A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, January 8, 2021 Chapter Eight

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Dayphoto

Chapter Eight

It’s been a nice two weeks.

I’ve made sure the mice are at bay

Scared off a few birds

Patrolled the whole farmyard every day, more than twice a day

And even found Dad’s tire jacket laying on the ground

Just perfect for me to play hide and seek in.

Hide the Mindy

Run out

Run back in…jump on it to hear the crackle

Run away

What a blast!

Then yesterday, Black Beauty and Loki showed up.

“Hey, Mindy! Where is Boomer? I haven’t seen him for a very long time” Black Beauty woofed at me.

“Yes, Where IS Boomer?” Loki echoed

Their question just stopped me in my tracks.

“You don’t know, Black Beauty? You came every day to visit Boomer.”

“Yes, yes, I did. But then Mom stopped bringing me. Where is Boomer, it would be good to play with him again. To go sniffing around the farmyard seeing who and what has passed through.”

“ME TOO!” Loki yelled. “I haven’t seen Boomer since July when I was here last. Tell him to come out and play.”

I just stared at them.

They don’t know.

They really don’t know.

It shocks me how many love Boomer and are missing him.

Geez.

I sat down, wrapped my tail around my feet, cleared my throat—and began.

Afterward, Black Beauty just hung her head and walked over to her Mom’s car and sat waiting for her Mom to come out.

Loki just looked at me with a huge stunned look on his face.

“But he was HEALTHY in July! Healthy!” Loki sputtered.

“I know. In October he wasn’t healthy. And he left us. Mom cried for days.

I tried not to cry. But there are times when the whole farm just seems lonely.”

“Wow, I can imagine,” Loki exclaimed. “Gosh, it just doesn’t seem right.”

“No, it doesn’t.” I agreed.

About that time Loki’s Mom and Black Beautys’ Mom came to the back door.

“What’s wrong with Black Beauty?” Black Beauty’s Mom asked.

“Gosh, she acts like she is afraid you are going to leave her.” Loki’s Mom replied.

I just looked at both of them. People just never really understand animals, I thought.

My Mom walked out with Shannon and Misty; stooped down and picked me up.

We watch everyone get into the car and drive off.

“I’ll bet you had to tell Boomer’s friends about Boomer, didn’t you, Min-Min.” Mom said while she petted me.

We stayed there a short while.

Then Mom sat me down and I went back to work.

Mom headed into the house.

Boomer’s friends. I thought. How many more do I have to tell. How many friends are Boomer’s friends who don’t know?

Let me count— Freddy Fox,

Oreo the Skunk,

Freddy’s Mom (Shudder),

all the Raccoons…

OH, PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ME TELL THE COYOTES!!! I yowled up into the sky.

I don’t even want to tell the fox family, or Oreo, or the raccoons…

I DO NOT WANT TO TELL THEM! I wailed.

PLEASE, Boomer, Help!

I ran as hard as I could toward the log pile and screeched my plea to the heavens.

PLEASE HELP!

Here We GO—-Friday, January 1, 2021

Posted on January 1, 2021 by Dayphoto

Gosh, this is scary

Do we really want to do 2021? 2020 Was a crazy, over-the-top year!

Okay…here we go!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

Firewood—- Sunday, December 27, 2020

Posted on December 27, 2020 by Dayphoto

We had help

Creating firewood

Our granddaughter, Linkin, and our youngest daughter, Linkin’s Mom, Misty.

They helped us split

and stack

Making short work of a huge load.

Nice!

(I’ll bet you are wondering, if and when we are ever going to get done with the semi-load of firewood.

We are wondering the same thing 🙂 )

Your friend on a western Colorado farm,

Linda

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, December 18, 2020 Chapter Seven

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter Seven

I have been helping Mom and Dad. They are cutting and hauling wood.

I go out and hang around while Dad runs that LOUD thing that cuts the logs.

Sometimes I jump on the big woodpile to see if any mice run out.

They don’t.

Then Mom and Dad haul the wood and I stay in the corrals. There ARE mice in the corrals.

