Stubbs Mayor Cat
There has been some tension between my oldest cat, Smokey
and the newcomer, Buddy.
Buddy is almost 3 lbs. heavier and bigger than Mr. Creaky Pants. Plus Smokey was declawed when I got him so he is handicapped in any confrontation. Too many times I saw Buddy stalking Smokey and Smokey trying to slink away like a prey animal. When I would see that I would distract Buddy but I didn’t like it. I worried about what went on when I was not home.
My pet sitter said they got along fine when she was in the house. She felt the behavior was caused by jealousy and that was why it only showed up when I was at home because I’m the “mama” and they all want my attention.
Now that I ‘ve been working from home for a few months the behavior seems to have subsided. Smokey doesn’t act afraid and timid anymore and Buddy picks on Rocky, who is quite capable of holding his own.
In fact if Buddy and Rocky mix it up too much, Smokey jumps into the fray and starts batting them with his declawed paws. The combatants always separate for him. I think I need to get him a little striped shirt.
Speaking of Rocky and Buddy, they have what I think is a strange behavior. Cat lovers, have you had this in your multi-cat homes?
One of the two cats approaches the other. It starts a grooming behavior by licking the ears and head of the other cat. This goes on for a bit and just when you think ohhh, so cute…bam! The first cat pounces on the one that was just being groomed. It makes me think of the hand shake before a fight. Then they go bumping and rolling around the room. Growls and hisses are common but they have their ears pointed forward. I assume they are playing because the ears are not laid back. No blood is drawn. The next day the whole ritual is repeated again but usually its the other cat that starts the grooming.
This morning when I went into the bedroom to make my bed there were two cats sleeping there! Buddy and surprise, Smokey. They had bunched up the comforter between them like a wall to separate them. That’s the closest I’m seen them. Does this mean they are finally becoming friends?
There is never a dull moment around here!
I’ve been to the southern cousin, South Dakota, but not North Dakota. Lets see what I’ve been missing here.
The big thing that comes to mind is prairies.
North and South Dakota have always made me think of those rolling plains and herds of buffalo. After the Homestead Act opened the prairie lands to farming and the prairie grasses were uprooted for agriculture, the dry winds began to blow leading to the Dust Bowl years of the 1930’s. By then the sea of grass and the great buffalo herds that sustained the Plains Indians were almost completely gone.
In 1933 the federal government stepped in and began buying and restoring the damaged prairie lands. But it wasn’t until 1960 that a system of national grasslands was implemented.
As bad as the damage to the grasslands was, what was done to the buffalo was even worse. Those great herds were gone not just because of the destruction of the prairie but because the white men went on a planned campaign of extermination. Sorry folks, I just get very upset over the way humans handle themselves sometimes. (Between you and me, not much has changed in my opinion) But I’m getting off track here. My point is that The Little Missouri National Grassland is a part of that network of national Grasslands. One million acres of ecologically diverse mixed-grass, prairie, canyon and forest surround Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Antelope, deer, coyotes, bighorn sheep and buffalo make their home here and I want to see it!
And Speaking of Native Americans, the largest Native American Powwow takes place in September in Bismarck, North Dakota. The United Tribes International Powwow attracts thousands of dancers and drummers from many tribes. The Native Americans compete in 22 dance categories for upwards of 15,000 visitors. We missed a Powwow in South Dakota when we got lost on the Pine Ridge Reservation but that would have been small compared to this. I’ll have to plan my visit to see this!
Another historic site that would be good to see is Fort Mandan and the Lewis and Clark Trail. Near by to the restored fort is the Knife River Indian Villages Historic Site. Ruins of several villages including Sacajawea’s are preserved here.
And the last thing on my North Dakota list is the International Peace Garden. The brain child of Canadian horticulturist Henry J Moore, became reality in 1932. Moore had envisioned a grand garden the would straddle the U.S. – Canadian border, dedicated to our two nations friendship and peaceful coexistence. Many of the roads , bridges and shelters were built in the 1930s by the CCC, Civilian Conservation Corp. Today the Peace garden has 2,339 acres of gardens, forests, manicured landscapes, fountain and walking paths. Its only 200 miles north of Bismarck. I should be able to squeeze that in don’t you think?
That concludes the states starting with “N”, and my grand total now is 12 seen / 22 to go.
Coming up next …the “O” states. There’s only 3 of them.
Rounding out the states that start with N are North Carolina and North Dakota. I’m afraid that’s 2 more no’s but what is there to see and do in these two states?
North Carolina
Lots to see and do in this state. I can’t wait to get there! The top 7 things on my wish list are:
There’s lots more besides these 7 places but I bet it would take the whole vacation to do 1/2 of it partly because I’d be all over the state! In fact I’ve gone on so long about North Carolina that I’ll have to save North Dakota for another post.
So adding North Carolina to the “Must See” side of the ledger brings my tally to 12 visited 21 to go!
