I was busy just doing my thing—
When Mom Yelled—-
Come with me, Boo Berry—
Come on!!
Hurry! Hurry! We have a RAINBOW!!
The very first of the season!
Okay!
That is a good thing?
Yes! It is, Mom said. Bending down to pet me. Yes, it is!
I think anything that gets Mom petting me is a good thing. 🙂
Boo Berry Betty Brown
MOM!!!!!!!!!!!
MOM HURRY PLEASE!!!
“What is it, TLC?”
LOOK, MOM!!! LOOK!
MOUSE!!! Yum! Snack, slurp, gobble.
TLC
Mom and I
decided it was time
to go for a walk-about.
Off we went together
Mom looking at this and
That
And taking photos
of ME!
We go on
walkabouts at
LEAST once a day
…oftentimes
more.
Here we go
Walk-about
Mom
And I.
Mindy Lou-Sue
Chapter Nine
I hopped up on the windows sill to ponder this whole sad mess.
It was about the time I was feeling most discouraged when I saw
Boomer following Mom to the house.
I sat up and MEOWED “BOOMER! YOU ARE BACK!”
I kept meowing and meowing. I ran to the back door and meowed some more.
“Mindy Sue-Lou, what is up? Why are you so agitated?” Mom asked me after she came in from outside.
“COME TO THE BACK DOOR! BOOMER IS OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW! He followed you to the house. COME, MOM!”
Mom put on her coat and opened the back door for her and me to go outside.
“It’s dark, Mindy. Are you sure you really want to go outside?”
YES! YES! Hurry, MOM! Boomer is outside!
Mom and I made a mad dash out the door.
We looked all around.
Everywhere.
I would walk a little and wait for Mom. If she didn’t come, I meowed at her.
We looked at lots of places.
Sigh!
Nothing.
Mom and I went back into the house.
I headed back to my window.
Boomer WAS out there I know it!
BOOMER! I yelled mentally to the Rainbow Bridge. If you were out there please show me. Make it real!
I need to see you again!
I need help! BOOMER!!!
Meanwhile, right outside the kitchen window
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.
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!
‘Are you finding anything, Myrtle?”
“Well, kinda. Let’s look over here.”
“This is extravagant..lots of weeds and leaves and stuff.
“Let’s head someplace else. I’m not finding anything.”
“Okay”
“Oh, look the loud echoing water is gone. Let’s go down there.”
“I’m done.”
“Me too.”
Knock, knock, knock
“MOM! Come out we want some luxury food.”
MOM!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!? MOM!
“YAY! Mom is heading to the hen house with treats!”
“First one there gets all of them!”
“That’s just what you think, Myrtle.”
Your friend on a western Colorado farm,
Linda
Chapter Eleven
We’ve had a hard week, Mom and I.
Very hard.
I got sick again.
Very sick.
Horribly sick.
Deathly sick.
Mom took me to the vet…the prognosis wasn’t good.
Mom cried and cried and cried.
Then, after giving me all the meds…I seem to be doing better.
It’s my nose again.
Maybe my chest.
Maybe my stomach.
Who knows?
The x-rays didn’t really say.
Mom just couldn’t afford all the blood work and the ultra-sounds and all the other tests.
So, she and I talked about it.
We decided to go with the x-rays and the medication.
The prednisone pumped me up so much I couldn’t sleep. Spent the whole night panting, and moving up and down, going in and out.
So, no more SPEED for me.
Just the antibiotic for my nose.
Mom and I talked about that also.
It all started back up with all the smoke in the area.
Yesterday Mom said: “Come on, Boomie. You and I need a change of pace. This panting and huffing and puffing is not good.”
Up I went with her to check the water.
We went at noon and again in the evening.
Honestly, I think I am better today.
I sure hope so.
Mom and I have our fingers and paws crossed.
I trust Mom.
