Trip to the Jemez

We took a trip to the Jemez Mountains last week. There are two ways to get into the forest area where we prefer to go but this time we went in by way of the Gillman Tunnels. Gillman is a little town that is near the tunnel area. During the early 1900's a railroad was built up through the forest to bring out the logs. Two tunnels were blasted through an area that was solid rock with a small rocky canyon below them with a creek going through it. Eventually the railroad line was taken out and a narrow dirt road still allows cars to make the same trip. The tunnels are still there. This is a photo going into the first tunnel.

Other End of Tunnels

This is the other side of the tunnels. The canyon with the creek at the bottom is on the left hand side.

Spring Runoff

There seems to be more water in this creek at the bottom of a rocky canyon on the road where the Gillman Tunnels are than I have seen in several years. That is really good.

Canyon

Looking down the canyon from the road where the tunnels are. You can see the creek in the bottom.

Beaver Damn

there was a beaver damn in the meadow. You can see the beaver lodge in about the center of the wet part of meadow. The damn is on the right hand side of photo but difficult to see.

Forest Road

Pine Tree on Ridge

Creek

We found this little creek with lots of water in it. In another couple of months it will be all gone and nothing but a dry creek bed.

Meadow

Rail Fence

Jemez Creek

This is a photo of the Jemez Creek where it goes across the dirt road that runs along the meadows. Popular for fishing but we have never caught anything in it.

How to Entertain a Kitten

One of the best forms of entertain for your new kitten is you, yourself. It doesn't take long for the kitten to lean that you are a good substitute for a tree. Make sure you don't realize the kitten is near by, let him climb you, especially with shorts or a dress on and then watch it's expression as you dance around the room with it on your shoulder. They love it. (But you might not).

One of my cats favorites is for me to go to bed. They wait until are I am asleep then attack if I slightly move my fingers or toes as I am sleeping. It is delightful for them when I wake up screaming and kicking.

Beds are good for other things, too. Cats love to help you make the bed, especially if you are changing the sheets. They can be so much help as they hide under the covers and keep you from pulling the sheets tight.

Dripping sinks can keep a kitten entertained for a few minutes but it can be difficult for you to wash your hands or do the dishes.

When you are taking a long soak in bubble-bath and hubby or a child opens the door to talk to you, kittens delight in making a headlong dash across the bathroom and into your bath to catch the bubbles in the water. Of course they arn't as fond of the full bath as they are of the sink dripping, and then they dislike the blood that gets in the water after they scratch you getting out of the water. (you might not, either)

A dog or older cats waving tail is a constant source of amusement for a kitten. Until the dog or older cat protects it's self from the kitten. But two cats rolling around the house as they fight can be great entertainment for the dog who will try to help his/her kitty friends.

And of course your friends may be greatly impressed by the way your cats and dogs have redecorated for you. Plants are very high off the floor if you still have them at all. Breakable nic nacs have all either been packed away or disposed of when broken. Any thing wood has deep scratches in it. Cloth and leather upholstery is in tatters. The dishes are all plastic, And everything is covered with cat hair.

The kitten will do a delightful dance around your feet, purring and meowing, and finally climbing up your body when you have a meal which can only be eaten while holding the plate over your head to keep the kitten out of it as long as possible. Kittens always prefer what ever you are eating to the yucky cat food in it's bowl.

Cats do tend to make a good deterrent against the unwanted guest.

Toys for Kittens

There are lots and lots of ways to entertain a kitten. It is not necessary to go to the store and buy fancy, expensive toys for cats. First -- as seen in the photo-- is the stuffed animal. I have found that boxes are a favorite as seen in the following pictures. Wiley our new kitty loves the boxes that RC Cola come in. At this time he is about 8 weeks and still fits into one. Our grown cats need something a big bigger. Easter eggs, the plastic kind, are a good toy. They roll but not straight like a ball. Wiley will carry a half an egg in his mouth that is open. He likes to carry wadded up copy paper. Plastic water bottles are good as they don't roll straight either. Drop a couple of pebbles in it to rattle. You can try egg cartons, pens, and pen caps. pieces of candy wrapper, crunched up cigarette packages, old socks with a knot in them, plastic cups, and small bowls.
Of course they love string and pieces of rope but this should only be used with supervision as they can choke to death on a string very quickly.
Remember to never let them have plants, or anything sharp to play with. All house plants should be considered poisonous as there is no telling how an individual cat will react if they eat part of one. The same with all medicines. Never give a cat any kind of medicine with out your vets approval . Even aspirin can be deadly to cats. Never give a cat things like needles, straight pens, or any tiny object that it could swallow. A sudden death or big vet bill is not fun for the kitty or you.
Just like children and puppies, cats shouldn't have plastic bags to play with. To the kitten it looks like fun, but they can suffocate quickly if it gets over their head.
Remember your kitten is a baby. He needs frequent rests while playing. If you keep encouraging him to play he will, but could get overly tired and become sick.
Just a few of the things I have remembered since I now have a kitten.

