Here, kitty kitty kitty

Spaying and neutering is something I have firmly believed in since the first time I heard Bob Barker remind his viewers on the Price is Right how important it was.  And believe me, that has been a long time!!!  I recently have had many examples of why I so firmly believe in this literally dropped on my doorstep, okay maybe not dropped on my doorstep, but living and breathing and affecting the health (and food bill) of my ranch, so that counts too.

Meet Pimienta and Nocola, Royal Ranch's newest addition's.  Pimienta means pepper in Spanish and Nocola means no tail, I guess you'll be able to figure out who is who.  Not quite a year ago our renters got two cats, brother and sister from a breeder of Bengal Bobcats.  They got them for free because they are solid black instead of the typical Bengal markings.  Now, as a Landlord, I really try to mind my own business, but when I saw that the cats had had kittens I got a little concerned, let alone that the kittens were outdoors.

During this time, some changes in that very same rental happened and we took back over half of the duplex that the cats use, so Isabella and I became very familiar with the cats and what was going on with them.  That was when I realized that the Mama kitty was pregnant again!  As a matter of fact, Daddy kitty was trying to breed Pimi as well, which is what finally got me to leave a (not so friendly) letter on the door of the renter.  Well, one thing led to another, and thank goodness I have friends in the rescue business,  and now fast forward a couple months and here we are...

So, it has taken me multiple trips down the mountain to Spay Today to get all of the adult cats spayed and neutered.  I took Daddy, Pimienta and Nocola, who at the time all still belonged to the renter down right away.  Mama was busy having just had these cute little things.  I then waited until two weeks ago and got Mama spayed, another trip down the hill we go.  Last weekend we got to take her to a vet up here to get her tested for Feline Leukemia so that my friends over at Evergreen Animal Protective League can have these adorable babies without spreading that horrific disease.  Today we will deliver the babies, yup, all three of those precious babies are going to new homes through EAPL over in Evergreen.
Now, I mentioned that none of these cats were to be ours, and that was the original plan; until the renter mentioned that he might sell the middle generation at a pet store.  Since they are Bobcat Bengals, and since he is having a hard time financially and since they are always looking for kittens, etc.  Well, I'm probably going to offend someone here, but over my dead body!  I have heard waaay to many horror stories for these cats that Isabella and I have been working very hard to tame and take care of to end up in some filthy pet store!  So, that is how Pimi and Nocola became Royal Ranch cats, and you know the funny thing was that the very same day that we "claimed" Nocola, she started calming down.  It was just as if she needed to know she had a place to stay forever.
Okay, so I have bragged about my friends in high places, but you do not need friends in high places if you don't get yourself in this pickle of needing multiple surgeries done at once.  There are lots and lots of resources out there people.  If you can't afford to spay or neuter your pet, call your local shelter and they will help you get it done, I guarantee it.  Also, help your neighbor, they may be too embarrassed to admit that they have a problem.  We have a sad story going on right now here in Colorado, an 80something woman got kicked out of her house due to it being overrun with cats.  I know how it happened, I have seen it.
As a matter of fact, last summer, the very same thing happened to us.  A gal had been coming to us to buy her hay, and when she broke her leg, we offered to help take care of her horse.  Well, it led to much more than that, her place was taken over by cats and could have been condemned at any moment.  So we cleaned it up and got the animals fixed.  It was amazing, I found a group that brought a motorhome to her place, and in one day we trapped, spayed, and neutered 22 cats!  If we had not done that, the cats would be doubled by this year, think of that!  People just don't realize how quickly it gets out of hand.
Now, off of the "soap box" as my Dad would say, but I do have some interesting points about these Bobcat Bengals.  They really are some amazing cats.  Boy, can they climb!  The ones with no tails have extra toes to help them with their balance, which kind of looks weird, but again, makes for some amazingly agile cats.  Genetically, this has been an odd bunch.  Mom and Dad are both solid black as are Pimi and Nocola, and then here comes the third generation that has all of the Bobcat Bengal traits, like the toes and tails, but are Siamese in color, very odd.
I'm not sure where I stand on the breeding down the Bobcats and Bengal tigers thing.  Before I met these cats I would have said I was against it, for sure.  And I'm not too impressed that the breeder did not make sure that my renter get the cats fixed if she removed them from the breeding program.  But some of the websites I have visited are pretty cool, and talk about saving a piece of wildlife and endangered species, and the "good examples" of the breed are amazingly "tiger" like.  I thought GSO would be a great place to get some feedback on such a discussion, so come on people, let's hear what you have to say!