I was hanging out in the corrals searching here and there after Mom and Dad stopped for the day.

It was growing dark

I forgot about growing dark time.

When SUDDENLY out of nowhere

THE OWL CAME gliding down and lit right in front of me!

I FROZE

“STOP RIGHT THERE, CAT!!! NOW!”

I stopped.

I was already stopped.

I was frozen.

There was no way I was going to move.

I was trying to move, but I couldn’t.

“I am not going to hurt you. Get that through your head. I just want information.”

The owl fluffed her feathers this way and that, settling down right beside me.

“My name is Ruth!” the owl announced. “Boomer was my very best dog friend. We had lots of adventures together. I want to know if the rumors I am hearing are true.”

I just stared at the Owl, Ruth. My eyes must have been bigger than my face, my tongue was frozen in my mouth, I couldn’t talk.

“Come on, Cat. As soon as you tell me, I’m out of here.”

Yeah, right, and you grab me on the way out. I thought to myself.

I just stared at—-Ruth.

“I WILL NOT EAT YOU!” Ruth yelled at me. “I WILL NOT!”

I squatted down, trying to make myself tiny. Oh, maybe that isn’t a good idea. I FLUFFED myself up, trying to make myself big.

“Stop it,” Ruth tiredly commanded. “Just tell me about Boomer.”

She glared at me with her big round eyes.

I started to shake and shiver.

“Okay, here is a deal. You tell me. I continue to sit right here, I won’t move. You run as fast as you can away from me and hide. Then I will fly away. And only then.”

“You can’t leave, you know,” Ruth announced. “I can get you before you even think about moving your paws. So, tell me about Boomer. Once I know the truth, you can run off and I will let you go. You really don’t have a choice.” Ruth stated flatly. “You have NO CHOICE!” She emphasized.

I stared and stared. Ruth was right. I didn’t have a choice.

So, I told her. Everything. The whole sad story.

I was very shocked to see big tears rolling down Ruth’s face.

“You really did care about our Beaglie?” I asked.

“Yes. He was the most special mutt. He really cared about the farm and all the animals on the farm. He was my friend.”

“Where is his grave, cat?” Ruth asked sadly.

I told her.

She lifted herself up and silently flapped away.

She didn’t even try to eat me.

She didn’t even let me get away.

She just left.

Off I ran!

Later on, that night, as I sat on Mom’s lap; Mom told Dad that she (Mom) saw a marvelous wonder. An owl was sitting on the giant tree stumps covering Boomer’s gravesite.

Ruth, I thought. She really is an owl of her word.

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, December 11, 2020 Chapter Six

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter Six

After my horrible scare.

And a long, long, long nap in the house.

I decided it was time to get busy on the farm.

I meowed at the door until Mom came and let me out.

Then I headed to the corrals.

Mice…Yum. I need to find mice.

So, I searched here and there and everywhere.

Shoot.

Nothing.

Hummm

But there ARE birds!

BIRDS!

I have to be careful because, if MOM FINDS OUT she will yell at me.

I have to be very, very, sneaky…

S.n.e.a.k.y—-

“Mindy! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Mom yelled at me.

When Mom yelled all the birds flew off.

Mom left and went into the house and left me outside. Well, to be honest, I didn’t want to go inside.

I — and it’s cold.

Oh. This feels nice. Sunshine on the garage door.

Purrrrrr I’ll hang out here for a while.

PURRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Just as I was about to slip into a deep, deep sleep

“MINDY! WAKE-UP!”

My eyes jerked awake, but my mind didn’t.

I saw a squirrel, no I saw TWO squirrels.

Once I realized I saw TWO squirrels my mind woke-up.

“Stewart, Stanley, what’s up?”

“Come to the woodpile and play with us,” Stewart exclaimed.

“Boomer isn’t here,

but you are –let’s go scamper all over the woodpile together. Don’t you think it’s time you had fun instead of always patrolling the farmyard?” Stanley asked me.

I pondered for a spell, a little spell.

“YES! Let’s go.” I replied.