Mom kisses me lots on the nose and tells me to work hard and get well, Boomie. “We have lots of stuff still to do together.”
I sure love Mom.
(Mom doesn’t really know how things are going to go. Please pray for the best. The best for Boomie. I will do my best to accept whatever is meant to be. Thank you, my friends!)
From my heart to your world,
Linda
Hello! It’s Me, Mindy-Lou, Min-Min, Kit-Cat Brown. Today is MY day to visit with you!
It seems like I do lots of waiting.
Well, first I have to walk about and do some hunting. Then I wait.
I hide and wait for that skittery mouse to come rushing past me…then I leap and the wait is over!
I have to be very careful outside now…a pack of coyotes is back. I have seen them as I wait in the shadows. When I see them I wait and wait then I run as fast as I can to safety.
Coyotes EAT cats!
Sometimes I go for a walk in the dark, with Mom and Boomer. But also, sometimes Mom puts me in the house where I wind-up waiting for them to get back.
I always do my best to be there for Dad
(and Mom) but DAD first!
But the hardest waiting comes when I have to wait for everyone to come back from a four-wheeler excursion.
I refuse to ride, although, Mom has asked me.
So, I suppose, the very best thing I do is waiting. Then pouncing, and —oh, mom says I can’t explain the next part of crunching. Oh! Yes, I’m also pretty good at spitting up fur balls, but Mom says I can’t talk about that either.
Mindy Kit-Cat Brown. (I love how I have a family name now!)
I know! I know! Mom told me I was getting way too old to go about sleuthing. Or searching for lost friends. Or just plain wandering around on the farm without Mom close by.
BUT
I am bored!
I mean really, really bored!
Yes, I know I can go for walks with Mom.
And I do.
I go everywhere she goes and I come back with her also.
But — I mean geez. It’s been a long time since I walked over to the equipment area by myself.
You see I have to go by myself because all my friends hide when Mom comes with me.
Anyway, while Mom and I were sleuthing for photos to take, I sidetracked Mom and took off!
I just left her. I use to leave her all the time when she and Dad were changing the water, but I can’t do that anymore.
Well, I could, but Mom and Dad don’t change water all the time like they used to so there just isn’t a chance for me to go exploring W.I.T.H.O.U.T Mom!
I waited for Mom to settle herself down on a log over by the equipment area, put the camera to her eye—-“I hope I can get some good photos of animals that live here, Boomie.” She said. I whapped the tip of my tail waiting and waiting for Mom to forget to keep tabs on me.
When I thought I was going to have to wait FOREVER I saw Stanley.
Stanley the Squirrel. Stanley moved all his nuts and seeds over here when he figured out there were lots of other squirrels to play with. Stewart, Stanley’s twin brother went with Stanley so our farmyard is now squirrel less.
Which is rather boring, I might say.
Anyway, I saw Stanley and motioned him to come over.
“HEY, Boomer! Wow! You are here! How cool is that! I haven’t seen you for a squirrels’ age!” Stanley jumped up and down in front of me and grabbed me by my long soft beagle ears. “Gosh, is it ever good to see you!”
“Wait! Wait! Stanley…. slow down. Can you do me a favor?
“Sure, you just name it and I will do it.” Stanley jumped up on my back, then scampered over the other side, “What ya need, Boomer?”
“See my Mom over there…sitting on the log peering carefully into the trees and the equipment?”
“Yes,” Stanley replied.
“Run over there and play on the equipment and let Mom take a photo of you. She will take lots of photos and put you on her computer then your photo will go way, way out into outer space and you will be FAMOUS!”
“Cool!” Stanley said. “I’ll do it! I’m off to become outer of the space famous!”
I watched Stanley scamper and skitter over to the equipment area. Then I saw Mom slowly, slowly raise her camera to her eye, click, click…
Perfect!
Mom was smitten and busy.
Now off I go to check out what is happening on the farm and to see how my friends are doing.
Life on a Colorado Farm 