Summer Nature-Writing Reads

So, I've decided to make this a short post today because I have a lot of other plans. It's pretty gorgeous out, even though the weather report is calling for severe thunderstorms soon. I was just thinking about including a book list for anyone that is still trying to find summer reading for the beach or the trail. Following are a few of my favorites that make a lot of sense for reading outdoors:

For Kids (for them to read or for parents to read to them):

The Kids Campfire Book

When We Go Camping -Margriet Ruurs

Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe -Vera Williams

Owl Moon -Jane Yolen

The Lorax -Dr. Seuss

For Adults:

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek -Annie Dillard

Arctic Dreams -Barry Lopez

Nature -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Walden -Henry David Thoreau

Desert Solitaire -Ed Abbey (below)

Happy Wednesday! -BA

The good, the bad, and the ugly in the garden this week

The bad: darn these baby maple seeds! The helicopters landed, I picked up as many as I could, and now I'm pulling the sprouts of those I missed. If I ever let natural succession take its course, I'll have a lot of silver maples.

The ugly: Poor Chuck! The bunnies ate his new shrub. The rain and the construction kept him from putting up the fence, and the neighborhood fuzz-balls thought they'd enjoy a salad.

The good? My tomatoes are supported! I couldn't decide which type of support to buy, so I bought all three. This will be the experimental year. I'll see what works best and invest in that kind of support next summer.

Working with Nature

I must admit, I'm a tad bit jealous of our neighbors and their gorgeous ponds.  We sit up on the hill overlooking the valley and the neighbors with the gorgeous ponds, so don't get me wrong, I don't have too much to complain about, I just don't have waterfront property.

One of our neighbor's, we'll call them the J's, have spectacular fly fishing ponds that they have built up over the years.  They stock them every few years with prize winning trout and even make a little money through a local fly fishing association.  The P's on the other hand, have a smaller pond just to watch wildlife and such.  It is so cute, they are a retired couple and have a bench sitting over the dam, and all kinds of rocks and wildflowers, they really enjoy their yard.

So recently, I have been hearing about troubles with the ponds.  Actually, I caught Mr. P going after the geese, yelling and chasing them out of his pond (he doesn't want them taking over because then they will contaminate it).  Funny as could be!  Then, come to find out, the J's are having a problem with the Blue Heron damaging some of their beloved fish.  And I do mean beloved.  We have seen Mr. J (one of Tom's best friends) jump in the freezing cold winter water to revive a fish that has been caught and released, the rules of the pond, of course.

The main problem is that the fish are too big for the Heron in the first place!  So the fish is getting injured for nothing, and the Heron still gets no dinner, bummer.  The J's can't use a lot of regular detractants for the Heron because that would interfere with the fly fishermen.  They did buy a fake Blue Heron, but that mostly just scared the dog.

Well, I got to thinking (could be dangerous).  And watching that Heron's pattern, he seemed to like the P's pond just as much as the J's pond except he wasn't getting anything to eat there.  But when the Blue Heron was at the P's pond, the Geese were nowhere to be found.  They seemed to hang out in the beaver ponds up the valley just a bit where they belong.  Hmmm..., how about we stock the P's ponds with inexpensive (native, of course) brookies for the Heron to hunt so that he leaves the J's nice big fish alone?  This could solve everyone's problem.

I talked with Mr. J, and he thinks the plan is brilliant, (with just a tiny bit of prodding from me-ha!), and I will talk with the P's today.  I'll let you know how the plan works out, but it is always best to try and work with Mother Nature than against her!

"Green" Picnics for a Summer Change

As I work on my writing indoors during the hottest part of the day, I usually watch the Food Network at the same time. Recently I discovered that I also get the Cooking Channel that has been showcasing a lot of international BBQ ideas, cooking outside, tailgating, and going on picnics. Of course food always gets me excited... but eating outside seems to make it better. So how about some ways to have a greener picnic?

Picnics are an age-old custom that have roots back in our ancestral cave dwelling and hunter-gatherer days. The open campfire. Eating in the open air. Enjoying the beauty of nature and the simplicity of real food. Eating with our hands. Sitting on the ground. So it's time to take back this simple, green picnic tradition...and here are some suggestions to green your picnics in ways that save money, save work...and save our natural treasures.

