My Feral And Rescued Cats

[tarasgirl06]

Oh my word, you guys just brought back memories of rose petal jam and violet candy! I was raised in Africa, and we had rose petal jam, truly made from rose petals, that we'd spread on our toast. Very fragrant. And violet candies, I forget how I used to love those! Some of these edibles were indeed fragrant, made from flowers, almost perfumed but very mild and delicious. I imagine most American tastebuds would be averse to them, but I sure love it. Thanks for the memories!

Oh yeah, I forgot about violet candies! I love them!

 

[Jcatbird]

N NY cat man I can see why Cherry wine was a favorite. I love the flavor of cherries! Adding cherry to punch would be a big plus! That’s a nice wedding memory.

W wanda Heart, Liberty and Tortuga dined in last night. Lol Wanda Heart is still reluctant to join such a large group. The big girls are trying to teach her that it is okay but she is still nervous. Poor little one. She is the true baby of the family. She is bonded to Calley the most so I am hoping she will follow her lead. She sniffs Calley a lot every time she leaves the room and then returns. I guess it takes time to get to know so many others who are already well established here.

C catapault That’s great info about the herbs. Lavender Hidcote? I don’t know that one.
Funny how many plants grow here that most don’t realize are transplants from other places. I live near a large port and inspections turn up all sorts of things. The cargo hold of a ship makes a good place for all kinds of things to come in unintentionally.

M maggiedemi Isn’t it interesting the part that plants play in our lives? Pretty and yummy!
Calley is the leader! Lol Alley followed her right out. The others just waited for me to serve them.

Lari Delicious is a good enough description for me!
I think this is such a good idea for a thread! Glad I found it!
Cats On Chairs Outtakes

I love the sofa and it looks like I’m not the only one!

tarasgirl06 Let me echo what you said! It is so important NOT to eat plants from your yard or the wild unless you are an expert! Even experts make mistakes. Many plants look very similar. The plants I was just talking to C catapault ( wild onion and Death Camas) about look very, very similar. The wrong one put two people in the hospital in very serious condition. Even if you purchase a flower and know the identity, you don’t know if the grower sprayed it with toxic insecticides. There are many chemicals that are used to produce beautiful flowers to look at but not to eat! Only eat food that is sold as food!

Your Bird of Paradise is a good symbol for your garden. Your own bit of peace and a private paradise. The roses? are a waterfall of color! It’s a beautiful place! Thank you for sharing it with us! Just park me in the middle and let me lay there awhile!

Buffster7 Rise petal jam. Ummm. I bet it was beautiful too. I have always found the jellies and jams to be the most beautiful of foods. Pepper jelly is something my mother loved and she always candied violets. Another holiday treat she would make was candied orange and lemon peel. As pretty as it was yummy. I think American tastebuds are as varied as plant species these days. I would try rose jelly ( made for consumption by an expert! Lol) and expect to love it!

 

[Jcatbird]

It’s a glorious day. Not only did my gloriousa vine flower today but, Banjo to the rescue!
I guess I let in a bug when I went outside.

Hmmmm.

To the rescue!

What are you doing Kodiak?

Stop playing with that and play with the toys!

Oh dear. It’s not moving!

I’ll help you. I know mouth to mouth.

Did it work? Move little buggie! It’s wiggling!

Don’t even think about touching it again Kodiak! Fly little bug!

I had to grab the little guy but he did fly back out the door. I released him by the Gloriosa flower. Lol Does Banjo really know mouth to mouth? I don’t know! Maybe it was just one of those magical kisses like the ones with Froggie. Whatever the reason, a little bug got to fly free.

Have a great night everyone!

 

[tabbytom]

It’s a glorious day. Not only did my gloriousa vine flower today but, Banjo to the rescue!
I guess I let in a bug when I went outside.

That's a bright pretty color of the Glorious flower!

Glad that Banjo rescued the bug before it was being 'chomped' down.............................

 

[catapault]

N NY cat man Cherry wine? Might it have been cherry bounce? That's where you fill a jar with cherries and lump sugar and vodka. Let sit for several months in a dark place, shaking periodically. Guaranteed to make you feel bouncy.

