barn cats

Can You Afford a Pet?

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I never thought I’d say this. Me, of all people. But do you ever think we might need some balance about the dog and cat thing as the world seems to come apart? I know I’ll get in trouble for even suggesting it. World politics and the extreme suffering of those caught up in war … Read more

Weekly Photo Challenge: Circle

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Cats curl in a circle more often this time of year. Eliminating extremities makes her nose warmer than mine, for sure. This is Squirrel; she’s an old cat–a little stiff with a few more pointy bones every year. We lost her brother recently and taking over for him has been…well…satisfying. But right now, her circle … Read more

Weekly Photo Challenge: Monochromatic.

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sibcatnap (800x435)

The best barn cats are monochromatic; they blend in. Unobtrusive lurkers, they’re the color of dirt, hay, and shadow. A bright colored calico is an easy target for a hawk, but a tabby…well, rodents beware.

This pair are siblings; it’s hard to tell where one stops and the other starts. Hank stalks coyotes, intimidates dogs for sport, and is very outspoken, while Squirrel prefers killing moths, napping in boxes, and proofreading. Not so monochromatic after all.

Anna Blake, Infinity Farm.

(WordPress Photo Challenge is a weekly prompt to share a photo- I enjoy twisting these macro prompts to share our micro life here on the Colorado prairie. My photos are taken with my phone, on my farm. No psych, definitely not high tech.)

“Monochromatic.”

Weekly Photo Challenge: Creepy

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009It can feel creepy riding on the rail sometimes. It could be a feeling of foreboding. Dread almost. Something isn’t quite right. Are you being watched? Maybe you’re imagining it.

Your horse sees him first. It’s that teenage barn cat, hanging on the fence like wadded-up laundry.

You blow it off, laugh at your horse for his foolishness. But he stays very alert and pushes a detour loop around the cat. Because he knows.

“I have noticed that what cats most appreciate in a human being is not the ability to produce food, which they take for granted, but his or her entertainment value.” -Anonymous Cat.

Your horse thinks you are the one who doesn’t get it. What part of predator don’t you humans understand?

Anna Blake, Infinity Farm.

(WordPress Photo Challenge is a weekly prompt to share a photo- I enjoy twisting these macro prompts to share our micro life here on the Colorado prairie. My photos are taken with my phone, on my farm. No psych, definitely not high tech.)

(Thanks, Megan. Hope you’re mending well.)

Stable_Relation_3D_Cover[1]Available now: Stable Relation, a memoir of one woman’s spirited journey home, by way of the barn. It’s the story of the farm I grew up on, the farm I have now, and the horse who carried me in between. Available at all online book sellers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. To get updates and the inside story, sign up for my newsletter here: Prairie Moon News. Thank you.

“Creepy.”