Category Archives: animals

A touch of nature in the kitchen

April 24, 2020animals, wildlifesusanmanzke

Sometimes my house is very quiet. When this happens I turn on the television and radio–not too often at the same time. Today the TV and radio are off, but my computer is on.

I listened to a podcast while washing dishes, but afterward, I changed to another link.

This morning I turned to an old standby, the Decora Eagles nests. They can be found at explore.org as can many other animal cams around the world.

https://explore.org/livecams/bald-eagles/decorah-eagles

When I checked today, the eagle parents were away and the babies were on their own for a little while–when the camera pulled back a parent could be seen in a tree, probably hunting.

It is not just the sights that come into my laptop, so do the sounds. I hear geese, blackbirds, frogs, and even vehicles passing nearby.

Seeing and hearing this bit of nature picks up my spirits. I hope it does the same for you.

Visiting Country Critters

March 27, 2020animals, Bob, wildlifesusanmanzke

I was looking through videos I have on youtube.com and found one of Bob releasing a raccoon into our woods. This was back in 2011.

Bob captured this raccoon in a live trap after it was poking around our chickens. Here’s the link. Copy and paste the whole link to see Bob release it……………………………………. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI7_r7P9sdU

I haven’t set up the critter camera yet this year, but I’m thinking about it. Bob loved the critter cam so much. He wanted to snap a photo of the bear that moves through our area. He never got that photo or saw the bear, I’m sad to say.

When the raccoons come up to finish cat food, they can be very quiet or they can make a lot of noise, moving the metal food pans around.

If I have to go outside in the dark I make a lot of noise so the wild critters know to scatter.

Achieving a good feeling

March 26, 2020animals, foodsusanmanzke

I’m not worried about running out of food for myself, at least not for quite some time. I was worried about others though. The critters I live with rely on me to feed them and I didn’t know how long their food would hold out.

Yesterday a solution occurred to me. I figured a way I could stay a hermit and still get dry food for our dog, Sunny and our cats Othello, Cruella, and all the ones that show up on our front porch every morning and night. All I had to do was to call Infinity Feeds in Seymour.

While on the phone at home, I ordered large bags of dry food, one for Sunny and one for the cats. I also remembered to order softener salt. I paid with my credit card and then drove to town to pick up my order.

All the bags were sitting by the door when I pulled up by the Infinity Feeds office. I waited only a minute before one of the workers came out, opened up the back hatch of my car and loaded the heavy bags inside.

I am so relieved to have all this food at hand. The driveby service worked perfectly. Now I’m sure together we can survive for weeks to come.

I haven’t unloaded my haul yet. I still have critter food in the house. When my containers are almost empty, I’ll work at getting everything where it’s needed.

Oh, yeah, I did a drive-by at Sissy’s, too. There Francine brought out my order of two Ruben sandwiches. I didn’t have to even open my door. She was watching for my car to pull up outside her shop.

These purchases are my little effort to keep our local business going.

I have to let my family know that when I came home, even though using drive-up services, I made sure to wash my hands and disinfect doorknobs and such. I am being a good hermit.

The challenge

March 17, 2020animals, Chickens, foodsusanmanzke

I am challenging myself to write something on my blog every day. I’ve been trying to do this for some time now, but now, with the new changes in the world, it has become even more difficult. I won’t be getting out as much now.

I have food in the pantry, the refrigerator, and in the freezer. I even make my own bread–I got in the habit of making bread because Bob only liked my bread and not any store-bought varieties. Now I’m hooked on my own baking, too.

On a news report, I heard some of the food that people need to replenish often. They talked about needing bread, eggs, and milk.

Besides making bread, my hens help solve the egg problem for me. I usually get two to three a day. When I feed the girls I gather eggs and thank them for their efforts.

Bob made the nest boxes we have out of five-gallon buckets. The girls seem to like one more than the other two we have. I always find all their eggs in one nest. They must take turns.

I usually can’t eat all they give me, but with the chickens around, I won’t go hungry.

Now I wonder what I can do about milk. Hmmm.

Othello, the cat

March 16, 2020animals, petssusanmanzke

I was studying Shakespeare’s Othello when two cats came to live at our house. Rebecca named the runt Peter Michael Manzke (Pete outgrew being the runt). I named the other Othello.

Though Pete has crossed the rainbow bridge, Othello is still with us at the age of 16. He’s a scroungy old cat, needing a good brushing.

Pete hates to be brushed. I do a little of him at a time, usually quitting when he starts biting.

Last year this time, while Bob was struggling with his cancer, Othello wasn’t well. I couldn’t bring myself to put him down. I’m so glad I didn’t. He is fine, and good company, sleeping with me.

Othello, without the scroungy half of him showing

Today, I share my home confinement with my pets, so I am not completely alone.

Othello is a beggar, always wanting treats, he gets them, too. I better not run out of his treats. I don’t know what he would do to me if he didn’t get a few every day.

So that’s my blog for today. It’s extra quiet here. I think that’s because I should stay to myself. The crazy thing is that I was finally getting out of the house after losing Bob.

Oh well, this too shall pass….though it will take a while. Good thing my freezer is well stocked.

I hope everyone is comfortable and safe, too.

Susan Manzke

Writer, Speaker, All-Around Good Person