Promises

Halvor: I promise I will not drive the tractor until I get my license.

 

Grapes: We will ripen in summer and we will be delightful. You will have many pounds of us from many vines.

Cats relaxing

Effie: Honestly, these people think I’m hyper and they want me to relax. How can I relax when I wake up grumpy?

Paladin: Sleeping is an art, but relaxing is an imperative.

Halvor: A cat like me can roll into relaxation mode in less than a second.

Paladin’s tummy frolic

This is Paladin. I named him for the lead gunslinger-protector in the TV Western “Have Gun Will Travel,” that ran from 1957-1963, and starred Richard Boone as Paladin, whose insignia was a chess knight. A line in the theme song was “A knight without armor in a savage land. . .”  Paladin is like that. He’s a stray, and 100% feral.

But my husband and I are 100% committed to providing him a home. He is not neutered. He has probably never been vaccinated, microchipped, fed quality food, fed regularly at all, slept indoors, or had any toys. We have no idea what his age is. He appears to have arthritis in his hip. I doubt he has ever before received kindness or affection, a tummy rub, or combing, or petting while being told what a sweet, beautiful Tabby kitty he is. Like Effie, Paladin deserves the best of everything.

Paladin often makes rounds with Torvald, who has a home nearby, and they come to our house for breakfast on the patio most days. Sometimes they return for lunch and/or dinner.  They know they are always welcome and can count on healthy natural kibbles and tinned Fancy Feast, garnished with healthy treats.

We have made an appointment for Paladin with the Animal Shelter Pet Clinic toward the end of March, the earliest time available when I called last week. Paladin will be neutered, microchipped, checked for worms and treated if he has them, and vaccinated for rabies and receive  other recommended vaccinations. The cost of all of this, including his neutering surgery, is only about $90.00. Paladin will be able to come home–Home!–the same day.

Effie is very sweet natured with Halvor (our shop cat) and Torvald, who lives nearby. She is in Effieland, her gated garden, when she is outdoors. I think she might permit Paladin to share her outdoor dominion at times. I hope he will curtail his roaming. Mostly we hope he desires an indoor home as much as we desire to provide it for him. He and Effie are both sweet-tempered, though Effie tends to express her limits, and Paladin is remarkably shy. He can be skittish, but he purrs and lets me pet him while he is eating outside.

I can only think we will all have the space we need, and get along very well.

Cats, snow, rain, and forthcoming lilacs

Lilac buds are always a welcome sight before Spring settles in with any confidence.

First large, wet, fluffy snowflakes fell to the ground and instantly melted. Rain followed without a pause. Effie was unimpressed and came back in the house right after I conceded to her vocal affirmations that she wanted to go out into Effieland. A few minutes later, I went out to pick up the cat food dish we put out early in the morning for our feral stray I named Paladin. He had finished his kibbles and was out roaming. Effie was behind her gate, yowling to let me know she wanted to come back inside. I let her in of course, and she is napping in fair luxury.

Paladin has been coming to our place for more than a month. He is a sweet cat with a grateful heart. He permits us to pet him while he is eating. Sometimes he shows up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Other times he comes just for one or two mealtimes. Effie seems indifferent to him. Halvor, our shop cat we took in when he showed up freezing and hungry, despised Paladin at first, and even flipped him over, but now realizes Paladin is not a contender for shop territory. Torvald, Halvor’s possible brother, hangs out with Paladin, and was sweet enough to bring him to our place.

Halvor is a mighty hunter. He also loves watching my husband work in his shop, which became Halvor’s home.

Torvald is a friend to all.

Paladin is our friendly feral kitty. We plan to have him neutered, wormed if necessary, and vaccinated so that he might come indoors.

Effie, napping in fair luxury

Mighty Mouser Halvor

I looked up the hill and there was Halvor, sitting bolt upright, with what appeared to be a bushy black mustache across his mouth. I called him down, and he readily came to show me–and Effie–his catch. It was fairly large for a mouse, deep grey, with pink nose and ears. It was also either dying or already in throes. Halvor was proud of his catch, and I can’t say that I welcome mice near the house, and I was pleased with Halvor for removing a mouse from our field that might have decided to come closer to our house, or the vineyard or berries in Effieland.

Halvor carries his catch toward the shop where he eats, sleeps, and watches my husband work on various projects. Halvor will need to consume his feast outside.

Halvor at the forecastle

Vic found Halvor on Pisca-Dory this morning when he went into the shop to bring Halvor his food. Was it mutiny, or did Halvor make the climb simply because he could?

A heavy snow is falling, assuring us that the solstice doesn’t necessary mean we’ve turned the winter corner. Effie loves wandering in her snowy realm.

Halvor on Lookout

My husband, who took this photo, is building a gated fence around our small orchard, which has provided our visiting deer a feast of plums, apples, pears, and grapes. Halvor has taken up guard duty, even though fruit season is behind us for the year.

Halvor on Jackie

Halvor evidently likes my car Jackie as a platform for his afternoon nap–or maybe he’s just bored.

Other friendlies around the house

My husband is reorganizing his shop, and Halvor loves watching Vic working there. I came in to check on Vic’s progress, and Halvor, who was sitting on a work table next to me, climbed up on my shoulder. I adore Halvor, so I felt very honored, even though he weighs 16-1/2 pounds, which happens to be 16% of my own weight. Oof–but what can I say–Vic, Effie, and I all think he’s terrific.

Deer constantly graze on our lawn. For whatever reason, they prefer the lawn to our field–but they are beautiful and sweet-natured, and we can certainly spare the grasses and weeds they consume. The light wasn’t right for a through-the-window photo, and they distanced themselves from our house when I stepped out on the deck.

Halvor at the Wheel

Halvor, Effie’s foster bro, likes sometimes to man my husband’s tractor while hanging out in the shop.