I’ve been more or less MIA since Wednesday. I say more or less because I did upload my last post on Saturday. Last Wednesday was such a clown show in the House it just grabbed all my attention and Thursday I’m always out of pocket because of SHARE which was a food delivery day from the regional food bank, our new Elder while putting boxes on the storage rack wants to make sure we know…
Friday I spent the day working on my post which I had intended to post that day but, oh well. Which brings us to the weekend. Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday I spent getting ready for the arctic blast that is sitting on us right now. I pulled the big potted plants that would withstand a light freeze into the garage and put the big tarp up and across everything. I harvested the rest of the cauliflower, broccoli,
most of the mustard greens and lettuce, and the two ready cabbages and covered the rest of the cabbages and mustard greens (we’ll see if they survive). I covered the ponytail palm, the bougainvillea, bird of paradise, the begonia, and the yesterday today and tomorrow, pruned back and covered the porterweed and the yellow angel trumpet, brought smaller pots of flowers and plants in the house, filled the bird feeder.
This silly thing was blooming yesterday.
And worried about Momcat and the kittens. I had brought 3 boxes home from SHARE and put three ragged towels in them and put them and a basin with kitty litter in the shed behind Pam’s house but didn’t intend to lock them in until today as it was only supposed to get down to near freezing Sunday night. As I headed over to feed them around 4 I checked the weather and now it was going to get down to 29˚ Sunday night so I moved their food and water dishes from under the porch to inside the shed and they all went in to eat and I shut the door. It was 25˚ when I got up this morning. Well, damn. I hadn’t plugged in the small radiator heater Pam has in the shed for her plants because I didn’t think they would need it last night.
I went over to check on them after breakfast and after the icy drizzle had stopped, hauling the heavy duty extension cord over with me and plugged it into the outdoor outlet on the back of the house and when I opened the door of the shed they were huddled in the boxes and the water in their dish was frozen. I put out more food, cleaned the litter box, plugged in the radiator and arranged the boxes around it (but not too close) because it’s going to be even colder tonight and colder still tomorrow night, like 18˚. Momcat immediately wanted out. Sorry Momcat, not til Wednesday. I’ll go back and check on them this afternoon.
I had brought in the prunings from the yellow trumpet flower yesterday, one of which had an open bloom, and put them in water to root like I did last year and last night as I was sitting at my computer the flower released it’s wonderful lemony scent.
There was another thing that happened last week besides the clown show in the House. Marc’s mother died Tuesday night. She had been in hospice care at home with her youngest son providing care which he has done for the last ten years or so, moving in and putting his life on hold when their mom started to decline. Al was with her when she passed. She was 92. We were hoping that this year would easier than last but it has started out with another death in the family and next week Marc has cataract surgery. I don’t suppose at this point in our lives that any future year is going to be eventless.
But here’s one small success, Cat finally succeeded in snuggling up to Minnie.
I guess Minnie is warm, and needs must. Cat is a pretty critter. Here's hoping for an uneventful polar blast for you guys.
ReplyDeleteat least it's short lived this time unlike the last three years when it came and sat for a while.
DeleteYour caulis look very tasty! For what it's worth, and I am aware the Texas cats are not German cats, by my cats never had a problem with frost as long as there was some shelter from the wind, in our case the unheated bicycle shed. I used to be scared for their lives because they were outdoor animals especially at night but not a bother. I asked the vet and he just looked at me and said, see that fur coat? Now I worry about the birds which my bird-watcher friends assure me I don't need to. Still, I defrost the bird bath twice daily. The garden looks like an assembly of overdressed scare crows right now. The forecast is for -12C by midweek. Keep warm, all the best for the cataract surgery. And heartfelt condolences on the death of your MIL, same age as my father was when he died last year.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that cats grow thicker coats where it gets below freezing and stays that way for months unlike down here though I could be wrong.
DeleteOK, what have you put in Minnie's water? My tortie won't cozy up to anyone, especially the only other person in the house with her.
ReplyDeleteit has taken Cat some time. she wouldn't even come in the living room with us at first. but in winter she decides laps and snuggling aren't such a bad idea.
