Living in a Modern Commune

So I was thinking on Mother's Day as I was sitting around the campfire by myself this thought popped into my mind. It would be great if I could live here on my farm, maybe raise a pig and a cow, along with the chickens, cats and dogs, and have a garden. And I would count on my neighbor to grow the feed for the livestock. And we would shop at the local General Store that would NOT get their items from foreign countries but from other crafters within the state or county. And we would gather together in times of harvest and planting. We would share in joys and sorrows. And no one would go without. Everyone would have enough to eat, and warm place to sleep, food in the pantry, food for the livestock, and a place for the children to run and play without fear of stranger abductions.

Is anyone else out there interested? I realize some would say, hey join the Amish. Or some other religious cult. But I don't need religion. Religion is what has caused the great divide of humanity. I am looking for others who wish to commune with others on this spiritual level, who wish to live together as a human unit.

Signs of Spring

My tulips have broken through the ground.
The grass has a greenish tint.
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

The buds are bursting on the maple trees.
We can sit around the campfire at night
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

I always can feel when it is spring
the air is warmer,
the dogs take off for hours at a time
Tim is obsessed with the Iditarod.
Tim is obsessed.

WHAT I HAVE DONE RECENTLY

BY ANGIE
It's Feb. 1st and I have been busy this year. Just wanted to share some of the things that have been keeping me busy. I'm sure you all are on the edge of your seats so here goes.
I got a new job. No longer am I slaving over writing promos for the news department at kgan/kfxa tv. I have been appointed at the University of Iowa as Educational Media Coordinator II at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When I figure out exactly WHAT my title means I will share it with you. For right now, I am the assistant to Head of the Production Unit, Bob Burns. Bob used to work at KGAN. So, it has been a blast so far. Just finished my 3rd week on the job. Tim came over after his gig on friday to get the nickel tour.
The 100s had two gigs in Janaury. One around Jan 10th. at Springville at the Legion. Good show. We went out for breakfast afterward, which meant driving to Cedar Rapids. Tim was mad at me, but I was hungry. A girl has got to eat.
Then the 100s played an unplugged gig at the Java House in Iowa City, Friday Jan. 30th. Filled the room and more. Great show. It aired on the radio, IPR so cool. They did videotape it so you can watch it somewhere, sometime, at a date which I don't know.
We have been taking the dogs out on the snowmobile, or snowmachine, trails about once a week to get them some exercise. Tim wiped out, as you may have read last weekend. We went today and had a better run. We did not let Krunchy go with us so it helped Brownie focus on leading. HEr and BIscuit did a great job. PRoud of both of them. They pulled me a long ways. Tim made a new break for him when he went down the mountian trail. He didn't wipe out, the break worked great. We are now in the house, sweaty and tired but feeling great about the dogs. They did a super job.
The daughter is performing in speech and is going to the state contest for her group mime. We are proud of her.
The teen son is using Motley Crue to wake us up ev ery morning. At 6:15 every morning. Even when he is not here. He is playing basketball, and although I have only been able to attend one game, Tim took the video camera and I was able to watch another. HE seems to enjoy it and even remembered the other guys from the other teams that he played against during football. That is the cool part about playing sports, meeting the other team and sometimes making friends.
Saw Tim's other son at the gig Friday and turns out he has class in the building I work at. Maybe he'll look me up more?
Would recommend reading the book "winterdance" by Gary Paulsen, if you like reading about life, obstacles, dogs, outdoors, dreams, and the iditarod. Good book. Easy reading, fast paced. Good. 5 stars. And I finished the book I got for Tim for Christmas, by Neil Peart "Roadshow" good book and again, easy to read, fast paced, could keep reading for hours on end if I had the time. He (Peart) is similar in many ways to Tim. Or vice versa. So I totally understood his lack of enthusiasm for being a rock star. Like I said, great book worth the read. Especially if you are a Tim Looney fan, a Rush fan, or a DRUMMER.
Now we are preparing for Feb. the time of the year when winter doesn't go by fast enough. Looking forward to selecting seeds from the catalogues, planting new trees, and baseball and softball season.
Stop in and visit friends or family. We welcome ya'll.

