03/18/2024 – Around Colehaus

Lower falls in the fountain © Colehauscats.com
Lower falls in the fountain © Colehauscats.com

Water, water, water. We had a lot of rain last month and the beginning of this one. We had a few snow/rain mixed days here and there early on; nothing like the snow and ice back in January. Just soft steady rain. Six years ago, we had record rainfall for March, and though the month’s just a bit past half over, no records will be smashed this year.

Wild sweet violets, 2024 © Colehauscats.com
Wild sweet violets, 2024 © Colehauscats.com

Maybe it’s been the perfect amount of rain. These wild sweet violets are having the best year ever! Some eight or ten years ago, Mom found one plant struggling along the foundation of a nearby old, abandoned house and dug it out before the place was torched for fire department practice. She’s never regretted taking it. The plant’s been moved a few times, looking for the best place to thrive and she thinks it found its permanent spot.

Crocus and mini Daffodils, 2024 © Colehauscats.com
Crocus and mini Daffodils, 2024 © Colehauscats.com

Due to all the rain, some things are getting a slow start. The crocus should have been up in February. The mini daffodils are about two weeks late.

Chives, 2024 © Colehauscats.com
Chives, 2024 © Colehauscats.com

The chives are on time.

Lloyd looking for brushings and treats © Colehauscats.com
Lloyd looking for brushings and treats © Colehauscats.com

And so is Lloyd, who looking for brushings and dried chicken treats. Lloyd, we can tell by your scratched up nose you’re still fighting with someone in the neighborhood. Could you stop that, please?

One late night last month, as Mom was on her way to pick up Dad from his job, she saw Lloyd walking up a long sidewalk toward a fancy neighborhood about a quarter mile from our house. She knew it was him because of his wide leg walk and that he stopped, turned, and looked at Mom’s headlights. It was him. This boy has range! Hopefully, he was on his way to even better food or his real home where Mom had never even thought to look or inquire.

Some perennials are slowly coming back. These are the yearly standard sprouts. Mom’s more interested in what comes back in that new flower bed she created last year when the big golden arborvitae had to be chopped down. Out of all the perennials she planted there, so far, nothing’s poking out.

Maple trunk mushrooms, 2024 © Colehauscats.com
Maple trunk mushrooms, 2024 © Colehauscats.com

Some mushrooms decided to take over an old, dead maple stump. Did you know mushrooms take up to two years to sprout out of old tree stumps? These aren’t edible mushrooms but are just on time.

Cyclamen, spring 2024 © Colehauscats.com
Cyclamen, spring 2024 © Colehauscats.com

Sadly, Mom’s cyclamen isn’t looking happy this year. The slugs are getting to it despite the hazelnut shells and the slug bait that just washes away in all the rain. Why can’t slugs go after ants instead of pretty plants and flowers? Mom might need to take more drastic action by way of placing copper flashing around the whole area. As you probably know, slugs hate copper flashing as well as dry cleaning and all forms of housework.

Neighborhood visitor Mr. Stubbs © Colehauscats.com
Neighborhood visitor Mr. Stubbs © Colehauscats.com

Mr. Stubbs seems a bit alarmed to hear about the slugs. “You mean I’m not getting my dry cleaning back??” he enquires.

Mom’s looking forward to spring clean up and every year, she hopes she won’t be working in mud. Every year starts off with her working in mud. You’d think she’d be used to it by now. Maybe Mr. G will help!

Neighborhood visitor Mr. G. © Colehauscats.com
Neighborhood visitor Mr. G. © Colehauscats.com

Pia is feeling much better since the Pre-Spring ant invasion fiasco. No ants for three solid weeks and Pia’s gaining weight thanks to her kibble-only choice of diet. It was a dry, warm weekend here and Mom wasted no time renewing ant bait around the under house vents.

Quint, Tessa, and Viola are doing well and so are we. Dad got a forty cent an hour raise that goes into effect next month and Mom survived a big layoff. We haven’t had to visit our local food bank since last November and our cupboards are looking good with enough food and cleaning supplies and cat food and litter to last us a while. We can’t complain.

Visitor Colby demands treats © Colehauscats.com
Visitor Colby demands treats © Colehauscats.com

Only sweet visitor Colby complains. This adorable, hunky, talky boy loves those dried chicken catnip treats! Oh, if only in another time, Mom would have scooped this boy up and made him an indoor cat regardless of who he’s supposed to belong to.

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A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2023 – No post
2022Noise Again?
2021 – No post
2020Wordless Wednesday
2019Cats Who Sing, Episode 4
2018 – No post
2017 – No post
2016Foster Friday with Miss Itty
2015One Word Wednesday
2014 – No post
2013The Basket
2012 – No post

Posted in At Colehaus, Outside Cats, Visitors, Yard and Garden | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

03/15/2024 – Buggy Friday

Pia after the ant dinner © Colehauscats.com

We’ve been ant-free for 3 weeks and Pia’s holding a grunge against Mom for that. Pia only vies for Mom’s attention in the early morning before Mom leaves for work when Mom doles out a few kibbles for the girls Tessa, Viola, and Pia (Quint gets his special dietary kibble earlier still). Other than at that time, Pia doesn’t want to do anything with Mom. Pia actually leaves the room when Mom enters it, no matter what room in the house that is. Mom enters the room, Pia shoots her a wide-eyed glare and immediately looks for the exit.

Pia heads for the exit © Colehauscats.com
Pia heads for the exit © Colehauscats.com

And, as expected, Mom’s sad over that and not sad in the least about the ants. Who knew someone would get mad over the lack of ants?

No ants for Pia © Colehauscats.com
No ants for Pia © Colehauscats.com

Quite honestly, Mom thought we might lose Pia. Pia lost weight in that week-long ant feast, before we discovered we even had an ant problem. From what we can tell now, Pia’s feeling much better and is slowly gaining back lost weight. She’s eating just kibble now (no ants!) and won’t even sniff at canned food. At least she’s eating real cat food and that’s what’s important. Our big worry now is that we’re just starting ant season here. We can only put out so many ant traps (already 2-6 per room) and Mom can only spend so many hours caulking every square inch of this house.

Heard an ant © Colehauscats.com
Heard an ant © Colehauscats.com

Are you done talking now? ‘Cause I think I heard an ant!

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A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2023Wordless Wednesday
2022 – No post
2021Questions for Dad
2020 – No post
2019 – No post
2018 – No post
2017Wordless Wednesday
2016 – No post
2015 – No post
2014 – No post
2013The Critique, by Tessa
2012 – No post

Posted in Pia | Tagged | 8 Comments

03/13/2024 – Almost Wordless Wednesday

Visiting twin Thing 1 © Colehauscats.com
Visiting twin Thing 1 © Colehauscats.com

You mind your own business!

Skittish visiting black and white twin (we call Thing 1 and Thing 2) tells us to go away while he’s eating.

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A Colehaus Cats flashback:

2023Wake up Monday
2022 – No post
2021 – No post
2020Lucky Cat Day
2019Who’s Who
2018 – No post
2017Is It Spring Yet?
2016 – No post
2015Friday the 13th with Olivia
2014 – No post
2013Wednesday Woots!
2012 – No post

Posted in Outside Cats, Visitors | Tagged , | 5 Comments