Liberals on the Left, Conservatives on the Right

            We have gotten a few more pecans from our little tree.

 

            There is of course a photo to show the difference between pecans from, “The Ford Homestead”, and a neighbor’s yard.  You may observe that the pecans from “The Ford Homestead” are far superior in size and quality. 

I found it interesting that the (lesser in size) pecans from the neighbor’s yard, lined up for the photo on the left, while the larger and superior pecans lined up on the right.

I feel it important that I tell you a squirrel did get one of the superior pecans and he/she only ate about a third of the nut.

            We are attempting to save the pecans as they fall from the tree and hopefully we will have a pecan pie later this year.

            On a different subject; it has rained in Hewitt Texas this week. My rain gage indicated that we receive 3.90 inches.  Yes almost 4 inches in less than 24 hours. There was water standing in the back yard from 2 to 3 inches deep during the rain but this morning it had soaked into the ground.

            The temp has dropped into the 60s Sunday Morning which made most of us feel very happy.

From the “Not Always Right But Never Left” mind of        Don Ford.

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

                 

 

Pleasure Shared by my Wife and I

            This pleasure was thought to be a forbidden pleasure, which would never come to fruition for Mr. and Mrs. Ford.

               I had all but given up on thinking I would ever enjoy this seemingly forbidden fruit. Literally years have passed without any satisfaction. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be unsatisfied year after year? 

 

I had told my wife of 43 years that this is the last year, I will no longer put up with this disappointment. If she doesn’t “put out” this year she will be gone by next year.

She isn’t even good looking; it is bent and often sticky or leaking. No one should be expected to put up with that for any time. 

 

In the photo below if you look close you may see one pecan that is coming out of its green skin. It is the first pecan to mature this year from our tree. I picked this pecan and wondered if it was empty as all the other pecans we have gotten from this tree have been.

Finding this one pecan that is matured I decided to check the rest of the tree to see if there were any others nearing maturity. I counted 973 pecans on this tree but they have not yet matured.

               I hesitated to crack the pecan thinking of the disappointment of past years. I had decided to cut this tree down if I did not get at least one good pecan off the tree this year.

               I did it; the pecan was cracked, there were two halves of the pecan which looked as if they were going to taste good. You can see in the photo below the two halves and the shell.

I put one half of the pecan in my mouth and began to chew. It wasn’t bad, actually it was good! I took the second half to my wife of 43 years and asked for her opinion. She did not hesitate, the pecan went into her mouth and she began to chew. There was about 5 seconds of chewing before the smile came on her face. Our tree has produced one good pecan.

 

               There is another part to this story; there have been very few squirrels in the neighborhood this year. The squirrels eat or ruin almost all the pecans on our small tree.

I don’t know why they are not here (may be someone is harvesting the squirrels) but we are glad that they are gone.

 

               Now our goal is to get enough pecans from this tree to make a pecan pie.

 

From the Fruitful mind of               Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

                                                                                                                  

                  

 

Juden School

            Yesterday I was reviewing the Southeast Missourian newspaper on line. There was an article about Sprigg Street expansion and people wanting to get a petition to stop the expansion.

               That subject caught my eye, as we use to live in the country where Sprigg Street and Cape Rock drive made a Y in the road.

 

               I have probably talked about this I the past but since it is my blog I will discuss it again. That is the only place I have ever heard a Whippoorwill call.  The house not only was in the Y of two roads it was in a valley and there were woods on all sides.  In the evening I would hear the Whippoorwill call from way back in the woods.

 

               Yes I am on a memory trip right now; we have just boarded “the memory train”. Bear with me as I remember things as they were in 1957/1958. 

Just shut up if you were not alive back then, “read and ye may learn”. 

 

               I know that the old Sprigg Street road has been changed and is not like it was so I went to a satellite view and tried to find things I remember from the past. A lot has changed in 50 years. I found a pound that was located in a bird sanctuary. We use to go swimming there as kids.

