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.

Flooded Fields Are Not Fun

Since I knew nothing about taking care of horses before spending time at SHHS, I could write daily blog posts just on that topic. Some lessons are pretty minor in the daily scope of things and some are major. Flooded Fields Are Not Fun would fell closer to the major end of the spectrum in my book. It just makes everything you go to do, that much harder when you deal with lots of water and really deep mud.





I'm not a fan to say the least. Yes, the grass is nice and green. Yes, we always need rain in Florida so I am grateful for it. But I'm tired of trying to take steps forward only to discover I left my boot behind in the mud. I'd like a happy medium please! The wind is not so pleasant either. It does make for nice, dramatic manes and tails for pictures though so there is that. Along those lines, I have found that I love my smart phone when I'm out working here. I can capture so much more than if I had to wait until I had the real camera out!



I was able to grab this shot simply because I had my phone in my pocket.



Then I was able to share it with the world instantly via Instagram and Facebook. Gotta love the digital age for those kinds of things!


See how quickly I can get distracted and go from whining to joy? Dallas understands that trait since he tends to shift fairly quickly along with me!





Living the life in rainy FL!

Going for a scooter ride in the mountains of Lesvos, Greece and a lunch stopover in Vafeios

When Dutchman and I are not doing this, this, this, this, this, and this(this one is unforgettable)during our holiday last summer in Lesvos, Greece, we were out and about exploring the island with our rental scooter.











One of the afternoons we took the scooter for a mountain ride nearby. We were not planning on driving far, we’re just going for a ride, enjoy the views and the fresh sea air and then have late lunch at a taverna in Vafeios that I read about—Taverna Vafios.



In Mithymna, they are offering donkey rides to Vafeios where participants rest for lunch at Taverna Vafios and back. Indeed, Dutchman and I saw the donkey tour group as we went up the mountain. The poor donkeys were so cute, I don’t think I could ever let one of these animals carry me.



On other matters, I have become an expert in taking pictures behind the Dutchman on a moving scooter.








More pictures below... actually, LOTS of pictures =)









A very typical afternoon scene in the mountain villages of Lesvos.





An interesting way of piling up tables and chairs. It almost looked like art installation.











Here were are at Taverna Vafios having a light lunch of Greek salad and yoghurt with honey and crushed walnuts.









I prefer Greek yoghurt with crushed walnuts than with whole walnuts.





It was late for lunch, we almost had the taverna to ourselves except for a table in the corner with English holidaymakers.









Stuffed zucchini flowers.









Stops to enjoy the views... that is Turkey from the distance.











I really, really, really miss summer now.



I think I need to get out of this country for a long weekend. But where? It is still cold everywhere....

Old pictures of Crete in Lassithi and Sitia

Since we are on Greece at the moment, I saw old pictures in my foto folder of our holiday in Crete a long time ago. This was pre-digital camera age for us: 2003.

These pictures were taken at the windmills in Lassithi and the marina in Sitia.

I managed to take digital pictures of some of the roll film developed pictures we had during our holiday in the summer of 2003. Somehow these pictures survived after one hard drive crash and migration to another but they are very poor in quality. I would need to dig up my old paper fotos and see if I can find better ones. If I remember it right, we had more and better pictures. For now I guess these will suffice.

We had good memories of our Crete holiday. Our apartment had 2 balconies with fantastic views, one looking down to the pool and the other across the plateau. We rented a car and toured the island. We walked a lot. We ate out every night and spent nights watching the nighlife scene. In the mornings we had 2 Euros full English breakfast with coffee and orange juice included. I cannot believe it was so cheap back then. Time fly so fast!

Vertical or horizontal front point?

This winter's Ice climbing season started early.Nov. in the Ghost River area of Alberta in fact for me.



The Ghost



The super cold temps that would later invade Canada and Montana had yet to arrive. Some where you generally have to pay the price for good early season climbing. For me that was climbing on harder ice than I am generally use to for the majority of the season. By Jan and -30C temps in Canada I was pretty much worn down and worn out with hard water ice.



