La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France at the time. We chose it while on the road, moving house the first time round, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.
This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.
Since then it has taken many different directions, like we did and like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.
You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, after yet another stint in Ireland, we're back in France @ Le Mas d'Ayen

Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts

Monday, September 17, 2018

All About Cats

When our our kitten Pixie/Gypsy  left one evening never to return, a year ago now, I was so, so incredibly sad for weeks (still am), that my mum suggested I adopted another kitten.
Woah there ! Bert had always said, if a pet died or disappeared there would be no replacement for a while.
I, however, thought it would be a good idea.
And, my mother said, if you get two, you'll be entertained all the time, because they will play with each other and they will have so much fun.  Bert protested, but was overruled by two to one.
Off we went, my mum, my friend Sophie and I visited the local cat rescue and came back home with two male, ginger and white kittens.
Meet Alfie & Louis, who came to live with us October 2017.

Mischief, always full of mischief.




Louis (left) & Alfie (right) - look at that scrunched up little face.

 Watcha doin' mister ?
Helping with the reupholstery !

Keeping Blackie company. Poor dog had his paws attacked many a time.

 There I was thinking, I'll make them a big christmas present to play with. Maybe they won't be eyeing up the tree.
I was wrong !


Granny time !

 Louis, clean as a whistle. Alfie, not so much.


 Taking turns.
Louis, who loves to crawl into his little den, but also loves a blanket to curl up under.

Here they are now, just over one year old and they have given us lots of laughs so far.


Louis is a real hunter and we'll often try to save his prey, not always successfully unfortunately.
Alfie goes more after small fry, like insects, a piece seaweed, a mussel shell or a clump of grass.

That's it for this post. One year in the life of the ginger twins.

Patricia xxx...x

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Merry Christmas !


I feel like I've let down my readers. Not only that, I've let myself down by not posting here in a very long time. You know how it goes, you have 'writer's block' or you think nobody is waiting to read a bit of drivel.  And before you know it, months and months have passed.

Anyhow, I just dropped in to wish you all a very Happy Christmas !

Patricia xxx...x

Friday, June 02, 2017

Gypsy No More


Oh, the kitten is still here, but since she is settled now we decided to ditch the name Gypsy.
Bert thought the name Pixie suited her so much better, and he is right.


We still don't like you, but we tolerate you. Just don't come too close !

I'm only concentrating on this water. Mine !



They've gone !

I'm the youngest and I always get my way.


Pixie is cute, friendly and funny. And she has a gap between her front teeth, both top and bottom.

Have a great weekend !
Patricia xxx...x

Thursday, May 18, 2017

On the Farm



Over the winter months our hens and roosters have been picked off one by one by a fox, until we had only 2 chickens left. We only have one of our first chooks still here, but she's not in these pictures as she's sitting on a nest. Good girl.



This big boy is Sigi and he's our fourth cockerel in the period of a year.  Around this time last year we had a visit from the mink and that beast killed  the boy of that time and four girls.
Our feathered friends are not allowed to extreme free-range in the garden anymore. They now stay in their run with 4 ultrasonic fox deterrents and electric fence, the latter is in the process of being installed.


Ah, the ducks !  We had 3 female and one male. Now we have only 2 girls and himself, Cyril.
One of the girls flew off, came back, flew off, came back..... flew off and never came back.  I think Cyril then went looking for her, because he also flew off and didn't come back either.  Luckily he was spotted at his old home at our friends/neighbours.  It was a full 2 weeks before he could be caught and was delivered back to his girls. Not before we clipped one of his wings though. We managed to do the same with the ducks just after he left for his holiday.

We still have 2 pigs, they've been with us for a year now, but soon it'll be time for them to go. 😩

I'll leave you with a picture of the cutest kitten


Okay, one more then...


Thanks for visiting.
Patricia xxx...x

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Absence

I know. I've been absent for a few months.
My apologies for not notifying you about this break, but I wasn't planning on having one. It sometimes just happens. I opened the "new post" tab a few times, but it wasn't meant to be. I didn't know what to write about that might be of interest to anyone.

At this moment, I'm sitting here at the table, tapping away at the keyboard, with a cat curled up between me and the laptop.
A scrawny little thing, this kitten, which was sitting in the kitchen on Tuesday while I was pottering about. It had been spotted the day before in the chicken coop of all places, but ran away when I arrived with too much noise.


We fed her and checked her over, yes, it's a girl, with a snotty nose and some discharge from her eyes.
Afraid she is not and very friendly toward people and the dogs. She hisses at our other cats though.

Definitely not afraid of dogs

This photo was taken by our current volunteer, Simon.



On Wednesday, Bert took her to the vet to give her a once over and she has cat flu. Medication, food, water, rest and extra vitamin C seems to be doing the trick. She is 4 months old, or thereabouts. 


She is constantly hungry and even steals the biscuits from the dog's bowl. She gets food often but little  at a time.


She seems to be more lively today and started playing with fluff bunnies and whatnot. Took an interest in a stranded bee. 
She ain't planning to go anywhere. She's here to stay. (*)

Her name is Gypsy.

Hope you are all well.
Have a good weekend.
Patricia xxx...x

(*) Unless someone has lost this kitten which they love very, very much. But if you love this kitten so very much, why is it skin over bone and why is there no lost sign up anywhere in the village ?

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Cats are Weird




Roisin in full action mode.



Excuse the dirty windows. It's cat spittle or something like that.
They have been cleaned since taking the photos, I promise.


Patricia xxx...x

Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Very Comfortable.

My name is Roisin and I am one of the three weird cats in this household.


I love catching a ray of sunshine. Whenever.



Wherever




I even use the cactus as a pillow, as long as I can absorb a few vitamins D.

If not, I just warm my belly near the fire.


Roisin xxx...x

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