DeleteI think most outdoor animals grow thicker fur in the winter. Our weather has been kind so far. Your kitties made me remember my daughter's neighbor reporting her for leaving her dog outside. A Saint Bernard! He had a house in the yard that he could get in. Of course she was not cited for having a Saint Bernard outside! His litter mate was my Louise and she lived inside, of course. Her fur never got as thick as Crash's did. She also had a cat named Burn .... Crash and Burn, hence the choice of Thelma or Louise for my dog.
ReplyDeleteI know cats grow thicker fur in the winter but winters down here are not like winters up north and that's what we are experiencing, temps in the 20s and teens at night. even out of the wind that's pretty damn cold and the kittens aren't even a year old yet.
DeleteI am quite sure we are permanently prepared for “the hard freeze” since it’s a normal part of winter. We just don’t know it. Hard to believe that in mere months you will be immersed in unbearable heat again. Take the cold. You’ll figure out a way to stay warm, but you can’t escape that heat.
ReplyDeleteI hate the cold and I'm so glad that when we get weather this frigid it only lasts a few days though sometimes for a couple of weeks. I lived in Chicago one winter and it was the most miserable year of my life, cold and snow and ice and wind for months! And I had to go out in it every day. no thanks, give me heat.
DeleteOnce again, we are living sort of parallel lives, especially when it comes to weather. Our arctic cold isn't supposed to get here until late tonight but I guess we're ready. Right now it's warmish and raining, with temperatures expected to drop as the day progresses.
ReplyDeleteYour broccoli and cauliflower look so good! I've never had luck with either.
I'm going to pick some of my garden later on in the day but after that I'm just going to hope that, like the elder said, god loves me and doesn't kill my greens. Ellen- I swear- religion of any sort has become a trigger for my outrage lately. It's getting worse, too. I see it as such an evil force.
Well, better to think about cats who snuggle with dogs and the dogs who let them and humans like you whose hearts are big enough to hold the warmth and safety of feral animals in them.
It's been a hell of a past few months for you, hasn't it?
I despise religion and I especially despise christianity. it's some evil shit. I'm glad you aren't getting the really cold, in the 20s and teens, that we're suffering through though tonight is the last and we jump into the 40s tomorrow. today is my grocery shop day but with only two things currently on the list I'm staying in.
Deleteyeah, these last few months have been tough. I'm ready for some relaxing stress free not cold days.
I'm surprised we have sun today; I thought it was supposed to stay cloudy until Wednesday. I'm pleased, especially since we'll have a brief above-freezing period this afternoon: up to about 34F or so. Then, one more night of it -- until next weekend, when a second blast is predicted to come through. But, I've melted the ice in the bird baths and put out fresh food. The birds are beginning to stir, but I don't think I'll be stirring at all -- unless you count stirring the great Mexican chicken stew I have in the crock pot!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about Marc's mother. It's always a grief, but when my own died at 93, she was ready, and had only five weeks or so in the hospital. Up to that point, she'd been lucky enough to be able to stay in her home, although we did joke about the fact that her home was furnished with "hot and cold running daughter."
the clear sky is welcome but also allows it to get colder. just one night though below freezing on Friday. my birdfeeder is doing brisk business but no way I can melt the ice in the birdbaths. my neighbor came yesterday bearing homemade soup. I traded her some mustard greens.
DeleteSo sorry about Marc's mother. Mike & I were talking about his 91 year old father last night - it's a rough time for all concerned. I think we're the only state in the nation not on arctic alert. I take that back - it's 39 now but supposed to get down to 16 tonight. But even though the lows are pretty low we'll still get up into the 40s all week.
ReplyDeleteMy birdbath heater finally died last year after several winters' use. Just got a new one from Amazon.
ReplyDeleteYesterday someone rang my doorbell. A rare event; usually the "no soliciting" sign prevents. The sound always sets my Yorkies off. After I'd rounded them up and away from teh door, I opened it. Remember----so cold schools were closed! It was two young men. I asked what they wanted? To tell me "all about Christ"!!! I said, "no thank you, I already KNOW all about that.". They were surprised, but turned around......... I expect they were red hat owners, too..... Hugs for you, Ellen. We are not in fun times....,...,
Lots going on indeed! I enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDelete