12-01-2021, 11:04 AM
Benson TTS2022
For the last three days it had been snowing consistently so that now by the fourth day, when the sky cleared, the vista I beheld was like one of those beautiful picture post cards people send to each other saying “Tis the Season.” The trees were thickly covered and drooping with a good 2 foot of fresh snow on the ground.
You stand below one of those trees when it sheds its snow covering and you will think many things other than beautiful !
I got warmly dressed and decided I would sit on the back porch in the sun and enjoy some hot coffee and the view while watching the wild life. It was 10 AM and with no wind it really was not all that cold this time of day. I was joined by Benson the cat which I had found 8 months ago by the side of the road.
Benson had followed me outside of the house but after taking one look at the snow he hopped up into my lap to snuggle and be warmer.
“Benson this is my first snow with you and I figured you would at least be kinda curious.”
Benson's reply was a purr as he settled deeper into my lap to sleep.
Benson had been found 2 miles away on the side of a dirt road while I was out hunting and fishing with the ATV. He was pitiful and crying for his mommy who was no where to be found. I thought about leaving him where he was but decided I would take him home and see how it goes. I had my ATV gloves on so it was a simple matter of scooping him up without a possible bite or scratch and then placing him in a game bag (which he did not seem to like) and take him back home with me. The ride was not to rough and we were back at my place in less than 15 minutes. When I opened the game bag he was all eyes and crying something in cat talk that probably translated into, “Help me, Help me”!
Game bag in hand I took him inside and microwaved some milk to body temp and even threw in a can of Tuna into the small bowl. I doubted he was weaned but that did not seem to matter as he attacked the Tuna and milk like he had been eating this way forever.
That was the start of Benson's relationship with me.
I have a problem with field mice and rats getting into the feed stock and even chewing electrical wiring for the vehicles and the farm house. Benson would be my problem solver. It was easy to catch the mice in a bated wire trap so at first every few feedings I would feed Benson chopped up rat or mouse. This went on for a few months until I had him graduate to the whole animal. He seemed to like the mice better than the rats but he would eat either. I would tie a string around a mouse and have Benson chase the string pulled mouse for his supper while saying, "Mouse, Mouse, Mouse." It was great fun for both of us unless you were the dead mouse .
So there we were sitting on the back porch when out of the edge of the tree line came a mouse gingerly walking upon the lightly crusted snow pack.
“Benson, Mouse,” which brought his head up as I slowly pointed to the direction of the field mouse. Before I could do anything Benson leaped from my lap and sprang from the porch only to disappear into a snow drift almost 4 foot deep. There was an explosion out of the top of the drift as Benson fought to gain an exit and daylight but, every time he would surface he would break back through the crust and disappear once again. I can not remember having such a belly laugh at someone else's misfortune, ever! Benson finally settled his dilemma by burrowing a tunnel in the snow to the first step of the porch. He climbed the steps shook off the snow (which was funny in itself) and with a dirty look at where the mouse had been he meowed for me to let him back into the warmth of the house. I opened the door and I assure you he did not need any urging as he made a beeline directly to the fireplace which still had a decent fire going. Aah home sweet home.
The End
For the last three days it had been snowing consistently so that now by the fourth day, when the sky cleared, the vista I beheld was like one of those beautiful picture post cards people send to each other saying “Tis the Season.” The trees were thickly covered and drooping with a good 2 foot of fresh snow on the ground.
You stand below one of those trees when it sheds its snow covering and you will think many things other than beautiful !
I got warmly dressed and decided I would sit on the back porch in the sun and enjoy some hot coffee and the view while watching the wild life. It was 10 AM and with no wind it really was not all that cold this time of day. I was joined by Benson the cat which I had found 8 months ago by the side of the road.
Benson had followed me outside of the house but after taking one look at the snow he hopped up into my lap to snuggle and be warmer.
“Benson this is my first snow with you and I figured you would at least be kinda curious.”
Benson's reply was a purr as he settled deeper into my lap to sleep.
Benson had been found 2 miles away on the side of a dirt road while I was out hunting and fishing with the ATV. He was pitiful and crying for his mommy who was no where to be found. I thought about leaving him where he was but decided I would take him home and see how it goes. I had my ATV gloves on so it was a simple matter of scooping him up without a possible bite or scratch and then placing him in a game bag (which he did not seem to like) and take him back home with me. The ride was not to rough and we were back at my place in less than 15 minutes. When I opened the game bag he was all eyes and crying something in cat talk that probably translated into, “Help me, Help me”!
Game bag in hand I took him inside and microwaved some milk to body temp and even threw in a can of Tuna into the small bowl. I doubted he was weaned but that did not seem to matter as he attacked the Tuna and milk like he had been eating this way forever.
That was the start of Benson's relationship with me.
I have a problem with field mice and rats getting into the feed stock and even chewing electrical wiring for the vehicles and the farm house. Benson would be my problem solver. It was easy to catch the mice in a bated wire trap so at first every few feedings I would feed Benson chopped up rat or mouse. This went on for a few months until I had him graduate to the whole animal. He seemed to like the mice better than the rats but he would eat either. I would tie a string around a mouse and have Benson chase the string pulled mouse for his supper while saying, "Mouse, Mouse, Mouse." It was great fun for both of us unless you were the dead mouse .
So there we were sitting on the back porch when out of the edge of the tree line came a mouse gingerly walking upon the lightly crusted snow pack.
“Benson, Mouse,” which brought his head up as I slowly pointed to the direction of the field mouse. Before I could do anything Benson leaped from my lap and sprang from the porch only to disappear into a snow drift almost 4 foot deep. There was an explosion out of the top of the drift as Benson fought to gain an exit and daylight but, every time he would surface he would break back through the crust and disappear once again. I can not remember having such a belly laugh at someone else's misfortune, ever! Benson finally settled his dilemma by burrowing a tunnel in the snow to the first step of the porch. He climbed the steps shook off the snow (which was funny in itself) and with a dirty look at where the mouse had been he meowed for me to let him back into the warmth of the house. I opened the door and I assure you he did not need any urging as he made a beeline directly to the fireplace which still had a decent fire going. Aah home sweet home.
The End
