Suprise, Surprise

I can almost hear Keith saying
"Told you so".... 

We had an ice storm, along with thunder and lightening, 

early this morning, around 3 AM, and then more at about 6.  

I guess those bags of dirt will be there for a few days. 

They are so heavy I can't move them, and my idea was to 

cut them open and shovel them onto the bed I dug up the other day. 

They literally almost killed me to get them off the car... NO MORE 

2 cubic foot bags for this woman. 

I was helped by the kindest couple at Walmart, who helped me hoist them 

into the car... and for that matter, I won't be buying any more 

at Walmart, the lack of help couldn't have been worse. 

I have made three trips out already, spreading seed for the 

wild birds.  Thank heavens I went to the feed store yesterday. 

It's beautiful, in kind of macabre way. 

I left the chickens in the henhouse, they were NOT happy. 

I will make some oatmeal for them pretty soon, I have some dried mealworms and raisins to put in it. 

I thought it was supposed to go above freezing after noon time, but I am not sure that is going to happen now. 

The raccoons dirtied the water in the basin on the deck overnight... and then managed to almost 

dislodge the plug.  I have plugged it in, and there is a little thawed, so that the "porch birds" have something to drink.  I have filled the container in the yard twice, but every time I look out, starlings are drinking from it... they empty it quickly. 

So... this greeted me this morning. 

I think what he was actually thinking was "Hurry UP, Human mom, and leave me 

some food in that bowl on the floor".  I had two cans of cat food with me, thinking some 

of the ferals would be in the henhouse this morning. 

A raccoon had dirtied the water, so I poured it into my bucket, went out to get clean water, 

and heard the sound of a cat jumping to the closet roof from the rafters.  When I went back 

around the doorway, I saw Spooky jumping back up, but he waited patiently. 

Actually, there were several meows, and one HISS. 

I hurried to get his food down and clean water.  I heard him jump down as I left.

So, last night on the critter cam, I got confirmation that three of the four ferals are definitely still here. 

There's Spooky and Harlequin. 

The gray and white kitty from the wild area across the road... my neighbors also leave food out for him. 

I used to feed him at the end of the driveway, but I have stopped doing that, either the starlings ate it, or the raccoons.  He knows where the food is in the henhouse. 

The two black brothers, Inky and Spooky, so I have definite confirmation Inky is still around. 

And that's the gray tabby. 

I am still not sure if I have seen the other black and white neutered female, Tippy, from the original litter of four.  

And then, there was this guy. 

He left the water filthy.  I had filled the dry food all the way up last night, 

so there was plenty for everyone, and indeed, there was some left this morning. 

I had food outside, too, and I suspect it was fine until the storm came. 

Paiton and Jax spent part of the day with me yesterday, as they were on 

their end of term break... and they got up this morning to find that 

they got an extra day (they are home with brother Jacob) because of the weather. 

I am glad they are safe under their parent's roof in this bad weather.