StrangeRanger

Advanced Studies in the Physics of Gravitation

Daisy is a smart, curious cat.  If anything new comes into the house she has to give it the ol' once-over.  Often times she gives it the ol' 27 time over.  And that's just the box or bag that carried it in.  Daisy won't rest until she has explored the new item and figured out where she will allow it to fit into her proprietary reality.

And God forbid we humans mess that up and put the item in a spot that Daisy does not approve.  

Daisy also explores the boundaries of physical reality.  She has realized that her reality is not exactly the same as the humans.

HAH!!  And you said I was mad!  MAD!!  BWAHAHAHAHAH!!!

Daisy pushes the bonds of reality to get low and compact, and then soars to heights unattainable to mortal man!

Where I lead, no mere human can follow!

Whoa.....

Daisy has always been interested on the effects of gravity on objects.  Specifically, objects that have been placed on a surface from which they could fall.  With perhaps a minimal amount of feline assistance.   For those of you familiar with feline behavior, that's right, Daisy enjoys playing "knock".  She's been playing knock, or rather, studying the effects of gravity on various household objects while in freefall, for a while.  She has recently found one particular object whose properties seem to fascinate her.  

Yep, our wee gray cat kitchen timer. (one note:  we're not usually given to kitchen kitsch or silly cat-related knickknacks, but this one we could not resist...)  

Anyways, this poor object has been put through the gravitational wringer by our wee gray mad scientist.  Daisy usually conducts her experiments in the wee hours of the morning, testing the effects of local time on gravitation fields.  I tend to think that she is really studying if the gravitational field of our bed is substantial enough to overcome out curiosity about what she's up to and keep us in bed.

In any event, the poor timer tends to go skydiving on an alarmingly regular basis.  We've talked to Daisy about this frequently.  And what does she reply from her perch?

ummm..... Geronimo?

Have a great week ahead, all!

Another Vintage Picture

It's August here at ChezRanger.  High summer.  The past week has been mild enough, only in the mid to upper 80s, but this week we're supposed to be well into the 90s again.  This is the type of weather that really too the ginger out of Maddie.  She was an energetic cat most of the year, but in high summer our heavily furred creature of the Maine woods just sort of pitched the idea of vigorous physical exercise.  She liked to spend hours crashed near an a/c vent, tummy to the breeze.

The summer of '06 was especially rough.  A lightning strike took out our central air and left us, in the middle of July, with no cool air for a week.  Rough on both long haired kitties.  Ivy found a spot in front of an open window and didn't move except to eat or hit the litter box.

Daisy's not much of a tummy-up girl, even in the worst of the heat.

Darn tootin'!  I'm not exposing this trim, furry, gray tum-tum during ANY time they call the Dog Days!  No. Way.

Rest assured, I'll be there with the camera if ever she does!

Visitors!

Regular readers of this blog know that there have been many and many guests over the years.  Our neighbor, Ed, and his cats have appeared on several occasions.  We're always happy to see them.  Sometimes they hang out on our back porch of an eve.  They came by yesterday. (and forgive the poor quality of the pics.  they were taken through a window...)

That's Puddin' Cat on the right, but you haven't seen Nadine, the kitty on the left, since she was wee tiny!  Remember this wee little bean?

Hi!  Will you be my friend?!?

Well, she's grown into a long, slim, House Panther!

She is always wide-eyed and alert!

She has a great deal of fun stalking everything that moves in our back yard.

Nadine is long and graceful.

Nadine is also a bit skittish.  Friendly as you could wish, but skittish.  When I was feeding the cats while Ed was out of town for work, Nadine was always happy to see me and rather cuddly, in a high-energy, head-bonk and zoom away mode.  When I opened the door to get some better pics, she zipped off to the side yard.  Maybe I'll get a decent pic of her sometime....

Puddin' of course, knowing me as a friend from way back, stayed regally on her perch.

Puddin' seems to be recovering nicely from her Lion-Trim.  She should be nice and shaggy for autumn.

Daisy always seems to be aware when Puddin' and Nadine (or any other mammal, for that matter) is on her turf.

What the actual...??  You're seeing this too, right?

Some days Daisy does not like being an indoor cat.  But then she thinks about the trade-offs....

Well, this does have it's compensations....

Indeed it does.

Have a great week ahead, all!

Primate, please....

Daisy is an indulgent cat.  She forgive me my many trespasses, such as clumsy feet, unwanted pettums or lack of true-to-life fluttering of the feather toy.  She indulges me with purrs and leg-bumps and tail-hugs.  She almost always naps on my outstretched legs as we watch tv.  And occasionally, very occasionally, she'll come into the bedroom in the early morning hours an dlie down on my chest.  She doesn't stay long, mostly, but I love it.

But there are times I transgress.  Whether it's a loud noise, an accidental bump or step, or even a really bad joke.  Then I get what I call the "primate, please..." look.  Here it is:

Puh-leeze!