 

[Lari]

Jcatbird - thanks! I made that thread for rejects from one of the photo contests. And the couch is from IKEA. It was delivered Saturday and it's nice to have a couch again after trashing the 20 year old one my husband had in our apartment.

Good old magic Banjo.

 

[rubysmama]

Can I just say how much I love this thread !!! First and foremost we get to follow the exciting lives of the precious clowder. But we also get to discuss and learn about so many other topics including plants and flowers. Just a totally wonderful thread.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Lari congratulations on your new IKEA sofa! BIG fan of IKEA here with a lot of their products. Would love to see your sofa if you want to share!
Jcatbird That Gloriosa is indeed glorious! And you're welcome to our yard any time, but I think yours is far more beautiful and varied.
A lot of people out in the Mojave had greenhouses and grew produce. There are all kinds of greenhouses that can be bought online, I think.
Bravo for rescuing buggie! That happens here, too, from time to time. The crickets, especially, like to come in and I try hard to rescue them. They're wonderful little creatures. And of course, they pique big interest among the feline population.

 

[NY cat man]

N NY cat man Cherry wine? Might it have been cherry bounce? That's where you fill a jar with cherries and lump sugar and vodka. Let sit for several months in a dark place, shaking periodically. Guaranteed to make you feel bouncy.

Nope, it was cherry wine; pressed and fermented by himself. As I said, he made a variety of wines, along with hard cider. I was in his cellar only a couple of times, the last around 35 years ago, but he had one entire wall lined with bottles and barrels. An old German farmer, he was.

 

[Lari]

Nope, it was cherry wine; pressed and fermented by himself. As I said, he made a variety of wines, along with hard cider. I was in his cellar only a couple of times, the last around 35 years ago, but he had one entire wall lined with bottles and barrels. An old German farmer, he was.

That sounds amazing!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I've heard of elderberry wine.

Whereas I have been rendered entirely pie-eyed by it. My cousin Inez used to make it every year.

I did know the family the ticks belong to but wasn’t going to point it out. I prefer their relatives.

I can do without either...at least, in my house.

Funny that people are passionate about getting rid of “weeds!”

My gran always maintained that a "weed" was just a flower growing in the wrong place.

but he was best known for his cherry wine

I've never had homemade cherry wine, but Kijafa cherry wine, produced in Denmark, is EXCELLENT! In fact, during my google to make sure that I spelled "Kijafa" correctly, I FOUND A SOURCE THAT SHIPS IT, very reasonably! IT SHALL BE MINE! It's a very sweet wine, I like to mix it with Sprite. Wonderful on hot days.

C catapault It's lovely to find someone so knowledgeable about herbs! What I know, as well as the VAST amount that I've forgotten, I learned from my Gran. Now, there's a lady who could hit the woods and fields and come back with something to cure what ails you!

 

[NY cat man]

That sounds amazing!

Yep, KB- as he was known by one and all- was quite the guy.

 

[NY cat man]

Whereas I have been rendered entirely pie-eyed by it. My cousin Inez used to make it every year.



I can do without either...at least, in my house.



My gran always maintained that a "weed" was just a flower growing in the wrong place.



I've never had homemade cherry wine, but Kijafa cherry wine, produced in Denmark, is EXCELLENT! In fact, during my google to make sure that I spelled "Kijafa" correctly, I FOUND A SOURCE THAT SHIPS IT, very reasonably! IT SHALL BE MINE! It's a very sweet wine, I like to mix it with Sprite. Wonderful on hot days.

C catapault It's lovely to find someone so knowledgeable about herbs! What I know, as well as the VAST amount that I've forgotten, I learned from my Gran. Now, there's a lady who could hit the woods and fields and come back with something to cure what ails you!

There is a story- maybe apocryphal, maybe not- of a guy I knew who drank a water glass of KB's cherry wine, fell up the stairs leaving the cellar, and was found the next morning asleep in his stalled car in a flooded stretch of road- it was in the spring, and many of the back roads saw high water levels from snow melt. I keep forgetting one other wine he made- rhubarb wine. Yes, indeed.

