Happy Halloween! As is tradition at our house, Viola has her trebuchet at the ready as she has done as a wee kitten, ready to fend off any trick or tricksters that might come looking for trouble (that’s not a typo; we don’t have many treaters, mostly plain ol’ vandals).
Kittens and Trebuchets. What could possibly go wrong? – 2013 © Colehauscats.com
Viola and her little trebuchet – 2018 © Colehauscats.com
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Around Colehaus, the autumn season is in full swing. Mom’s covered most of the patio furniture and tucked it away for the winter. Dad sold his hardly-ever-used BBQ, freeing up space in the little storage shed for patio chair pillows, empty garden pots and more spiders to move in.
Mom cleaned out the two feral shelters, filled them with fresh straw and plugged in the warming mats. Almost immediately, one of the neighbor’s cats claimed one shelter for her own and last week, Mom thought she saw a young raccoon coming from the other shelter, or at least, from that general area. The feral shelters are now both located against the back of the house, one being under the wooden back steps, and both having an outdoor electrical outlet close by.
Ditto for Geoffrey’s house. Though it doesn’t have a warming mat (no electricity nearby), it is lined with reflective mat material, is overstuffed with fresh straw and its roof has a secure cover tied over it. We don’t know who, but someone has spent every night in it since October 1st.
Maybe it was neighbor cat W!
Neighbor visitor W © Colehauscats.com
We haven’t seen any new cats in the neighborhood since Mac last year around this time and we’re more than happy that’s been the case. Either way, any wanderer will find warm shelter and morning food awaiting for as long as we’re here.
Scruffy, 2018 © Colehauscats.com
Another neighbor’s cat, Scruffy, who has been visiting us fairly regularly since 2005, comes around nearly every afternoon on nice days looking for some tasty kibble to round out his day. He lives just up the street a bit and has a warm place to spend cold winter nights. We’ve never seen him interested in our feral shelters, but we know he knows they are there just in case.
Scruffy still visits, 2018 © Colehauscats.com
We saw Rose Ears, the mama raccoon, last week with five teen babies, all frolicking in the fountain. We know three of the babies are hers and we’re assuming two were Peek-a-boo’s since they all used to hang out together.
One of Rose Ear’s babies, 2018 © Colehauscats.com
Last weekend, after this one raided the near-empty squirrel feeder, Mom took the feeder down. With so many new housing developments going up around us, the squirrels have found better feeding grounds, with what we hope are more regular feedings. Squirrels eat a LOT and raccoons even more!
The last flowers are blooming outside and the hummingbirds are thankful for these bright red tubular blooms.
Pineapple sage © Colehauscats.com
Hardy Fuchsia © Colehauscats.com
The last of the cherry tomatoes are ready to be picked for Mom’s work lunch.
Last Cherry Tomatoes © Colehauscats.com
Leaves are changing color and falling everywhere. We’re cold at night but not yet down to freezing.
Fall Blueberry color © Colehauscats.com
The fountain in autumn © Colehauscats.com
Our Autumn mantle © Colehauscats.com
Inside, we’ve decorated for autumn, one of our favorite seasons. Dad is still looking for a job. Mom is still working long weekend hours and trying to get enough sleep to keep from going crazy worrying about Dad. All the Colehaus Cats are happy she’s finally jumped aboard the cat nap train and afternoon snuggle time has been epic! (Shhh, don’t tell the cats Mom isn’t really napping. Mom’s never been a day napper but she’s willing to humor Olivia and Pia by acting like one.)
Autumn door wreath © Colehauscats.com
Thank you for all your well wishes that Dad finds work soon and everything gets back on track. We’ll keep your thoughts close and we’ll hope for the best. Have a safe and happy Halloween! See you in a few weeks!
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A Colehaus Cats flashback:
2017 – No post
2016 – Happy Halloween!
2015 – No post
2014 – Happy Halloween!
2013 – No post
2012 – Does this make me look…
Such a fun post filled with beauty! Happy Halloween from all of us!
What loveliness and I love that you shared it with us. I sincerely hope with all my heart that the Dad finds work quickly. Is he technical in his job abilities?
Actually, if he is, he would know exactly where to go and what to look for. XXX
We hope all of you have a great Halloween. Maybe it’s time Viola got a grown up trebuchet?? MOL.
guyz….we hope ewe all haza happee howl o ween; 984 pawz up for lookin out for de outside crew; we hope dad hada chanze ta may bee chex out de emailz we sended N best oh fishez two ewe all ~~~~~~ see ya soon 🙂 ♥♥♥
Love that wee trebuchet, Viola!
Happy Halloween to you all, and thank you for caring for the feral and neighborhood cats, as well as the raccoons.
And The Hubby says that pretending to nap is just as good as an actual one, so there…;-)
hey Viola – it looks like your trebuchet has shrunk…..
Looks like you’ve been busy this Fall!
Happy Halloween! We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable night and gets lots of treats and no tricks!
Fall is my favorite time to decorate too. I am jealous that you still have tomatoes. I am praying that a job comes soon.
Everything looks great around the Colehaus. Hoping you have a spooktacular Halloween…with no vandals.
We’re purring that your Dad finds the purrfect job.
Happy Halloween
The Florida Furkids
Happy Howl-o-ween! Nice update. I hope your dad is lucky like Pop was. Right before his severance stopped coming, his ex-boss hired him in the new company he was working in. Pop loves his job even though, unfortunately, his ex-boss got laid off last year but now wants Pop to come join him in the new job which was the same job they were both originally laid off from. Na mean?
Happy Halloween guys!
Wishing mew a spooktacular evening!
the B Team xox
Happy Meowloween, cuties!!! Purrs for your dad on the job hunt.
An amazing and positive post thank you.
Don’t give up! Dad WILL find something!!
We love what you’ve done with the place. 🙂 Viola, it’s amazing how little you used to be! You grew up so beautiful! We like to hear about your visitors. We have birds and squirrels and bunnies and now and then an eagle will visit our area. We used to have deer but they don’t come around now. Mom makes sure we are inside if the eagles, hawks and coyotes are around. We’ve still got our paws together for Dad Cole getting a job soon. Mom and her brother both lost their jobs this year and they both got new ones so we just know the perfect job is out there waiting for your dad!
Stereo purrs………..Hemingway and Steinbeck
There’s a lot going on at your place! Happy Halloween to you, sweet friends. We love you, and think of you often!
Everything is just lovely and ready for fall weather. I LOVE the trebuchet! Happy Halloween!
I definitely think Viola needs a bigger trebuchet – that should be the first thing on the list of things to buy when the male human gets a new job!
It looks like you’re busy ! Nature is beautiful around you. We keep purring for your dad. Happy Halloween ! Purrs
I’ve started my Christmas list! A trebuchet! You’ve arrived. In style! ~Bear Cat
Beautiful pictures! Beautiful cats! We hope this month if filled with happiness.
We hope your Halloween was a safe one. Those before and after pictures of Viola are just too cute. She must protect the house. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.
Hope things turn your way–wonderful you are keeping so many cats warm!!
A good trebuchet is better than a wet tide. That may not make much sense, but we hate getting wet…
Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends!
This is such a lovely post filled with happy photos. Thanks so much for sharing. And we’re glad to see you back to the blogosphere.