Sunrays Over Pretty Lake

Quick photo this morning from my walk. No tweaking.

This is the view from the Shore Drive bridge over Pretty Lake, a little inland waterway and the little marina, one of hundreds, in this area.

Off to to a full day of studying for my first test (Midterm) in Computer Graphics which will be on Monday. The joys of learning to use the Adobe Illustrator (which I am actually really loving). A powerful program which I am slowing, but surely, learning.

Hope you all enjoy your day!
Look for the sunrays in your life!


P.S. 9 am ~ New development ~ Interesting morning ~ urrrr

For several years we did feral kitten retraining from our home, which we stopped doing a few years ago because with college and work schedules. We just don't have the time it takes to provide that service any longer.

My daughter just brought in a cat crate that someone left on our doorstep this morning. We can see six heads so far in that little crate.

This is what we have learned and observed over the past decade from dealing with more than 150 feral kittens.
(Not that you are interested but I have to get this off my chest).

NOTES ON (FERAL) KITTEN TRAINING ~ young kittens can be redomesticated easily IF -- BIG IF -- they are continuously and lovingly handled from the time they are four weeks old, by as many different people as possible. Actually at this point they are not really wild and so they are not feral, they are just young kittens who require handling and attention. At this point it is really just 'training' versus 'retraining', like with young children -- "All good training is best done young". Yes, you can quote me on that.

This is not the first time someone has left felines on our property.

The first time it happened was the scariest.
Someone put a cat in a cardboard box and taped it shut. The box was a small standard mailing parcel (9x3x3 inches). That was bad enough, but then this person (that is an assumption) put the box near a gate on the OPPOSITE side of our property from the driveway and front door.
(this is the part where you, the active audience, fills in the language I am not willing to type here....) ~ good, good.
I do not know how long the box with the cat was there as we had been away, arrived home late from the airport, and noticed the box as we drove past our own property on our way out the next morning. Maybe you can imagine the cat's desire to escape the box upon my unsealing it (vision the movie 'Alien' when the baby erupted from the chest cavity). Anyway, that was the first time. Nice two-three year old cat finally did gain a proper home.

Well, this cat carrier today came complete with a orange-yellow-brown crocheted blanket, three cans of cat food, and a bright orange unsigned note written in red ink. The note told us how these kittens had been "rescued" from a neighboring town over four weeks ago, they love the kitties, what their names are along with their dispositions, and the best part is... what to feed them -- at least 40% protein food -- Hell, I don't even eat a 40% protein diet!

Two of my girls just came back from getting the kittens situated.
General comments which could be heard were: "%&*@# people are stupid" and "I hate people" and "are they just dumb??" and "cowards". Later comments: "WE are NOT a SHELTER" and "ALL the shelters in this area are no-kill shelters" and "what the fu*k?" and "people su*k!"
This type of irresponsible behavior really upsets my girls, destroys their idea of humanity, and their regard for people in general.

The kittens all need to be cleaned (imagine six young anythings in a small animal carrier for who knows how long). We think these are about 4-6 months old -- long past the time they should have been in their new homes, with their new families getting to know the little kitten and enjoying their kitten-time. At least these babies are friendly and not hissing at us -- that is the good sign.

The thing that really tips my kettle is not once have we been asked if we will take on this responsibility by those who just drop them off. Not once have the people knocked on the door and introduced themselves to us and asked for our help with their little kitties. They have not talked together with us to find a good solution. These kittens were not rescued by the orange-note-folks, it was more like temporary housing -- not a good situation -- not a solution at all. They should have actively moved to pass the kittens on sooner to their permanent homes instead of holding them at their house. (stepping down now)

MY SAGE OPINION ~ I really feel that people who are not planning on keeping a cat for its entire life should not keep them when they are kittens just to enjoy the little ones when they are cute, loveable and entertaining. The kittens are best served by them finding their permanent home while they are young (4 to 10 weeks old - nothing over 3 months) so they can bond with their new people and place.

... sigh ... urrrrrr...

and please, if cats/kittens are not your cup of tea ~
Please please, please ~ leave no disparaging 'cat' comments.

Does anyone know of someone who would like a young cat?
Now, where is that woman who stopped here last month in search of a kitty?

Now off to study for that midterm which will be on Monday ~
So glad I got my walk and photo done early today.