Spring has sprung
With Spring (happy that, btw) come robins, worms, moles, the occasional bug. The kittens, half grown, are eager to explore out of doors. They tend to stay right by the base of the house, run for the opening (door, window - whatever they went out through) when they hear traffic on the nearby road.
A few days ago Mimi, the smaller, braver of the two, went into the nearby woods, causing me to follow her through the brambles & bushes hoping to dissuade her from losing herself or being eaten by anything in the woods. She is small, tender, probably yummy if kittens are your taste & foolhardy. She led me a merry chase over, under, and around living & dead trees, until a bird helped me catch her. here's that story - worthy of it's own paragraph:
I'd almost given up hope of Mimi letting me get close enough to grab her. I stood in the thicket, watching her & trying to lure her by shaking her bag of dry food, calling her name (she doesn't recognize either "Mimi" or "kitty") all to no avail. As I rested beneath a tree, a chickadee flew over & landed on a small branch about a foot above my head. Then he began to chirp loudly. I watched as quietly as I could, not moving, not wanting to startle the little bird, I mentally called Mimi. The chickadee chirped and chirped until Mimi began to "stalk" her way towards the tree & the bird...and I grabbed her!!! Then the bird flew away.
I was so grateful, I thanked the little black & white guy for his help & hauled that errant kitten back into the house, holding her with all fingers both hands & my jacket as she wrestled to be free. phew.
A few days ago Mimi, the smaller, braver of the two, went into the nearby woods, causing me to follow her through the brambles & bushes hoping to dissuade her from losing herself or being eaten by anything in the woods. She is small, tender, probably yummy if kittens are your taste & foolhardy. She led me a merry chase over, under, and around living & dead trees, until a bird helped me catch her. here's that story - worthy of it's own paragraph:
I'd almost given up hope of Mimi letting me get close enough to grab her. I stood in the thicket, watching her & trying to lure her by shaking her bag of dry food, calling her name (she doesn't recognize either "Mimi" or "kitty") all to no avail. As I rested beneath a tree, a chickadee flew over & landed on a small branch about a foot above my head. Then he began to chirp loudly. I watched as quietly as I could, not moving, not wanting to startle the little bird, I mentally called Mimi. The chickadee chirped and chirped until Mimi began to "stalk" her way towards the tree & the bird...and I grabbed her!!! Then the bird flew away.
I was so grateful, I thanked the little black & white guy for his help & hauled that errant kitten back into the house, holding her with all fingers both hands & my jacket as she wrestled to be free. phew.