Doors and Cats

Have you ever heard the pawing of your cat, trying to get into the room you are occupying? Now here's another question. Have you ever had a cat who gets into the room, closes the door than can't get out? That is what we have here in Looney Land. Smoke, that crazy cat of ours does it on a semi-daily regular basis. We have had to put door stops in (loose weights, amp's and heavy stuff like that) in front of the doors so he won't lock himself in. And the worst of it, he always has accomplishes. Little Dottie and Meredith. His little harem. Besides the obvious of tossing him outdoors to fend for himself, what can a mother cat do?

Hook Up those Pups!

It's official. The Looney's are getting some harnesses and ropes and all that great stuff that Loon has been dreaming about ordering. Biscuit will get a custom harness, because as it turns out he is small for a sled dog. Go Biscuit. We always root for the underdogs. Did you know Biscuit is a wet nurse for kitties? Yes, it is true. We'll keep you updated, racing fans and dog lovers. Don't worry. No puppies will be hurt on our shift. In fact, I see one old lady getting thrown off the wagon somewhere in the middle of nowhere on occasions. And I see an old man getting left behind in the wilderness without his bottle. Life is gonna be good real soon.

Brownie the Good Dog

Smoke the Cat
Looks like Brownie, the dog is the starting member of the dog team at the Loon farm. She has learned the art of staying at home. She seems to understand her mom and dad, finally. Biscuit and Krunchy remain in the dog house. And on the kitty report, MJ has returned no thanks to Mom. Poor tabby. He just wants to hang around with the family. However, he doesn't seem to get along with the other cats. Probably a bit on the snobby side I would side, Meow.

On the Lamb

By Smoke
Finally I have escaped. Freedom! Oh, the sweet smell of independence. Of course, I don't know what the crap I will live. I can't catch anything, my food is put before me twice a day. And drinking? I drink from the cup of my paw. From a big bowl. Where will I find water? But I am free. Now I will have to fight those other dozen male cats I hear every night. The ladies! I'll finally get to chase them. Unless those darn Toms chase me off. Never thought about that. And Little Meredith my muse is indoors. Hanging out with old lady and Lil. Maybe I should try to figure out a way to break in?
CAPTURED!!!!
CRIMINAL FELINE CAPTURED AND PUT BEHIND BARS. WITH THE HELP OF THE LOONEY CANINE SQUAD OF CAP'N KRUNCHY AND DETECTIVE BROWNIE SMOKE THE CAT IS BACK HOME IN THE SAFETY OF HIS MOM AND DAD AND BROTHER AND SISTER AND FELINE FOLKS. THE ENDURING ONE HOUR MUGGY AFTERNOON HUNT TURNED UGLY AT ONE POINT. TEETH GNASHING AND GROWLING, BLOOD WAS SOON GOING TO GUSH. KUDOS ALSO GOES OUT TO MEREDITH THE ENTICER. THANKS TO HER HARD EFFORTS, SMOKE WAS FLUSHED OUT OF THE UNDER BRUSH THAT WE CALL A FLOWER BED.

My Name is Lily: Life on the Farm

By Lily the Cat
Today it is raining. I am a cat and I am stuck inside the warm farm house. We live in the country. There are more cats outside. There are three wolfish-like dogs living out in the barn. Chickens run free on the ground out here. Sometimes, an owl or sly fox eat the chickens. I see this through the windows. But all I ever tell my Mom is "Meow."
Today I licked my Mom's fingers. It tasted of spicy chicken. I did not see Mom go outside and kill the chickens. She must have gotten them from that great food place that I only see what she brings home. I love to sneak in places I don't belong. Today I decided to hide in the top shelf of the cupboard in the kitchen. This is where Mom hides all the grocery bags, cleaner's and odds and ends. Stuff that she doesn't like to see but uses everyday. When Mom got home from that great grocery store, she jumped when she opened up the door to the cupboard. There I was sitting on top of the used grocery bags. How did I get up there? Maybe you should stay at home and watch me. I do more than just take cat naps.

