StrangeRanger

Captivated

Daisy has had a morning  of intense concentration.  She even ignored me as I was getting her breakfast ready.  She even ignored her breakfast itself!  Why?  She was absorbed in the event taking place outside the window!

She was enthralled!

And by what?

The great Southeast Snow Show!

 

I don't think I've ever seen such a snow here in early December.  This is an amazing event.  A snow like this would be rare if it occurred in late January.  We may get somewhere between 10-15 inches of the white stuff.  That is not normal.

It sure is pretty, though.  

Daisy, LadyRanger and I have laid in supplies for a siege so we should be okay for a bit.  We've even got a working fireplace, wood and candles so we'll be okay for a bit if power goes out (though we would rather it didn't).  The wind has been strong enough to keep the snow from building up on power lines and branches thus far.  The precipitation may change to freezing rain later, though, so send us a good thought or two electricity-wise.

Who knows, if there's a pause in this, or if there's a non-ice denouement to this, we may give Daisy a chance to explore a bit outside, just to see her reaction.  Maybe she'll like it more than Maddie or Ivy did.  

You never know.....

 

Short Post

I'm a bit under the weather today, so you only get a pic from the sunpuddle...

...and our best wishes for a lovely week ahead!

As long as there is sunlight...

...and a cat I will keep taking pictures of the two of them together.  

Daisy seems to be maturing a bit.  She's still an amazing ball of gray energy most of the time, but she's learned that some things are best taken slowly.  Like a sunpuddle.

Aaaaannnnd...she's down for the count.  Of two.  Her naps are really short.  Well enjoyed, I'm sure, but short.

Enjoy your week!

Just a couple of left over pics from last week

Think of it as the precursor to the inevitable Thanksgiving leftovers, only in picture form.

Here's a shot of Daisy relaxing a bit during her play session in the sunpuddle.

And here's this one:

It's funny.  Standing up, Daisy seems like a very cobby, short-legged kitty (of great beauty and character nonetheless) but when she's reaching for a toy (or my sandwich) she can strrrreeeeetch those legs out quite a bit.  We sometimes call her the "ribbon kitty".  

Have a good week!  And we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Old Game, Old Arena, New Lighting

Daisy has always been up for a good, vigorous play.  Not surprising since she is a young and vigorous cat.  She carries or drags her toys around, drops them near us and asks for a play.  She even, in the dark hours of the morning when our alarm has just rousted us for a new day, comes dragging a toy on to the bed for a play.  I almost always give her a quick few minutes of psychotic play after I make the bed.  As a result, Daisy brings toys in throughout the day for a solo play on the bed.  Sometimes she'll leave a toy there in the wee hours and come back for a little rough-house later on. 

The autumnal sunpuddle has made it's slow return to the bedroom and has finally bestowed it's illumination upon her antics.

Daisy appears upon the bed and looks over the side.

What does she see as she peers into the abyss below?!?  A TOY!  Tongue out, she pounces!

She reals it in....

...but there's fight left in it!  Oh NO!!!

It tries to flee, but is caught!

Final justice is swift but sure for the furry, springy, glittery interloper...

Afterwards, she rests, contemplating...what?

oh god, don't start on all that "...ineffable name..." crap...  I'm hungry.  I'ma look out the window for a while and then go have a snack.  Poetic enough for you?  geez.....

And there you have it.

Sunpuddle + Open Window =

Happy cat.

The autumnal sunpudlle is back.  Combine that with an open window on a lovely fall day and you get a happy cat!  Daisy spent time here enjoying the warmth of the sun and all the good smells that the cool breeze could bring.  

This does not suck....

True, she seemed quite pleased with life.  And what does all this comfortable contentment bring on?

Really?  mid-yawn?!? That is not very flattering, dude.  Thanks heaps.

And after the criticism of my photographic timing?  A nap.

Yeah.  This does not suck.

 

Reclaiming what is rightfully hers....

We found out the other day that our most convenient pet store is discontinuing Daisy's preferred brand of cat food.  We haven't broken that to her yet.  We have, however, begun the process of bringing lots of different foods to see what she actually likes.  We've done this many and many a time and thought we'd found a winner.  Curses upon modern business relationships!

