Monday, December 15, 2014

Holiday Cheer

Some days ago I brought bins, boxes, and bags of decorations into the house and onto the porch with the thought of putting them up during a power outage.  We never lost power and so the bins, boxes, and bags sat unopened.  In a burst of holiday spirit yesterday, I pulled out the wreaths I made some years back and hung them on doors and walls.  (Must start somewhere.)
Turning around, I discovered Ralph (aka Destructo) had claimed the empty bag.  He wouldn't leave.  The plastic bag made such a delicious slithery sound when he wiggled.  I've had trepidations about assembling the Christmas tree for fear of the dreaded Ralph.
I had worried about Ralph, but it was Celeste who found a homemade felt ornament and carried it around like a mouse in her mouth before dropping it to bat hither and yon and from room to room.  This is my first Christmas with these cats and I think we're in for a busy season.


Another wave of storms is predicted and I needed more feed for the goats, as well as a new salt block.  Bess and I loaded up to go to Mt. Aukum.  I've wanted for some time to get a photo of the black cow with the white stripe down its back, but there was always a car behind me or the cow was not facing the right way.  This cow and one or two others is all that are left of the herd of fifty or more that belonged to a previous next-door neighbor and they now live down on Omo Ranch Road.  The cattle are a cross between Black Angus and some breed I can't remember.  We called them the "skunk cows" for the obvious reason.  Joe, the neighbor, had a lackadaisical approach and kept his fencing up in a Pa Kettle spit-and-bubble gum fashion.  Many were the times that all fifty cows would be in my front yard, munching in the herb garden.  Trying to get them all back through the hole they'd broken was like putting toothpaste back in the tube, cattle squirting every which way.  Just seeing this cow brings back memories that make me laugh.

My family won't gather for Christmas until January 3rd,  It remains to be seen what decorations I put up and, if up, how many Ralph and Celeste tear down before then.

1 comment:

Kathryn said...

I have it easy - I only have to keep my decorations away from a 15 month old, and although he has figured out how to climb on the couch, he can't reach the tree that is on my antique desk, or the poinsettias that are out of reach. The stockings? Well, he pulled 2 down yesterday but it's a no harm, no foul situation. Your leaping cats are another matter all together. Good luck...and BTW, that wreath is GORGEOUS! I love the colors!!