Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
The Incredible Shrinking World
by admin - 16:24 on 01 December 2012
The world is a confusing place for kittens: little hidey-holes they used to enter with ease have shrunk; the basket they shared now accommodates only one; the gap beneath the coffee table where they could lurk and pounce has become too shallow.
Our kittens are growing up.
I don't know whether they understand what's happening but Pandora in particular knows that something has changed – Matchgirl has noted her bafflement on several occasions when the puzzled puss examines the now inaccessible space beneath the dresser in our bedroom.
So to mark their passage towards adulthood, today The Fearless Ones were allowed into the woods without leads, accompanied by their carers and trailed by an unenthusiastic and grumbling Maia who would have preferred to stay indoors where her paws wouldn't get damp.
The walk almost didn't happen, for when we passed the end of our drive we could see Mr Dogwalker and his Jack Russell at the top of the lane. Canine delight knew no bounds; nor did feline suspicion. Maia and Pandora turned tail but Willow remained, back arched and fur fluffed, either frozen with fear or determined to stand her ground against the pesky intruder.
All ended well, with Jack continuing his walk, after which The Pride was encouraged back out for a stroll enjoyed by all. Maia, no longer The Emo Cat, is now the teenage Goth who looks with disdain at her younger sisters, but after a while even she seemed to relish the jaunt, although attempts at tree-climbing remained beneath her.
The hugely curious Pride saw its first Jacob sheep, a safe distance away behind a fence in a neighbouring field, and Pandora displayed unexpected hunting skills by spotting a roe deer in the undergrowth, although too far away to be pounced on. We glimpsed two more on the way home – maybe I should loiter there more often.
Nothing worth keeping was captured by the Pentax, which is why today's kitten snap is from yesterday, taken in the garden. The Pentax was out earlier, on the way home from Cromarty where I'd delivered Chatterbox to the village store (get your copy now). Unfortunately, by the time I found a parking place the golden light on the rig and houses had gone; I took the snap anyway, just to prove the camera works on more than cats.
Add your comment
© Russell Turner 2008-2024