Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
To Benji ~ from the Tiger
Tiger here. Solidarity, that’s what I’m talkin’ about little brother. These sniffles are for you (maybe even from you.) I bear them for your sake like the soldier that I am. I know what it’s like to be the new cat on the block. I came up from the streets just like you did (so to speak; let’s just say I know the inside of a jail.)
So Benji, I know you’re here. I hear your squeaks from the room below. I hear you flying through the house when you think I’m not around. (Careful boy, you still have lots to learn.) And I saw your paw stickin’ out today from under your cell. Ah, the quest for freedom! Don’t worry, it’s coming little brother. I can feel it in my whiskers.
But before we become a fully integrated household I need to let you know a few things.
First of all, Sue has confirmed to me that I shall remain the number 1 feline in this house. Yes, I’m Number 1 and that means you must needs be Number 2. Sorry, but you’ll get used to it. I did. My big brother Shadow (may he rest in peace) used to hold that most privileged status. (Don’t deny it Sue; you know it’s true.) I miss him, but now the title comes to me and I will set the standards for cat behavior in this home. See below.
Number 1 Entitlements
Full submission from #2 in all things, all matters and all disputes.
Exclusive rights to sleep on the big bed upstairs.
Exclusive rights to Sue’s office (includes blogging rights with picture.)
Exclusive rights to the bigger critters in back. (You’ll learn what that means later. Trust me on this.)
Full visiting privileges to your room with grandma.
In and out privileges at will.
Number 2 Responsibilities
Submission to #1 in all things, all matters and all disputes.
I think that should cover it.
Signing out for now till we meet in the flesh ~ the Tiger
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A Tale of Two Kitties ~ the waiting continues
Glimpses through windows and sniffs under doors. The suspense builds as the promised meeting of the two kitties remains on hold. Our new Benji is living in quarantine while recovering from an upper respiratory infection. The highly contagious virus (to cats not humans) was not evident when we brought him home from the Humane Society but hit with a vengeance a couple of days later. A visit to our vet and we are half way through the antibiotics. The sneezing has decreased and I am thankful. I am keeping a close eye on Tiger for the least sign of infection.
I visit Benji downstairs a few times a day to bring him his favorite canned food, dispense medicine, clean his box and air out the room. (A real Florence Nightingale I am.) He’s always happy to see me, sparkly eyed and chipper.
During today’s visiting hours I plant myself in the comfy recliner to provide a lap for him and to watch the ballgame. I also bring my journal along to while away the time in case the inspiration to write strikes. Benji is usually content to sit quietly on my lap while I pet him. But today he is so distracted with the object in my hand that any writing is futile. It’s play time and he loves my bobbing pencil more than the lifeless toys on the floor. I put the journal away, bring out some yarn and Benji springs into action!
So it turns out he’s a kitten. A playful, active, if-anything-moves-I’m-on-it kitten. This becomes more apparent as he gets better each day and his energy level increases, surpassing any others in the house, feline or human.
When my visiting hour is up I sneak out of the room, wash up and head upstairs. By this time Tiger is peering through the sliding glass door outside wanting in. I oblige as I am wont to do. It’s my job to let him in and out at the time and place of his choosing. (Yes, they have my number.) After a quick snack of kibble he follows me up to my office. It’s our favorite place, quiet and peaceful. We visit awhile before he stretches out and I hear him snoring.
Maybe he’s dreaming of his new little brother? He saw him again yesterday through the large window in Benji’s room. I was visiting when we looked into the backyard and saw Tiger approach. He looked first at the little intruder and then at me with a look that said, ‘what are you doing in there?’ Hmm.. I can explain.
Everything I had read indicated that a slow introduction was important for cats. Well that is what we have ended up with, like it or not. I’m still hopeful that an enduring brotherhood and friendship will develop between these two kitties after the quarantine is over in a week or two. Time will tell.
~ Susanne
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Garden races
A race between red and green with green clearly in the lead….
now neck and neck….
red with a slight lead…..
and the winner is……..
Red!
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Tiger and Benji ~ the unexpected and the waiting
Sue here. Time for the Tiger and Benji update and it’s all slow. That’s okay. We’re in it for the duration. Our new Benji has been on the premises for a week now and he’s the sweetest, softest, tiniest kitty boy imaginable. But the little fellow has been sneezing almost since we got him. And so we visited the vet today and confirmed he has the dreaded “URI”, or upper respiratory infection. Poor sweet boy. We have been given an antibiotic in liquid form and fortunately it is easy to administer. Tasty too, from what they say. Here he is, wide-eyed and ready to roll, sick or not!
This will bring to a halt the planned meeting with the resident big boy tabby, Tiger. They’ve seen each other up close once or twice but we’ll have to keep Benji more secluded now that we have had the URI diagnosis confirmed. Thankfully our home makes keeping the boys separate fairly easy. And Tiger loves spending most of his day outside, just coming in for a snack, and to visit.
Here he is at my feet this morning in his best doggie pose. Still a big sweet boy himself.
Kind of a rough start for little Benji, but I’m glad we are able to nurse him along. Still expecting that he and the handsome Tiger will become good buddies. Just not as soon as I’d hoped. Life is like that sometimes.
~ Susanne
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From the desks of little Ben and the Tiger
Allow me to introduce myself to you. This is little Ben and I am new around here. What a long week I have had in my short life! Where shall I begin?
First of all I got captured. Captured! (“Rescued,” if you prefer.) I was taken suddenly from the messy house where I was born (a real cat zoo!) to a place I call the hospital, where I was poked and prodded and fussed over. Once I was feeling better they moved me to the library with other cats where people came to visit throughout the day. I was the smallest one in the room so I took to hiding. I was just getting comfortable when my new people came (Bob and Sue and Grandma) and took me to their house. Rescued again I guess! It’s much quieter here in my new home than at the zoo or the hospital or even the library and so far I like it. I haven’t seen my brothers or sisters yet or any other cats for that matter, but I think I smell them. On the perch. And on the shaggy carpet. Sometimes I even think I hear them in the night. Is it a dream? Or a longing? I don’t know. For now I am just enjoying the peace and quiet and sitting on grandma’s lap. As much as I like. All day long.
Today was a new day and they opened the door for me. I’d been hoping (not demanding) they would. I got to explore and visit upstairs. Nice! Now I know for sure there’s another cat here! I smell him everywhere. I saw his food bowl. (Sampled it actually. Pretty good.) It must have been him I heard in the night! I am small and different and I can hardly wait to meet him. I hope he likes me.
~ Little Ben
Tiger here. Something’s going on that’s for sure. Everyone’s acting strangely. I can’t quite put my paw on it yet. Sue’s being extra nice to me. Bob too. Attending to my every cry. Sensitive to my every move. And I’m dreaming more. Something squeaky and tiny. Coming from the basement? I don’t know. I used to have roaming privileges throughout the house but lately grandma keeps her door closed. To keep me out? Highly unusual. Not that it matters much. I prefer my kingdom outdoors any day. Every morning I go outside and play in the sunshine. Drink from the stream. Watch (okay, chase) the small ones in the bush. But the days are growing shorter and cooler and soon I will come in earlier at night. Then what? Will grandma’s door still be closed? I hope the mystery is solved by then. I hope it is something good. I will keep you posted.
~ from the Tiger
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Introducing little Ben – the Tiger Cub
Day 1 – Sue here. As I sit in my office on the third floor of our home, Tiger is relaxing nearby. After a final deep cleaning behind the ears (who can sleep with dirty ears?) he’s ready to call it a day and drifts off into kittyland.
Little does he know that two levels below, there’s a little Tiger cub hiding under grandma’s bed. We visited Seattle Humane today and brought home a new kitty as a companion for Tiger. His name is Ben. Or Benji. We’ll see what sticks. He’s a 10 month old mini Tiger with golden almond eyes and a scruffy ear. Brown and gray like his new big brother. He came from the home of a hoarder, where he lived with 40 other cats. We picked him out when we saw him snuggle in the bosom of another sleeping cat. Ah, that’s the one, we said.
Tiger lived with his big brother Shadow for 7 years. But Shadow wasn’t the healthiest kitty and is no longer with us. We miss the sweet fluffy boy, but are happy for the years they had together. Now it seemed time for a little brother to be added to the family. Tiger can show him the ropes of the cat kingdom. How to hide in the bush. Chase moths. Hunt moles. And drink from the flowing stream in the backyard. But not yet.