 

               I found the two room school that I attended in the 5^th and 6^th grade (photo below). Click on the photo to get a larger view.

Even the old Juden School has changed. There is some type addition on the front of the building that was not there when I went to school there. To the left of the building where trees are now, was a baseball diamond. The trees to the right were not there either, there was a small playground. There was a fence in front of the school to keep the kids off the road. There was a swing and sliding board in front of the school. About 50 feet behind the school there was two outhouses Boys and Girls. There was running water in the school for drinking but no indoor toilets.

 

               For those of you that have read this article, we are now getting off “the memory train” and coming back to reality.

 

               I have noticed that memories seem to be better than reality.

 

From the ageless mind of              Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

 

Capitalism

Capitalism: is an economic system that is based on private ownership of the means of production and the creation of goods or services for profit.

               In this economic system you can keep what you have earned. You have a choice of the type work you will do.  In this environment you are limited by your own desires and abilities.

               Capitalism is what has made America the leader of the world.

You and I have had a good life up to now; it is being taken away a little bit at a time.

A vote for Romney and Ryan is a vote for capitalistic ideas.            

               If you want to keep your freedom vote Republican in the next election.

 

From the Independent mind of     Don Ford  

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

 

Socialist

Socialist: one who advocates or practices socialism.

Socialism refers to a political movement that envisions a socio-economic system in which the ownership of industry and the assignment of jobs along with the distribution of goods or property is under the control of the government or central committee.

                I believe, “We the People” are unfortunately but often willingly, moving toward a Socialist State.

               It is not just this president or the upcoming election that will determine our future. It is literally, “We the People” that must make a difference. We cannot sit back and let others make our decision for us. We, you and I, must get involved in politics from our local government to the federal government.

Standup for your beliefs’, tell others what you believe and why.

It is ok to be a follower but know who and why you are following.

You and I must vote.

                        

 

 

From the concerned mind of                       Don Ford

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

      

                  

 

Dog Catcher follow-up

I understand it is difficult for anyone to believe that I, Don Ford, blogger extraordinaire, would ever jump to a conclusion without first researching all the facts. 

               Although it is difficult to believe, I may have not given the Hewitt Dog Police the credit they deserve.

               About 30 minutes after posting the first article I observed the Dog Catcher truck back in front of the neighbor’s home. The neighbor arrived and they unloaded both dogs. The dogs were returned to the neighbor and I have heard him working on the fence.  I don’t have all the fact but it seems as if the dog catchers have a heart.

       My apologies to the dog police for thinking bad thoughts about them.

 

From the almost never wrong mind of      Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                 

                  

 

Dog Catcher

               I was sitting here at the computer putting together one of my extras special articles and my constant companion and confidant was taking a nap in the garage.  Tejas often chooses to stay in the garage rather than sleep behind my chair here in the use to be office.

               My office chair has rollers and there has been occasion when I have forgotten to look back before moving.  Tejas can tell you that the roller on my chair will pull hair out of his back in chunks.

               I digress; Tejas was sleeping in the garage and I was pounding out an article when I hear one loud and low bark. I immediately know that something is wrong, that was not a normal bark.

               I quickly open the door and see Tejas standing looking toward the street. I called him into the office and turned on the security cameras. A quick check around the house and I saw “The Hewitt Dog Catcher”.  Yes there are more names for these people but dog catcher is what I will use.

               There were two of these people and they had the two dogs that live next door. This is not the first time that these two dogs have gotten out and been arrested by the local dog police. These two dogs have a long arrest record. I was told that the larger of the two was rescued from a shelter. I was also told that the last time the owner bailed them out they had to be interviewed before they could get them back.

               Even though the dog catcher did not have my dog, it caused me to be somewhat upset with the dog police.  I know they were just doing their job. It would seem to me that they could return the dog to its pin and charge the owner $30.00 or so.  They know where the dogs were supposed to be.  It would seem to me that there is a difference between an unknown dog and a neighborhood dog.

