Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Sooo hot...

So I spent four straight days in mental anguish because I thought this guy was dead...


Archie disappeared Saturday and didn't show up again until late last night.


I spent a lot of time roaming 86 acres of farmland, calling his name. I waded through soybeans, walked through the cornfield next door, and drove through the woodlot. Nothing.

I sent him mental messages to come home. I cried a lot. I figured for sure he was dead and I regretted my decision to have any outdoor cats after years of having only indoor cats (with an outside cage which is still used by the indoor cats!)


Then last night we went out for supper and I told Archie (in my head... what the hell, it was worth a shot!) to get his ass home and that I would turn on the big floodlight for him when we got back from supper so he could see his way home if he was lost.

So we got home around 9 pm, and I turned on the floodlight. A few minutes later, who do I hear meowing as he saunters out of the woods next to our house?

Yep, Archie. He has lost weight but otherwise seems fine. And I can't deal with this crap, so we intended to expand the cat cage network we've already got so the cats that aren't officially barn cats can just stay the hell inside. Only Redford and Emerson do any wandering from the barn and it would be really hard to lock them up given all the people going in and out of the barn. They are usually home for supper. But I'm not cut out for this "disappearing cat" crap! I am just grateful Archie is home and he can stay the hell inside or use the cat cage from now on. 

He was initially a sort of barn cat who moved into the house so there was some laxity about his comings and goings, but that's that. He doesn't want to go out in winter anyway. If he wants some fun, he can spend a night in the barn partying with his buddies in there!

Meanwhile, we are in a drought here and the crops around us are failing. The cornfield next to us is pretty much toast. They will still use it for silage but it won't be as nutritious. Our rainfall amounts have been way down since April. My trees are suffering and my perennials are dying but at least I don't have to worry about crops. Today was stinking hot and tomorrow it's supposed to be 35C/95F with a humidex making it feel like 42C/107F. This is the hottest, driest summer I can remember in my lifetime. I worry about our well but so far it's hanging in there. But other wells around here are failing. My friend Pierre is having water trucked to his house now.

And I worry about the animals all the time when it's like this. The pigs know how to keep cool, though...


Dahlia wallowing as Jersey chills out in the pool.


How's the mud, Dahlia?

And here's our newest porcine addition, Patrick...


He's very sweet! He is finally starting to hang with the herd and the others are being mostly kind to him now.


Little Bert likes to hang with Patrick too!


After mud baths, Jersey, Bert and Patrick wandered off down to the pasture.


Doesn't Patrick have a nice smile?


He's a cutie for sure!


Patrick and Jersey


We're doing rain dances here. Stay cool!

23 comments:

  1. I'm a lurker, haven't left a comment in so long, but I wondered how you guys were all faring with the drought. The Kingston Whig Standard has an online article stating that this is the driest summer since 1888 and the second driest summer *so far* in the 140 years that records have been kept. So I wasn't dreaming it, thinking I'd never seen the like in my 20 years here. We're ALL doing rain dances right now!

    As for Archie...Well, I'm glad he made it home safe after his "walk-about"! He's a lucky kitty in that regard, and also to have a wonderful home with people who care enough to make outdoor kitty runs/catios.

    Purrs from my two.

    Kim

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  2. so glad that Archie made it home! I am sorry, but I laughed my head off when you said he can "party in the barn with his buddies" if he wants to!! lmao!!! Hoping for rain for YOU and for us too! And...cooler temps!!! xoxo catchatwithcarenandcody

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  3. I am glad Archie is back, I can only imagine how scary that was to ot be able to find him.

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  4. Oh Natalie, how frightening! Thankfully he is home safe and sound.
    We are in the same boat as you drought wise. Our trees have lost most of their leaves. We have been asked to reduce our water consumption by 50%. We long ago stopped watering our lawns but every few days I do water my flower gardens. No rain in sight but I think it is supposed to cool off a bit. Hopefully as we are moving next week!

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  5. So glad Archie came home! I'm not having outside cats either, just too scary when they wander!

