The bear, the chickens and ME!

Checking out the door

Trying to get in the door

Guess I just have to watch them since I can't get in with them!

 Hi Josie,

Grandma Bobby told me that last spring a bear got into the chicken tractor.  Do you remember going down to see the chickens in the chicken tractor when you visited Grandma Bobby and Grandpa Larry?  You were not even 2 years old and I did not live here then.  -

Bears sleep all winter and when they wake up in the spring they are very very hungry.  I would be too if I had not eaten anything all winter!  Grandma Bobby said she visited you last spring just after your sister Hadley was born.  You saw a bear looking in your door.  I bet the bear was looking for some food.

One night last spring Grandma Bobby heard a giant commotion down in her field.  Chickens were cluckcluckcluking and bokbokboking and squawksquawksquawking so loudly they woke her up.  She got a flashlight and went to see what was the matter with those loud chickens.  Their door was open (the one you see me looking in in the pictures).  Grandma Bobby thought maybe a raccoon had figured out how to open the door and had gotten in to eat some of their food.  So she closed the door and put on the second lock and went back up the field, into the house and back to bed.  Next morning she saw that yes - something had gotten into the chickens food.  Something had gotten in and ripped the chicken's food dish right off their wall and taken it right out.  Food was everywhere.  It was easy to follow the trail of chicken food across the field and just into the woods where the empty chicken food dish lay.  Grandma Bobby knew it had to have been a hungry bear.  A raccoon would not be big or strong enough to rip off the dish which was nailed to the wall and to the floor of the chicken tractor.

When Grandma Bobby told me about the bear getting into the chicken tractor I thought I would like to try to get in there too.  I sometimes visit the chickens, but usually I just sit on the ground and watch them.  Just like you did when you visited the chickens with your Mom and Grandma Bobby.  I climbed up on top of the chicken tractor - well you have the picture, you can see me there.  And I tried to get the door open, but I guess I am not as strong as a bear because I could not open it.  So I climbed down and watched the chickens for a while.

The chickens don't really like when I come to watch them.  They bok bok, cluck cluck and squawk squawk.  

I can't understand why the chickens do that when I visit?  Can you?  I think I will go find a place to lay down and think about it.

Off for another cat nap

Love from Fenway (your family's Maine Coon Cat)  

Fenway explores his new home

FENWAY EXPLORES HIS NEW HOME

Fenway trying to explore the ceiling!

 Hello Josie Mae -  

Greetings from high up near the ceiling.  When I first came to Grandma Bobby and Grandpa Larry's I was very hungry and quite tired from the car ride.  I ate some delicious food and then found a place to sleep.  When I woke up it was time to explore my new home and see where I was fed, find places to sleep and places to play.

Here is a picture of me exploring.  I thought I might like to see what was on top of the big window above the dining table so I climbed up on the table (I am not supposed to do that - Grandma Bobby and Grandpa Larry don't like it when I get on the table.  Do your Mom and Dad let you climb on the table?)  -  

Anyway I climbed on the table then I jumped up onto this wooden support which is really high up and near the ceiling.  After I got up here I got a little scared.  My tail puffs up all big and bushy when I am scared.  Do you see how it is puffed up in the picture?  I really wasn't sure how I could get down.  Grandma Bobby and Grandpa Larry laughed at me, then Grandma Bobby took this picture of me.  And finally she reached up and got me down.  When she got me down and petted me I forgave her for laughing at me! 

WHEW!  I thought I might have to try to sleep up there - and where would I get food?  I was very happy to get down.  I purred and purred.  I never tried to get up on that support again.  After all that excitement, I needed a long cat nap.  

Until next time

Love from Fenway (your family's Maine Coon Cat)