I went up to the store the other day to grab a few assorted cans.  The place was hosting it's regular Saturday adoption fair (this is the place where we found Maddie all those years ago!).  Saw three charming older kittens and a passel of friendly, more-or-less apprehensive dogs.  One of the most confident of the canines greeted me with a few sniffs and lick and hopped her front paws up on my chest to get better acquainted.  

This did not go unnoticed when I got home.  

I'd tossed my fleece on the bed while chatting with LadyRanger and someone realized that I'd been fraternizing with the enemy!

Hrrrmph!  You take the trouble to send your human out into the world smelling all proper and he comes back like this!  Honestly, some people have no self respect or regard for the feelings of others!

I'm just going to have to sit here until things smell the way they should again.  Which could take a while, 'cause, y'know....dog.

You should be grateful, young man, that you have someone like me around who cares enough to take care of you like this.  Hmmph....next thing you know you'll come home smelling like bird!

Daisy returned all to it's proper order.  I dished up some of the new food as a peace offering.  It seems to have been accepted and all is well once again in ChezRanger.

Have a good week!
 

The New Family on the Block

I was out a month or so ago having a meager attempt at a workout.  I was headed home, walking down one of the nicest streets in our old, working class neighborhood.  I have always kept my eye out for neighborhood cats and many and many is the time that I've come home rewarded with the sight of a new feline.

There are a couple of spots where I keep a special lookout, having been lucky there before.  There are houses known to occupied by a Crazy Cat Lady or a good person willing to foster.  As I passed by the one nearest our house I kept an eye out.  This family has usually has no fewer than 4 cats out and around their property, some belonging to the house and most being fostered.   I've made friends with several and am nodding acquaintances with the rest.  As I approached I noticed a new face.

She seemed calm but watchful, friendly but alert.  Why?  Was it simply the usual cat reserve around the unknown?  No.  

She was guarding her kittens from the odd stranger.  Or should I say, the Strange Ranger.

I had a lovely 10 minutes or so, hanging out on the sidewalk watching the kittens romp around the outside of their porch, having a grand old time under the protective eye of their mama.

Sadly you have to put up with phone-quality photos.  And 4 year old cheap tracfone phone-quality photos.  My view was much clearer.

I've seen them once or twice since.  The kittens are bigger and plumper.  Mom is doing well, cadging meals for herself and the wee ones from families up and down the street.  I hope the crew is off to forever homes soon.  I'll keep an eye out and pass along any updates.

Have a lovely week ahead!

Natural Disaster!

Trauma at ChezRanger.  In a desperate attempt to get their lives under control and slowly regain use of the living room, the humans have finally moved Box Everest to the basement.  Daisy has been rather perplexed.

Weird...my box mountain is smaller!  Was it you?!?  Did you dry it on high heat?!?  AGAIN?!?  Mountains SHRINK if you dry them on high heat!!!  Wait...what?  you...moved my mountain?  Well, at least you had the decency to leave me this foothill....

Aaannnd then we told her that we were moving that one, too.

whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?

We think we repaired the emotional damage with treats, loves and pats.  And Daisy does like having a bit more room to maneuver in when she gets the zoomies, so I think we're gonna be okay.

Have a good week!

Storage Box Everest

We have, for a variety of really good reasons, a stack of storage boxes in our living room.  Daisy really likes them.  They tower over our living room give her a nice, off the floor spot from which to survey her Queendom.

That's right.  Mine.  My Queendom.  All mine.  I can see all the Himalayas, from Lhasa to Cat-man-du to, um, Albequerque?

Really, our cat rocks mutton-chop sideburns like....well...the originator of that awesome look:  Ambrose Burnside.  

She rocks them from on high on her box stack, sometimes only peeking out.

I can be sneaky from on high, too, y'know....especially when I'm up in the Himalayas hunting those yummy llamas......

Sometimes she wonders what all the fuss going on below is all about and comes out for a better look.

Did you fall into a crevasse again?  Stop crying.  Joe Simpson didn't cry when he took an unroped whipper into a crevasse on Siula Grande and walked out with a broken leg!!  It's not like you're way high up on box-Everest, like me!

Speaking of which, how am I going to get down?  Hmmm...  May have to have my dinner brought all the way up here....ALERT THE SHERPAS!!!!

Fear not.  She made the descent to the food bowl safely.  Quite capable, this one.

Enjoy your week ahead!  Remember to be careful in the high mountains!