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  6. I'm with you 100% on the cat thing. I worried about cats for years when the kids were small and they would run outside every time the door opened. I'd be rounding them up at dinner time and trying to keep them inside for the night. There was often an escape artist and I would be up all night wandering the field across the road looking for him/her. No more of that. Luckily we never lost one. Archie will adapt as your cat run is fantastic and your home offers many luxuries. Still no rain here, either. All our grass is dead except for that that surrounds our veggie garden. That's where our effort goes and it is taking a lot of our time. Oh well, we carry on. Hope there is relief soon for you with all those animals to worry about.

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  7. So glad Archie is back with you!

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  8. glad Archie is safe....we can't imagine your worry..... hope you get some rain soon!

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  9. Another longtime lurker piping up to say -- glad Archie's home safe and sound. That damn cat!!

    I do believe that all your mental messages found their mark.

    More than 20 years ago, I had an indoor/outdoor cat (no more!) who sometimes wouldn't come -- unless I stood outside and imagined getting out some raw chicken livers, chopping them up and putting them in her bowl. She got the message every time and would appear. The one time I tried to get away with NOT giving her chicken livers after that -- boy, was she pissed!

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  10. I have important conversations with cats in my head, too. Just about the same time as you. I think Archie will be so content to be in charge of nothing except his share of the catwalk.

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  11. No more outdoor cats here either. I lost one cat to illness and old age in March and then my Fuzzy girl went walkies and never returned in April. The two I have now are very much indoor cats. Thankfully they don't even want to go out.

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  12. I'll bet Archie wishes he never left home. You had your rant so thing should be better.

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  13. happy Archie made his way home. My cats are indoor after many outdoor cats and having your experience. I even worry about my ladies disappearing in the house for gorsh sake. So so parched everywhere. I top the bird and butterfly baths up a couple times a day and put out fresh hummer syrup every day. I know they all appreciate it as we have a lot of visitors to the back garden. Yes the gardens are suffering but I try to hand water some of my herbs in pots ----- gots to have my pesto. Hugs to all... and let's hope we get this rain that is promised.

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  14. Archie!! *waggles finger at computer screen* how dare you scare your mother like that.. what? you were lost? okay, well yes, but.. still. Don't give her any grief now that she is keeping you in! it's for your own safety. What? you want to stay in and be safe. okay, well yes, but.. still.. go cuddle up to her and purr :)

    I lost a cat to the great outdoors. Tig would not be kept inside.. he was destructive. He was an outdoor kitty before we got him, and we could not convince him to stay in. Broke my heart several times.. when he didn't come home, a week after he didn't come home, the first snow fall, the first spring, etc.. it is hard.

    *does a quick rain dance for you*

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  15. I'm so glad Archie is home. I know that feeling, although Buster would only go out for one night!
    I couldn't keep him in, he'd bully the others.
    The drought is so scary.

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  16. Send some rain dances our way, too. Our well isn't all that deep and I'm getting a bit worried. Our weather is a twin to yours. I can't wait for this to break.

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  17. I don't know if I could go back to having outdoor cats. I get too worried.
    Mom's cats have always been outdoors, and it never use to bother her until she got Mr. Tibbs. He's usually in before she goes to bed, but every once in a while, he'll stay out all night - and she gets so mad. Just like having a teenager who misses curfew.

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  18. So glad Archie is home. I could never have another outdoor cat. The only one I adopted was a neighborhood stray. He got feline leukemia but was a street wise character.

    We are having a strange summer with rain. Maybe we're getting your rain? It's still hot as hell here, though.

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  19. Thank goodness Archie is home! I can imagine how worried you would have been.

    Patrick definitely has a lovely smile. I hope the rain shows up soon for you - we had two decent storms here in our part of Saskatchewan. Unfortunately the rain seems to peter out before it makes it past Winnipeg.

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  20. I love your heart, Knatolee. I'll tell you what. If Trump is elected, I'll move into your barn and work for you. ; )

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  21. I hear you Sister! It's hot here too and I think the pigs have the best idea!!

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  22. Whew, glad Archie came back! I hope he will adjust to being indoor-only. There is no question about my cats going out - I live at a very busy intersection. The kitties love open windows, and that will have to do! And they don't even get much of that lately, because Boston is also enduring a drought and the horrible hots!

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!