Tuesday - Ms Smokey's Day at SouthWoodsUSA™

Time to feature the Ladies on Buddy's Place.
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This is Ms Smokey, the 'other' Lady Kitty on our Cat Porch.
Of the two, she came first, daintily hopping through the grass I had
yet to cut that week.

     Smokey came right up to me, rubbed my legs,

accepted scratches and petting, then hopped on the 'feeding' table

 we kept stocked with food and water for the 

local strays, ferals and castaways.   She finished her meal, took a bit of a bath, as cats the world over are want to do at that time, came for more loving, then scampered away across the lawn headed toward her own territory.  The next day I was out cleaning up the riding mower after having finished cutting the yard.  Job complete, I walked onto the cat porch when I saw her again.  

     This time she came limping very slowly, favoring her left front paw.  She wouldn't allow me to inspect it closely but I could see no signs of breaks or open wounds, so I carefully sat her up on the feeding table for another meal.  As I turned from the table to once again take to my chair, Ms Princess appeared prancing across the freshly cut lawn causing my heart to stop. 

      I thought I was seeing my long lost little Princess Ebony again.  Sorry, after all these years I still get a chill and a sadness comes over me when I see this little 'Spooky' looking like Princess Ebony's twin, or maybe a reincarnation.  

     Back to the tale.

     I fed Spooky (Ms Princess) and turned again to the younger one (according to the previous owners, she is about 8 or 9 years old now), only to find her up in the nest-box above the food station she had been eating at.  She did her three turns, plopped, and proceeded to do the after dinner - before nap bath.  I sat down to watch the two. 

      I still watch them after all these years.  They never went back 'home' after that second day's meal and nap.  

     Now, the naps and dinners are taken in the laundry room (their Boudoir as it is now officially named) just off the cat porch.  They've padded washer and dryer tops, shelves over and on the hot water heater and potato chip box beds on the table and shelves all over the walls.  Winter drop cloth door keeps the wind out and the heat lamp warmth inside.  

When I'm out and about on the acre, Smokey is there
escorting, guarding, and when she can get my
attention, playing with me and what ever I am
handling at the time.  I keep my pace slow so
she can keep up.  Oh, she can still sprint
like there was nothing wrong with the leg,
but ...... there's no hurry at Five Oaks Manor.
Just Love and togetherness.  

     Smokey rides on my shoulder, or in my arms as I wander around our acre looking for something to distract me from the fact I'm too old for my woodwork, my hobbies of small crafts and just plain making something out of anything, and can't run like I did those many years as a young man.  

     Now if I could get her or Ms Princess to fetch the mail every day ......

     We have been lucky with these two little girls, Ms Princess, and Ms Smokey as far as their health are concerned.  They live outside yet haven't had shots in all the time they've been with us, although they did have their initial trips to the Vets for shots and 'the' operation before they showed up on our cat porch.  Would it were possible to take them inside, and give them the life they SHOULD have had all these years.  The four boy inside wouldn't stand for it, and too we though of the possibility of what diseases they might pass on.  This day and age I just wish the house were not so small, and we had an extra room just for the girls. I guess it just wasn't meant to be, having these little beauties inside with us.  But they are home, they are happy, frisky, healthy, and they are our 'outside children!

     Life is good in the SouthWoods, and particularly so at Five Oaks Manor.

 

Roy, Sr.

aka KnightOwl aka Large One

I am theWizard they call Sergeant Pop