We’ll let Ben decide when to come out of hiding. He has everything he needs in his room below. When he’s comfortable with his new home, we’ll begin the introductions slowly, swapping the cat’s scents and toys. Supervising visits. We want their first meeting to be all good. Tiger has given no indication that there’s an intruder so we have the time we need.
Day 2 – We’ll that was quick. The little rascal is out and ready to explore his new world! Fearless! So here’s Ben!
~ Susanne
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Still dreaming of the Bow
Having returned from the Canadian Rockies I began poring over my pictures and noticed how much ‘the Bow’ permeated our trip with its beauty. We first met the Bow River where it flows through the Banff townsite.
We followed it to the Falls nearby.
And viewed the Bow Valley from the overlook at Tunnel Mountain.
We followed the river along the Bow Valley Parkway on our drive north to Lake Louise.
Further north we found the exquisite Bow Lake off the Icefields Parkway.
Yes, I’m still dreaming of the Bow. Can you see why?
~ Susanne
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Canadian Rockies Adventure 2016 – through Glacier to Banff and Jasper
Rocky Mountains. Craggy peaks. Lakes and rivers and waterfalls. Scenic Highways. Glaciers. Bears!
This was the 4th time we made the journey from the Pacific Northwest to the Canadian Rockies and this time we went east through Glacier National Park and north to Banff & Jasper. Words fail me as I try to describe the beauty we beheld as each new day opened up vistas more spectacular than the day before. I hope I don’t weary you with my pictures but what else can I do?
Glacier National Park.
You’ve heard of it. This gorgeous wilderness park with glacier carved valleys in the northwest corner of Montana. Famous for mountain vistas, pristine lakes, Going-to-the-Sun road, and … let’s not forget … grizzly bears!
We entered the park on the west side, expecting to travel the famous road east.. Alas, we were cautioned by the rangers that our camper might be a bit too big for this white knuckle drive on the road carved into the mountains. (I have to admit I was relieved as we would have been on the outside narrow lane, and I on the passenger side, would be looking over the cliffs where no guard rails exist.) Thus we made our away around to the east side of the park to St. Mary Lake which is where our lodging was for the night at Rising Sun Motor Inn. We were not disappointed.
St. Mary Lake
The next day we decided to drive the easier side of the famous Going-to-the-Sun road up to Logan Pass. We had clear skies at the start but the pass was cold and rainy and socked in with clouds.
By the way, those who prefer to enjoy the scenery while leaving the driving to someone else can take the charming 1930’s red buses known as “jammers” (for the sound the old standard transmissions made as drivers “jammed” the gears) across the scenic road.
Bob talked with one of the drivers who said he loves his job! Wouldn’t you?
Grizzlies!
No trip to Glacier is really complete without seeing a grizzly bear and we were lucky to see one on this trip. Shortly after entering Many Glacier we came across a ‘bear jam’ and joined those who pulled over to watch this big boy eating ripe berries. The hump on his back confirmed he was a grizzly.
On an earlier trip to Glacier when we were still tent camping, (in the last century) we pulled into (and out of in a hurry) a campground at Many Glacier when we saw a sign that read something like ‘Fatal maulings have occurred at this Campground.’ Um, really? Needless to say we spent that night at historic Many Glacier Hotel.
Of course many people do safely hike in Glacier but it is best to do so in groups and led by a ranger if possible, and wearing bear bells to alert the bears of your presence (I prefer to sing loudly) and carrying bear spray which I suppose you would spray into the face of a grizzly if you were attacked. (!!) We did it ourselves on an earlier trip. Hiked, that is. This time we were content to watch the big boy from the side of the road, while secure inside our truck.
Onward to Banff
Glacier was amazing. Banff took it up to the next level. We headed north into Alberta, visiting the city of Calgary where the prairies meet the Rockies and the mountains seem to appear out of nowhere.
Once we arrived in Banff we found all the best sights to be within easy reach. Our first stop was to Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the birthplace of Canada’s national parks. There we enjoyed seeing the underground hot springs and walking the path outside among the bubbling thermal waters.
