Sitting in the sunshine

Now that Fall is arriving and the temperature is below freezing in the morning, in the morning after Rascal and I get up Rascal goes and looks out the window and sits in the sunshine for a little while.

Much of this afternoon while I painted the barn Rascal initially laid on the ground near me in the corral.  I wish I had my camera with me, but I didn't.  After a bit he went into the barn and climbed up upon a large stack of hay bales and spent hours there until I was done painting and it was getting dark.  Then we went into the house together to eat our suppers.

Good day

Rascal had a good day today.   Lately Rascal has been coming outside with me in the morning when I go out to check on the cattle and their water trough.  I open the barn door so Rascal can go inside and look for mice.  And there are mice inside.  Today when I looked back outside the house I saw Rascal by the toolshed on his way back from the barn.  When he got to the snow-free grass he dropped a mouse and played with it.  After a bit he came walking to the house and I let him inside.  Over an hour later I checked the area but didn't find a mouse body.  I'm sure he killed it by the way Rascal acted when the mouse tried to run away.  I believe the birds later took the mouse body.

Rascal got his fur - mainly neck and chest area - brushed twice today.  He was fine with me brushing him and seemed to like it.  Of course he doesn't stay still and I have to bend over and follow him while brushing him.  When I stop walking he will immediately turn around and come back to me for more brushing.  He also likes to gently pat a metal ball with a bell inside when I brush him.  One pat - ring - then he walks away.  A minute later he walks back and one more single pat on the ball for another ring.

And Rascal had a little time laying on, then next to, my lap this afternoon.

He was laying on my lap and having his neck rubbed as I started this post.  But after a bit of typing and no neck rub, Rascal left.   He'll be back later.

Many barn mice

Friday I did a little work in the barn.  I still had some grain left over from when I used it to entice Red to bond with the Holstein calf.  I stored the bags of grain in a large plastic garbage container.  I thought it was mouse proof.  I was wrong.  When I opened the lid I found the plastic bags were quite shredded.  Inside the container were lots of mice, including baby mice.

I went and got Daisy from the house.  He wasn't too thrilled at being put in the garbage container.  Eventually he settled down and stopped trying to get out.  I thought he would go crazy on the mice but it was like shooting fish in a barrel - too easy and not interesting.  I rattled things around to get the mice moving and Daisy half heartedly chased a few mice.  He killed one and I had to kill the remaining six or seven mice.

One mouse got out of the container and then I discovered how they got in and out.  There are two small holes halfway up the container.  Why?  I don't know.   I plugged the holes with rags.

Later when I was moving some hay bales to get the barn ready in case I had to put a cow and calf in there (which I did have to that night), a mouse ran out and Daisy got all excited to chase it across the barn floor.  Daisy more wanted to play with the mouse than kill it, and after a bit the mouse got away having got among a stack of hay bales.

Why did you put me in here?

Sharing a feeder

When feeding the cattle small hay bales I put part of a bale in the barn feeder so Mama and the red cow can eat without being pushed around by the other cows.  Daisy likes to sit in the feeder when I am in the corral.  That didn't last long once Mama came over to eat.

Fence walking, etc.

A little fence walking.  First Daisy sharpened her claws...

Then here is a 6 second video of Daisy on the fence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75P3dh_Wchs



Watching for mice.  The hole behind the plant on the left side got her interest for a while.

One evening I stopped and chatted with the neighbor as I walked back from the hayshed.  The neighbor has four small dogs so Daisy sat down in the tall grass a distance away and waited for me.  One of the neighbor's dogs stood for a better look at Daisy.

Wanting to go outside after dark.  Some nights she is very insistent on wanting to go outside after dark.  She will meow and meow and scratch at the screen door.  Her scratching is like fingernails on a chalkboard to Tammy.

Another night Daisy was outside after dark.

Other nights she is out like a light on my computer chair.

