Thankful Thursday and Wildfire Update

Only with Snowball behind snug on the couch in the cat shelter

We wanted to update everyone in case you are not on Facebook or Instagram. One of the wildfires burning in the mountains of North Carolina is very close to us.  Party Rock or Lake Lure fire is about 10 miles away - much closer as the crow flies.  The fact that we are and will continue to be in extreme drought is another cause for concern. (biggify the photos for better viewing)

Photo courtesy of Wildfire Today

Party Rock fire - photo from Chimney Rock Village page

Our home is located on the southern edge of the Hickory Nut Gorge above the town of Bat Cave.  The gorge drops down 1000 feet in elevation to the valley floor where Chimney Rock Village and Lake Lure are located.  The fire started on the north ridge of the gorge near Lake Lure two weeks ago and has traveled up the north ridge encompassing 5700 acres and is 19% contained.  This is a rugged wilderness area and hard to get to so the fire fighters have been focusing on a defense line to save the homes and businesses.  So far no one has been injured and no structures have been lost.

Smoke from fires - Lake Lure  Operations

Chimney Rock Village with fire behind - fromAsheville Citizen Times

We are not in danger at this point and have plans should we have to leave with all the cats.  We have moved all brush and leaves away from the buildings on our land, collected cat carriers and food and are ready to go if we are asked to evacuate.  Our biggest issue is air quality from the smoke.  Some days we are Code Red or Orange.  I am keeping the cats indoors and since I have asthma, I am inside too.

Last week in Lake Lure

The weather forecast is grim - no rain in sight for the next 30 days and a dry warm winter predicted.  The Gov.  said the worst case scenario with no rain/snow, is that the fires will burn until March.  The Party Rock fire may burn itself out in a few weeks.

Courtesy of Asheville Citizen Times

Donations for firefighters at Ingles, Lake Lure

We are thankful we are still at home and in no danger yet. We are so very grateful to all of the firefighters from across the country who are working hard to keep this fire and the multiple other fires in western NC from spreading.  We are thankful to all our caring communities in the region who are donating food, toiletry items and money to the firefighters while they are here.  We know we are in good hands and hope that in the weeks to come things will improve.

Photo courtesy of WLOS

We are asking you all to do whatever you believe in to request rain or snow for our area along with eastern Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.  Visualize this area blanketed in some form of precipitation putting out all the fires. Keep us all in your thoughts!

Tabitha and Woody know they are safe

Thank you friends! Be sure to stop by Brian's Home for Thankful Thursday.

Happy Gotcha Day to Callie and Snowball!

Me Snowball

Hi everyone, it is me Snowball hosting today for my 10th Gotcha Day.  Since Callie was Gotcha'd on Nov. 1 three years ago and me on Nov. 2, I am being gracious enough to share the day with her.

It has been an uneventful year for me so that is good - no health issues or anything. Well, there was one thing.  I did have an acupuncture session or two for my megacolon a few months ago and it helped. Our cat house has only six other cats besides me now so it is nice and roomy with just the few of us. Al is still trying to be top cat but all the others know that cat is ME!  Let Al think what he wants as long as he doesn't mess with my status.

Life is good and I am enjoying this nice warm fall we have had.  I am hoping for a warm winter too but with some rain or snow (just a little). I know today I will be getting extra love, cuddles and treats...yum.

Callie with a sugarskull

Now a bit about our other Gotcha Day kitty, sweet girl Callie.  It is hard to believe that has only been with us for three years.  It seems like she has been here forever...in a good way.  She is getting along with the other cats much better and is even trying to boss a few around (like Mamacita and Rosa) but Mom won't let her get away with that.  She is a bit younger so still has a lot of energy - every morning before breakfast Callie gets the zoomies and runs all thru the house, even jumping over Mom still sleeping on the bed!  She is silly and fun.  She too will get treats and lots of cuddles from the beans today.

Hope you enjoy our party today - a Day of the Dead theme.  I think we might have done this one before but no matter.  Mom even decorated the driveway  with Day of the Dead stuff so you can find out house easier.

Fill up your plates with sweets, snacks and of course nip margaritas, and dance to the music.  You can even dress up for the occasion too if you want. Thanks so much for stopping by.  We love you guys!

Happy Halloween!

 

Never before seen..until now...our 2016 Wildcat Woods Halloween costumes!  First is me...Countess Tabitha the Severer, known for carving her victims into tiny pieces.

Seductive Callie is dressed as a Hawaiian Hula Girl with flower lei and grass skirt. hoping to win over some handsome mancat out there.

For the ladycats is hunky Punk Rocker Mr Kitty with his spiked orange hair, leather wrist cuff and chain collar (hidden in his long sexy fur.)

And then for the cats who won't let mom dress them up and have to be tricked to get costumed... the tongue in cheek, punny and silly costumes ... 

Snowball as the suave yet laid back Buccaneer (buck-an-ear, get it?) resting on his hammick

Our Eddie Haskell cat, Only posing for the Cat's Out of the Bag costume..

And dark evil Mamacita as sinister villain BlackMail

Hope you enjoyed our line-up for this All Hallow's Eve. We will be back shortly for a combo Gotcha Day for Callie and Snowball on Nov. 2 just in time for El Dios de la Muerte.  Y'all come back!

Flashback Friday for Halloween

The zombies are coming

said tiny Sweetpea.

The zombies are coming.

They're coming for me!

Oh what shall I do?

Oh where shall I go?

I see one right now,

outside the window!

With a crash and a bang,

she was inside!

I looked here and there

but there was no place to hide!

She  grabbed me tightly 

with her bony claw.

I felt her teeth sink deeply

into my paw.

The zombies are coming

said tiny Sweetpea.

The zombies are coming.

Only this time, it's ME,
Zombie Sweetpea!

Hope you enjoyed this repost from 2012.  We will do our usual Halloween post on Monday for sure! Keep your black cats indoors this weekend - not safe out with all the shenanigans going one for the holiday!

Getting Ready for Halloween

Me

 Callie here today -You guys know how much Mom loves Halloween!  We are helping her get ready by wearing our special Halloween themed bandanas by Jodi, our IG friend.  Each one is reversible and attaches to your collar.  We don't wear collars so Mom used a ribbon.

Only models the other side of mine - spooky black with spider webs

Mr Kitty

The shop is BellaLovesAlex and features hand made kitty bandanas and bow ties for all seasons and holidays. They are purrfectly made and easy to wear.  If you are too late for this Halloween, then check out her fall and Christmas ones. Anything from this shop would make wonderful gifts fr your family and friends. Follow BellaLovesAlex on Instagram @bellalovesalex or on Facebook 

Jodi's cat Gizmo from her Etsy page with her orange bow tie.

(Mom didn't get anything for writing this - she just likes Jodi's hand made items for cats. Mom only buys American hand made!)

Tabitha wears the flip side of Mr Kitty's bandana

Mom also put up some Halloween decor at the base of our driveway.  A scary witch with a gravestone, with pumpkins and mums.Have you put any Halloween decorations up at your house?  

Our cat shelter is in the  left corner

We will be back with a special Halloween post with us in new never before seen costumes.  Before that we will remember our dear Minnie who left us last year on Oct. 29.  My Gotcha Day and Snowball's comes up right after Halloween so we should be online quite a bit for a while! Hope to see you all then!!

P.S. An update on us.  Normie was at the vet's twice this month for constipation.  It turns out the culprit was his Greenie dental treats.  Don't use those. We threw ours away. Then Sweetpea had a sore paw - her dew claw had grown in again so they had to cut all the claws way back.  We will have to keep an eye on her claws. She is doing well on her herbal thyroid and kidney meds.