Rudha-an – Page 12 – jellybeansofdoom.com

July 27, 2014

Cock up at the park

Given the construction, we avoid leaving the kitties alone when the workers are doing their thing. Instead, we left very early and went to the park at sunrise. The last time we were there, we got to watch ducks, geese and robins. This time, it was very quiet.

Not a cloud in the sky as Karl The Fog was on a short vacaion. Photo by Lastech

Even with no clouds, the colors were pretty

Since a couple of ducks were the only wildlife we found at Stow Lake, we wandered off to another lake for a walk.

It had been a very quiet morning, all things considered. While slighty disappointed that we didn’t see more wildlife, we were very happy with the sunrise and eucalyptus and lack of other humans. In other words, it was peaceful. It didn’t last. Our peace and quiet was abruptly shattered.

We headed off around the next curve in the trail and came face to face with the rare and elusive Golden Gate Bawk-Bawk.

Here you see them investigating the noms that some human left for them — Here you can see them investigating the noms that some human left for them

This Bawk-Bawk has paused long enough to pose for me — This Bawk-Bawk stopped long enough to pose for me

Abandoning the noms left by humans, they can be seen scratching in the grass

Our very quiet morning turned into a rare event and will be much remembered. As we left, the Bawk-Bawks were safely roosting in the nearby shrubbery.

July 26, 2014

Caturday: It’s quiet today

The construction next door is coming along slowly but surely. Miss Jenny still hides when they’re working, but she’s out and talking to the birds today. I even managed to get a few pics.

As for the construction, I still have a kitchen window and this is the view.

The big orange monster is still outside my window.

And now for some giggles. Be sure to watch it with the sound up as it’s the commentary that makes this so funny.

July 21, 2014July 21, 2014

Happy Birthday to Miss Nightshade Jenny

Our lovely Miss Jenny is 3 years old today. She’s still a nervous wreck and even more so with the construction next door. Aside from that, she’s a happy kitty. She was adorable when she was small and she’s still adorable now. We adopted her from the SFSPCA in November of 2011. She was a scared baby and hid under the dresser for a couple of days and only coming out to eat.

This was right after we brought her home. You can see that she's scared — This was right after we brought her home. You can see that she’s scared

Her name at the shelter was Nightshade. We Named her Jenny after Pirate Jenny in the Three-Penny Opera. It took a couple of days before she got brave enough to come out from under the dresser. Soon, she was doing much better and after that she met the boys. The rest is history. She’s daddy’s girl all the way. She likes me but she adores him. It’s all good.

Along the way she has picked up some odd habits. She’s a pen thief. If it’s not hidden, she’ll take it and hide it. She has also stolen potatoes. Yes, really. On top of all that, she poots. Her gaseous emanations can be vile. 🙂 She just fits right into the JBoD household and we love her.

Happy Birthday Miss Jenny!

While we have posted it before, it’s worth posting it again. This is the Pirate Jenny song that inspired her name. It’s NSFW (language). Marianne Faithfull’s version is the most accurate translation from the German.

July 19, 2014

Caturday: Construction blues

Howdy folks. We managed to get some pics of the kitties but it’s getting harder. Caturday may possibly become a bit more sporadic as a result of the construction going on next door. When I say next door, I don’t mean 25 or 50 feet away. I mean inches away from our building. This is what it’s like here.

San Francisco gas explosion and fire — Our building is on the far right. You can see how close all the buildings are

The above pic is from a previous post about some builders who tried to burn down the block due to some sad stupidity. I still suffer from paranoia as a result and the current construction makes me nervous. This is the view out my kitchen window. The window is on the side of our building and it will be going away soon.

This mess will become five 4-story buildings.

I really shouldn’t complain. I’m coping. The poor kitties are NOT having a good time. Miss Jenny goes into hiding during the day and won’t come out until the loud noises stop. Tito alternates between hiding in my closet and hiding in the blanket tent under my knees. Titanescu doesn’t hide, but he doesn’t like it either. The Feliway is really helping the recovery time in the evenings and the pointy eared people also get a good dose of nip as a reward.

And now, here they are:

Tito soaking up a rare sunbeam (it's the foggy season) — Tito soaking up a rare sunbeam (it’s the foggy season)

Here's Titanescu going out of his way to be adorable. Don't be fooled. World domination is his goal...one hiss and paw slap at a time. — Here’s Titanescu going out of his way to be adorable. Don’t be fooled. World domination is his goal…one hiss and paw slap at a time.

And now, for a very funny vid. It’s Elvis doing Blue Suede Shoes…with no music. 🙂

And yes, here’s the full vid with music. I’ll never look at it the same way again.