               Another point I would like to offer, there were two dog police in the dog catcher truck. Hewitt must have a real problem with strays; not.

 

Tejas is secure in the office with me. I probably need to keep him in the fence because the dog police might catch my police dog. 

 

From the upset at the dog police mind of        Don Ford

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.              

 

 

 

Storm or Wood Butcher

            In a photo below you will see tree limbs on my drive and yard.

It appears that the “Wood Butcher of Hewitt” has been at it again.

Yes I do acknowledge that I am the one and only “Wood Butcher of Hewitt”.  Today I decide to attack trees in my front yard. I really did not think this through before starting. It was cloudy this morning so I decided to start. If I would have taken time to think about the process I would have remembered that I can’t hall the limbs off for 4 weeks. (The city only accepts limbs one day a month.)

I am at a point that I will need some help with the larger limbs and I need to get on top the house and remove some limbs that are almost touching the roof.

         I did have some real good help.

I started cutting small limbs with a pole saw and Alex was picking them up and taking them to a pile near the driveway.  He did this for possibly 20 minutes. I am saying this 2.5 year old worked harder than many adults would have.  His papaw is proud of him!

         He later began to pick up acorns. We always have too many acorns and they are large. He had a basket full and he noted that the basket was heavy.  I am not sure where the acorns went; they may be in the back yard at or in the sand box.

He had his camouflaged shirt on and at times it was difficult to see him.

Look close, he is in the photo. If you can’t see him he is on the far side of the trailer.

         I don’t think Alex was tired after the work but I am. My afternoon nap helped but I am still tired.

 

From the worked too hard, paid too little mind of          Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                  

                  

 

I am Don Ford and I approve this message

            After my last message there were several questions about my newly coined phrase, “Master Lawnologist”.

 

     I was asked to explain or define The Phrase, so here we go.

                              Master Lawnologist

• Master; a term denoting some kind of rank or status, or a person with the ability or power to use, control , someone who is smart. 
• Lawn; an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other durable plants.
• Ology; name for fields of study.
• Ologist; The person that has studied a subject.

    If you need more information than that check you dictionary.  What? You don’t have a dictionary but you remember having one before there were computers. What is this world coming to?

 

    On a different subject, I decided to get a better flag pole. The flag pole we have now is attached to a post on the front porch. Not a bad situation but I felt we needed an upgrade.

    Harbor Freight was supposed to have a 16 foot aluminum pole at a reduced price but when I arrive they only had a 20 foot pole at a higher price. This was not unexpected but I was hopeful that they would have the less expensive pole.

    Although I am on a fixed income and we will likely not have food for a few days, I purchased the flag pole. 

    After some discussion with my wife of 43 years we decided on a location for the new post. This time it was actually a discussion and we agreed on the spot.

    I fully expected her to tell me where to stick it.

    In the photo below you will see I have labored at digging a hole about 16 inches deep. It is more round than it appears in the photo, the grass is hanging over the edge of the hole. The plastic tube will be securely placed in the center of the excavation and needs to be close to perfectly level vertically in order to keep the 20 foot pole from leaning. The hole would then be filled with cement.

If the pole leans a little, I hope it is to the right (political statement).

    I purchased a 50 pound bag of cement but should have gotten two 50 pound bags. As you can see below, the 50 pound bag did not fill the excavation.

    I had to purchase an additional bag of cement to finish filling the crater.

Below, the additional cement is in the hole and we are just waiting on it to dry. I have the grass I removed from the hole and hope to replace it. That is why the cement does not come to the top of the hole. The plastic tube has a cover to keep things out.

 

    The cement has dried and I placed some dirt and grass over the cement. I placed the aluminum pole into the plastic tube, hung both flags and extend each section of the pole to its full height of 20 feet.

