Two More Makes Five!



Oscar (cry baby)



Turtle

 It's a good thing I love cats....all cats!!!  They are one of my most favorite things in the world.  I never dreamed that I would ever have more than one at a time though.  Can you believe that we have FIVE kitties here at Brambly Pines!  When Shell moved, she brought her two kitties to stay with us until she gets settled into an apartment in Nashville.  I had to figure out a way to separate everyone so there wouldn't be any cat fights.  Our two are now using my bathroom for their bathroom and eating area.  Turtle and Oscar ( Shell's two) are living in the laundry room.  So far, it's working.  My two act like there isn't anything wrong with the laundry room door being closed all the time.  It took a week for Marmalade to sleep in the bed with me again since Shell is also there.  George kitty, is living outside during the day and in the basement at night. He's getting used to being safe and warm when it's dark.  All in all, it's working.  It sure keeps me busy, checking on everyone and giving everyone some kitty love several times a day.  I wouldn't want five here all the time...three is enough.  I can't imagine having just " one kitty" now. 

Another Scare!



the wire worked!!



torn up window box



dirty dog prints



We had another scare yesterday!  We thought the coyotes had tried to get at the chickens the night before.  The window box was torn to pieces and there were muddy prints all over the door to the girls mansion.  I was so mad!  I was ready to go coyote hunting right then and there!  At least we found out that the wire that Chuck had put up over the window, worked.  The chickens were safe.   Chuck decided he had better put a couple of pieces of wood on the inside of the wire door to their yard, so the coyotes couldn't push it open enough to get to the chickens during the day.  I decided that I had better put George kitty in the basement every night to keep him safe.  Last night was his first night and he did well.  I put a kitty bed down there and a litter pan.  From now on, he will be spending his nights safe and sound.  Plus, it will be a lot warmer place for him to sleep this winter when it's freezing outside.  Well, this morning I was on the front porch, holding George and two of the neighbors dogs came running through our yard.  George freaked out BIG TIME!  A few minutes later, I could hear barking and  something scratching on the wire down at the hen house.  I ran down there as fast as I could and there were the dogs!  Trying to get the chickens.  So, come to find out, it wasn't coyotes.  I'm beginning to think it was the dogs that tried to get George on the porch the other night too.  Who ever or what ever, George will be spending his nights in the basement and Chuck will be adding on to his house on the porch, so dogs/coyotes can't reach into the hole to get him during the day.   

She's Here!!!



Always time to stop to dance!



getting the couch out with rope and a pulley. 



Remember when you could see through the barn?  Not any more!!  We are now walking through little paths again.  All I can say is, thank goodness we have the barn!!  Shell is here with everything she owns.  Including two kitties, living in our laundry room.  Her and Chuck got here around 7:30 pm on Thursday night.  I was never so glad to see them.  To know that they were here safe and sound and for them to be here to comfort me about George kitty missing.  Friday morning, we started unloading.  Chuck had unloaded the trailer before Shell and I got down to the barn.  He had to take the trailer off of the truck and he backed the truck right up to the barn door.  It took us all morning to empty the truck.  The barn is now FULL again.  Not as full as it was when we moved but it's pretty full.  Hopefully not for long.  I have a feeling Shell will find a job in Nashville soon and we will be loading up all the stuff and heading north with it. Meantime, we are having fun as in a long visit with Shell.  It's funny.  Her and I keep thinking she will only be here for a few days and then will be heading back home to Florida.  So glad it's not going to happen!!

24 Hour Broken Heart



George's house pulled apart!



Find George...left side of the wood pile.  He matches the wood.



Silly George, sitting on the stump. I thought this might be the last picture of sweet George.

I found out just how much I loved our silly out door kitty, George!  Last Halloween, the coyotes killed all of our chickens and this Halloween, I thought they had gotten George!  Chuck had flown back to Florida with Fred and Elaine so he could drive the Uhaul truck back for Shell, so that had left me here alone in the woods by myself to take care of our animals.  Halloween night, I had checked on George and he was in his house, all safe and sound.  I thought!  The next morning, when I turned on the light to go out and feed George, I found the rug messed up, his blanket pulled half way out of his house and his cube pulled to the front of his house.  In an instant, I knew what had happened.  A coyote came up on the porch!!!  I called and called George!  When it came day light, I walked around the house and the TT, calling him.  Nothing!!  I tried to reason with myself that he just might be safe because there was no fur or blood on the porch.  The longer I called and he didn't show up, my hope started fading.  By evening, I just knew he had been drug out of his house and taken into the woods to be some damn coyotes meal.  My heart was broken.  I was so upset!!  George had never not come to the front porch, when I called him.  I went to bed with a broken heart, even though Chuck and Shell were here to comfort me.  The next morning, Chuck and I were having our morning coffee, watching the early news on TV at 5:30 am and we heard a " thump" on the front porch.  We both looked at each other and was thinking the same thing. We jumped up and  Chuck turned on the porch light and opened the door and said " hello, George!!".  There he was!! Alive and not a scratch on him!!! I couldn't believe it!!  He was afraid of me for a minute but he finally let me hold him.  I cried and cried for joy!  He has to be the smartest outdoor kitty that ever lived in the woods.  I sat and rocked him in the porch rocking chair and he purred and purred as he fell instantly asleep.  What an awful 24 hours he must have gone through.  I couldn't wait to tell everyone that "George was still alive!"  I had so many great friends comfort me the day before when I thought he was gone.  I called Elaine right after day light to tell her and Fred the news.  Elaine has nick named George " road runner" because he out ran the coyote.  I think that name is going to stick.  " Beep! Beep!"

Fire Pit Night



An almost Full Moon Night





A fun, relaxing night around the fire pit.





Cheers! to great company!!

Our last night of fun with Fred and Elaine was spent around the fire pit, with a glass of wine.  The moon was bright and the fire was warm.  The only thing missing was the Alabama smores but we were all too full from dinner.  There is always room for a nice glass of wine though.  

One Last Bridge




Clarkson Covered Bridge

 

There was one last covered bridge that Fred and Elaine hadn't seen.  It was on our way home, so we stopped.  This one is in need of repair so you can't drive your car across it.  There is a neat little dam and grist mill there though.  It was a nice way to end our fun two days of running around Northern Alabama with Fred and Elaine.  We always have so much fun when they come up.  We'll be looking forward to the next time!

Mountain Entertainment

Our so nice tour guide.  He even took the picture of the four of us.   



starting out





He's on the right,on the edge of the rocks, half way up the picture.



He makes it to the top.



His wife spots him with the rope.

As we were walking around the top of the canyon at the park, we came across some people who were dropping ropes down the side of the rocks.  Then, they were climbing down the cliff between the rocks, where it wasn't that steep.  We came across this guy and we started talking to him about the people and what they were doing.  He told us that his wife was a rock climber but he wasn't because he was scared of heights.  Yes!  my kind of man!!! and he even admits it...ha!  He told us that there was a path all the way down to the bottom of the canyon and that was how he was getting down.  He said he would take us down on it.  As we talked, we found out that he and his wife were from Destin, Florida.  Also that they had just spent a month on their sail boat, down in St. Pete. at the Vinoy harbor.  Small world up here, I tell ya.  After climbing down the canyon for awhile, we finally came across the people who were going to be climbing up the canyon. They were so nice and talked to us about it.   We all sat down to watch.  It was amazing how this guy climbed up where there were no places to put his feet or hands.  He held on by just a thread of rock.  It really was entertaining.  He went up the rocks like he was Spider Man! It all just added to our fun time at Palisades Park in the Fall.