Barn loft

Daisy got a new spot in the barn.   The hay supply is dwindling so there aren't many hay bales left to lay on.  So on Monday I discovered Daisy climbing up into the barn's loft.

Daisy somehow got on top of the stack of ten straw bales (1).  From there she got on one wall (2).  Then she crossed over to the second wall (3).  Finally at (4) she was able to reach up and get through the hole to the barn's loft.

 

Then Daisy looked down from the hole and meowed at me.  When I climbed up to get her down she played her game of walking up to me then walking away when I reached for her.  I left her but she then would meow and meow.  So I went up a second time and this time caught her and brought her down.  There is nothing in the loft except dust.

Me?!  In the barn's loft?  You must have gotten me mistaken with another cat.

Btw - the old coats over the windows were to block the sunlight from yellowing and drying the hay bales.

Watching a hole

When I went out to feed the cattle today Daisy followed me. When I finished feeding the cattle I found Daisy in the barn staring at the barn wall.  Why?

Ahh... without the camera's flash you can see a reason.   Daisy is smart enough to know how mice get in and out of the barn.

Barnyard shuffle

Daisy was in the barn and after I finished feeding hay to the cattle she decided to follow me back to the house once she checked if the coast was clear of cattle.

Daisy doing the 'barnyard shuffle' as she picks her way among the manure.

A 28 second video of Daisy walking back to the house with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y_CItqNyXA


In the afternoon Daisy and Tammy play tag and then do a little rough housing play.

By early evening both are tuckered out.  Tammy also is fighting a sinus infection.

Daisy in the barn

While I was fixing the feeder Daisy came out to the barn.  Here she is when it was time to leave after the work was done.  She feels safer up high since both Momma and Baby stuck their heads through the open barn door.

Daisy loves the barn.  If I leave the door open a crack she will spend hours in there.


After spending so much time Tuesday outside and in the barn Daisy was one tired kitty when she got into the house in the evening. She crashed hard once she got inside the house.  She even let me sleep in the next morning.

Monday morning Daisy and Tammy "partied" as Tammy got ready for work.  They were making so much noise they woke me up.  Tuesday they were quieter but after Tammy left for work Daisy raised a ruckus meowing for Tammy and scratching at the front door.  Those two are best buds.  Daisy gets up early the mornings Tammy goes to work and keeps Tammy company while Tammy is getting ready.

Daisy and the feeder

As I worked on fixing the feeder on Wednesday Daisy was there to help me.  At least when the cattle weren't nearby... then she stayed inside the barn.

Here is Daisy when the cattle were going in and out of the loading corral runway through the gate they opened.

Hey!  Who is that in my feeder?!

Momma, it's me - Daisy.  Please don't eat me.

Enjoying the view from a dry and safe place in the corral

Time to leave?   Ooppss... no.   Baby is guarding my path back into the yard.  I guess I'll have to stay with you a little longer.

Napping with Tammy

Last night Daisy and Tammy shared Tammy's snuggie to take a nap.

Then this morning they slept in late after I got up to feed the cattle.

Much of Daisy's afternoon was spent outside.  She made it inside the barn again as the cattle were slow to get to the feeder.  This time Daisy found a route to the top of the hay bales and explored all around.  She would look and reach down between the bales.  I wondered if she would slip down and get stuck but she didn't.  I must have the bales stacked tight.

When it came to go Daisy wanted to stay.  I didn't feel like climbing up on the bales to get her so I left the door open a little bit but still fastened with a strap so the cattle couldn't get into the barn.  She had lots of time to investigate and look for mice.  She spent some time sniffing a few areas.  So far this year I have not had any bale twine gnawed through by mice, nor found any expired mice.

Daisy spent most of the afternoon in the barn traveling back and forth to the house (with muddy paws) when the cattle weren't by the feeder.  For a while she kept me company as I cut branches down to size but after a while slipped off to the barn again until it was time to come in the house for the night.

