VINE COVERED COTTAGE PERHAPS.....NOPE, JUST MY 12X12 WORKSHOP OUT BACK
On a happier note, I suggest all you dog lovers out there hop on over to Sue & Doug’s BIG DAWG & FREEWAY & have a look at how Tucker gets to spend a fun filled day with a bunch of Pals once a week. What a great idea this is:))
IN WINTER MONTHS WE LIVE IN A DESERT LIKE SETTING IN THE SOUTHWEST & IN THE SUMMER WE LIVE HERE IN OUR VERY OWN LITTLE JUNGLE
And to borrow a few words from DOUG & JOANNE'S blog this morning....’Follow your dream today. Not next year.’ And, I've thrown in a longer Groaner's Corner to make up for tonight's shorter & somewhat angry post. Just had to vent a little of my anger into the Blogger Stratosphere......................
GROANER’S CORNER:((
And, here are a few Adult Truths...
1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.
9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.
10. Bad decisions make good stories.
11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.
13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lite than Kay.
17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.
18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?
20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey -- but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, out of a deep sleep, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.
24. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
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EMAIL THE BAYFIELD BUNCH:))
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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right
now...... AL.
I would also be angry and I too love cats. I know their only doing what is natural for them, but it's still wrong in my yard. Some of those groaners were so on point.
ReplyDeleteAl, the following comments come from a cat lover, owner, bird lover, and gardener (me):
ReplyDeleteCats allowed outdoors can be a nuisance (to say the least), pooping in a neighbor's garden, killing birds, small mammals (and apparently frogs). I have found that a HIGHLY effective way to keep cats (intelligent animals) out of your yard: spend some time training them with a garden hose.
Most cats disklike water, and all cats dislike a strong squirts from a hose. Few cats will persist in visiting your yard if they are met several times with a strong spray from the hose (or a squirt bottle or squirt gun).
Since you are able to catch these cats in the act, and since you have the time to "train" them, I don't think it would take long for you to send these cats back to their owners (or someone elses house).
I have trained both neighboring cats and my own with this method. It doesn't injure them, but usually does dissuade them from using your property as a hunting ground or lavatory. I don't imagine your neighbors would have a problem with this (have you talked to them?) but, if they do, they can figure out how to keep their cats out of your yard.
Very sad... I don't know what else you could have done!!!
ReplyDeleteDonna
I agree about the cats...they may be doing what comes natural, but it doesn't need to be on your property and with your friendly animals that come your way. Al, every time I see your property I think how pretty and peaceful the setting is. You truly have a very beautiful piece of property and very peaceful too!
ReplyDeleteTake care!
I love Laurie's idea for getting rid of the pesky kitties!!..I say break out the hose and lie in wait!!..
ReplyDeletethanks for the shout out today..it was much appreciated!!..ah the life of a dog at our house..or yours!...how I wish I was the person my dog thinks I am!
have a lovely weekend hunting or rather squirting those cats!
Lovely photos of your yard...what a contrast to your winter stomping grounds. You must have spent many hours making such a beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteLoved the groaners...I think Russ must have written a few of them (haha).
You are right in being upset with the cat owners. The cats are just doing what comes naturally to them. As noted above a good strong wetting should slow them down until you can find the owners.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived on a farm we had "barn" cats, whose purpose was to keep the rodent population under control,but they took what ever they could catch including birds.
I have always had cats. I don't right now because I was hoping to be a full timer and I didn't want to share a motor home with a cat pan!
ReplyDeleteExcept for a few years when we lived in an apartment, I have always allowed my cats to go outside. At this house, the cats had a job for the last 22 years. Catching mice and rats. Now I have to do it with traps.
I do not have a bird feeder. I realized it was unfair to the birds to lure them into a place where the cat might hunt them.
Perhaps your neighbor would be willing to put a collar and bell on his cats. Thy do make "breakaway" collars so the cat won't get caught on a branch.
The hose treatment can also be effective.
I hope you can work something out so you can continue your enjoyment of the birds and the cat can live it's life.
Maybe you could teach it to hunt squirrels. :~)
Someone already suggested what I was going to say. If you just spray them in the area you want them out of, that may work. Loved the pictures. You do indeed live in a paradise... :)
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful yard, it does look like a jungle.
ReplyDeleteI agree, you shold give the water treatment a try, it sure can't hurt.
Love the groaners, some of them are so true.
Kevin and Ruth
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
Yep...cats are natural born hunters...but I agree with Laurie..Al, armed with a garden hose...lying in ambush...Those cats are smart too...and will remember the yard that had "Attack Al"!!:-)
ReplyDeleteYou have a nice looking jungle in the summer time, too bad about the cat invasion thou.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm going to be the dissenter here (Janna) I don't like cats! Sneaky critters! We have a terrible mouse problem around our rural home and really need a couple barn type cats. I've resisted getting cats because I love my birds and know what they will do. I loved Laurie's suggestion which was a bunch better than my suggestion was gonna be which I will leave unsaid so as not to cause a blogland uproar!!
ReplyDeleteCats are one of the major causes of bird mortality. Sad, but true. :(
ReplyDeleteThey also make a cat repellent that can be sprinkled around the area. And the hose squirting will sure work too. My cats all have bells on their collars and this prevents most bird captures.
ReplyDeleteDon in Okla. And if you have an open area where the cats can't sneak up on the prey, that would help.
Don in Okla.
Loved groaners today :)
ReplyDeletephxmtngirl
Can feel your pain in regards to what cats can and will do to our beautiful feathered friends. Obviously "the mouse" is not a cat chaser. Loved groaners #24, too funny.
ReplyDeleteVirginia
Lookup in Havahart Spray Away in the Amazon website and read the reviews. Looks like your solution and will not harm anything. It's
ReplyDeletea motion activated spray of water.Aim it where the cat would hide and not where the food lays on the ground.Suggest you put up a flag or something to remind yourself not to wander into the motion sensing area and get sprayed. My neighbor is going to get one to keep the herons from eating his koi fish.
Good Luck
Phil
We have a bunch of barn cats around here to keep the mice at bay, but we still seem to have lots of birds although we don't have any bait stations so maybe that is the difference.
ReplyDeleteI do like Lauries training program though and if my cats weren't already pretty skittish and quick as cheetahs to get out of sight it might make a great experiment here.
Thought the groaner was one of your best today.