Looney Farm Inventory

And just what do we keep on the Looney Farm, you might all be asking yourselves?
20 chickens (and declining!)
including the bad-ass rooster Wino, and his butt-boy sidekick Blackie

18 outdoor cats (The actual Matriarch of the family was Nellie. Father was Big Balls)
Grey Mama(Her Mom was "Talkie" and Talkie's Mom was Marshmellow and her mom was Nellie) - matriarch and nice, albeit somewhat feral, main-mama
Black Mama (Her Mom was Sylvia and her mom was Nellie)- and not a very good one at that - so no more motherhood for her!
M.J. (Murphy Junior) - a super nice gray-brown tabby Tom that we love so much we got him "fixed" so he wouldn't run off. He still picks fights with the other males, however. He looks a lot like Murphy.
Tippy - white with brown markings, tips of her ears and tail are white. Deep blue eyes. Twin sister to one of my all-time favorites, Squeak (named for the way she would yell at me as a newborn as I walked by the box the kittens were in). Poor Squeak lost an eye and nearly lost a leg and eventually used up all 9 lives. Squeak really loved me and I still miss her.
Patch - White with patches (get it?) of gray and brown. Nice cat who lives in the woods, but comes in to eat and go on walks.
Bootie Barker - beautiful silver male with white booties, named after a NASCAR crew chief.
Precious - a fluffy orange MALE, very cranky (possibly due to his name?)
Henry - named after Henry Rawlings, as they both yell a lot, he is a sweetheart orange tabby who was under-sized at birth and we weren't sure he was going to make it.
Diego - another orange male tabby (ankle-biter!) Diego's brother Baby ran off, (another name issue?) we think he's the top Tom prowling the neighborhood. Dad was a wandering, dark orange tom with dark yellow eyes named Norman New Cat.
Blondie - little orange tabby female (and my special friend!)
Simba - Blondie's twin sister who is extremely feral!
Myron - smallish gray-brown tabby with beautiful blue eyes!
Sausage & Cheese - pretty, fluffy calico, aptly named by Iron Man
Tigger - nice orange tabby, very friendly kitten
Frosty - (or Frosted Alps, Frosted Flakes, etc.) Tig's twin sister, extremely feral!
China - another wild kitten, cool black and gray mottled color, named after Asia, similar in color, who had the map of Asia on her forehead! (R.I.P., Asia)
Socks - kitten similar to Bootie, very cute, we are desperately trying to tame him!
Meredith - had a sibling, Grey (Meredith Grey, TV fans) who didn't survive living in the barn. Meredith is the sweetest little calico you could ever meet. (See below)

3 dogs
Krunchy - big, black, loving Alpha dog (His Mom was Annie and died 4 weeks after giving birth. I had to bottle feed him and his other 3 littermates. He came to work with me. Cutie.)
Brownie 2- she's so pretty and, ahem, blond! (She was named after the other Brownie who was Krunchy's littermate, who was runover on my birthday. Devestating to everyone. And she was "Pinky's" special dog. So the next week, I gave in to those tears of loss. We tried Sunshine, Goldie but only Brownie would do. How could I say NO to that face?)
Biscuit - spastic, hyper and intelligent little hyper dog. Oh, did I mention he's hyper?

3 indoor cats
Murphy (Anna, Josephina, Elizabeth) Brown, Investigative Kitty - my 15-year-old cat, I've known her longer than just about anybody, we've been through a lot together, she's my "divorce kitty", she saved my life when I was down and out. (Since his 3rd marriage, she's mellowed and is a super nice kitty. She fit in way before the Loon did.)
Lily - Pinky Brewster's beautiful cat, loving and sweet and incredibly clumsy! (She has been to school. She's a celebrity.)
Smoke - The Babe Wife's "special friend", the most beautiful silver coat you've ever seen. Named after Babe's fav driver, Tony Stewart (See? I'm secure!) he is her "dog-cat" in that he acts and lays on the floor like a dog, he's the little dog she never had! (Smoke does tricks for his treats. He can jump pretty high. And he loves to lick Meredith's butt. So I call him the official butt-licker.)

Not trying to be catty here, but

HOW MANY CATS DO WE NEED IN THE HOUSE?

There appears to be a campaign under way by The Babe Wife, Pinky Brewster and even Iron Man, to add to our in-house cat population. We already have three (3) indoor cats:
Murphy Brown, my 15-year-old, cranky, hairball-puking, old-lady cat;
Lily, beautiful, nice and clumsiest cat you'll meet;
Smoke, Ang's precious dog-cat, with a beautiful silver coat, crazy, dog-like poses, attacking the other cats and generally being a pain in the arse (he's a cat, after all!)


The object of our affections is Meredith, a gorgeous, sweetheart, tiny little calico. So I ask you, dear readers:

How many indoor cats are enough?

Discuss.