Once she came in the house Daisy was a little wound up for a while, pacing around and meowing and occasionally playing with her toys.  Tammy played with her a little bit and we both tried petting her but Daisy was in a biting/scratching mood and wanted to play rough and not be petted so we quit after getting scratched.

Hopefully Daisy sleeps through the night again like last night.   Is this what having a kid is like?

Cattle and Computer cat

I got Daisy to spend more time outside today.  She needs to get tired during the day so she doesn't stay up all night.

I was leaving the corral when Daisy turned around to move away from the corral fence.  She was uncomfortable with Momma and Baby coming over to the corral fence.  I held Daisy and protected her as I carried her to the fence so Momma could smell her.  I hoped they would get accustomed to one another.  Momma put her big nose up to Daisy's feet and sniffed.  Daisy handled it but I could tell she wasn't too crazy about being so close to Momma.

A short time later as I was waiting for the water trough to be filled Daisy decided to slip into the corral and make her way to the barn.  She wanted to check if the south door was open.  Baby saw Daisy and came over to her and reached Daisy by the time she got to the door. I wish I had my camera to capture their interaction.  Daisy tried to slink out of the way and started to get cornered so she suddenly made a fuss to cause Baby to back up then she ran to corral fence and safety.  She sat in the one concrete casing I had removed from the well.  Baby came over to the fence and as she walked over she made "brwanking" sounds and freaked Daisy out so Daisy ran over to my car in the pole shed.  Way over there she felt safe to watch the cattle.


In the evening Daisy decided to help Tammy with her computer.

The video of Daisy and Tammy is 1:16 long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0z396tI0TM

Super cat

Daisy misses Tammy.  Many times when Daisy comes in the house she looks for Tammy.  Now when I sit on the loveseat to read or watch TV Daisy will come over and lay in Tammy's spot and then put her paw on my arm or leg as if to say "It's ok.  Tammy's gone.  I know you miss her.  I do too.  But we got each other and we'll get through it."

The other night Daisy thought I was on the computer too long.  She almost never will sit on my lap and she got up and sat on my lap for a while as I typed.  Then she thought I had been on the computer too long and she got up and walked and sat in front of the computer screen until I gave up and shut off the computer.   "Time to sit on the loveseat and watch a movie."

Friday night Daisy did her "Super cat" impression as I made supper.  "Faster than a speeding tail!"

Here is a 59 second video of Daisy the Supercat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev1eJYoD_oo


Saturday, even though the ground was wet and water and mud was everywhere. Daisy insisted on following me around as I worked. I went here and there and Daisy would follow circling around the puddles of water.  I went in the house.  Daisy followed me in.  I came out.  She came out.  Once I just needed to get my camera and I ran to the house hoping to get in and out before Daisy noticed.  No such luck.  Daisy can run like lightning and got in the house before the door closed.  Then immediately came back out when I did.

Daisy wanted to go in the barn as I was getting hay for the cattle.  She made her way across the very wet and muddy corral to reach the corner of the barn.  I wasn't done with the hay so I encouraged her to come the rest of the way.  The cattle were busy with the hay.  Or so Momma and Baby were until they saw Daisy getting near the barn door.  Then they had to come and check Daisy out.  Daisy beat a retreat around the corner of the barn.

Later as I did fence work I decided to open the south door - the door on the other side of the barn.  I attached a wire so the cattle couldn't push the door all the way open and get to the hay inside.  Daisy went inside.   "Go get them mousies!  (Daisy had gotten mouse number 9 earlier this morning.)

Wouldn't you know it... when I went back to the tool shed to get a tool here comes Daisy picking her way across the water and mud.  When I went back to the corral to do more work Daisy followed and then went in the barn for some more exploring.  Earlier I wiped cobwebs off her head from her first time in the barn.

Since Daisy is keeping close tabs on me now I wonder if she is worried I will leave like Tammy did?

Here Daisy keeps watch as I split a few logs.  When I got my camera out she posed for me.