I think Senior Cat approves of the kittens....

I think the kittens approve of the sofa....

They are still entertaining ...and still have lovely dispositions and have forgiven me for booster shots/ rabies shots & microchips!

 Echo's quite happy too! (It's a hard life kipping on the sofa)

Especially when it snows out side ....

3 inches and it's only September the 30th .... but it's wet, snowball/snowman snow so won't last.
It looks pretty though.

Kittens in the house

OK it's a long time since we've had kittens in the house and it's amazing what you forget about them...
They purr very loudly (well Tinker does..Shrody just purrs very quietly  he's very quick with his paws though...if there were an Olympic medal for speedy hooking he'd be working towards a gold ...buttered toast no problem...spoon of ice cream...easy)
They climb curtains with panache (not really the adjective that comes first to mind when I haul them off for the umpteenth time...those curtains are never going to look the same)
They are attracted to open doors, open boxes, the fridge and my feet ...and are often rescued / apologized too/ grumbled at ...  
They are natural hunters... score so far 1 mouse (yippee) and 1 tropical fish (no yippee and nearly no kitten as it managed to bring about said fish's demise by knocking the whole tank cover and light fitting into the tank... fortunately no one was electrocuted ..but blunt force trauma knocked off a fish and one very wet  kitten spent the rest of the morning washing himself and hiding his embarrassment.)
But darn it they are entertaining and very affectionate ....but hopefully running up the back of my legs for a lark will be a one off experience.
(and just at the moment they are all curled up pretending to be good)

Mary Stewart and kittens.....

Today I listened to a Saturday night theatre from 1974.

" 25 May1974  Saturday-Night Theatre
Wildfire at Midnight
The novel by MARY STEWART adapted by STEWART HUNTER
' I knew. back there by the river, that sooner or later you'd remember.... I'd no intention of killing you. But of course I'll have to, now.'
The island of Skye in 1953. Coronation year.
Producer STEWART CONN

Contributors

Novel By: Mary Stewart
Adapted By: Stewart Hunter
Producer: Stewart Conn
Gianetta Brooke: Ursula Smith
Roderick Grant: Stephen MacDonald
Marcia: Clare Richards
Alastair: Derrick Gilbert
Nicholas Drury: Roy Boutchfr
Mrs Corrigan: Gertrude Bryce
Corrigan/Hubert: Brian Carey
Beagle/Col Cowdray-Simpson: Arthur Roland
Marion/Mrs Cowdray-Simpson: Thelma Barlow
Roberta: Sally Farrell
Persimmon: Clement Ashby
Dougal: Murdo MacDonald
Inspector: John Shedden
Sergeant: Charles Baptiste"
I love Mary Stewart's Romantic thrillers and Wildfire at Midnight is one of my favourites. So when I came across a recording of a Radio version I was rather happy Very Chuffed.
I think it's a well done production...lets face it a 90 minute play isn't going to cover all the content from the book. But enjoyable non the less..possibly a slight quibble with the choice of actor playing Nicholas Drury but maybe I'm being a tad picky!

Razzy (Erasmus)Mr.Kepsey(Kepler),Sagen,Darwin and Mr.Charon.

This year we lost several pets..it was very sad in a less than six and a half week period three of our four cats died. You'd think at 19, 18 and 16 years we'd have not been surprised ...and although this is true it was still a shock..especially the sixteen year old Razzy (Erasmus) my favourite. He was such a good, friendly cat.
Anyway the Summer passed and our one remaining cat who has never lived alone was wandering the house at night crying...so I began to search for a kitten (just one mind) to keep her company. By chance I came across a wonderful couple who rescue and rear kittens ..they were bottle feeding eleven when we met them. They had at least forty three kittens available for adoption . They don't let them go until they are vaccinated and spayed or neutered. They were such good natured kittens and so well reared. I was very , very impressed by the whole set up. But quite how we ended up bringing home two kittens ....is another story..... And it was all my fault!
We didn't know how Darwin (Our old girl would take to the kits (I expected fireworks) but apart from a very occasional and usually timely boxing of ears all is well. Darwin is happy again. Happier than we've seen her for a long time. She is now Queen cat and has Kittens to watch. Instead of spending long hours in her box she is out in the living room, ensconced on the best and most comfy lookout perch ...kitten watching. She has even allowed the occasional rub of noses. Its' very amusing to catch two rambunctious kittens  dying to pounce on her tail but thinking better of it.
Here's just a few second glimpse of the new arrivals and Darwin.

Tinker

Schrodinger

Oh and if you fancy listening to the radio play ..just click the wireless.

Glimpses of Summer also Tea & the Wireless

It's been bucketing it down all Morning so I've been listening to the radio and doing chores....
Now I'd rather look back and enjoy the Summer ..so here are a few glimpses...

In the Glacial lagoon.

Nature's art.

Supervisor.

Lilies grow close to the shore.

More information Chocolate Lily

As do Beach peas ..which smell beautiful

 More information Beach Pea

Lily from another angle :o)

Well now I'm going to add more wood to the stove and listen to a radio play ... today it's this one
The Ghost and Mrs Muir

"A Saturday Night Theatre from 21st December 1974 
The Ghost and Mrs Muir by R. A. DICK
 dramatised for radio by BARRY CAMPBELL
with Bryan Pringle , Gemma Jones and Philip Bond
"Gull Cottage: a charming cottage to let at an exceptionally reasonable rent. Its only snag is that it's haunted, but the ghost seems to be remarkably cheerful for someone who is supposed to have killed himself - perhaps one could learn to live with such a ghost."
Producer JANE GRAHAM
Cast...
Lucy Muir: Gemma Jones
Anna: Emily Richard
Cyril: Peter Settelen
Eva: Eva Stuart
Mr Coombe: Stephen Thorne
Capt Daniel Gregg: Bryan Pringle
Martha: Diana Bishop
Miles Blane: Philip Bond
Mr Sproule: Sean Arnold
Celia: Madeleine Cemm
Bishop: Alan Dudley"

 If the play is available on line I'll try and add a link to the wireless ! 
Now for a Large cup of tea :o)


 

Listening to the Radio today.....

A radio play from the BBC Home Service November 1963
"After the Fine Weather" by Michael Gilbert .
More details  here
Starring Prunella Scales
"In a remote province in the Austrian Tyrol a pretty English girl obstinately insists that she saw a murder committed-and so gets mixed up in a dangerous intrigue."

A fun listen ...it entertained me during the washing up and a baking session!
If the play is available online I'll add a link to the wireless ...so click it and see.

I think "Back Soon" was perhaps an exaggeration....

Where did the Summer rush off too?   We tried to hit Summer running but it still went too fast.
We camped locally, base camped further afield, fished, camped locally again...tried and failed to include a little gardening ...except for Runner beans ...I managed to plant them in Spring and the lovely plants looked after themselves.

Kayaking was great fun and Older daughter and I now have increased our skill level (and her muscle level) that when faced with Wind in our face (and some tide) we can actually shift the boat !   ..rather than the extremely tiring 3 yards forward 2&1/2 back that has occurred in the past (actually 3 forward 4 back has occurred in the past)  So that was fun.

This last Winter was incredibly light on snow here and it was very different in Prince William Sound. It was green...I mean really green ....we didn't camp on Snow ...the leaves that were usually tightly budded were fully unfurled. We could look up the mountains and see the terrain.   

The downside was "Bush whacking" would be necessary for much exploring and not wishing to surprise a bear ...much caution was necessary.
Oh and the bugs were awake ....not intially in full force (thank goodness) but they were making their presence felt by the time we came to pack up and leave.
You know they are bad when Deet looks as attractive as Chanel No 5 (and I HATE Deet) Improved designs of head nets are on the Winter make list.

The trusty boats on an outing.

If you are careful with timing (& the weather obliges) you can Kayak on wonderfully still water.

View from Camp

It is so green this year ...the first year we camped there was 5 feet of snow!

This year I could actually look up plants and flowers so I have some snaps to share and the Marmots  came out to watch us and were very agreeable to posing for a couple of snaps ...we give them a lot of space and try not to intrude....but if you quietly stay in a spot for two weeks and leave them be they come out and sit on their favourite rocks and watch us .....very appealing furry creatures (just think Guinea pig with a tail)they are perhaps about the size of a small spaniel....Ok...I'll find a picture