In a typical winter I start climbing water ice in Canada after Christmas and continue through mid April.



This winter I had 4trips north in before Christmas.



The 5th trip was to the Ice Fields Parkway at the first of the year. Cold by any standard. I took dbl boots and for once a pair of BD Cyborgs to easy the pain of pounding toes on hard ice. It made a difference.



Generally I like climbing in horizontal front point crampons. They offer marginally more support and resist shearing the front points in wet, soft ice. I have found most of the cruxes in my own climbing to be sun rotted vertical ice or just as likely what ice that is there sublimated or just out right melting off the wall. Places that a set of single vertical front points just don't "cut" it for me. I hate having my feet pop off on anything including steep or not so steep ice because of the specific tools I have decide to use.



Some huge advantages of a mono point on mixed but even there I will generally try to get away with a set of dual horizontal fronts unless I know it will be a mostly a rock climb with boots and tools required. Not dry tooling per say but certainly "modern mixed".



I know for my size a set of dual horizontal fronts offer more support and that I am less likely to pop my feet. Proven to my self over and over again.



But then there is hard ice....not the typical couple of days of hard freeze ice but weeks on end at -20 or less. The stuff that breaks tools, crampons and dinner plates big enough to break helmets. Cold...like an animal wanting to kill you. Polar Circus was a good example in Jan. Dbl boots and a set of vertical front pointed Cyborgs made it less effort, thankfully.



The Ice Field Parkway







Ha!Funny now in retrospect as I have never been as cold as I was climbing in Chamonix this winter. Shivering to the bone cold, on route. Temps only -20C or so and with a good wind. Likely most of it was me being less than fit and not acclimatised. But no matter, I as cold. (reoccurring theme about that trip)



The cold I can deal with..even while bitching about it. The ice was another matter all together. The first bit of gully ice I found shattered on impact and was tough even to get enough purchase for a good hook let alone a solid stick. That bit of ice was mid route on what is generally considered a "rock" routeso I blew it off to the 4 mm pick and my inabilities. Boy was I mistaken.



The next bit of ice I encountered was at least half gravel and sand, frozen into the back of a corner. Proper gully ice that. Thankfully there were enough rocks sticking out of the ice that front points weren't an issue. Getting a decent stick with my tools was however. Nomics without pick weights or hammers this time. My normal choice for Cascade or Rockiesmixed and the seemingly hands down preference in the Alps I am bluntly told. Nomics, Cascade picks and no weights. Ya, well that choice didn't work so well for me. Anda set of sharp, verticalcrampon points is likely the only thing that will consistently penetrate alpine winter ice, aka, Chamonix asphalt. The ice may look great forclimbing but the difference between Neve and old winter water ice is genuine and huge.



No more worrying about shearing a set of dual vertical front points or a monofor that matter through soft ice. The ice was hard enough to support even my lard ass on a mono in every alpine gully I climbed and half the water falls I did this winter.



So while I am still a big fan of horizontal fronts I am also a huge fan of Monos when I can get away with it and even a bigger fan of dual verts. And when it is cold...really cold.....I want VERTS.



Chamonix



There you go...another change of mind on my part for gear...it canhappen on occasion ;-)

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Take Two

Although Nathan and I have been to this lighthouse already, we were thrilled to visit again with Barb and John because it was so smoky during our last visit. I'm so glad we did because the view was fabulous from the top.

I have already shared much information about this historic lighthouse in my last post, but just one reminder that there are 248 steps to get to the top.It takes some time to get there!The climb is worth it though because the view is amazing!



This time we were able to visit the museum and we even caught the movie about when the lighthouse was moved from its former location to the current one. The movie was much more interesting than I thought it would be. If you visit, I highly recommend it. It is incredible to hear and see all that was involved in moving this beautiful piece of the OBX's history.We had a great time here, and saw that each time we come back, we will learn more things about this interesting place.

Outside Lights

Lights on the tree and swing just outside the front door.