But, Daisy is usually a benevolent little gray tyrant.  I'm going to go earn another look now.

Have a great week ahead, all!

Shocking!

Daisy was a naughty cat the other day.  Her collar came off and she was walking around nekkid!  Can you imagine?  She may have been inspired by the loose manners of some of our neighborhood strays, or perhaps by our newest neighbor, a woodchuck who wanders around au naturel as he nibbles at our clover.

LadyRanger was the perfect detective, however, and found the missing garment under the couch.  It was soon back on our lovely feline, who didn't seem to mind recovering her modesty.

Prude.

At least we know that she has her ID on her if she ever gets out again.

Also shocking?  I'm getting old.  But the benefit of that?  LadyRanger makes me cakes.

Chocolate raspberry with a chocolate ganache icing.  Exceptional!

Of course, the best present is another year with LadyRanger and Daisy.  They make me happy.

Have a great week ahead, all!

Daisy, to a T

I don't have any new pics of Daisy this week (because I am slack).  I will, however, display a newer pic from her birthday coupled with my interpretation of what her thoughts may have been at the time.

Please note that at the time of the photo, she was, to paraphrase a 19th century term, somewhat disguised in catnip.

Whoa, so, maybe *I'm* the toy and the pink puff is playing with *me*?!?

And then comes her response to that existential question...

WHO CARES?!?  WHEEEE!!!!!!!

And that, I think, is Daisy to a T.

Have a great week ahead, everyone!

Brave Daisy

Daisy is a brave kitty.  While apprehensive in the face of strangers, she warms up quickly, as her curiosity overcomes her caution.  When we went through the Great Bathroom Do-over, Daisy was initially skeptical about Josh, the tile guy.  By the end of the first day, though, Josh was calling her "The Boss", due to her expert snoopervising.  The two of them made an excellent team and the bathroom project turned out perfectly.

Daisy is also brave in the face of imminent danger.  She took down a bat!  Without hesitation!  If I'da know about the bat's presence before Daisy had put it on the floor, I would have run like a coward...

Daisy courageously ventured into the great outdoors several times last November (completely without our knowing.....)(still gives me shivers...) but she always came back unscathed, thank goodness.

One area, though, where Daisy's fearlessness does not do her any favors is her bravery in the face of imminent consequence.  I'm used to being randomly attacked and chewed on.  Mostly, it's okay, if a wee bit bleedy.  I love my cat and it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.  Sometimes Daisy pushes it a bit far.  I can hold a loaded spray bottle and give her unmistakable signs of displeasure (that's right...I growl at my cat) but she'll still jump me.  Gets a bit damp, but I make my point.  

Daisy also braves aqueous consequence when she jumps on the dining table or the kitchen butcher block.  She knows (KNOWS!) she will get sprayed, but up she hops.  I do not know why.  

Daisy likes to show off her courage in obvious ways, some times.  Like this:

mmm hmm, that's right!  I do NOT care that that big ol' nuclear, industrial sized, monster of a spray bottle is right behind me.  Do not care at all.  I know I'm within my rights to be up here and there's nothing you can do about it!  HAH!  Nothing you can do about me getting on the dining table either, for that matter...

Don't worry, Daisy is allowed to be up there and that bottle is destined for garden use. Our girl is safe as houses up there.  But it's a good illustration of her nonchalance in the face of misty danger.

Have a great week, all!

'Appy Boifday!

A Happy Day!  Daisy is 5 years old!  We don't know much about Daisy's early life, but we do know that she was a bottle baby.  I think May 25th was the day she was rescued, but her advent could not have preceded the rescue by more than a day or two so it seems that we're close enough.  We adopted her when she was about 5 months old.  Here's a reminder:

What a cutie!  And that is still one of her favorite windows.

I took a lot of pics those first couple of days.  Here's one of the best:

It's one of the few that is not hopelessly blurry.  Y'see... Daisy moves around a lot.  She's grown, but she hasn't slowed down.  The pics from today are blurry (despite a nice camera) because Daisy is just that fast!

We went out the other day and got her some new toys.  Here she is in action with one.  I'd been wondering if she'd like it.

And then I realized that she liked it.

She can be quite intent on her combat training.

And even when her target hides underneath a chair, it isn't safe from Daisy!

And after an epic play?  A little bit of a rest, up high.

Well, that was fun!  I'ma nap now.  But I think I'll stick around for another year.....

Yes, please!  We do love our Daisy.  We're happy she was born!

'Tis a gray, rainy day here....

I'm going to hit y'all with a lovely pic of a gray cat enjoying a sunny window.

Boom.

Can't get grayer, prettier or sunnier than that, now, can you?

I will now enjoy a gray rainy day by enjoying my time with my gray furry cat.

Have a great, safe, week ahead, all!

Vintage Pic

I'm sleepy and lazy.  Have a lightly used vintage pic.

I may have more oomph next week.

Have a great week ahead, all!