     Below is the newly completed flag pole for ‘The Ford Homestead Foundation of Hewitt, TX”.

    I am sure you see my confidant and constant companion (Tejas) lying inside the fence, keeping an eye on everything.

 

From the right leaning, patriotic mind of Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

                                                                                                                 

                  

 

A Near Miss

            It was a nice morning at, “The Fords of Hewitt Homestead”, when out of nowhere a missile flew past my head at an astonishing speed.

               No, my wife of 43 years was not throwing things at my head, again.

               Speaking of throwing things, Alex had an octagon shaped piece of hard Styrofoam. Before you ask what octagon shaped is, it was shaped like a stop sign.  Alex was tossing it around on the driveway and there were several near misses to my head. 

Have you noticed how simple things will keep a child occupied? Alex played with that Styrofoam, non-stop for about 30 minutes. Toys you buy at the store are nice but not nearly as much fun as a stick or other scrap items.

               Last week we received rain here in Hewitt of 2.5 inches. Now we have had several days of nice weather with temps in the mid-80s.  Put the two together and our grass has begun to grow again.

               As you probably know I am a, “Master Lawnologist”.  Before you ask, I did not make up that expression, I did however, “coin the phrase”.  (That makes it politically correct and more official.)

               “What”, you want the phrase defined? Ok, it describes a person who is a master at mowing and other general yard work. A person that is often creative in their work. This person doesn’t mind getting his/her hands dirty when creating a, “wonderful vision of serene loveliness for the neighbors to admire and desire.”  The neighbors will often comment, “The Master Lawnologist is too pretentious”.  Neighbors are at time jealous.

               Back to my original thought, I was standing on my front lawn reviewing my latest endeavor into lawn sculpturing (see photo below) when the doves all took flight and I knew there had to be a Hawk in the area. I was surprised when the neighborhood Red Tail Hawk flew past me at eye level. Yes he was flying about 5 feet above the ground as he passed me remarkably fast. I was thrilled and surprised to see this bird fly so close to me.

You may also notice that there is a political endorsement in my recently manicured lawn.

 

 

               After the brief excitement it was back to my duties. When I was employed it was often said that I was a slave driver expected everyone to do their fair share and I did like to see a clean work place.

               In retirement I still have the same values. My staffing is somewhat different but they still get the job done.  No I am not a slave driver and there are no laws being broken in regard to the age of the worker. All staff at, “The Fords of Hewitt Homestead” are well rewarded for their labor.

 

From the “Master Lawnologist” mind of Don Ford

 

All rights reserved including the recently coined phrase “Master Lawnologist”; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

                                                                                                                  

                  

 

Political Comment...

            I wish I had thought of this but I didn’t.

 

Dear Friends,

      There are just a few months until Election Day when the people will decide who
will be the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the
President of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans. It's time
that we all need to come together, Democrats and Republicans alike, in a
bi-partisan effort for America.
      If you support Mitt Romney, please drive with your headlights ON during the
day.
      If you support Barack Obama, please drive with your headlights OFF at night.
      Together, we can make it happen. Thank you!

Lee R. Mathis

 

 _____________________________________________________

 

Regardless of which candidate you are for please vote in the upcoming election. 

 

From the politically worried mind of                         Don Ford

 

 

                                                                                                                  

                  

 

It rained yesterday and again today

            Truthfully, I am not sure whether it was the nude rain dance I have been doing in the back yard or my prayers that brought this wonderful rain.

               I know that it was through my efforts that this area wide rain has arrived. We received 1 inch yesterday at “The Ford Homestead” in Hewitt. Usually a one inch rain would have water standing in a low spot in the back yard but not yesterday. The ground was like unto a sponge.

               No, not like Sponge Bob; some of you just can’t follow a single thought through to the end.

               I do my best to tutor a couple of you, and you still have unusual questions.

               There was some thunder with the rain yesterday and we have long known that my constant companion “Tejas” does not like thunder.  Alex is not a big fan of thunder either and at one point he and Tejas were literally under my desk.