 

[Jcatbird]

tabbytom The Gloriosa strikes me as a very cheerful color combination. I smile every time I look at those flowers. I think the name fits.
That was a very fortunate bug. Banjo is quick to spot and protect anything that comes in. As a young one she did try to eat a fly but found it was not her best idea. Lol That’s the last time I ever saw her do something like that. Lesson learned?
I suspect these were her thoughts at the time. Lol

What is that flying creature?

Are you a treat?

Blah! Ewwwwwe! Cough, cough!

You are not a treat! Go way! I will never try you again flying creature! My tongue is vibrating!

So..... now you tell me that I shouldn’t eat flies? You are supposed to teach kittens these things BEFORE they taste them.

Oops.

 

[tabbytom]

The Gloriosa strikes me as a very cheerful color combination. I smile every time I look at those flowers. I think the name fits.
That was a very fortunate bug. Banjo is quick to spot and protect anything that comes in. As a young one she did try to eat a fly but found it was not her best idea. Lol That’s the last time I ever saw her do something like that. Lesson learned?
I suspect these were her thoughts at the time. Lol

Yes, there are many flowers with brilliant colors and they do light up the garden.

If January sees a spider, he'll flatten it further by pounding it with his paw and if he sees a lizard and start chasing it and if he catches it, he'll play with it till the lizard knock out and sometimes............'chomped'...........burp............
And he'll never let me take it out of his mouth and he'll run away with the lizard in his mouth.

 

[Jcatbird]

tabbytom I have learned to act as though I am praising any kitty that catches something. “Oh! Let me see what you have my beautiful kitty! What a good hunter you are!” When they fall for the praise, they proudly raise their tail and I reach down and take the victim,er prey/treat from them as I pet them. Some kitties quickly drop the creature to show me but I must grab before the creature moves or the cat changes their mind. Lol If there is time, I grab the treats to offer in exchange. Around here, lizard tails also equal vomit, so...... hopefully I get them before the cat. Banjo learned about bugs and then fell in love with Froggie so, only frogs can eat bugs and Banjo won’t let a cat eat anything that eats bugs either. That helps. I don’t relish find any gifts in my slippers!
It sounds like January is protecting you from spiders! Very brave!

 

[tabbytom]

It sounds like January is protecting you from spiders! Very brave!

He'll chase insects all over the house. Sometimes he can see it and keeps staring at it while I try to see what he's seeing and I can't see it. Worst if he caught a cockcroach, imagine the crispy sound when he chomps on it...............eeeek............................

 

[Jcatbird]

C catapault Cherry bounce? This kind...? lol I can tell you the effect it would have on my bounce....

Lari That was a great idea! So many of the contest photos are hilarious! I love that thread but picking one photo is sooooo hard! They are all great.
The couch is beautiful. IKEA has been around for awhile. I see a lot of neat things from them. Yours already has a “kitty seal of approval!

Magic Banjo!
We just need some accompanying music. We are all taking lessons now. Meet the teacher.
rubysmama The Clowder says to tell you thank you! (Especially Precious because he thinks you were referring to him in particular. Lol The others allowed him the mistake. They are a kind group. Lol .) I enjoy the thread too. I think we have a lot of fun and get to learn a lot from each other. We also get to meet a lot of kitties all over the world here. Ferals, flavors, rescues, petal, posies and more! Lol I am always grateful that I found the site that night! It’s kind of amazing how we find our way here and it opens up a whole world for us! TCS forever!

I never dreamed what would come from my first exploration here. (That circle needs to be much, much larger.)

tarasgirl06 I would love your yard! It has a very serene feeling. That’s the kind of place I am always drawn to. I think gardens and cat people often go together. Whether it be flowers, herbs, fruits or vegetables, we all seem to enjoy the bounty of nature. I always enjoy sitting quietly and just listening/looking if I can’t be planting.
There are lots of greenhouses available online. Some are small and can attach to a house and others are commercial sized spaces. I wouldn’t mind living in mine! I keep a vent open year round so the birds can enter and leave at will. There is a cat door too. No creature living inside seems to bother any other. I have seen birds nests in there along with mom cats and kittens. I also found new baby kittens in a birds nest there once! I guess that made sense. They were safe and must have been catbirds.
We haven’t had a cricket match here yet! We did have a bullfrog jumping contest once though! The bullfrog won!

