Friday, October 24, 2014

Cool Cats, Hot Chicks

 Ralph has found a new hidey-hole from which to ambush Celeste.  He tunnels under the slip cover on the loveseat and springs out as she passes by.  His surprise attacks might be more successful if he weren't going "brrrp, brrrp" in gleeful anticipation.  I'm pretty sure she knows he's under there.  He also hides behind the clear plastic shower curtain.  It's not a one-way curtain, silly boy.  Curious, I weighed the cats the other day.  Ralph weighs twelve pounds, Celeste is a hefty thirteen and a half.  They eat approximately the same amount daily.  He's lean and lanky because he's always on the move, rarely walking anywhere.  Celeste is a sedate lady cat.  Ralph will taunt his sister just so long and when she's had enough, she takes him down and pins him to the ground.  They might be littermates, but I'm positive she's the older sibling.

Coming back from the goat barn last evening I had the camera ready to take a photo as Ginger came to escort us, and she didn't come.  Trundling along with the noisy, empty alfalfa cart, I got a bit concerned when the little red hen didn't run to greet us.  I knew she could hear us coming.  Rounding the corner of the feed barn, there she was (relief!).  I didn't have long to wonder what she was doing.  She had caught and killed a mouse and was tossing the body in the air like a cat playing with its food.  It is somehow always surprising to me that chickens are hunter/killers.  I wasn't sure she'd be willing to leave her appetizer and follow me in for nighty-night treats, but she did.  I considered throwing the mouse into the coop, but I've seen chickens fight over a meat trophy before and decided it was best to just let the flock settle down for the night.  If some creature of the dark didn't carry it off, the mouse will still be there for Ginger this morning.

It was a good day.

1 comment:

Kathryn said...

It was a good day for you, and a fun day for us to hear about! And those wispy clouds look almost fake - like someone had photoshopped them. Amazing sunset!