If you would visualize Alex completely under the right side of the desk below the drawer, and Tejas where he is now. They were both unhappy campers and my reassurance was not enough to remove the fear of Thunder.

 

               Subject change;

               We are at a stalemate as to the name of the terrorist Kitten. All the names that were suggested by Tejas have been rejected.  We have two names that are being considered by our panel of judges.

Those names are Kit Cat and Whiskers. 

During some research we found that 22% of all cats in the US are name Whiskers, while no cats in the US have the name Kit Cat. 

Some of the judges think the kitten should have a name that is common, (could be less stressful on the kitten as he interacts with others) while other judges think it would be good for the kitten to have a name that helped him to be an individual.

Let us know if you have an opinion. 

 

From the name game mind of      Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

 

Jealous

               Tejas, the Ford Homestead guard dog and my constant companion could be categorized as being, “somewhat jealous”.

 

               When the grandkids arrived he Tejas needed reassurance that he was not being replaced by small humans.  He would situate himself between me and the small humans to reassure him that he is still my favorite. 

He and I have discussed this and he finally seems to understand that small humans can’t replace him.

The kitten seems to be a more difficult adversary for Tejas. We have tried to reassure him that no mean little cuddly kitten could come between Tejas and me.

One of the biggest problems is that he wants to be involved in everything and that usually means he gets in the way. It is very irritating when I want to walk through the house and Tejas just has to be in front of me. He is large enough that it is difficult to step over him when he is standing.

That brings up another thought; he likes to lie on the floor in places where people (me) usually want to walk. He don’t mind if you step over him or go around him. In other words he usually doesn’t want to move when he is comfortable.

Tejas is laying on the floor behind me now and the kitten is loose.  I can hear the bell on his collar but can’t see him. He is under the stand that the microwave is sitting on.

 

Subject change;

Gabi is enjoying Kindergarten and getting nice comments from her teacher. Alex and I take her to school each morning and Alex likes to watch the school bus’ arrive and leave. We wave at them but don’t get too close as they are still somewhat frightening to Alex and me. The nice driver offered to let Alex go on the bus but Alex respectfully refused.

Alex likes to sit on the benches just outside the front doors of the school and watch kids, cars and busses. I sometimes consider what the parents think when they see this old man sitting outside their kids school.   

Alex and I did stop for a donut and kolache on the way home one morning and now he requests a donut each morning on the way home.  I explained that we are on a fixed income and can’t afford donuts and kolaches very often. Donations to, “The Ford Homestead Foundation, Donuts and Other Snack Food Fund” will be accepted.

 

New subject;

The name the kitten contest is coming to a close.  I want to thank all those who offered suggestions. We will have the final decision next week.

 

From the snack food mind of                       Don Ford 

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

                   Cats like all kinds of fish.

          A short video of the kitten playing with a fish before he ate it.

 

No live fish were hurt creating this video.

If you could not see, it was a gold fish from a box.

 

From the fishless mind of                Don Ford

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Could be dangerous

                           There are many things in life that could be dangerous…

 

               The terrorist kitten has joined the family and he seems to be fitting in rather well. As I attempt to type this article I have been repeatedly attacked. At one point I had to remove his claw from my finger, it was literally stuck.  Kittens have sharp teeth and claws but this fellow seems to surpass the sharp and go into ultra-sharp.

               He likes to be held and everyone likes to hold him but when left alone he will play with anything and everything.

               He will eat at any time and just about anything. As you will see in the photo he even eats dog food. Tejas has learned not to leave any food in the bowl.

Tejas was sitting there watching as the terrorist kitten got in his food dish and cleaned up the remaining food.

Tejas posted a formal complaint with the Humane Society but they have not taken action.

               I would like to thank everyone who sent $25.00 donations with name suggestions. To date we have $200.00 in donations 8 suggested names.