N NY cat man A wall of wine?!?!? Lol A masterpiece of construction! Falling upstairs sounds like a masterpiece of destruction! Ouch. Of course they would not have felt it until much, much later. Lol I can only imagine that the wine kept them feeling warm during the nap in the car.
Rhubarb wine? That’s a new one on me! I can’t even imagine the flavor but I would expect it to be an improvement since I don’t like rhubarb. Sarah loved it so I did cook it though.
Cherry wine must have required a LOT of cherries! KB. King Brewer?

Mamanyt1953 So.... you were elderberry pie eyed? Glad you stumbled upon the cherry wine you like. Just don’t let Hekitty share. You’ll smash another toe!
It is wonderful to find someone with such great plant wisdom. It is something that should be documented and shared so that it is not lost to the coming generations. Right C catapault ?
I bet I would have loved your Gran too! I have known ladies like that and always enjoyed their company. I once met a woman when I was hiking into deep woods near where I lived. She was in her eighties and miles from her home. I was as surprised to find her as she was to find me! Lol I had Sarah in a baby back pack and the three of us had a delightful day together. She was gathering plants for healing, I was searching for a particular form of birdfoot Violet. A couple of weeks later she came to my house with a bottle of gold colored liquid. It was a gift. I was to apply it to fire ant bites. (Common in the fields there) The next time I was stung, I tried it. It worked! The sting subsided and the blistering wasn’t nearly as severe as usual. Over the next years I tried to get her to divulge the ingredients but she always grinned and promised to keep me supplied. I never knew what sly thing she had done but was always grateful for “the cure!” (Perhaps it contained the rarer form of birdfoot violet I had been hunting! )It has been many years since I last saw her but somehow I kind of imagine that she is still walking somewhere deep in those woods with the bobcats, Fox squirrels and deer as she harvests the wild plants.

 

[maggiedemi]

I had to grab the little guy but he did fly back out the door. I released him by the Gloriosa flower.

You save bugs?! I'm vegetarian, but I don't go that far. Especially with the ones that bite.

I FOUND A SOURCE THAT SHIPS IT, very reasonably! IT SHALL BE MINE! It's a very sweet wine, I like to mix it with Sprite.

Sounds yummy! Enjoy.

he'll play with it till the lizard knock out and sometimes............'chomped'...........burp......

Demi likes to swallow grasshoppers whole and then barf them up. Not anymore though, since he doesn't go outside.

I would expect it to be an improvement since I don’t like rhubarb

Rhubarb with sugar on it is delicious! I love the sweet/sour contrast.

 

[Jcatbird]

M maggiedemi I do save bugs. I’m not exactly a vegetarian but I wouldn’t eat them. Not on purpose anyway. I think a knat might have gotten inhaled. I probably made the same face Banjo made when she tried the fly! Lol Eek! Demi swallowed grasshoppers whole? Wow! No wonder they didn’t stay down! They hopped right back out! Rhubarb with sugar. I bet Sarah would really have loved that! My mother in law made Rhubarb pie. Sarah liked that. Sarah was a very good eater. Not very picky. It was kind of funny which things she didn’t like. Ice cream and pineapple were the main things! Go figure! A child that doesn’t like ice cream but loves rhubarb!

Mackie wanted to stop in to visit. He was full of silly mischief too!
His face tells us his thoughts.

If I push against the sofa, maybe the human will move over.

A little more room for the kitty?

I don’t think she is taking the hint. Purrhaps....

I could spur things on a little.
Ow Mackie!

I doesn’t mean too!

Mackie! Claws buddy!

Whaaaaaa?

Who me?

What do you mean , you’ll put your gloves on me?

Okay, I get the message. I’m not going to wear these gloves!

What if we tell jokes?

I’m still your laughing cat. I’ll start.

What do you call a cricket that says one thing but does the opposite?

A hipocricket! Awhahahaha!

That was a pretty good one huh Mom?

Now your turn!

Okay. I guess we have moved on to bug jokes now! All claws are forgiven when your cat makes a laughing face!

I am going to have to work on some bug jokes before bed.
Bedbugs? Noooooo!

Have a great night everyone!