Sometimes, the best decisions.......hurt the most...........

as most of you who read my blog know.........this is Homer.  He was dropped on me over a year ago.

Since then, I feed and taken care of him........as best I can.............and he is such a sweet gentle cat........and a good mouser.

Homer does not get along with other cats.  So he cannot come inside of my home because my other two cats are house cats.  Along with Homer.......someone dropped a female cat on me as well.  Of course Homer went for her like Romeo.  I took Homer to the vet in January to get him neutered.

I had mentioned to the vet clinic staff that he had been dropped on me.  The next day when I went to pick Homer up, the receptionist told me that everyone there at the clinic just loved Homer and if I did not want to keep him, they would give him a good home.  

I appreciated her telling me this, but rejected the offer because I have fallen in love with Homer.

However...................... 

although it stopped his spraying and moaning after the female........it did not stop his aggression towards other cats.

A few days ago.........Taboo.........my inside tom cat......accidentally slipped out of the door and ran out to the back yard. In an instant Homer attacked him and had him pinned on the ground by his throat. I like to have never gotten them separated.   

Then again, the other day, Taboo slipped out when my husband opened the door. I was quick enough to grab up Taboo.........but Homer was so furious to see him........that he jumped onto Sophie's back........my dog........and attacked her.  I pulled him off. 

Not only is the aggression worrying me.........it is now rattlesnake time and I always worry about Homer getting bit.  He also has to sleep out with the chickens at night to stay safe.

So I made the hard decision and called my vet's office.  They remembered Homer quite well and told me to bring him in...........they would love to have him.

I felt blue the whole day after giving Homer away.  I let a day pass and just could not take the 

worry any longer and called the vets office to see if Homer was doing okay.  The receptionist told me that he has quite a winning personality.........grabbing at everyone as they walk by............playing.......loving to be petted and held.........and eating well.  He will now have a comfortable , safe home, at the vets office........being king of his new kingdom. 

I feel better about this decision.........but still slight regret lingers in my heart. 

The female I mentioned earlier............well.........I did not get Homer neutered quick enough.......

she is now going to have Homer's kittens.  She is scared and at first would not come to me. Now she comes and allows me to sit and watch her eat..........but I cannot touch her..........yet.

As much as I do not want her around.........I cant take her to a pound.  Several people have giving me numbers for places to call to take her..............but they all refer the pound........where she will be put down I am sure.

So I am now trying to tame her..........so that she can have her kittens here.......and I can make sure they are tame and try to find homes for all of them .

I have named this cat Belle...........but I still do not want to keep her and I cannot afford a spay bill. I am hoping I can find someone who will take her after her kittens are weaned.

And even though, I know that Homer will always have a safe , warm and happy home.........

my heart still hurts for him . He is dearly missed and probably will always be....... 

All I can say to anyone.............please don't drop your animals on someone else. It only makes more problems for them and for the animal you drop.

If  you keep your animals........please, please......spay or neuter!

by the way............does anyone want a kitten in about 10 weeks??

Build muscle...........with cactus!!

if not muscle.........I promise your arms will be very sore if you use the

method I am using!

The house sits on 13 acres of wild , untouched prairie land.

Among the wild flowers, grasses, and crooked mesquite trees I love so well.........

is cactus.  Cactus is pretty.......in it's own way,

it blooms and attracts bees

and adds color and beauty to the prairie.

However, if left un-controlled, it is very invasive and takes

over and destroys natural prairie land. It harbors large numbers of rats and mice,

which attracts large rattlesnakes. 

And the cactus plant can grow 6 ft high and several feet around. 

We at first did not have a cactus problem , but when the wind blows, the cactus

seed scatters and takes roots. So for the past few months, I have been whacking down 

and picking up with a large fork this never ending cactus. 

Where does the muscle building come into??  After whacking the large paddles off,

they are full of water and very heavy. I use a heavy pickaxe to knock the cactus down,

which wears out my arms, 

then I load it all with the big pitch fork into a wheel barrel.....

"instant sore arms and one day muscles. "

The wheel barrel is very heavy to push and I carry all of this cactus

to the very edge of our property .......where the dirt from the cotton 

fields blow.  Cactus will not burn, and where ever it is left, it will resprout and 

take over that area. So I decided that since I have no other way to dispose of it.....

I would make a natural fence on our back property line.  It will be beautiful in bloom, will feed the bees, and hopefully will be easier to control .......no more cactus problems for me!

I am not destroying all of the cactus here on the grounds.........as I say, 

it does have it's place and it is pretty..........this is that large plant

I showed in the fourth and fifth  photo............after I whacked and pruned it .......a bit

It had a heart shaped paddle, which made me smile........

I hope this will stay and it will bloom.

The days here have been so pretty and fair........my daffodils have

awakened and are sprouting . I cant wait to see them bloom!

So tell me all..........what invasive plant do you have to deal 

with in your back yard? I would love to hear!