I'd like to introduce you to Dukkah, our torty tabby Maine Coon cat. Dukkah was helping me pack up the last of my Trade Me sales yesterday morning - of the 21 items originally listed I actually sold 15 - making me enough cash for plenty of chook food and some nuts for the piggles. Yeahh!
Dukkah has a brother, Mouse. He is laying low at the moment as he knows he's not in my good books.
Since we've experienced such lovely warm weather, the rabbit population around here has EXPLODED. I'm not talking a few extra bunnies here and there, but at least double the numbers we saw last year. This has been wonderful news for Dukkah the hunting cat, she has been tracking them down and feasting to her hearts content.
Brother Mouse isn't big on hunting as it requires quite a bit of effort. He's decided it's much easier to be a farmer, so has been encouraging the bunnies to dig their burrows under our woodshed and generally hang out close to home. Every now and then he'll cull his herd, bring a rabbit inside and put it in the bathtub. That's right, Mouse has cottoned onto the fact that rabbits can't climb up the slippery sides of the tub, so he can play with his chosen bunny til he's bored, then go away and come back later on. I have to give him credit really.
Anyway, I accept that for the meantime, when I clean the bathroom I have to scoop up rabbit poop and occassionally deal with rabbit remains. And when visitors are due, I need to check the tub.
What I was less than impressed with was Mouse's attempt at stock diversification.
Bright and early yesterday morning I went out, fed the chooks and opened the door to let them go outside. As soon as I turned my back, Mouse came flying up the chicken ramp and attempted to herd Abu and the girls into a corner. No idea what he thought was going to happen, but we had chaos. Elderberry took flight and ended up with the bantam and chicks in their special penned area. Naturally the indignant bantam took to him. Abu's girls all ran in circles panicing while Abu promptly dashed outside. Mouse took one look at me and decided he'd made a big mistake, so he hightailed it out after Abu.
Haven't seen much of Mouse since, I just hope he's not plotting another attempt at becoming a chicken farmer.
What I've learnt today:
1. There is nothing better in the world than catching up with friends you haven't seen in ages over a good cup of coffee.
2.Chickens go absolutely crazy over windblown cherries. Shame the tree is so tall I can't reach the fruit for ourselves.
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