Posts by Liz

The day after Auggie’s difficult day

So, despite the fact that I have an additional 1,000,000 gray hairs…and given that I made the decision to let Auggie be an outdoor cat (daytime!!!)… I put on my big girl panties, stiffened my upper lip, said a LOT of prayers…and allowed Auggie to choose to go outside or not… the day after.

As it happened, Auggie did go out, but he stuck close to Bear or I and he was not out long this day after the difficult day. He seemed to be extra cautious as well as hyper-sensitive to noise … especially the noise of the ravens. Hmm. I don’t think the ravens would “attack” him, but they do swoop down over Bear (and Karl before) …and steal treats left lying around. So, maybe they taunted Auggie.

A mystery.

I am grateful that Auggie is cautious and vigilant. I am sorry that he has been SO frightened.

But.

Onward.

This evening, we all walked together in the woods:

A lovely, early Fall evening…

… the day after Auggie’s difficult day.

Auggie’s difficult day

The Auggie-boy is one tough cat.

However, every once in awhile, something sends him roaring inside like the hounds of hell are after him.

This morning, apparently they were as I heard the split screen and his feet and then Auggie up, up and away to the top of the cabinet above the refrigerator.

Auggie slunk down and warily moved around the house, looking out windows and doors … so warily, that I did a house tour to make sure that nothing came in with or behind him. Nada.

Uncharacteristically, he did not recover his sang froid…

The edge of the porch was as far as he ventured and that was later in the day.

Stepping back, to Saturday night…at bedtime, I discovered a scab on Auggie’s ear and head and shoulder…

He tangled with something…but he had not jetted inside like he did today (Monday) and seemed unconcerned about going in and out.

Today was different.

Bear was on Beardog Point when Auggie roared in. AND, as it was warm at 60 something F, I had the house windows open. Bear did not alert and I heard nothing…and believe me, a cat in a fight is hearable from some distance! So, I think no fight, but some critter or bird (eagle or owl or raven?) scared Auggie out of his wits!

“It was so awful, I can’t even talk about it…”

“It was bad!”

“I guess, I just have to muck about on my own…”

“Hey, where were you when I was about to be et???”

“I heard nothing.”

“NOTHING!”

Whatever it was, it made for a difficult day for Auggie!

The BEST … and the PRETTIEST Farmer’s Market haul yet!

Good grief!! – just LOOK!!!

I missed so many markets because of heat/smoke/summer traffic and my own wimpy-ness in dealing with the aforementioned.

I (and Bear) went to town yesterday and I hadn’t thought I’d go today (Saturday!!!), but I looked at the calendar and after today there were only 4 Farmer’s Market Saturdays before the market was done for the year.

It is prime time for local produce, so I told Bear that in the mode of Big Dog, i.e. “if you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch” … off we went to market, because WE are BIG DOGS!!!

YES, we are! The traffic was not as bad as it has been since some of the summer tourist stuff is done. And even though it was forecast to hit 84F this afternoon, this morning was cool and beautiful.

AND, we came home with sunflowers, carrots, a GIGANTIC leek, purple cabbage, the greenest and most luscious broccoli I’ve ever seen, heirloom cherry tomatoes, PEACHES (Montana Peaches!!) and golden plums.

The peaches were the big surprise. The grower is from Rollins, Montana which is a town on the west (west-southwest) side of Flathead Lake. Peaches!!! – from Montana … and from a town near me. The peaches are destined for a peach-ginger sorbet and also for a peach aqua Fresca. I might just eat the golden plums – they are super sweet and delicious. (I actually have about a dozen peaches and plums…only a few were added to the photo above.)

Not sure about everything else, but this week…this week, I will be eating fresh and local produce – and loving it!

Friday afternoon

Another beautiful day! There was some smoke in the valley, but nothing like weeks previous and no smell of smoke. Overnight temps have been diving into the high 30’s (F) so the house is cool even though this afternoon got to 76F.

I finished my work day shortly after 5:00 p.m. – which included a long lunch for a run to town.

A good week: work and play, it was good!

Bear agrees!

The fuschia … they are still so beautiful!

And the woods is happy since it got a bit of a drink last weekend and more to come next week, per NOAA

The chairs are happy and they said to wish all a Happy Friday!