Off we went, around the corner of the barn, passed the fenced off equipment, (to keep the cows from rubbing on them), and On to the WOOD PILE.

We ran, we jumped, we hid and then chased each other…up down, under around.

We were just getting a tad tired when DAD showed up.

Scram! The squirrel brothers were gone!

I also scrammed running toward Dad so I could get a pet or two.

Purrrr, roll in the dirt, purr, happiness.

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, December 4, 2020

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter Five

I am terrified of owls. Terrified! I don’t like hawks, I don’t like crows, or ravens, and the over-head fan in the house, when it comes on

OWLS I AM BEYOND SCARED.

Mom wonders if it is because I was attacked one — by an owl.

See my lip?

I wasn’t born this way. It is NOT a natural hair lip. Mom even asked the vet and she agreed that I have a huge hurt on my lip. And I wasn’t born with it.

I would tell them if I could, but of course, the people can’t understand cat.

Mom doesn’t know when it happened, or how old I was when it happened because by the time I decided to live with Mom and Dad I was between 4-5 years old and the hurt had long healed.

But I can tell you…. I was a young cat. Merrily going about my everyday life in the wilds, when I was almost snatched up by and Owl; dinner I was supposed to be.

As for how my lip was torn, I can’t say. The whole thing was terribly frightening and scary and it all hurt—-later, when I was back in my hidey-hole the pain was terrible.

I have scars on my back and on my tummy, which fit perfectly with claws. Yes, they do!

They are faded now, but there are little ridges when the scars healed; a reminder of GETTING AWAY!

Mom says it must have happened just as I was leaving my hidey-hole. Mom and Dad have to let me stand and stare and stare and stare outside before I feel safe to go outside.

I look this and then that, then up and I try to peer under everything BEFORE I step one foot outside.

Mom and Dad are RIGHT!

I dash back inside the same way…very carefully! Entrances are danger zones!

I went merrily out of my hidey-hole on my way to get a drink of water and maybe a mouse or two.

It was just starting to get grey outside, grey as in light, when very silently, very suddenly I was grabbed up, lifted high in the sky. I started screaming and clawing and wiggling with all my might.

I must have worked because I fell. Down, down, down (even today I don’t like being picked up and flung onto a shoulder).

I landed in the brush; in a world, I didn’t know. I hurt all over, my mouth was bleeding and the pain was unreal.

It took me a long time to drag myself into a safe spot. Then it took me a long time to get to the place I could go get water. After that, it took me an even longer time to get to the place where I could catch a mouse or two.

By the time I figured out the new area I lived in I figured out MOM and DAD lived close by.

Now you know why I am so afraid of OWLS.

So, I waited in the canal. I could still hear that Owl…” Hey, cat! Come on out. I just want to know about Boomer. I’m Ruth, I won’t hurt you. Just tell me about Boomer.”

NO WAY! If I talk to the owl she will know where I am.

“MINDY! KITTY-KITTY-KITTY.”

MOM! Mom is outside. I will with all my might for Mom to come over to the canal.

COME HERE, MOM! COME HERE! I don’t dare leave or make a sound because RUTH is in the old Willow tree.

“MINDY!”

I hear Mom’s footsteps getting closer.

Suddenly I see through the dry grass I’m hiding in, the big grey owls rise up off the branches of the old Willow tree and silently fly into the sky toward the Upper End.

MOM! I bound out of the canal

and run toward Mom.

Mom reaches down and picks me up for a wonderful safe cuddle.

Oh, Mom. I Love you. I purr. You are a lifesaver.

Then I squirm forcing Mom to put me down.

I’m so happy I give myself a big roll in the dirt.

Off I go…I have things to do and

A MOUSE to eat!

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, November, 27, 2020 Chapter Four

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter Four

Every day is just another day.

I patrol the farm constantly.

Working hard to keep Mom and Dad safe.

And those hens.

They are such silly girls; it is really hard to keep them safe.

I’ve tried.

Boomer always checked out the hen house and made sure the hens were safe so I tried to do the same thing also.