Five minutes from the townsite we visited the lovely Vermilion Lakes. I honestly didn’t expect much of something so close to town and easy to access. But I was wrong! These lovely lakes reflected the best and most tranquil views of Mt Rundle and nearby peaks.
And this is the only place in the park we saw elk.
We camped the next 2 nights at the Tunnel Mountain Village Campground across from Mt. Rundle overlooking the beautiful Bow Valley. We went for a short walk and stopped at the overlook where a friendly young man offered to take our picture. After we continued on our way we heard the hysterical laughing (I don’t know how else to describe it) of the girlfriend who just received a marriage proposal from the nice young man. We assume that meant yes. Nice setting for such things, I guess.
After two days, we took the scenic Bow Valley Parkway to Lake Louise Village where we would spend our third night inside the park. The Bow River is below:
The first major stop on the Bow Parkway was Johnston Canyon, perhaps the most popular and overcrowded hike in Banff. It was early in the morning so we were able to find parking easily and make our way along the catwalk to the lower falls where a fellow hiker offered to take our picture.
Later on the parkway, we came across this mama bear (black bear though brown in color) and her 2 cubs. The pint sized cubs moved around too much to get a picture of them. That put the bear count at this point at 4! Already a record!
Next was Lake Louise where I felt I had walked into a glorious oil painting. What can I say about this gem that hasn’t already been said? (Well, now that you ask, I can say to go very early in the day or later in the evening or you will not get anywhere near this popular lake! I’m talking major traffic jam! We got there after 6 pm on a Sunday evening and avoided the crowds.)
Same with the equally beautiful Moraine Lake which once graced the back of the Canadian twenty dollar bill.
We spent the night at the Lake Louise Campground in our hard sided camper (yes, it had to be hard sided.) Tent campers had to stay in the other campground with the electric fence. Yes, really! (Any guesses why??)
When we checked in, the ranger let us know that a grizzly bear had been spotted in the campground that day and if we saw him we should keep our distance and not stress him. (We not stress him??? Oh, yes ma’am. Don’t worry, we will not stress the bear for we will be hiding in our camper!)
Onward to Jasper
We survived the night with nary a grizzly sighting and the next day we headed to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway. Okay, so this is another world class, amazing drive and I can’t possibly show you the hundreds of pictures I was compelled to take! But I will show you the beautiful Peyto Lake as seen from the overlook. Pretty, huh?
Onward we went to the Columbia Icefields, one of the largest accumulations of ice south of the Arctic Circle, where numerous glaciers can be seen from the road. We stopped at the Visitor Center and … wrong! Absolutely jammed with the tour bus crowd! No matter. We just wanted to see the glaciers which wasn’t hard to do since we were surrounded by them!
Later that night we stopped for the evening at a lodge near Sunwapta Falls, another beauty. I was crazy with taking pictures by then but what could I do? Isn’t that what a road trip and a new camera are for? So I give you this one of Sunwapta Falls.
And this one the next day: the equally spectacular Athabasca Falls.
After arriving in Jasper townsite and finishing up lunch, we headed to Maligne Canyon.
On the canyon road we set a new record for bear sightings. So here’s #5, Mr. Black Bear and the closest yet. Poor boy. Just wanted to eat his berries in peace, without all those gawkers!
We continued on to Maligne Lake, passing Medicine Lake on the way (this lake comes and goes, due to holes in the bottom!)
Finally here’s a look at Maligne Lake, our last major destination in the Canadian Rockies. The last time we were here (yes, in the last century) we took a boat tour, but not this time…
From Jasper we would head back west for home. And it was okay because by now we were done. I don’t think we could have stopped and looked at another mountain, glacier, river, waterfall, or turquoise colored lake! (Though I’m pretty sure we would stop for another bear. And we did in fact stop to look at beautiful Mt. Robson in British Columbia the next day!) I guess you could say we were travel weary and ready for home! But we took with us all the grandeur and splendor and beauty we could absorb! We highly recommend you do the same!
~ Susanne, from the comfort of home!
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Canadian Rockies here we come! Again!
