Our 18 year-old daughter wanted to make new winter shelters for the barn cats, so we decided on making one to see if they will use them. We've always used totes at the door, packed with blankets, but this time we made these:
One tote inside another, insulated with straw and a hole is cut through both, with a recycled plant pot for the crawl space into the totes. Lids are put on, and the cats crawl inside to stay warm. If we see they enjoy it, we'll make one more. Jesse was checking it out.
Aurora, making a quick exit, not sure about the new house yet.
Sapphire, checking it out.
You can get detailed instructions at Alley Cat Advocates too. They used styrofoam style insulation in their cat shelters.
We have been enjoying more chicken millet burritos, and this last time, we used kale vs. spinach. The kale is a good match with millet, and we don't eat enough of it. This time we did not bake the entire tray of them in the oven, we simply put the burritos together with the warm ingredients.
We finally picked up our snow fencing and hope to get that up within the next week or so. Winter prep is coming along nicely this year. I think last year's record temperatures taught us a few lessons.
I have not been "notered" in a long time. I got this in my email the other day from youngest (the two photos won't show up in this post, but one is a pair of eyes and the second one is a mad monkey):
"Good morning mom. I see you 👀. But you can't see me 🙈. I had to kill to lady bugs this morning to save me and my baby's life. We were in severe danger and I was scared. I handled the situation and.. Killed the lady bugs. We are safe now.
R.I.P bugs "
I had to laugh.
Speaking of kids and electronics. When I was her age, I was roller skating, getting up off the couch to turn on the TV, and reading books with paper pages. Now, I hear her saying, "I have an app for that."
10 comments:
I can tell I'm old - as soon as I hear "App", I get all prickly. However, that said, I do have Apps on my phone...but I am sad to see the fading away of paper books and human contact. Thanks to you, I am really enjoying millet. Made some blueberry millet muffins and they were delish!
Not sure I understood the "noterers"? I am getting old though so maybe that's why but I did love your cat tote idea.
"I have an app for that."
Oh yes! I learned that phrase up close and personally, about a year ago, when I switched from 'just a cell phone' to a 'smart phone'...my how my life has changed in a year.
I have to say-- the running water and burning breakfast... or lunch, or what have you...that's me. I do multitask, but just not well. ;)
drives the hubby crazy!
Patricia, the over flowing sink was pretty funny at the time, ha ha!
Sam I am, when youngest writes me a note she calls it being "notered." When the kids were younger, I woudl slip a note into their lunches. I just might have to do it again, ha ha!
Susan, we are still trying new recipes, and I gave my Mom a bag of it too.
I like those winter kitty condos! Very creative with the plant pot for the entrances. My one kitty is definitely not an outdoor kitty since we have been a family so I don't have a need for the condos at the moment but will be filing the idea away for potential future use. I wasn't familiar with the term "notered" until I read through the comments left for you on this post. Not having a smart phone, heck not even a dumb phone at the moment since I don't go out a lot choosing rather to stay in my studio and work all day. Of course that will be changing in the near future as there is an etsy app coming out for being able to take credit cards through your cell phone when you are out selling at craft shows! Technology... it certainly moves fast!!
Hugs and stay warm my sweet blogging sister,
Beth P
What a wonderful idea for the cats, I don't see how they won't enjoy that warm space when it gets really cold :)
Let me know how the cat house works out. I have a cat that likes being outside. I would love a warm place for her to go.
We've got about the same thing for feral strays that wander nearby, but we turned the biggest outside tote upside down, so the straw insulation would stay dry should wet somehow come near it and to keep the cats from weeweeing into the insulation between the two.
Despite all the research we read which said cats like two entrance/exits (so they don't get cornered by something and if they have to make a quick escape), ours didn't seem to mind just the one hole. And we enticed them into using it with a few sprigs of cat mint tossed in among the straw.
Good luck.
God bless.
RB
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