July 12, 2014July 12, 2014

Caturday: noisy construction and bolt-holes

It’s the weekend and so far, the noise in the lot next door is at a minimum today. They aren’t stopping for the weekend, but they aren’t as noisy. Back in the day, the lot was a gas station and the owners lived in our building. Since then, the lot was cleaned up, rezoned and sold along with our building. The new owners are going to fill the empty space with offices and shops on the bottom two floors and apartments above. There’s a plan to add two more floors to our building to do the same. That will mean eviction when the time comes, so we’re trying to get ready now.

We’re furiously thinning out everything IN the apartment and the builders are noisily building outside. The pointy eared people are NOT amused. We’ve tried to help by creating bolt-holes and other places to hide. The Feliway helps a lot. In addition, Lastech is changing from graveyard shift to swing (3 to 11 pm). That way, we can work in the apartment during the day when the furry ones are already hiding from the racket next door. With any luck, it will be a bit less traumatic for them. I know what stress does to humans. I can’t imagine what it does to them. The change will also help Lastech as it’s impossible to sleep well with construction going on a few feet away.

In spite of all that, they still managed to pose nicely for us.

Titanescu awash in the glow of the television as he contemplates world domination

Here is a good video from The Mean Kitty at Youtube. Cory’s explanation at the beginning of the video is why we’re trying so hard to make it easy for the pointy eared people. Dogs go through the same thing when there are changes in the home, but as most of them spend time outdoors, their world is just a wee bit bigger.

As a bonus, here’s the song that made The Mean Kitty (Sparta) famous. 🙂

July 11, 2014

Birdies in the afternoon

My last post was from Stow Lake at dawn. This time we went in the late afternoon, before the fog rolled back in. The geese posed nicely and the water was reflections were pretty.

Blue sky with wisps of fog over Stow Lake

We paused to sit at a table and enjoy a cup of coffee. We had a visitor who sat at the other end of the table watching.

After our coffee we went for a walk around the lake.

Lady ducky showing off her feets and checking to see if we had noms.

Another pretty female duck with a Brewer's Blackbird lurking behind — Another pretty female duck with a Brewer’s Blackbird lurking behind

And here is my ultimate goal. In my last post I had a pic of a young girl ducky who was molting. I had taken pics of her and her siblings, but that was the only one that came out clear. I got lucky and got a cute pic of all three together.

July 9, 2014

Birdies at dawn

We went to Stow Lake at dawn to see what critters were lurking in the fog. It’s very peaceful, but not exactly quiet. The birds were noisy.

No boaters on the lake this early

The Chinese Pavillion and mist on the water

Hummingbird

Flappity flappity

Steller’s Jay and mate

American Robin

Robin with noms

Feed meh!

This little ducky is almost a big girl now. She’s molting.

And now for the bonus pic from Lastech. This was also taken at dawn, so it fits the theme. 🙂

Black Crowned Night Heron hunting for fishy noms

July 1, 2014

Duck, duck, goose, goose, goose!

Here are just a few ducks and geese I’ve found at Golden Gate Park. 🙂

June 28, 2014

Caturday: What a busy week!

Good afternoon world. This week we managed to sneak out for some fish sandwiches and a walk at the park and then yesterday we got to watch the dolphins at Baker Beach. In addition, a couple of blocks away the SFPD was dealing with the great goat caper. The pointy eared people just kicked back and relaxed. Their only concern was that we return to provide them scritches, nip, and noms.

Tito in the tub...again. — Tito in the tub…again.

Titanescu decided to check out Tito's playground (the tub) — Titanescu decided to check out Tito’s playground (the tub)

Addiction: It’s real. Miss Jenny is a nip head. Here’s a great vid from ShoKo.

June 27, 2014June 28, 2014

Spellbinding

The Sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever ~Jacques Cousteau~

Once in a while I like to take a stroll in the cold sea water. Earlier today, the water at Baker beach was a nice warm 59 degrees and the air temperature, a balmy 67. Karl The Fog was draping the Golden Gate Bridge in a lovely shade of gray. To put it bluntly, it was a very beautiful time by the shore.

Only a wee bit of the Golden Gate Bridge is visible

I thought the weather was great and I wore a short sleeved t-shirt. However, it was cool enough that you could tell the tourists from the locals.

I watched a seagull wading in the surf and then flapping away.

Then my phone went off. I usually turn it off when I’m out, but I forgot. Then I realized it was Lastech who was watching from the parking lot up above. I answered to hear him giving me a “fins in the water” alert. The bottlenose dolphins were out romping.

It was amazing to watch them. I wish I had been faster with the camera, but I did better than the last time. 🙂

Now for some bonus pics. We were on our way home and we stopped at a red light. We were right next to the freeway. I saw movement to my right and saw a hawk land on the ground just on the other side of the chain link fence. It was less than ten feet away.

To be honest, I never know what I’m going to see when we go out. I’m always amazed. 🙂