Cat Stories

Thoughts and Quotes: All's well that ends well. 

Remember the little kitty found in the gutter in my subdivision (story on blogpost of October 4)? His new owner sent a photo, saying that he's growing and loves his family and they love him. And I just learned that when a kitty has eyes of different colors, it's called heterochromatic. 

 

And speaking of kitties -

The Pepper and Pals Report: The past month has been nothing but vets. Trip 1: Pepper's right eye became infected (an ongoing problem since the scar tissue from his injury pulls the corner of his eye and it doesn't always close all the way). Dr. Hardy was out of town, so we went to Cobblestone. Dr. gave me some salve to put in his eye every two hours.

Trip two: Check up on Pepper's eye. Continue salve four times a day.

Trip three: Stormy for annual shots. I took her to Cobblestone since Dr. Hardy is still on lockdown, and she goes ballistic without her Aunt Patsy.

Trip Four: Check up on Pepper's eye. Changed to drops three times a day.

Trip Five: Ran out of drops. Go get more.

Trip Six: Final check up on Pepper's eye.

Trip Seven: Trapped Tippy - take to Dr. Hardy.

Trip Eight: Tippy spayed. Pick her up.

Trip Nine: Trapped Baby - take to Dr. Hardy.

Trip Ten: Baby neutered. Pick him up.

In the meantime, a little kitten got trapped under my house. Something pushed the screen in behind the vent. Kitten crawled in, there's a drop off, he couldn't get back up to get out.

I finally found a pest control company who sent a big 6'+ Marine who crawled under the house and rescued the kitten. What an adorable sight - big strapping Marine cuddling a tiny kitten. Why didn't I take a photo? Another happy ending; he wanted the kitten and took it with him. My neighbors were leaving at the same time, and saw him stopped at the light with the kitten on his shoulder. He'll be fine without his mother. Hungry as a little bear, so we gave him wet food and he gobbled it right down.

The kitten can only belong to the elusive BJ, which means she probably has more somewhere. I'm waiting for her to bring them to the outdoor patio (my outdoor kitty cafe), so I'll know they can find food, and then try to trap her AGAIN. I bought a different trap, so maybe this one will work. She's the only one not spayed or neutered.

We had a rainy day, so I left the screen door propped open, and Tobin came in to nap in his favorite little hammock which Carrie sent.

The next day was nippy, so I put blankets for the other kitties, but only Flower showed up.

And now it's getting cold at night, so the kitty-cat motel is open for business.

And here's Stormy, the Queen of the Coffee Table

Things that Grow: This is the end of my gardening effort. The feral kitties think my raised beds are giant litter boxes, and I don't want to eat food where kitties go to the bathroom. I tried growing tomatoes in five-gallon buckets, but  without much success. I always have great luck with peppers, and plant them in a spot that the kitties ignore, but I don't like peppers very much, so this is the end.

I made a quart of pickled green tomatoes, two quarts of pickled Coolapena peppers, froze enough bell peppers to last me all winter and goodbye to gardening. 

While pulling the marigold bushes from the north bed, look who came to help.

And when I took the hose and reel off the fence, I found my little buddy, who thought he'd found a place to hibernate for the winter. I hope he found a place far away, because that fence is being torn down right now.

The other things which grow are trees, and they've been beautiful this year. I took a few photos over by the vet's office and a few in Bentwater, but then my neighbors started posting on our Facebook page, so I thought I'd share them. I'm sure they won't mind.

Thrifting: Not the kind where I shop thrift stores, but the kind where I repurpose. I had seven extra sheets of stationery with no envelopes, some pale pink cardstock someone gave me ages ago, and some fuschia paper from who knows where. I never turn down a piece of paper.

I turned it into note cards. I used the bottom of the page for the cards and the top to decorate the envelopes. I liked the butterflies best, so I made four.

And speaking of cards, here are the Halloween cards I received.

Guess David thought I had enough cats, so sent me a dog this time.

Love this one from Carrie. Wish I had a stamp like the Happy Halloween.

Jean always makes such cute cards, and thinks we can't have too many cats.

When you see this card from Barbara, doesn't that song Witchy Woman start playing in your mind?

Tasting: I have some new recipes you might enjoy. Hate cooking rice? This method works perfectly.

BAKED RICE

3-1/2 cups boiling water

2 cups long grain white rice

4 Tbs butter

1-1/2 tsps salt 

Heat oven to 375°. 

Mix all ingredients in a 13 X 9 glass baking dish. 

Cover tightly with foil. 

Bake 24-27 minutes. 

Remove from oven and check to see that all water is absorbed. Recover and leave it for 5 minutes. 

Remove cover and fluff with a fork. 

Note: I measure and freeze in plastic bags. You can make half the recipe and bake in an 8 x 8 or 11 x 7.

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If you can't find apricot nectar, use mango.

LEMON APRICOT CAKE

1 box lemon cake mix

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup apricot nectar

4 eggs

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbs. lemon juice 

Heat oven to 325°. 

Grease a Bundt or tube pan. I use Baker’s Joy. 

Beat together the cake mix, sugar, oil, and nectar. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Bake 1 hour. 

Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a serving plate. 

While cake cools, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice. Glaze the warm cake.

NAGI’S BBQ CHICKEN

3 lbs. bone in, skin on chicken thighs (six)

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsps Worcestershire sauce

4 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsps mustard powder

2 tsps onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup water 

Heat oven to 400°. 

In a 13” x 9” baking dish, mix together all ingredients except water and chicken. 

Stir in water. 

Turn chicken in sauce, ending with skin side down. 

Bake 20 minutes. 

Turn chicken and spoon sauce over. 

Bake 30 minutes more. 

Drain excess fat; change oven to broil. 

Broil 3 minutes, watching carefully so that it doesn’t burn.

To cut down grease, use thighs with no skin. You can also use legs.

RED VELVET COOKIES

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 box red velvet cake mix

Powdered sugar 

Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and egg together thoroughly. 

Mix in cake mix. 

Chill for 30 minutes. 

Heat oven to 350°. 

Roll into balls, and then roll balls in powdered sugar. 

Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. 

Bake 10-12 minutes. 

Note: I used a 2-teaspoon sized melon baller, and ended with 3-1/2 dozen cake-like cookies.

Tidbits: Saw this at a stoplight. Can Georgia plates use just the logo and no state name?

Teaching and Learning: Here are the last steps to overcoming procrastination.

12. Bundle Rewards with Actions. Engage in a specific enjoyable experience only while you're engaging in an activity that has a positive long-term impact on your life.

13. Attach All Tasks to a Goal. How does this relate to one of my important goals?

14. Create Accountability for Your Tasks. When you have someone to cheer on your successes, you're less likely to give up.

That's all, folks!

START PLANNING YOUR THANKSGIVING MEAL

AND YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

STILL TIME TO PLANT BULBS

PRAY FOR AN END TO THE CHINA VIRUS

MAKE FUN PLANS FOR WHEN IT'S GONE

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE