Quickie Kitten Update...

At 17 days, kitties are becoming aware that there's a world outside the box. They look out the door. They're beginning to play with each other, and they have learned to take a bath. Up to now, Mom has been the bathgiver and their whole world! I also noticed today that like human babies, they all have BLUE eyes! They now take up most of the floor of the box, so they've grown A LOT!!!! Also, she spends more time out of the box now. Soon she'll be back to bringing 'presents' (field mice, etc) to the front yard!

Everything grows BIG in Texas!!!

A few days ago I leaned over to pick up a beetle from Sheba's evening resting place and ewwwww.... it was soft!!!

It was a very fat tick!!!! It totally grossed me out. It's about the 6th tick I've seen on or around Sheba. She seems to be a tick magnet! Know that I applied tick and flea 'stuff' to her shoulder blades a few weeks ago. I think the ticks like it!!

YUK!!!

It's a little "Snakeye", -- plus other tidbits....

What's a snakeye you ask?? Actually that's Travis' callsign, his 'handle' in the F-16 community! Anyway, the 10th was Pam's birthday AND the day of the BIG ultrasound! Travis got back from his deployment on Wednesday, just in time for one sleepover and a trip to the doctors for the ultrasound. So he got to see firsthand whether his offspring was going to be a little Pammie or a little 'Snakeye'! For 'pics' of our new little grandson, see Travis' blog - http://www.snakeye.us/ .

Speaking of babies, my grandkittens are growing and at 8 days old, their eyes are opening. I had looked on the web and they said they open around day 17! So it was a surprise to see them opening on day 8!!! Also, see how they've grown from birth to almost 9 days old.

And look what a contented mom Kitty is when the babies are all foraging around for a meal!

I have one last "show and tell". A couple of nights ago we had severe wind warnings! To me, it seems like we have severe winds at least 2 or 3 times a week! I walked around the house to check water in the trough for the horses and alas, the arbor/trellis that's probably been there for 20 - 30 years was as you can see!!! There's ONE root still connected to the vine. I understand it's a pretty hardy plant and the trellis itself isn't broken. It must have come loose with all the rain and wind plus the foundation work that was done a few months ago! The winds also blow tiles off the roof (OFTEN!) - we just finished with roof repair last week!! So goes life on the ranch!! : )

GOOD MORNING!!!

(To fully appreciate the sunrise, be sure to click on it to enlarge)
Rancher Mike is on his way back to Ohio to spring clean the yard and set up to rent our property there while the house selling market is currently stinky!! He left this morning a little after 7 with this incredible sunrise! Sorry, I couldn't pass up this Kodak moment!

By the time he turned the corner, there was a line-up for breakfast. It was just a beautiful morning - 60 degrees, no wind, a beautiful sunrise and all the animals waiting for pets, treats and breakfast! What could be more of a welcome for the day?

No F-16s, but

For the size of Olney, we went to a very nice air show celebrating Air Tractor's 50th anniversary. Air Tractor, based in Olney, produces crop dusters and planes that drop fire retardant on fires (such as the one pictured). They actually have larger and smaller models. There were a number of smaller acrobatic planes - Thunderbirds couldn't make it - darn!!! And representing the Air Force were these 4 T-34 trainers that did some formation work. I'm actually proud of this picture. I thought it came out pretty well. If you click on it, you can read the US Air Force and some numbers!!

Lastly I must add a short update on my 'grandkittens' now that they're dry and 48 hours old. They've been moved to Kitty's regular box and are constantly either in a ball of fur with cute little faces when mom steps out or nursing as soon as she comes back. She only leaves long enough to take care of her own needs, then comes right back.

They're here!!!!

(Click on any picture to enlarge)
Everyone is waiting for the news: "She's going to have her babies today!" "How do you know?" "I wonder how many she'll have!" "Will they look just like her?" "Will she be a good mommy??" Of course! God made this day special from start to finish! Our field is finished being 'sprigged' with Coastal Bermuda grass. Now we need some rain for the roots to grow! After a few glitches, the garden was rototilled and is ready to plant once the fence will keep the critters out. Fertilizer was put down and tilled in. We just need to get the wire fence up.

And now ..... today's biggest news! Mid afternoon, after a loud meow, Kitty had her first kitten, a little female. About 15-20 minutes later, a little brother was born. So between 3 and 5 PM, Kitty had 4 kittens. She seemed pretty worn out and barely licked the 4th kitten. I thought I was going to have to help her, but the little critter had stamina. By the time the last one was born, the first one was nice and dry and fluffy. So, here's the new little family!!

Shortly after that we had some heavy rain for a short time which watered our new spriggs followed by sunshine and a rainbow!! All is good! While writing this, another thunder shower just came through, so our field is well-watered!!

How cute is this????

This is the latest 'favorite' place to take a daytime siesta:


this is between the front porch and the sidewalk. The logs in the "Kitty" picture (right) are Sam's "pillows" and primary chews! Sam has a thing for the firewood and returns them to the lawn whenever I pile them on the porch.