Let me tell you, it is just too hard.

I don’t think they have a brain in their heads.

So, I only go to the hen house now when they are NOT IN the hen house.

That way I can keep the hen house SAFE!

Yes, SAFE! You know there are MICE who like to live in the hen house and eat chicken food.

I make sure the mice become MY Food!

Anyway,

If Dad is outside I always,

I mean always,

Go to Dad and get Kitty pets and Kitty Rubs and Kitty Pick Up and Carries.

Sure, is nice.

After a while I make Dad let me down and I head off doing Mouse patrol.

Well, it was any day just like any other day….oh, not really, it was more any evening like any evening

WHEN

Suddenly two grey ghosts flew right past me; landing in the very Ancient Willow Tree.

I flung myself to the ground when they flew past.

Then I heard HOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO WHOOOOOOO

OWLS!

OWLS! EAT! CATS!!! I started to bolt away when one of the owls silently lifted out of the tree and headed in my direction.

I ran as fast as I could to the, now empty canal, dove under the grass hanging over the side of the now-empty canal just in the nick of time, as I felt the swoosh of feathers passing over me.

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, November 20, 2020

Posted on November 20, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter Three

After a good night’s sleep on my chair that I adore, I decided it was time to head outdoors.

Being inside is good, keeps me from getting cold feet, and cold fur, but I get tired of inside.

MEOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. I yelled at Mom, who was fixing breakfast. MMEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWW!

“Geez,” Dad exclaimed, getting up from his place by the woodstove. “What is it, Mindy? Oh. You want out. Okay, out you go.”

Out I went, running as fast as I could through the door, ear flat, tail flat. Then I stopped.

It is cold still. Mist everywhere. Not only cold, damp.

Okay, that’s how it is…I’m not going back inside I need to go see if there are any mice anywhere.

Hmmm

I wonder about the hayfield. I haven’t been there for several days.

Off I went, the mist just starting to burn off as the sun grew warmer.

Okay…

Hum

Looking

“YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!”

What the heck…?

“YEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!”

My goodness! I looked all around me trying to figure out what I was hearing.

“HEY CAT!”

I looked up on top of the power pole

HAWK!

Oh! My Goodness…HAWK!

“Don’t worry, Cat.” The hawk yelled down to me. “I’m full. I had breakfast a short while ago. I just heard the news. Boomer has left the farm for the Rainbow Bridge. Is that true?”

I sat down and peered up at the hawk who was peering down at me— “Yes, my wonderful friend, Boomer lives over the Rainbow Bridge now.” I answered.

“Gosh, this is sad news,” Hawk replied. “Sad news!

I used to see him checking out the news all over the farm.

We would visit sometimes.

Does Oreo know?

Or Freddy Fox?”

“I don’t know” I hollered back to Hawk…but, I’m thinking, if you know, then probably

Ruth the Owl,

Oreo the Skunk, and

Freddy and his family must all know.”

“Maybe so, Cat, Maybe so…I think I’m off to find out.”

I watch Hawk rise up and flap away.

Then just as suddenly Hawk was circling and

LANDING

Not far from me.

I made to run.

“STOP CAT! I just wondered one more thing.

Do the coyotes know.”

“Coyotes! COYOTES? I don’t know, Hawk. I don’t know.”

With that, I ran as fast as I could toward the safety of the house.

Toward DAD!

I Had to Get out of the open of that alfalfa field.

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On—Chapter Two, Friday, November 13, 2020

Posted on November 13, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter Two

“Stewart! STEWART!!!” Stanley yelled as he scampered all over the large logs.

“STEWART!!!”

“WHAT?!? Geez, what could be so important to take me away from a yummy pile of peanuts?”

Stewart looked up to see Stanley barreling toward him.

“Stewart, O! Stewart, something so sad and terrible has happened, I’m finding it hard to know what to do.” Stanley wailed.

“WHAT is IT, Stanley! I can’t help you if you don’t calm down enough to tell me what is going on.”

