Here comes the sun?

Spring is here according to all the cats I have that are in heat. I am hoping to announce pregnancies in 3 weeks for Blondie x Tugger and Pixie x Tugger. Lucky Tugger has been getting a lot of action lately. My bedroom, unfortunately seems to be the magic place for him. So thats what we've been doing - bringing the ladies into Tugger's chamber. Which just happens to be MY BEDROOM. Lovely going to sleep with cats screaming in your ear. Just to be on the safe side, I am going to be sending in DNA samples from Tugger, Blondie and Pixie to test for PKD. Cross your fingers.

Successful Idaho Show

The weekend of the 18th brought us to Boise Idaho for another CFA show. This time I brought six with me including Bruno, Dandelion, Avatar, Sammy, Blondie and Tugger. Sammy did really well picking up 7 finals in 8 rings. Dandelion picked up 5 finals and the other kittens one each. Blondie picked up 14 GC points. It snowed, hailed, rained and blew hard wind - how nice for me. Especially since I had just picked up my truck from the body shop the Thursday before the show. Fortunately we had an uneventful drive to and from the show - a most boring and windy drive.

Snow Snow Go Go Go Away

This time last year I was posting about how much the snow was going away and that bare patches were showing up and spring was coming. Well it snowed last night and I'm miserable! The Emus *are* laying again, though not a the rate they were laying last year. We've had about 20 eggs total this year so far with more to come. Of the 5 chickens that showed up last year, we have one left, the rest disappeared via food or fowl play. We picked up 4 new chickens and our 5 chickens have the run of the farm and seem to stick around for food. The goats are all pregnant I'm sure and will be due in May. We *still* cannot ride Peak or Info. Peak I rode a little last year but only with Steve's hand firmly on the halter.

Dramatails had a second litter in 2010 which came to Dramtails Eclipse. 3 beautiful curly babies. They are now 4 months old and two of them show huge show potential. One is going to Taiwan in August or September and the other is staying here. Dramatails Avatar is available for sale. He is by far the sweetest of the bunch but is smaller than the rest and lighter boned. He'll make someone a fantastic pet.

IW Bangles Terraincognito has been here for 9 months and has managed to breed ONE girl. He just was not in shape to breed earlier and plus no cats were in heat. He has bred Kitsarkat Pixie and hopefully Dramatails Legally Blonde. I have also put Spellbinding Rosetta Stone and Dramatails Charmed in with him just in case they go into heat. Although Tugger is not very aggressive about his breeding.

So cross your fingers for 4 litters this year, thats about all I can handle.

Car Accident

I was in a car accident on Feb 18 while en route to a cat show in Colorado. I rolled my truck onto its side. It sustained about $3000 in damage plus the window and the towing. Sammy got out onto the road but was picked up by a passer by. One of my kittens was lost for nearly 5 hours. I actually had to leave the scene with the tow truck driver and come back and look for him. By some miracle we found him in some weeds by the side of the highway. I still went to the show with my friend in her truck, we did mediocre – it was a campaigner show and the kittens, while nice, are only 4 months old. I managed to get a new window for my truck while in Colorado and got the wheels fixed to a point where I could drive the truck home. But not after picking up a nasty flu bug. The drive home was absolutely terrifying and I broke down (mentally) 2 hours from home. Fortunately Steve was able to talk me home. This is my third accident driving to Colorado for a cat show - maybe Mother Nature is trying to tell me something? Fly maybe?

New Kittens

The summer is in full swing and babies have arrived. Dramatails Casablanca had her second litter Tuesday. Initially she had 4 straights and a curly. Unfortunately the beautiful tortie and white runt died within 24 hours, but the rest are doing well, gaining 10grams a day. The one lone curly is a beautiful lavender and white boy, I hope so much that he turns out nice! Here are photos.

Farm update

The sun has been showing itself much more often. So much so, that we've seen the ground for the first time in weeks. We took the horses out for a walk and it was divine. We didn't actually ride them - Peak and Info are not broke to ride yet, so we put stuff on their back and walked them a bit. The little stinkers are herd/barn sour so it was a challenge.

The emus have been laying eggs like crazy, we got about 20 in February. They appear to be taking a break, but judging on how much they are eating, we'll be seeing more eggs soon.

The goats are getting large with babies. I don't think they are all pregnant, but a good portion of them are. Hopefully they will have their babies on a sunny day so they won't die in the cold. Goats are notorious for being crappy mothers.

We had five chickens turn up on the property, roosting in the trees. Then there were four, now there is one. He wakes us up in the morning. I'll keep an eye on Craigs List and see if we can get some more adults. Not ready for chicks right now, still too cold. Rooster is in love with Romeo, the peacock though, its pretty funny.

Cats are doing well, but we have many to place - slowly but surely. PEACE!

Long Time No Blog

I moved to Idaho in August 2009 to live with my boyfriend. My animal brood has now increased from a bunch of cats to: 2 emus, 7 llamas, 15+ pygmy goats, 4 horses, 3 ducks, 1 peacock, 4 chickens and a dog. I have only had one kitten born since August, I am in the midst of a welcome break. I had high hopes for the litters from 2009 but I've quickly been disappointed. From the Fire x Sammy breeding, I'm just keeping Willow and she may not work out even then. Her muzzle is too short. However she has a nice coat and personality and her structure is sound, she shouldn't have trouble giving birth. American Gangster and Dirty Harry from that litter are neutered. Gangster is going to live in Pennsylvania and Dirty Harry is looking for a home.

From the Pixie x Sammy litter, I'm keeping two girls; Eclipse and Charmed, polar opposites. Charmed is a longhaired straight hair and Eclipse is a short haired homozygote. Brother Mimic showed great promise but his legs are crooked, he goes to a pet home soon hopefully. Pixie is here and doing well and will be bred late in the season.

From the Crystal x Grissom litter I kept Silver Bullet, a long haired curly boy - very sweet. I placed the two sisters from that litter.

From the Blondie x Grissom litter I had just one, a very homely looking silver and white shorthair. He's been neutered and will be placed.

From the Mercy x Sammy litter I had some nice babies. I'm keeping a long haired curly tortie and white girl I call Dramatails American Beauty and a homozygous silver male I call Dramatails Little Man Tate. I have placed a red and white boy I call Lethal Weapon, with a great gal in Portland. She's currently showing him and we may breed him in the future. Both Beauty and Lethal Weapon have shown well in competition.

I had a surprise Rosie x Grissom litter in October. Considering Grissom shipped out of my house in August, that must have been a quickie. I'm keeping the one boy that lived from that litter. I call him Dramatails Velveteen Rabbit and he is a very long haired, straight haired, cream and white. A personality and type to die for.

This leaves me with 7 girls and 3 boys, plenty for me. I have recently placed Gato with one of my best friends who lives in Colorado. He will be much happier there. That leaves me with Seamus, Woden, Apollo, Andy, Charlie, Church and Lacey. I don't see much of Andy as he revels in his out door status on 27 acres.