black cat – New England's Narrow Road

A Spooky Walk in the Forest

As Halloween approaches, I thought I’d share a spooky story from my walk in the forest. (Not really too spooky, just fun.)

moss covered tree roots — A Big Green Hand

I love to walk in the woods with my camera because there is always something interesting to photograph. I went looking for mushrooms this fall and ended up taking pictures of some creepy, crawling tree roots! Trees that have partially fallen over leave many of their roots exposed to create a tangle of wooden arms. The roots appear to be crawling like a big hand, in the photo above.

Is this the hand of a witch, with the fingers dug down in the rocky soil trying to pull herself along the forest floor? Does this thing move when I am not there to see? Just who is it trying to get, and where is it headed?

tangled tree roots in forest — This tree reminded me of a land octopus

Everywhere there were exposed roots. The many tentacles of this land octopus reach out and try to trip the passerby. What happens if I fall? Will it grab me and pull me into it’s black den made of criss-crossed roots?

black cat in woods — The Witches Black Cat

Then, I came across the most frightening site. A black cat sitting near a dark tangle of tree roots seemed to be watching something inside the black recesses of the roots. I decided to get out of there before she alerted her master to my presence.

black cat in woods on rock — Reinforcements!

Just when I thought I was home free, another black cat appeared. The first one had brought reinforcements! She sat like a (dark) princess up on top of a rock and watched me navigate the fallen tree bridge. Luckily I didn’t slip and made it safely across where I found my trail.

I left the spooky forest behind and have only these photos to tell of that disturbing walk in the woods.

Happy Halloween to all!

Remembering Richie at Christmas

Last year Richie was with us for Christmas and he was a pest. He tore the ribbons off the packages and wanted to be right in the middle of all the festivities. That was his personality. He seemed fearless and he was very demanding. He’d look at me with half closed eyes as if to say, “ya, so what?”

He came to us with a chunk of fur cut out – we never knew why, but he most likely always got himself into trouble. He was very scruffy looking and his curly fur under his neck was all matted and clumpy, but after a while his black fur was smooth and shiny, and the missing fur grew back. Even though he never really enjoyed being brushed, I had to check him for ticks all summer and he brought lots of them in on him. As soon as he’d come in we’d go into the bathroom and I’d brush him and knock the ticks out of the brush into the toilet.

He always wanted to be outside. He was a hunter and killed mice, squirrels and (unfortunately) birds. Chipmunks were his favorite prey. They were fun to play with and kept him amused. Many times they also got away from him and would scurry off into the woods. He loved the chase.

He also loved to go for walks with us. In winter and summer he’d follow my son and I out through the woods at our rental house and run up trees along the way.

He woke me up each night as morning approached by digging at my bed or sitting next to my face. He wanted out. One morning about a month after we had moved I let him and Fontana out like always and then I heard a scuffle and noise in the woods and I knew that something (no doubt a fisher cat) had got a hold of one of the cats. I waited to see which one came back. Richie never did.

We miss him, but for the time he was with us he gave us lots of smiles and we’ll never forget our Richie.

Funny, Water Loving Cat

One of our new kitties -Richie- seems to be fascinated with water. They told us at the shelter that he would always tip his water bowl over and then lay in the wet newspaper.
We’ve caught him doing some strange things.