               One problem is the kitten’s size.  He can and will hide under or behind anything.  If he is playing we can hear his bell on his color but if he is sleeping it is difficult to find him.

 

               Changing the subject to seasons:  I know we do not have the seasonal changes that our northern friends do but there is a drastic change taking place now.  The sun is moving south at an alarming rate. Just a few days ago I could sit outside the garage door in a small amount of shade at 4:00pm and I would have plenty of shade by 5:00pm. If I were to sit outside today at 4:00 I would need to be inside the garage to have shade.     

When winter temperatures actually get cool enough for a jacket I appreciate the sun in the afternoon, but not right now.

 

From the shade-less mind of                        Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

The Perils of motorcycle riding

          

This article is written by the noted and enthusiastic rider…             me.

            Today is Friday; I needed to go to the bank to cash a small check that was my final insurance claim payment from my past employer. It did take two months to receive this check which usually arrived in a month or less.  I should also note that the amount was incorrect. HR is seeing that UMR will correct the error and send another check to complete the claim.

            After cashing the small check and since I was using the motorcycle for transportation, I unwisely decided to go for a ride. It was 10:30 when I left the bank and it was already too hot to ride in any semblance of comfort. 

            In the north the bikers put their motorcycles in storage during the winter as it is too cold to ride. We Texans should put our bikes in storage during the summer months as it is too hot to ride.

Knowing it has been 100 plus each day this week and they are predicting a record high for today of 104 I should have used better judgment and stayed inside.  There are things that most bikers know to watch for and in the summer some are more threating.

Alligators: are the parts of a truck tire that are left lying in the road after the truck tire has come apart. These tire parts often have steal belts in them and if you run over them the steel can puncture your tire.

Damage to other parts of your bike may occur from hitting one of these alligators.

A friend of mine hit one of these alligators at highway speed and broke his foot.

Snakes: are usually found on asphalt roads. The cracks in the road are repaired by pouring hot tar into the cracks. These cracks filled with tar can be a few feet long up to who knows how long. A non-rider might not think much of these snakes but I am here to tell you that these snakes get slick when the sun heats them up.

I was turning from one highway to a secondary road and there were several snakes in the turn. I had slowed to 10 mph or less and as I began the turn the front tire began to slide.  I did not have time to think but I did react quickly by putting my foot down on the pavement just long enough for the tire to gain traction again.

I have always been told to never try to avoid hitting an animal that is shorter than my front fender. That would mean I should either stop if possible or run over anything less than 22 inches high. The truth is when something runs out in front of you there is not enough time to think of what to do so you react. For most riders the reaction is to swerve away from the animal which can cause you to die.  If you swerve to miss a dog and hit a car head on, a tree or ditch at highway speed it may be over for you.

I thought of all this during my uncomfortable ride today. I was on a secondary road and I was running 60 plus mph. There was a vehicle coming from the other direction at highway speed. I could see something close to the road surface crossing the road. I had time to apply the brakes (the Gold Wing has excellent breaks) and I missed hitting one of the biggest snakes I have ever seen. This snake was alive and moving fairly quickly across the hot road.

I know what you are going to ask; “what kind of snake was it”.  I don’t know what kind it was.  I don’t do snakes and I was not about to follow that snake into the deep weeds on the side of the road. 

Arriving back home at 1:00pm I was able to take my afternoon nap in my recliner out of the heat.                                                                                                                            

 

From the serpentine mind of              Don Ford

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

                                                                                                                  

                  

 

Kitten Follow-up

Tejas, my companion and guard dog asked me to post this in an effort to show the mean disposition of the (in Tejas’ words) "unwanted cat". 

               Notice the widely set mean eyes, the large ears similar to some politicians, the camouflaged coat which can be used to conceal his covert activities. Tejas points out that he has sharp teeth and sharp claws which should be registered as weapons. Tejas said, “The cat is observing everything I am attempting to type. He may be a spy place her by…

               I had noticed the ears but had not considered the similarities between kitten and the present day politician’s, some who may have been on TV last night. Tejas is very observant. 

