Showing posts with label LadyBug. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LadyBug. Show all posts



§ Scenes from Nearby Home...


I have been taking breaks now and then from my yard art repainting - I began working on the cement statue of our pelican, but it will take me a week or more to finish.  So, I'm taking walks...soaking up this glorious weather we've been having here-of-late.  From 1] watching dolphins guide the big oil tankers out to sea, 2] finding a sure sign of Spring; a lady bug, 3] the deep sea fishermen along the channel and the sparkle of the gulf, 4] way out on the horizon a ship spraying water from the deck, 5] wildflowers in the park under mesquite trees, 6] taking out my lens ball for a snapshot of the sand dunes and oil rigs  7] viewing reflections on the park ponds, 8] and keeping the bird feeder station in our back yard filled and stocking fresh fruit for them to snack on as they have a layover on their way to the northern parts of USA and Canada, 9] taking a foot journey behind the bird basin looking for the rare plover but finding none - just yellow wildflowers by the inter-coastal waterway..

























Wednesday, January 7th, 2009
12:32 A.M.


Join -Wordful Wednesday


If you at all, even seldom, follow my blog you may remember the Ladybug Perch I made for our cat, Winston, who loves to sit by the window and peer outside and watch the world go by. Well, today, I'm posting a long awaited update. A LONG time...like maybe seven-eight months?!!

To acquaint you with the special stool, I and Bud made for him, you'd have to go here first. This will open in a new window so you won't lose your place for this Wednesday's update photos. Let me tell you...he did NOT like the new contraption. Not one bit!!! And if you go to the link I just provided, you'll see just how he still got himself to watch outside withOUT touching foot/body onto the ladybug!....


Now let's begin here. Some of these photos were taken several months ago. At first I saw some small telltale signs of our dear little Winnie and his secret rendezvous with one certain ladybug stool!

Notice something that looks quite suspicious do you? Seems there is a bit of 'fur' that just doesn't belong here! Right?




But for weeks, all I found was just the hairs from his body. I never, EVER actually saw him make use of it. I figured he'd watch the world pass by when we were gone. That was the only logical...well, wait, he may have used it at night...but the blinds are pulled, he certainly wouldn't use it at night would he? Who knows what runs through a cat's mind.

Anyway,...this IS WORDFUL Wednesday right? Ya, okay...I'm being full of words again. To update you all...I finally caught him in the act!!!!! I never did use catnip as suggested either. He came around, and found out it is quite to his liking. He uses it often now that we all have seen him.

And here the little turd he is....



Join Here




All righty then. I went out in the garage, looking for some scrap wood from Bud's stash. I found a piece of plywood large enough and some thick dowel for cutting down into four small pieces. I wanted a large circular piece cut. Of course, I'm not too keen on cutting wood with the electric jigsaw, so I asked Bud to cut the circle piece for me while I used the small hand saw to cut the four dowel pieces. With that all done, and then sanded, I drilled holes through the large circle and aligned those holes with the dowel and continued to drill...used wood screws to attach them all. After that being complete, I painted the dowel black, and the 'top' circle red! Let it stand several hours to make sure everything was completely dry. And let's just say right off the bat, it's big!


Why the project you ask? If you visit here often enough, you'll know that our cats have a 'perch' bench by the window near the outdoor bird feeder. They have a wonderful, cat-sized bench by the window. Our cats are indoor cats. They're not allowed outside the house. For so many reasons. Safety and health being the main reasons. And they're perfectly content being indoor critters. They told me so. So, anyway, I found this cute 'cushy' pillow shaped like a ladybug! It's large enough, I thought, to make it into a window cushion for our cat's new window perch! Right? I thought so too! I bring it home, and decide to make sure it's clean ---

...into the washing machine it goes! Looks odd, poor thing! But a bath is just the right thing for this critter pillow because it was found at the 2nd hand shop near our home. I got it for a dollar! As the washing machine tank was filling I was adjusting water temps to cold/cold wash/rinse cycles. And settling in to visit bloggers a bit while the little bug was getting cleaned and spiffy for its new purpose! And the paint on the new black and red stand was still drying. I was really quite anxious to see what our kitties thought of the great idea. Cute idea---

Paint dried, ladybug pillow washed, dried, and smelling fresh and clean. Sitting, waiting by the window...beckoning the kitties to come join her! To use her cushiness and comfort while watching life and the birds at the window!! Oops, the bird feeder is empty! Back out into the garage I go, out to the patio - filled up the feeder. And wait! Waiting still for them to come to terms their new bench is here to stay...no bickering. Either you use it, or you two get nothing! So, y'all better use it! After two days ----

...Winston says to me: "Are you kiddin' me?" "I'm not going near that red thing with floppy feet!" "Why, it's not even movin' ---sumppin's wrong with it!" "You went to a lotta trouble FUR nothin', trust me."

"Tahoe and I, we don't need competition with another critter in the house!!" "In fact, it freaks me out!"



Bud suggests I take some of the stuffing out to make it lie more flat; that it's too high. Maybe, I say. We'll wait and see what happens. I may have to listen to the old man all wise one ---Dang, I hate it that he may be right!! I'll never hear the end of it. You know how that goes, right?

- - -

UPDATE: Thursday afternoon



Stuffing's out. Back restitched closed. Getting slimmer and less filling as the minutes roll by! ...





...now Ms. Bug awaits company! Come 'n' get 'er kitties!

Heck, where ARE the cats? I think they boog-a-looed outta here for good! "Here kitty, kitty!" Oh...oh! Here comes one now------






CLOSE! But no ceeee-gar!!
::Winston on the window sill...kinda sniffin' 'round:: but nope...He didn't touch the new bench! Maybe this winter...ya, maybe!

Table of Contents