reduced for quick sale

After we started feeding grass hay to Tessa we had new tenants move into the barn... mice. The hay had a tiny amount of oats and seeds that apparently were quite yummy to farm varmits. What's a pesticide-free farm to do?

Meet Henry, the new barn cat. Henry was reduced for quick sale at the Animal Shelter. RT and Bee and I found him online on New Year's Eve day. The shelter was running a special on senior cats - adopt one for free. So, on a whim, we trekked down to the shelter to find "Cheyenne" - ack! This guy was definitely not a "Cheyenne." He was a big but skinny mellow cat. We instantly loved him and had to take him home. He had already had "the surgery", so he was good to go. Well, we find out later that it was a surgery that had gone a little wrong - hence the first vet visit that was scheduled while on the way home. So much for a free cat... And actually so much for going home. After "Cheyenne" had braved the shelter fro three weeks, he was fortunate enough to sit in the car in a crate while we went out to lunch and then on to Costco.

While at lunch that day we tossed around many names, but we finally decided on a dignified, simple name for a seemingly simple guy... Henry. Henry spent the first week on the farm in a huge crate in the goat stall. Strange and unusual roommates I'm sure he was thinking. His crate was in the barn, so that he could learn where to sleep and work. Mieces to pieces... Well, about 24 hours after Henry arrived what seemed like a three week storm began. Henry quickly moved to a fleece cat bed on the back porch - out of the wind and weather - and consequently, out of the barn. So much for our barn cat, at least for now.

Over the last month and a half, Henry has put on weight and has adjusted beautifully to life on our small farm. He makes the trip from the porch to the barn several times a day to eat his kibbles. He chases the dogs, watches the chickens, runs from the goats, and sleeps for hours at a time in the sunny spots under the back porch. He hasn't caught a single mouse - that we know of. But we have news for Henry...when the rain stops, he's going to work.