PRACTICAL PARSIMONY: Arabella

Showing posts with label Arabella. Show all posts

Monday, June 25, 2012

New Cat Home: Molly-->Arabella-->Molly

Molly is trying to come to me to investigate the camera

I wanted a cat when I saw the cutie kitten. But, I decided for myriad reasons that I could not keep her. My friend, Tony, took her immediately when I asked him. I named her Molly, but my daughter had a good reason to beg me to change the name, and I did so on the spot. So, Molly became Arabella. Tony heard the name story. I asked about her one day and went to see her. He said he could not find a good name for her, so he renamed her Molly.

She is still trying to get away from him.

Molly often comes to my house, although I did not know who she was. She stalks the hens. However, she has done this so many times that I think it is more an "awe" at their size that probably keeps her from attacking.

Molly has a friend at Tony's house, Sofia. She was not around for the picture-taking. Both are indoor/outdoor cats.

This was the first kitten/cat I ever gave away. I usually keep any animal I bring home. She has a good life. I was not physically or financially able to care for her, so it was best for both of us.

Your turn

Doesn't she look healthy and happy? Have you ever had to give up an animal because of your own circumstances, knowing the animal would be better off elsewhere?

Friday, October 14, 2011

Arabella's last post

Arabella, mid joyous roll

Friday morning, Arabella decided to bask in the sun and did not run from me as she usually does. And, she does not know she is leaving around noon. This is the first time she has ever been lying on the door mat, close to the door, of course. It is the first time she has not run from me and peeked around from where she hid and then come back near me. She finally adjusts and has to leave!

I did not mention his getting any help (I forgot) for her shots and being fixed. So, he must be okay with his absorbing the cost and all responsibilities.

Tony and Arabella

Tony, my neighbor, said over and over that he had never had a kitten so small. He seemed thrilled and a bit enamored with her tinyness. Arabella is looking at the chickens. She rubbed all over Tony, mewed sweetly, looked him in the face lots, crawled around his shoulders from one side to another, and seemed like a happy kitty. Tony took the bag of Meow Mix (not Friskies like I thought I had), saying that is what he fed his cats. Arabella, Tony, and I are all happy.

The End

The Cast

Fancy is my favorite hen. She is one of the three youngest hens I adopted. Because she is so gentle and friendly, she may be the one I rescued when she was being pecked to death after she could no longer stand. She got to live in the house in a box. Sometimes, I let her sit in my lap while she was convalescing. Now, she comes to sit in the swing with me, cuddling up to my body like a cat or dog. She died in February 2012.

Fancy follows me begging, complaining, needing me to do for her. She talks to me in various voices. She allows me to pick her up and carry her. When she became an adult, her head was a darker red and her body was light brown. Around her neck were tips of black feathers. It appeared she had a necklace of jet around her neck. When I showed this characteristic to a friend, he said, "Oh, you have fancy chickens and plain chickens."

Chessie has a broken toe. I broke it! She had a habit of jumping really high and almost sticking. A raccoon ate her in October 2009.

Thelma is the blonde. She is also the largest hen and the alpha hen. I suspect the gigantic eggs are from her. She often squats and presents herself to me. She is top hen, but I suspect she knows she had better be deferent to top feeder of the flock--me.

Louise is the auburn-feathered hen. She looks like the true Rhode Island Reds in pictures. She is almost as large as Thelma. Some days I suspect she is trying to be top chicken. When I got Pepper, I found out Louise is the Alpha hen.

Pepper came here from the same home as the first four. We were discussing putting red pepper on their food, wondering if it really would increase egg production. Pepper is the only name we agreed on. She is terrorized each day by Louise. Even after the worst was over, she was and is still filled with terror and very wary.

Linda is owned by four hens. They allow her to fetch for them. She loves them dearly, so she allows them to boss her around. Linda comes out in the rain to perform chores for them and make sure they have food and water. She begs scraps from all sorts of places to make sure they have fresh fruits and vegetables.

Parsimony is not a vegetable

Parsimony is extreme care in spending money. Stick around and learn about my random thoughts on accomplishing goals economically--dumpster diving aka safari, gleaning, do-it-yourself, sewing tips, recipes, and whatever is happening in my life.

Okay so maybe "parsimony" is not your thing. How about thrift, frugality or just plain saving money? I try not to go the tightwad route as that seems to imply others will suffer from my habits.

Some of my not-spending habits have very much been a part of my lifelong habits. Other habits are newly acquired and are an extension of my lifelong not-spending habits.

I am very imaginative when it comes to substituting or making instead of buying. I will tell you about making a heater for the chickens' water. Not one dime was spent since I had everything I needed right in my basement.

Practicality must rear its head alongside parsimony. For example, I will use the dryer in bad weather or because of allergies in the spring. But, I will not wash clothes in a tub as long as I have a washing machine or can find one.

You may hear more about my four Rhode Island Red hens than you care to hear. They lay delicious brown eggs.

Contact Me

Monday, June 25, 2012

New Cat Home: Molly-->Arabella-->Molly

Friday, October 14, 2011

Arabella's last post