Nature's Wonders

The snow has given rise to all kinds of problems and stories but for the past few days it's been thawing - with some interesting effects. The compacted snow on the village roads, which never receive the benefits of gritting, have turned to ice rinks. This is true of our drive also: unfortunately the result of tractors coming down in the heavy snow led to some truly very deep, and now very icey, ruts which means that it can only be navigated by 4-wheel drivers with steely nerves....... if you like dodgems, you'll love it! For the last couple of days it's even been all but impossible to walk up - so tiring and tiresome to keep slipping. And with yet more snow forecast for the end of the week it may get even more challenging in time for Christmas!

But it's not all bad news. Almost every evening has brought truly wonderful sunsets - even if the sun has been totally absent all day long the late afternoon sky provides an awesome backdrop to 'tea-time for animals'. When, for the umpteenth time, I exclaimed this evening: "Oh come and look at the sky!" the Big Boss could hardly stifle his 'What? Again?' sigh! It's as if the year is clearing out her cupboards, dusting off her party petticoats and hanging them out to billow in the crisp evening air. Photos really don't show the half of it.

Nature's also worked another little wonder since the onset of the 'cold spell'. About 3 weeks ago we heard a distinctive and plaintive "Miaow" from outside the kitchen window: a strange cat announcing her presence. We thought she'd just disappear again but the next morning I surprised her when I opened the Poultry Palace and, looking for eggs (in vain!), found her curled up on the straw in a corner. She quickly bolted for the door. "Oh well, gone for sure now" I thought.

But no. The next morning she was on the window sill again. "Miaow" - "Here I am" - "Miaow" - so we took some food out for her. Although nervous of me, her hunger was stronger and she slunk over and quickly bolted down the food. Then disappeared. Into a little outhouse we call The Pump Room. And that became the pattern for the next week or so.... "Miaow" on the window sill. Food delivered. Cat back to The Pump Room to sleep - in the box of straw which suddenly found its way there.........

Then one morning there was no "Miaow" on the window sill. And I was disappointed. But when I opened the scullery door to the porch - "Miaow". There she was. Clever cat had found her way in through the dog flap (something Puddy Cat would never deign to do!). And the next day the scullery door to the porch was left open and in came cat. And the next day we looked round and found she was asleep on the dogs' sofa in the kitchen; and so her gradual adoption of us has continued - today she was asleep on a chair in the sitting room....... Tomorrow? Probably upstairs on the bed.

We've named her Waifa: she's a waif and she was so thin. What's really amazing is that she quickly established herself as Pilots New Best Friend. Actually, his first ever Best Friend. He's never shown much interest in any of our other residents but seems most intrigued by Waifa. She winds herself around him and snuggles past him and he just stands, or lies, still and lets her, like in this photo of the pair of them in the study.

Then - "Look at the sofa." said The Boss when I came in from shopping this afternoon. Waifa and Pilot curled up asleep together.

If that's not one of Nature's Wonders nothing is!