“Oh, Stewart! Boomer has left all of us and gone over the Rainbow Bridge. He is GONE! Never to take us for rides around the farm again. O!, Stewart, I am so sad. He was a good friend to us.” With that Stanley let two great big tears roll down his little squirrel cheeks.

Stewart was just in mid-chew, of a delicious peanut Mom had put out as a fun snack for him and Stanley.

“NO! NO! I didn’t even know Boomer was sick! He didn’t tell us. He didn’t let us know!” Stewart responded in shock.

“Mindy Cat told me just a few minutes ago. Boomer is gone, traveling around with Fuzzy now doing all sorts of stuff without us. OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH BOOMER!” Stanley wailed.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOOMER!” Stewart chimed in.

The two little squirrel brothers sat there; heads hung low; hearts heavy.

“Well, what do we do now,” Stanley asked after a very long moment of silence.

“I think we had better go find Chip and let him know. Chip enjoyed Boomer. And Mrs. Bunny.”

“Oh, YES! Mrs. Bunny.”

“Okay, let’s move on down the equipment line and see if we can find Chip or Mrs. Bunny.” Stewart headed toward the end of the log gathering himself to jump onto the hay hauling trailer.

“MINDY!” Stewart stopped. “Hey, Mindy, have you seen Chip or Mrs. Bunny?” Stewart inquired.

“Chip? Mrs. Bunny?” I stopped my pursuit on the trailer; following the scent of several mice, you see, yummm—

a Momma mouse and her bazillion little ones.

“Actually, No. I haven’t really been looking for them.” I replied. “Maybe you can go check on the grain head or down by the roller, or under one of the combines. I’ve seen each of them there at different times of the day. Or you might go over to the stacked wood by the chicken house, sometimes they are over there.” I gave them all a small wave and headed on about my business.

“Okay,” Stewart and Stanley replied in unison…off we go—first let’s do the equipment area, there is always yummy corn kernels by the combines and other types of goodies.”

“CHIP! CHIPPPP!” We yelled as loud as our squirrel voice could yell—“CHIP WHERE ARE YOU!”

“Boys! Why are you screaming so loud?” Mrs. Bunny came hopping from the, now harvested cornfield. If you don’t keep your voices down you could call in the

crows

or that Hawk pair who have decided they live on our farm.” Mrs. Bunny admonished Stewart and Stanley.

“We are looking for Chip”, Stewart explained to Mrs. Bunny.

“And YOU!” Stanley chattered in.

Suddenly a brown ball of fur zipped right into our midst, running right into Stanley and bowling him over.

“I AM HERE! IAMHERE!” Chip chattered. “I’m HERE!”

‘Oh, good,” Stewart replied, helping Stanley up and dusting Stanley off. “We have some very sad news to tell you.”

“SAD!” Mrs. Bunny and Chip exclaimed at the very same time.

“Yes”, Stanley replied. “Mindy cat just told us that Boomer, our Buddy, has left the farm to live over-the Rainbow-Bridge. Boomer is no longer here to protect and take care of us.” Stanley burst out in tears, all over again.

There was stunned silence from Chip and Mrs. Bunny.

“Oh, Boomer,” Mrs. Bunny sadly said. “Oh, Boomer. Thank you for being our friend. Run free.” Mrs. Bunny pronounced to the Sky. “Run free.”

“BAWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” Chip wailed. “I didn’t get to say Goodbye.”

“Well, no, none of us did”, chattered Stewart. But Mindy told him good-bye and said she would let all his friends know.”

“Mindy. Oh. Good.’ Mrs. Bunny calmy uttered.

“Then we don’t have to let Freddy, his Mom (shudder)

or those very large and noisy raccoons know.

Mindy can do it.”

“Hummm, Chip squeaked… “I wonder where Mindy is now, and what she is doing.”

“I would imagine she is looking for Boomer’s friends to let them know…she has a big job now. Telling the farm our most wonderful dog friend is over the rainbow bridge.” Mrs. Rabbit turned and bounced back into the cornfield.

Chip looked at us, gave a little hand-wave, and said: “Let’s go eat peanuts.”

