Porch Cats

On the subject of cats
We have two types of cats that live here on the farm.
The Hunters: You can't help but notice their beauty. Their coats are thick and glossy. In the cold they fur is perfectly groomed and fluffed for maximum warmth. Their eyes are clear and bright. When they see us they might walk over with dignity and rub against your leg. They acknowledge our ownership of the farm but do not need us to have a good life. We respect their efforts to keep our food stores safe from mice. They are frequently seen with a fat mouse, bird or mole. We will reward them with food from time to time and they seem to appreciate it but eat it with dignity.
The Porch Cats: They are a scroungy bunch. Their fur is ruffled and dirty. Their eyes are cloudy, runny and dull. They are skinny and sickly. They position themselves on our porch by the door for the chance to dash into the house to grab a noodle out of the chicken bucket. They dash in quickly when they have the chance and hide. When we find them they clutch and claw us as we put them back out the door. The wait on the porch for any handout. They never leave so they wont miss the chance to run into the house. They urinate on the porch. They sleep in the cold with very little shelter. They are desperate for my handouts.

I do feel bad about the state of the Porch Cats. The Porch Cats always have lots of babies that they don't take care of and abandon them. They just seem to show up. I haven't the money to purchase them cat food. Their numbers swell if they are well fed. I do give them my food scraps and when it is real cold I give them dog food. It is much cheaper then cat food. From my perspective they are worse them the mice they are supposed to hunt. We have tried to get them off the porch by putting food, water and hay in a horse trailer some distance from the porch. They still sit on the porch waiting for a chance to grab a noodle and never enjoy the fattened mouse.

I challenge my children to be Hunters not

Porch Cats

Triston's Twin?

The Tribe went skating. We had 3 adults and 15 children and 2 vehicles. The children went to the line to get their skates while we staked out a spot to pile coats and fit and tie skates on 30 feet. Suddenly there was a giggling in the line and we started hearing "Look a little Triston!"

Here is our big Triston and here is the little Triston. I forget to get his real name but it was unreal how much they looked so much alike!

Burnt Toast

Question: If you have dry toasted toast in the toaster, why would you toast it again? To catch the toaster on fire?
I always wounder what the thinking is that brings a child to do what they do. Was it to see if it was still good? Were they going to eat it if it was? Were they bored and waiting for more bread to be cut? Maybe they just pushed down the handle because they could. Whatever the reason, we now only have one toaster to get us through until garage sales start next spring.
The first week after Christmas vacation was hard to settle the children back into school. We moved our school back into the original room we had built when be moved here 8 yeas ago. We had to abandon it this year because of a knee injury that made it impossible for me to get down the steps to the room. The cement floor was very hard on my knee, too. I figured out how to arrange the room so I can get around in a wheelchair and have all the kids together again in the same place. The children were happy to be back into their school space again.

We also had our first fire drill this week. In addition to moving our school back, we set up an area for baking with a new gas oven. (I was jealous of the Durgard Family Kitchen) Forgetting how much faster gas is then electric, I put my raised bread in the cool oven and turned it to 425 for 10 min, then I lover it to 325 for 35 min. We broke for lunch, I put the bread in and left the area. 15 min latter smoke was pouring into the house through the laundry room from the school.

We grow it, we pick it, we wash it, we cut it, we cook it, we can it, then in the winter we eat it. Our own circle of life.