Cat in a Box

It's My Box!! You can't have it.

In a Box

You big bully. You can't get me while I'm in my box.

Attack!

I can't help it. Her tail was just too temping. I had to jump on it.

Wiley Wild Cat

I am trying so hard to good!

Blind Kitty

Callie has left a comment on my blog that she has a blind kitty. She is a special person to take in and care for a special kitty. My son has a blind cat in his household. It takes a special person with a big heart and very caring to take in the special needs pets and we need more people like that. I haven't had a young pet with special needs but have had lots of elderly dogs and cats that were hard of hearing and almost blind, as well as having arthritis making it difficult to get up and down. I have an elderly horse that has arthritis and a damaged hoof but he still enjoys a short ride ever once in a while.

Kitten Help

I had forgotten how much "help" a kitten could be. It's been 8 years since we had a kitten and this one is very much into everything. What ever I am doing he wants to be part of and 'help' me do it. As with my other 2 black cats he is fascinated by dripping water. Wiley will be in the sink as soon as I turn the water on. He helps me wash my hands, and do the dishes. We are having a hard time teaching him that he can not help with the cooking. Not to bad when I just making a salid or peeling potatoes but when it comes to the stove I am hoping he doesn't learn the hard way and get burnt. We frequently have to put him in the bedroom when we are cooking, or eating. Not only does he want to cook he wants to eat it, too.
Wiley Cat also helps with gathering dirty clothes, folding and hanging the clean cloths, making the bed and sweeping. He doesn't care for the vacuum cleaner. Of course using a pen or pencil is a favorite as he thinks he needs to catch the pen as I use it.
When I get dressed or change clothes is a great time to catch the clothes or help me put them on. And a sleeping person always needs to be woke up so they can play with an active kitten.

Kinks in My Life

I could make a very long list of the kinks I have in my life that make life harder. First and foremost is the urge to have a garden in the desert. I have done it for years and years - more than I want to count. Each spring I get this compulsive urge to plant seeds; flower seeds, vegetable seeds, and any other seed I might find. Then all summer I kick myself for having done so as I have to water, and care for first the seedlings, and then the plants. And then you have to figure out what to do with all the veggies that you have grown. That is after you and all your neighbors and friends have been veggied out on fresh squash, tomatoes and watermelon.

for example - take this mornings kinks

I got up and decided to plant the last of my seeds. While doing so I realized it was already very warm outside. So I turned on the water and proceeded to water all the little spots that I had planted the last of the seeds in, and all the little seedlings - in pots and in the ground - that are just poking their heads up as that is the time they need the most frequent watering. This wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been that every time I pulled on the hose it kinked. I would put down the end where the water was supposed to be coming out of - and wasn't - and walk across the yard to the kink, unkink it and stretch out the hose so that hopefully it wouldn't kink again. WRONG Within a few minutes of pulling the hose around it would kink again. Again this wouldn't have been to bad if I hadn't had extra "help" from Tuffee, my Border Collie, who has a major goal in life of 'catching' the water as it comes out of the hose - and in the process running and stomping through the seedlings.
At last I gave up on watering for the time being and retreated to the horse pens to hook up the ATV to the railroad tie drag and drive round and round the pens smashing and dragging sand and manure to hopefully desrup the breeding cycle of the gnats that have been torturing the horses the past few days. At least doing this I was sitting down on the ATV and not bent over at the waist - with my head down - planting seeds and fighting with a contrary water hose.