Saturday 7 September 2013

Another walk on the wild side with busy felines

Dorah watches Daisy from above
 A long week, it was glorious to grab the camera, call the cats, and take off into the wetland.
With the end of summer, the mosquitoes are cold, and hiding. I took the cats down to the forest, the wetland and the island in our wetland. I built a bridge/ladder so that we could cross it. I never thought that the cattails would grow up between the slats, requiring a bit of work to flatten them, and create a path for my feline buddies.

There are some mauled, dead logs where our bear has moved and ripped apart a massive trunk to get to the bugs inside. The fur from the deer someone ate last season still remains on the ground. Otherwise, I could see brown, green, and growing things.
Everyone is frantically feeding in preparation for winter. The mushrooms are growing in the 166.5 mm of rain we had in August.
All is damp and smells like rich, healthy forest.

The big event, this trip, was Daisy going up the tree. The look on Buster's face seems to be 'tsk-tsk', as he looks upward. She is so wee, the runt of the litter, yet she can pull herself up high. She rappels down, tail first, like a hydro workers, using her strong claws.

Cannot see it, but a dock spider lives
in here. It hid as we approached.
Daisy had one on her ear.
She's like a little dog, keeping right with me. Buster and Dorah hang back a bit, chasing the leopard frogs in the grasses requires some attention. And dignity. Prancing light-footed up a tall tree, not so much!
White baneberry, or Doll's Eyes
I shall add it to my list of outdoor poisonous plants

Someone built a lovely nest.
I had noticed it until now!


We crossed the bridge to the island; 'shrooms are large, fruit is ripe. The 
Daisy ensure that everyone is following me.

Three cats made it across the bridge
Buster paces on the island
 Grooming is required, even as she climbs...

Buster gazes upward

at the Daisy climber

She is gleeful up the tree!

Dorah just sits and waits. Why IS Daisy up so high???

Daisy was the first back across the bridge.
The cattails are a brilliant green.

In the meadow, Dorah races to pass Buster

Dorah runs up the hill to the house.
The old man rests!

8 comments:

Hilary said...

Your cats are a hoot. :)

The plant which you want to ID is White Baneberry.. or Doll's Eyes. It's highly poisonous for people, cats and dogs. The birds do fine with it.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
Oh such glorious moments of late summer - Daisy is a veritable gymnast!! Nature surely is a salve for the soul. Have a lovely weekend. YAM xxx

Jenn Jilks said...

Jeepers, Hilary, another one! I'll add it to my list!

Jenn Jilks said...

Daisy IS a gymnast!

TexWisGirl said...

your cats are so beautiful. :)

i wish we had cooler temps! oh well. maybe some rain, too.

Jenn Jilks said...

Another walk, for Camera-Critters #283!

Unknown said...

Looks like you're having fun in the forest.

Kay L. Davies said...

Where oh where do my comments go?
Oh where oh where can they be?
They are sincere and I don't ever swear
So where oh where can they be?

I distinctly remember reading this, so unless an emergency I've forgotten suddenly whisked me away before I had a chance to comment.

O well, here I am, and I looked at all the photos close up this time. Love your cats so much.
Luv, K