Necessity is (a) Mother . . .

. . . of a challenge these days.  This is not all a bad thing.

Thanks to the surgery, this is how I’m sleeping these nights. With my bruised and battered foot under a box. Necessity demanded that I invent this solution. My now-screwed-together foot is just wrapped, not in a cast. My blood ran cold picturing what would happen if Bugs, in one of his nocturnal frenzies, leaped onto my uncasted foot. Hence the box.

Good thing, too. Last night Bugs, in one of his nocturnal frenzies, leaped onto, but for the box, what would have been my foot. Thank you, Necessity.

Thanks to Bugs’ recent escape, Necessity further impressed on my landlord that another layer of doors should be interposed between Bugs and the great outdoors. I can’t show you the new Catio in all its glory, because my arms and back can only take the bare necessities of pegging around on crutches, and this does not include fighting my way out the front door and down two steps unless absolutely essential.

So here is what the new Catio looks like from the inside.

Bugs ponders the extra barrier.

Barney wonders what all the fuss is about.

Decides it’s really not all that interesting.

Bugs follows suit.

In other wildlife news apart from Mr. Packrat’s recent visit, one night rains caused this:

Probably a Fowler’s toad, like last time.

And this is not news, but I am still so proud of this —

My wonderful swamp milkweed plant.

It was like Grand Central Station this summer. I could not believe the numbers of fauna this little flora supported. This is a native species that has been decimated by habitat loss. I really understood the seriousness of the situation, when I noted with amazement the swarms of insects and pollinators who materialized on the property to enjoy these fragrantly generous blossoms.

Including stressed and threatened Monarch butterflies. This is a Monarch caterpillar.

Loss of the milkweed plant is specifically identified as one of the principal threats to these amazing creatures.  At one point I had four or five Monarch caterpillars on the plant. They totally devoured every scrap of leaf and bud. And welcome to it.

But as I said, this is no longer news. It is now cold enough for this:

Cat Mash-up.

Except when Bugsy does this.

Solo.

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