Cat, birds, flowers, horse

Our kitty cat Mercer ate a snake yesterday. First she tormented it a long time. I think it was her first snake because she seemed really surprised by its behavior. At first it acted aggressively, facing her and coiling, then it played dead, or maybe it was just exhausted from wrestling a cat, and then it wagged the tip of its tail like "just take this end" or something. I left and came back to my cat eating the entire snake, tail to head. It was gruesome--normally she eats an animal after killing it.

She is getting better at climbing trees, despite being heights-challenged. I'm so proud of her.

I didn't get the snake on film but I did get her pouncing a mouse.

Vole? She looks so satisfied. Another mid-day meal. I usually catch her eating one or two mice per day. We don't have to feed her very much. My husband couldn't be more pleased with her. It was the only justification in his mind for having a cat. Although he adores her and tells her how cute she is every night as she curls up on the couch with us. No one could say she's an affectionate cat, but she sure does her job and just like Baasha, she is pretty low impact on her environment. (She doesn't puke or claw furniture or even shed too much.)

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FINALLY Spring! We've been blessed because I've been wearing shorts for a couple weeks. Besides 3 days of rain, we've had nothing but sunshine since February. We could use another rain please? I have already suffered a bad sunburn - I hope my mom doesn't read this - I used the sunscreen she gave me but it's from Wenatchee Washington and I don't think those people need sunscreen. I burned anyway including sunrashes on my arms.

I have had some wonderful bird visitors at my feeder. I wish I knew what this one is - anyone?

This is one of my favorites - an Eichelhaeher.

They're big and have a splash of blue, but they are shy and I'm lucky to have a pair that visits occasionally.

He's waiting his turn.

UPDATE: It turns out this is a Eurasian Bullfinch (Blutfink). Finally a name for this common, but pretty bird!

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This is not one of my trees but they are blooming around town now - what kind of tree is this? I looked in a book and I think it's a wild cherry but I am not sure.

These are our trees/bushes right outside our kitchen and bedroom window. I even know the names.

Zierjohannisbeer (Flowering Currant) and Felsenbirne (Serviceberry). Next to them are an almond tree and a lilac, but they're not quite ready yet. I have to give it to the previous owners, they set this place up to look spectacular this time of year. I only have a few trees and shrubs left on my wish list.

I picked a little bouquet from random flowers in the yard.

My tulips finally bloomed! I planted these last fall and now I've decided that tulips kick daffodil butt and I'll never go back. I've decided I'm just not into the color yellow.



Here is the hippy working on #72. She always looks fabulous as she works in the dirt, never wears the same outfit, and makes me feel like a slob. I found out she makes medieval costumes for a living. Aha, that explains the amazing outfits. Who dresses like this to rip out stinging nettles?

Baasha, manging out*. We've gotten through about half of his coat, I figure. I am still collecting it into a pile for curiosity's sake. I tortured him with another bath in an effort to release more hair. He has gone from eating 5 flakes of hay per day to eating 1. Our newly fertilized pasture looks amazing.

(* My sister and I have always used the french "manger" (to eat) this way. Mangin' out --> pigging out. It's pretty much all I have left from my french class.)

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It's been hard for me this year to get seeds germinated so I've resorted to using the windowsill above the radiator.

Last year was so rough for vegetables and even the trees and berries didn't produce normally. I hope this year is different. Here are peas and cilantro.

Lettuce, tomatoes, a couple zucchini, and carrots. I'll move them out of pots as soon as they're a little more substantial.

Basil and some snapdragons that I also started indoors. The greenhouse is topping 100F during the days and the basil looks a little burned. I need to keep the water off the leaves and only on the soil.

Our sunset through a dirty atmosphere. Rain please?