Forget the paper and plastic! When you think of zero-waste, you realize that you really don't need paper plates, plastic spoons, paper table cloths or even paper napkins. Choose foods that you can serve easily and eat all of. Also, invest in a picnic basket that you can use over and over for years. You can use recycled containers that you've utilized before, cloth, your hands, and even sticks for extra fun! The main point is to pack a picnic with utensils that you already have (without buying new items that tout being "green.") For example, the video below showcases a product called Bare by Solo® (plates, cups, containers) that are made from partially recycled materials and supposedly compostable... but they are still paper plates and not worth buying if one is truly dedicated to green initiatives.




Ok, so back to other green picnic suggestions:

Choose raw foods: a chopped salad, or skewered veggies roasted over the open fire. By selecting fresh fruits and vegetables that can be eaten raw, you get back in touch with your human roots and save a lot of work! And it's healthier than other over-cooked, fat-laden picnic menus. Some great raw foods include in-season fruits such as peaches, apples, cherries (seed spitting contests are always fun!), watermelons, cantaloupes, and many of the tropical fruits now available in grocery stores. But think organic, think local...and think about washing the fruit before eating it. Great vegetables for grilling and raw salads include tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and corn on the cob. Meats for grilling can include beef, fish, and other favorites like hotdogs. Be careful with chicken, turkey and pork-- they all require efficient, continuous cooling and cleanliness to prevent stomach problems. That can sometimes be difficult in picnic settings.

Drink from large containers or assign each person a reusable cup that you've brought from home. Water bottles and soft drink cans are huge problems in our waste stream! Water is a sustainable, green, healthful drink for active outdoor refreshment; as are green tea, herbal teas, lemonade, and even some vegetable drinks. Sugar-heavy drinks increase body heat and sap energy so keep them to a minimum.

Feed the birds and ants a healthy distance from your picnic (but don't entice other animals to your picnic site.) Giving children the task of feeding the birds healthy food not only connects them with nature, but teaches them the difference between healthy wildlife food and unhealthy food. Realize though that ducks and other birds should not eat bread. Stop by a pet store and invest in a small bag of duck food or bird seed. Save your human food for humans and the compost pile!


Open space is a wonderful inspiration for running and jumping and laughter. That's for the young at heart. For the rest of us: bring blankets for nice afternoon naps and quiet visits or cuddling. Once the day is winding down, be sure to take away any garbage you generate and take home any recyclables. Don't hesitate to pick up after those who won't pick up after themselves, leaving nothing behind from your picnic.

Ah...picnics are a great tradition. So many fond memories grow from those rustic moments in nature. How cool that they can be even more sustainable if we take a few minutes to pack the right things.

Happy Wednesday! - BA

Supporting the Tomatoes

The newest dilemma in the new garden area is this: how shall I support the tomatoes? The old cages are no longer suitable. Last time I used them we had a tomato jungle: the plants grew so tall they fell over the sides of the cages, and then the wire cages broke through the stems. They were getting close to six feet tall, and the conical cages were only 48 inches in height.

Last year I planted tomatoes in the wrong place and too close together. They didn't get enough sun, and they fought each other for space and water and nutrients from the soil. We didn't get hit with the blight, but it was not a good year for tomatoes.

I've ruled out the wire cages. I'm using the old trellises to support the peas. Now what? I did a search (on swagbucks, check the link in the right sidebar), and found several options.

Tomato ladders. There's a neighbor who uses these, and I like the looks of the product. They're strong, they're thick, and they're coated steel (no vine breakage!). But I'd need ten at least, and at a cost of $50 for a package of three... deep breath.
Tomato towers. This is also expensive. Could we make our own? Do I have time? Does Chuck have time? I found something similar in a local hardware for $5 apiece.
Tomato Spirals. Now these look intriguing. At $35 for a set of five, this is more affordable. I can use the t-shirt tie-ups from last year if I need them.
Here's a combination of two philosophies: the tomato spiral cage. Again, expensive to purchase outright.

Now the challenge: finding and buying these. I'd much rather buy locally. I've checked two hardware stores, a garden specialty store, and two big box stores with garden sections. So far, no luck. At least, no luck that I'd consider affordable. If I spend too much, we're approaching the $64 Tomato mark, and that's just not reasonable. I know most of these products would last for years, but I still need to make the initial investment now.

There are two stores left on my list, and then I might give in and order online - or create something entirely different.

Ideas, gardener friends? Suggestions? I'm listening.

This was posted yesterday at Compost Happens. I'm reposting it, hoping for input. Thanks!