Apparently every 10 years or so we hear the call to go north. So for the past few weeks I’ve been putting together our next road trip to the Canadian Rockies. This got me going through my old scrap books (I used to do a lot of them before the digital age) and I was reminded that this will be our 4th such trek northward.
As I do for all my vacation planning, I visited AAA for maps and tour books and also bought lonely planet’s guide to ‘Banff, Jasper & Glacier National Parks.’ Thus I began plotting our route and making the necessary camping and lodging arrangements for the coming trip (in the nick of time it turns out). Our current plan is to head east to Glacier National Park in Montana, north into Alberta with a stop in Calgary, to Banff, Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway and to the northernmost point in our trip, Jasper. We’ll return west and south through British Columbia and home again to Washington. A nice packed loop.
The first time we made such a trip was in the last century (I love saying that) and we were, needless to say, younger than we are today. We hiked to some of the most popular and spectacular vistas in the Rockies without much thought given to the length or difficulty of the trail. (Okay, mostly true. We’ve never been mountain climbers.)
I took the picture below on a hike to Mt Edith Cavell where Angel Glacier hangs from the side of the mountain.
We also hiked the famous trail from Lake Louise to the Agnes Teahouse and the Beehives and I don’t remember it being particularly hard. So I was surprised to read in ‘lonely planet’ that we had gained 1,624 feet in elevation on this ‘moderate to difficult’ trail. Surprised, because these days I tend to look for ‘easy to moderate’ with minimal elevation gain. What a difference a century makes!
According to lonely planet, “It’s a fine, well-marked route taking in forest trails, hidden lakes and scenic viewpoints, as well as a famous teahouse ~ but it is formidably steep (especially around the Big Beehive), so bring plenty of water and take regular rests.” It goes on to say that after leaving the teahouse you will reach the Big Beehive after a mile of “relentless leg-shredding switchbacks.” Apparently there was a time when I hiked trails with leg-shredding switchbacks. Not so much today. So just in case we don’t make it up there again (thinking we won’t but hey, you never know) I give you this picture of Lake Louise from the Beehives as proof of my previous climb.
No that is not a big swimming pool, it is the true and actual Lake Louise when viewed from above. Chateau Lake Louise is on the left far, far below. And yes, I really did take that picture.
By the way, this reminds me of the time we brought a group of 20 teenagers to this very spot on our second trip about 10 years later. Some of them got so close to the edge of the cliff on that same hike that I had to pull them back from the brink while reminding them that there were no guard rails and we were in fact in the wilderness. Even now I shudder to think of the responsibility we bore to bring all those teenagers home again to their parents and preferably in one piece. (Sometimes I ask myself, “what were we thinking??, did we really do that??” and the answer is yes we did! And had a good time too!)
Here are a few more pictures from the Canadian Rockies from those first 2 trips.
the Lovely Lake Louise at ground level:
the ever young husband at Moraine Lake:
Our third trip north came roughly 10 years later, this time in the month of May and finally in this century. We dropped Jasper from the itinerary and added the nearer Waterton Lakes which is on the other side of the border from Glacier. Though smaller in scale we found it to be as beautiful, quieter, and less crowded than the larger parks to the north.
From Waterton Lakes we went on to Banff and Lake Louise, where this time we found the lovely lady mostly covered in ice and not the same milky green we remembered from our summer trips.
So here we are again, embarking on trip #4, coincidentally almost 10 years after the last one. Aside from the people in the pictures, I wonder what else has changed? How will we find Lake Louise this time? Will we hike to the Beehives? Or be content with memories and photos from earlier treks, finding new adventures closer to the ground? Stay tuned for answers to these compelling questions and to view the pictures from our latest trip to the Canadian Rockies.
~ Susanne
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Mt Rainier on a summer day…
We don’t usually make the drive to Mt. Rainier on a sunny Saturday in the middle of summer. But this past weekend that is exactly what we decided to do, heading from Renton through Enumclaw to the Sunrise side of the mountain. We didn’t make it all the way to the Visitor Center (6,400 ft) as we opted out of the bumper to bumper traffic at the entrance gate. No matter. The mountain is not limited to the boundaries of the park and we found incredible views nonetheless.
It’s Mount Rainier, after all.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 