 

Political comment: everyone needs to vote in November, this may be the most important election ever.  

 

From the political mind of                            Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

                 

 

Mouse?

            Mouse may not be a good name for a cat, but is it good for a Kitten?

 

               As I told you yesterday we captured a kitten that had been terrorizing the back yard for several weeks. Last night Donna decided to see if this Feral Cat was tame enough to handle.

               Donna ventured into the garage where the trapped feral kitten was captured. The rest of the family was safely inside the house. After about five minutes of suspense the door to the garage slowly opened. There were no scratch marks on Donna’s face, she seemed to be ok and then we saw it this kitten was peacefully laying in Donna’s arms.

               The kitten was happy to be safely in the hands of Grandma then Claire.

After a while I started wondering where the little terrorist kitten was. I walked in to the front bed room and heard these words, “he was dumped on me”. See photo below;

It looks as if he was dumped on Dave, and it also looks as if Dave doesn’t want the kitten in the room with him.

It is said that the kitten asked where the mouse was, (that is a computer joke). I do not like explaining when there is a joke but as I understand it there are some who read these articles that don’t have a sense of humor.

Here is a close up of the aforementioned feline.

               I explained to Tejas (my constant companion) that this kitten looked a lot like our old cat whose name was Harley.

Tejas noted that this feline will be problems for the Ford Homestead. I asked, why he thought that. 

Tejas explained that he had run a background check on the kitten and although he had not been incarcerated at the local pound, he is an obvious run away. Tejas thought that this kitten could be a bad influence on the grand kids. 

Tejas also reminded that we are on a fixed income and this kitten would be an additional burden on our budget with vet bills, kitty litter, cat toys and cat food. 

Tejas noted that we would need to alter our schedules to allow time to pet and or play with the kitten.  I explained to Tejas that we would take all his comments into consideration. (Tejas may be a little jealous)

Back to the original thought which is, “naming the kitten”.

I don’t know if, “Mouse” would be a good name for the feline so I have devised a system to name the new cat.  If you want to suggest a name for this new member to The Ford Homestead, send a $25.00 donation to “The Ford Homestead Foundation, Humane Department” along with your suggested name and it will be entered in the, “Name the Kitten Contest”.  I will announce the new kitten’s name in the future.

 

From the pet coordinator mind of              Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.

 

 

      

                                                                                                                  

                  

 

"The Ford Homestead Foundation."

            “The Ford Homestead Foundation” was established to provide additional funds for me.

               To date I have spent all the donations from the Foundation on myself, occasionally purchasing food for the family. I do not report these donations to the IRS. We will now be accepting donations earmarked for the Humane Department of the Foundation.

               Yesterday we captured a kitten that had been terrorizing the back yard for several weeks. My confidant Tejas has been telling me about the kitten indicating that he was living under the shed.  Alex has said there was a kitty under the shed but until yesterday I had not observed said cat.

               You should have seen Alex, me and Donna lying on the ground looking under the shed. It was a sight that will not soon be forgotten.  I decided to capture said kitten using a tender trap (AKA a box trap or rabbit trap). I set two traps, one in front of the shed and one behind. I thought I had baited the traps with tuna but later found that it was Crab meat. Crab meat is expensive bait for a wild kitten. You know I am a retired person on a fixed income.

               Said kitten got more Crab meat this morning and was moved into a larger cage/trap. We have even given him/her some sand for a litter box.  We will turn him/her lose later and see if he wants to stay or leave.

               The kitten has big ears and is kind of gray in color.

               Tejas has voted that the Kitten should leave and the grandkids have started trying to name him/her.

 

               From the Humane mind of            Don Ford

 

All rights reserved; any reproduction or distribution without written permission is strictly prohibited.