Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Busy in the kitchen, possum chasin' new kittens

Good Afternoon Everyone,

Well I hope that all are surviving the heat, or drought or both.  It is still very hot here and I'm busy in the kitchen at the present time, trying to keep up with the Zucchini and the start of the cucumbers.  I shredded some larger Zucchini one of my house neighbors gave me into a relish,  its a sweet/hot mixture.  I will see tomorrow if the spices and vinegar are ok and then process it.  I put a few sweet, and mildly hot peppers I had from last year in this batch, so I will see if its worth canning.  I am trying to round up my jars and lids.  I am tempted to try the Tattler reusable lids.  Hopefully, around the first, I will order some and try them.  Has anyone every used these lids? Let me know.
I also got some hamburger patties made and frozen.  I can hardly wait until I get my beef order and start making my ground beef fillings, and my stew meat.  Since I got my pressure canner, and I'm not afraid of it, it seems I have lost out on a lot of good food because I was a pussy about a pressure canner!

I am chasing a very large possum around the trailer park.  The other morning, around 4:30 am, I was up and the dog had to go out, and Belle, went around the corner where she usually goes and I heard some very intense "hissing", and it sure didn't sound like a cat, so I had my flashlight, and shined it where the sound was coming from, and lo and behold, a very large, ( I guessing about 25 lbs) possum  was by my north neighbor's back step.  It was not a happy camper, and I suspect its a male just by the size.  I brought the dog in as I don't want her torn up and by the time I went back out, it disappeared around the back.  So, I have my two traps set at night, but as of yet, nothing.  I will keep trying, as I don't want that around here at all.

The neighbor from hell clear to the north trailer left a mom cat and three kittens in the trailer, they have been in there with all of this heat, and one other trailer neighbor who lives next to this trailer, came over and told me he heard kittens crying.  So, Saturday night,  I snuck in a back window when it got dark and found them.  Mom has been around for a while, but I didn't know where she came from or what.  These babies are pretty wild, but I was able to corner them, and get them rounded up,  I de-fleaed them and mom, and for a few days, I had them on my porch, but it was getting just too hot, and I  finally brought them into my large bathroom in the big wire cage I use.  Mom is pretty easy to handle, but the babies will take a little time, they are 2 blacks and a black/tan tabby female, the blacks are a male and female.  I will try to get a photo of them, but usually they run and hide when I come in. Mom is a garden variety grey and very thin. But with a little food, she will be ok..  I was not expecting more cats,  and I am getting very tired of cleaning up other stupid people's messes.  I am not sure what to do with them at the moment, but right now, my goal is to just get the kittens tamed down and mom filled out, I will cross this bridge when I get there. 

Well, that is it for right now.  Just wait though, something can happen here in a New York minute.  I am going out a little later to water the garden and then come in and make supper.  I think boneless pork chops and fried potatoes with cucumber salad and tomatoes in on the menu tonight.
I will try to take photos of the garden.  The cherry tomatoes I have are over 6 feet tall now.
Take care all
Hugs

7 comments:

  1. We are having trouble catching our resident varmint too!

    You are like my husband about animals, a softie. Good luck with the new kitties.

    Supper sounds good.

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  2. What a grand job you have done rescuing the little feline family ...I wish you all well ...one day at a time.Apresure canner is something I have never come across ...not sure they are used over here ...I just freeze things. When Zucchini's are in season and very cheap in the shops, I chop them up and freeze them. Then when i need them in the winter...I grab a handful of frozen cubes and toss them in what ever I am cooking.

    I enjoyed your blog

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  3. A soon-to-be Mom cat has been hanging out on our porch for nearly two weeks. I so don't want her--she's obviously been someone's cat--very friendly, very hungry.
    The feral kittens we trapped 3 weeks ago are living in the guest room/office. They are OK if we pick them up but still inclined to hide under the bed.
    As you say, we end up picking up the pieces, taking care of animals because of other people's lack of caring and responsibility.

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  4. Morning Denim. What a big heart you have to rescue the momma cat and her babies. I hope that you can get them a new home(s) in the fullness of time.

    I hope you can trap the possum. What happens then - does he have a drive out to a new home away from you?!

    I am not yet harvesting any courgettes, but have a few babies on my plants and still have some in the freezer from last year.

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  5. Denim ~ You sure inspire me. I love hearing about your veggies, processing them into goodies, and your critters too. That little feline family will thrive in your care.

    Wishing you and yours well and hope you have a nice weekend.

    FlowerLady

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  6. People are so cruel to their animals. How can you move and leave them behind but it happens all the time!

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  7. I understand that possum bites are quite nasty since they have very "germy" mouths and the bites tend to fester very easily. I can see why you would be concerned and want to trap them. We have possums here in town -- but as long as I've lived here, I've only seen one.

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