Mouse Wars - Shadow Jedi Cat finishes his training

Mouse Wars

on the edge of the

Corn Nebula

Shadow the Jedi Cat

has finished his training.

Now he is being tested

by

Mouster Squeek

the Jedi Master

If he passes this test

he will be

a new Hope

for the outpost



In Other News...

Our normal level of crazy has returned to the Roost.  The kids are back in school and we are all trying to settle back into the routine of teaching, learning, and school projects mixed in with everyday farm life.  "Vacation" is very disruptive.

The Dogs have imposed their own level of crazy on the house and the farm.  They seem to have taken over as they settle in.  The dogs and kids are starting their third week of basic obedience training.  It is making a difference.  The kids are enjoying it.  They especially love that their Dog Training Instructor is named Kat.

 Comet and

Leonardo at rest.

And at play. 
 
Eve is doing quite well.  She eats well, tolerates me, plays like a calf, and seems very healthy.

But she doesn't really like the snow.  "It's cold, and wet, and gets in her fur.  Then mom lick me and messes up my look."

Most disturbingly, the Imperial ATAT Walker that was in pieces in RR's room disappeared last night.  I suspect the Evil Mouse Sith have stolen it.  They are probably refitting it with new lasers, preparing to for an new offensive in the on going Mouse Wars saga.

Mouse Wars - Shadow, Jedi Cat in training

Scritch, Scritch, Scritch!





1:30 A.M. and something is tearing a hole in the protective barrier of Senator CC's sleeping chamber. The ancient jedi charged with guarding her, keeping the peace, and ensuring that all is right with the world, wakes, visually checking the traps set at weak points in along the barrier and then settles in for a sleepless night.





The Mouse Sith and their hoards of clone mice have pushed the alliance hard this past few months. Outposts in the barn system on the edge of the corn field nebula have fallen. The post at Greenhouse One is in serious peril, depending on old traps, and a few valiant jedi cats. The attacks on the alliance stronghold have increased. Less than a week ago the ancient jedi woke suddenly in the middle of the night to see a sith spy scampering across the bedding and disappearing into the dark bowels of the ancient fortress. Now the attack had begun in earnest. The ancient jedi slid, creakingly from his bed, and made his rounds, checking traps, shoring up defences, and hoping that help would arrive soon.





With the dawn, help arrived. Master Jaguar sauntered through the fortress gate with his new padawan learner Shadow. After greeting everyone and doing a quick patrol of the perimeter, they settled into a training session in the entry yard.

Shadow's skills are impressive. Hope has arrived.

Death of Rats comes to call

I was working in the green house this morning. Once again replanting the spinach and fitting wire mesh over the bed to try to protect them from the mice. The wire I needed was in a corner of the greenhouse under a board I've been meaning to move but haven't gotten to yet. I bent over to pick up the board and this little fellow tapped me on the shoulder. I glanced back, a bit startled to see him sitting there grinning, then flipped the board. Out scampered the biggest, fattest field mouse I've ever seen. (7.75 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail.)

Thanks to Terry Pratchett for creating such a helpful demigod

Without even thinking, my size 9 boot stomped down. End of mouse. Death of Rats scooped the suprised little fellow up, squeaked that there "IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH" and faded into the multiverse from whence he came.

That should slow down the spinach seed eating for a day or two. By then the Cunning Artificers may have produced their better mouse trap and I will be set.

Mouse Wars - The invasion of the greenhouse

A long time ago

in a galaxy far, far away...



Oops, wrong movie.


Not so long ago

in a corn field next door

the evil mouse sith were preparing

to invade the last

out post of the human

rebel alliance.

Mouse Wars

The Evil Mouse Sith have led the forces of the empire in an invasion of the new rebel outpost on the edge of the Corn Field Galaxy. The Jedi Cats patrol the area but are not allowed into the outpost by Governor Grumpy Farmer. Jedi battle techniques cause disruption of the poly shield that protects the community from the hostilities of space. At his wits end, after suffering massive losses in the fledgling community, Governor Grumpy Farmer left the outpost in search of a Cunning Artificer who could build him a better mouse trap. He has not returned...


The mice are eating my spinach seed as fast as I can plant it. I can't let the cat's in, they shred the poly cover which doesn't make me happy. I'm looking for some high volume, industrial mouse trap, but so far haven't found anything that really works.

The Return of the Jedi

Warning!


The following is a bit graphic.

The Jedi have triumphed over the evil silverware invading mouse sith. Else where in the realm the battle still rages, but the kitchen is once again secure. The princes and her rebel co-hearts are turning their energies to the rest of the house.

Don't need a better mouse trap.

"Cry havoc and let slip the cats of war"

The mouse wars continue. Traps have been placed strategically, and the warrior cats have been deployed to defend the border of the rebel enclave. It has been suggested to the high command that more cats would help the situation. If they were allowed to roam freely through out the enclave that would solve everything.

Sounds like an arms race.

I'm sure indoor cats would help, but family allergies won't allow this. As for more cats, we have had up to 12, but the road seems to eat them. The two we have now were born here, hand raised by J and R, and are very valiant in their efforts to rid the world of all crawling things. These are mostly deposited on our porch. It doesn't seem to be enough.

I am reminded of a favorite childhood book, "The King, The Mice, and the Cheese" by Nancy Gurney (if you like kids books this is a good one). The king loved cheese but his palace was invaded by mice, who also loved cheese. "Mice, mice, everywhere. Mice, mice, eating my cheese." moaned the king. So he brought in cats to chase away the mice, then dogs to chase away the cats, then lions to chase away the dogs, then elephants to chase away the lions. Finally, he couldn't stand it any more so he brought back the mice to chase away the elephants. The book ends with the king and the mice making a deal. The king would share his cheese, and the mice would use very good manners.

We may soon be at that point.

WAR

A long time ago

in a galaxy far, far away...

Oops, wrong movie.

Not so long ago

in a corn field next door

the evil mouse sith were preparing

to invade the last

out post of the human

rebel alliance.

Mouse Wars

Summer Year three, A New Hope had arisen. The jedi knights, armed with traps, and backed by a troupe of fierce barn cats had caused havoc in the ranks of the mouse empire. But now, as the long dark approaches the Evil Darth Invader has sent his mouse sith warriors to scout invasion routes into this last human outpost on the edge of the corn field galaxy. They have succeeded in infiltrating our somewhat permeable outpost. Signs have been seen. The basement has been compromised.

The empire

strikes back

Mouse sign was discovered in the kitchen, IN THE SILVERWARE DRAWER!!! All hope is lost. War is upon us and the Empire is winning.