 |
| Where's Mama Cat? |
Several of you tried to find Mama Cat hiding under the squash plants, in yesterday's post, and I was sorry that I didn't think to take a picture of her. So, I thought I'll do a find Mama Cat post!
Did you see her in the picture above? No?
How about if I moved in closer?
 |
| Do you see her now? |
Maybe? Move in a bit closer, still?
 |
| How about now? |
Shall we go around to the other side and hold back a leaf or two?
 |
| Now you see her! |
 |
| Now you don't! |
She didn't like being photographed:
 |
| "Lady, if you keep taking pictures of me, I'm out of here!" |
But then, she ate some kibble I gave her and went back to her spot:
 |
| "I'm guarding the squash plants!" (Personally, I think she's hiding from Chicken Little!) |
Guess what else I found when I was photographing Mama Cat in the squash patch?
 |
| A female butternut squash flower! |
Luckily for me, there was a male flower further down on the vine and I did a little bit of hand pollinating! Hopefully, that worked and I'll have a butternut squash to harvest, if it doesn't get too cold too soon!
This was the temperature inside the house, at 11:00 a.m., this morning,
 |
| 65F/18C |
I know that's comfortable to some, but, that's a bit chilly for me! Outside was a bit warmer at 72F!
I found Mama Cat on the second photo! Her dark grey blends into the ground, shaded by the leaves. I hope you get some squash.
ReplyDeleteWell spotted, Celie! She is well camouflaged, isn't she? I, too, hope I get some squash! I'm pretty sure there will be a zucchini to harvest, next week!
DeleteThanks for the photos. Nice to see Mama cat. Think it was warmer than that here in Michigan this morning. Ugh. I'm ready for Autumn!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed the photos, Sharon. I would have preferred it to have been warmer down here for a bit longer! I am not ready for fall! LOL!
DeleteHaha there she is :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope you do get a butternut squash. It's much chillier here now so I put and extra quilt on our bed last night.
She likes to hide in there, but, I've kept her bucket out, too, in case she prefers to go in there at night.
DeleteI, too, put a quilt on the bed, last night, Eileen, and I was snug and warm at night. :)
Lovely Mama Cat! I wonder if the reason we've not had many courgettes/zucchini and only one butternut squash is that I've left the pollinating up to nature. I have never thought about giving a helping hand! Love FD xx
ReplyDeleteI usually let nature take care of things, but, this year, the squash seeds were planted late in the season and there don't seem to be a lot of pollinators around. I want to try and maximize my chances of getting some squash to harvest before it gets too cold and the plants die!
DeleteDoes Mama cat belong to any of the neighbors and just likes to hang out in your yard? Or is she really your cat since you feed her? I feel cold when my house is in the 60s which it's been recently because we've had some cooler temperatures, too.
ReplyDeleteMama Cat is my cat; I've been feeding her since she first appeared in my garden several years ago. At one time, she used to wander about (always returning to be fed!), but, these days, she seems to spend her days in my garden.
DeleteShe's a lovely colour. It must be nice and sheltered there, beneath the leaves. Xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jules. I think she feels safe and not as exposed under there.
DeleteThat temperature isn't friendly to me, either! We have had the wood furnace on briefly in the mornings, just to take the chill off the house until the temperature outside improves and we can open windows.
ReplyDeleteApparently Mama cat likes to be mysterious, unlike Dancer who I gather is very happy at times to be on top of everything, especially your quilting projects!
I am glad to know that I'm not the only one who feels cold at 65F/18 C inside the house! It won't be long before I turn on the gas heater, myself!
DeleteI'm surprised that Mama Cat has been hiding under the squash plants for so long! She used to enjoy sleeping in a sunny spot. But, maybe she feels sheltered and safe under the squash plants. Dancer has taken to sleeping under the bed, recently, himself, but, yes, pull out a quilting or knitting project and he's right there to keep his eye on things! :D
Haha! Fun times looking for Momma Cat. How cute that she likes to hideout in there.
ReplyDeleteGood job with the squash. I wouldn't know how to hand pollinate something.
I think 65 is chilly so I'm sure you were feeling cold.
It was 50 out this morning when I got up and 67 in my house and I put on an overshirt and my fleece vest.
Glad you enjoyed looking for Mama Cat. I think she feels safe and secure under there!
DeleteHand pollinating is not too difficult - you gather the pollen from the stamens of one flower (either on the end of a paint brush or your finger) and dab the pollen on the pistil of the other flower. In this particular case, I just took the male flower, pulled off the petals and dabbed the stamens on the pistil of the female flower. It seems to have worked - I've a small fruit about the size of a small light bulb!