So, we all ran back to the logs and the nice treats Mom had put there for us.

After my mouse snack, I decided it was time to move on.

A Mindy Adventure Story—Life Goes On, Friday, November 6, 2020

Posted on November 6, 2020 by Dayphoto

Chapter One

Mom and I had a sit together yesterday. We sat and sat and sat. Mom petted on me and I purred. Then I got up and had Mom scratch me all over my back and at the base of my tail.

I purred as LOUD as I could.

A HUGE BIG PURR.

Then I looked Mom in the eye and said as clearly as I possibly could: “We have to move on. Boomer would want that. Besides he comes to see us even now. You just have to look for him.”

I stared and stared in Mom’s eyes trying to get her to understand.

I think she did. But I’m not sure. Anyway, I tried to get her to understand.

After I had all the purring and scratching, I wanted, I jumped down and went to the back door—Mom followed me.

OUTSIDE!

Outside where I love to be.

Hum, I wonder where Dad is?

Oh! There he is.

Time to give Dad lots of love and purrs.

That’s my job (besides catching and eating mice) giving Mom and Dad purrs.

Okay. That’s enough.

I have things I need to do.

Let’s see…the combine is parked in its regular spot. That means Dad is done with the corn harvest. That also means there might be MICE inside the header looking for left-behind corn.

YUMMY

MICE!

I peered up into the combine.

Nothing. Not a movement, or a flick of a tail, nothing.

Well, off to the woodpile.

I can usually find mice scurrying up and over the logs there.

STOP!

WAIT!

SHHHHHHHHHHHH BIRD!!!

Mom would NOT like it if I caught (and ate) a bird…but…THERE ONE IS!!!

I crept down real low

Moving slow, ever so slow, slower…s.l.o.w.e.r

NOW!

WHAT JUST HAPPENED!

Something brown furry and fluffy just ran out of a log and right toward me!

(Of course, scaring off the BIRD!)

“MINDY!! MINDY!!” Screeched the brown furry

SQUIRREL!

“OH! Stanley! You gave me a huge fright! And you scared off a bird.”

“Scared off a bird! Oh, good! Glad to help Ya. I’ll try to do so again.” Stanley ran quickly down the log and sat right in front of me with his chitter-chatter going a-mile-minute.

“Stop, Stanley! You are talking so fast I can’t understand you. Besides my heart is still trying to calm down.”

“That’s okay, Cat. I’m not looking for you anyway. I’ve been hanging out here waiting for my buddy, Boomer to come along so we can have an adventure!”

“Boomer?” I questioned Stanley in a sad little voice.

“Yes, Yes, Boomer. Stewart and I want to go on an adventure over to the equipment area and we want to ride on Boomer’s back.”

“Boomer,” I said, quietly. “Boomer left us, Stanley. He now lives over the rainbow bridge.”

“The Rainbow Bridge! NO! NO! I Don’t want Boomer to go live over the Rainbow Bridge! NO!” Stanley wailed.

“I didn’t want him to go either,” I replied miserably.

“Gosh, Mindy, I could swear I saw him just a few hours ago,

trotting passed the Grain Truck. I called to him. He stopped gave me one of his sweet beagle smiles, wagged his tail, then put his nose to the ground and trotted on passed the grain truck over toward one of Mom’s gardens. I swear I saw him.”

“I think you did, Stanley. I think he is coming back and visiting ever now and again. I saw him yesterday, while Mom and Dad were busy with the corn. He was right by the cornfield watching Mom and Dad. Sometimes dozing, sometimes sitting up and staring at them.”

I walked over to the woodpile, climbed up on one of the logs; started stretching out my claws grabbing the wood with each one of my nails, then raking them toward me.

SCRATCH SCRATCH RAKE

“I talked to Boomer at that point. He said he was happy. And that he would be back and forth to check on us. Right after that he sorta, kinda, faded. Then I didn’t see him anymore.”

“Geeze, I didn’t know. I have to go now. Gotta Go. I gotta let Stewart know.”

Zoom, Stanley was gone.