Life with cats, and other things…
Dead Lake, 14th April, 2026 Leaving Dead Lake, we went for a short inspection of other osprey nests which were all occupied though only the tops of resident’s heads were visible, so I got no photographs. It was enough to know they are back and busy. . As much as I love Winter, a pretty … Continue reading Contrasts
Little Man likes jigsaw puzzles. Cats really know how to get your day started. Mopping up vomit and having a dead mouse cast at your feet first thing is such a joy. Little Man was the mouser but not the vomiter. He has taken over the job of Chief Mouser which was previously one of … Continue reading Friends new and old
14th April 2026 Pennies are no longer being minted and you would need an awful lot of them to pay for even the humblest item these days, so why do the suppliers of gasoline/petrol not get real with pricing? How exactly is one to pay 9/10 of a penny? Why not call it $4.10? Is … Continue reading Teachers
1857/9th April 2026 One recent afternoon, I looked up from my computer and was surprised to see two strangers at the front door. The house is on a private road and I could count on one hand the number of unknown people who have come here in the past seven years. As I got up … Continue reading Intruders
9th April 2026 2026 is the Semiquincentennial Anniversary of the American Revolution and in places like Fort Ticonderoga, there will be re-enactments and other celebrations, though given the mood currently and the lack of tourists, I don't know how much enthusiasm it will muster. How different to the Bicentennial. How sad. As we walked in … Continue reading For the birds
10th April 2026 Thursday was far too good to waste, given the promise of more wet weather ahead. But where should we go? I tossed out a couple of suggestions and we stared at the map of Vermont but it did not seem to take Grant's fancy that day and well, he is the driver. … Continue reading Ticonderoga
7th April 2026 "Iced carrots, missus? Really?" Why Groundhog Day is at the beginning of February, I don't know, since they remain in their burrows until March. I suppose it was invented by people living further south where Spring comes sooner. This groundhog seemed most unimpressed. . Whereas a late frost often kills off the … Continue reading A blooming aspen
7th April 2026 It is April and most sensible people are celebrating the departure of Winter, in particular the frozen precipitation that goes with it. But I am one of those lunatics who run outside to greet every first snowfall at year's end and find delight in Spring snow because it is special. I doubt … Continue reading Spring snow
1806/6th April 2026 The forecast was accurate for once and the world turned white again on Tuesday, prompting us to go in search of photographs because we didn't get enough of snow this past Winter! Some of them may be worth sharing, though I haven't examined them properly yet and in the meantime I have … Continue reading On the way to Greenwich
0709/4th April 2026 It feels frivolous to be writing a blog entry as we teeter on the edge of a humanitarian disaster. (I wrote this yesterday. Should we be comforted by a "2-week repressive?) In 1962 I was at boarding school in England during the Cuban missile crisis. I remember feeling quite anxious, but I … Continue reading Beyond